The Conservator General, National Park Service, Ibrahim Goni, has said Nigerians must have behavioural change towards wildlife to curb avoidable diseases in our country.
The Conservator General gave the charge on Tuesday, while underlining the dangers posed by hunting, eating and trading in, wildlife, and also warned about using wild animals as pets.
“We got reports that people still eat and sell various species of dead monkeys, cats, and birds such as bats, as well as pangolins suspected to be at the center of COVID-19.
“Pangolin, the world’s most trafficked mammal is believed to have possibly been a vector in the leap of the novel coronavirus from animal to human at a market in China’s Wuhan city last year.
“They are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, although scientists say they have no therapeutic value, he said.
The CG said that this pandemic should make hunters of wildlife to consider the health not just of humans, but of animals and the environment, to avert future crises.
“Due to hunting, eating and trading in wildlife, the world has seen the emergence of all sorts of animal- borne infectious diseases such as SARS, Ebola, Lassa Fever, and now, COVID-19.
“At our parks we have experts who handle these animals in hygienic ways to avoid direct human contact that can become breeding grounds for existing and emerging infectious diseases.
He said that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc globally and Nigeria is not left out and wondered why some people still engage in a trade that supposedly brought the new disease upon mankind.
“One of the frightening realities of this trade is the threat that it poses to the health of human beings, through the spread of diseases from animals to human beings.
“Wildlife belongs to the wild and therefore should be left in the wild, Goni said.
He called for a paradigm shift in behavior of the public towards Nigeria’s Environmental Laws and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
He added that 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are linked to wildlife and that underscored the mutually-effective relationship between human beings and nature.
“It is important we understand the links between habitat and environmental damage and the coronavirus.
“The destruction of ecosystems makes disease outbreaks, including pandemics, more likely and now the destruction of nature is the underlying crisis behind the coronavirus crisis.
“Our Wildlife is increasingly going into extinction and its trade puts ecosystems at risk.
He said the Service will continue to create awareness on the impact of hunting and trading on biodiversity and the risks that it poses to human health.
“We urge those involved in wildlife trade to stop the killing and eating of wildlife, for their own good.
“Wild animals belong in the wild and are not pets and should be handled by professionals,’’ he warned.
“This is the first time that any of us know of anywhere in the world that a person infected the animal and the animal got sick,” Paul Calle, the chief veterinarian at the zoo, told Reuters news agency on Sunday.
There have been isolated instances of pets testing positive for the coronavirus elsewhere in the world, but experts have stressed there is no evidence they can become sick or spread the disease. Calle said he intends to share the findings with other zoos and institutions researching the transmission of Covid-19.
“We tested the cat [Nadia] out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about Covid-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus,” the zoo said in a statement.
Nadia, her sister Azul, as well as two Amur tigers and three African lions who showed symptoms, are all expected to make a full recovery, the zoo said.
The big cats did have some decrease in appetite but “are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers”, it said.
The zoo said it is not known how the virus will develop in animals like tigers and lions since various species can react differently to new infections, but all the animals will be closely monitored.
None of the zoo’s other big cats – four other tigers, snow leopards, cheetahs, a clouded leopard, an Amur leopard, a puma and a serval – are showing any signs of illness.
“Our cats were infected by a person caring for them who was asymptomatically infected with the virus or before that person developed symptoms,” said the zoo.
All the tigers showing symptoms were housed in the zoo’s Tiger Mountain area. It is unclear if the others will be tested.
All four zoos run by the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York City, including the Bronx Zoo, have been closed to the public since 16 March. New measures will now be put in place to protect the animals and their caretakers at all the facilities.
Even though a couple of companion cats and dogs have tested positive to the disease in Hong Kong, the is no known case of animals transmission to humans yet.
There is only one white giraffe known to be alive in Kenya after poachers killed the only female white giraffe and her calf at Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy in Ijara, Garissa County, eastern Kenya.
Conservancy manager Mohammed Ahmednoor said on Tuesday that only skeletons of the rare animals were found after a long search.
“This is a very sad day for the community of Ijara and Kenya as a whole. Her killing is a blow to the steps taken by the community to conserve rare and unique species, and a wake-up call for continued support to conservation efforts,” said Mr Ahmednoor in a statement.
