Etihad gets on board with ending illegal trade of wildlife

LONDON // Etihad Airways has signed an agreement to help end the illegal trade in wildlife.

The national airline of the UAE was one of the signatories to the Declaration of the United for Wildlife International Taskforce on the Transportation of Illegal Wildlife Products signed at Buckingham Palace in the UK on Tuesday.

The initiative, chaired by Prince William, hopes to support the transport industry in preventing illegal wildlife smuggling, through measures that will help shut down routes exploited by traffickers.

The declaration was signed by 40 port operators and transport companies from around the world.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive, who signed the declaration on behalf of the airline, said: “We recognise the significant role that the airlines can play in preventing the smuggling of wildlife and products. Whilst the airlines cannot act as regulators, we are able to support enforcement authorities and assist in raising passenger awareness. We encourage others in this sector to sign up to this declaration to help prevent this abhorrent practice.”