Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 2:12 am
Time: 2:12 am
Results for wildlife trade
30 results foundAuthor: Verheij, Pauline Title: Reduced to Skin and Bones: An Analysis of Tiger Seizures from 11 Tiger Range Countries (2000-2010) Summary: Parts of at least 1,069 Tigers have been seized in Tiger range countries over the past decade, according to new analysis of Tiger seizures carried out by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. Reduced to Skin and Bones shows that from January 2000 to April 2010, parts of between 1,069 and 1,220 Tigers were seized in 11 of the 13 tiger range countries—or an average of 104 to 119 animals per year. Of the 11, India, China and Nepal ranked highest in the number of tiger part seizures, the report states, with India by far the highest number of Tiger part seizures at 276, representing between 469 and 533 Tigers. China, with 40, had the second highest number of seizures, or 116-124 Tigers, and Nepal reported 39 seizures, or 113-130 Tigers. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2010. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2010 at: http://www.traffic.org/species-reports/traffic_species_mammals60.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.traffic.org/species-reports/traffic_species_mammals60.pdf Shelf Number: 120278 Keywords: Offenses Against the EnvironmentPoachingWild Animal TradeWildlife CrimesWildlife Trade |
Author: Nowell, Kristin Title: Wildlife Crime Scorecard: Assessing Compliance with and Enforcement of CITES Commitments for Tigers, Rhinos and Elephants Summary: International commercial trade of elephants, rhinos and tigers – and their parts and products — is almost universally prohibited by CITES, the international endangered species trade convention, however the enforcement of this restriction remains weak. Illegal trade in ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts is of major conservation concern. While CITES mainly prohibits or regulates international trade, it has continued to expand its role to prevent illegal trade at the national level through the adoption of various “Decisions” and “Resolutions”. This is critical to ensure illegal trade at national levels does not lead to international trade dynamics that undermine the conservation of elephants, rhinos and tigers, in addition to the effectiveness of the Convention itself. The approach to each species group differs, but all include national measures to control not only international, but also internal trade in the species’ parts, derivatives and products: • For tigers, it is recommended that internal trade be “prohibited” (Res Conf. 12.5 Rev. CoP15 ); • For rhinos, it is recommended that such trade be “restricted” (Res Conf. 9.14 Rev. CoP15); • For elephants, “unregulated domestic sale of ivory [is to] to be prohibited” under the Action Plan for the Control of Trade in Elephant Ivory Decision 13.26 Rev. CoP15 Annex 2). Other common themes include strengthening law enforcement; coordination with other countries; improved data collection; enacting deterrent legal penalties for illegal trade; and raising public awareness, especially among user groups. Tigers, rhinos and elephants were the subject of renewed and substantial concern at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP15) in 2010 and the 61st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC61) in 2011, specifically in regard to the scale of illegal trade. This report, produced to coincide with the 62nd meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (in July 2012), selects 23 range, transit and consumer countries from Asia and Africa facing the highest levels of illegal trade in elephant ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts (Annex 1), and evaluates their progress since CoP15 towards compliance with and enforcement of CITES commitments for these three species groups. Countries are scored green, yellow and red to signal recent implementation effort, and indicate whether governments are moving in the right direction to curb illegal trade in these species groups, or to indicate whether they have made little progress. Recent actions underpinning the country scores are discussed, and recommendations are made for all countries to improve compliance and enforcement, but with focus on key countries identified in this assessment as urgently needing to show progress. It is important to note that illegal internal trade in these three species groups persists in virtually all of the selected countries, however this report seeks to differentiate countries where it is actively being countered from those where current efforts are entirely inadequate. It should also be noted that a green score of all three species groups does not mean that the country in question is free of wildlife crime. In many cases there are widespread problems concerning illegal trade in other species, such as reptiles and primates. Moreover, some of these countries are performing poorly in terms of other conservation governance indicators and threats to the three species groups, such as the integrity of protected areas. Details: Gland, SWIT: World Wildlife Fund, 2012. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1486859/WWF%20Wildlife%20Crime%20Scorecard%20Report[1].pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.wwf.se/source.php/1486859/WWF%20Wildlife%20Crime%20Scorecard%20Report[1].pdf Shelf Number: 125903 Keywords: Animal PoachingCITESEndangered SpeciesIllegal TradeIvoryTigers, Elephants, RhinosWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trade |
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: Ayling, Julie Title: What Sustains Wildlife Crime? Rhino Horn Trading and the Resilience of Criminal Networks Summary: The problem of illegal trading in wildlife is a long-standing one. Humans have always regarded other sentient and non-sentient species as resources and tradeable commodities, frequently resulting in negative effects for biodiversity. However, the illegal trade in wildlife is increasingly meeting with resistance from states and the international community in the form of law enforcement and regulatory initiatives. So why does it persist? What makes the criminal networks involved in it resilient? In this paper I consider the networks involved in the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn that is currently posing an existential threat to most rhino species. The paper considers possible sources of these networks' resilience, both internal and external, and the implications for how the trade could be tackled. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian National University, 2012. 