Background
He was born and grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Marine Biology Program) from the University of Victoria.
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Ernest Cooper
Edit ProfileCareer
Currently he is the Director, TRAFFIC & Wildlife Trade for the conservation organization World Wildlife Fund-Canada (World Wildlife Fund Canada) and the Canadian National Representative of TRAFFIC, the global wildlife trade monitoring network. Cooper’s full name is Ernest Walter Thomas Cooper. In 1988, while working for the Vancouver Aquarium, Cooper was offered a contract to identify wildlife products seized by Canada Customs for the enforcement of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).
In 1992, he became a Federal Game Officer for Environment Canada and Canada"s first wildlife inspector.
Cooper was stationed in Vancouver, British Columbia and was primarily responsible for the enforcement of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. In Canada, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is enforced via the Wild Animal and Plant Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Acting (WAPPRIITA). During his career (as a contractor and Wildlife Inspector) Cooper conducted inspections of more than 4,000 shipments of wildlife and wildlife products.
Identified more than 250,000 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species listed specimens for the enforcement of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. And provided training to more than 800 officers from Canada, United States of America and Mexico on topics including Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, international wildlife trade and the identification of wildlife products. Cooper has published numerous articles and reports and has been quoted extensively in the media.
Since joining World Wildlife Fund and TRAFFIC in July, 2001, Cooper has continued to monitor wildlife trade and its impact on Canadian and international conservation—working to ensure that wildlife trade is sustainable and legal.
He provides advice on wildlife trade issues, works with Canadian authorities, and assists the TRAFFIC network’s global conservation efforts. Cooper is a Canadian authority on wildlife trade, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the identification of wildlife products, and enforcement of WAPPRIITA. He has been actively involved in the conservation of many speies species including tigers, seahorses, sharks, tuna and red and pink corals (Corallium).
Recent significant publications by Cooper include the following:
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Eh? A Review of Canada’s Implementation of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Under WAPPRIITA (Postdoctoral fellows), 2004. A Guide to the Identification of Seahorses (Postdoctoral fellows), 2004.
Enforcement of a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Listing in The proceedings of the International Workshop on Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Implementation for Seahorse Conservation and Trade (Postdoctoral fellows), 2004
An Analysis of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species-Reported Illegal Trade in Lynx species and Fur Industry Perceptions in North America and Europe, 2007.
