ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE HONORS WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AT INTERNATIONAL MEETING

Willem Wijnsteckers, CITES Secretariat

The Hague, Netherlands (June 4, 2007) – The Animal Welfare Institute, one of America’s most respected animal welfare organizations, today announced the names of the recipients of the 2007 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards. Award recipients are on the front line defending the world’s wildlife in the field, on the streets, and in the courts sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice to fight  wildlife crime.

From left to right: Willem Wijnsteckers, CITES Secretariat, Mr. Ololtisatti N. Ole Kamuaro from Kenya, D.J. Schubert of AWI		From left to right: Willem Wijnsteckers, Yvan LaFleur, USFWS representative Mr. Roland Marquis (for Paul Cernigula), Mr. Ofir Drori from The Last Great Ape Organization, Mr. Ololtisatti N. Ole Kamuaro from Kenya and D.J. Schubert		From left to right: Pasteur Cosma Wilungula Balongelwa (for Paulin Ngobobo) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, USFWS representative Mr. Benny Perez (for John Webb), Willem Wijnsteckers, Yvan, USFWS representative Mr. Roland Marquis (for Paul Cernigula) and Ofir Drori

The Awards are named for the late Chief of the Division of Law Enforcement for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service who pioneered the Division’s highly effective undercover investigations and “sting” operations. They are presented to persons who have engaged in one or more exemplary law enforcement actions to protect species of wildlife listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (or CITES).

The award program is conducted in cooperation with the Species Survival Network, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations. The Awards will be presented at the Species Survival Network’s June 4, 2007 reception for delegates attending the CITES Conference of the Parties. This year’s award is a magnificent rhinoceros sculpture created by wildlife artist John Perry which will be personally presented to each honoree by Mr. Willem Wijnstekers, CITES Secretariat.

The 2007 recipients of this prestigious honor recognizing excellence, bravery, and commitment to wildlife law enforcement are identified below. A summary of each honoree’s accomplishments is available from the Animal Welfare Institute on its website or by contacting Cathy Liss.

“With the escalating amount of illegal wildlife trade throughout the world, it is imperative that all efforts are made to combat wildlife crime through comprehensive and unrelenting law enforcement efforts,” says Cathy Liss, President of the Animal Welfare Institute. “We applaud ongoing efforts to capture, prosecute and penalize wildlife criminals but ask that each government invest more resources into recruiting, training, and equipping wildlife law enforcement officers, customs agents, and police officers to protect the world’s wildlife from illegal trade in live animals, meat, and animal parts,” adds Liss.

The Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards have been presented to deserving law enforcement officers for nearly 20 years. AWI, in coordination with SSN, has presented the award at each CoP beginning in 1997. Recipients are selected from nominations received from CITES member governments and by identifying deserving individuals from other sources of information including reports, articles, and as recommended by SSN member organizations.

“AWI congratulates and thanks all of the deserving 2007 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award winners on their individual contributions to the global effort to protect wildlife and to thwart wildlife crime,” says D.J. Schubert, AWI’s Wildlife Biologist. “We hope that this award will escalate the importance of combating wildlife crime in the eyes of the public, act as a catalyst for young people to consider a career in wildlife law enforcement, and will earn the 2007 recipients special recognition in their home countries, provinces, states, regions, and cities,” adds Schubert.

AWI is one of America’s most respected non-profit animal protection charities headquartered in Washington, DC. It is dedicated to reducing the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans.