Wildlife crime is unfortunately estimated to be among the most lucrative illegal trades in the world. It causes multiple threats that erode biodiversity, destroys their national assets, and local communities of income-earning possibilities from tourism and sustainable use. Its revenue is sometimes used to fuel corruption and conflict.
The 2018 London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade agreed on a renewed global commitment to tackle wildlife crime. It recognized the importance of increased political support at the highest levels to combat illegal trade in wildlife. Leaders from over 80 countries recognized illegal wildlife trade as “highly organized, sophisticated criminal activity” that takes place on an industrial scale and threatens regional and national security
Crawford Allan, Senior Director, America, and Wildlife Crime, stated that Wildlife crime goes beyond conservation issues, it is also a threat to national and regional security, a barrier to sustainable human development and fuel for corruption. In Africa, wildlife crime has been a conservation scourge for decades. Poaching and illegal harvesting, particularly in Africa, continues to devastate wildlife populations. Threatening survival of rhinos, elephants, pangolins, rosewoods and a wide variety of other species.
The African Elephant
The African Elephant, Photo source; telegraph.co.uk
