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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:17 pm
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Results for wildlife smuggling
30 results foundAuthor: Knapp, Amelie Title: A Briefing Paper on Marking Techniques Used in the Control of Wildlife in the European Union Summary: The European Union (EU) is one of the largest and most diverse markets for wildlife and wildlife products in the world. Due to the absence of systematic border controls between EU Member States, the monitoring and control of wildlife trade in the EU is important, especially with regard to detecting illegal activities. Tools and techniques are needed to allow for the adequate identification of species in trade, their source (e.g. wild, captive bred or artificially propagated) and to identify individual specimens. This briefing paper presents a compilation and analysis of marking techniques currently in use in the 25 EU Member States, as well as a short description of identificaion and labelling techniques applicable to wildlife specimens. The aim of this paper is to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise between EU Member States, strengthen the cooperation of the different agencies involved in monitoring and control of trade in wildlife in the EU and thereby increase their efficiency, particularly in Member States where little information on these topics is currently available. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2007. 35p. Source: Internet Resource; A TRAFFIC European Report for the European Commission, Brussels, Belgium Year: 2007 Country: Europe URL: Shelf Number: 118607 Keywords: Wild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare Title: Elephants on the High Street: An Investigation into Ivory Trade in the UK Summary: This report highlights the difficulties of controlling the ivory trade, even in a country with more capacity for law enforcement than most other countries, and the implications this has for the proposed ivory stockpile sales. Details: Yarmouth Port, MA: 2004. 41p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119228 Keywords: Illegal TradeIvory TradeWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trade (U.K.) |
Author: Allais, Carol Title: Tsireledzani: Understanding the Dimensions of Human Trafficking in Southern Africa Summary: This report provides the first comprehensive assessment of human trafficking in South Africa. This research study was conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on behalf of the ‘Programme of Assistance to the South African Government to Prevent, React to Human Trafficking and Provide Support to Victims of Crime’. The programme of assistance forms part of South Africa’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking through prevention, response and support for victims, known as TSIRELEDZANI. The programme of assistance is being implemented by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and is co-funded by the South African Government and the European Union (EU). The overall objective of South Africa’s National Strategy on Human Trafficking is to ensure full compliance with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (hereafter, ‘Palermo Protocol’), which supplements the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. Compliance includes developing comprehensive legislation underpinned by a victim-centred empowerment approach, taking full account of the Victim’s Charter1 as well as relevant South African legislation. The specific purposes of the Tsireledzani Programme are to: (a) contribute to compliance with the Palermo Protocol requirements, (b) increase capacity to deal with trafficking, and (c) enhance inter-sectoral coordination and cooperation. Tsireledzani is being implemented by the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit of the NPA over a three-year period (2008-2010). The present study addresses Result 1 of the programme of assistance to the South African government: DEEPENED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF TRAFFICKING, and presents findings on human trafficking in South Africa obtained from research undertaken from December 2008 to March 2010. The objectives of the study were to: 1. Identify trafficking trends in order to develop appropriate responses; 2. Identify national legislative measures, policy frameworks and women’s and children’s rights instruments; 3. Analyse counter-trafficking responses regarding human trafficking in the SADC region and other countries with comparative features; 4. Identify the profile of the victims and characteristics and motives of the agents in human trafficking; 5. Identify the purposes for human trafficking and the key driving factors; 6. Identify socio-economic aspects of the demand and cultural values and practices influencing human trafficking; 7. Identify the interrelation between human trafficking and migration relation issues in the context of globalization; 8. Identify the linkage between organised crime networks and corruption, and human trafficking; 9. Identify indicators for a national Trafficking Information Management System ; 10. Make recommendations on the outcome of the above results. Details: Pretoria: National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa, 2010. 206p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2010 at: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-3562.phtml Year: 2010 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-3562.phtml Shelf Number: 119766 Keywords: Child ProstitutionCorruptionForced LaborHuman TraffickingIllegal TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Oswell, Adam H. Title: The Big Cat Trade in Myanmar and Thailand Summary: Between January 2001 and June 2010 a total of 493 big cat parts were observed at markets and during covert investigations in Myanmar and Thailand. Live big cats were also observed and recorded, including all four species of big cats that occur in Myanmar and Thailand (Tiger, Panthera tigris; Leopard, Panthera pardus; Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, Snow Leopard, Uncia uncia) and one non-indigenous species (Asiatic Lion, Panthera leo persica). Both Myanmar and Thailand are signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), completely prohibiting all commercial trans-border trade of big cats (including their parts and derivatives) listed in CITES Appendix I, and requiring permits for export of species listed in Appendix II. Myanmar has been a signatory to CITES since 1997 and Thailand since 1983. All Asian big cats including Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard and Asiatic Lion are classified as Appendix I under CITES. The indigenous big cats are also protected by national law in both countries. All indigenous cat species in Thailand fall under the Wildlife Reservation and Protection Act B.E. 2535 (AD1992). In Myanmar, they are under the Protection of Wildlife and Wild Plants and Conservation of Natural Areas Law (State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 583/94.1994). All observations and investigations took place in border areas and in markets on the Thai/Myanmar border, Myanmar/China border and the Thai/Lao PDR border where the trade in wildlife and big cats is very active and is conducted in most cases with impunity despite national and international laws to prohibit the trade in these species. The fact that the majority of this trade occurs in non-government controlled areas in northern Myanmar bordering China underscores the difficulty in implementing effective enforcement in these areas. If significant progress is to be made in reducing or ending the trade in big cats and other protected wildlife, the groups that control these areas and allow traders to operate must be engaged and influenced either to establish and enforce their own conservation legislation or to implement existing national laws. Non-government controlled areas in northern Myanmar play a major role in facilitating regional trade in big cats and many other endangered species. Some groups resident in strategically important areas bordering China, India and Thailand maintain significant militia forces, which enables these self-governed entities to exist and operate illegal trade in arms, narcotics, humans and wildlife. The extreme decentralization of northern Myanmar makes the situation more difficult to monitor and control. Parts and derivatives of big cats, and live animals are sourced in Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Malaysia and India and trafficked across national borders into these non-government controlled areas where they are stored, wholesaled and retailed to local and international buyers. The products are easily transported by boat or road into China and Thailand where some continue via national postal systems, road and/or air transport to domestic and international buyers and markets. The trade documented in this report poses a real and immediate threat to the survival of big cat species in Asia. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2010. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/traffic_species_mammals61_1.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/traffic_species_mammals61_1.pdf Shelf Number: 120295 Keywords: Illegal TradeWild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Sakamoto, Masayuki Title: Black and Grey: Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets Summary: This report - Black and Grey - Illegal Ivory in Japanese Markets - takes a critical look at illegal ivory markets in Japan and argues that Japan’s domestic controls on the ivory trade are far from being adequate to ensure such trade does not threaten the elephant species. The Japanese ivory market has two faces. The first face is the “Black” market. Weak Japanese domestic trade control allows ivory acquired from illegal sources to be broadly distributed. The second face is the “Grey” market. “Legal” ivory in trade that is inevitably used as a cover for illegal sources of ivory to make their way to the market. The principal question that the report is trying to answer is: “Do domestic controls on ivory in Japan provide precautionary measures sufficient to ensure trades now proposed by the southern African countries do not accelerate poaching and increase illegal ivory in trade?” Details: Tokyo: Japan Wildlife Conservation Society, 2002. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.jwcs.org/data/030107blaclandgrey.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Japan URL: http://www.jwcs.org/data/030107blaclandgrey.pdf Shelf Number: 121975 Keywords: Illegal Ivory (Japan)PoachingWild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Ng, Julia Title: Tiger Trade Revisited in Sumatra, Indonesia Summary: The Sumatran Tiger is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN 2006 Red List of Threatened Animals, as Appendix I under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and as a Protected species under the Act of the Republic of Indonesia No.5 of 1990 Concerning Conservation of Living Resources and their Ecosystems. However, despite being given full protection in Indonesia and internationally, Tiger parts are still found openly in trade in Sumatra. TRAFFIC revisited the markets of Sumatra in 2006 to conduct Tiger trade surveys, four years after the last TRAFFIC survey from 1999–2002 (Shepherd and Magnus, 2004). All intelligence information obtained on the names and addresses of retail outlets selling Tiger parts from the 1999–2002 survey were given to the Indonesian authorities, at province and federal level, prior to the report being published. Unfortunately, little or no action was taken by the Indonesian authorities against these retail outlets selling Tiger parts or the retail outlets’ owners. Results from the 1999–2002 survey were published in both English and Indonesian, the latter were then widely distributed to all Indonesian enforcement agencies. To raise awareness on Tiger trade among enforcement agencies in Sumatra, three training workshops were conducted there in 2006, two of which were Tiger focused, the third on general wildlife crime enforcement and included a component on Tiger trade. The 2006 surveys were conducted over a seven month period in 28 cities/towns in seven Sumatran provinces and nine seaports. A total of 326 retail outlets were surveyed which were goldsmiths, souvenir and Traditional Chinese Medicine shops, and antiques and precious stones vendors. TRAFFIC returned to the markets to investigate and document again the open availability of Tiger parts for sale, and to investigate further possible trade links between Indonesia and Malaysia. The information gathered in Sumatra is presented here and it is hoped it will clearly highlight the priority actions that should be taken and how resources should best be distributed in combating the trade of Tiger parts. In addition, TRAFFIC has given the findings of this report, including the names and addresses of the retail outlets found selling Tiger parts to the enforcement authorities in April 2007, and hopes that action will be taken against these retail outlets. Of the 28 cities and towns surveyed in Sumatra, eight (29%) were found to have Tiger parts for sale. At least ten percent of the total retail outlets surveyed sold Tiger parts. A conservative estimate of the number of Tigers killed, based on the number of Tiger canines found during the market surveys is 23 Tigers. From the results, it is evident that the trade in Tiger parts continues openly, and the number of Tiger canines, claws