Wildlife Inspector (28920833663)

Flickr description

Supervisory Wildlife Inspector Charles "Chuck" Quick holds a confiscated bracelet made of illegal elephant hair. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Public Domain Photo by Tom MacKenzie, USFWS Sep. 7, 2016 EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 MEDIA ADVISORY WildAid, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Launch National Campaign Against Wildlife Trafficking The Walking Dead actor Michael Cudlitz joins celebrity ambassadors in new awareness campaign Public Domain Photo by Tom MacKenzie, USFWS Sep. 7, 2016 Conservation nonprofit WildAidand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will launch a high visibility public awareness campaign against illegal wildlife trade in support of the White House National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking. The campaign will bring unprecedented attention to the issue for U.S. consumers and international travelers about the dangers of wildlife trafficking and ways for them to not support this illegal trade. When: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 – press conference begins at 10:30 a.m. Media arrival - - 10 a.m. Where: The Atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport Atrium: 6000 N Terminal Pkwy., Atlanta, Georgia 30320 How: A select number of media are invited to attend. Please respond if you plan to attend. A simultaneous event will occur at Los Angeles International Airport in California. WildAid, Serviceleadership, and lead ambassador Michael Cudlitz will be available for interviews immediately following the formal remarks. They will be able to provide more information about the partnership, the current state of wildlife trafficking, and the public awareness campaign. WildAid’s mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetime. Envision a world where people no longer buy wildlife products such as shark fin, elephant ivory, and rhino horn. While most wildlife conservation groups focus on protecting animals from poaching, WildAid works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products by persuading consumers and strengthening enforcement. When buying stops, killing can too. The Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Quick Wildlife Trafficking Facts ●The global illegal wildlife trade is between $10-20 billion per year. ●The United States is among the world’s largest consumers of wildlife products, both legal and illegal.. ●In 2015, Service wildlife inspectors inspected more than 180,000 wildlife-related shipments in the United States, with Los Angeles and New York as the main ports of entry. ●33,000 elephants are killed annually for their tusks and it is estimated that less than 400,000 remain in the wild. ●Pangolins hold the unfortunate title of most heavily trafficked mammal in the world, with more than 1 million poached from the wild in the last decade alone. MEDIA INFORMATION For more specifics on interviews and photography and to RSVP, please email Christopher Henry at [email protected]