THE HAGUE, Netherlands, June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Animal Welfare Institute, one of America's most respected animal welfare organizations, today announced the names of the recipients of the 2007 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards. Award recipients are on the frontline defending the world's wildlife in the field, on the streets, and in the courts sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice to fight wildlife crime.
The Awards are named for the late Chief of the Division of Law Enforcement for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service who pioneered the Division's highly effective undercover investigations and "sting" operations. They are presented to persons who have engaged in one or more exemplary law enforcement actions to protect species of wildlife listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (or CITES).
The award program is conducted in cooperation with the Species Survival Network, an international coalition of non-governmental organizations. The Awards will be presented at the Species Survival Network's June 4, 2007 reception for delegates attending the CITES Conference of the Parties. This year's award is a magnificent rhinoceros sculpture created by wildlife artist John Perry which will be personally presented to each honoree by Mr. Willem Wijnstekers, CITES Secretariat.
The 2007 recipients of this prestigious honor recognizing excellence, bravery, and commitment to wildlife law enforcement are identified below. A summary of each honoree's accomplishments is available from the Animal Welfare Institute on its website or by contacting Cathy Liss.
Mr. Paul Cerniglia Rajasthan Police Department
Supervisory Wildlife Inspector (India)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(United States of America)
Mr. Yvan Lafleur The Last Great Ape Organization
Canadian Wildlife Service (Cameroon)
(Canada)
Mr. Paulin Ngobobo Mr. Samson Parsimei Ole Sisina
Chief Warden Kenya Wildlife Service
Congolese Institute for the (Kenya)
Conservation of Nature (awarded posthumously)
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Mr. John T. Webb Mr. Emmanuel Juma Muyengi
Attorney Ministry of Natural Resources
U.S. Department of Justice and Tourism, Wildlife Division
Environment and Natural Resources (United Republic of Tanzania)
Division (awarded posthumously)
(United States of America)
"With the escalating amount of illegal wildlife trade throughout the world, it is imperative that all efforts are made to combat wildlife crime through comprehensive and unrelenting law enforcement efforts," says Cathy Liss, President of the Animal Welfare Institute. "We applaud ongoing efforts to capture, prosecute and penalize wildlife criminals but ask that each government invest more resources into recruiting, training, and equipping wildlife law enforcement officers, customs agents, and police officers to protect the world's wildlife from illegal trade in live animals, meat, and animal parts," adds Liss.
The Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards have been presented to deserving law enforcement officers for nearly 20 years. AWI, in coordination with SSN, has presented the award at each CoP beginning in 1997. Recipients are selected from nominations received from CITES member governments and by identifying deserving individuals from other sources of information including reports, articles, and as recommended by SSN member organizations.
"AWI congratulates and thanks all of the deserving 2007 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award winners on their individual contributions to the global effort to protect wildlife and to thwart wildlife crime," says D.J. Schubert, AWI's Wildlife Biologist. "We hope that this award will escalate the importance of combating wildlife crime in the eyes of the public, act as a catalyst for young people to consider a career in wildlife law enforcement, and will earn the 2007 recipients special recognition in their home countries, provinces, states, regions, and cities," adds Schubert.
AWI is one of America's most respected non-profit animal protection charities headquartered in Washington, DC. It is dedicated to reducing the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans.
Animal Welfare Institute
CONTACT: D.J. Schubert, +1-202-640-9606, or Cathy Liss, +1-703-836-4300,
both of the Animal Welfare Institute
