Global youth was represented at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference by the West London Free School Choir who opened the Plenary Session with a traditional African song. The US actor and youngest UN personality, Environment Youth Advocate Aidan Gallagher, 15 years, was a co-host with Rageh Omaar, the ITV International Affairs Editor. Gallagher was very persuasive that the environment and conservation matter to him personally and to the younger generation. Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, who has worked tirelessly for conservation and the end of the illegal wildlife trade, arrived hotfoot from a tour of Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya. The Duke was concerned that children who are the same age as his children, George, Charlotte and Louis are now, might not be able to see elephants, rhinos and tigers in twenty years’ time; he said that he was not prepared to tell them they had become extinct “on our watch”.
Prince William’s passion is much-admired for raising awareness and setting an example in combatting wildlife crime, in 2016 he established The United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce Buckingham Palace Declaration against the carriage of poached animal products and endangered species of flora and fauna. This week he established a Financial taskforce which adds Barclays Bank, HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland to DHL, the Royal Mail, China Southern Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines and Mediterranean Shipping Company and other transport organisations in the fight against £1.7 Billion illegal wildlife trade.
Ellie Goulding, superstar and UN Goodwill Ambassador spoke convincingly about keeping people engaged with the natural world and the charisma of the wild; Goulding wore a khaki Ranger’s style top to deliver her plea to the private sector to step up to the mark.
Charlie Mayhew, Founder and CEO of TUSK—the African Conservation Charity, was delighted with the results of the Tusk Art Rhino Auction on 9th October. Twenty rhino models were distributed to international artists for decoration; the event raised £640,000, with particular thanks to Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood whose African landscape Rhino “Spike” was painted with all the flag colours of Africa and raised £100,000; Wood generously offered to paint another Rhino for the under-bidder raising the same amount again. Chinese artist Zhang Huan’s The Poppy Rhino, painted with skulls representing the omnipresence of death was outside The Battersea Evolution Centre to greet attendees. Mayhew told this reporter “We are hoping we can continue to fulfil even greater momentum and momentum within the international community to elevate wildlife crime so that it is recognised as being one of the 4thlargest crimes,not only decimating wildlife populations but robbing countries of their natural heritage and economic assets.”
A Ministry of Defence delegate DMR Aaron Spence talked to this reporter through some of the hideous and cruel traps his outfit discovered in Khotaota Wildlife Park in Malawi where 500 elephants have recently moved, on display were 3-gun traps, 3 wire snares and homemade axes for logging. Poachers use bikes loaded up with the tusks and teeth of elephants and rhinos or hippo meat. The team of 20 split into 3 teams and found one trespasser in 3 months and multiple finds of snares and poaching equipment.
It is hoped young people will continue the pressure and be successful in changing behaviour of the consumers of this abhorrent trade.