Seized wildlife articles, including tiger pelts and ivory, were today set ablaze by the authorities, demonstrating the country's commitment towards protection of its flora and fauna.

The illegal wildlife products -- including those derived from tigers, elephants, leopards, lions, snakes, deer, owls, mongoose and shells -- were destroyed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests officials at the Delhi Zoo here in the presence of Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Javadekar said that money generated from this illegal trade was being used for terrorism and crimes such as drug trafficking and asserted the government was committed towards protection of flora and fauna.

"We have decided to destroy this in public view because we want to send a strong signal that illegal trade in wildlife animal products is banned and will not be tolerated," he said.

Such trade in products like horns, skin or teeth of animals fetch a very good price in the illegal market, he said.

"So, today we have decided to burn all such illegal products," the Minister said.

These articles were seized by the Delhi Wildlife Department in its drive against wildlife crime. Few wildlife articles available in National Zoological Park were also destroyed today.

Citing an example of the money generated from illegal trade in wildlife products, Javadekar said, "Can you imagine a Rhino's single horn can fetch Rs 10 million and this money can be used for other crimes such as terrorism or drug trafficking."

Hunting, he said, was a sporting activity years back but that created a situation where many animal species became endangered and were on the point of extinction.

"From that point, we have brought them back to life and in good numbers. But now there is the threat of poaching. So, through this gesture we want to show that the government cares for co-existence of flora, fauna, and human beings because it is an inseparable link in our scheme of things of nature," he said.

According to WWF, a leading organisation in wildlife conservation and endangered species, each year millions of plants and animals and their products are sold as food, pets, ornamental plants, leather, tourist curios and medicine.

While part of this trade is legal, a worryingly large proportion is illegal and threatens the survival of many endangered species, WWF has said.