and skin pieces found openly for sale in North Sumatra province is higher compared to the 1999–2002 survey. Medan and Pancur Batu are the main hubs for the trade of Tiger parts in this province but there were no Tiger cases brought to the Indonesian criminal court in these two cities between 2004 and 2006. This indicates that enforcement efforts are lacking in these two important hubs for Tiger parts. However, for the provinces of Jambi, South Sumatra and West Sumatra, there is an indication of a decrease in the trade of Tiger parts compared to the 1999–2002 survey. Binjai, Jambi, Palembang, Padang and Bukit Tinggi recorded a drop in the open availability of Tiger parts for sale. The reason for this is unclear, but it could be that more traders are aware that the Tiger is a protected species and therefore they are more wary of whom they talk to, or there are fewer Tigers in the wild compared to five years ago, or more optimistically, because fewer poachers and traders are hunting and selling protected species. Surveys at the ports on the east coast of Sumatra did not provide any conclusive evidence that Tigers or their parts are being exported to Malaysia or Singapore. Only birds were found to be smuggled out of the Belawan and Dumai seaports. It is obvious that no amount of Tiger action plan workshops and Tiger trade surveys conducted will save the Sumatran Tiger. What is needed now is for strict enforcement to take place in Sumatra to stop the poaching of Tigers and the trade. This report therefore recommends that resources should be concentrated on effective enforcement to take place to protect Tiger habitats and combat the trade by arresting the main dealers/suppliers of Tigers and closing down retail outlets selling Tiger parts. The specific recommendations for this report are: 1) The Indonesian authorities must take prompt action against the open trade of Tiger parts in Sumatra by closing down retail outlets selling Tiger parts; 2) Other actions include monitoring of Tiger trade hotspots (such as Medan and Pancur Batu), to gather intelligence information of retail outlets selling illegal wildlife parts so they can be promptly raided; 3) Successful prosecutions of owners of retail outlets selling Tiger parts are needed. PHKA, KSDA and the relevant NGOs must raise awareness among the judiciary on the seriousness of wildlife crime and investigators should be given proper training on collecting sufficient evidence for making a strong case; 4) Better inter-agency cooperation is needed among the different enforcement agencies, such as Quarantine and Customs at the seaports and the Police to carry out the raids at retail outlets. The formation and function of the ASEAN-WEN Wildlife Crime Task Force, involving agencies such as the Judiciary, Customs, Police, Navy and Quarantine, should be hastened. Details: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2007. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2011 at: www.traffic.org Year: 2007 Country: Indonesia URL: Shelf Number: 122057 Keywords: Illegal TradePoachingTigersWild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Elliott, Lorraine Title: Transnational Environmental Crime: Applying Network Theory to an Investigation of Illegal Trade, Criminal Activity and Law Enforcement Reponses Summary: In his National Security Statement to Parliament in December 2009, the Australian Prime Minister observed that "transnational crime – [including] the illegal exploitation of resources – will remain a continuing challenge" (Office of the Prime Minister of Australia, 2009). According to Sandro Calvani, the Director of UNICRI – the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute – governments face multiple challenges in dealing with the illegal exploitation of resources. Those challenges include "scarce awareness and knowledge of the phenomenon, … insufficient regulation, … growing involvement of organized crime … high profits [and] … scarce international cooperation" (Calvani 2009, p. 14). While this illegal exploitation, captured in the concept of transnational environmental crime (TEC), has become a matter of growing concern for Australian and international security, environmental and criminological policy, the nature and extent of the associated illegal trade and criminal activity remains under-researched. Nor has there been a comprehensive and critically-informed analysis of the nature and extent of international cooperation on policy, compliance and enforcement in response to TEC. This research project therefore has three key objectives: to advance our understanding of the ways in which environmental commodities that are either sourced illegally or destined for illegal markets are traded; to draw on International Relations theories of networks to develop and apply conceptual tools that can aid in understanding the organizational structures of TEC networks and the political, social and economic assets that sustain illicit chains of custody; to examine and analyse existing transnational policy and operational law enforcement responses, particularly those that function through network arrangements, to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the ways in which governments and other actors are responding to the challenges of TEC. This short working paper provides an overview of the background to this research project, expands on these three key themes, canvasses the conceptual framework that informs the research, and introduces the methodologies that will guide our investigations. Details: Canberra, Australia: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, School of International, Political and Strategic Studies, The Australian National Library, 2011. 17p. Source: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Working Paper 1/2011: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_1_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_1_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 123849 Keywords: Environmental CrimeEnvironmental LawHazardous WastesIllegal LoggingTransnational CrimeWildlife Smuggling |
Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare Title: Stopping Illegal Wildlife Trade Summary: Experts estimate that the demand for wildlife products such as tiger bone and elephant ivory is pushing some species to the brink of extinction. Elephants, tigers, and other animals with declining populations need legal protection from the trade in wildlife and wildlife products - with international collaboration in law enforcement. They need protection from poaching. They need consumers to reject wildlife products. Wild animals deserve a place in our future. IFAW believes that wild animals belong in the wild, not in commercial trade. This document offers statistics on such trade, and suggests countermeasures as well as other information about combating the illegal wildlife trade. Details: Yarmouth Port, MA: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), 2011. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2012 at http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/wildlife_trade_us_0.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/wildlife_trade_us_0.pdf Shelf Number: 126099 Keywords: Crimes Against the EnvironmentIllegal TradeIvory TradeWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trade |
Author: Elliott, Lorraine, ed. Title: Transnational Environmental Crime in the Asia-Pacific: A Workshop Report Summary: Transnational environmental crime (TEC) includes a range of activities: illegal logging and timber smuggling, wildlife smuggling, illegal fishing, the black market in Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), the illegal movement of prohibited or regulated chemicals and hazardous and toxic wastes and, potentially, an illegal market in genetically modified organisms and illicitly obtained genetic material. Globally, the scale of transnational environmental crime has been estimated to be a black market similar in value to that of drugs or arms. The transnational dimension of this broad range of activities arises because the goods or commodities are sourced illegally and then smuggled across borders, or because they are traded in contravention of international conventions such as the Montreal Protocol (on substances that deplete the ozone layer) or CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) or the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes, or because the profits and/or perpetrators move across borders. Some commodities are laundered into the licit economy whereas others remain in the shadow illicit economy. The ‘chain of custody’ crimes associated with environmental smuggling range from small scale opportunistic activity through to systematic and large-scale organized crime that involves money laundering and corruption, parallel trading and the exchange of illegal environmental goods for other forms of illicit commodities. In the Asia Pacific, as the short papers in this workshop report attest, these are serious problems with consequences for environmental degradation and sustainable development, good governance, security, the legitimacy of legal institutions, national economies, markets, civil society and local communities. These are not, of course, simply problems ‘out there’ and we should not fall into the trap of reducing these to ‘developing country’ problems. Developed countries generate demand and provide markets for illegal environmental resources. The profits of illegal environmental goods are sometimes laundered through developed countries, facilitated by criminal groups and otherwise legitimate actors in those countries. Yet while other forms of transnational crime such as drugs smuggling, arms trafficking, people smuggling and terrorism have attracted considerable public and policy attention, TEC has been paid much less attention by academics and policy-makers alike even though it generates similar kinds of policy challenges. There is an extensive body of work within the environmental literature on individual types of illegality but little done on developing a more comprehensive global governance or international relations approach to this category of illegal transnational and global activity.2 The public Forum and round-table Workshop whose results are reported here were intended in part as a corrective to this. Rather than re-establishing the narratives about particular problems, the focus in the papers and in discussions was on policy responses. A number of important issues informed that discussion: • where should intervention be directed – prevention, interdiction, enforcement, punishment? • what do we need to manage these interventions – is this a matter of more resources and effective capacity? Or do we face broader problems of policy incoherence? • what lessons can we learn from existing policy responses in the region? Details: Canberra: Department of International Relations, RSPAS, The Australian National University, 2007. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2012 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/Transnational_environmental_crime_Asia_Pacific_workshop_report_TEC_Workshop_Report_2007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Asia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/Transnational_environmental_crime_Asia_Pacific_workshop_report_TEC_Workshop_Report_2007.pdf Shelf Number: 126444 Keywords: Hazardous WastesIllegal FishingIllegal LoggingNatural ResourcesOffenses Against the Environment (Asia - Pacific RWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Auliya, Mark Title: Hot Trade in Cool Creatures: A review of the live reptile trade in the European Union in the 1990s with a focus on Germany Summary: The European Union (EU)1 is one of the world’s largest markets for live reptiles, such as snakes, lizards and tortoises, and the exotic and scaly animals have become increasingly fashionable as pets since the early 1990s. Even though captive-breeding efforts have improved significantly in the last few decades, a large proportion of the reptiles offered in pet shops in the EU still originate from the wild and hence the live reptile trade can have a considerable impact on the conservation status of these species. To date, around 8000 reptile species have been described, however only a portion of these are regulated in national and international trade: for example, approximately 500 reptile species are listed in one of the three Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (hereafter CITES) that regulates international trade in around 30 000 animal and plant species. In addition, several countries protect native reptile species from exploitation through harvest and trade restrictions. All 15 EU Member States are Parties to CITES and the Convention is jointly implemented by all EU Member States through Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1808/2001 (hereafter referred to as the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations). Most of the available information on the trade in live reptiles in the EU originates from annual reports prepared by EU Member States for CITES. Data to document trade in non-CITES species are more difficult to obtain and often lacking. The objective of this report is to provide an overview for the market of live reptiles in the EU in the 1990s, by compiling data on legal and illegal trade, analysing trends, including supply and demand and other aspects, such as trade routes, main countries of export, species in trade, and prices. It is hoped that the content of this report reflects the diversity of issues related to these markets and that the conclusions and recommendations drawn from it will assist decision-makers from the relevant authorities in the EU and elsewhere in their efforts to ensure that the trade in live reptiles of CITES-listed as well as non-CITES species is well regulated and not posing a threat to wild populations. The report focuses primarily on the market for live reptiles in Germany, one of the largest importers of live reptiles among the 15 EU Member States with a large domestic market, as a case study of the situation and trends in the late 1990s, when the EU comprised 15 Member States. Therefore this report is a ‘snapshot’ of the reptile trade and market in the late 20th century, but may no longer reflect the current situation, in the first years of the new millennium. Details: Brussels, Belgium: TRAFFIC Europe, 2003. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: www.traffic.org/species-reports/traffic_species_reptiles2.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Germany URL: Shelf Number: 128050 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeReptilesWildlife Crimes (Germany)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Schoppe, Sabine Title: Status, Trade Cynamics and Management of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle Cuora Amboinensis in Indonesia Summary: The Southeast Asian Box Turtle Cuora amboinensis - one of 29 native freshwater turtles in Indonesia - is a globally vulnerable species and the survival of substantial populations in general is particularly threatened by the extensive international trade for consumption and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to East Asian countries. In order to control the trade, the species and its congeners were included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2000. Prior to the export of Appendix II species from a country of origin, a so-called nondetriment finding (NDF) should be conducted to determine the number of individuals that can be harvested without a negative impact on the survival of wild populations. Such a finding should be the basis for any annual harvest and export quota of the species. An NDF however requires knowledge on socioeconomic factors and of species’ life history, distribution, population densities and threats. Indonesia is the main supplier of Cuora amboinensis to the international meat, TCM and pet markets but no scientifically-based assessment has formed the basis for a NDF and the current national harvest quota of 20 000 individuals per year is based on the export realisation of previous years rather than on the results of comprehensive scientific surveys. Considering the above, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia identified the Southeast Asian Box Turtle as a heavily traded species to be used as a case study for science-based management, which could serve as a model for other CITES Appendix II species (particularly reptiles) in trade. The present study therefore aimed to review information on the biology and ecology of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle, assess the legislation in place to regulate trade in wildlife especially in freshwater turtles and tortoises, identify past and current harvest and trade levels, and determine whether the abundance of the species has changed over time. The literature review revealed that the Southeast Asian Box Turtle plays an undefined but likely important role in food webs of wetland ecosystems, and serves as seed disperser. Therefore, its temporary or permanent removal from its natural habitats leads to an imbalance of the ecosystem structure, the significance and consequences of which currently cannot be determined. The species has a low and relatively slow growth. The Southeast Asian Box Turtle has a low reproductive rate: in captivity, it might reach maturity in four years and five months; in the wild it will take about 5½-6 years to attain maturity, and one female produces an average of only six eggs per year, three of which might reach juvenile stage. The species is adaptable to man-made habitats which makes it very accessible for harvest. There are only very few if any properly protected areas in Indonesia, whose turtle populations could serve as assurance colonies. Despite being a commensal species, it is nowadays difficult to find a Southeast Asian Box Turtle in the wild near residential or agricultural areas in Indonesia. Its life cycle combined with continuous harvest for the food and TCM trade has led to over-exploitation of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle in Indonesia and to local extinction around trade centres. The present study concentrated on harvest and trade centres in Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra and Kalimantan was conducted from March to July 2006 and indicated a decline in the mean size of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle as a result of long-term over-exploitation of adults. In Indonesia, local utilization of the species is negligible but international trade for consumption and TCM is extensive and represents the major threat to the survival of the species. Illegal trade is extensive and includes all levels and kinds of traders such as collectors, middlemen, suppliers and exporters of registered and unregistered companies. Also alarming is the extent of plastrons and carapaces illegally traded, which mostly remain undetected due to easy concealment. The population size of the species in two hectare of a peat swamp forest in a protected area, the Taman National Rawa Aopa Watomohai in the south-east of the island of Sulawesi was estimated to be 120 individuals or 60 individual/ha. The population composition in terms of immature to mature ratio was almost 1:1 (54.9% immature and 45.1% mature). Harvest surveys of the species in an openly accessible area in East Kalimantan have shown that four middlemen alone easily assemble more than half of the nation’s annual quota in one year. The composition of harvested individuals in the study site in Kota Bangun, East Kalimantan was significantly in favour of large adults (95.8%) and contained only 4.2% immature individuals. Most of the Indonesian registered pet traders stated that nowadays it is more difficult to get a certain number of individuals compared to some 5-10 years ago. Generally, populations of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle near centres of trade are over-exploited and in many cases, even locally extinct. The main ports of illegal exports are Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Makassar, Tembilahan, Medan and Pekanbaru. Major international destinations are Hong Kong SAR, mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia. Illegal export in the species is believed to far exceed the number of individuals that can be legally exported (18 000 individuals). The most conservative estimate is that illegal trade amounts to 10 times the volume of legal trade, but probably it is rather 100 times the volume of legal trade. A total trade ban is not expected to solve the problem of unsustainable harvest but illegal trade has to be eradicated to allow sustainable management of this and other wildlife species. Tortoises and freshwater turtles including the Southeast Asian Box Turtle may only be exported live from Indonesia. The export of dead animals, parts (carapace or plastron) or derivatives is illegal under the Indonesian quota system. Some members of the CITES MA, especially at the provincial level are not aware of this. Export of dead specimens, parts and derivatives of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle from Indonesia has increased since the species became listed in Appendix II. This trend seems to apply also to other freshwater turtle species that recently became CITES-listed. Furthermore, increased control of live shipments has led to an increased volume of illegally traded shells. Many of the illegal shipments have forged CITES export permits. Enforcement officers are insufficiently trained and/or do not check CITES permits thoroughly. Illegal export of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle and other freshwater turtles from Indonesia is possible because many shipments are not inspected, many law enforcement officers do not know the conservation status of the different freshwater turtle species, and still cannot distinguish between the different species. Indonesia has a substantive enough legislative framework in place to govern the management of wildlife harvest and trade, and it is comparatively stronger than that of many neighbouring countries. Unfortunately, the enforcement of these laws is very weak. None of the establishments that sold the Southeast Asian Box Turtle for local utilization obtained the specimens from licensed collectors nor were these outlets licensed to sell. The Indonesian CITES MA has a very detailed, complex and difficult licensing and permit system. The quota setting in Indonesia is not science-based but driven by the demand from traders to supply importing countries especially those in East Asia where large volumes are consumed for food and traditional medicines. The distribution of the national quota among provinces is not related to local abundance nor to sustainability of trade but to the presence of a trader. Locations for harvest or capture are not carefully selected based on biological and ecological assessments, but rather in accordance with the preferred collection sites of the trader. The fact that some freshwater turtle species fall under the jurisdiction of the PHKA (Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation under the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia) while others are under the management of the DKP (Indonesian Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries), has led to considerable confusion and weakness in law enforcement. Results of this study have shown that the exploitation of the Southeast Asian Box Turtle in Indonesia has reached a level that requires immediate action. Harvest needs to be regulated and illegal trade to be eradicated. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2009. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/09_Status_Trade_SE_Asian_Box_Turtle.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Asia URL: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/09_Status_Trade_SE_Asian_Box_Turtle.pdf Shelf Number: 128051 Keywords: Asian Box TurtleIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife Crimes (Asia)Wildlife ManagementWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Nijman, Vincent Title: Hanging in the Balance: An Assessment of trade in Orang-utans and Gibbons in Kalimantan, Indonesia Summary: This report presents an assessment of the trade in gibbons and orang-utans in Kalimantan, which is part of Indonesia’s territory on the island of Borneo. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and, within the Indo-Malayan region, supports the largest remaining expanse of lowland evergreen rainforest, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Most of this forest remains in the four Indonesian provinces of West, Central, South and East Kalimantan with about 50% of the land surface still under forest. However, commercial timber extraction, small-scale logging (legal and illegal), conversion, and forest fires – along with the concurrent increase in access to formerly remote areas – are increasingly threatening the integrity of the remaining forest, thus putting the survival of its inhabitants at stake. The forests of Kalimantan are home to three species of apes i.e. the Bornean Orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus, and two species of gibbon, the Bornean White-bearded Gibbon Hylobates albibarbis and Müller's Gibbon H. muelleri. All three are endemic to the island and thus are not found anywhere else in the world. The Bornean White-bearded Gibbon is confined to Kalimantan and for the other two species a disproportionately large part of their populations is found in Kalimantan, rather than other parts of Borneo. As all three ape species are classified by the IUCN Red List as Globally Threatened, primarily through loss of habitat but also through hunting and trade, Indonesia bears a great responsibility towards safeguarding the future of these primates. The Indonesian government has long recognized this responsibility and has pledged to do its best to control the problems wildlife faces and to preserve both individual species and their habitats. These pledges have been formalized in a range of laws, regulations and membership of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. A number of protected areas have been established in Kalimantan, to safeguard the habitat as well as the primate populations that reside in these areas, and all gibbons and orang-utans, be it inside or outside the protected area network, are legally protected. Indonesia is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and all gibbons and orang-utans are listed in CITES Appendix I, which prohibits all international commercial trade of these species among contracting Parties. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2005. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/kalimantanorangutan.