22P. Source: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Working Paper 2/2012: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2012 at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2152776 Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2152776 Shelf Number: 126857 Keywords: Animal PoachingCorruptionCriminal NetworksIllegal TradeIvoryOrganized CrimeRhinosTransnational CrimeWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Raza, Rashid H. Title: Illuminating the Blind Spot: A Study on Illegal Trade in Leopard Parts in India (2001-2010) Summary: The Leopard is a widespread species in India. It is protected by national law ( and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, listed inAppendix I). However illegal trade in Leopard body parts (skin, bones, and claws) continues to threaten the survival of the species in the wild. Even though the Leopard is found all across the country there is no reliable estimate of its population. A review of literature regarding population densities of Leopard in Asia indicates that although the species may have a wide geographical range, it is unlikely to occur in relatively high abundance. Leopard-human conflict is a serious problem in India and the subcontinent and is another cause of significant mortality of Leopards. A database of seizures of Leopard body parts in India was compiled from newspaper records, supplemented by records of the State Forest departments for the years 2001-2010. The date and location of seizure, and type and quantity of Leopard parts seized were recorded. No other record of mortality, either natural or due to conflict with people was included. However, it is acknowledged that Leopards killed in conflict may end up in illegal trade. Conflict is a significant cause of mortality of Leopards and its linkages to illegal trade need to be studied in greater detail. During 2001-2010, a total of 420 incidents of seizures of Leopard body parts were reported from 209 localities in 21 out of 35 territories in India (27 States, 7 Union territories and 1 National capital territory of Delhi). Most of the States (20 out of 27) have reported seizure incidents, 123 out of 593 (21%) of districts have reported one or more seizures during the past 10 years. Another key finding is that Leopard skins dominate the illegal market of Leopard body parts: 371 (88.3%) seizure incidents involved only skins. An additional 23 (5.5%) incidents involved skins with other parts such as claws, bones or skulls. Seizures of bones are a very minor fraction whether alone or with other body parts. However, these data only reflect the trade which was detected. In order to estimate the ‘undetected’part of the trade ‘Mark-Recapture open population models*’were used. Panthera pardus Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972) Thus this database exclusively reflects reported incidents of illegal trade of Leopard body parts and probable minimum number of Leopards killed and in illegal trade. These reported seizures account for at least 1127 Leopards poached and in illegal trade. This translates to a recorded seizure of 2.2 Leopards every week. TRAFFIC undertook a study on the illegal trade in Leopard parts in India with an aim to provide, firstly, indicators of the severity of the trade in Leopard parts in India, and secondly, to identify regions where effective and enhanced enforcement measures will help to have a significant impact in curbing this trade. Details: New Delhi: TRAFFIC India, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/12_Illuminating_the_Blind_Spot.pdf Year: 2012 Country: India URL: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/12_Illuminating_the_Blind_Spot.pdf Shelf Number: 127023 Keywords: Animal PoachingEndangered SpeciesLeopardsWildlife Crime (India)Wildlife Trade |
Author: Kasterine, A. Title: The Trade in South-East Asian Python Skins Summary: South-East Asian pythons are heavily exploited for skins, food and traditional Chinese medicines, with nearly half a million python skins alone exported annually. The trade provides cash income for a large, but unknown, number of rural people across the region that collect, breed and process pythons. The high number of skins traded has raised concerns about the conservation impact of harvests upon wild python populations and the potential animal welfare issues associated with this trade. This report describes the trade flows for the five most heavily traded python species from South-East Asia (Python reticulatus, Python molurus bivittatus, P. curtus, P. brongersmai and P. breitensteini). It identifies the main points of value addition in the supply chain and considers aspects of illegality. In addition, it reviews the current understanding related to the sustainability and welfare issues regarding python harvesting for the skin trade and offers a series of recommendations to help guide relevant stakeholders, including CITES, governments, the private sector and NGOs, on improving the mechanisms by which trade operates. Details: Geneva: International Trade Centre, 2012. 74p. Source: Technical Paper: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2012 at http://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/The%20Trade%20in%20Southeast%20Asian%20Python%20Skins%20for%20web.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://www.intracen.org/uploadedFiles/intracenorg/Content/Publications/The%20Trade%20in%20Southeast%20Asian%20Python%20Skins%20for%20web.pdf Shelf Number: 127222 Keywords: Animal PoachingCITESEndangered SpeciesIllegal TradePythonsWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trade |
Author: Daly, B.G. Title: Perspectives on Dehorning and Legalised Trade in Rhino Horn as Tools to Combat Rhino Poaching Summary: This report presents the proceedings of a workshop held to assess the use of legal trade in rhino horn as a tool in combating poaching as well as a detailed assessment of the efficacy of dehorning as a deterrent to poaching. Details: Johannesburg: Endangered Wildlife Trust, 2011. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 22, 2013 at: http://www.ewt.org.za/programmes/LPP/20110301%20RhinoWorkshopReport[1].pdf Year: 2011 Country: Africa URL: http://www.ewt.org.za/programmes/LPP/20110301%20RhinoWorkshopReport[1].pdf Shelf Number: 128088 Keywords: Animal Poaching (Africa)Rhino DehorningRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife ManagementWildlife Trade |
