Almost 20,000 African elephants are killed each year for their ivory—that's an average of 55 a day!
Poachers are often armed with weapons, making them dangerous for the anti-poaching teams who put their lives on the line to protect elephants.
Photo credit © James Aldred
Pangolins are believed to be the world's most trafficked mammal, accounting for one-fifth of all illegal wildlife trade. Over a million are estimated to be killed in the last decade.
They are frequently declared as food or other products during customs clearance!
Photo credit: ©Roland Seitre
Between 1999 and 2015, 17% of global seizures were of corals.
Corals are home to many marine species, and coral mining is damaging in several ways. It causes loss in fisheries significance, seaside security, and the tourism industry in the area. More than half of the jobs in marine tourism depend on a healthy ocean and corals to continue a successful tourist attraction.
Photo Credit©Tom Vierus
Of all the marine turtles, hawksbill turtles are the most sought after for their shells—they are now listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Despite international laws prohibiting the take and trade of hawksbill turtles from 1994, millions of hawksbill turtles are still illegally exploited for the tortoiseshell markets of Europe, the US and Asia in the last century.
Photo Credit © Antonio Busiello
They are often poached for exotic decorations and “medicinal” products that are not scientifically proven. A particular example is the tiger wine. In the process, the tiger skin and muscles are peeled off, and the bones and claws are crushed to make the wine.
Photo Credit © Edwin Giesbers
In 2019, Immigration & Checkpoint Authority caught a smuggling attempt at Woodlands checkpoint involving 15 containers of 815 birds hidden in modified compartments of a bus.
Unfortunately, only 600 of the birds survived and are currently being cared for and quarantined at NParks’ facilities.
Photo Credit © Ola Jennersten
The world’s most endangered species are under threat from an unsuspecting source: online shopping portals.
As a shopper, how well can you distinguish if something is a product of wildlife trafficking?
Test your ability to detect illegal wildlife products now!
Plastics pose a serious threat to animals — they may inadvertently ingest or become entangled in plastic litter.
In fact, abandoned or discarded fishing gear (commonly referred to as ghost gear) is among the deadliest forms of marine plastic debris. It can continue to catch target and non-target species indiscriminately for many years, and many animals that get caught or entangled in ghost gear can die a slow and painful death through suffocation or exhaustion.
Donate here to combat plastic pollution, remove ghost gear, and create a safer habitat for our wildlife.