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Indonesia URL: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/kalimantanorangutan.pdf Shelf Number: 128053 Keywords: Animal PoachingGibbonsIllegal Wildlife TradeOrangutansWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Indonesia)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Menon, Vivek Title: Under Siege: Poaching and Protection of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceroses in India Summary: The report presents information on the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros population in India. It documents the extent of poaching and trade in and use of rhinoceros horn. Details: New Delhi: TRAFFIC India, 1996. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/Traf-025.pdf Year: 1996 Country: India URL: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/Traf-025.pdf Shelf Number: 128054 Keywords: Animal PoachingIvoryRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (India)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Horne, Dylan Title: Policy Responses to Transnational Wildlife Crime in the Asia-Pacific. Part 2: Policy Responses at the National Level and Preliminary Gap Analysis Summary: Transnational Wildlife Crime (wildlife crime) involves the trading and smuggling across borders of species in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Globally, governments and international organisations have responded to the challenges of transnational environmental crime (TEC) in both operational and policy contexts. The policy context is defined as the suite of documents, plans, programs, regulatory schemes, and strategies that provide for a coordinated, coherent response to, and support for, the fight against wildlife crime. Current knowledge of this policy context, and particularly of policy responses at the national and agency levels, is poor. This paper is the first of two research papers intended to provide a preliminary analysis of the current wildlife crime policy context and its effectiveness in dealing with wildlife crime. This paper contains an overview of the high level (global and regional) policy context for the Asia-Pacific region as it applies to six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam. The high-level policy context was summarised through desktop investigation of freely-available online material. The paper goes on to determine a potential set of ‘optimal’ requirements for wildlife crime policy at the national level based on existing literature. These requirements fell into four broad categories: the optimal wildlife crime policy response at the national level must be (1) proactive and intelligence based, (2) multifaceted, addressing many aspects of the problem, (3) multilateral, involving cooperation between several actors, and (4) monitored, evaluated, and adapted as necessary. Details: Canberra: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, School of International, Political & Strategic Studies, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific Australian National University, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 2/2013: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Shelf Number: 128886 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Wyler, Liana Sun Title: International Illegal Trade in Wildlife: Threats and U.S. Policy Summary: Global trade in illegal wildlife is a potentially vast illicit economy, estimated to be worth billions of dollars each year. Some of the most lucrative illicit wildlife commodities include elephant ivory, rhino horn, sturgeon caviar, and so-called “bushmeat.” Wildlife smuggling may pose a transnational security threat as well as an environmental one. Numerous sources indicate that some organized criminal syndicates, insurgent groups, and foreign military units may be involved in various aspects of international wildlife trafficking. Limited anecdotal evidence also indicates that some terrorist groups may be engaged in wildlife crimes, particularly poaching, for monetary gain. Some observers claim that the participation of such actors in wildlife trafficking can therefore threaten the stability of countries, foster corruption, and encourage violence to protect the trade. Reports of escalating exploitation of protected wildlife, coupled with the emerging prominence of highly organized and well-equipped illicit actors in wildlife trafficking, suggests that policy challenges persist. Commonly cited challenges include legal loopholes that allow poachers and traffickers to operate with impunity, gaps in foreign government capabilities to address smuggling problems, and persistent structural drivers such as lack of alternative livelihoods in source countries and consumer demand. To address the illicit trade in endangered wildlife, the international community has established, through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global policy framework to regulate and sometimes ban exports of selected species. Domestic, bilateral, regional, and global efforts are intended to support international goals of sustainable conservation, effective resource management, and enforcement of relevant laws and regulations. Increased recognition of the potential consequences of wildlife trafficking has caused some observers and policymakers to question the efficacy of existing U.S. and international responses and consider new options for addressing the problem. In November 2012, for example, then- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the beginning of a revitalized effort to combat international wildlife trafficking. In July 2013, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13648 on Combating Wildlife Trafficking. The Executive Order identified poaching of protected species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their derivative parts and products as an escalating international crisis that is in the national interest of the United States to combat. The U.S. Congress has played a role in responding to these ongoing challenges and evaluating U.S. policy to combat international wildlife trafficking. Over time, Congress has enacted a wide range of laws to authorize conservation programs, appropriate domestic and international funding for wildlife protection and natural resource capacity building, and target and dismantle wildlife trafficking operations. In recent years, Congress has also held hearings and events that have addressed the growing problem of wildlife crimes and raised key questions for next steps. Interest in wildlife crime may continue in the 113th Congress. Congressional activity may include evaluating the seriousness of the threat as a national security issue, as well as raising questions regarding the effectiveness of existing policies, ranging from biodiversity programs to anti-crime activities. Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2013. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: RL34395: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34395.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34395.pdf Shelf Number: 129557 Keywords: Illegal TradeNatural ResourcesWildlife Crime (U.S.)Wildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Horne, Dylan Title: Policy Responses to Transnational Wildlife Crime in the Asia-Pacific: Part 1: Global and Regional Policy Context and a Potential Framework for Optimal National Policy Summary: Transnational Wildlife Crime (wildlife crime) involves the trading and smuggling across borders of species in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Globally, governments and international organisations have responded to the challenges of transnational environmental crime (TEC) in both operational and policy contexts. The policy context is defined as the suite of documents, plans, programs, regulatory schemes, and strategies that provide for a coordinated, coherent response to, and support for, the fight against wildlife crime. Current knowledge of this policy context, and particularly of policy responses at the national and agency levels, is poor. This paper is the first of two research papers intended to provide a preliminary analysis of the current wildlife crime policy context and its effectiveness in dealing with wildlife crime. This paper contains an overview of the high level (global and regional) policy context for the Asia-Pacific region as it applies to six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam. The high-level policy context was summarised through desktop investigation of freely-available online material. The paper goes on to determine a potential set of 'optimal' requirements for wildlife crime policy at the national level based on existing literature. These requirements fell into four broad categories: the optimal wildlife crime policy response at the national level must be (1) proactive and intelligence based, (2) multifaceted, addressing many aspects of the problem, (3) multilateral, involving cooperation between several actors, and (4) monitored, evaluated, and adapted as necessary. Details: Canberra: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 1/2013: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Shelf Number: 129899 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: World Wildlife Fund Title: Illegal Wildlife Trade in India Summary: Illegal wildlife trade has evolved into a complex activity, estimated to be worth at least USD15 billion per year globally. The PANDA Special Issue on Illegal Wildlife Trade in India highlights the different aspects of this terrible for species depleting trade. Illegal wildlife trade is one of WWF-India's major concerns and along with its wildlife crime monitoring division of TRAFFIC India. WWF-India has been working closely with the national and the state governments as well as other enforcement agencies to help study, monitor and influence action to curb illegal wildlife trade in the country. India is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Its porous borders allow for a wide range of products such as mongoose hair, snake skins, rhino horn, tiger and leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers, elephant tusks, deer antlers, shahtoosh shawl, turtle shells, musk pods, bear bile, medicinal plants, timber and caged birds such as parakeets, mynahs, munias to be trafficked. This is endangering many of its species, including the iconic tiger, the rhino and smaller species such as the pangolin and otters. India has a strong legal and policy framework to regulate and restrict wildlife trade. Trade in over 1800 species of wild animals, plants and their derivatives, is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. While government and other enforcement agencies are well-positioned to act, WWF-India through TRAFFIC India engages in training and building capacity of its frontline staff to quell this trade. Challenges in the field faced by conservationists, including our own teams, bring to light experiences that other agencies can act on. This will not only prove effective in combating illegal wildlife trade which is in need of scaling up, but also be able to curb the wildlife crime nexus. In keeping with the overall objective of WWF-India, this issue of the PANDA alerts its readers to the plight these animals are subjected to and calls for mass public awareness in order to sensitize its readers to the issue of wildlife crime and lead to a call for action. Details: New Delhi: World Wildlife Fund - India, 2014. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Panda Newsletter Special Issue: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/traffic_panda_8_oct.pdf Year: 2014 Country: India URL: http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/traffic_panda_8_oct.pdf Shelf Number: 133733 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Burgess, Elizabeth A. Title: Assessing The Trade In Pig-Nosed Turtles Carettochelys insculpta in Papua, Indonesia Summary: The Pig-nosed Turtle Carettochelys insculpta, also known as the Fly River or Pitted-Shell Turtle, is a taxonomically distinct, large freshwater chelonian restricted to the river systems of northern Australia and southern New Guinea (divided politically between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Papua Province, Indonesia). The high international demand for Pignosed Turtles in the exotic pet trade, food market and traditional medicine practices has driven the intensified exploitation of this species in Papua. Despite being afforded legal protection in Indonesia and being listed in Appendix II of CITES, the Pig-nosed Turtle is increasingly being targeted in the province of Papua, Indonesia for international wildlife trade. This study highlights an urgent need for the existing laws and regulations concerning Pig-nosed Turtle trade to be rigorously enforced to curtail the illegal harvest and trade. Surveys on the trade of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout the Indonesian province of Papua were carried out in November and December 2010 to coincide with the Pig-nosed Turtle nesting season (September to February). Pig-nosed Turtles were primarily collected by Papuan villagers who source eggs of this species by excavating nests on the banks of rivers and swamps. Predominant collection areas lie in the Asmat region of Papua, although more expansive collection areas also exist further east and north of Merauke near the PNG border. Village collectors sell the wild harvested Pig-nosed Turtle eggs directly to traders operating in villages (typically non-Papuan immigrant traders settled in the region). There was also a growing trend towards incubating the collected eggs in ex-situ hatcheries located within Papuan villages, which was favourable among local collectors and traders because live hatchling turtles can command a higher price than eggs. Pignosed Turtles from Papua are traded as live pets, for meat consumption as well as for medicinal purposes. One respondent reported a company in Jayapura that purchases hatchling Pig-nosed Turtles for drying and then grinding into a powder for export to China, and resale in the traditional medicine trade. Local Papuans realize that the natural resources around them have a high value to outsiders, and what previously was opportunistic hunting for daily needs has become a large-scale exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles. Turtle traders have also significantly influenced remote communities in Papua by bringing in and bartering with modern commodities (such as outboard boat motors) and provisions (such as useful equipment, supplies, fuel and foodstuffs). This survey found that local people were actively encouraged by immigrant traders to harvest and independently incubate eggs for trade, and that immigrant traders often organized and co-ordinated egg-collecting trips further upriver using motorboats. Improved transportation (e.g., motorboats and access to fuel) in the region have increased the accessibility of more remote river systems, and thereby expanded the harvest potential of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua. Turtle buyers offering trade in rural communities, combined with a recent shift to a cash economy (cf. subsistence economy), has created strong incentives for local Papuans to trade in Pig-nosed Turtle eggs and hatchlings. Eggs and hatchlings of Pig-nosed Turtles are smuggled from remote source villages (via boat or small aircraft) to centralized trade hubs within Papua, including the towns of Agats, Merauke, Timika and Jayapura. From Papua, turtles were typically smuggled westward into major domestic trade destinations in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Surabaya and Probolinggo in Java, Makassar (Ujung Pandang) in south Sulawesi, and Denpasar in Bali. This survey also found that Pig-nosed Turtles could be bought through a growing online marketplace, with sellers located in Indonesia as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom. Along this international trade chain, the value of Pig-nosed Turtles increased exponentially: hatchlings were generally sold in Papuan villages for USD 0.56-1.33 each; in domestic trade hubs such as Jakarta and Surabaya for USD 3.30-8.33 each; and on international markets for USD 39-56 each. Thirty-two seizures of Pig-nosed Turtles, between 2003 and 2012, were compiled in this study, including more than 81,689 individual turtles. Most seizures (75% of reported cases) occurred early in the calendar year (i.e., between January-March) towards the end of the nesting season for Pig-nosed Turtles, suggesting that traders are moving shipments as soon as the turtles are hatched. Available seizure data suggests that Pig-nosed Turtles are being traded in large quantities, with consignments averaging 2817 3701 turtles per seizure. Highlighting the enormity of this illegal trade was one seizure that rescued 12 247 Pig-nosed Turtles in Timika, Papua en route to Jakarta. Most enforcement actions and confiscations occurred at points of export from Indonesia, with little documented enforcement at the source of eggs collection. Undoubtedly, the swamps and river systems where turtles are sourced are vast and the villages involved in the trade are remote, making enforcement efforts for Pig-nosed Turtle trade geographically challenging. Nonetheless, the lack of enforcement, and potential corruption, at the source of trade means that the exploitation of wild Pig-nosed Turtles populations proceeds unhindered. All of the egg collections and ex-situ hatchery operations observed during this survey were illegal, relying on wild harvested eggs for commercial sale. An apparent problem for addressing trade issues in Papuan villages is that many local people are confused by the concept of 'captive breeding' and are freely collecting eggs without remorse. Inadequate enforcement of Indonesia's legislation to protect Pig-nosed Turtles from wild harvest in Papua is a major factor contributing to the excessive exploitation. Anecdotal information implies that while there have not been any quotas issued for taking Pig-nosed Turtles or their eggs from the wild, there are a few traders licensed to breed and export Pig-nosed Turtle in Indonesia. How they would have acquired breeding stock is not clear. Yet, according to the CITES Trade Database (WCMC), Indonesia has only ever legally exported one shipment of 57 Pig-nosed Turtles for the purpose of trade in 2006 to the US (these animals were declared as being Farmed). It is suspected that illegal smuggling is an easier and cost-cutting option, and therefore the preferred route for traders. The trade threat to Pig-nosed Turtles is further compounded by the high mortality rate reported in smuggling operations, with available data from reported seizures showing that on average 18% of turtles die in a shipment. Turtles that are found alive by authorities in confiscated shipments are held in a temporary holding facilities or rescue centres. Surviving confiscated turtles were sometimes repatriated back into the wild in Papua by Indonesian Customs and local government BKSDA officials - often with financial aid from industries within Papua. The environmental risks and financial costs associated with maintaining, translocating and reintroducing seized Pig-nosed Turtles are substantial, particularly for cases where turtles are seized outside of Papua and/or large numbers of turtles are involved. Results of this study have shown that the exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua, Indonesia has reached a level that requires immediate action. High international demand for Pig-nosed Turtles, combined with an organised and influential global wildlife trade network within Indonesia, unregulated harvesting of eggs, an increased potential to collect eggs in previously inaccessible swamp habitat in Papua (i.e., using motorboats, improved regional infrastructure), growing socio-economic incentives for rural Papuans to harvest turtles for income and a lack of enforcement at the source of wild harvests, are contributing to unprecedented levels of exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout its Papuan range. Unless actions are taken to mitigate the high demands of consumer nations and to fully enforce the legal protection of Pig-nosed Turtles within Indonesia, the current unabated harvest regimes observed in rivers throughout Papua will lead to significant population declines of Pig-nosed Turtles (see Eisemberg et al., 2011). For the effective protection of the Pignosed Turtle in Papua, Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.: TRAFFIC, 2014. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Year: 2014 Country: Indonesia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Shelf Number: 133748 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeNatural ResourcesTurtlesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Indonesia)Wildlife EnforcementWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Cantu, Juan Carlos Title: The Illegal Parrot Trade in Mexico: A Comprehensive Assessment Summary: Mexico has 22 species of parrots (psittacines) of which six are endemic. Wild parrots are widespread across the country and have a strong connection with Mexican culture. All species except two are officially listed as at risk; 6 species are classified as endangered, 10 as threatened, and 4 as under special protection. The foremost threats psittacines face in Mexico are loss of habitat and illegal trapping for the pet trade. While some research has been done in the past regarding parrot trafficking, the fundamental questions of the volume of illegal trapping, how and where it is carried out, how trapping affects particular species and how the illegal trade relates to the legal trade were poorly understood. This assessment provides, for the first time, comprehensive answers to these and related questions, as well as detailed historical information on the regulatory programs applied to parrot trapping, the enforcement of those programs, seizures by enforcement officials, mortality rates of captured parrots, and prices in the legal and illegal trades, including historical trends. Based on interviews with trappers and representatives of their unions, and analysis of other data, an estimated range of 65,000 to 78,500 parrots are captured each year. The overall mortality rate for trapped parrots exceeds 75% before reaching a purchaser, which translates to about 50,000 to 60,000 dead birds annually, making this trade terribly inhumane and wasteful. The rate of parrot seizures by the environmental police, Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente (Profepa), was assessed. The seizures by Profepa represent an average of only about 2% of the annual illegal trade. Seizure rates appear to be mostly correlated with the level of enforcement effort. It is apparent that Profepa and other agencies currently lack adequate personnel and budgets to police the trade. Through analysis of seizure data obtained from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the assessment determined that only a small percentage of the annual illegal capture is being smuggled out of the country; about 86% to 96% of all trapped Mexican parrots stay in the internal trade. This is a shift from the 1970s and 1980s when the lucrative and huge USA market was considered to drive the trafficking. Now, Mexico must solve the problem internally. This assessment finds that fewer than 150 registered trappers have focused on parrots exclusively. No parrot trapping had been authorized by wildlife officials between 2003 and late 2006. Prior to 2003, the trapping regulations had many drawbacks. Officials were unable to control the number of specimens taken, the time period or the place of capture. The existence of legal trapping authorizations provided cover for the illegal trade, through forging of documents and other illicit methods. Despite the lack of any approved trapping seasons for the last three years unsustainable capture of wild parrots has continued unabated. It takes place all year round, even inside natural protected areas, and affects almost all of the 22 species. Populations of parrots are decreasing due to this exploitation. Scientific surveys estimate a 25-30% decrease in some species; interviews with parrot trappers themselves further corroborate some of these declines. Some parrots have been extirpated from large parts of their historic range. Eventual extinction is foreseeable for whole species if illegal trapping is not reined in. This assessment shows that national and international bans have not cause increased smuggling or increased prices of the affected parrot species over the last 10 years. Prices in Mexico and the USA have, in fact, generally decreased in that time period. Mexico's imports of non-native parrots have sharply increased, but they are too expensive for the huge segment of the Mexican public that purchases low-cost, illegal wild-caught parrots. Breeding centers for native parrots are few; they can breed only a small number of the 22 species and their prices cannot compete with the prices of their wild-caught cousins. This assessment provides policy recommendations to stop the devastating impacts on Mexico's prized native parrots. First and foremost is a well-publicized complete ban on any more trapping authorizations. While authorizations were temporarily halted for three years, new information obtained at the time of printing this report, in October of 2006, indicated that government officials have issued more trapping authorizations. This could be disastrous as it will provide more cover for the illegal trade and fails to send the needed strong message to the trappers and traffickers that the government is serious about conserving viable populations of parrots for the future. Not only a permanent ban, but also dramatically increased enforcement efforts to make the ban effective are needed. This should include increased enforcement efforts by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement agents to reduce the illegal trade, especially for the orange fronted parakeet (Aratinga canicularis), white fronted parrot (Amazona albifrons), yellow cheeked parrot (Amazona autumnalis), lilac crowned parrot (Amazona finschi) and red crowned parrot (Amazona viridigenalis), for which smuggling across the border appears to be increasing, thus is a continuing threat to the species' survival. The lessons about the need for a total ban were learned over several decades in a comparable situation when Mexico attempted to cut back on sea turtle harvesting, but only after several failed harvesting programs and drastic population crashes in almost all native sea turtle populations. For parrots, the time is ripe to tackle the challenges before it is too late. Several Profepa inspectors interviewed agreed a permanent ban is needed. The recommended permanent ban on further parrot trapping should be accompanied by a well-funded bi-national education campaign to make the Mexican and USA publics fully aware that it is wrong to buy any parrot that lacks proper documentation. Encouraging the breeding of low-cost exotic parrots could provide a substitute supply of pets. A Mexican government program to train parrot trappers to pursue other work will be vital, such as breeding exotic parrots and guiding birdwatchers in the field. An important element of conserving wild populations will be to provide some subsidization of trappers, to shift them from an illegal occupation to a legal occupation. USA funding should assist in this as well, in view of the vast deleterious impact that consumer demand from the USA had on these species particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. In sum, only integrated, coherent and well-funded policy changes will succeed in solving the biological, economic and social challenges of the illegal parrot trade. Details: Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife, 2007. