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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 3:30 am
Time: 3:30 am
Results for helmeted hornbills
1 results foundAuthor: Krishnasamy, Kanitha Title: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in LAO PDR Summary: Unlike other species of hornbills, Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil casques are made of solid keratin, making them ideal for carving, and for this reason they are sought after for trade. Since 2012, unprecedented illegal trade in this species has been recorded, with high numbers of Helmeted Hornbill items being seized in China, Indonesia and Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region (SAR). As a result of high levels of illegal trade in the species over a short period of time, in 2015, the species was assessed globally as being Critically Endangered. However, little is known of the market and trade dynamics of this species in many Asian countries and therefore conservation strategies are hampered. To understand the trade dynamics in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) better, TRAFFIC conducted an assessment of the open Helmeted Hornbill trade in five locations throughout Lao PDR. Surveys took place over eight days between April and July 2016. Surveys recorded 74 Helmeted Hornbill products in three locations. TRAFFIC recorded 18 Helmeted Hornbill products in Vientiane, 36 in Luang Prabang and 20 in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. A total of 11 whole casques were recorded during the survey, two of which were carved. Beads (24) and pendants (18) were the most commonly observed items. Every shop that sold Helmeted Hornbill products also sold carved elephant ivory items in large numbers—between 100 to over 1000 ivory products each. Where shops advertised prices, these were advertised in either Chinese Yuan or US Dollars—not in local currency. All shops were operated by ethnic Chinese, with all traders in Vientiane and Luang Prabang stating they were from mainland China. This species does not occur in Lao PDR and it is not protected by national legislation. However, it is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prohibiting any international commercial trade. Lao PDR has been a Party to CITES since 2004. The high volume of products observed as offered for sale during our survey therefore represents a violation of CITES regulations. Information recorded during this survey provides a baseline for product availability at a given point in time. Although the number of products observed was not high, it is concerning as it involves a Critically Endangered, CITES Appendix I listed species. This has previously been raised as a concern following CITES Secretariat missions to Lao PDR. The most recent of these missions was conducted from 4–8 July 2016, just 11 days before TRAFFIC’s second visit in Lao PDR. Foremost to Lao PDR being able to commit to and implement CITES regulations is the crucial need for the government to revise its legislation that control the use, import, export and re-export of wildlife, particularly those involving non-native species. This remains a high priority for the country and the CITES mission in July 2016 identified significant loopholes in the national legislation, including matters related to the trade in specimens of species that are not native to Lao PDR. Lao PDR has previously come under pressure at the 16th CITES Conference of Parties (CoP) to improve its implementation of CITES. A year later, the country was subjected to an oversight process by CITES for its role in the illegal ivory trade—Lao PDR was asked to develop and implement a time-bound National Ivory Action Plan, a process that still remains in place. Considering the close trade link between China and Lao PDR, including the presence of traders and businesses that stated they were from mainland China, close collaboration on investigations and law enforcement action between the two countries is critical. Intelligence-led investigations into trade routes and individuals and/or organized networks involved in such crime must be made a priority, from point of source to consumer. Given Lao PDRs disinclination to take action on violations involving non-native species in the country, law enforcement efforts at border points become extremely crucial to cut off any supply into Lao PDR. Trends in the Helmeted Hornbill trade should continually be monitored to document patterns, including in neighbouring countries of Lao PDR. China’s influence in places like the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone points to the significance of—and need for—China-Lao PDR co-operation to end such trade. The CITES Secretariat’s mission to Lao PDR reinforced this need, as there are no clear guidelines on the operation of these Economic Zones in relation to trade in CITES-listed species. This should be key to any deliberations for transboundary enforcement collaboration between China and Lao PDR. A pioneering law enforcement workshop between the two countries was recently held, in June 2016, in Xishuangbana in China’s Yunnan province, which also borders Lao PDR and Myanmar. This workshop discussed the need to strengthen bilateral co-operation including on information exchange, joint enforcement actions and co-operation and awareness raising. International pressure for Lao PDR to shut down the illegal trade will be a critical component in safeguarding this species from extinction. For example, one of the locations found to be selling a Helmeted Hornbill casque and pendant (and many ivory products) was a luxury hotel and Convention Centre in the heart of Vientiane. Governments organizing events should be discouraged from doing so at locations such as these that openly violate CITES. Such a position sends a strong message against those openly violating CITES protocols. Since 2012, the number of Helmeted Hornbill seizures have persisted, with high volumes being reported by Indonesia. If the enforcement and regulation efforts as well as demand for this species, in both source and consumer countries do not succeed in abating demand for this species, Indonesian Helmeted Hornbill populations are likely to reduce significantly and perhaps disappear. Should this happen, it will force poachers to look for the species in the other range States, in particular Malaysia and Thailand, where populations would in turn become vulnerable to poaching, if they are not already. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessment for the species postulates that Malaysia is likely to become the next target for the species once the Indonesian supply is exploited. Only with a suite of all these efforts can the poaching of Helmeted Hornbills be reduced and the illegal trade in their parts and products be brought to an end. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2016. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2016 at: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/Traf-136.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Laos URL: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/Traf-136.pdf Shelf Number: 145009 Keywords: Animal PoachingHelmeted HornbillsIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife Crime |