‘WILD’ NUMBERS: An estimated 1.6 trillion wild animals are killed by humans every year
World Animal Protection is urging people not to buy, own or breed a wild animal or buy trophies and wild animal derivatives. 'A life in captivity is a world away from a life in the wild. Wild animals are not commodities; they belong in the wild.'
ABDULKAREEM MOJEED: The World Animal Protection has called on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) to enact policies to protect the African wildlife from cruelty and exploitation. The organisation’s communication and multimedia officer, Kipkorir Evans, in a statement on Wednesday to commemorate this year’s World Wildlife Day, called on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to enact policies to protect African wildlife from cruelty and exploitation.
“CITES data (2011-2015) shows that around 1.5 million live animals were traded as exotic pets and 1.2 million skins were legally exported,” the statement to PREMIUM TIMES said. An estimated 1.6 trillion wild animals are killed by humans every year. Tonnes of animals such as elephants and pangolins are trafficked yearly. This trade, it said, also poses public health risks, and that about 60 per cent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, with more than 70 per cent of emerging infectious diseases thought to originate from wildlife…
According to the statement, it is high time that CITES parties acknowledged that wild animals are not commodities to be exploited. It said CITES export quotas provisions need to be completely brought to zero to end wildlife trade and protect wild animals in their habitats.
For the occasion of this year’s World Wildlife Day, at individual level, the World Animal Protection said it is urging people not to buy, own or breed a wild animal as a pet or even buy trophies and other wild animal derivatives,” it said. “A life in captivity is a world away from a life in the wild. Wild animals are not commodities; they belong in the wild,” the statement said…
Edith Kabesiime, World Animal Protection’s wildlife campaigns manager, said “The sheer magnitude of wildlife interference is not only impacting animals, but also the people and our planet. Whether the trade is legal or illegal, it doesn’t matter.” Either way, she said, it is animal exploitation and abuse. “It is for this reason that we call upon the CITES Secretariat and parties to pass resolutions that protect wild animals and not those that exploit them,”Ms Kabesiime said.
The statement highlights that the international demand for Africa’s iconic wildlife is causing millions of animals immense suffering and putting their survival at risk. It emphasised that the African grey parrots and ball pythons are captured from their natural habitats or born into captivity, to be sold into the exotic wildlife trade which is a growing multibillion-dollar industry that is having a devastating impact on wildlife populations across the world.
“The captive farming and killing of lions in the name of ‘entertainment’, used in unscientifically proven traditional medicine and trophies is not only cruel but also a recipe for extinction as it diminishes conservation efforts of wild population,” the statement said. SOURCE…
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