,,iii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #hj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #b1 #bjag,mr4 ,coons 7for himself and ,mr4 ,inhofe7 submitted the following resolution2 which was considered and agreed to ,,resolution ,designating ,march #c1 #bjag1 as ,world ,wildlife ,day4 ,whereas wildlife has provided numerous economic1 environmental1 social1 and cultural benefits during the course of human history and wildlife conservation will secure these gifts for future generations2 ,whereas plant and animal species play an important role in the stability of diverse ecosystems around the world and the conservation of this biodiversity is critical to maintain the delicate balance of nature and keep complex ecosystems thriving2 ,whereas observation of wild plants and animals in their natural habitat provides individuals with a more enriching world view and a greater appreciation of the wonders of the natural environment2 ,whereas tens of millions of individuals in the ,united ,states strongly support the conservation of wildlife1 both domestically and abroad1 and wish to ensure the survival of species in the wild1 such as rhinoceroses1 tigers1 elephants1 pangolins1 turtles1 seahorses1 sharks1 ginseng1 mahogany1 and cacti2 ,whereas the trafficking of wildlife1 including timber and fish1 comprises the fourth largest global illegal trade after narcotics1 the counterfeiting of products and currency1 and human trafficking and has become a major transnational organized crime with an estimated worth of as much as #ai1jjj1jjj1jjj annually2 ,whereas increased demand in ,asia for high-value illegal wildlife products1 particularly elephant ivory and rhinoceros horns1 has recently triggered substantial and rapid increases in poaching of these species1 particularly in ,africa2 ,whereas trafficking of wildlife is a primary threat to many wildlife species1 including elephants1 rhinoceroses1 tigers1 pangolins1 and sharks2 ,whereas many different kinds of criminals1 including some terrorist entities and rogue security personnel1 often in collusion with corrupt government officials1 are involved in wildlife poaching and the movement of ivory and rhinoceros horns across ,africa2 ,whereas wildlife poaching presents significant security and stability challenges for military and police forces in ,african nations that are often threatened by heavily armed poachers and the criminal and extremist allies of those poachers2 ,whereas wildlife poaching negatively impacts local communities that rely on natural resources for economic development1 including tourism2 ,whereas penal and financial deterrents can improve the ability of ,african governments to reduce poaching and trafficking and enhance their capabilities of managing their resources2 ,whereas assisting institutions in developing nations1 including material1 training1 legal1 and diplomatic support1 can reduce illegal wildlife trade2 ,whereas wildlife provides a multitude of benefits to all nations and wildlife crime has wide-ranging economic1 environmental1 and social impacts2 ,whereas the ,african elephant population has declined by #bg percent in the last decade1 primarily as a result of poaching1 and only approximately #dae1jjj such elephants remain in ,africa2 ,whereas1 from #bjjg to #bjab1 the number of elephants killed in ,kenya increased by more than #hjj percent1 from #dg to #chg elephants killed2 ,whereas1 as a result of poaching1 forest elephant populations in ,minkb ,national ,park in ,gabon have declined by #gh to #ha percent2 ,whereas the number of forest elephants in the ,congo ,basin in ,central ,africa declined by approximately #b_/c between #bjjb and #bjab1 placing forest elephants on track for extinction in the next decade2 ,whereas the number of rhinoceroses killed by poachers in ,south ,africa-- 7#a7 increased by more than #i1jjj percent between #bjjg and #bjad1 from #ac to more than #a1bjj rhinoceroses killed2 and 7#b7 was #a1age in #bjae2 ,whereas fewer than #d1jjj tigers remain in the wild throughout all of ,asia2 ,whereas pangolins are often referred to as the most trafficked mammal in the world2 ,whereas all #h pangolin species spanning ,africa and ,asia are faced with extinction because pangolin scales are sought after in the practice of traditional ,chinese medicine and pangolin meat is considered a delicacy2 ,whereas approximately #ajj1jjj1jjj sharks are killed annually1 often targeted solely for their fins1 and unsustainable trade is the primary cause of serious population decline in several shark species1 including scalloped hammerhead sharks1 great hammerhead sharks1 and oceanic whitetip sharks2 ,whereas the ,united ,states is developing and implementing measures to address the criminal1 financial1 security1 and environmental aspects of wildlife trafficking2 ,whereas ,congress has allocated specific resources to combat wildlife trafficking and address the threats posed by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade2 ,whereas1 in ,december #bjac1 the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly proclaimed ,march #c as ,world ,wildlife ,day to celebrate and raise awareness of the wild fauna and flora around the world2 ,whereas ,march #c1 #bjag1 represents the fourth annual celebration of ,world ,wildlife ,day2 ,whereas1 in #bjag1 the theme of ,world ,wildlife ,day is ,listen to the ,young ,voices2 and ,whereas1 in #bjag1 ,world ,wildlife ,day commemorations will encourage young people1 as the future leaders and decision makers of the world1 to act at both local and global levels to protect wildlife and to rally together to address the ongoing overexploitation and illicit trafficking of wildlife3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates ,march #c1 #bjag1 as ,world ,wildlife ,day2 7#b7 supports raising awareness of the benefits that wildlife provides to people and the threats facing wildlife around the world2 7#c7 supports escalating the fight against wildlife crime1 including wildlife trafficking2 7#d7 applauds the domestic and international efforts to escalate the fight against wildlife crime2 7#e7 commends the efforts of the ,united ,states to mobilize the entire ,government in a coordinated1 efficient1 and effective manner for dramatic progress in the fight against wildlife crime2 and 7#f7 encourages continued cooperation between the ,united ,states1 international partners1 local communities1 nonprofit organizations1 private industry1 and other partner organizations in an effort to conserve and celebrate wildlife1 preserving this precious resource for future generations4