Worldwide Conservationists Demand Legal Wildlife Trade Cease

Worldwide environmentalists and Wildlife conservationist groups demand a detailed evaluation of global animal trade because it serves as coverage for illegal commerce.

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"Every day, thousands of wild animals are poached from the wild and sold into the global multi-billion-dollar legal, commercial trade. It's as simple as mislabeling or paying off a customs official to look the other way to flout CITES rules and contribute to the demise of populations," said the director of World Animal Protection US, Ben Williamson.

Experts consider that about 200,000 chimpanzees remain in the wild, but forecasts say that the figure would reduce by 80 percent because of habitats loss, slow reproduction rate, poaching, and diseases. 

Under the silent allowances by some governments and the legislative voids of legal trade, poachers kill or withdraw from their habitat to about 3,000 chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans bonobos.  

Ban Animal Trading (BAT) and EMS Foundation, two South African conservation groups, investigated national wildlife trade in May. The organizations found that China is the principal receipt of national illegal species merchants.  

"South Africa's live wild animal trade with China is riddled with irregularities that are exploited by traffickers. There are gaping loopholes in the global permitting, enforcement, and oversight system," the conjunct report says.

The organizations also alleged that the animals are not in better circumstances with legal dealers. They also condemn animals shipping from one zoo to another, alleging that those institutions pay a large amount for the specimens. 

 "Wildlife trade, whether legal or illegal, is one of the major contributors to declines in species, biodiversity, and human and animal health," said the South Africa- based wildlife director for Humane Society International Audrey Delsink.