By-Liner

Raising Public Awareness to Fight the Illegal Trade in Wildlife

June 4, 2008

By Mark Green

Wildlife trafficking may be unfamiliar to many of us, but we all may contribute to the illegal wildlife trade simply by unknowingly purchasing goods that are a result of illegal trade. Tourist souvenirs made from illegally harvested ivory, tortoise shells, feathers, fur, bones or skins of endangered species are marketed openly. The sale of these products puts many species at risk of extinction and encourages criminal activity.

In recent years, illegal trafficking has grown and now contributes significantly to the loss of our most precious wildlife. Most of the 95 percent decline in the tiger population since the turn of the 20th century has occurred in the past 25 years, and poachers and traffickers have contributed to this decline. I along with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, who led the Presidential Delegation to the Sullivan Summit, took the opportunity to visit Ngorogoro Crater earlier this week. We saw it teeming with wildlife, including six lions and a black rhino. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which falls under Secretary Kempthorne's jurisdiction has been working closely with the Tanzanian National Parks Authority to guard against poachers and ensure this country protects its animals for others to see.

Wildlife trafficking is closely linked to organized crime. Estimates of this illegal trade range anywhere from $10 billion to $20 billion annually. In addition to causing loss of wildlife, wildlife trafficking contributes to global health problems. Diseases such as avian influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola virus and tuberculosis can cross species lines and jump from animals to humans.

The United States, in cooperation with several other governments and organizations, created the Coalition against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT). Through CAWT, we seek to end wildlife trafficking by curbing both the buying and selling of illegal wildlife and wildlife products. To enhance anti-trafficking law enforcement, CAWT assisted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in establishing a new regional wildlife enforcement network – ASEAN-WEN. In its short existence, ASEAN-WEN has already succeeded in rescuing and returning live animals to their native countries and has disrupted networks of wildlife trafficking.

We have also enlisted the help of actor Harrison Ford, who donated his time to filming three public service announcements urging consumers to stop buying illegal wildlife and wildlife products. These ads will be aired worldwide, and have been provided the major Tanzanian broadcasters, to increase awareness of the severity of wildlife trafficking.

We all must work together to stop the illegal wildlife trade. We can all do more to help save wildlife from extinction.

Mark Green is the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania