[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1324-S1325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 374--DESIGNATING MARCH 3, 2014, AS ``WORLD WILDLIFE 
                                 DAY''

  Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
Inhofe, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Cardin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 374

       Whereas wildlife has provided numerous economic, 
     environmental, social, and cultural benefits during the 
     course of human history, and wildlife preservation will 
     secure these gifts for future generations;
       Whereas each plant and animal species plays 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 thriving;
       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 environment;
       Whereas tens of millions of individuals in the United 
     States strongly support the conservation of wildlife, both 
     domestically and abroad, and wish to ensure the survival of 
     species in the wild, such as rhinoceroses, tigers, elephants, 
     pangolins, turtles, seahorses, sharks, ginseng, mahogany, and 
     cacti;
       Whereas the Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
     Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (referred to in this preamble 
     as ``CITES'' and also known as the ``Washington Convention'') 
     was signed in Washington, DC, on March 3, 1973;
       Whereas 179 countries, including the United States, are now 
     parties to CITES;
       Whereas CITES remains one of the most powerful tools in the 
     world for biodiversity conservation by regulating 
     international trade in wild plants and animals, including 
     products and derivatives of wild plants and animals, ensuring 
     the survival of plants and animals in the wild, and providing 
     long-term benefits for the livelihood of local people and the 
     global environment;
       Whereas CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in 
     listed species is sustainable, legal, and traceable;
       Whereas the trafficking of wildlife, including timber and 
     fish, comprises the fourth largest global illegal trade, 
     after narcotics, counterfeiting of products and currency, and 
     human trafficking, and has become a major transnational 
     organized crime with an estimated worth of approximately 
     $19,000,000,000 annually;
       Whereas increased demand in Asia for high-value illegal 
     wildlife products, particularly elephant ivory and rhinoceros 
     horns, has recently triggered substantial and rapid increases 
     in poaching of these species, particularly in Africa;
       Whereas trafficking of wildlife is the primary threat to 
     many wildlife species, including elephants, rhinoceroses, and 
     tigers;
       Whereas many different kinds of criminals, including some 
     terrorist entities and rogue security personnel, often in 
     collusion with corrupt government officials, are involved in 
     wildlife poaching and the movement of ivory and rhinoceros 
     horns across Africa;
       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 such 
     poachers;
       Whereas wildlife poaching negatively impacts local 
     communities that rely on natural resources for economic 
     development, including tourism;
       Whereas the lack of sufficient penal and financial 
     deterrents hamper the ability of African governments to 
     reduce poaching and trafficking;
       Whereas capacity building, including material, training, 
     legal, and diplomatic support, can significantly impact the 
     trajectory of the illegal wildlife trade;
       Whereas wildlife provides a multitude of benefits to all 
     nations, and wildlife crime has wide-ranging economic, 
     environmental, and social impacts;
       Whereas the number of elephants killed by poachers in Kenya 
     increased by more than 800 percent from 2007 to 2012, from 47 
     to 387 elephants killed;
       Whereas the number of rhinoceroses killed by poachers in 
     South Africa increased by more than 7000 percent between 2007 
     and 2013, from 13 to 1004 rhinoceroses killed;
       Whereas the number of forest elephants in the Congo Basin 
     in central Africa declined by approximately two-thirds 
     between 2002 and 2012, placing forest elephants on track for 
     extinction within the next decade;
       Whereas as few as 3200 tigers remain in the wild throughout 
     all of Asia;
       Whereas approximately 100,000,000 sharks are killed 
     annually, often targeted solely for their fins, and 
     unsustainable trade is the primary cause of serious 
     population decline in several shark species, including 
     scalloped hammerhead sharks, great hammerhead sharks, and 
     oceanic whitetip sharks;
       Whereas the United States is developing strong measures to 
     address the criminal, financial, security, and environmental 
     aspects of wildlife trafficking;
       Whereas Congress has allocated specific resources to combat 
     wildlife trafficking and address the threats posed by 
     poaching and the illegal wildlife trade;
       Whereas in December 2013, the United Nations General 
     Assembly proclaimed March 3, the day on which CITES was 
     signed, as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise 
     awareness of the wild fauna and flora around the world;
       Whereas March 3, 2014, represents the first annual 
     celebration of World Wildlife Day; and

[[Page S1325]]

       Whereas in 2014, World Wildlife Day commemorations will 
     ``celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna 
     and flora, raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that 
     wildlife provides to people, and raise awareness of the 
     urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime, 
     which has wide-ranging economic, environmental, and social 
     impacts'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 3, 2014, as ``World Wildlife Day'';
       (2) supports the goals and ideals of World Wildlife Day, 
     including--
       (A) raising awareness of the benefits that wildlife 
     provides to people and the threats facing wildlife around the 
     world; and
       (B) escalating the fight against wildlife crime, including 
     wildlife trafficking;
       (3) applauds the domestic and international efforts to 
     escalate the fight against wildlife crime;
       (4) commends the efforts of the United States to mobilize 
     the entire Government in a coordinated, efficient, and 
     effective manner for dramatic progress in the fight against 
     wildlife crime;
       (5) encourages continued cooperation between the United 
     States, international partners, local communities, nonprofit 
     organizations, private industry, and other partner 
     organizations in an effort to conserve and celebrate 
     wildlife, preserving this precious resource for future 
     generations.

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