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: https://www.defenders.org/publications/the_illegal_parrot_trade_in_mexico.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.defenders.org/publications/the_illegal_parrot_trade_in_mexico.pdf Shelf Number: 110587 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeParrotsTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Goyenechea, Alejandra Title: Combating Wildlife Trafficking from Latin America to the United States: The illegal trade from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America and what we can do to address it Summary: WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING is one of the most lucrative forms of illegal activity, with an estimated annual global value of $7 billion to $23 billion. About 350 million plants and animals per year are sold on the black market. Every region of the world is experiencing the negative impacts of this illegal wildlife trade as natural resources are stolen by poachers and traffickers. New strategies are desperately needed to counter this growing crisis that threatens our planet's natural heritage. Discussions on combating wildlife trafficking have focused mainly on elephants, rhinos and tigers in Africa and Asia. Often forgotten, however, is the fact that wildlife trafficking occurs across all continents and threatens a wide range of imperiled species, including exotic birds, sea turtles, coral, caimans, iguanas, pangolins and land tortoises. This report draws attention to two important regions involved in wildlife trafficking that are often overlooked: the United States and Latin America. The United States is generally accepted as one of the largest consumers of illegal wildlife and wildlife products worldwide. Much of the world's trade in illegal wildlife is either driven by U.S. consumers or passes through U.S. ports on its way to other destinations - making the United States a key player in wildlife trafficking. The value of legal wildlife trade in the United States is estimated at $6 billion annually, the illegal wildlife trade at one-third of that or $2 billion annually. The Latin American region (Mexico the Caribbean, Central America and South America) experiences the same perfect storm of factors that have led to rampant wildlife trafficking in other regions: It is home to many developing countries, has thousands of imperiled and endemic species, and struggles with corruption and enforcement. Consequently, the United Nations designated Latin America a priority region in combating wildlife crime. The purpose of this report is to help the United States address this growing crisis by 1) assessing the capacity of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to detect and deter wildlife trafficking and to collect and analyze data on this illegal activity; 2) analyzing the effectiveness of existing law enforcement mechanisms and proposals for enhancing the overall capacity of the federal government to counter wildlife trafficking 3) identifying current patterns of high-volume trafficking from Latin America; and 4) identifying gaps in the existing response to wildlife crimes at our ports of entry. Details: Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife, 2015. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/combating-wildlife-trafficking-from-latin-america-to-the-united-states-and-what-we-can-do-to-address-it.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Latin America URL: http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/combating-wildlife-trafficking-from-latin-america-to-the-united-states-and-what-we-can-do-to-address-it.pdf Shelf Number: 137241 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Knights, Peter Title: The Illusion of Control: Hong Kong's 'Legal' Ivory Trade Summary: For more than a century, Hong Kong has been a hub for the global ivory trade. Due to the region's high overall trade volumes, easy access to mainland China, and lax regulation and supervision, this role continues, despite the 1989 international commercial ivory trade ban. Hong Kong has been the gateway through which the tusks of hundreds of thousands of poached elephants have been laundered - first en route to Japan, and more recently, to China. Officials claiming to regulate the trade provide a facade of legitimacy while making no physical link between the ivory itself and the paper trail with which they legitimize it. In short, Hong Kong has been the ivory poacher's and smuggler's laundry. At the time of the 1989 ban, Hong Kong held 670 tonnes of ivory, much of it highly dubious in origin and laundered through the discredited quota system under the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Rather than set a deadline for selling off this stock and closely monitoring its disbursement, Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the government agency charged with implementing CITES, has continued to allow unregulated sales for 26 years, making no meaningful checks to ensure the ivory is from the original stock and not from recently poached elephants. Traders admit they routinely replenish stocks with newly poached ivory, as there is no system to connect any individual tusk or ivory product to required documentation. Essentially, the AFCD has provided unlimited license to launder poached ivory. Nearly all of Hong Kong's ivory vendors flout even the most basic regulation: the requirement that vendors clearly display licenses in their stores. In international meetings, AFCD officials have defended - and even promoted - continued domestic trade, insisting that its system is airtight, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. It's clear that the AFCD lacks the resources, capability and desire to monitor the ivory trade, even superficially. Though long-term sales trends indicate that Hong Kong's stockpile should have been exhausted around 2004, 111.3 tonnes remain unsold, a figure that has barely changed in recent years, when demand for ivory has been the highest-ever, fueled by mainland China's economic growth. A recent study indicated that over 90% of the ivory sold in Hong Kong is purchased by tourists from the mainland (47 million visited in 2014), with unscrupulous vendors coaching them on how to successfully evade detection when smuggling it back to China. According to the latest figures, up to 33,000 elephants are poached each year for their ivory. In a recent poll, 75% of the Hong Kong public interviewed supported a ban on ivory sales. China and the United States recently announced a joint commitment to ending all commercial ivory sales - a move that is undermined by Hong Kong's ongoing laundering and illegal exports. Details: San Francisco: WildAid, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 2, 2016 at: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/The%20Illusion%20of%20Control-Full%20Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/The%20Illusion%20of%20Control-Full%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 137738 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsEndangered SpeciesIllegal TradeIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife CrimeWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Felbab-Brown, Vanda Title: Enabling war and peace: Drugs, logs, gems, and wildlife in Thailand and Burma Summary: In this policy paper, Vanda Felbab-Brown explores the relationship between conflict, peace dynamics, and drugs and other illicit economies in Thailand and Myanmar/Burma since the 1960s through the current period. In both cases, drugs and other illicit economies fueled insurgencies and ethnic separatism. Yet both Myanmar and Thailand are in different ways (controversial) exemplars of how to suppress conflict in the context of the drugs-conflict nexus. They both show that the central premise of the narcoinsurgency/narcoterrorism conventional approach - in order to defeat militants, bankrupt them by destroying the illicit drug economy on which they rely - was ineffective and counterproductive. At the same time, however, in both Thailand and Myanmar, recent anti-drug policies have either generated new hidden violent social conflict or threaten to unravel the fragile ethnic peace. The leading research finding and policy implications are: While illicit economies fuel conflict, their suppression is often counterproductive for ending conflict and can provoke new forms of conflict. Prioritization and sequencing of government efforts to end conflict and reduce illicit economies is crucial. So is recognizing that suppressing poppy at the cost of exacerbating logging or wildlife trafficking is not an adequate policy outcome. Learning the right lessons is acutely important for Burma/Myanmar, which, after the overwhelming victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung Sang Suu Kyi in the November 2015 elections, is entering a new political order and a new phase in peace negotiations with ethnic separatist groups. Although the Myanmar military will not give up its influence on the ethnic peace processes, Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD will become far more involved in the negotations, having drawn important support from the contested ethnic areas allowed to participate in the election. At the same time, the NLD and Suu Kyi (whatever her formal title in the new government will be) will need to carefully structure and calibrate their relationships with external donors and trading partners, such as China and the United States, many of which will seek to shape policies toward drugs and other extractive and illegal economies, including logging, mining, and wildlife trafficking. Details: Washington, DC: Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings, 2015. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: East Asia Policy Paper 7: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2015/12/thailand-burma-drugs-wildlife-felbabbrown/policy-paper-7--webv5.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Thailand URL: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2015/12/thailand-burma-drugs-wildlife-felbabbrown/policy-paper-7--webv5.pdf Shelf Number: 137783 Keywords: Illegal TradeTrafficking in WildlifeWild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department A Economic and Scientific Policy Title: Wildlife Crime Summary: Wildlife crime poses not only a real threat to biodiversity, but has also come to be regarded as a security issue in some source countries. While the latter is also relevant to the EU as part of the international community, the EU is first and foremost one of the main global markets for wildlife trade. The present study gives an overview over the state of wildlife crime in Europe based on available documents, data from the EU-TWIX database which centralises data on seizures reported by the EU Member States, and empirical research including interviews with experts. It has to be noted that any overview on this topic is limited by the fact that comprehensive data on illegal activities are not available; even where data on wildlife crime could be obtained they are not always reliable and coherent. Illegal wildlife trade within the EU The EU is both a destination and a transit region for wildlife products. Although European countries seem to have become less important consumers in the trade with African mammals, many countries still seem to have a very important role as a trading hub in that trade. This trade is conducted via the major trade hubs (airports and ports) but new trade hubs (e.g. smaller European airports with direct connections to Africa and Asia) are also emerging. On the other hand, European countries still seem to be very important consumers and importers of pets, especially of reptiles and birds. As this trade is often not conducted via the main trade hubs, but via the Eastern European land borders and the Mediterranean and Black Sea, enforcement is even more challenging. Moreover, the demand for alternative medicinal products very often produced in Asia from endangered wildlife appears to have increased in Europe. The available information on trade routes is not very detailed, but the following four important trade routes could be identified: - Large mammals like elephants, rhinos and big cats from Africa and South America to major trade hubs and for further transit to Asia - Coastal smuggling of leeches, caviar, fish, as well as reptiles and parrots for the pet trade in Europe - Endangered birds from South Eastern Europe to Southern Europe - Russian wildlife and Asian exports via Eastern European land routes. The overall trend in wildlife crime measured in the number of seizures has been roughly constant in recent years. Seizures are concentrated in countries with large overall trading volumes like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and France. Overall the UK, Germany and Netherlands are responsible for more than 70% of seizures in 2007-2014. The high number of seizures may also be attributable to well developed enforcement in these countries. The most frequently seized species are reptiles, mammals, flowers and corals. About half of the seizures are carried out at airports (e. g. London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt a. M. and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol). Mailing centres are expected to become more important in the coming years. Most of the products confiscated are reported as imports in the EU-TWIX database although it is not clear whether parts of these imports are destined for re-selling to other countries. For the illegal trade in wildlife and its products the internet is becoming an increasingly important place. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2016: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138414 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeMoney LaunderingOffenses Against the EnvironmentOrganized CrimeWildlife CrimeWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |
