The past few weeks have been filled with headlines of crimes against our wildlife from the heartbreaking loss of Cecil the Lion to five more elephant deaths. But justice for our wildlife is on the horizon. The United Nations recently recognized that wildlife crime matters, and it’s on a similar level as human, arms and drug trafficking.
So Much to Gain, So Little to Lose
As reported in New Scientist, 193 countries came together to take a stand against wildlife crime. These crimes will no longer be punished with a slap on the wrist. Hopefully organizations working with other types of trafficking (human, arms, drugs) will partner with wildlife organizations; the anti-crime network needs to be as strong as the crime networks underpinning all trafficking crimes.
Sabri Zain, the director of advocacy at TRAFFIC — an organization monitoring illegal wildlife parts trade — describes the appeal of engaging in wildlife crime: “For years now, wildlife crime has been viewed by criminal syndicates as a high-profit, low-risk activity, not least because penalties for those caught have been minuscule.” So much to gain, so little to lose. Fortunately, the tide is changing, and many governments have also recognized how wildlife crimes are connected to other illegal activity.
The status upgrade also elevates wildlife crime as a purely environmental problem. While environmental concerns are important, they usually aren’t given priority — until now. Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, also stresses that wildlife crime will now be viewed as a shared issue, “and not just limited to a few countries: it has become a priority for every nation.”

Wildlife Trafficking “Financing Terrorist Militias in Africa”
It’s certainly time to quit seeing wildlife trafficking as only an environmental issue in that country. As National Geographic Voices explains:
Hong Kong is not immune from the scourge of Islamic terrorism, and many consumers are unaware that by buying an ivory trinket from a store in Mong Kok, Sheung Wan, or North Point, they could just be financing terrorist militias in Africa like Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, or Lord’s Resistance Army.
Boko Haram is probably the most infamous African militia. The organization steals girls (that prompted the #bringbackourgirls movement) and, more recently, is using children as suicide bombers. And who pays these really bad guys? Anyone who purchases an ivory trinket.
Continue reading at ENN affiliate, Care2.
Hand image via Shutterstock.