The £6bn trade in animal smuggling

Elephant poaching continues to spiral out of control in many parts of Africa.

I’m sure some of you will have seen the report in The Independent on Sunday, which estimates that the annual trade in animal smuggling is now worth around £6bn a year. Not only that but according to the month-long investigation, much of this money ends up funding terrorism, drugs smuggling and even some civil wars.

Here’s a snippet:

“The world’s tiger population has plummeted from 100,000 at the start of the 20th century to below 4,000 today; 20,000 elephants are killed each year for their ivory; the number of rhino poached in South Africa doubled last year; sea turtles are being harvested at an astonishing rate, their shells turned into jewellery; and, over the past 40 years, 12 species of large animal have vanished completely in Vietnam. The trade takes its toll in human lives, too. Each year, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, more than 100 African rangers are killed, the men unequipped to cope with armed poachers.

Many people associate animal smuggling with small-time crooks trying to bring a few lizards in a suitcase to be sold by the under-the-counter pet trade. It is, in fact, a multifaceted business catering to huge demand among collectors for exotic species, ornaments and clothing, plus traditional Chinese medicine’s industrial-scale appetite for animal parts.”

The Responsible Travel section of our website sets out our commitment to sustainable travel, environmental protection and social projects and includes a Travellers Code, which asks clients not to be tempted to buy any animal related products while on a trip.

Thankfully, Audley clients are amongst some of the most ethical of travellers, with many even making special efforts to support conservation initiatives in the countries they visit.

For the latest information about how you can help animals in trouble visit the excellent International Fund for Animal Welfare website.