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February 27, 2012 How U.S. Soldiers Are Fueling the Endangered Species Trade

Summary: This article discusses how U.S. soldiers overseas are inadvertently fueling the trade for endangered species. When U.S. soldiers are deployed overseas, like many people, they want to bring home a souvenir for their family. Most of the soldiers aren’t knowingly purchasing wildlife products, but in return they are supporting the trade. More than 40% of soldiers surveyed stated they have or have seen a fellow soldier purchase a wildlife product. In the survey wildlife products were reported being purchased in over 40 countries, mostly coming from Afghanistan. Many endangered wildlife species are found in this country, including the snow leopard, which can be made into a pelt. Poaching and hunting markets are increasing in Afghanistan and Iraq because of the U.S. soldiers. Selling these products gives citizens money that they previously couldn’t make. Many poor people are joining the market to help make money for their family and self. In order to stop the trade, costumers have to stop buying. The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with the Department of Defense’s Legacy to educate soldiers on the “illegality of purchasing endangered wildlife products, as well as the potential health threats that can come with them.” The major source of zoonotic disease comes from wildlife, and international trade can spread this disease. In years to come, the main hope is to limit soldiers from purchasing a wildlife souvenir to take home.

Relevance: Theodore Roosevelt first went to the West for the adventure of big game hunting. When he got there he was disappointed to see many of the large herds of bison were gone. He also “witnessed the virtual destruction of some big game species.” After spending some time in the West, he saw the harm that was happening to the land and its wildlife. When Roosevelt came into office in 1901, he used his presidential power to protect the wildlife and public land that he saw being destroyed. While in office he preserved more than 230 million acres of land forming national parks and monuments. Roosevelt’s efforts towards saving land protected the species that lived there. If Roosevelt had not saved those lands there is a good chance it could have caused more animals to go extinct, and some may not even exist today. The Wildlife Conservation Society is trying to save wildlife just as Roosevelt was; however, with limited power, they are currently trying to raise awareness of the trade overseas. The 1970s was a very important time period in protecting endangered species. Dozens of environmental laws were passed during this time, including the Endangered Species Act, which Nixon signed it into law in 1973. It was developed to “protect critically imperiled species from extinction.” This law was said as the “"consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation.” What was trying to be done back then to protect animals is the same thing that the Wildlife Conservation Society is trying to do now overseas. The act wanted to “prevent the extinction of imperiled plant and animal life”, which is the Wildlife Conservation Society’s goal as well. Secondly, the act wanted “to recover and maintain those populations by removing or lessening threats to their survival.” The threat discussed in the article was the soldiers. So the Wildlife Conservation Society is trying to do the same thing as the Endangered Species Act by educating soldiers on the endangered species trade in order to lessen the likelihood of them buying a wildlife product and continuing to fuel the trade market.

Explanation: The war in Iraq has played a huge role in the cause and increase of endangered species. The longer soldiers continue to go overseas, the more opportunity there is for the endangered species trade to continue to grow. With the presence of US soldiers overseas and the purchases of wildlife products there has been a larger cry for an increase in conservation efforts. These efforts consist of educating the soldiers on the trade. The more purchases they make, the more the trade grows. Animals that are already endangered are at even more risk with the endangered species trade rising. The killing of endangered species and the consumption of the products are putting many animals at risk from being wiped out completely. This is a huge environmental issue that has gotten the Wildlife Conservation Society involved. Considering the increase in the trade once the war started, it is safe to assume that once the war ends and soldiers are brought back home the trade will slow down. For now the efforts should increase more than education. The military should be monitoring the soldiers who make purchases considering it is illegal. The environment and its animals can’t wait for a war to end before it is safe. While raising awareness is good, it is only words. More should be done to completely stop the trade.

Questions: 1) What is being done to monitor illegal purchases? 2) How much can the US interfere overseas to help conserve wildlife? 3) What animal is most at risk overseas because of the increase in poaching and hunting? 4) Can anything be done to label the products as real or fake fur? 5) Why are poachers not being punished more? 6) Are the soldiers who bought wildlife products being punished?

Sources: "Endangered Species Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. .

"Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation (U.S. National Park Service)." U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. .

Walsh, Bryan. "Wildlife Wars: How U.S. Soldiers Unknowingly Support the Endangered Species Trade | Ecocentric | TIME.com." Ecocentric | A blog about all things green, from conservation to Capitol Hill | TIME.com. N.p., 27 Feb. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. .