Illegal wildlife trade threatens elephants, rhinos and tigers
Poaching of rhinos in South Africa is running at record levels - 448 in 2011 and the total for 2012 reached a massive 668. Meanwhile, tens of thousands elephants are being killed each year for their ivory and 2011 was the worst year on record for large-scale ivory seizures. There are as few as 3,200 tigers left in the wild
To tackle the growing threat of illegal willdife trade, TRAFFIC has launched a global campaign with partner WWF
Laws exist to protect elephants, rhinos and tigers, but governments are not doing all they can to save them.
Join TRAFFIC and WWF in asking governments to protect threatened animal populations by:
- increasing law enforcement
- imposing strict deterrents
- reducing demand for endangered species products
Rangers and communities living near protected areas are also being threatened by armed poachers going after wildlife.
Criminals involved in illegal wildlife trade are distributing guns, intimidating communities, and bribing officials in order to get what they want.
