The fight against illegal wildlife trafficking has intensified, but more needs to be done internationally to curb this cruel trade. There must be coordinated efforts, constant vigilance and shared intelligence among countries to identify traffickers and thwart their operations. The UAE has played a pivotal role in helping international efforts to stop trafficking. Ivory smugglers who have tried to use Dubai as a transit point have been stopped. The UAE, in 2014, joined 45 nations and signed the London Declaration to eliminate the illegal wildlife trade worth Dh70 billion annually.
Elephant poaching has been rampant. The African elephant population has dropped significantly. Thirty per cent has been killed over the past three years and African elephants number around 400,000. Rhinos and tigers are cruelly hunted as some believe their body parts have medicinal properties. This relentless killing is not dwindling species alone, but is also affecting the eco-system. Each of these animals has a role to play in the environment. Man is destroying his own world. The UAE is helping lead the fight against this trade. More countries must pledge to crack down on this trafficking. Otherwise, we stand to lose some of these endangered species.
