As 2014 came to a close, I felt inundated with reports of record numbers of animals killed to fuel the illegal wildlife trade. In 2014, almost 1,200 rhino were killed for their horns. Numbers of elephants slaughtered for ivory were in the tens of thousands. It appears that life in the sea is just as dangerous on land as over 100 million sharks were killed for their fins. Gorillas, tigers, okapis, hippos, lions, and cheetah are not only losing their lives, but also their homes. Sadly, they are not the only ones. This cannot continue.
As we begin 2015, I am asking all of you to incorporate wildlife conservation into you resolutions. Whether you are supporting species native to your backyard or that exist on the other side of the world, it does not matter. Please, get involved. By changing our attitudes we can change our environment and influence others. Be a voice for wildlife that are losing ground. We must all be good global citizens and share this responsibility.