Sustainability

Tackling wildlife trafficking

25  April  2019

Wildlife workshop

The global trade of trafficking wild animals and wildlife products relies heavily on air transport to smuggle illegal goods around the world. The AA worked with Airports Council International (ACI), the Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) Partnership, and global wildlife trade monitoring NGO TRAFFIC to organise a workshop and stakeholder forum to share information and develop solutions on how airport operators, airport staff, and enforcement agencies around the world can collaborate to combat wildlife trafficking.

At the 28 March workshop, some 40 representatives from the AA, AVSECO, cargo business partners, ROUTES, and government departments, including the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Customs and Excise Department, shared their experiences in detecting and preventing wildlife trafficking activities at HKIA and other airports. The workshop facilitated the sharing of the good practices and expertise of Hong Kong’s enforcement agencies and the development of a protocol to enable airport workers to report suspected trafficking incidents.

At the 2019 ACI World Annual General Assembly held in Hong Kong on 2-4 April, a dedicated session on wildlife trafficking was organised as part of the pre-conference programme. AA Assistant General Manager, Sustainability Mike Kilburn joined a panel that included speakers from ACI World, TRAFFIC and airport peers to better understand the roles airport operators can play in combating wildlife trafficking.