Snow blankets northern Saudi region of Al-Jouf    Syrian Air to resume operation between Damascus and Jeddah on Nov. 7 after a hiatus of 8 years    21,370 illegal residents arrested in a week    Bronze Age town discovered in Khaybar Oasis    New mechanism for reviewing taxi fares via applications    Harris and Trump in dead heat as Election Day nears    Spain flooding one of many global extreme weather disasters: UN weather agency    EU braces for potential shifts in transatlantic relations ahead of US presidential election    Israeli army nearing end of ground offensive in southern Lebanon, reports indicate    Al Hilal sets record for longest unbeaten streak across all domestic competitions    Al Nassr and Al Hilal share points in intense Riyadh Derby draw    Riyadh's Sports Boulevard receives Platinum ActiveScore certifications    ImpaQ: Riyadh to host first Impact Makers Forum in December    Saudi Arabia ranks 12th globally in international visitor spending in 2023    Hidden sugars in Asia's baby food spark concerns    Saleh Al Shehri strike seals Al Ittihad's Sea Derby win over Al Ahli    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    Derby Week makes its debut in the Roshn Saudi League    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    Indonesia Days event celebrates cultural diversity at Al Suwaidi Park    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Wildlife crime putting environment and health at risk: UN report
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 11 - 07 - 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic shows how wildlife crime is a threat not only to the environment but to human health, according to a new UN report issued on Friday.
The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 outlines how trafficking in some wild species, which are then butchered and sold illegally, can increase the transmission of diseases that spread from animals to humans.
Zoonotic diseases represent up to 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases and include the new coronavirus that caused the global pandemic.
"Transnational organized crime networks are reaping the profits of wildlife crime, but it is the poor who are paying the price," said Ghada Waly, executive director at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) that produced the report.
Pangolins: World's most trafficked mammal
The report highlights the trafficking of wild species such as pangolins, which have been identified as a potential source of coronaviruses.
Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) are on their way to China, in efforts to determine the animal source of COVID-19.
Seizures of pangolin scales increased tenfold between 2014 and 2018, making them the most trafficked wild mammals in the world.
Nearly 6,000 species were seized over the past decade, which include mammals but also reptiles, corals, birds and fish.
No single country was identified as the source of more than 9 percent of the total number of seized shipments, while suspected traffickers represented roughly 150 nationalities, underscoring the global nature of these crimes.
Illegal tropical wood on the rise
The report also analyzes markets for illicit rosewood, ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales, live reptiles, big cats and the European eel.
Trends show demand for African ivory and rhino horn is in decline, indicating that the market for them is smaller than previously suggested.
It is estimated that these two items generated more than $600 million annually between 2016 and 2018.
Meanwhile, demand for tropical hardwood timber has risen significantly over the past two decades.
Illegal African rosewood has even entered legitimate supply chains for the furniture trade.
At the same time, seizures of tiger products have also been on the rise, alongside traffickers' interest in other big cat parts that can serve as substitutes.
Wildlife trade has also gone digital, with traffickers selling live reptiles and tiger bone products, among other products, through online platforms and encrypted messaging apps.
Cross-border coordination critical
UNODC believes stopping wildlife crime is critical to protecting biodiversity and the rule of law, but also for preventing future public health emergencies.
The report outlines the need for stronger criminal justice systems and improved international cooperation and cross-border investigations, among other measures.
"To protect people and planet in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, and to build back better from the COVID-19 crisis, we cannot afford to ignore wildlife crime," said Waly, the UN agency's chief.
"The 2020 World Wildlife Crime Report can help to keep this threat high on the international agenda and increase support for governments to adopt the necessary legislation, and develop the inter-agency coordination and capacities needed to tackle wildlife crime offenses." — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.