© Peter yuen
#GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving, is fast approaching! Following the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the holiday season by encouraging people to donate to important causes (like ending the wildlife trade!). Wildlife trafficking is a severe and complex problem that does not have a simple solution. Wildlife Alliance has developed a holistic, multifaceted, and effective approach to combat the problem from all sides. It starts with protecting habitat from deforestation and poachers. Our rangers protect nearly 2 million acres of one of Southeast Asia’s largest contiguous rainforests in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, ensuring that animals have a safe and intact habitat. We also rescue trafficked animals from national and transnational wildlife smugglers. We investigate illegal trade networks, collect evidence, apprehend traffickers and followup on cases to ensure justice is served and traders are appropriately sentenced. To date, we have rescued over 62,000 animals, and apprehended over 3,230 traders. Since many of the animals that we rescue are not healthy enough to be released immediately, we provide critical care for them at our rescue center until they are ready to be released into protected areas. The final element of our comprehensive approach is to help make sustainable changes in communities by providing people with alternative livelihoods and by educating children and the public to create an attitude of conservation.
By donating on #GivingTuesday, you will be joining millions of people around the world who are giving to support positive change. Your gift will make a real impact to save critical species like elephants, tigers, gibbons and pangolins. Give the gift of keeping wild animals wild, this holiday season.
