Rhino
by TAKAIt is vital that decisive action is taken to change our city from being a hub for the illegal wildlife trade to become a global leader in the fight against it
In the midst of a global biodiversity crisis, Hong Kong authorities seized a record breaking 649 metric tonnes (MT) of rare and endangered wildlife across 1,404 seizures in 2018 and 2019
Our small city continues to hold a disproportionate role in the global illicit wildlife trade.
Wildlife seized in 2018 and 2019 surpassed all annual totals for the preceding decade (excluding 2015). Figures indicate a shift in trade dynamics with ivory in decline, pangolins remaining at devastatingly high levels and a worrying diversification of other endangered species.
Policy reform to amend the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO) to include wildlife offences in its schedules, could demonstrate Hong Kong’s global leadership in combating wildlife trafficking and deter wildlife criminals once and for all.
