The Hague International Model United Nations Latin America 2014 | 14 th–16th August 2014
Forum: General Assembly 3
Issue: Supporting countries in preventing poaching in order to protect endangered wildlife
Student Officer: Juan Luis Panizza
Position: Deputy Chair
Introduction
As the Prince of Wales said, “humanity is less than humanity without the rest of the
creation”. Animal poaching has become a great threat to the wildlife, as products from certain
animals become more demanded. If animals continue to be slaughtered at the current rate,
elephants, rhinoceroses and many other species might be extinct within ten years. Direct
action must be taken immediately.
It has increased significantly in the recent years. For example ivory items on sale in
the Lekki Market in Lagos, Nigeria, rose from 4000 in 2002 to 14000 in 2013. The recorded
number of rhinos poached in South Africa went from 6 in 2000 to 13 in 2007 and to 1004 in
2013. This represents a growth of more than 7000% in 6 years!
Poaching is highly lucrative, moving an estimate amount of US$7.8 to 10 billion each
year. The tusks of a single adult elephant are worth more than 10 times the annual average
salary of many African countries. Illegal wildlife trade is on the top five of the largest
criminal activities in the world. It funds insurgencies and terrorism, destabilizes governments
and economies, and causes millions of deaths each year. It does not only affect the wildlife, it
has a direct impact on society. Poaching has a strong connection between poaching, weapon
proliferation and regional instability.
"Trafficking relies on porous borders, corrupt officials, and strong networks of
organized crime, all of which undermine our mutual security... Local leaders are telling their
national leaders that they can lose control of large swaths of territory to these criminal gangs.
Where criminal gangs can come and go at their total discretion, we know that begins to
provide safe havens for other sorts of threats to people and governments." – former Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton
Definition of Key Terms
Animal Poaching
Poaching is illegal hunting, killing or capturing of animals.
Endangered species
A species threatened with extinction.
The Hague International Model United Nations Latin America 2014 | 14 th–16th August 2014
General Overview
Poachers
Poaching is mostly carried by organized crime syndicates. They have access to
powerful technologies, real war fighting equipment. They have AK-47s and grenade
launchers. Night-vision goggles allow them to effectively work on both day time and night
time. GPS and low flying helicopters give them the opportunity to. They often are former
soldiers, trained for combat. All this makes them extremely lethal and effective, and very
difficult for rangers to stop them.
The kingpins behind illegal wildlife trade are also behind, drug trade, arms trade and
human trafficking. Weakly enforced national and international regulations, lack of effective
prosecutions and low penalties benefit poachers as it turns their activity into a low risk one
compared to other illegal activities.
They pose a threat, not only to local wildlife, but also to the local communities and to
the economy in local and national levels. Poachers bribe or intimidate local judges, border
guards, rangers and villagers. As a result there are parts of countries that are virtually
ungovernable because of the huge influence of poachers. Many countries which are struggling
with building a strong state have to face this great destabilizing factor.
Also, a lot of the money from illegal wildlife trade goes to extremist organizations that
support insurgencies. Terrorist movements, such as al-Shabab in Somalia, Lord´s Resistance
Army (LRA) and Janjaweed in Darfur, have poaching as their main source of income.
Rangers
Often rangers are state-sanctioned paramilitary forces that combat poachers. They are
maintained by local communities and conservancies. For example, the Rapid Response Unit
of the Northern Rangelands Trust consists in a dozen armed men, armed with rifles and
wearing camouflage fatigues. Their job consists in following elephant herds and tracking
poachers.
This particular unit follows the “shoot to kill” policy, as they consider it the only
effective way to protect the animals. They argue that the legal system does not punish them
effective and they are often set free without any trial or with a very small fine. This is a very
controversial issue.
The job of the rangers is extremely dangerous and harsh. Sometime they must leave
their families for weeks or even months to go on patrols. Per capita basis they are shot and
killed far more than police officers. In the last 10 years 1000 rangers were killed. This is the
equivalent to one ranger killed every 4 days.
They are not well equipped compared to the poachers. Some governments do not even
let them carry weapons into the forests. Sometimes they lack proper boots to go on patrols,
The Hague International Model United Nations Latin America 2014 | 14 th–16th August 2014
meals and rations, salaries, first aid equipment, tents and GPS technologies, among many
other things. They are in the front line against poachers, and most often they are outgunned
and outnumbered against them.
China
The great economic prosperity that China is experiencing has turned it into the main
buyer of ivory and other animal parts. Up to 70% of illegal ivory goes there, where it is sold
in the streets for US$1000 a pound. Chinese traditional medicine, which is based only in
superstition, has a great demand for saiga antelope and javan rhino horns.
Endangered species
Many animal species are either extinct or in the verge of extinction due to poaching.
These are some of them.
Saiga antelope
There were about 2 million saiga around 1950. Since then the population has
reduced by as much as 97%. This is due to the strong demand for their horns, which
are used in Chinese traditional medicine. Horns are sold for US$100 per pound.
Poaching makes the saiga antelope population one of the most rapidly declining in
the world.
Sumatran tiger
The population of the Sumatran Tiger has substantially decreased both because of
poaching and the destruction of their natural habitat due to logging for pulp and
paper. Now there are only 400 of them left. Poacher are hunting them even in
protected areas. Three varieties of tigers native of Sumatra, the Bali, Javal and
Trinil tiger, are already extinct.
Silky Sifaka
This lemur species is hunted down by locals in the island of Madagascar for its
meat. It has not been able to breed in captivity, and there are only 100 – 1000 left.
Vaquita
They are the smallest cetacean, the family of whales and dolphins. They live in the
Gulf of California, next to Mexico and the USA. From 60 to 80 are killed per year
caught in gill nets. The World Wildlife Fund is collaborating on their preservation.
Javan Rhino
There are less than 60 of them left. This is due to poaching, and the high demand of
their horns in Chinese traditional medicine. The horn is sold at US$30000 per kilo.
South China Tiger
Mao Zedong declared this species a plague and encouraged its extermination. Now
the Chinese government is putting a great effort in saving the last 60 of them.
Frogs and other amphibians
Around half of all known amphibians are in risk of extinction. The consumption of
frogs legs is one of the main reason because of which they are hunted.
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Major Parties Involved and Their Views
World Wildlife Fund
WWF was funded in 1961, and now is the leading conservation organization in the
world. It is leading a world campaign called “Stop Wildlife Crime”. It has produced a highly
recommendable miniseries which can be easily found on Youtube.
African Wildlife Foundation
The AWF role is to protect wildlife, conserve land, educate the public and provide
livelihood alternatives.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
The CITES is an international agreement between states that tries to monitor that the
international trade of animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It has 176 member
states
International Anti-Poaching Foundation
The IAPF considers that direct action must be taken urgently, and particularly
supports rangers as the most effective way to defend wildlife.
Save the Rhino
This organization focuses on saving the populations of critically endangered rhinos in
Africa and Asia
Timeline of Events
Date Events
1973 The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) was agreed
1975 CITES becomes effective
1988 It becomes clear that measures to prevent poaching are ineffective and that further
action must be taken
1989 International ivory trade was banned by the CITES
2013 Once again poaching threatens the survival of the elephants. The CITES blames
China as the main buyer of ivory.
2014 Reports backed by the UN confirm that the level of poaching is alarmingly high
UN Involvement, Relevant Resolutions, Treaties and Events

