The fight against illegal poaching has been strengthened this week, with governments from around the world pledging to take more serious action against the illegal trade in wildlife. The summit, hosted by the British government in London, was attended by delegates from 46 different countries, as well as 11 UN organisations.

At the forefront of the summit’s mission, is increased protection for three iconic species under severe threat from poaching: Rhino, Elephant and Tiger. Rising demand for tiger bone, rhino horn and elephant tusk for ‘medicinal remedies’ from increasingly wealthy people in China and Vietnam has caused the slaughtering of these creatures to spiral out of control in some areas. With the price of Rhino horn now at over £35,000 per kilogram, South Africa has just witnessed its worst ever year for Rhino killings, up 50% from 2012. Populations of Forest Elephant in Central African countries have been decimated, with up to 65% of them now slaughtered for ivory. In Sumatra, almost 80% of tiger deaths are from poaching and India has just seen one of its worst years for this. The prospect of these majestic creatures facing extinction within the next twenty years is now a real possibility.

There is also an increasing human cost to this, with many rangers being killed for trying to protect these species, as well as a proliferation in corruption that often facilitates these crimes, which often has a detrimental effect on areas that are already unstable.

The declaration calls for governments to enforce far more stringent penalties against those who are involved in illegal wildlife hunting, enhanced anti-poaching cooperation between countries, reduce demand for these traditional medicinal products, and support for the development of other sustainable lifestyle options in regions where illegal hunting is the most enticing option for young men to support their families. The traditions of China and other areas of South-East Asia remain the main driving force behind these deplorable activities, and so it was encouraging that delegates from China and Vietnam were signatories to The London Declaration.

The leaders of Botswana, Chad, Gabon and Tanzania have agreed on imposing a cessation on the ivory trade for a minimum of ten years.

Hopefully this international consensus will be a crucial step towards putting an end to the poaching of highly endangered animals, although conservationists warn that any action must be taken immediately without compromise, such is the severity of the situation worldwide. A conservation issue has now become a political one, with the summit’s legacy hopefully being a worldwide ban on ivory and animal-part sales and destruction of ivory stockpiles.