Poaching pandemic

[Take Action Now!] Dear friends, The corona pandemic has upended human life in a million ways, and now it’s about to wreak havoc on wildlife. Elephants, rhinos, pangolins, and gorillas: their survival depends on delicate, shoe-string budgets to fund their protection -- and Coronavirus has butchered that lifeline. An army of 40,000 rangers once protected these incredible animals. Now half could lose their jobs, leaving wildlife at the mercy of poachers and criminals. But there's hope. Throughout the pandemic, a scrappy team of undercover investigators has worked around the clock to track and prosecute bloodthirsty poaching rings in nine African countries. They're a poacher's worst nightmare -- already jailing thousands! But now their funding is also on the rocks, and they need us more than ever. This is our chance to be a lifeline for critically exposed and vulnerable wildlife. If enough of us chip in just the cost of a coffee, we could help lock up even more criminals, expose international trafficking networks, and accelerate our global campaigns to protect nature and save Earth's most vulnerable species. Donate what you can now -- let's stop this poaching pandemic before it begins: [I'LL DONATE $2]( [I'LL DONATE $4]( [I'LL DONATE $8]( [I'LL DONATE $16]( [I'LL DONATE $32]( [OTHER AMOUNT]( We've funded these amazing defenders before -- from the group EAGLE -- because the work they do is truly priceless. In recent months they infiltrated a huge illegal trafficking ring, uncovering almost 2 tons (!!) of pangolin scales, exposing the kingpins and crippling an international network of criminals. And they even ensure those jailed don't bribe their way out. The sheer dedication and focus of these heroes is breathtaking -- and together with Avaaz's campaigning magic pushing for stronger protections, could help save entire species. If we all chip in now, together we could: - Train and sustain dozens of undercover investigators to crack open some of the world's most wanted wildlife trafficking networks; - Scale up the number of anti-poaching investigations in 9 countries, and arrest hundreds of wildlife traffickers; - Expose complicit officials and politicians who enable the trade; - Push to prosecute corporate and government agents who profit from wildlife trafficking; - Power hard-hitting Avaaz campaigns to protect the natural world and preserve the delicate web of life. These investigations are one of the very last lines of defence for animals on the edge of existence. Let's throw the weight of our movement behind them now, and help stop this poaching pandemic before it begins. There's no time to lose -- chip in what you can now: [I'LL DONATE $2]( [I'LL DONATE $4]( [I'LL DONATE $8]( [I'LL DONATE $16]( [I'LL DONATE $32]( [OTHER AMOUNT]( We're currently facing what's surely the most severe health crisis of our generation -- and yet its roots are deeply embedded in our relationship to the natural world. We now know that the destruction of nature is a major cause of pandemics, and more importantly, that what happens to nature ultimately happens to us. So when we rise to protect life on earth, we aren't doing it as something separate from nature; we are nature, defending itself. With fierce hope and determination -- always, Mike, Marigona, Bert, Aloys, Spyro, Luis, Martyna and the whole team at Avaaz PS - This might be your first donation to our movement ever. But what a first donation! Did you know that Avaaz relies entirely on small donations from members like you? That's why we're fully independent, nimble and effective. Join the over 1 million people who've donated to make Avaaz a real force for good in the world. More information: How the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening Africa’s wildlife (BBC) The coronavirus threat to wildlife tourism and conservation (UNDP) ‘Filthy bloody business:’ Poachers kill more animals as coronavirus crushes tourism to Africa (CNBC) Pandemic-induced poaching surges in Uganda (National Geographic) //www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/world/coronavirus-equipment-rich-poor.html Avaaz is a 60-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns [here]( or follow us on [Facebook](, [Twitter](, or [Instagram](. 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