threatened with extinction due to
strong demands in Asia,
is a major
challenge of the 17th conference of
the Convention on International Trade
in endangered species of wild fauna
and flora which opens this Saturday in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Three species are facing extinction
threats. According to WWF officials,
three rhinos are killed each day for
their horns due to high demand in the
market, especially as a kilogramme of
rhino horns is sold for an estimated
60.000 dollars.
Hunted for ivory, the elephant
population has declined by 30 percent
between 2007 and 2014.
The measures taken so far to protect
these species have not been able to
discourage poachers.
African countries like Zimbabwe and
Namibia are in support of the
legalisation of trade in ivory and rhino
horns.
The pangolin is another endangered
specie considered as the most
threatened because its scales and
organs are used in traditional medicine.
More than a million pangolins have
been killed within a decade.
Poaching raises an estimated 20 billion
dollars a year for those involved.
For close to two weeks, about 3,500
delegates from 182 countries will
brainstorm on whether or not it is
necessary to ease or harden trade
restrictions on some 500 species of
fauna and flora.
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