First Ever Wildlife Conservation Day

The U.S. State Department has declared December 4 the first ever Wildlife Conservation Day and calls on individuals around the globe to sign its Wildlife Pledge to respect and protect wild animals.

Wildlife Conservation Day seeks to raise awareness about the detrimental security, economic, and environmental effects of wildlife poaching and trafficking; discourage consumer demand for products made from endangered species; and demonstrate efforts by citizens, activists, private corporations, and governments to bring an end to the illicit wildlife trade.

Poaching has reached alarming rates. Wildlife Conservation Society estimates that this year 30,000 African elephants will be killed for their ivory, over 25 million sharks will be caught for their fins, and nearly 600 rhinos will be shot down in South Africa alone for their horns. The illegal trade also has a vast human toll: both wildlife rangers and poachers are often killed in shootouts, and unscreened wildlife trade greatly increases the risk of the spread of infectious diseases such as Ebola, SARS, and others.

Wildlife crime is seen as relatively ‘easy money’, providing high returns for relatively little risk. Organised criminal networks are becoming heavily involved in poaching and trafficking, and turning wildlife products into cash.

In a videotaped call to action, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated: "By some estimates, the black market for wildlife trafficking is rivaled in size only by the illegal arms and drug trade. The slaughter of endangered species robs communities of income from tourism, reduces biodiversity, encourages corruption, and undermines good governance."

The U.S. State Department has taken on new initiatives that put the U.S. at the forefront of global efforts to combat poaching: training officials and educating prosecutors about wildlife crimes, working with leaders from around the world to develop a global consensus on wildlife protection, and helping source countries strengthen their anti-poaching laws and enforcement of those laws.

Watch the video of the Secretary to learn more about what the U.S. is doing to combat this illegal trade and where to find the pledge that you can sign to show your support for the world’s wildlife.