In 2017, the rare white giraffe put a remote community conservancy in Ijara, Garissa, on the global map after its discovery.
The giraffe, described as one of a kind and believed to be the only one in the world, dazzled the local community, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts globally.
Scientists believed it suffered from a genetic condition called leucism which inhibits skin cells from producing pigment.
“This is a long-term loss given that genetic studies and research which were a significant investment in the area have now gone down the drain.
A Florida man pleaded guilty to his part in a trafficking scheme in which live water monitor lizards were stuffed into socks and concealed inside electronics to be smuggled from the Philippines to the United States.
Akbar Akram, 44, pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court Wednesday to one count of wildlife trafficking in violation of the Lacey Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Treaty, court records show.
Akram admitted to illegally importing more than 20 live water monitor lizards from the Philippines in 2016, a U.S. Justice Department statement said. He avoided customs authorities by placing the lizards in socks, which were sealed closed with tape and concealed inside electronic equipment and shipped under a false label. The equipment was transported through commercial carriers to Akram’s associate in Massachusetts.
As part of his plea, Akram admitted that he knew the monitor lizards he received had been taken in violation of Philippine law and that the import violated U.S. law, according to the statement. Akram also admitted that upon receiving the monitor lizards, he sold some of them to customers in Colorado, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Approximately 70 monitor lizard species are characterized by elongated necks, heavy bodies, long-forked tongues, strong claws and long tails. Water monitor lizards are native to South and Southeastern Asia. The yellow-headed water monitor, the white-headed water monitor and the marbled water monitor are found in the Philippines.
The Commonwealth of Dominica is one of the top 20 tourism locations of the future in terms of its foreign direct investment strategy. This is according to a new report issued on Monday by the fDi Intelligence, a service from the Financial Times. The Nature Isle of the Caribbean leads with hotels development and investment, ecotourism, wellness, climate resilient strategy and incentives for businesses.
The FDI Strategy category in the Tourism Locations of the Future 2019/20 found that the hotel construction sector benefitted from the largest investments in Dominica. Importantly, though hotel numbers are purposely kept relatively low, their scale, sustainable approach and consideration for the local communities is what makes them stand out. The Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme is funding the construction of a select portfolio of resorts on the scenic island.
“The most significant foreign investments made in Dominica during the past year were hotel properties, partly financed by funds from the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” the report highlights. “These include Tranquility Beach, part of the Hilton Curio Collection, and Anichi Resort & Spa, part of the Marriot Autograph Collection.”
Through CBI, foreign investors can obtain Dominican citizenship so long as they pass all due diligence checks and make a minimum US$200,000 investment into CBI-approved real estate, such as the aforementioned resorts that are currently under construction, but also the already operational Jungle Bay and Secret Bay. Kempinski CBI shares are sold out, however, a new hotel called Sanctuary Rainforest Eco Resort and Spa has been approved for CBI and has already broken ground. Together, they build Dominica’s foundation for an emerging ecotourist sector with a diverse wellness offering. The same report notes that the island “attracts eco-tourists with its lush rainforests, mountains, waterfalls and volcanoes and offers various eco-lodges and resorts to accommodate visitors.”
Alternatively, eligible investors hoping to obtain second citizenship from Dominica could make a one-off contribution of at least US$100,000 to the Economic Diversification Fund. The government uses these funds to build climate resilience, which takes the form of reinforced modern infrastructure, hurricane-resistant housing or harnessing green energy.
The report also found Dominica to have attractive incentives for investors. If coupled with obtaining economic citizenship, the benefits to investors grow, enhanced by Dominica’s promising development prospects.
A lion that was used as a ‘security guard’ has been removed from outside an apartment block opposite a crèche and primary school.
A task force intervened to take the two-year-old lion, named Kiara away from the Lagos property on Friday.
The owner, said to be an Indian expatriate has been urged to turn himself in to police or he could be arrested.
The lion, who was thought to have been brought to the building, 229, Muri Okinola, Victoria Island, two months ago was transported after being tranquilized, to Bogije Omu zoo, Lekki.
Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit workers found the animal after a petition by people who live in the area was sent to the ministry of environment. The school said it was worried about the safety of the children.
