WildAid and the race to end animal trafficking

I was listening the other day to a recording of Handel arias sung by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, the much-lauded contralto who died tragically last year at the height of her singing career. The word 'sublime' barely begins to describe Lieberson's voice, and her untimely death was considered - by music critics and fans alike - an enormous loss to the music world. I was lucky enough to have heard Lieberson perform these same arias live several years before her death, and that made her passing all the more poignant to me. When we know on a personal level how beautiful and valuable something is, we mourn its passing all the more.

So it is with the endangered species and habitats of the world, many of which I've had the tremendous good fortune to see in their wild habitat. Hearing Peter Knights of WildAid (http://www.wildaid.org/eng.asp?CID=1) talk about his impassioned fight to save the world's most threatened species from the devastation of the illegal wildlife trade, I felt personally the tragedy of losing these creatures. Watching a white rhino graze practically touching-distance from me in the wild was not only one of the absolute high points of my life, but also gave me a far more visceral and emotional connection to their survival than seeing them in a photo or zoo visit. And that's an experience I would like everyone to have, to know these wild animals as something real and tangible in their natural environment - not just photos on a calendar or in a magazine, but a beautiful and precious part of our world.

The work of groups like WildAid is absolutely crucial to ensuring that today's endangered animals don't end up as tomorrow's fur coat or medicine potion or high-priced delicacy, and that we'll all have the chance to see these magnificent creatures in the wild. So check out the work WildAid is doing and listen to Peter Knights' interview at http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/10/20061006_b_main.asp). And as soon as you can, book your visit for an up-close-and-personal encounter in the wild...I guarantee it will be one of the absolute high points of your life too.