Author: Cirelli, Maria Teresa Title: Wildlife Law in the Southern African Development Community Summary: There is a wide variety of interests to be balanced in wildlife management. These interests range from the conservation of biodiversity and specific endangered species and their habitats, to control of human-wildlife conflicts, the creation of valuable opportunities in eco-tourism or hunting tourism in response to the needs and respect of the traditions of local populations depending on hunting and other wildlife uses. As a consequence, the enactment of effective legal frameworks for sustainable wildlife management, which are able to contribute to poverty reduction and food security and at the same time protect wild animals, is a challenging task. Since 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) have launched an international dialogue on obligations and standards on wildlife management, with a focus on instruments for the legal empowerment of the poor. The initiative started with a review of the relevant legislation Western and Central Asia, which led to the publication of a set of principles on how to develop effective national legislation on sustainable wildlife management (www.fao.org/Legal/prs-ol/lpo75.pdf). A series of studies on the wildlife legislation in other regions of the world, also published on the FAO website, followed (http://www.fao.org/Legal/prs-ol/paper-e.htm). Two of these studies concern altogether twenty-seven countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper draws upon the information contained in those studies, focusing on SADC countries. Some warnings must preliminarily be given regarding the analysis that has been carried out in the studies. Although efforts have been made to ensure the completeness of the legal research, some existing legal instruments may be missing, because they were not identified or not accessible. Another inherent limitation of desk reviews of legislation is that critical information which generally rests beyond the legal texts may not be available. An adequate evaluation of legal frameworks should involve consideration many factors, such as overall government objectives and their degree of implementation (e.g., decentralization), existing administrative practices at various territorial levels and their effectiveness, experience in the implementation of existing legislation (e.g., provisions which have remained dead letter, procedures which are bypassed in practice), local customs, public perception of the role of law and authority, economic and social needs, and gender issues. This type of analysis has obviously not been possible for all countries. Part I of this paper starts with an overview of the international legal instruments related to wildlife management, including those adopted at the regional level (Part I, chapter 1). The following chapter focuses on selected themes (institutions and other stakeholders, tenure arrangements, management planning, conservation and utilization), commenting on some of the legal trends identified through country studies, including good practices as well as gaps and contradictions that have emerged (Part I, chapter 2). Common trends are then analyzed, and accompanied with suggestions for the drafting of legal provisions that may help in ensuring that sustainable wildlife management benefits the most vulnerable members of society, in particular indigenous and local communities (Part I, chapter 3). An overview of the legal framework applicable to wild animals in each of the fifteen SADC countries is presented in Part II. The presentation describes the relevant provisions that are currently in place, whether they are included in legal instruments exclusively concerning wildlife or in legislation addressing related subjects, such as environment, protected areas or forestry. Details: Budapest: International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation; Rome: FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.cic-wildlife.org/fileadmin/Press/Technical_Series/EN/9.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Africa URL: http://www.cic-wildlife.org/fileadmin/Press/Technical_Series/EN/9.pdf Shelf Number: 128180 Keywords: Wildlaw LawsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management (Southern Africa)Wildlife Trade |
Author: Duffy, Rosaleen Title: Mapping Donors: Key Areas for Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade (Africa and Asia) Summary: The wildlife trade is rapidly becoming a major international priority for governments, NGOs and private philanthropists (for example see White House, 2014). This is evidenced in the recent increase in funding made available for wildlife trade related projects. Recent examples include: USAID has committed US$40 million, Howard G. Buffett Foundation has committed US$25 million to South Africa for rhino protection, The Clinton Global Initiative has pledged to raise US$80 million (US$10 million from US Government already) and the UK Government has identified it as a major policy, with the announcement of a L10 million fund for tackling the trade. The authors mapped the donors and projects following a review of secondary and grey literature as well as relevant websites. However, such a search can only ever be considered as indicative rather than comprehensive: the range of organisations involved in conservation initiatives is complex and extensive. Further it is difficult to disaggregate projects that deal with specific species conservation (e.g. elephant or rhino) more generally, from those that specifically tackle the illegal wildlife trade - there is some inevitable overlap. The precise figures involved are also difficult to determine because of double counting, or confidentiality regarding donations. Finally, there are a number of ongoing projects which cannot be listed; they are necessarily confidential because they are aimed at uncovering various aspects of an illegal trade. From our initial assessment it appears there are four main areas: 1. Two types of funding for demand reduction initiatives: projects and campaigns 2. Funding related to rural development/CBNRM approaches is not well recognised as an effective policy response 3. Funding related to intelligence gathering, surveillance, capacity building in crime scene management is increasing as a priority 4. Funding related to counter-insurgency/security is an increasing priority Following on from this summary of current initiatives the authors were able to identify areas of weakness or gaps. 1. Need for greater understanding of the implications for community relations of a 'crime/enforcement' approach 2. Need for greater levels of intelligence sharing across states and within states 3. Rangers often coping with poor equipment and working conditions 4. The main approach to understanding the illegal wildlife trade is as a criminal activity rather than an issue of wider forms of (under)development 5. Little or no support for communities on how to resist intimidation 6. Need for capacity building in investigation skills/crime scene management 7. Need for governance related initiatives that address corruption, especially in state agencies. 8. Little understanding of the precise dynamics of demand markets/consumer motivation 9. Lack of attention to pre-emptive efforts in demand reduction and anti-poaching 10. Patterns of funding differ substantially between and within states 11. Little attention paid to transit states/networks Details: London: UK Department for International Development, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2015 at: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/18868/1/EoD_HD151_June2014_Mapping_Donors%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/18868/1/EoD_HD151_June2014_Mapping_Donors%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135813 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trade |
