African Wildlife Poaching Crisis

Floor Speech

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, it was not very long ago that it seemed as if the ivory trade was on the decline and that the survival of African elephants in the wild was assured. In recent years, we have seen that confidence shattered, as thousands of these magnificent animals have been systematically killed for their tusks. Similarly, the rhinoceros, already endangered, is now in great jeopardy due to the voracious appetite in China and elsewhere in Asia for concoctions manufactured from their horn which can fetch thousands of dollars per ounce.

Large-scale poaching of these and other wildlife species has become endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that up to 17,000 African elephants have been killed for their tusks since 2011, and just last month poachers used cyanide to poison 300 elephants in Zimbabwe. It was only a couple of years ago that we saw the extinction of the western black rhinoceros, another victim of rampant poaching. This devastating slaughter should serve as a deafening wake-up call to the world. It has implications that extend far beyond wildlife conservation.

The international ban on ivory sales enacted in 1989 had a positive, albeit temporary impact on the protection of elephant and rhinoceros populations, but it has since spawned a black market industry in wildlife and wildlife parts. As I mentioned, some of the market is in carved ivory products and potions prized in Asia for their supposed medicinal or other properties. But this illicit revenue is increasingly being used to fund violent extremist groups in the subcontinent. The profits from this trade fuels trafficking in weapons, drugs, and humans, as well as terrorism in the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, and beyond.

Vermonters take pride in being well informed about international affairs, as well as on the impact that we as individuals have on the world we live in. The people of my State know that many of the products we buy, services we support, and actions we take have global implications, positive and negative. That is why it was no surprise when more than 300 people gathered last month in the University of Vermont's Ira Allen Chapel to view the National Geographic documentary ``Battle for the Elephants'' and discuss the grave threat that poaching poses to the world's elephant population. The consensus was that while the outlook is ominous, the fact that people are increasingly focused on this crisis is reason for hope that these animals can be saved. Vermont's own Laurel Neme, a renowned environment and wildlife policy expert, noted that technological advancements, especially in regards to tracing the origins of illegal ivory, have made encouraging strides.

The United States has moral as well as strategic interests in combatting trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products. As I have mentioned, it is not only decimating elephant and rhinoceros populations it is also funding traffickers and terrorist groups. For these reasons, the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, of which I am chairman, included $45 million for fiscal year 2014 to combat wildlife poaching and trafficking, including by training and supporting African park rangers and other law enforcement officials. The Obama administration has also recognized the need to address this crisis more forcefully and is allocating additional resources.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the African countries to protect and conserve their wildlife populations. But they cannot do it alone. It is imperative that we work with them and other donor governments and organizations to martial the resources to combat the black market trade in wildlife.

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