Today, we will consider the far-reaching ecological, economic, and national security threats arising from the escalating global wildlife trafficking crisis.
We will also examine the role of several key factors in fueling this crisis, including increased demand for illegal wildlife products in Asia, the involvement of illicit criminal networks and armed groups, and weak enforcement capacity in both source and demand countries in Africa and Asia. Finally, we will consider the scope and implementation path of the U.S. Government’s National Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Trafficking, as well as other efforts to address this crisis.
I would like to recognize one of the Senate’s strongest leaders on conservation issues and the chair of the East Asia subcommittee, Senator Cardin, and my friend and partner on the Africa subcommittee, Senator Flake. I would also like to welcome our four witnesses. Thank you all for joining us today. I look forward to your insights and your testimony.
Over the last decade, wildlife trafficking has grown into an international crisis.
It is a multi-billion dollar industry, driven by dangerous and sophisticated transnational criminal syndicates used by some terrorist groups to fund their operations. These poachers and traffickers are organized, well financed, heavily armed, and extremely dangerous.
The scale at which poachers are operating is threatening the very survival of some of the world’s most iconic wildlife. Last year alone, roughly 35,000 elephants and 1,000 rhinos were killed in Africa.
The loss of these wildlife populations, coupled with the security and stability threats of poachers and traffickers, is having a serious impact on the economic development of many African communities that rely on tourism for revenue as well.
This is an issue that should move us to act for a wide range of reasons. It is a serious and complicated problem, but one in which the U.S. can play an important role in solving in partnership with Asian and African countries.
To facilitate the implementation of the Administration’s National Strategy, Congress last year provided dedicated funding to stop wildlife trafficking. In my view, Congress must continue to work with the Administration and other partners to stem the tide against this escalating crisis.
Senator Cardin, Senator Flake, and I decided it was important to hold a joint subcommittee hearing because the wildlife trafficking crisis is not constrained to one region, but involves source, transit, and demand countries across the globe. The trade of ivory and rhino horn, sourced in Africa, but fueled primarily by strong demand in Asia, today contributes to this ongoing challenge. We’re interested in discussing everything that happens from the poaching of wildlife, to the purchasing of illegal animals and products, and everything in between.
While the focus of this hearing is primarily on the trade of elephant ivory and rhino horn between Africa and Asia, as demonstrated by the examples on the table before us, this issue is much broader than that. Trafficking includes illegal trade in live wildlife, fish, seafood, trees, plants, and many other threatened species from across the globe.
Dealing with this issue over the long run will require robust partnerships at every level – governments, NGOs, the private sector, and communities – throughout Africa, Asia, and the world.
I want to thank and recognize the very broad range of non-governmental organizations that work tirelessly to conserve vulnerable ecosystems and to secure the economic, social, and cultural benefits of wildlife for future generations. You are the first line of defense in this fight against wildlife trafficking. We are grateful for your input and thank you for your partnership as we strive together to address this issue.