With several Bahamian species making the endangered list – and this includes the native iguana and the hutia – a group of regional conservationists and wildlife specialists met yesterday at the Superclub Breezes to open up workshop designed to combat poachers.

Chief of Global Programmme for Combatting Forest and Wildfire Crime Jorge Rios said this international crisis must be addressed to help preserve some of the Bahamas’ natural resources.

“There is a huge issue globally of mass poaching and illicit trafficking; species are being pushed to the brink of extinction.

“Animal and Plant life are a source of shared wonder that assists in this planet’s diversity and poachers are putting this in jeopardy.

“Species ranging from reptiles, fish, exotic birds are all nearing extinction but wildlife crime goes farther than these species and this problem is becoming a global phenomenon,” Mr. Rios said.

Rios added that support from officials in law and government are needed as well.

“Wildlife life is a finite resource so we must come up with ways to counteract this current trend.

“The response of Law enforcement is crucial as well the continued cooperation between officials from various conservationist organizations and wildlife groups,” Mr. Rios said.

The workshop’s spearheaded by the United Nations’ office on drugs and crime, is a four-year programme that seeks to link existing regional efforts, enhance capacity building and strengthen wild life law enforcement at regional and sub regional levels.

The workshop ends this Saturday.