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Issues

Although National Parks initially helped limit poaching, it was not effective in the overall significance of  protecting the population. Referencing BBC World Service, “Wildlife organisations say around 35,000 elephants are killed for their tusks every year, mainly in Africa”(BBC World Service).  With restrictions and roadblocks surfacing, criminals learned to be more creative with their tactics in disguising ivory.  The United Nations proposed to go to the source of the trade, the transportation site. According to Mr. Palmer, referred to in the BBC World Service article, “There was a genuine shock as to the magnitude of wildlife trade and the methods of disguise used by traffickers to transport these commodities”(BBC World Service). As previously seen, the UN was able to identify one of the issues, lack of awareness. The article further states, “these freight handlers could become valuable eyes and ears in the trade, because they are the ones who actually handle these consignments in different ways”(BBC World Service). Times have changed. Freight handlers can’t solely rely on the knowledge they knew about transporting goods. Criminals  most likely aren’t going to haul a full tusk because it is in it’s recognizable state. With these handlers being taught on how to distinguish ivory, society is already one step closer to resolution.
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