Author: Inskipp, Carol Title: Making a lasting impression: The impact of the UK's wildlife trade on the world's biodiversity and people Summary: Few people living in the UK are aware of how much they rely on wildlife trade. Whether we're buying bulbs from the garden centre, wood furniture from a store, or a meal from a fish and chip shop, we are not only trading in wildlife, but also making a small but lasting impression on biodiversity and communities around the world. Those who may regard this as inconsequential - there are always more fish in the sea, as the saying goes - are mistaken: many wild species used in the UK are declining, due to unsustainable harvests and trade. This threatens biodiversity, the livelihoods of those who rely on wildlife harvests as a source of income, and opportunities to use those resources in the future. This report describes the impact people in the UK have on biodiversity and livelihoods as a result of their use and trade of wild plants and animals. A general overview of the UK trade is followed by case studies on the trade in live plants used in gardening and horticulture, and in live animals for pets. The "bad news" is presented, as is the "good news" - where it exists. We also list recommendations for UK policy-makers, industry and consumers. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2003. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/lasting_impression.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/lasting_impression.pdf Shelf Number: 135904 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Shiraishi, Hiromi Title: Eel market dynamics: an analysis of Anguilla production, trade and consumption in East Asia Summary: Historically, farming and trade in East Asia involved the Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, native to the region. From the 1990s, with growing scarcity of A. japonica, large quantities of European Eel A. anguilla glass eels were also imported. Concerns over the impact international trade was having on A. anguilla led to trade in it being regulated through a listing in Appendix II of CITES in 2007, and in December 2010, the European Union banned all trade in A. anguilla from the EU. As a consequence the Americas and South-East Asia have become increasingly important sources of juvenile eels of other Anguilla species for farms in East Asia. Eel production has steadily increased worldwide over the last 30 years, mainly because of the expansion of eel-farming, which accounted for 95% of total production in 2013, according to FAO data. Eel farming is reliant on growing out juvenile eels ("glass eels") from wild stocks since breeding in captivity is not yet commercially viable. Most of this expansion took place in East Asian countries/territories, with mainland China alone responsible for nearly 85% of global eel production in 2013. However, global eel production and consumption appears to have peaked and may now be going into reverse because of declining availability of wild stocks, controls on trade in glass eels, steep price increases, and changes in consumer behaviour affected by various issues including prices and food safety. Global demand for eels of the genus Anguilla has traditionally been driven by consumption in East Asia, especially in Japan. There are wide differences between data from the FAO, which indicate that Japan's consumption has fallen over the last decade from 60% to 15% of global eel production, and from East Asian sources, which suggest that the Japanese still consumed 30-45% in 2012-2013. While Japan's role as an eel consumer appears to have declined, there has been a rising popularity in Japanese cuisine and a consequent increase in the number of Japanese restaurants offering eel dishes overseas. Meanwhile, combined trade and FAO production data from China indicate a significant increase in domestic eel consumption over the past decade, reaching an estimated 150,000 tonnes in both 2012 and 2013, although once again large data discrepancies are evident. Historically, farming and trade in East Asia involved the Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, native to the region. From the 1990s, with growing scarcity of A. japonica, large quantities of European Eel A. anguilla glass eels were also imported. Concerns over the impact international trade was having on A. anguilla led to trade in it being regulated through a listing in Appendix II of CITES in 2007, and in December 2010, the European Union banned all trade in A. anguilla from the EU. As a consequence the Americas and South-East Asia have become increasingly important sources of juvenile eels of other Anguilla species for farms in East Asia. Although less significant than Japan or mainland China, TRAFFIC's analysis also suggests that the domestic market for eels in South Korea has increased in the past decade, reportedly in response to a decline in meat consumption for health and food safety reasons. Customs trade data suggest that other important markets for eels produced in mainland China may be emerging, such as Russia, although data discrepancies make it difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the importance of any new/emerging markets. Possible reasons for discrepancies in data analysed for this report include the number of intermediaries through which they are passed prior to official reporting, a lack of comparability between Customs codes, incorrect application of Customs codes and under(over)-reporting of farming production. Many records of live eel fry imports into East Asia over the past decade have no corresponding records in exporter data. Customs and seizures data and other sources show