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UN wildlife campaign goes live on RI social media
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Protected species — An orangutan treated at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation's (BOSF) rehabilitation facility prepares to return to the wild in Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kutai, East Kalimantan. (Courtesy of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF)/File)
T
he UN’s Wild for Life campaign to raise awareness about endangered wildlife went live on Tuesday on one of the most popular social media platforms in Indonesia.
Jointly launched under a partnership with the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Jakarta and Path Indonesia, Wild for Life aims to rally public support to end demand that is driving the illegal wildlife trade.
The campaign will engage young Indonesians, the primary users of the platform, to sign up for the campaign and raise awareness about the trade, which undermines economies and communities and threatens security.
“Wildlife crime threatens not only wildlife but local communities and national economies and sustains international crime cartels. Everyone has a role to play in fighting this menace, be they lawmakers, law enforcers, businesses or private citizens. The actions taken by each of us will determine the survival of the world’s wildlife,” said the acting regional director of the UN Environment Programme's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Isabelle Louis.
Indonesian celebrities Davina Veronica and Anggun have joined with celebrity voices worldwide in calling for action to protect endangered species by cutting demand for wildlife and wildlife products to conserve iconic species such as orangutans, tigers, rhinos and helmeted hornbills.
“We want to use what reach and capacity we have to bring social awareness and tangible change that will benefit all humanity,” said Path’s managing director for Indonesia, Alex Kim.
UN data shows the illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated US$50 billion to $150 billion per year, with forest crimes and illegal logging estimated at between $30 billion to $100 billion annually. Asia-Pacific countries are major sources, destinations and transit points for the illegal trade in wildlife. (ebf)