Meanwhile, three people have been arrested in connection with the illegal possession of the big cat. In an exclusive chat with Channels Television, Chairman of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and special offences, Olayinka Egbeyemi, explained that the three retired officers, who double as security officers to the cat owner, said they were aware of the presence of Kiara, the lion within the building since it arrived.
Lions are found in two places in Nigeria, Yankari Game Reserve – where there are about five – and Kainji Lake National Park, where about 30 of the big cats live.
Suleiman Saidu, a Nigeria senior game guard ranger from Yankari National Park was honoured at the 2019 African Rangers Award in Accra on Friday.
Saidu was honoured along with 49 other rangers working in 17 countries across Africa. Six rangers were recognised posthumously after they died in the line of duty.
This is the second annual Awards, which will be given annually for 10 years by the Paradise International Foundation, a Chinese not-for-profit environmental conservation organisation, and the Alibaba Foundation, a charitable organisation established by Alibaba Group.
The Paradise International Foundation was set up by Jack Ma and other Chinese entrepreneurs, artists and philanthropists. It works to preserve the planet through charitable actions, a scientific approach, and efficient business management.
“The difference between us and you is that we protect ourselves first then we talk about protecting the Earth,” Ma said.
Mirriam Namushi is one of Africa’s growing number of women rangers, and one of the few to reach a very senior position — Area Warden — at one of the continent’s largest conservation areas, the 22,400 sq. km Kafue National Park in Zambia.
“Rangers face danger to protect wildlife; you are different. You are the real heroes.
“Today there are only two places most kids go to see animals: zoos, to see animals in cages, and museums, to see animals that are already lost.
“I hope that in the future our kids don’t only know animals through books. Protecting animals is not just the responsibility of rangers, it’s the responsibility of everyone.”
Clare Akamanzi, Executive Director and CEO of the Rwanda Development Board; M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International; and Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of African Leadership Group, attended and addressed the event.
Dozens of nominees from 17 countries were suggested by colleagues, employers, government agencies, or tourism partners. A panel of conservation leaders including Irene Amoke, Executive Director of the Kenya Wildlife Trust; Dr Max Graham, CEO of Space for Giants; and Matthew A. Brown, Africa Director of The Nature Conservancy, selected the winning list.
Many of the winners have been injured or faced significant danger in confrontations with wildlife criminals. Each received a $3,000 cash prize, given to family in the cases of fallen rangers.
Four in five African rangers had faced mortal danger at work, and three in five had been directly attacked by poachers, a 2016 survey found. More than 1,000 lost their lives protecting wildlife and wild habitats between 2000 and 2016.
“To be a park ranger is a dangerous job but we can’t leave our wild animals without protection because it can cause the extinction of all animals all over the world,” said Leonidas Mpumuje, Head Rhino Monitor working with African Parks at Akagera National Park in Rwanda, and one of the winners.
Mirriam Namushi is one of Africa’s growing number of women rangers, and one of the few to reach a very senior position — Area Warden — at one of the continent’s largest conservation areas, the 22,400 sq. km Kafue National Park in Zambia.
“We women are few in conservation at the moment, but the few that we are, I think we are doing a better job than men,” Namushi said.
“We take the job more seriously, and when it comes to corruption, there is less. We are more dedicated to our work.”
Lijun Sun, Partner of Alibaba Group and Chairman of the Alibaba Foundation, said that protecting Earth’s natural resources is one of Alibaba Foundation’s core missions.
“Alibaba leverages its technologies and experience in creating impact through public engagement such as the Ant Forest app, to lead efforts in environmental protection and conservation,” he said.
“Alibaba is willing to work with responsible companies and environmentalists to take advantage of their respective platforms and technologies to jointly resist illegal poaching, promote public awareness of environmental protection, and empower environmental protection.”
The Paradise International Foundation and Alibaba Foundation are sponsoring in full both the cash rewards for the rangers and the programme’s management expenses for the next 10 years, expected to be $1.5 million in total.
“The challenges to protected areas are changing and increasing and there has never been more of a need for park rangers,” said Shawn Zhang, CEO of the Paradise International Foundation.
“They are soldiers fighting courageously with insufficient support, they lack basic supplies like boots, socks, tents and GPS. They are husbands and wives and parents, they are heroes risking their lives for conservation.”
