On October 27, 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed to list the African lion as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This move comes after a March 2011 proposal to list the African lion as endangered from a coalition of conservation groups. African lions are currently… read more
Archives for November 2014
Hunting Saves the Markhor
Sport hunting by definition reduces an endangered species’ population. However, if wildlife managers charge hunters a substantial fee and use the revenue to support the remaining species’ population, sport hunting may be justified as a conservation tool. An example of the successful implementation of sport hunting as a conservation tool… read more
Capacity Problems: Can the United States Handle Wildlife Trafficking on its Own Soil?
In 2011, U.S. federal agents seized 425 pieces of illegal ivory from a store in Philadelphia. The store owner, Victor Gordon, had been buying and selling illegal ivory in the United States for over 10 years. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this kind of story is not… read more
Through the eyes of a gorilla
Last week, the New York Times editorial department published this short film, ‘Gorillas in the Crossfire’ about efforts to save orphaned mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This film, by Olando von Einsiedel, accompanies a feature-length film called Virunga, also by von Einsiedel, which has… read more
Waste Management transforms Corporate Social Responsibility in Austin
Waste Management, a garbage hauling company in the Texas capital area, committed to turning one of its dumpsites into a Wildlife Habitat Park. The 30-acre park includes a two-mile walk path, wildflower meadows, and circles a pond. The area, now able to be a viable, Texas ecosystem, is being used… read more
Sport Hunting Revenue
By one estimate, African sport hunting generates approximately $200 million annually. While sport hunting revenue is a small portion of African countries’ GDPs, it can have a big impact on wildlife conservation and the populations of certain species. This revenue stream is sufficient enough to positively impact conservation and in… read more
The role of “other” multilateral organizations
Aside from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES), prominent multilateral organizations are working to combat wildlife trafficking. These organizations include the United Nations, the World Bank, the World Customs Organization, and INTERPOL. Together with CITES, these five organizations established the International Consortium… read more