David Cameron is hosting a two-day
summit in London aimed at combating the illegal trade in wildlife
around the world.
Heads of state have been invited from around 50 of the countries worst
affected by the trade, estimated to be worth £11.5 billion per year.
Rhino poaching reached an all-time high in 2013, according to the Save the
Rhino charity, with 1,004 poached in South Africa alone.
The charity has
recorded 86 rhino deaths in the country so far in 2014. Global Rhino
poaching is estimated to have increased 7500 per cent between 2007 and 2013,
with one killed by a poacher every 10 hours.
The charity has
recorded 86 rhino deaths in the country so far in 2014. Global Rhino
poaching is estimated to have increased 7500 per cent between 2007 and 2013,
with one killed by a poacher every 10 hours.
The amount of illegal trading in ivory has more than doubled since 2007,
according to the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with ivory selling for up
to £1,200 per kilo.
According to the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF), an estimated 23 tonnes of ivory — equivalent to
the tusks of 2,500 elephants — was seized in the 13 largest seizures of
illegal ivory in 2011. In 2013, the total is estimated to equate to around
30,000 elephants killed for their tusks.
Poaching is not confined to elephants and rhinos though. There are thought to
be just 30 Amur Leopards left in the world, and 200-300 Cross
River Gorillas. It is not possible for charities to estimate the
population of the Hawksbill
turtle but in 2007, 296 Hawksbill shells were found on a Chinese
fishing vessel. Poaching is threatening the existance of animals around the
world on land and at sea.
The London conference will be chaired by the Foreign Secretary, William Hague
and Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson at Lancaster House. The Prince of
Wales and Duke of Cambridge, who lobbied Cameron to hold the summit, will
also attend and have produced a video to be shown to delegates.
In the video the Duke warns: “We have to be the generation that stopped the
illegal wildlife trade and secured the future of these magnificent animals
and their habitats, for if we fail it will be too late.”
It ends with the Prince and the Duke saying “Let’s unite for wildlife” in Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, Swahili and Vietnamese.
The conference will target threee key elements of the poaching industry: strengthening law enforcement; reducing demand for illegal products; and developing sustainable alternative livelihoods for communities where people turn to poaching.
Prior to attending the conference, the Prince and Duke visited London Zoo on Tuesday for a meeting with the conservation alliance United for Wildlife.
According to the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF), an estimated 23 tonnes of ivory — equivalent to
the tusks of 2,500 elephants — was seized in the 13 largest seizures of
illegal ivory in 2011. In 2013, the total is estimated to equate to around
30,000 elephants killed for their tusks. 
Poaching is not confined to elephants and rhinos though. There are thought to
be just 30 Amur Leopards left in the world, and 200-300 Cross
River Gorillas. It is not possible for charities to estimate the
population of the Hawksbill
turtle but in 2007, 296 Hawksbill shells were found on a Chinese
fishing vessel. Poaching is threatening the existance of animals around the
world on land and at sea.
The London conference will be chaired by the Foreign Secretary, William Hague
and Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson at Lancaster House. The Prince of
Wales and Duke of Cambridge, who lobbied Cameron to hold the summit, will
also attend and have produced a video to be shown to delegates.
In the video the Duke warns: “We have to be the generation that stopped the
illegal wildlife trade and secured the future of these magnificent animals
and their habitats, for if we fail it will be too late.”It ends with the Prince and the Duke saying “Let’s unite for wildlife” in Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, Swahili and Vietnamese.
The conference will target threee key elements of the poaching industry: strengthening law enforcement; reducing demand for illegal products; and developing sustainable alternative livelihoods for communities where people turn to poaching.
Prior to attending the conference, the Prince and Duke visited London Zoo on Tuesday for a meeting with the conservation alliance United for Wildlife.
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