Philippines joins fight against wildlife trafficking

Tue, 14 Dec 2010

Manila - The Philippines on Tuesday launched a campaign to stop wildlife trafficking as part of a regional effort prevent illegal trade of protected and endangered species.

Banners and streamers printed with "Wildlife Trafficking Stops Here," were unfurled at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport, while leaflets and brochures containing information about endangered and protected species were distributed to travelers.

Mundita Lim, chief of the Philippines Animal and Wildlife Bureau, said seminars would be given to airport personnel to train them to better detect and prevent wildlife trafficking.

Manop Lauprasert, an official of the Association of South-East Asian Nations' Wildlife Enforcement Network, said the campaign is part of a regional effort to combat wildlife trafficking.

"Illegal wildlife trade is a profitable but environmentally destructive crime that threatens species," he said.

"Thousands of wild animals and plants flow through hotspots, such as airports, everyday," he added. "We need partnerships - between government agencies - and between governments and [the] private sector to confront this menace effectively."

The campaign started at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport in March 2009 and has since expanded to other airports in Laos and Vietnam.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/358064,joins-fight-wildlife-trafficking.html.