The death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala has sent
a wave of shock and grief across the country. It is a sombre reminder that
humans are capable of horrific acts of cruelty and violence towards animals.
Wild animals belong in the wild. It is time to end the needless
practice of
wildlife trade and no more pandemics like COVID-19
This World Environment Day, the time has
come for all of us to join hands and ensure that wild animals do not suffer
such acts of barbarism again.
Wild animals are traded for the purpose of our
entertainment, for medicine and are treated as products. This cruel trade
causes the suffering of millions of animals and endangers the health of people
with pandemics like COVID-19. It also has a terrible impact on our environment.
With this in mind, World Animal Protection has
launched a global appeal to ban the trade of wild animals forever. The
organisation is appealing to the leader of G20 nation to agree for this global
ban when they meet for the G20 nations summit in November.
In India
“It
is time to bring back balance to the natural order. We must all take this
pledge today on World Environment Day, that we will not participate in any
activity that uses wild animals as products. Wildlife is an integral part of the natural
environment and should be cherished there, not put in cages. With that in mind,
I urge the Indian government to effectively enforce existing wildlife
protection laws to stop trade of wild animals and wild animal products.”
World Animal Protection has also requested World
Health Organisation to permanently ban all wildlife markets around the globe in
the wake of coronavirus pandemic and to take a highly precautionary approach to
the wildlife trade.
The aggravated risk to human health caused from
close contact to wild animals in the wildlife trade and in entertainment can no
longer be ignored.
By ending wildlife trade, we can:
1.Protect thousands of species at risk of
extinction due to human exploitation and help maintain biodiversity
2.Help ensure wild animals have a home and continue
to play their vital role in maintaining functioning ecosystems
3.Prevent invasive species being introduced to new
habitats, which can cause resource competition, bring a risk of disease, and
native species declines
4.Stop extensive environmental pollution associated
with the industrial farming of wildlife for commercial purposes, like fur farms
World Animal Protection has a strong track record
of supporting local communities to transition away from incomes based on
wildlife cruelty.
It’s urgent that we come together now to implement
to a comprehensive wildlife trade ban to eliminate the threats of future
pandemics to our health and economies. #EndWildlifeTrade.
Join us and ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to
support the call for an end to global trade of wild animals. Sign this petition
here - www.worldanimalprotection.
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