08 Mar 2015

Member of Parliament for Chobe, Mr Ronald Shamukuni, has called for reduction of demand for illegal wildlife products through targeted campaigns to counter increasingly sophisticated criminal syndicates.

“As long as this demand persists, efforts to fight poaching will be futile,” Mr Shamukuni said at the World Wildlife day commemoration themed “Wildlife crime is serious, let’s get serious about wildlife crime” in Kasane recently.

Mr Shamukuni also said there was need for nations to cooperate to eliminate illegal trade . “Reports have indicated that very few countries can claim to have been unaffected either as source, transit or destination for the products resulting from this trade,” he said.

The area MP also noted that large numbers of iconic species such as elephants and rhinos were being killed in large numbers to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand for products such as horn and ivory in countries in the Far East.

“The value of the illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between US$10-20 billion per annum,” he said.

Also, he indicated that poaching had reduced the ability of many developing countries to harness tourism opportunities thus crippling their ability to benefit economically from biodiversity.

In many instances, he said, proceeds from illegal killing of wildlife and the trafficking of wildlife and their products were used by criminal networks to undermine democratic rule in African states and to fund terrorism, armed militias and rebel groups engaged in internal and cross border conflicts.

Meanwhile, speakers at the commemoration also underscored the need to preserve wildlife and fight poaching.

Kgosi Kebogopole Morake of Plateau ward emphasised the need for Batswana to jealously guard their resources amidst rising poaching activities.

Elephants Without Borders (EWB) co-founder, Ms Kelly Landen said anti-poaching efforts by the Botswana government were bearing fruit as they did not encounter animal carcasses during their recent wildlife census in Northern Botswana.

“Animals know that Botswana is a safe haven for them and this is possible through government’s commitment to anti-poaching,” Ms Landen said.

However, she emphasised the need for community involvement adding that even with the best of guns, there would be very little to show if the community was left out. March 3, has been set aside by the UN general assembly to raise awareness on the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime.  ENDS