Concerned by a rise in the number of poaching incidents in Africa, leading Chinese celebrities have embarked on a series of initiatives to raise awareness and save the continent's endangered wildlife.

Former NBA basketball superstar Yao Ming and one of China's most famous actresses, Li Bingbing, recently spent time in Africa to support Chinese Government efforts to clamp down on the illegal trading of elephant ivory. Poaching figures have hit a 10-year high, making it a high priority to raise awareness about this crisis and the danger that poaching poses to the livelihoods of millions of people.

While in Kenya in early May, Li visited the renowned David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust near Nairobi, which cares for elephants who have been orphaned by poachers. A recent Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) report said that illegal ivory trade activity has more than doubled since 2007, and is now over three times more prevalent than it was in 1998.

"The current poaching crisis raises major concerns about the survival of elephants and rhinos here in Kenya," said Li, the silver screen idol and United Nations Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador, during a press conference at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi.

"But there are also other, far-reaching impacts," Li said. "Illegal killings of elephants are being linked to organized crime and the funding of armed militia groups." She noted that many consumers in Asia do not realize that by buying ivory, they are playing a role in the illegal wildlife trade and its serious consequences. "As global citizens, we need to take responsibility by learning more about the potential impact of our lifestyle choices," she added.

In April, Yao shot a documentary about the dwindling elephant and rhino herds in Africa. The film was well-received and earned high praise all over the world.

"Poaching threatens livelihoods, education and development in parts of Africa by causing insecurity losses of tourism revenue. No one who sees the results firsthand, as I did, would ever buy ivory or rhino horn. I believe that if people in China knew more about what's happening they would do the right thing and say no to these products," said Yao.

China's commitments

Liu Guangyuan, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, said the celebrities' involvement is part of a commitment from China to contribute more to the protection of Africa's wildlife and to strengthen cooperation with African countries in this area. Liu added that China has the most stringent penalties for wildlife crime of any country in the world; perpetrators involved in the ivory trade can receive sentences as harsh as life in prison for their crimes. The Chinese envoy also confirmed that the Chinese Government conducts global education campaigns aimed at teaching its citizens about wildlife protection.

Liu said that China strictly manages its legal ivory trade and that the country is a licensed buyer in the legal ivory trade regime sanctioned by CITES. China put the African elephant on the list of "first-class wildlife species under special state protection" and with support from Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association, Chinese entrepreneurs donated $200,000 to the African Elephant Conservation Fund.

The UNEP recently signed an agreement with the Shanghai Municipal Government to display photographs in the city's subway network highlighting illegal wildlife trade. The images by seven leading international wildlife photographers will focus on the trade in elephant ivory, rhino horn, skins, fins and flowers, all of which threaten endangered species.

Killing spree

Data from the CITES program, Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE), shows that 17,000 elephants were illegally killed in 2011, while poaching statistics released by the South African Government indicate that 668 rhinos were slaughtered in 2012, a 50-percent increase over 2011. On April 11, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs confirmed that 227 rhinos had already been killed for their horns in 2013. Powdered rhino horn is mistakenly used as an aphrodisiac in many parts of Asia, although there is scientific proof that using it has no such effects.

If not stemmed, this sharp increase in poaching could lead to the extinction of African rhinos and elephants. While large-scale seizures of ivory intended for the Asia market have doubled since 2009, CITES says weak governance in source, transit and destination countries is also contributing to the problem.

"Rising wildlife crime in these countries is an issue of global concern, impacting many parts of the world. Profits from elephant ivory and rhino horn are linked to criminal drug trade, illegal logging, and human trafficking according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime," said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) statistics say that global illicit trade in wildlife is worth about $19 billion each year, making it the fourth largest illegal trade in the world after narcotics, counterfeiting and human trafficking. Reptiles, sharks, great apes, and certain timber species are among the flora and fauna most affected by illegal wildlife trading.

Greater protection

The WWF is campaigning for greater protection of threatened species such as rhinos, tigers and elephants. In order to save endangered animals, source, transit and demand countries must all improve their law enforcement, customs controls and judicial systems.

"The brutal violence against wild animals threatens to destroy Africa's great natural treasures, and to jeopardize the future of the people who live there. The international community must also act to assist Africa in safeguarding this cherished natural heritage," said Jules Caron of the WWF Central Africa office.

It is not only elephants and rhinos that find themselves suffering due to poachers' greedy desires. A recent UNEP study showed that almost 3,000 great apes are captured and taken live from African forests every year. The main buyers of illegally captured chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans include the tourist entertainment industry, disreputable zoos and individuals who keep them as exotic pets.

Fortunately, steps are being taken to tackle environmental crime and ensure sustainable trade. At the March 2013 Conference of the Parties to CITES, around 170 governments backed moves to afford increased protection status to hundreds of timber species, tortoises, turtles and other plant and animal species. Five shark species and manta rays were also brought under CITES controls.

"Appetite for ivory can be changed, as it was in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The reality of what is happening to elephants in Africa must be communicated, such as through the work of Li Bingbing and other celebrities in ivory consumer countries. If this is not done, the outlook for elephants looks very bleak," said Iain Douglas-Hamilton of Save the Elephants. CA

(Reporting from Kenya)