Emirates SkyCargo has long been a world leader in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade, with the aim to preserve the beauty and biodiversity of the natural world for generations to come. As we approach World Wildlife Day, the cargo arm of the world’s largest international airline reflects on the milestones achieved along its journey.
Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, said, “Every day, Emirates SkyCargo supports global supply chains, connecting businesses with suppliers and customers in over 145 destinations worldwide. But, the illegal wildlife trade is one supply chain we will not facilitate – in fact, we proudly disrupt it. By refusing to carry trafficked wildlife, the land, air and sea logistics network is in the unique position to stop the illicit trade in its tracks. From education and awareness programmes for our staff and customers, to updating our operational protocols in line with the latest guidance from welfare organisations and governments, we will continue working to keep wildlife wild.”
It starts at home
From its early days, Emirates SkyCargo established a zero-tolerance policy on the illegal wildlife trade, a complete ban on hunting trophies for the Big-4, even into destinations where its permitted, and embargoes on the carriage of banned species and other associated products. Emirates SkyCargo will not uplift shark fins, rhino horns or elephant tusks, leopard skins, and a number of other coveted, but illegal, products.
The freight division has implemented stringent protocols to identify and stop the movement of these products, including screenings, spot checks during transit, in depth document verification, and confirming the authenticity of permits, to ensure every shipment is legal. Lending this experience to the ecosystem, Emirates SkyCargo supported Project Vikela, which aimed to develop an automated system for detecting illegal wildlife products in airport security screening systems across Africa, a region disproportionately targeted by the trade due to its rich and unique wildlife.
Frontline employees are trained to recognise and report suspicious cargo via a dedicated reporting channel, empowering staff and partners to stop illegal trade by flagging confidential information that can protect endangered species. To date, the airline has trained thousands of staff at the hub in Dubai and at outstations across cargo and passenger operations, as well as extending the training to contracted ground handling staff at outstations, bringing the total number of trainees to over 30,000.
Taking a stand against the donkey skin trade
The embargoes Emirates SkyCargo implements are ever evolving. Following the African Union’s landmark decision to ban the slaughter of donkeys in 2024, the cargo arm immediately extended its embargo to cover donkey hides. In addition to enhancing animal welfare, the decision safeguards tens of thousands of communities across Africa that rely on donkeys for their wellbeing and livelihoods.
In partnership with international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, the airline co-created the Aviation Risk and Threat Assessment operational guide, highlighting the risks posed by the donkey skin trade and its association with serious and organised criminal activity. The guide provides critical knowledge in the fight against the donkey skin trade and encourages the wider logistics ecosystem to bolster their own detection and enforcement protocols.
Supporting rescue missions
Leveraging its specialist service for the safe and comfortable transportation of live animals, Emirates SkyCargo has supported animal welfare organisations with rescue missions. Last year, Emirates SkyCargo worked with Animals Lebanon to rescue Sara, a four-and-a-half-month-old lion cub from a life as a house pet, transporting her to a sanctuary in Cape Town for a second chance at life where she belongs.
Strengthening Enforcement Efforts
Emirates SkyCargo consistently demonstrates its strong commitment to supporting CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) protocols in collaboration with entities such as the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
In collaboration with Dubai Customs and Dubai Police, Emirates SkyCargo has intercepted numerous wildlife shipments, successfully disrupting illegal animal trafficking networks.
The Emirates Group commitment
It is not just the air freight division that supports the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking; it’s a commitment across the entire Emirates Group. In 2023, this was reinforced when the airline achieved the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) certification, which includes a module on illegal wildlife trafficking across both cargo and passenger operations.
The airline was one of the founding signatories of the Buckingham Palace Declaration, which outlines key actions to strengthen defences against trafficking by removing the vulnerabilities in transportation and customs that criminals are currently exploiting. As part of this commitment, Emirates actively contributes towards the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce and is part of the Steering Committee of the United for Wildlife MENA Chapter, which was launched in early 2022, actively joining meetings to identify challenges and solutions with other key stakeholders.
Emirates also activates its resources to further the cause. Emirates famously showcased its commitment to conservation by deploying four A380s adorned with liveries featuring endangered species. Through over 6,000 flights across 48 cities in 29 countries, we effectively spread the message, before creating a permanent reminder with a fifth model A380 stationed at London Heathrow roundabout.
In collaboration with United for Wildlife, Emirates Economy and Premium Economy passengers on long haul flights are treated to complimentary amenity kits, featuring eight of the most endangered species on the planet – the green sea turtle, African elephant, blue macaw, gorilla, hammerhead shark, lion, pangolin, and the black rhino. Since rolling out onboard in 2023, Emirates has distributed 9.8 million kits across its network, effectively educating passengers on the plight of critically threatened wildlife and inspiring travellers to join the fight against the illicit trade.
Shannon Scott, Vice President of Sustainability and Environment said, “Protecting wildlife is built into the Emirates Environmental Sustainability Framework, marking it as a core part of our DNA. We understand that it is essential to maintain our planet’s remarkable biodiversity, not just to support wildlife, but to protect human communities in all the destinations we serve. We take our responsibility seriously and remain committed to implementing meaningful sustainability and environmental initiatives that drive real impact, in our operations and across our industry.”