that large quantities of eel fry have been exported illegally from Europe, the Philippines, Indonesia and also within East Asia over recent years, indicating that illegally-sourced glass eels are being used in East Asian farms. There are doubts over the legality not only of European Eels A. anguilla grown out in mainland China farms, which are continuing to be re-exported many years after glass eels could be legally sourced from the European Union, but also Japanese Eels A. japonica, which continue to be fished and traded illegally in the region. Changing farming, trade and demand dynamics are a conservation concern particularly for temperate eel species. European Eel is currently listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and Japanese Eel and American Eel A. rostrata are listed as Endangered. There are fewer data for tropical Anguilla species, but conservation concerns also exist for several of these, including A. bicolor (Near Threatened), which because of its similar taste and texture is a popular second choice when Japanese Eel and European eel are unavailable. TRAFFIC concludes its report with regionally collaborative recommendations for enhancing the traceability of sourcing, farming and trade of eels, and the development of appropriate management and conservation decisions. Details: Tokyo: TRAFFIC Japan Office, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2015 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/13/traffic-report-tries-to-pin-down-slippery-eel-trade.html Year: 2015 Country: Asia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/13/traffic-report-tries-to-pin-down-slippery-eel-trade.html Shelf Number: 136096 Keywords: EelsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Williams, Vivienne Title: Bones of Contention: An Assessment of the South African Trade in African Lion Panthera leo Bones and other Body Parts Summary: Lions are listed in Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which means international trade in live animals or body parts can only take place under a strictly controlled permit system. Prior to 2008, the only record of South Africa issuing CITES permits to export Lion skeletons was for three units to Denmark in 2001. However, Lion bone exports from South Africa have increased dramatically in recent years. From 2008 to 2011, the official number of skeletons legally exported with CITES permits totalled 1160 skeletons (about 10.8 tonnes on bones), 573 of them in 2011 alone, with 91% of them destined for Lao PDR. The North West, Free State and Eastern Cape, all home almost exclusively to captive-bred Lions, were the only provinces to issue export permits. Not all Lion bone trade in South Africa has been legal, however. In 2009, a Vietnamese national was arrested and later deported for being in possession of Lion parts without permits, while in June 2011 two Thai men were arrested after being found with 59 Lions bones. "The trophy hunting industry..is the main source of carcasses once the trophy hunter has taken the skin and skull," say the report's authors. Numbers of Lions at breeding facilities in South Africa almost doubled from 2005 to 2013 when around 6188 animals, some 68% of the national total, were in captivity, many destined for the lucrative trophy hunting industry, which generates around USD10.9 million per year. However, the report finds: "there is no economic incentive to farm Lions solely for their bones, especially given the costs involved in raising Lions and the current prices paid for skeletons." Nevertheless, the value of bones generated as a secondary by-product of the trophy hunting industry has allegedly motivated farmers to dig up previously discarded carcasses originating from trophy hunts and captive mortalities and whereas female Lions formerly had little or no trophy hunting value to breeders, the emergence of a market for bones has generated a previously overlooked value. The authors recommend Lion breeding facilities are closely monitored to restrict opportunities for abuse of the system for financial gain. The authors speculate that bone exports to Asia may be connected to Lion bone being used as a substitute for Tiger bone in tonics. In 2005, TRAFFIC found evidence that African Lion bones were an ingredient in "tiger bone strengthening" wine produced in Guilin, China, and distributed in Tiger-shaped bottles, but with Lion bones as an approved ingredient. The authors also note the difficulty of distinguishing Lion from Tiger bones. With more than 280 Tigers captive in South Africa, they recommend DNA spot checks of shipments to verify their origin and also in the report provide some guidance, based on skeletal characteristics, on how to distinguish the two species. The reports also notes the large discrepancies in information on Lions in South Africa: between 2004 and 2010, 2950 Lions were registered as having been hunted there - yet CITES export permits indicate 4088 trophies for the same period, a difference of more than 1100 trophies. Several reasons are proposed to explain the discrepancies, including specimens incorrectly described as trophies and animals not being hunted in the same year as the permits are issued. The authors recommend a number of improvements to recording systems, including development of an integrated national system for issuing permits that can be crosschecked by all enforcement and Customs officials. They also make a pragmatic blanket recommendation that measures currently in place to impede opportunities for illegal activities are strengthened across the entire supply chain from Lion breeding to skeleton exports. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2015. