Dear Editor,
Wildlife smuggling has been a crime that has required grave attention for quite some time. Several people have over the years been accused of committing this illegal act, but not much has ever been done to address the issue, nor were there ever serious consequences in place for those caught.
Many people fail to realise that the act of smuggling wildlife contributes to the extinction or depletion of a particular species. Additionally, they take the risk of not knowing whether they are aiding in the transfer of disease infected animals.
Guyana has been blessed with a vast content of biodiversity that not only represents our heritage, but also plays a role in promoting nature-based tourism and academic research. It is therefore important that proper protocols and consequences be put in place for those who threaten the continued existence of our wildlife species.
Respectfully,
Charessia Ford