The UAE has always been a world leader in the battle against the illegal wildlife trade, with the aim of preserving the beauty of the natural world and the biological diversity of future generations. As we approach the World Wildlife Day, the shipping arm of the world’s largest airline in the world is reflected in the landmarks that have been achieved along its flight.
“Every day, Skycargo supports global supply chains, linking companies with suppliers and customers in more than 145 destinations around the world. But the illegal wildlife trade is a single supply chain that we will not facilitate – in fact, we are proud Illegal in its paths.
Starting at home
Since its early days, the UAE has created Skycargo absolutely tolerance policy on the illegal wildlife trade, a full ban on Big-4 hunting awards, even in the destinations it is allowed, and ensuring the transfer of banned species and other associated products. The UAE Skycargo will not raise sharks, unicorn centuries, elephants, leopard leather, and a number of desired products, but illegal.
The shipping department has implemented strict protocols to identify and stop the movement of these products, including tests, topical tests during transit, verify in -depth documents, and confirm the validity of permits, to ensure that each shipment is legal. By lending this experience to the ecosystem, the UAE supported the VIKELA project, which aims to develop an automatic system to discover illegal wildlife products in airport security examination systems throughout Africa, a region that is targeted by trade in an inconsistent manner because of its rich and unique wildlife.
Frontline employees are trained to identify suspicious goods and report them via a custom reports preparation channel, and to enable employees and partners to stop illegal trade by setting a mark on secret information that can protect endangered species. To date, the airline has trained thousands of employees at The Hub in Dubai and at external stations through shipping and passengers, in addition to extending training to the contractors of the contracted ground handling at external stations, up to the total number of trainees to more than 30,000.
Take a position against donkey skin trade
Skycargo UAE tools that develop ever. In the wake of the prominent African Union’s decision to ban the slaughter of donkeys in 2024, the shipping arm immediately extended it to cover the donkey skins. In addition to enhancing animal care, the decision protects tens of thousands of societies across Africa that depend on donkeys for their well -being and livelihoods.
In partnership with the Luxury Association of International Animals, The Donkey Sanctury, the airline participated in creating a operating guide for aviation risk and evaluation of threats, highlighting the risks posed by donkey skin trade and its association with serious and organized criminal activity. The guide provides critical knowledge of the combating skin trade of donkeys and encourages the wider logistics ecosystems to enhance their detection and enforcement protocols.
Support rescue tasks
Take advantage of its specialized and comfortable transportation service for live animals, the UAE has supported animal care organizations with rescue missions. Last year, Skycargo the UAE worked with animals Lebanon to save Sarah, a four -month -old lion cub as a leaving animal at home, and transported it to a haven in Cape Town for a second opportunity in life where it belongs.
Enhancing enforcement efforts
The UAE Skycargo explains its strong commitment to support CITES (International Trade Agreement in endangered species of protocols for wild animals and plants) in cooperation with entities such as the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment.
In cooperation with Dubai Customs and Dubai Police, the UAE Skycargo intercepted many shipments of wildlife, which disrupted illegal animal trafficking networks.
Emirates Group’s commitment
Not only is it the air freight department that supports the fight against illegal trafficking in wildlife; It is an obligation through the entire Emirates Group. In 2023, this was reinforced when the airline achieved the IANVA environmental evaluation certificate, which includes a unit on illegal wildlife smuggling through both shipping and passengers.
The airline was one of the founding sites of the Buckingham Palace, which determines the main measures to enhance the defenses against trafficking by removing the weaknesses in the transportation and customs currently being exploited by criminals. As part of this commitment, the UAE actively contributes to the transportation work squad for the sake of wildlife and is part of the UNIDED for Wildlife Mena, which was launched in early 2022, where it actively joined meetings to define challenges and solutions with other main stakeholders.
The UAE is also stimulating its resources to enhance the issue. The famous UAE offered its commitment to preservation by publishing four A380s decorated with liver, which is characterized by endangered species. Through more than 6000 flights through 48 cities in 29 countries, we actually published the message, before creating a permanent reminder with the Fifth A380 stationed in the London Heathrow roundabout.
In cooperation with the UNIDED for Wildlife, the UAE economy and economic travelers on long flights are dealt with on free comfort groups, which includes eight of the most endangered species on this planet – green sea turtles, African elephants, Macaw Blue, Gorilla, Hamiri Shark, Assad, Bangoline, and Black Moratto. Since it was launched on the plane in 2023, the UAE has distributed 9.8 million groups through its network, and has effectively educating passengers on the plight of wildlife threatened in a critical way and inspiring travelers to join the battle against illegal trade.
Shannon Scott, Vice President of Sustainability and Environment He said: “Protection of wildlife is integrated within the framework of environmental sustainability Emirates, which carries this as an essential part of our DNA. Real, in our operations and through our industry.