Africa is home to the richest diversity of wildlife in the world, including more than 1,000 species of mammals, 500 kinds of birds and 2,000 types of freshwater fish. Poverty, bushmeat hunting, the illegal wildlife trade pose serious threats to the continent’s bio-sustainability.
Five hundred rangers will be recognised through the 10-year programme. The Foundation hopes that the African Ranger Awards will continue to raise public awareness of the importance of safeguarding Africa’s diverse wildlife and creating sustainable development.
Between April and June 2019, 41 suspects have been convicted for wildlife crimes in Namibia, the country’s prosecutor general, Advocate Martha Imalwa has revealed.
Imalwa made the revelation during an awareness workshop on wildlife legislation and prosecution in Windhoek, the country’s capital on Friday. She revealed that the total number of cases related to wildlife crimes between April and June this year was 292. Only three of the accused persons were acquitted, with two being discharged. Eight cases were struck off the roll for either taking too long or because investigations were ongoing.
Imalwa made the revelation during an awareness workshop on wildlife legislation and prosecution in Windhoek, the country’s capital
A further 229 of the cases had been pushed to the third quarter of the year and only one is being heard in the High Court.
Speaking at the same event, Pohamba Shifeta, the country’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, warned poachers to desist from the act or face the long arm of the law.
“We need to treat wildlife crime as a serious crime, and work to ensure that enforcement efforts adequately protect wildlife and curb the illegal hunting of wildlife and illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products,” he said.
He added that an updated booklet on the value of wildlife products will soon be made available to assist prosecutors to weigh on the punishment.
Deputy Commissioner Barry de Klerk, head of Nampol’s protected resources unit, said poaching is a continuous threat which is also an economic crime that operates across borders.
Rhinos and elephants are the most targeted, though lately pangolins have become the world’s most trafficked for their skin, scales and even live ones.
On rhino conservation, he said: “Dehorning the rhinos is still an option. However, a high number of pre-emptive arrests have saved a lot of rhinos from being poached. With an increased presence of law enforcement in national parks, poachers have begun to shift to the less protected private rhino farms.”
Since the beginning of this year, 28 rhinos have been poached nationally, a lower number when compared to the figures at the same time in 2018. The national figures of elephant poaching have been reducing gradually from 101 in 2016 to 27 in 2018 whereas only 11 cases have been reported in 2019 so far.
Blue Rhino taskforce team which was formed in mid-2018 and comprises the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the Namibian Defence Force, Namibian Police Force, the financial intelligence centre and other stakeholders has been extended to run until April 2020. In just one month after Operation Blue Rhino was commissioned, 23 arrests were made of which nine were repeat wildlife crime offenders.
“You arrest the guy today, he goes through the judiciary processes and he is released on bail and he is arrested again for the same crime,” De Klerk bemoaned.
All activities in forest reserves belonging to the Ogun State Government has been suspended. The announcement was made by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi on Sunday.
According to Talabi, the suspension came into effect immediately.
“The suspension covers logging, timber exploitation, evacuation of logs and forest concession as well as activities in all government and non-governmental open forest areas,” he said in the statement issued to pressmen in Abeokuta.
He said that the step had become necessary to check observed “over exploitation and illegal tree felling” in government forest reserves across the state.
He disclosed that a committee would be set up to investigate all issues affecting the state forest reserves to advise government on a comprehensive policy and process.
The SSG said that this would ensure the sustainability of programmes being implemented in the sector by the government.
Talabi enjoined stakeholders who might be interested in submitting memoranda concerning the issue to do so within two weeks to the office of the Secretary to the State Government at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta.
The late Dr. Elizabeth Ehi-Ebewele, former deputy director and head of the Wildlife and CITES Management Division of the Department of Forestry in Nigeria, was on Tuesday honored posthumously for her groundbreaking role in combating wildlife crimes in Africa.
Ehi-Ebewele was honoured along with 11 others with the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award at the 18th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva.
The wildlife champion who passed away on February 8, 2019, was honoured for providing a solid foundation for Nigeria to reduce wildlife crime by bringing in a diverse group of stakeholders. She created Nigeria’s first national guidance on wildlife crime, after conducting a wildlife threat assessment analysis. She also helped develop West Africa’s strategy for combatting wildlife crime through a coordinated response from member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Born Free USA’s Alice Stroud with Dr. Ehi-Ebewele Elizabeth. Photo: Born Free USA.
