The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 3 as World Widlife Day in 2013 – the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Around 25,000 elephants are poached in Africa annually, and African ivory may constitute an “end-use street value” of $188 million in Asia. Here, a mahout paints an Indian elephant to attract tourists at Kaziranga National Park in Kohara Range. Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar
"On the second observance of World Wildlife Day, the U.N. system, its Member States and a wide range of partners are highlighting the message that it’s time to get serious about wildlife crime," said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Seen here is Xing Xing, one of two giant pandas from China, at the Giant Panda Conservation Centre in Malaysia.
The Amur Leopard, which is one of the world's most critically endangered animals, is seen at Marwell Zoological Park in England. But there's good news. A February 2015 census revealed that the number of leopards had gone up from 30 in 2007 to at least 57 in Russia, with another 8 to 12 leopards counted in China.
According to Interpol, the slaughter of elephants, rhinos, tigers and other species has surged in the last decade as part of an illicit wildlife trade worth $10 to $20 billion a year. In this 2012 photo, a lioness looks through a protective fence at the Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat.
"Illegal trade in wildlife has become a sophisticated transnational form of crime, comparable to other pernicious examples, such as trafficking of drugs, humans, counterfeit items and oil. It is driven by rising demand, and is often facilitated by corruption and weak governance," said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Wildlife trafficking of both dead and live animals and plants, used as traditional medicine, pets or food could be worth US$23 billion a year, according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2014. In this 2012 photo, a four-day-old black rhinoceros Akili stands next to its mother Ine in their enclosure in Berlin. The black rhinoceros, native to central and eastern Africa, is on the critically endangered list put out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. (IUCN)
There is strong evidence of the increased involvement of organized crime networks and non-State armed groups," said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Illegal trade in wildlife and timber is globally worth $213 billion every year, and helps fund militia and terrorist groups, according to the 2014 UNEP report.
From 2005 to 2011, around 22,000 great apes could have been lost from the wild from illegal activities, with chimpanzees comprising 64 per cent of the number, says the 2012 UNEP report. This 2010 photo shows Duchess, a critically endangered Bornean Orangutan, lounging around.
"Combatting wildlife crime is not only essential for conservation efforts and sustainable development, it will contribute to achieving peace and security in troubled regions where conflicts are fuelled by these illegal activities. I urge all consumers, suppliers and governments to treat crimes against wildlife as a threat to our sustainable future," said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