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2015 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/16/new-study-throws-light-on-south-africas-lion-bone-trade.html Year: 2015 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/16/new-study-throws-light-on-south-africas-lion-bone-trade.html Shelf Number: 136097 Keywords: Animal PoachingLion Bone TradeLionsWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Sollund, Ragnhild Title: Illegal wildlife trade: A case study report on the illegal wildlife trade in the United Kingdom, Norway, Colombia and Brazil Summary: Illegal Wildlife Trade [IWT], commonly positioned alongside the illegal drugs and arms trade and human trafficking, is one of the fastest growing illegal markets worldwide. The clandestine character of the IWT trade, and weak controls and enforcement, make it difficult to measure the scale of the trade, though current estimates suggest it is worth between 6 and 20 billion dollars annually. Growing awareness of the widespread impacts of the IWT has led to increased international attention in recent years, evidenced by the role the United Nations, Interpol, Europol, EU and UK have played in bringing together global leaders and stakeholders to help eradicate the trade. Research suggests the IWT contributes to civil conflict, economic loss, poverty, climate change and negatively impacts on national security and stability, state authority and biodiversity and public health. In particular, the links between the IWT and organised crime and the demise of iconic species has stimulated current international debate. This report provides an overview of a multi-method qualitative research project on the IWT in the UK, Norway, Colombia and Brazil. It identifies common and different features of the IWT in these four locations, exploring the various motivations for why people engage in the trade, the nature of the trade and types of victimisation. An overview of the response to the trade is discussed and evaluated through SWOT analysis - identifying strengths and weaknesses, and proposing suggestions for improvements. The literature review collates the salient issues addressed in relevant academic and official literature, providing a broader context for discussing the findings. The report focuses predominantly on terrestrial fauna. Findings suggest the nature of the IWT in the UK and Norway is similar. Specifically, the type of animal victims, the cost of the trade and offender motivations are consistent. However, when the response to the trade is evaluated, variations appear. Each of the case study countries address the IWT through international convention treaties and domestic legislation and enforcement, though responses are complex and diverse and their effectiveness varies considerably. Central to these variations are levels of awareness of the serious negative consequences of the IWT, political and criminal justice system support and resources, and punishment. Additionally, the integrated role of NGOs in the enforcement process and in developing other responses in the UK contrasts starkly with the insufficient enforcement response evident in Norway, Colombia and Brazil. NGOs play an important role in the UK, Colombia and Brazil in creating awareness and preventing the trade, but are almost nonexistent as stakeholders in Norway. A common theme from interviews in the case study countries is the importance of key personnel working to prevent and respond to the trade. Experts and practitioners alike show us that an effective response is one that is intelligence led, systematic, integrated and synergistic; they cite the importance of cooperation between enforcement agencies and NGOs and the necessity for increased prioritisation of these crimes by criminal justice systems Details: Oslo: University of Oslo and Treforst, Wales, UK: University of South Wales, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: A study compiled as part of the EFFACE project. http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Illegal%20Wildlife%20Trade_revised.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://efface.eu/sites/default/files/EFFACE_Illegal%20Wildlife%20Trade_revised.pdf Shelf Number: 136519 Keywords: Illegal TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Nan, Jiang Title: A Crime Pattern Analysis of the Illegal Ivory Trade in China Summary: The illegal ivory trade fuels illegal elephant poaching in both Africa and Asia. The illegal ivory trade in China is considered a key threat to the survival of the elephant species: since 2009, China has become the largest illegal ivory market in the world. Although China has uncovered a great number of cases of illegal ivory trade with the seizure of illegal ivory in the past decade, this trade is still growing. A deeper understanding of the nature and patterns of illegal ivory trade through an analysis of ivory seizure data should improve the efficiency of efforts to prevent the illegal ivory trade in China. This paper analyses data on 106 seizures of illegal ivory that was collected from Chinese news reports between 1999 and 2014, with a particular focus on its frequency and illegal trade 'hotspot' locations in China. The analysis found three illegal ivory trade cycles (2001-2005, 2006-2010, and 2011-2014) and four hotspots. Preventing the illegal ivory trade will require more international cooperation and coordination between China and other countries. Details: Acton, ACT, AUS: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Australian National University, 2015. 17p. Source: Internet Research: TEC Project Working Paper 1/2015: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC%20Working%20Paper%201-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: China URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC%20Working%20Paper%201-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136999 Keywords: Animal PoachingCrime AnalysisCrime HotspotsElephantsIllegal TradeIvoryWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Wu, Joyce Title: Humphead (Napoleon) Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus trade into and through Hong Kong Summary: Market surveys in Hong Kong and mainland China have revealed the large scale of illegal and unreported trade in Humphead Wrasse despite the introduction of regulatory measures in 2005. The Humphead Wrasse is a large, naturally rare, slow growing and high value reef fish that is usually traded live and consumed as a delicacy particularly in Hong Kong and mainland China, along with various other reef fish such as groupers and other wrasses. The study, Humphead (Napoleon) Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus trade into and through Hong Kong was published by TRAFFIC and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group (GWSG) and funded by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and The University of Hong Kong. In 2005, the Humphead Wrasse was listed in Appendix II of CITES, in order to regulate its international trade to sustainable levels through the issuing of export permits by source countries, while Hong Kong also requires import permits for CITES II listed species. According to UNEP-WCMC data, the official global database for trade in CITES-listed species, Indonesia and Malaysia are the main exporters of Humphead Wrasse, although only Indonesia currently issues CITES export permits; Malaysia set its export quotas for live Humphead Wrasse to zero in 2010 and for all Humphead Wrasse to zero in 2015. Traders also told the report's authors that significant numbers of Humphead Wrasse are sourced from the Philippines, as also claimed by a number