Airlines and Airports Could Do More to Prevent Wildlife Trafficking, Says WWF
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
This week, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is calling for airlines and airports to contribute more actively to ending wildlife trafficking. The air travel industry, the organization says, has the potential to stop profitable and illegal wildlife trafficking in some scenarios and even lead to prevention.
At the AviaDev conference on Wednesday, Director of the WWF Private Sector Engagement Team, Afsoon Namini, talked through the scope of wildlife trafficking, the impacts beyond the unfortunate endangerment of animals and, most importantly, she addressed what exactly the travel industry can do to lessen wildlife trafficking beyond the precautions that certain companies are taking.
Mainly, Namini pushed for airlines and airports to teach their employees to recognize wildlife trafficking and to know what to do when it’s detected. Already, Delta, Kenya Airways and Etihad have worked with USAID to combat the problem by means of training and responding. However, other airlines have yet to prioritize the preventative measures in their protocol.
Another way that airlines and airports can be proactive on the issue is by infiltrating a whistleblower policy. “Companies need to create standard reporting processes so that staff know who to alert if they suspect something,” said Namini.
Some airlines have been able to make external policies that will help the cause beyond the suggestions of Namini. In 2015, just a few weeks after the death of Cecil the Lion, Delta decided to “ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies.” A few short weeks after, United and American did the same.
The issue of wildlife trafficking has threatened animals to an almost inconceivable extent. In her presentation at the conference, Namini laid out some daunting statistics: “About 55 elephants are killed every day for their ivory. A rhino is killed every eight hours for its horn. About 317,000 live birds are trafficked annually. A ranger is killed in the line of duty, on average, every three days.”
On top of the tangible research that’s been conducted about the safety of animals, there are other reasons that the travel industry needs to further focus on the issue. Transport of the products pose a threat to the safety and health of those in the vicinity. Plus, wildlife trafficking is often linked to other types of trafficking, as pointed out by Namini. It’s possible to catch other types of illegal trade in the process of finding wildlife trafficking.
Featured image by SIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.