Treaties without teeth

Wildlife preservation depends on treaties, laws, acts and conventions, most of which lack funding to enforce. National park fees and NGOs help fill the gap.

The Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS, also known as the Bonn Convention), and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These are just a few of the many agreements between nations to protect threatened, endangered and at risk species.

But to enforce these treaties requires money. We think that putting a species on a list that is agreed to among the countries involved will protect them. It doesn’t. But it helps. It raises awareness of the problem and allows governments or non-government organizations (NGOs) to push for funding for the protection that has been agreed upon.

Funding is needed to pay for anti-poaching teams in national parks for example. Poachers can make huge amounts of money for the animals they kill. Or worse yet, for just specific parts, such as rhinoceros horns. As long as there is money to be made someone will try to make it.

Everyday in national parks or reserves all over the world, people put their lives on the line to protect the animals in their care. Some are killed in the line of duty, often leaving dependent family behind. In many of those parks, the anti-poaching staff salaries and/or support costs are paid for, at least in part, by NGOs because the governments don’t have enough money. To preserve wildlife takes money but the treaties don’t deal with that part of the problem. Supporting legislation to put financial teeth into the agreements might help. Or it might prevent countries with limited funds from even signing on to the treaties.

Supporting NGOs and national parks or preserves (yes even in the more developed world, parks suffer from lack of funding) is one way each of us can help. Think about it the next time you visit a park or preserve. Or when your favorite NGO is looking for funding.