of e-commerce websites. However, according to the CITES trade data only three live fish have been exported from the Philippines. An official CITES document tabled in 2010 identified Hong Kong and mainland China as the principal destinations for Humphead Wrasse, and although no trade between the two is reported to CITES, it is recorded by Hong Kong's AFCD. Despite this lack of reported trade involving mainland China, surveys by the report's authors of physical seafood markets in Shenzhen in May and June 2015 and e-commerce websites found at least 15 companies claiming to sell live, chilled or frozen Humphead Wrasse, 12 of them located in mainland China. In Hong Kong, monthly surveys of the three biggest fish markets carried out by a team from Hong Kong University during the study recorded a total of 1,197 live Humphead Wrasse between November 2014 and December 2015. There is usually a short turnaround time (around two weeks) between import and sale of live Humphead Wrasse, making it highly unlikely that those observed on sale had been imported in earlier years. Figures obtained from Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong's CITES Management Authority, showed the import of just 150 Humphead Wrasse during the whole of 2014. However, more than that total, 157, were observed by the University team during November and December 2014 alone. Details: Hong Kong: TRAFFIC, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/26918241/1458157598657/Humphead-Wrasse-Hong-Kong-trade.pdf?token=oqIRqOqDbkxaCMmq11C1FTGP7nU%3D Year: 2016 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/26918241/1458157598657/Humphead-Wrasse-Hong-Kong-trade.pdf?token=oqIRqOqDbkxaCMmq11C1FTGP7nU%3D Shelf Number: 138345 Keywords: Endangered SpeciesFisheriesIllegal TradeWhalesWildlife CrimesWildlife Trade |
Author: Krishnasamy, Kanitha Title: Trading Faces: A Rapid Assessment on the use of Facebook to Trade Wildlife in Peninsular Malaysia Summary: The rapid growth and widespread use of social media has allowed these new platforms to facilitate wildlife trade, both legal and illegal. Market leader Facebook was the first social network site to exceed the one billion marker of user accounts just eight years into its existence. In Malaysia, over 80% of the internet users are reportedly active on Facebook. Given its popularity and scope, it is not surprising that this site is being used to conduct illicit wildlife trade. The threat of undetected illegal online wildlife trade is real and very relevant and is further compounded by the internet's ability to reach a wide audience within a short time frame. It is suspected that the use of online social networks to conduct wildlife trade is increasingly common. Although reports on the misuse of the internet for the trade in illegal wildlife exist, there has been a distinct paucity of research that examines the prevalence of such trade on access-limited social media sites. Where research does exist, it is often unable to quantify the scale of this trade comprehensively. With this in mind, TRAFFIC undertook a rapid assessment to monitor wildlife trade occurring on 14 Facebook groups in Peninsular Malaysia, conducted over approximately 50 hours during a five month period (November 2014 - March 2015). The majority of the groups investigated were "Closed", meaning only members of that group can view activity on its page. At the time of monitoring, there were 67 532 active members in these 14 groups, one of which was particularly substantial, with over 21 000 members. In total, 236 individual posts of live wild animals being offered for sale were captured and documented from the 14 Facebook groups during the assessment period (an average of 30 minutes a day), with an average of 47 posts per month. A minimum of 311 and a maximum of 380 individual animals from 80 different species were observed for sale. The highest proportions of wildlife recorded were birds (44%), followed by reptiles (34%) and mammals (22%). Close to half of the trade recorded is deemed to be illegal, involving 39 species for which trade is prohibited in Peninsular Malaysia. All animals offered were live, with posts sometimes referring to them as "tame", indicating a proclivity for the pet trade. International Protection Eighty six percent (n=69) of all traded species found during this assessment are governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which means international trade in these species is either regulated or prohibited. Ten of the CITES-listed species, with a minimum of 24 individual animals, are listed in CITES Appendix I where international commercial sale in wild-caught specimens is prohibited. Notably, 80% of the non-native species recorded in trade (25 of the 69) are listed on CITES, involving a minimum of 50 animals, meaning any trade in these animals requires a CITES permit. Six of these are listed on CITES Appendix I including four Critically Endangered species such as the Ploughshare Tortoise Astrochelys yniphora; it is considered to be the rarest tortoise in the world with only a few hundred adult individuals left in the wild in its native Madagascar. National Protection Ninety three percent (n=74) of all traded species found during this assessment have legal protection in Peninsular Malaysia. Almost half (49%) of all species observed in trade are considered "Totally Protected" by the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 in Peninsular Malaysia, meaning domestic trade is prohibited. Over 60% (n= 49) of all species recorded in trade are native to Malaysia. Significantly, this assessment reveals an unprecedented level of trade in 18 native mammal species, driven primarily by the demand for pets, collector's items and breeding stock. This includes the Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus, Sunda Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang, White-handed Gibbon Hylobates lar and Smooth Otter Lutrogale perspicillata and involved a minimum of 83 and a maximum of 101 animals. Trade in these animals is strictly prohibited in Peninsular Malaysia. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2016 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2016/3/3/facebook-groups-malaysias-new-wildlife-trade-marketplace.html Year: 2016 Country: Malaysia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2016/3/3/facebook-groups-malaysias-new-wildlife-trade-marketplace.html Shelf Number: 138532 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife CrimeWildlife ProtectionWildlife Trade |
