Illegal Wildlife Trade

In recent years there has been an influx of criminal gangs cashing in on the poaching of Elephants and Rhinos. Poaching gangs are mutilating wildlife for their horns and tusks, using increasingly sophisticated methods to succeed in their illegal activity, obtaining the use of helicopters and night vision equipment to track the animals, often using drugs to knock them out. Further to this, White Sharks are targeted for their fins and Tigers hunted for aphrodisiacs.

There has been an unprecedented rise in illegal wildlife trade across the world in recent years, particularly in Africa and Asia. Being poached for their horns is still the greatest threat to African Rhinos today. Rhinos have existed for millions of years and play a vital role in the ecosystem. Local people depend on the natural resources within the Rhino habitat for food, fuel and income. Rhinos are popular with tourists and ecotourism can be an important source of income for local people.
Rhinos are extremely vulnerable to poaching for illegal trade. In 2013, more than 1,000 of the world’s wild Rhinos were killed for their horn. According to WWF powdered horn is used in traditional Asian medicine as a supposed cure for a range of illnesses ranging from hangovers to fevers and even cancer.

Elephants are [also] vulnerable to poaching for the illegal trade of their ivory and meat. Their ivory tusks are the most sought after, but their meat and skin are also traded. Thousands of elephants are killed every year for their tusks. Ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery with China being the biggest consumer market for such products.

The growing activity of poaching Rhino’s is primarily driven by the demand for horns by upper-middle class citizens in some parts of the world. As well as its use in medicine, Rhino horn is bought and consumed purely as a symbol of wealth.

If the killing of our wildlife continues at this rate there is a high possibility that they will be on the verge of extinction as the illegal trade is one of the largest threats to their survival.

WWF are doing amazing work to combat this issue joining up with Kenya Wildlife Service and Narok County rangers to microchip all black rhinos in Maasai Mara. They are also working with The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) to investigate, expose and halt poaching and illegal wildlife trade; there is a focus on reducing the demand so that this trade is no longer a significant threat to the animals.

WWF aim to expand protected areas which gives technical and financial support to Rhino conservation projects across Africa. They are helping to expand protected areas, create new ones, and increase security in these areas to protect Rhinos from poachers. They are also promoting wildlife-based tourism which helps to fund conservation efforts and gives local communities an income from living alongside wildlife.

I admit, I was completely oblivious to the extent of the issue, and this is a serious issue (that is rapidly growing), but I find comfort in knowing that organisations and initiatives such as WWF, United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), The convention on International Trade in Endangered species (CITES) and The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are sourcing ways to protect and save our wildlife. We have to care more for our animals, consider their welfare and ensure that natural resources are available for the coming generations...legitimately.