The International Air Transport Association (Iata) is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade. "Iata's focus is on supporting enforcement agencies with their challenge of combatting illegal wildlife trafficking," assured Iata assistant director: environment Jon Godson.

The illegal wildlife trade is currently estimated to be worth $19-billion a year. It is probably the fourth largest type of illegal international trade. Poachers kill about 54 elephants a day in Africa and, in South Africa in 2014, three rhinos a day. However, the most-trafficked mammal is actually the pangolin (or scaly anteater), with more than a million believed to have been poached over a period of ten years.

Most of the poached animals (or their products, such as ivory and horn) are traded to East Asia. Some 72% of illegal ivory sent to Asia currently goes by sea, but poachers are increasingly using air transport to move their illegal products.

Iata is working to increase the awareness of airlines and other aviation partners about this growing criminal activity. The association's environmental governance unit, known as Encom, has created a Wildlife Task Force (WTF). This is to identify and consider wildlife conservation concerns that are relevant to the airline sector and to develop the requisite counter strategy.

The WTF has drawn up a document to guide airlines, which are flying "high risk" routes (in terms of illegal wildlife trafficking), by increasing their knowledge of trafficking involving passengers, in order to reduce the risks regarding biodiversity, health and safety. A major issue is cabin safety. In February, a scorpion being conveyed in carry-on luggage on a flight between Los Angeles and Seattle in the US escaped and attacked a passenger.

Iata and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (better known by its acronym, CITES) signed a memorandum of understanding in June. This provides for cooperation on fighting the illegal wildlife (and associated products) trade and seeks to ensure the safe and proper transport of wildlife being legally traded. The secretary-general of CITES addressed the annual general meeting of Iata in Miami in the US that same month.

The association is also involved in two international transport sector initiatives. These are the US Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (Routes) and the UK's United for Wildlife (UFW) Transport Task Force.

Routes brings together transport and logistics companies, conservation bodies and government agencies and is a five-year programme to disrupt illegal wildlife trafficking. Iata is a core member, as are a number of airlines (both US and non-US carriers).

The UFW task force is sponsored by the Duke of Cambridge (Prince William) and chaired by Lord (William) Hague, the former leader of the House of Commons. Its mission is to develop zero tolerance for the illegal international transport of wildlife and to work with commercial transport companies, including airlines, to ensure illegal wildlife transport does not take place using their operations. The director-general of Iata is a member of the task force, as are the CEOs of Emirates Airlines and Kenya Airways. The task force held its final meeting on Wednesday, hosted by the Duke; a series of recommendations were approved. Implementation will commence in the New Year.

Godson was addressing the Iata Global Media Day (GMD) in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday. Keith Campbell attended the GMD as a guest of the organisation.