Prince Charles and Prince William are calling upon world leaders to place the battle against wildlife trafficking at the top of the global agenda. At a May 21st, 2013, event in London hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales and the UK government, Prince Charles said: “As a father and a soon-to-be grandfather, I find it inconceivable that our children and grandchildren could live in a world bereft of these animals.
The 16th Conference of the Parties (CoP16) to CITES concluded in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 14th, 2013, with mixed results for the world’s most threatened species. After experiencing the spectacle of a CoP firsthand, I can say with certainty that overcoming the wildlife trade cartels who have exploited the Convention to line their pockets will take some strategic maneuvering! We were proud to add our voice to
Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) rallied around Thailand’s proposal to designate March 3rd as “World Wildlife Day” to raise awareness about the importance of conserving wildlife. Speaking at the CITES 16th Conference of the Parties currently under way in Bangkok, the Thai delegate said World Wildlife Day “would help to promo
A comprehensive report commissioned by WWF and TRAFFIC confirms that the illegal wildlife trade — with an estimated value in excess of US $20 billion annually — poses a serious threat to global security. The study, released in December 2012, found that the illegal wildlife trade, including fisheries and timber, comprises the fourth largest global illegal trade after narcotics, humans and counterfeit produ
The indigenous Tharu tribe living next to Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh will play a pivotal role in protecting tigers, thanks to a joint initiative between forest officials and local conservationists. Located near India’s border with Nepal, Suhelwa is under constant threat from wildlife traffickers who target the big cats and smuggle their parts into neighboring China. However, members of the Thar
Thanks to a grant from Google’s Global Impact Awards, WWF will receive $5 million for “conservation drones” and other innovative tools to protect endangered species in Africa and Asia. WWF will use the “umbrella of technology” grant to develop a global system which will detect traffickers, monitor wildlife, and boost the effectiveness of ranger patrols. Remote aerial survey systems, wild
December 4th marks Wildlife Conservation Day — and the launch of a global outreach campaign in conjunction with United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s call for a multilateral coalition against wildlife trafficking. Our embassies will use every tool at their disposal to raise awareness about this issue, from honoring local activists, to spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter. We want
Are some of South Africa’s wildlife breeders selling rhinos and tigers to questionable facilities? One such facility is the Bao Son Paradise Theme Park in Hanoi, Vietnam, where two Asian elephants are imprisoned by short chains — an indication that perhaps the animal husbandry practices are substandard. During a wildlife trade monitoring visit to this zoo in November 2012, four white rhinos were seen, alo
A suspect identified as Faren Kongfu has been arrested in northern Thailand after 16 baby tigers were found in his vehicle. Kongfu claims that he was paid 15,000 Thai baht (US $489) to transport the tiger cubs — some appear to be just a few weeks old — from Nonthaburi Province to Udon Thani Province in the country’s northeast near Laos, according to ITV News. He faces the possibility of just four ye
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to “elevate” the issue of wildlife trafficking at the upcoming East Asia Summit (EAS) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Speaking at the Association of Southeast Asian National (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting on September 27th, 2012, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, Secretary Clinton said that while the top three issues on the EAS agenda will be disaste