We are all very well-aware of the dangers related to human trafficking. Sadly, when it comes to animal trafficking we were reluctant to pay so much care and attention.

Fortunately, at recent times, animal trafficking is becoming a quite popular topic. As humans heedlessly exploit the nature and contribute to the constantly worsening climate crisis and unprecedented biodiversity loss, both the popularity and controversy of the animal trafficking topic are on the rise.

Our irresponsible behavior towards the environment is starting to pose a threat to our health. With over 320.000 deaths, the recent COVID-19 pandemic only highlights the problem. Around three-quarters of the emerging, life-threatening infectious diseases are categorized as zoonotic. The term zoonotic indicates that they can be transmitted from animals to humans. The constant environmental destruction and ever-rising wildlife crime facilitate the incidence of zoonotic pandemics.

As a multi-billion-dollar business, animal trafficking is not only global but also lucrative. The high demand implicates high prices – pangolin scales, elephant tusks, rhinoceros’ horns, just name it and for the right price you can own it. In the last 20 years, due to the illicit wildlife trade, nearly 6000 different flora and fauna species have been seized.

Today, the emergent need of stopping all forms of animal trafficking is more obvious than ever.In that name, activists target G-20 leaders to support and encourage a wildlife trade ban. The abbreviation G-20 stands for Group of Twenty – an association made up of the European Union and 19 other countries. From 21-22 November, the G-20 will convey its 15th meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The meeting will be held under the name “Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All”. The meeting has three crucial agenda items and one of them addresses the animal trafficking issue.

Hopefully, the take-away message from the meeting will be that animal trafficking is simply not tolerable anymore. It is not tolerable for the planet, for our health and for the animals.