Public Activist Bo Derek Named Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues

Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
Washington, DC
April 21, 2006

On April 21, 2006 Deputy Secretary Zoellick named Bo Derek the Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues. The occasion also marked the Department's 2006 Celebration of Earth Day.

Ms. Derek was approached to fulfill this special role as Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues based on her wildlife interests and her sense of public  service. Ms. Derek's involvement in wild life issues extends to her work at the Galapagos Conservancy and WildAid. She's taken up the cause of stopping the slaughter of horses in the United States for food export to Europe and testified before Congress with the National Horse Protection Coalition.

The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs launched the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) in September of 2005 to fight the black market trade in wildlife and wildlife parts, which is estimated at about $10 billion a year. CAWT is one of a series of Presidential initiatives to protect and preserve the environment. The illegal trade is bringing some species to the very brink of extinction. An important part of CAWT's work is increasing public awareness to focus political and public attention on compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

In order to increase awareness of wildlife trafficking and the work of CAWT Special Envoy Bo Derek will join Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Claudia McMurray in getting this important information out by attending media apperances.

Deputy Secretary Zoellick meets with Actress Bo Derek before his announcement that she is being designated Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues.	Deputy Secretary Zoellick shakes the hand of the Secretary of State's newest Special Envoy and asks her to say a few remarks about Wildlife Trafficking.	Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs McMurray swears in Bo Derek as the Special Envoy of the Secretary of State for Wildlife Trafficking Issues.