Underlining the importance of the award, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) said the award was presented to individuals, organisations and agencies that have demonstrated excellence in combatting wildlife crime.
“The importance of efforts to combat wildlife crime cannot be understated,” said AWI President Cathy Liss. “Those honored today for their superlative efforts, including 16 rangers who died in the line of duty, should be recognized worldwide for their dedication to saving the unique biodiversity of this planet from wildlife criminals who steal wildlife from all of us.”
#WildlifeLaw is critical in implementing stronger enforcement efforts against wildlife crime – Elizabeth Ehi-Ebewele of Nigeria pic.twitter.com/Quhr1mdrdo
— UN Environment Programme Asia Pacific (@UNEP_AsiaPac) July 4, 2017
Other recipients of the award are:
Ehi-Ebewele was honoured along with 11 others with the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award
Limbe Wildlife Centre, Cameroon, for providing a safe haven and rehabilitation for seized wildlife, including thousands of parrots and hundreds of primates, and offering wildlife conservation education to thousands of children. The center also employs local families, including former hunters and poachers, who collect Aframomum, a type of wild ginger, and sell it to the center to feed the great apes under its care.
Vivek Menon, founder, trustee, executive director and CEO of Wildlife Trust of India, for a decades-long career training more than 20,000 wildlife enforcement officers in more than 50 countries; documenting, prioritizing and securing elephant corridors in India; setting up the country’s first wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center; and coordinating desnaring sweeps targeting poachers. One of the investigations Menon participated in led to the largest seizure of illegal tiger bones in Indian history and the disruption of several criminal syndicates. His textbook, “Wildlife Crime: An Enforcement Guide,” is required reading for all wildlife enforcement officers. Menon has contributed significantly to the work of CITES for the last 30 years, and spent much of his time as an advisor to the Indian delegation.
Rameshwar Singh Thakur, deputy director for intelligence and coordination for India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, for his role in overseeing efforts by enforcement agencies to combat national and international organized wildlife crime. Thakur pursued the creation of a wildlife crime database that incorporates real-time data to help analyze crime trends and develop effective deterrents. This information has helped wildlife law enforcement, forest and police agencies throughout India create profiles for nearly 2,000 poachers. Thakur also has led or assisted with high-profile enforcement operations netting dozens of arrests and resulting in the seizure of tens of thousands of mongoose hairbrushes, thousands of live turtles, and hundreds of shahtoosh shawls, among other contraband.
Julius Kariuki Kimani (being honored posthumously), former director of Parks and Reserves for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), for his decades of service improving inter-agency efforts to fight wildlife crime, raising awareness within Kenya’s judiciary about the importance of wildlife protection, and enhancing intelligence to identify wildlife criminals and gangs. Kimani began his career as an assistant warden with the Wildlife Conservation and Management Department in Kenya (the predecessor of KWS) and rose through the ranks to become director of parks and reserves. He was pivotal in securing the integrity of parks and their ecosystems in Kenya by improving industry governance and strengthening law enforcement linkages to enhance conservation.
Julius Maluki Mwandai, senior assistant director and head of investigations for the Kenya Wildlife Service, for mentoring thousands of wildlife law enforcement officers in Kenya and across Africa over several decades, transforming KWS’ paramilitary school into a distinguished regional wildlife law enforcement training institution, and demonstrating exemplary leadership in dramatically reducing rhino and elephant poaching in Kenya. Elephant poaching numbers in the country decreased from 384 in 2012 to 40 in 2018, and rhino poaching numbers decreased from 30 to 4 during the same period. In addition, nearly 10,000 wildlife criminals were arrested.
Lorena Alfonsina Fernández, attorney general for the environment in Honduras and secretary of the Central American Wildlife Enforcement Network, for leading numerous successful wildlife law enforcement operations; establishing national law enforcement networks that contributed to an increase in joint inspections, prosecuted cases and judicial decisions enforcing wildlife legislation; enhancing intelligence sharing; and improving training for law enforcement officers and members of the judiciary. Fernández supported the development of a wildlife enforcement app in cooperation with the United States, and oversaw a critical operation in Honduras targeting illegal timber traffickers.
