International animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, has partnered with Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, to combat the illegal trafficking of donkey skins in air cargo.
Together, they have co-created the Aviation Risk and Threat Assessment operational guide to highlight the dangers posed by this trade and its association with serious and organized crime.
According to The Donkey Sanctuary, an estimated six million donkeys are killed each year for their skins, primarily in Africa. These skins are then exported globally, often by air, to be used in traditional medicine and remedies.
Research by The Donkey Sanctuary, the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) has exposed a significant link between the movement of donkey skins and other illegal wildlife trafficking and organized crime. This unregulated and unhygienic trade also poses a serious threat to global biosecurity.
Emirates has already implemented a ban on the carriage of donkey hides. Following the African Union’s endorsement of a continent-wide moratorium on the slaughter of donkeys for their skins in February of this year, Emirates extended its zero-tolerance policy to include donkey hides and parts. This policy already prohibited the carriage of banned species, hunting trophies, and other associated products.
As a leader in combating illegal wildlife trade, Emirates has established stringent protocols. These include screening, spot checks during transit, in-depth document verification, and confirming the authenticity of permits. The airline also provides education and training for its cargo and passenger operations employees to identify and report smuggled wildlife.
The co-created factsheet will equip the wider aviation industry with critical knowledge in the fight against the donkey skin trade. The operational guidelines explain the biosecurity risks of smuggling inadequately processed donkey skins alongside legitimate cargo, such as leather or textiles. It also highlights concealment methods and the convergence of criminal networks involved in the donkey skin trade with those involved in other illegal activities like wildlife and drug trafficking.
By highlighting these risks and offering practical advice, The Donkey Sanctuary and Emirates hope to encourage other airlines to strengthen their detection and enforcement efforts to stop traffickers.
Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “This is another welcome step in the battle against the illegal trade in donkey skins within the transportation sector. We are proud to work alongside Emirates, which is setting new standards with its support for our work and the tightening of its own trafficking policies. We hope that others in the aviation industry will follow suit and join us in cracking down on this cruel and unsustainable trade. All measures that shine a light on the inhumane trade in donkey skins are to be applauded, especially given its links to illegal wildlife trafficking and organized crime, as well as the threat to human health for everyone involved at every stage in the process.”
Robert Fordree, Senior Vice President of Cargo Operations Worldwide at Emirates SkyCargo, said: “We are proud to bring our expertise in both air logistics and the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking to the preparation of these guidelines. In close collaboration with The Donkey Sanctuary, we have highlighted some of the ways bad actors can exploit the logistics network to transport illicit goods, while also suggesting operational initiatives that can be implemented across the aviation ecosystem to stop trafficking. Our hope is that by working with like-minded partners, we can protect the world’s biodiversity for generations to come.”
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