The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a group made up of more than 80 organizations from around the world that are not part of the government. These groups work together to stop the illegal movement of people. GAATW aims to help change political, economic, social, and legal systems that allow trafficking in people and other human rights problems during migrations for different reasons, such as finding work or supporting families.
Environmental crime is an illegal action that directly harms the environment. These actions affect the environment, wildlife, biodiversity, and natural resources. International groups, such as the G7, Interpol, European Union, United Nations Environment Programme, and United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, have identified several types of environmental crimes, including wildlife crime, illegal mining, pollution crimes, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and illegal logging.
The ivory trade is the buying and selling, which is sometimes illegal, of ivory tusks from animals such as hippos, walruses, narwhals, black and white rhinos, mammoths, and most often, African and Asian elephants. People in Africa and Asia have traded ivory for hundreds of years, which led to rules and bans being created. In the past, ivory was used to make piano keys and other decorative items because it turns white when processed.
Wildlife smuggling, also called wildlife trafficking, refers to the illegal collection and sale of endangered animals, protected plants, and items made from these species. Studies about wildlife smuggling have grown, but understanding of this illegal trade is still limited. Differences in rules and practices between countries may explain why estimates of the trade’s value vary widely, from $5 to $23 billion, and even higher when including timber and fish, reaching $67 to $193 billion.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists, governments, and others have worked to find the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Like other outbreaks, the virus came from a virus found in bats. It likely spread to humans through another animal in nature or during live wildlife trade, such as in food markets.
Bat Conservation International (BCI) is a global nonprofit group that works to protect bats and their homes by using conservation, education, and research methods. BCI was created in 1982 by bat biologist Merlin Tuttle, who was the leader of the organization until he retired in 2009. Since it was started, BCI has worked with the U.S.
Chytridiomycosis ( / k aɪ ˌ t r ɪ d i ə m aɪ ˈ k oʊ s ɪ s / ky- TRID -ee-ə-my- KOH -sis ) is a disease that affects amphibians, caused by two types of fungi: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. This disease has been linked to large drops in amphibian numbers or complete disappearances in areas such as western North America, Central America, South America, eastern Australia, east Africa (Tanzania), and the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat. Much of the New World may also face the risk of this disease in the near future.
Since the 1980s, scientists have noticed fewer amphibians in many areas around the world. This includes smaller groups of amphibians and large-scale disappearances. This loss of variety in living things is considered one of the biggest threats to life on Earth.
Bird extinction means that all members of a bird species are no longer alive. Of the about 11,154 known bird species, 159 (1.4%) are extinct, and 226 (2%) are critically endangered. Most scientists agree that if human activities continue as they are now, about one-third of all bird species, and even more bird populations, could become extinct by the end of the 21st century.
The conservation and restoration of insect specimens is the process of caring for and preserving insects that are part of a collection. Conservation steps start when the insects are collected and continue during preparation, storage, examination, documentation, research, and treatment if restoration is needed.