,,iii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ia ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,febru>y #bh1 #bjai,mr4 ,coons 7= himself & ,mr4 ,portman7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y ,,resolution ,designat+ ,m>* #c1 #bjai1 z ,_w ,wildlife ,day4 ,:]eas wildlife has provid$ num]\s economic1 environm5tal1 social1 & cultural b5efits dur+ ! c\rse ( human hi/ory & wildlife cons]vation w secure ^? gifts = future g5]ations2 ,:]eas plant & animal species play an important role 9 ! /ability ( div]se ecosy/ems ar\nd ! _w & ! cons]vation ( t biodiv]sity is critical to ma9ta9 ! delicate balance ( nature & keep complex ecosy/ems ?riv+2 ,:]eas millions ( individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates /rongly support ! cons]vation ( wildlife1 bo? dome/ically & abroad1 & wi% to ensure ! survival ( species 9 ! wild2 ,:]eas ! traffick+ ( wildlife1 includ+ timb] & fi%1 comprises ! f\r? l>ge/ global illegal trade aft] n>cotics1 ! c\nt]feit+ ( products & curr5cy1 & human traffick+ & has become a major transnational organiz$ crime ) an e/imat$ wor? ( z mu* z #bc1jjj1jjj1jjj annually2 ,:]eas increas$ dem& 9 ,asia = high-value illegal wildlife products1 p>ticul>ly elephant ivory & rh9oc]os horns1 has trigg]$ sub/antial & rapid increases 9 poa*+ ( ^? species2 ,:]eas ! traffick+ ( wildlife is a prim>y ?reat to _m wildlife species1 includ+ elephants1 rh9oc]oses1 tig]s1 pangol9s1 & %>ks2 ,:]eas _m diff]5t k9ds ( crim9als1 includ+ "s t]rori/ entities & rogue security p]sonnel1 (t5 9 collusion ) corrupt gov]nm5t (ficials1 are involv$ 9 wildlife poa*+ & ! movem5t ( ivory & rh9oc]os horns across ,africa2 ,:]eas wildlife poa*+ pres5ts significant security & /ability *all5ges = milit>y & police =ces 9 ,african nations t are (t5 ?reat5$ by heavily arm$ poa*]s & ! crim9al1 extremi/ allies ( ^? poa*]s2 ,:]eas wildlife poa*+ negatively impacts local communities t rely on natural res\rces = economic developm5t1 includ+ ?r\gh t\rism2 ,:]eas assi/+ in/itutions 9 develop+ nations1 includ+ by provid+ mat]ial1 tra9+1 legal1 & diplomatic support1 c r$uce illegal wildlife trade2 ,:]eas wildlife provides a multitude ( b5efits to all nations & wildlife crime has wide-rang+ economic1 environm5tal1 & social impacts2 ,:]eas ! ,african ,elephant ,/atus ,report #bjaf issu$ by ! ,int]national ,union = ,cons]vation ( ,nature reveal$ t ! elephant population ( ,africa has rec5tly se5 a dramatic decl9e1 ma9ly due to poa*+1 & ! cont95tal population is n[ ?\ght to be approximately #dae1jjj2 ,:]eas1 f #bjjg to #bjab1 ! numb] ( elephants kill$ 9 ,k5ya increas$ by m ?an #hjj p]c5t1 f #dg to #chg elephants kill$2 ,:]eas1 betwe5 #bjjb & #bjac1 z a result ( poa*+1 ab\t #fe p]c5t ( ! =e/ elephant population 9 ,c5tral ,africa 0 kill$ & =e/ elephants lo/ #cj p]c5t ( ! geographical range ( =e/ elephants1 plac+ =e/ elephants on track = ext9ction 9 ! next decade2 ,:]eas few] ?an #ej1jjj wild ,asian elephants rema9 & poa*+ ( ^! populations is on ! rise1 ) an av]age ( #a elephant poa*$ e week 9 ,burma1 driv5 by dem& = elephant sk9 products2 ,:]eas ! numb] ( rh9oc]oses kill$ by poa*]s 9 ,s\? ,africa-- 7#a7 dramatically increas$ f #ac 9 #bjjg to #a1bae 9 #bjad1 an increase ( m ?an #i1jjj p]c5t2 & 7#b7 0 #gfi 9 #bjah2 ,:]eas-- 7#a7 ! #c species ( ,asian rh9oc]oses also rema9 "u con/ant ?reat ( poa*+2 & 7#b7 ! total populations ( ,javan & ,sumatran rh9oc]os numb] few] ?an #ajj individuals 9 ! wild2 ,:]eas few] ?an #d1jjj tig]s rema9 9 ! wild ?r\gh\t ,asia2 ,:]eas pangol9s are (t5 ref]r$ to z ! mo/ traffick$ mammal 9 ! _w2 ,:]eas all #h pangol9 species spann+ ,africa & ,asia are fac$ ) ext9ction because pangol9 scales are s\ght aft] 9 ! practice ( traditional ,*9ese m$ic9e & pangol9 meat is consid]$ a delicacy2 ,:]eas ! oceans-- 7#a7 cov] #c_/d ( ! surface ( ! ,e>?2 7#b7 conta9 #ig p]c5t ( ! wat] on ! ,e>?2 7#c7 repres5t #ii p]c5t ( ! liv+ space on ! e>? by volume2 & 7#d7 conta9 ne>ly #bjj1jjj id5tifi$ animal species2 ,:]eas ! global m>ket value ( m>9e & coa/al res\rces & indu/ries is e/imat$ to be approximately #c1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj p] ye>1 repres5t+ ab\t #e p]c5t ( global gross dome/ic product2 ,:]eas m ?an #c1jjj1jjj1jjj p dep5d on m>9e & coa/al biodiv]sity = _! livelihoods2 ,:]eas an e/imat$ #h1jjj1jjj metric tons ( pla/ic ent] ! ocean e ye>1 h>m+ a wide range ( wildlife species2 ,:]eas illegal1 unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+ 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is preamble z ,,iuu fi%+7 repres5ts a multibillion doll> crim9al indu/ry t-- 7#a7 und]cuts ! economic livelihoods ( legitimate fi%]m52 7#b7 weak5s m>9e animal populations2 7#c7 poses a ?reat to int]national security2 & 7#d7 ?reat5s food security = communities ar\nd ! _w2 ,:]eas ov]fi%+-- 7#a7 contributes to ! rapid depletion ( _m species ( fi%2 & 7#b7 h9d]s ef=ts to save & re/ore global fi%]ies & ! jobs relat+ to ^? fi%]ies2 ,:]eas approximately #ajj1jjj1jjj %>ks are kill$ annually1 (t5 t>get$ solely = _! f9s1 & unsusta9able trade is ! prim>y cause ( s]i\s population decl9e 9 sev]al %>k species1 includ+ scallop$ hamm]head %>ks1 great hamm]head %>ks1 & oceanic :itetip %>ks2 ,:]eas ! vaquita porpoise ( ,mexico1 ) few] ?an #ad individual porpoises rema9+1 is be+ driv5 to ext9ction2 ,:]eas p5al & f9ancial det]r5ts c-- 7#a7 improve ! ability ( gov]nm5ts to r$uce poa*+1 traffick+1 & ,,iuu fi%+2 & 7#b7 enhance ! capabilities ( ^? gov]nm5ts to manage _! res\rces2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates is develop+ & implem5t+ measures to address ! crim9al1 f9ancial1 security1 & environm5tal aspects ( wildlife traffick+2 ,:]eas ,congress has allocat$ specific res\rces to combat wildlife traffick+ & ,,iuu fi%+ & address additional ?reats to wildlife2 ,:]eas ,congress pass$ ! ,elim9ate1 ,neutralize1 & ,disrupt ,wildlife ,traffick+ ,act ( #bjaf 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #gfja et seq47 to /r5g!n ! response ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ! global wildlife traffick+ crisis2 ,:]eas ,congress pass$ ! ,save ,our ,seas ,act ( #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-bfe2 #acb ,/at4 #cgdb7-- 7#a7 to address l&- & sea-bas$ s\rces ( m>9e debris2 & 7#b7 to promote int]national action to r$uce ! incid5ce ( m>9e debris2 ,:]eas1 9 ,decemb] #bjac1 ! ,unit$ ,nations ,g5]al ,assembly proclaim$ ,m>* #c z ,_w ,wildlife ,day to celebrate & raise aw>5ess ( ! wild fauna & flora ar\nd ! _w2 ,:]eas ,m>* #c1 #bjai1 repres5ts ! six? annual celebration ( ,_w ,wildlife ,day2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjai1 ! !me ( ,_w ,wildlife ,day is ,life bel[ wat]3 = p & planet2 & ,:]eas1 9 #bjai1 ,_w ,wildlife ,day commemorations w-- 7#a7 raise aw>5ess ab\t ! brea?tak+ div]sity ( m>9e life2 7#b7 highlight ! crucial importance ( m>9e species to human developm5t2 & 7#c7 enc\rage future g5]ations to cont9ue ef=ts to protect m>9e ecosy/ems3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 designates ,m>* #c1 #bjai1 z ,_w ,wildlife ,day2 7#b7 supports rais+ aw>5ess ( ! b5efits t wildlife provides to p & ! ?reats fac+ wildlife ar\nd ! _w2 7#c7 supports escalat+ ! fight aga9/ wildlife crime1 includ+ wildlife traffick+ & illegal1 unreport$1 & unregulat$ fi%+2 7#d7 applauds ! dome/ic & int]national ef=ts to escalate ! fight aga9/ wildlife crime2 7#e7 comm5ds ! ef=ts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to mobilize ! entire ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 9 a coord9at$1 effici5t1 & effective mann] = dramatic progress 9 ! fight aga9/ wildlife crime2 & 7#f7 enc\rages cont9u$ coop]ation betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 int]national p>tn]s1 local communities1 nonpr(it organizations1 private indu/ry1 & o!r p>tn] organizations 9 an ef=t to cons]ve & celebrate wildlife1 pres]v+ ?is preci\s res\rce = future g5]ations4