February 11, 2015
Implementation Plan for the National Strategy
By John Cruden, Catherine Novelli and Dan Ashe
“Did you ever get to see an elephant in the wild before they
became extinct?” This is a question
children may soon be asking unless we take immediate action. Wildlife trafficking–not just of elephants,
but also of rhinos, tigers, great apes, exotic birds, and many other
species–has exploded in recent years to become a multibillion-dollar criminal
enterprise with increasingly grave and potentially irreversible
consequences. The scourge of wildlife
trafficking threatens conservation efforts, national security, the rule of law,
regional stability, and the sustainable livelihoods of communities. So what are we doing to stop this
problem?
Today, the United States launched an Implementation Plan for
the President’s National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, which
will be a roadmap to fighting poaching and illegal wildlife trade. The plan focuses on three key areas: strengthening law enforcement domestically
and globally, reducing demand, and building international cooperation. Wildlife trafficking is a global problem that
demands a global solution. We are
determined to be a part of that solution, and we will continue to work closely
in our efforts with foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, the
private sector, community leaders, and civil society to achieve this goal.
Strong law enforcement is critical to stopping criminals
engaged in wildlife crime. The U.S.
Department of Justice has indicted, prosecuted, and secured convictions in
numerous cases of trafficking in internationally protected species, such as
elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, narwhal tusk,
turtles, and reptiles.
Investigative efforts led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service targeted
traffickers in rhinoceros horn, elephant ivory, and other wildlife products,
concentrating on organized smuggling rings, middlemen, and art and antique
dealers. Operation Crash–named after the
collective term for a herd of rhinoceros–has led to significant prison terms
and fines for those involved, as well as the forfeiture of millions of dollars
in cash, gold bars, rhino horn, and luxury vehicles and jewelry.
To respond effectively to wildlife trafficking, most
countries need to enact more robust laws while enhancing their investigative,
law enforcement, and judicial capacity to stem the corruption and illicit flow
of money associated with wildlife trafficking.
In 2014, the Department of State’s capacity-building efforts centered on
training programs for our foreign counterparts in Southeast Asia, Africa, and
Central and South America, strengthening national legislative, investigative,
prosecutorial, and judicial processes to enforce wildlife laws. The Department of State supported
approximately 20 training programs across the law enforcement spectrum, helping
more than 30 countries combat wildlife trafficking more effectively. The programs also provided an opportunity to
improve international cooperation on wildlife trafficking investigations, since
this international threat requires a transnational response.
Many Americans are surprised to learn that our nation ranks
among the highest in the consumption of wildlife and wildlife products, both
legal and illegal. To demonstrate global leadership and limit opportunities
open to traffickers in the United States, we have begun tightening domestic
regulations around the trade in wildlife, and elevated awareness of the plight
of elephants, rhinos and other highly trafficked species in an effort to
curtail demand. In 2014, the Fish and
Wildlife Service banned all commercial imports of ivory into the United States,
and will propose a near complete ban on trade in ivory within the United States
this year. And we destroyed six tons of
ivory taken in law enforcement raids and seizures over the past 20 years to
send a global message that ivory must be rendered valueless as a commodity and
the trade in elephant ivory crushed.
Building on these efforts, we will continue to take measures
in the United States to enhance our own law enforcement capabilities while
supporting foreign governments with technical assistance, training, and analytical
tools to build their capacity. We will
also use diplomatic cooperation tools, such as the UN Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime, to bolster international action on combating
wildlife trafficking.
Decreasing demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products
is critical. In cooperation with our
partners, we will continue to raise public awareness of the harmful impact from
these purchases through public service announcements, media campaigns, and
community outreach. We will work with
the tourism and transportation sectors, including airlines, hotel chains,
restaurants and online retailers to support their commitment to halt the sale
of illegal wildlife and wildlife products.
We will encourage foreign governments and corporations in major consumer
countries to lead by example and eliminate illegal wildlife and wildlife
products from official functions while strengthening local policies and
enforcement.
Our diplomatic engagement on this issue is at the highest
levels of government, and coordinated on-the-ground efforts. While we aim to take the profit out of
wildlife crime and increase the risks for its perpetrators, we are also fully
committed to helping people in wildlife/biodiversity hotspots by strengthening
social and economic incentives in their communities to protect wildlife. To be
successful, conservation efforts must benefit both wildlife and the people who
share an ecosystem. To cite just one key
example, wild elephant populations generate orders of magnitude more in revenue
to local economies from tourism than they ever can from the illegal sale of
their ivory.
Many protected and endangered species faced a difficult year
in 2014. Elephants reached a dangerous
tipping point with an average of more than 20,000 African elephants killed per
year since 2010. Pangolins, which are
found in tropical areas in Asia and Africa and closely resemble a scaly
anteater, are now the most trafficked species to date. A record number of rhinos were killed in
South Africa last year, with 1,215 animals poached in 2014 alone. Despite this grim picture, there is still
reason for hope. When the Chinese
government joined international efforts to end the consumption of shark fin
soup–which has contributed to the deaths of some 70 million sharks each year–by
banning its consumption at state dinners, shark fin sales reportedly dropped by
50-70 percent. This demonstrates that
progress is possible when governments take action, civil society raises
awareness, and companies refuse to support wildlife trafficking.
Given the enormous consequences of the scourge of wildlife
trafficking, we all have a moral obligation to fight it. Future generations are relying on us to take
on a leadership role and act now. Do you
want to help? Share this blog and let
others know the importance of ending the illegal trade in wildlife!
The authors are Under Secretary of State for Economic
Growth, Energy and the Environment, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Assistant Attorney General of the United States for the
Environment and Natural Resources, respectively
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