African, Asian elephants brought into focus on UN World Wildlife Day

The countdown to World Wildlife Day (WWD) on March 3 began Tuesday, with African and Asian elephants brought into focus under the theme "the future of elephants is in our hands."

The Geneva-based UN wildlife conservation agency CITES Secretariat, or the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, said the event aimed to reduce the demand for illegal wildlife and their products.

Countries around the world are encouraged to highlight species from their own countries, both wild animals and plants, adapting the global theme to suit.

As part of WWD celebrations, a high-level event and the launch of an International Elephant Film Festival will be held at UN Headquarters in New York.

CITES will also co-host a meeting of all African elephant range states, launch an "One UN Campaign" against illegal trade in wildlife, and release an update report on trends of illegal killing of elephants for 2015.

"World Wildlife Day 2016 follows the adoption of the historic UN General Assembly resolution on tackling illicit trafficking in wildlife and the new global Sustainable Development Goals, with a vision for the planet in which humanity lives in harmony with nature," said John E. Scanlon, CITES secretary general.

"The future of the world's wildlife is in our hands. Please join with us on this special day in the UN calendar to show your support for wildlife," he added. Enditem