Goodall to speak on poaching, animal trafficking in Moncton

Poaching and animal trafficking continues to be a major concern in some parts of the world. Conservationist Jane Goodall is addressing that issue at her lecture in Moncton Tuesday night.

The 82 year-old Goodall, best known for her interactions with chimpanzees in Tanzania, said the poaching situation is dire.

"Some animals are facing extinction if there isn't greater protection. This wildlife trading is absolutely terrifying actually and driven by demand, very high prices and a lot of corruption," said Goodall.

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Goodall says one of the main reasons for poaching is the price some animal parts fetch. This includes ivory from the tusks of elephants, rhino horn, which is thought by some to have medicinal properties, as well as the scales from pangolins.

One solution that's been presented to poaching is to allow a legal, but sustainable, harvest of rhino horn. Goodall is against this and doesn't believe it will solve the problem.

"As soon as you allow that, that opens the door for illegal and corrupt trafficking," said Goodall.

Education needed

Goodall said one way to tackle the problem would be education. She said a lot of ivory is sold in China and consumers aren't always aware what harvesting ivory means.

"They truly believe either that the ivory comes from elephants that have died a natural death and some of them believe that elephants shed their tusks like deer shed their antlers," said Goodall.

Goodall said another way to slow animal poaching is to change the perception around the ownership of ivory.

"Instead of showing that you're very successful because you have ivory, it's got to be changed, the perception has to be changed so that you're looked down upon if you have ivory," said Goodall.

Chimps also targeted

Other animals at a risk for poaching and animal trafficking include the chimpanzees Goodall has spent decades with.

"The mothers are short, so their babies can be stolen and sent off for the entertainment trade in China and other parts of Asia," said Goodall.

Goodall doesn't believe there will be an immediate stop to these practices and each battle will be specific, but social media is making it easier to make a difference.

"It's been shown that social media, when you get into the millions of signatures, actually can make a difference," said Goodall.

Goodall's lecture titled Gombe & Beyond took place at the Wesleyan Celebration Centre.