Ross Galbraith, retired wildlife law enforcement officer for Environment Canada, for his tireless efforts over 20 years enforcing Canadian wildlife laws protecting fish, seabirds harmed by pollution, and other imperiled species, along with mentoring young officers and conducting enforcement training in Botswana. In 2009, Galbraith suffered a serious leg injury after a suspect ran him over while trying to escape. Although Galbraith was no longer able to do most physical fieldwork, he remained steadfast in the fight against wildlife crime. Since retiring in 2014, he helped create a charity, the International Society for the Advancement of Environmental Law Enforcement, to support wildlife officers and their families, particularly in developing countries, and was named the first civil society liaison to Interpol’s Wildlife Crime Working Group.
Josefina L. de Leon, former chief of the Wildlife Resources Division for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Philippines, for her critical role in strengthening wildlife law enforcement in the Philippines. De Leon created the country’s Wildlife Law Enforcement Manual of Operations, which provides the standards and protocols for law enforcement officials to implement the wildlife laws of the Philippines, along with spearheading the development of the Wildlife Law Enforcement Action Plan 2018-2028, which serves as a framework to combat illegal activities against wildlife in the Philippines. De Leon also established the Operation Group on Ivory to investigate ivory smuggling incidents and to take legal action against the criminals involved. From 2010 to 2018, the Operation Group’s efforts led to a total of 230 multi-agency operations resulting in the confiscation of 36,000 specimens of both CITES and non-CITES listed species and the filing of 114 criminal complaints or cases.
PAMS Foundation and the late Wayne Lotter in Tanzania, for empowering individuals to protect wildlife and wild places. The foundation’s support for rangers and game scouts though anti-poaching training and aerial surveillance, and its collaboration with Tanzania’s National Task Force Anti-Poaching have significantly increased arrests and prosecutions of wildlife traffickers, including ivory trade kingpins “Shetani” Boniface Matthew Mariango and the “Queen of Ivory,” Yang Feng Glan. Lotter, one of PAMS’ co-founders and a prominent conservationist, was murdered in 2017 in Tanzania because of his anti-poaching efforts.
Anti-Smuggling Bureau of China Customs for coordinating recent groundbreaking, intelligence-driven investigations, in cooperation with other enforcement agencies and stakeholders. These efforts led to the arrest and prosecution of major wildlife traffickers, including key ivory traffickers and totoaba bladder smugglers. The illegal trade in totoaba is directly contributing to the precipitous decline in the vaquita porpoise population in the Upper Gulf of California; today, only about 10 vaquita remain on the planet. Since 2017, investigations by the bureau, involving hundreds of law enforcement officers, have resulted in the conviction and sentencing of nearly a dozen suspects and the disruption of two major wildlife trafficking networks.
Patrick Muhayirwa, Charles Syaira, Jonas Malyani, Pacifique Fikirini, Faustin Nzabakurikiza, Jean Byamungu, Barthelemie Mulewa, Théodore Prince, Liévin Kasumba, Kanawa Sibomana, Ila Muranda, Rachel Baraka, Kasereka Ezéchiel, Freddy Muliro, Hakizimana Chadrack, and Musubaho Maliro Antwi (being honored posthumously), former rangers at Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for making the ultimate sacrifice to protect wildlife. Wildlife rangers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world as they pursue wildlife criminals in the city and in the field. Under often punishing conditions, rangers target those directly responsible for killing wildlife, along with the chain of people who pay, facilitate, authorize and ultimately profit from the crime. These 16 fallen rangers are among hundreds of wildlife law enforcement personnel across Africa who have lost their lives in the last three years in the line of duty.
Since 1997, 124 individuals and/or agencies from 38 countries have received the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award, which is only given at CITES CoPs. This year, CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero presented the award at a ceremony hosted by the Species Survival Network.
The award is named after the late chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. Mr. Bavin substantially elevated the fight against wildlife crime in the United States and internationally, pioneering the use of covert investigations and sting operations to expose illegal wildlife trade and advocating for the use of forensic science to identify and prosecute wildlife criminals.
