Strategy 4: Regional coordination to address illegal chimpanzee trade
© Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue
Effective application of wildlife law requires coordination among a range of international, national and local actors. Authorities need a sufficient level of capacity to adequately enforce national laws, identify trafficking routes and coordinate international law enforcement operations. Sanctuaries, i.e. government or non-governmental facilities the main function of which is to recover confiscated chimpanzees from the pet trade and ensure their rehabilitation and life-long care, play a vital role in the application of wildlife law by facilitating confiscations. By partnering with agencies responsible for law enforcement and providing appropriate facilities to house confiscated chimpanzees, sanctuaries enable the arrest of individuals involved in the illicit wildlife trade, ensuring the proper placement and care of illegally-held and traded chimpanzees.
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Objective
Objective 4.1: By 2021, identify gaps in enforcement and public awareness that can readily be addressed.
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Objective 4.2: By 2022, produce a comprehensive report of priority areas in western chimpanzee habitat countries, overlaid with maps documenting hotspots of poaching and capture of chimpanzees, and trafficking routes. Ports and border crossings commonly used for trafficking will also be highlighted on these maps.
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Objective 4.3: By 2022, collaboratively develop and implement a multi-year, cross-border action plan aimed at ending illegal capture and trafficking of chimpanzees.
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Objective 4.4: By 2023, develop and implement a capacity strengthening strategy to improve the effectiveness of officials in wildlife law enforcement, particularly in under-resourced areas such as land border crossings and seaports.
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Objective
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Objective 4.5: By 2024, 80% of all existing range state and PASA-member sanctuaries in West Africa are prepared, equipped and staffed adequately to effectively handle confiscated chimpanzees while ensuring high standards of welfare and wellbeing of all chimpanzees in their care.
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Objective 4.6: By 2026, effective MOUs or protocols for the placement of confiscated chimpanzees are in place and communicated to all relevant parties across all western chimpanzee range countries.