Think Twice: If the buying stops, the killing will too!

Millions of people fly out of the UK each summer in search of sun and relaxation. And many thousands come home with illegal souvenirs made from animal parts - often with no idea that they have done anything wrong.

Yet, we are living in the middle of the biggest mass extinction wave since the disappearance of the dinosaurs – and part of the reason for the decline in some species is the massive poaching that goes on to provide the raw materials for tourist trinkets.

The illegal trade in wildlife is estimated to be worth many billions of dollars each year. While a large part of this trade is controlled by criminal gangs, much is also perpetrated by the hundreds of millions of people who go on foreign holidays each year and unwittingly buy souvenirs made from endangered species.

Each year, Customs agents seize thousands of tourist souvenirs made from endangered species, which are protected by the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES has been signed by more than 165 countries, and regulates trade in about 5,000 species of animals and 25,000 species of plants.

Unfortunately, souvenirs made from endangered species are often very openly sold in foreign resorts, and so it can be hard for tourists to imagine they are doing any harm. In serious cases, however, tourists coming back home with such products in their luggage are risking hefty fines or even jail sentences.

Endangered species items that are commonly on sale include ivory, tortoiseshell, reptile skins, furs and some corals and seashells. It is illegal to bring many of these products into the UK, while others may require complicated permits.

Many people list their destination's beautiful natural environment and wildlife as a top reason for visiting the country. And yet by buying just one shell, piece of coral or ivory, they are helping to destroy the very natural beauty they came to see! IFAW's Think Twice campaign is asking people travelling abroad to err on the side of caution - if you're not sure what an item is made of, or whether it is legal, then don't buy it. Instead, buy souvenirs such as locally made handicrafts made from non-animal materials.




For more information and to support the Think Twice campaign click here