The United Nations Environment Programme was established in 1972 in order to
promote the wise and sustainable use of the planet. The United Nations Environment
Assembly will meet for first time from 18 to 27 of June. There the issue of Illegal
Trade of Wildlife will be discussed.
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
The Security Council ordered an investigation on the connection between the Lord´s
Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel organization operating in the border region of
Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, with the poaching of African
elephants and ivory trade on December 2012.

Resolution 2127 (2013), adopted by the Security Council, imposes an arms embargo
to the Central African Republic.

Resolutions 2134 (2014) and 2136 (2014), adopted by the Security Council on 28
January and 30 January 2014 tackle both political instability and poaching in Central
African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo respectively. The Security
Council effectively prosecutes individuals and organizations which benefit from
illegal wildlife trade, imposing travels bans and assets freezes.
Evaluation of Previous Attempts to Resolve the Issue
Progress regarding some species
Thanks to the action of many conservative organizations, the prospects for the survival
of some species has actually improved.
Rhinos
Since 1997, when the African Rhino Programme started, the population of black
rhinos has increased from 2599 to 4000, and white rhinos have gone from 8466 to
17500.
Tigers
There were only around 40 Siberian tigers in the wild in 1940. Since then the number
has increased significantly. Thanks to policies such as combating poaching and illegal
trade of tiger body parts and the expansion of protection areas that preserve their
natural habitats, their number rose to 400.
In 2010 leaders from 13 countries met in Russia in a tiger summit. There they agreed
to double their tiger population numbers by 2022.
Gorillas
The population of gorillas in the Virunga Forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo
rose a 26%, from 380 to 480 in the period 2003 – 2010.
Elephants
Almost half of Africa´s elephants were hunted down in the 1980s. Since International
ivory trade was banned in 1989 their numbers began to recover. Providing an
alternative livelihood to the local communities, as well as the reduction of ivory trade,
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has been fundamental for the preservation of this species. But ten thousands of
elephants are still killed annually.
Buffaloes
When the first European colons arrived at the territory of what is now known as the
United States of America, there was an estimate of 30 million buffaloes in the Great
Plains. Thanks to a great demand, the construction of railways and the effectiveness of
rifles the population of buffaloes decreased enormously. A marksman even got to kill
up to 20000 buffaloes from 1870 to 1879. About 97 buffaloes were killed per day in
1876. By the 1880s only a few hundreds were left. If it had not been for the measures
and the concern of many citizens, the buffalo would have become extinct.
Possible Solutions
Many of the animals are hunted down because there is a superstition that some of their
body parts can cure many illnesses and be very beneficial. For example, rhino horn is believed
to treat hangovers, impotence, cancer and fever. Eradicating this misconception would reduce
the demand greatly, as well as the poaching.
The destruction of natural habitats is also a great cause of the reduction of the
population of certain species. Prosecuting illegal logging and deforestation, and penalizing the
companies that do it, can help preserve their natural habitats and their lives.
Very often people hunt animals because it is the only way they have of achieving a
decent lifestyle. Providing them with opportunities will make poaching much less attractive
or even unnecessary.
Better protection. The creation of preservations where animals are free from the threat
of poachers. These preservations can become an asset to the community as touristic
destinations.
Not all poaching is intentional, sometimes endangered animals are killed because risky
techniques are used to hunt other animals. Gill nets, for example, capture animals
indiscriminately.
Many people would not buy any product that came from an animal in risk of
extinction if they knew about this reality. It is crucial to create awareness of this issue.
Effective prosecutions and tougher penalties. In some places laws that punish poachers
are not severe enough. In others they are severe but they are not well enforced as the issue is
not considered to be an important one.
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Stronger enforcements. Poachers have access to high technological equipment.
Rangers must be equipped as well as they are in order to combat them effectively, they must
be supported.
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Appendix or Appendices
Poster for the “Stop Wildlife Crime” campaign by the WWF
Infographics by African Wildlife Foundation
Figures by Save the Rhino on the amount of rhinos poached each year in South
Africa