UK Government Supports Global Action to Fight Illegal Wildlife Trade
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There has been progress in key areas in the six months since the UK government staged the largest-ever Illegal Wildlife Trade conference in October 2018 including the launch of education packs.
Schemes to combat poaching and protect species like marine turtles and grey parrots from being illegally traded, are among fourteen new projects set to benefit from a UK government fund to combat wildlife criminals around the globe.
Ministers marked Earth Day (22 April) by announcing that the schemes will each receive a share in £4.6 million from the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.
The projects set to benefit include:
- Fauna & Flora International’s project for reducing demand for marine turtle products in Nicaragua
- ZSL’s work to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade in grey parrots in Cameroon
- Cracking wildlife smuggling in Madagascar, a project run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Strengthening anti-poaching techniques and countering wildlife trafficking in Uganda, a project run by WCS
New education resources for school children around the globe will also be launched on Earth Day. The online packs aim to teach the next generation about the dangers of fuelling the illegal wildlife trade. The UK government has provided £40,000 to create these packs for children in multiple languages.
