The International Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade took place in Kasane, Botswana today. Representatives from more than 35 countries across all continents agreed on comprehensive strategies against this serious environmental crime. The German Environment Ministry supports the implementation of key measures against poaching and wildlife smuggling.
The fight against poaching worldwide is currently one of the biggest challenges in species conservation. In 2014, over 20,000 elephants were killed throughout Africa and more than 1200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa alone. The precious ivory and rhino horn is smuggled by criminal groups, mainly to Asia.
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks commented: "What happens to these flagship species is just the tip of the iceberg. Countless other species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians are being hunted on a large scale, and some of them are in immediate danger of extinction. The sell-out of our fauna is a global problem that we can only address by working together."
Poaching, particularly in Africa, is still extremely widespread. This trend urgently needs to be reversed, as the new dimension of wildlife crime is far more than just a species conservation problem. The huge profits made in this cruel business are used to finance criminal groups and terrorist organisations. Poachers often carry dangerous weapons, posing a serious threat to people and animals. This fatal development destroys natural capital and thus the livelihoods of people in the affected regions, and smuggling fosters corruption and bad governance. In some regions security has deteriorated considerably. The African continent is most heavily affected by this development.
The Kasane Conference is the follow-up event to the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014, which took place on the invitation of the Prince of Wales and the British government. In Kasane, participants reported on how they are implementing the London declaration. Measures include eliminating illegal markets for wildlife products, improving the regulatory framework and promoting transboundary law enforcement. The reports show that progress has been made, but they also highlight that further efforts are needed to fully implement the London recommendations.
Participants of the Kasane meeting endorsed the London recommendations and identified further important fields of action. One is greater involvement of the public. In the long term, poaching can only be eliminated by working with the local people. The conference also recognised that to address illegal wildlife trade, it is necessary to work together with the international transport industry. Participants welcomed a working group set up by the United Kingdom that draws up guidelines to prevent transports of illegally traded wild animals. Another new recommendation deals with combating the laundering of the profits acquired through illegal wildlife trade.
The participating countries agreed on continuing this process. Vietnam offered to host the next conference.