Wanton killing of wildlife a serious security threat

By ANDREAS PESCHKE

Kenya: Wildlife crime has reached crisis point. Illegal trading in ivory has more than doubled since 2007. The poaching of rhinos has increased 50 times. Rhino horn, selling for thousands of dollars a kilo, now has more worth than gold. Last year, at least 22,000 elephants were poached in Africa. Millions of animals are poached every year. This alarming rise in the illegal slaughter and trade of endangered animals is a cause for concern. March 3 will be the first World Wildlife Day. We should mark it and take action.