Mercado Libre and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a non-profit organization whose main objective is wildlife and wild landscape conservation, have entered into a cooperation agreement with the aim of combating wildlife trafficking. As part of the agreement, the e-commerce platform will work together with the WCS to detect publications of endangered species regulated by international conventions and domestic laws.

Latin America and the Caribbean is the most biodiverse region in the world, home to 33% of mammals, 35% of reptiles, 41% of birds and 50% of amphibians. Despite being so relevant because of its megadiversity, this region is threatened by wildlife trafficking, the global rise in demand for specimens originating from this part of the world (either alive or its parts), as well as by the emergence of new illegal trade routes and modalities.

"This strategic agreement with WCS will allow us to continue fighting the trade of endangered species to prevent them from being illegally extracted from their natural habitats and contribute to their preservation. We seek to improve every day to create an e-commerce platform in accordance with our corporate values and that respects the environment," said Jacobo Cohen Imach, Sr. Vice President of Legal and Government Relations at Mercado Libre. "This initiative is in addition to other commitments that Mercado Libre has been making in terms of environmental and biodiversity preservation," he added.

With a long history in wildlife conservation, the Wildlife Conservation Society will provide information to detect publications that may refer to species that are protected by domestic or international regulations, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For its part, Mercado Libre commits to review any suspicious publications and take appropriate actions in the event of violations to the law or to the platform’s policies.

“The agreement with Mercado Libre aims at focusing on those endangered species whose commercialization is regulated. Working together with the region’s largest e-commerce platform is key to addressing wildlife trafficking. Every step is of great value on this long road”, remarked Padu Franco, Director for the Andean, Amazon & Orinoco region of WCS. “It is essential to implement joint actions with authorities and civil society to prevent the increase in demand for wildlife. Leading platforms, such as Mercado Libre are a strategic partner to fulfill this objective, which also involves the commitment of its users”, he added.

This agreement continues to strength the various efforts that Mercado Libre has been promoting in terms of environmental and biodiversity preservation. In early March, Mercado Libre announced its new program "Regenera América", focused on financing conservation and regeneration projects in iconic biomes in Latin America, starting this year with the regeneration of more than 3,000 hectares in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Last year it also launched its "Entrepreneurs of the Amazon" platform, which provides benefits and mentoring to 12 enterprises in the area, contributing to conservation and generating income for more than 900 families in 60 communities.

The challenge lies in creating a lifestyle in balance with ecosystems and caring for biodiversity. This is only possible if efforts are coordinated among different actors, and companies become economically, environmentally and socially engaged within the communities where they operate

About Mercado Libre

Founded in 1999, Mercado Libre is the leading e-commerce technology company in Latin America. Through its platforms Mercado Libre, Mercado Pago and Mercado Envios, it offers solutions for individuals and businesses to buy, sell, advertise, ship and pay for goods and services online. Mercado Libre serves millions of users and creates an online marketplace for trading a wide variety of goods and services in an easy, safe and efficient way. The site is among the world’s 50 most visited sites in terms of page views, and it is the mass consumer platform with the highest number of unique visitors in the most important countries where it operates, according to metrics provided by comScore Networks. The Company is listed in Nasdaq (NASDAQ: MELI) since its initial public offering in 2007 and it is one of the world’s best places to work according to GPTW rankings.