Camelopard
10th June 2008, 04:41
I fully expected to see China at the top of this list, but I'm very suprised that the US is second. It seems that Bo in her capacity as US Special Envoy For Wildlife Tracking Issues isn't happy either. I wonder what rating out of 10 she would give the Chinese? :p :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/10/2270026.htm?section=justin
US second only to China in illegal wildlife trade: official
The United States is second to China as the biggest market for illegal wildlife and wildlife parts, with demand fuelled by interest in traditional medicine, a US official said.
"The biggest market for illegal wildlife and wildlife parts is China," according to assistant secretary of state for environment, Claudia McMurray.
"But the number two market is the United States."
Wildlife trafficking is worth an estimated $10.5 billion a year, according to Interpol figures she cited.
But she did not have individual estimates for how much goes to China and the US.
Consumers were buying while travelling, on the internet or in shops in the United States, Ms McMurray said at a news conference highlighting a public awareness campaign launched by US embassies around the world against the illegal wildlife trade.
"In most cases, they think the products are perfectly legal. We consider it our job in the US Government to tell Americans that that is not the case," she said.
Ms McMurray said interest in traditional Chinese medicine was fuelling the illicit wildlife trade in the United States and that it was coming not just from people of Asian origin.
She added that there was also growing demand in the United States for live exotic pets.
"It was very embarrassing for me to find out that the US is number two in consuming endangered wildlife," said actress Bo Derek, who is the US special envoy for wildlife trafficking issues.
She said China had been helpful in boosting public awareness about wildlife trafficking.
- AFP
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/10/2270026.htm?section=justin
US second only to China in illegal wildlife trade: official
The United States is second to China as the biggest market for illegal wildlife and wildlife parts, with demand fuelled by interest in traditional medicine, a US official said.
"The biggest market for illegal wildlife and wildlife parts is China," according to assistant secretary of state for environment, Claudia McMurray.
"But the number two market is the United States."
Wildlife trafficking is worth an estimated $10.5 billion a year, according to Interpol figures she cited.
But she did not have individual estimates for how much goes to China and the US.
Consumers were buying while travelling, on the internet or in shops in the United States, Ms McMurray said at a news conference highlighting a public awareness campaign launched by US embassies around the world against the illegal wildlife trade.
"In most cases, they think the products are perfectly legal. We consider it our job in the US Government to tell Americans that that is not the case," she said.
Ms McMurray said interest in traditional Chinese medicine was fuelling the illicit wildlife trade in the United States and that it was coming not just from people of Asian origin.
She added that there was also growing demand in the United States for live exotic pets.
"It was very embarrassing for me to find out that the US is number two in consuming endangered wildlife," said actress Bo Derek, who is the US special envoy for wildlife trafficking issues.
She said China had been helpful in boosting public awareness about wildlife trafficking.
- AFP