Author: U.S. National Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking Title: U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking: 2015 Annual Progress Assessment Summary: The escalation of wildlife trafficking in recent years poses an urgent threat to conservation and global security. African elephant populations have declined by about 20 percent in the last decade to just over 400,000, and one out of every twenty wild rhinos was killed by a poacher in the last year alone. Well-armed traffickers exploit porous borders and weak institutions, eroding governance and undermining livelihoods. To tackle this problem, President Obama created the Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking, bringing together 17 federal departments and agencies to create and implement a National Strategy to stop illegal activities that threaten the future survival of a multitude of species, including such iconic wildlife as elephants, rhinos, tigers, and sea turtles. Despite these alarming trends, 2015 was a turning point in the fight against wildlife trafficking. In September, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to enact nearly complete bans on ivory import and export, and to take significant and timely steps to halt the domestic commercial trade in ivory. When enacted, these steps will have a dramatic impact on two of the world's largest wildlife markets and may lead other countries to halt their domestic commercial ivory markets. Here at home, President Obama announced wide-ranging restrictions on the domestic trade in African elephant ivory. Events like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) crush of one ton of ivory in New York City reinforced the message that elephant tusks have no place in commerce. In China, USAID supported public service announcements aimed at reducing the demand for illegal wildlife reached 23 million Chinese people daily. Early results of these and many other international and domestic demand reduction efforts appear heartening: studies show that the price of ivory in China has fallen by almost half in the past two years and elephant poaching is decreasing in some key habitats. President Obama's National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and the Task Force's Implementation Plan center on three objectives: strengthening enforcement, reducing demand, and expanding international cooperation. The Task Force agencies have realized substantial progress in all three areas. Details: Washington, DC: The Task Force, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2016 at: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/254013.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/254013.pdf Shelf Number: 138703 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife CrimeWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Van Der Grijp, Nicolien Title: Wildlife Crime in the Netherlands: In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: This study presents insights on wildlife crime and efforts to combat it in the Netherlands. It is based on publicly available documents, literature, and interviews with three experts. The analysis shows that the Netherlands is a major destination as well as transit hub for the trade in endangered animals and plants and products thereof in Western Europe. Between 2001 and 2010, 14 % of seizures in the EU took place in the Netherlands. A similar trend is noticeable in the period 2011-2015. Trading routes in which the Netherlands is involved are very diverse and in the case of confiscations, countries of origin, export and destination are often unknown. However, it is evident that in 2013-2014, the majority of confiscations in the Netherlands were related to trading routes in which China, Hong Kong and Thailand either were countries of origin, export and/or destination. In the Netherlands illegal shipments of wildlife mainly consist of live reptiles and birds, and products thereof, plants, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In the past few years, the majority of confiscated wildlife items fell under Appendix II/Annex B instead of Appendix I/Annex A. Dutch trafficking hotspots are the airport of Schiphol Amsterdam and the port of Rotterdam, with its massive container activity. Another important trading place is the internet, through websites such as www.markplaats.nl and www.christies.com. In addition, local markets and fairs for birds, reptiles and curiosa objects offer opportunities for illegal trade. Combating wildlife crime is not a high priority in the Netherlands and there is no specific action plan to tackle illegal wildlife trade. However, compared to the other EU Member States, the Netherlands is seen as one of the frontrunners in enforcement of wildlife trade regulations, because of its risk-based approach and well-functioning cooperation between customs, police, and administration. It has an action plan for enforcement of CITES related regulations. The strengths of the Dutch approach are related to the well-functioning cooperation between customs, national policy and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) and their risk-based approach to control and enforcement. There is much expertise in the Netherlands that could be shared with other countries. The Netherlands is involved in several cooperative activities with other countries. However, the varying levels of enforcement in the EU are considered a major barrier for effective cooperation. Several international NGOs, such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Wereld Natuur Fonds (WNF), and World Animal Protection (WAP) are active in the Netherlands to combat wildlife crime. In addition, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) was launched in July 2015. It aims to hold perpetrators of wildlife crime accountable and to generate additional publicity. Addressing the demand side of wildlife trade is considered a challenging task. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is undertaking efforts in the area of awareness-raising. Since February 2015, the Netherlands has a positive list of mammals that are legally allowed to be kept as pets. The intention exists to develop similar lists for reptiles and birds. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578957/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578957_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Netherlands URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578957/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578957_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138725 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Paquel, Kamila Title: Wildlife Crime in Poland. An In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: Wildlife crime is not a priority for Polish authorities involved in environmental and criminal legislation and enforcement. Despite a decreasing number of seizures of illegally handled CITES species that is ascribed to trainings provided to CITES enforcement bodies and an increased awareness of wildlife crime among the Polish society, there is no evidence that the scale of wildlife crime in Poland has been reduced. Recent findings by regional NGOs indicate that Poland is a leading country in terms of the volume of illegal on-line trade in protected fauna and flora in the Central and Eastern part of the EU. There is, however, very little information in this regard collected by the public enforcement authorities involved in wildlife protection. In terms of illegal imports and (re)exports of wildlife, Poland is mainly a destination country, but it is also a territory of transit and, to some extent, of origin. The actual scale of wildlife traffic is not certain. However, it is estimated that the Customs Service only discloses some 10-15 % of illegal traffic of protected species. Illegal markets of traditional Asian medicine, avifauna (including birds of prey), exotic wood, and wildlife suitable for aquaria and terraria are growing. In this context, wildlife crime can be considered a significant problem in Poland, and its scale is believed to grow proportionately to the increase in economic welfare of the Polish society and the demand by Asian minorities in Poland. Limited capacities of enforcement authorities, a lack of a holistic vision, and inadequate legislation further aggravate the problem. Apart from CITES-related offences, the number of illegal poaching instances reported in Poland every year is significant and increasing. While national legislation implementing EU law relevant to wildlife protection is in place, Poland is struggling to ensure adequate human resources in terms of volume and skills to counteract wildlife crime effectively. This may partly explain why wildlife crime is not among the major issues law enforcement entities are dealing with in Poland. Due to limited resources, these bodies do not have the capacity to follow all threads linked to wildlife crime and effectively counteract it. Moreover, some technical barriers are reported to hinder CITES enforcement. For example, enforcement officers in Poland often have difficulties with establishing the legal origin of captive-bred specimens originating from breeding operations across the EU. The difficulty is considered to stem, among others, from non-harmonised formats of documentation used as a proof of legality of the species' origin. In terms of judicial action, in the majority of CITES-related cases, Polish courts close the cases in an early phase or impose low penalties unlikely to deter commercial perpetrators. This is likely to stem from an overly rigid system of sanctions for CITES infringements embedded in the Polish Penal Code, which categorizes any breach in this respect as a crime and thus creates a risk of congestion of criminal cases in the already saturated Polish courts. According to stakeholders CITES implementation in Poland would be better if the law was more reflective of the wildlife crime specificity and trainings were provided to the judiciary sector. In what can still be largely considered a learning process, Poland's efforts against wildlife crime are based on education and public outreach. A number of dedicated trainings have been provided to public enforcement bodies dealing with wildlife protection. To tackle the demand side, awareness-raising is promoted in seminars organised in schools at different levels, as well as by glass displays in airports, border posts and other public places. In both, training and education, the role of conservationist NGOs (namely WWF Poland and PTOP 'Salamandra') has been prominent, often compensating for the constrained capacity of the public authorities in the area of wildlife crime prevention and control. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578960/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578960_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Poland URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578960/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578960_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138726 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Fajardo Del Castillo, Teresa Title: Wildlife Crime in Spain. In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: Spain is a relevant entry point to Europe as well as a country of origin and transit of wildlife crime with trade routes introducing illegal timber from Latin American and Barbary Macaques and elephants and rhino trophies from African countries as well as trade routes of eels, raptors and ivory to the Middle East and Asia. Recent police operations point to the existence of criminal groups, with organized crime infrastructures and their modus operandi. The internet is increasingly used for selling rare species outside the legal market. As examples of good practice, the Spanish Environmental Police, (SEPRONA), is one of the few specialized forces in Europe fighting environmental crime as well as its CITES Management Authorities which implement CITES and EU legislation. SEPRONA has developed and implemented day-to-day strategies against wildlife crime. Its agents have engaged in significant major wildlife crime operations, some of which have been perpetrated by organized criminal groups, however, the examined case law shows a limited number of convictions and lenient punishments due to difficulties in providing the required evidence and the resistance of judges to consider environmental crime as serious. Spain also has a specialized Prosecutor's Office that cooperates closely with CITES Management Authorities and SEPRONA. Both SEPRONA and the Spanish CITES Management Authorities cooperate with authorities of other Member States and third countries on a regular basis as well as in coordinated operations that show the importance of institutional contacts of the CITES Authorities as well as the institutional networks and agencies, such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL. This cooperation contributes to overcoming the limits of the CITES Convention and EU Regulation that in the opinion of the experts interviewed are fragmented and lack clarity. Moreover, the legal instruments at domestic and European level to fight against organized crime do not envisage environmental crime or wildlife crime, and can hardly be applied to fight them since they are destined to fight serious crimes. It is the opinion of the Spanish Management Authorities as well as the Prosecution Office that a specific legal instrument to fight wildlife crime would be most useful to overcome these problems. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578962/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578962_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Spain URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578962/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578962_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138727 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Illes, Andrea Title: Wildlife Crime in the United Kingdom. An In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: The illegal trade of wildlife is a major problem in the UK, which is a significant transit and destination country. There is a very wide range of species affected by the illegal trade, including reptiles, endangered birds and their eggs, caviars, corals, ivory from elephant and hippo and horns from rhino. The number of seizures is high; between 2009 and 2014 UK Border Forces made 2 853 seizures in total1. Nevertheless, wildlife crime covers not only illegal trade in wildlife but other illegal actions, such as poaching. Within the UK, the other most common wildlife crimes include badger persecution, bat persecution, deer and fish poaching, hare coursing and raptor persecution (NWCU, 2014). Links between wildlife crime and organised crime groups have also been identified. Organised crime and illegal wildlife trade is known to be linked to rhino horn thefts and trade, to trade in raptors and bird eggs, and to the repeated sale of traditional medicine products (Sollund and Maher, 2015, p. 24), while poaching and raptor persecution are sometimes linked to organised crime groups. At the same time, the efforts to combat wildlife crime in the UK are wide-ranging and numerous actions taken provide good practice examples that could be followed in other EU Member States. The UK government has undertaken a large number of capacity-building and cooperative actions both within the UK and with international actors. Some of the most prominent examples include the organisation of the high-level London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade where the London Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade was adopted, the establishment of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which supports projects in the developing world focusing on the reduction of demand for endangered species, and the Government's support for the Global Tiger Initiative Multi Donor Trust Fund and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). Furthermore, numerous awareness-raising campaigns have been launched with the involvement of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). The current domestic regulation on CITES, the Control of the Trade in Endangered Species (COTES) Regulation, is under review with the aim of further strengthening enforcement. There is a well-established institutional set up with various governmental actors involved in wildlife crime related issues. The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) within the UK Police Force and the UK Border Forces specialised CITES team based at Heathrow Airport play an important role in tackling wildlife crime. Furthermore, the UK Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW UK), a multi-agency group comprising representatives of statutory bodies and NGOs involved in wildlife law enforcement in the UK, is also a key player. Finally, national and international NGOs, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and the World Society for the Protection of the Animals (WSPA) also contribute to ending wildlife crime in the UK and to raising awareness of the issue. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578963/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578963_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578963/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578963_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138728 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Lauck, Elizabeth Title: Measuring Impact: Summary of Indicators for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Summary: Killing protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products (hereafter wildlife crime) are among the most severe threats to biodiversity. Globally, hundreds of millions of individual animals belonging to hundreds of species across all animal taxa are the targets of illegal harvesting and trade. Wildlife crime not only threatens the survival of focal species, but may also significantly alter ecosystem function and stability through biodiversity loss and the species introductions that are a common byproduct of this activity. High-value wildlife products are often trafficked by organized criminal syndicates and the revenue generates is known to finance violent non-state actors including terrorist groups and unsanctioned militias. Armed conflict can exacerbate wildlife crime, and wildlife crime is frequently associated with other forms of crime, such as money laundering (Loucks et al. 2009; UNODC 2012). In addition, wildlife traffickers generate insecurity in rural communities and are responsible for killing park rangers, which hurts morale and park staff recruitment. This, in turn, reduces tourism and associated revenue needed for conservation and community development. For developing countries, loss of revenue from trade, taxes, and/or tourism can be significant and particularly damaging (Rosen & Smith 2010). Additionally, the illegal trade in wildlife can introduce and/or spread pathogens endemic to the exporting regions or transmitted during transit (Gomez & Aguirre 2008). This poses a major risk to human and livestock health, with implications for food security, commerce, and labor productivity (consider recent outbreaks of Ebola virus, SARS coronavirus, and avian influenza). Despite focused efforts often lasting several decades, wildlife crime remains a global threat (Broad & Damania 2010; Sharma et al. 2014). The importance of wildlife crime as a threat to conservation and development has attracted the attention of governments, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and multilateral organizations all over the world. Strategies to combat wildlife crime depend on accurate and reliable knowledge about the status of focal species and the basic attributes of illegal wildlife supply chains;1 however, the clandestine nature of this activity, its geographic spread, the large number of people involved, and the size of the trade make analysis of status and trends, as well as measuring progress in combating it, a challenge (Blundell & Mascia 2005; UNODC 2012). A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime concludes that many of the available figures on wildlife crime "are the result of guesswork rather than of systematic analysis" (UNODC 2012). Global knowledge about wildlife crime remains fragmented and lacking in common standards, which hinders the design, implementation, and monitoring of strategies to combat it. In July 2013, President Obama issued an Executive Order on Combating Wildlife Trafficking, resulting in a National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking released February 2014. A Congressional directive required $45 million in FY2014 foreign assistance funds to combat wildlife trafficking, including a minimum of $30 million managed by USAID. The Agency has a long history of investing in programs that support compliance with and enforcement of laws and regulations to protect wildlife, and in other strategies aimed at decreasing the threats to conservation and development that stem from wildlife crime. In 2014, the Agency's Office of Forestry and Biodiversity/Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and the Environment (E3/FAB) identified a need to develop robust indicators with which to track progress on USAID's investments in combating wildlife trafficking (CWC). As part of these efforts, Measuring Impact staff developed a CWC Situation Model (Activity 2.2.3.A from the Measuring Impact FY15 work plan; Figure 1), facilitated a workshop on CWC indicators and theories of change (Activity 2.2.3.C), and will produce a final report on recommended CWC indicators (Activity 2.2.3.D). Measuring Impact also conducted a survey and analysis of existing wildlife crime indicators (Activity 3.1.2) to inform the development of USAID indicators and build the evidence base for better alignment of the Agency's monitoring efforts with best practices. This report summarizes the search strategy and main results of the survey. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KJRB.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KJRB.pdf Shelf Number: 138786 Keywords: Endangered SpeciesIllegal Wildlife Trade Organized CrimeTrafficking in Wildlife Wildlife Crime Wildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Leupen, Boyd T.C. Title: Black Spotted Turtle Trade in Asia II: A Seizure Analysis (2014-2016) Summary: The Black Spotted Turtle Geoclemys hamiltonii, native to South Asia, is a heavily trafficked chelonian, despite the presence of national laws prohibiting local trade in the species throughout its range and despite its listing in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1975, prohibiting all commercial international trade. A 2014 TRAFFIC study found that Black Spotted Turtle trade numbers had significantly increased between 2013 and 2014, with more than 1960 turtles seized in a total of 22 recorded incidents. This sudden escalation of the trade was a cause for concern and called for improved regulations and continued monitoring efforts. To understand the development of the Black Spotted Turtle trade since then, the current study was conducted, analysing seizures for the two-year period between April 2014 and March 2016. During this period, 53 Black Spotted Turtle seizures, involving a total of 10 321 specimens, have reportedly taken place. This constitutes more than two times the total number of seizures and more than five times the total number of specimens found in the 2014 study. Both the annual number of Black Spotted Turtle seizures and the annual number of specimens seized have approximately tripled between 2013 and 2015. Nevertheless, such efforts appear to vary among the different countries involved in the international Black Spotted Turtle trade chain. Black Spotted Turtle seizures were found to have taken place in 24 different locations in seven countries/territories, all of which are on the Asian continent. The highest number of seizures (n=20/38%) occurred in India, accounting for a total of 3001 (29%) specimens. These seizures occurred across the country, but appeared to be particularly abundant in the southern and eastern regions, with Chennai, a large city situated outside India's Black Spotted Turtle range, functioning as one of the country's most important collection and distribution hubs. A comparatively high number of seizures (n=12/23%) was also found to have occurred in Hong Kong SAR, accounting for a total of 1775 (17%) specimens. The Black Spotted Turtle trade is largely driven by East Asian demand. Shifting trends in China and Hong Kong SAR now indicate the species is desired as pets, where previously it was mainly sought after for its meat. These shifting trends are partly confirmed by the fact that all recorded seizures involved shipments of live animals (although in some cases large numbers of turtles were found to have died in transport). Black Spotted Turtles are primarily sourced in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and subsequently transported to East Asia, often through Southeast Asian transit hubs, particularly Thailand and Malaysia. The scale of the Black Spotted Turtle trade in Southeast Asian countries appears to be modest, but it is likely that at least part of the shipments seized there are destined for local markets. Almost half of all seizure records involved air transportation using commercial flights (n=25/47%). During the research period, at least 55 suspects were apprehended by local authorities in 55% (n=29) of the recorded seizure incidents, mostly in India (32 suspects). Conviction rates appear to be low throughout the region, with 20% of arrests reportedly resulting in a confirmed conviction. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC. Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2018. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27916134/1527420095177/Black-Spotted-Turtle-Asia-II.pdf?token=hmbp%2F8%2B%2BQMIB49r1IA3tajjLp1E%3D Year: 2018 Country: Asia URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27916134/1527420095177/Black-Spotted-Turtle-Asia-II.pdf?token=hmbp%2F8%2B%2BQMIB49r1IA3tajjLp1E%3D Shelf Number: 150615 Keywords: Black Spotted TurtleIllegal Wildlife TradeTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife CrimeWildlife SmugglingWildlife Trafficking |