Zoos team up to stop illegal wildlife trade

ZOOS IN Britain and Ireland have teamed up with aquariums, wildlife crime agencies and the UK Government to combat the illegal wildlife trade.

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which has 117 members, has agreed a pact with the Government in an attempt to put a stop to the illegal trading of animals as part of a battle against environmental crime, which is estimated to be worth up to £17bn each year.

Chester Zoo, which is one of the leading supporters of the campaign, last week welcomed a new sun bear cub, born to parents who were rescued from illegal traders in Cambodia.

Conservationists at the zoo have created an online reporting form allowing the public to report instances of the illegal wildlife trade directly to the UK Wildlife Crime Unit and Traffic, the wildlife trade monitoring network. The zoo has also backed the Wildlife Witness app, which allows users to report wildlife trade by taking a photo and pinning the location of an incident, then sending the details to Traffic. Mark Pilgrim, inset, chief executive at Chester Zoo, said people could report incidents whether at home or abroad, adding: “Action is critical. Together, we can all help to prevent extinction.” The pact is being launched ahead of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London which is being staged on October 11 and 12.