This year could be a defining moment for the protection of biodiversity and the illegal trade in wildlife. Earlier in the year saw the environment – climate change and wildlife trafficking – being raised at the UN Security Council for the first time as a threat to stable and democratic governments. And yesterday saw Hilary Clinton, Secretary of State , commit the resources of the US intelligence services to combating the wildlife traders and poachers.
There is no doubt that in many areas of the world and especially Asia and Africa local authorities are overwhelmed by well organised and funded poaching gangs. In some areas even the very security of the region is under threat thanks to the money that illegal poaching can bring in.
If you want to see the damage that the money from poaching can do there is no better – or worse – place to look than the Congo. Here warlords have driven out law enforcement agencies of a democratically elected government. The slaughter of elephants pays for the guns and ammunition required to carry on with instilling fear into local populations. The sale of that ivory trinket you bought at a market on holiday will be supporting murder, rape and child sex slaves of the rebel gangs that operate the poaching in vast parts of central Africa.
The US has always been involved in supporting training of officials in combating poaching and wildlife trafficking but the statement made by Hilary Clinton yesterday puts it on a completely different level and raises the game substantially. Global wildlife could be a real winner thanks to the re-election of President Obama.
At the announcement Clinton said, “As the middle class grows, which we all welcome and support, in many nations items like ivory or rhinoceros horn become symbols of wealth and social status. And so the demand for these goods rises. By some estimates, the black market in wildlife is rivaled in size only by trade in illegal arms and drugs. Today, ivory sells for nearly $1,000 per pound. Rhino horns are literally worth their weight in gold, $30,000 per pound.
“What’s more, we are increasingly seeing wildlife trafficking has serious implications for the security and prosperity of people around the world. Local populations that depend on wildlife, either for tourism or sustenance, are finding it harder and harder to maintain their livelihoods. Diseases are spreading to new corners of the globe through wildlife that is not properly inspected at border crossings. Park rangers are being killed. And we have good reason to believe that rebel militias are players in a worldwide ivory market worth millions and millions of dollars a year.
“So yes, I think many of us are here because protecting wildlife is a matter of protecting our planet’s natural beauty. We see it’s a stewardship responsibility for us and this generation and future generations to come. But it is also a national security issue, a public health issue, and an economic security issue that is critical to each and every country represented here.”
The first task of the security and intelligence agencies under the new directive to put together a risk assessments to see how the illegal trade in wildlife is impacting on the security of the US.
Clinton also talked of the wide-ranging need for boosting the war against traffickers, “So I think we have to look at this in a comprehensive, holistic way. And there’s something for everybody. If you love animals, if you want to see a more secure world, if you want our economy not to be corrupted globally by this kind of illicit behavior, there is so much we can do together.
“After all, the world’s wildlife, both on land and in our waters, is such a precious resource, but it is also a limited one. It cannot be manufactured. And once it’s gone, it cannot be replenished. And those who profit from it illegally are not just undermining our borders and our economies. They are truly stealing from the next generation.
“So we have to work together to stop them and ensure a sustainable future for our wildlife, the people who live with them, and the people who appreciate them everywhere.”
International wildlife and conservation organisations have welcomed the move.
Dr. Cristián Samper, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) who moderated a panel at the U.S. State Department when the announcement was made said, “WCS is proud to join with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the U.S. State Department and our NGO partners on new initiatives designed to stop wildlife poaching, illegal logging and unregulated fisheries.
“As attested by her focus on illegal wildlife trade during recent travels in Asia, Secretary Clinton has proven herself a committed leader on combating trafficking. Her call-to-action today should serve as a catalyst for more public awareness and engagement and an organized response to this threat which is decimating species populations and endangering lives. Illegal trade in wildlife, timber and fisheries is estimated to be fueling illicit economies around the world at approximately $10-15 billion annually. Wildlife trafficking is among the world’s most lucrative illicit economies, second only to illegal drugs and human trafficking.”
He then went on to explain how over 30,000 elephants will be killed next year in Africa for their tusk. Earlier this year in one national park in Cameroon over 50% of its elephant population was slaughtered by poachers.
Other endangered species are just hanging on and are close to extinction thanks to poachers. Just 3,200 tigers remain in the world and only 1,000 of those a breeding females. Even once common species are now being killed at such rates that they may soon become extinct. 25 million sharks a year are killed for their fins despite many countries having banned finning at sea.
As Samper pointed out, “The revenues generated by the sale of wild animals support local insurgencies and terrorist activities and promotes political instability. The wildlife products travel through organized crime networks, especially between Africa and high-end markets in East Asia.
“Smuggling of wildlife across international borders also bypasses quarantine and other health regulations which risk the spread of infectious diseases such as Ebola, SARS, monkey pox and others. These viruses and diseases have the potential of impacting human health including causing death, harm international commerce and disrupt local economies.
“We need to protect the source, break the chain and stop demand.”
Crawford Allan, Director of TRAFFIC in North America, “The unprecedented surge in wildlife crime reflects a fundamental shift in the structure and operation of the illegal wildlife trade over the past decade.
“Wildlife crime is seen as relatively ‘easy money’, providing high returns for relatively little risk, so it is little surprise organized criminal networks are becoming increasingly involved. NGOs, such as TRAFFIC, WWF and WildAid can’t tackle such threats alone; we need governments to get involved.
“In this regard, TRAFFIC warmly welcomes today’s strong commitment shown by Secretary of State Clinton, clearly placing the US Government at the forefront of global efforts to deal with the growing menace from organized wildlife crime.”
If this is the start of a movement to commit the same degree of resources to tackling wildlife crime as is committed to tackling drug and gun running then 2012 could be a defining point for the international effort to take on and deal effectively with poachers who are decimating wildlife across the world.
