New spotlight video series: meet the aviation companies striving to protect wildlife from trafficking

Jun 04, 2021

June 4 - Tomorrow is World Environment Day – an ideal opportunity to celebrate some of the ROUTES partners that are championing the cause to keep illegal wildlife trade out of air transport with the launch of the ROUTES Partner Spotlight video series.

Celebrated annually on June 5^th, the United Nations World Environment Day is the most renowned day for environmental action. To mark the occasion, the USAID ROUTES Partnership is proud to launch the first episode in a new video series that will spotlight some of ROUTES’ aviation partners that have stepped up to address wildlife trafficking.

In the video, representatives from Etihad Airways, Kenya Airports Authority, Kenya Airways, Malaysia Airlines and Royal Schiphol Group take to the screen to share why this work matters to them. They also talk through some of the actions they have taken such as developing a wildlife conservation policy, mapping flight path risk and offering awareness training to staff.

Each week over the month of June, ROUTES will release a new video spotlighting a different airport or airline that has taken its place in the effort to disrupt wildlife trafficking. While the series highlights the gravity of the illegal wildlife trade, it is also full of promise. Airports and airlines are a vital part of the solution to the global issue of wildlife trafficking.

“We’re really grateful for those companies that have come together under the ROUTES Partnership, together we can make that lasting difference for wildlife for years to come,” says Crawford Allan, Senior Director for America and Wildlife Crime at TRAFFIC.

To keep up with the ROUTES Spotlight Series, follow ROUTES on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. ROUTES encourages any aviation companies that are seeking to join the effort to get in touch.