UN approves resolution on crimes against wildlife

(ANSA) - Rome, July 30 - The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution supported by 70 nations including Italy against the trafficking, poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.
    Such crimes are organized internationally, and contribute to the financing of criminal organizations and armed conflicts, the resolution said.
    The approval came shortly after American dentist Walter James Palmer killed a 13-year-old protected lion named Cecil who was the symbol of Hwange national park in Zimbabwe, sparking an international outcry.
    The dentist reportedly admitted he killed the lion, but said he thought it was legal to do so.
    The resolution promoted by Gabon and Germany calls on countries to "take decisive steps on the national level to prevent, combat and eradicate the illegal trade in wild animals".
    "The resolution marks a new phase in the fight against crime that damages wildlife - a threat that not only affects countless species, but also puts the national security and sustainable development of entire countries at risk," said World Wildlife Fund Director-General Marco Lambertini.
    As of 2016, the UN secretary general will be tasked with making a yearly report on crimes against wildlife and implementation of the resolution in the various signatory countries, as well as making recommendations for further action.