Wildlife Trafficking

A customs officer stands guard over elephant tusks in the Hong Kong Customs department May 10, 2006. Hong Kong customs officials have seized 4.29 short tons of tusks worth $1.03 million. AP Photo.
Two elephant calves drink water at a water hole, May 27, 2005 in Kenya's Tsavo East national park. AP Photo.
Activist Bo Derek being sworn-in at the State Department by OES Assistant Secretary Claudia A. McMurray. State Department photo.

Natural resources worldwide are under pressure. By working with other governments, organizations, and people around the world, the United States can meet global conservation challenges. One of these is illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts amounting to $10-$20 billion per year-second only to arms and drug smuggling.

This illegal trade is fueled by unchecked demand for exotic pets, rare foods, trophies, and traditional medicines. The slaughter to meet this demand is driving tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, exotic birds, and many other species to the brink of extinction. In addition, the alarming rise in virulent wildlife diseases, such as avian influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which can be spread by illegal wildlife trade and endanger public health.

To confront the growing threats to global wildlife from poaching and illegal trade in wildlife, the State Department created the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT). This coalition aims to bring the public and private sectors together to raise awareness of the wildlife trafficking problem and to help countries work together to share information and improve wildlife law enforcement. The coalition consists of U.S. Government agencies, other governments, and private sector partners. CAWT will educate and convince people around the world that their quality of life is diminished, not improved, by purchasing endangered and threatened wildlife products.

Actress Bo Derek, wildlife activist, was sworn in as the first Special Envoy of the Secretary of State on Wildlife Trafficking. As Ms. Derek has said, right now, what we do can make a difference between the survival and extinction of many species. She is privileged to serve her country to do what she can to help and to encourage people around the world to do the same. We believe that much can be done in our lifetimes to confront these threats from wildlife trafficking. Ms. Derek accompained Assistant Secretary McMurray on her visit to northern California to discuss what can be done to stop trafficking in endangered species.