Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, March 25, world leaders and delegates will convene in Kasane, Botswana to consider progress on tackling international wildlife crime. This meeting follows the 2014 London Summit that saw 40 countries come together with Princes Charles and Prince William to sign the London Declaration on The Illegal Wildlife Trade. The London Declaration focused on elephants, rhinos, and tigers in terms of law enforcement, demand reduction, and sustainable livelihoods. Among those participating in Kasane will be Will Travers OBE, President of the Born Free Foundation and the co-founder of Born Free USA and the Born Free Foundation.[teaserbreak]
According to Travers, “These are complex issues and we don’t expect that global wildlife trafficking can be tackled overnight. However, some progress has been made since the London Summit, including a strengthening of regulations in a number of countries. The Kasane meeting next week will provide an opportunity for delegates to review the state-of-play and assess the impact of actions taken, to identify actions that still need to be implemented, and to determine whether the tide is turning or if the game must be raised still further. It also provides an opportunity to encourage key countries—such as South Africa, Thailand, and India—that were not signatories to the London Declaration to ‘step up’ and be counted.”
Two groundbreaking reports released in 2014 by Born Free USA, Ivory’s Curse and Out of Africa, highlight existing trade links and connections between the illegal international wildlife trade and the criminal gangs and terrorist organizations that orchestrate and benefit from it, as well as the trade routes that deliver elephant ivory from Africa to Asia. The reports show the need for greater security to remote communities increasingly threatened by insurgent militias such as al-Shabaab and Boko Haram.
Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA and the Born Free Foundation, adds, “The staggering global demand for wildlife products goes on. The poachers and criminal gangs involved continue to target vulnerable and endangered wild animals at an alarming rate.”
Last year, South Africa lost 1,215 rhinos to poachers, up by more than 200 animals from the previous year. Reports from India indicate that wild tiger populations may be starting to recover in some areas, although poaching and illegal trade persist across much of the tiger’s range.
The Born Free Foundation also signed on to an open letter to the President of the People’s Republic of China in advance of HRH Prince William’s visit in March. The letter, which was signed by a host of leading names, including Sir David Attenborough, Born Free co-founder Virginia McKenna OBE, actor Ricky Gervais, and others, calls for a global policy that reimposes the 1989 international ivory trade ban and includes measures to end all domestic trade. Travers said, “This message should be reinforced by world leaders when they meet in Kasane.”
Born Free has been at the forefront of the fight against the illegal wildlife trade since 1989. For more information, go to www.bornfreeusa.org and www.bornfree.org.uk.
The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase out zoos. The Foundation rescues animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and gives them lifetime care. Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles, and many more species in their natural habitats, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. The Foundation’s high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers, and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. More at www.bornfree.org.uk.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation” — the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, therodicompany@gmail.com