Author: Economists at Large Title: Horn of Contention: A review of the literature on the economics of trade in Rhino horn Summary: Poaching of rhinos in Southern Africa has increased dramatically in recent years. There is considerable debate within policy circles and the conservation movement as to the best policy response to increased poaching. Because many of the factors driving poaching and illegal trade in rhino horn are economic, many stakeholders are looking to economics for potential policy responses. In particular, there are suggestions that a legalised, heavily regulated trade in rhino horn could reduce rates of poaching. This paper is a review of studies on the economics of trade in endangered wildlife in general and on rhino horn in particular. Two studies reviewed are from formal academic literature and another four are less formal articles or "grey literature". The formal studies are from peer-reviewed journals, but do not explicitly address the recent increase in rhino poaching. The grey literature are less rigorous, but have the benefit of focussing on recent events in Africa. The formal studies suggest that predicting the outcome of liberalising trade is complex and difficult to determine. Although it may decrease pressure on poaching, as rhino horn becomes increasingly supplied through the non-lethal legal trade, there is also a real risk that trade could drive an increase in poaching through any combination of five mechanisms: - Through legal and illegal markets coexisting and interacting in complex ways. - Through reducing the stigma attached to consumption of the product. - By potentially reducing the supply costs of illegal supply. - By potentially facilitating the laundering of illegal supply in with legal supply. - As a result of uncertainty around the response of illegal suppliers to competition from a legal market. The articles from the grey literature are all overtly pro-trade, generally assuming that: - Legal markets will "hijack" consumers from illegal markets and that legal and illegal horn would be perfectly substitutable. - Stigma effects are small and that efforts to reduce demand through education and information would be ineffective. - Increased surveillance funded by rhino horn sales would increase poaching costs. - Technical advances such as DNA technology would minimise laundering. - Smugglers with market power would respond to the introduction of a legal trade passively, accepting reduced sales, rather than competing to retain market share. Little empirical evidence is offered to support these views. Under certain conditions these assumptions may hold, but it is unclear if these conditions are in place in either supplying or consuming countries. We suggest further research should be undertaken before any formal steps are taken towards legalising trade in rhino horn. Details: Yarmouth, MA: International Fund for Animal Welfare, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2016 at: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/Horn-of-Contention.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/Horn-of-Contention.pdf Shelf Number: 139137 Keywords: Animal PoachingAnimal SmugglingIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryRhinocerosWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Nijman, Vincent Title: In Full Swing: Assessment of Trade in Orangutans and Gibbons on Java and Bali, Indonesia Summary: This report presents an assessment of the trade in seven species of gibbon and two species of orang-utan on the islands of Java and Bali. Java and Bali are the economic, industrial and political centres of the Republic of Indonesia. Both islands are densely populated, with an average population density of around 900 people / km2, and although small in area compared to many other islands in the republic, half of the nation's human population resides on Java and Bali. Several species of gibbon in Indonesia, for instance Kloss' Gibbon Hylobates klossi of the Mentawai Islands or the Javan Gibbon H. moloch, are threatened by habitat loss, hunting and capturing, as are both the Sumatran Orang-utan Pongo abelii and Bornean Orang-utan P. pygmaeus. Since Indonesia's transition from the autocracy of Soeharto to a democracy, illegal logging has accelerated and in large parts of the country, forest is being lost at an alarming rate. This puts the survival of those species that fully depend on forest at risk, including all species of gibbon and both species of orang-utan. Trade in these species, and the associated loss of individuals in the process of capturing and trade, may exacerbate these risks. On Java, and to a lesser extent Bali, protected species are widely kept as pets, and, despite being legally protected since 1931, gibbons and orang-utans are no exceptions. Given the precarious situation of gibbons and orang-utans in Indonesia, and the economic importance of Java and Bali, it was considered imperative to gain a greater insight into the severity of the trade in these primates, as well as how the Indonesian conservation authorities and local Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), try to curb this trade. To this end, data was collected from a variety of sources: bird markets (where despite the name, a large range of wildlife species other than birds are traded, including gibbons and orang-utans); from the regional offices for the conservation of natural resources (data on confiscations, prosecutions, and pets that are registered); wildlife rescue centres, rehabilitation centres and zoological gardens (as the facilitator for confiscated and donated gibbons and orang-utans); and local NGOs (as monitors of the trade). In all, data was collected on 559 individuals from at least nine species (249 Hylobates gibbons, 142 Siamangs Symphalangus syndactylus and 168 orang-utans). Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2005. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://wildlifetraderesearch.org/files/r9_nijman_infullswing_traffic_2005.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Indonesia URL: http://wildlifetraderesearch.org/files/r9_nijman_infullswing_traffic_2005.pdf Shelf Number: 139319 Keywords: Illegal LoggingOrangutansWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Tournier, marin Title: Countering Illegal Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia: A critical comparison of the leading strategies and their corresponding initiatives. Summary: This study provides a critical comparison of the leading strategies to mitigate illegal wildlife trade across Southeast Asia, designated in the paper as Enforcement and Awareness initiatives. The purpose of this comparison is to determine the differences and similarities of those initiatives regarding their respective approaches, effectiveness to tackle illegal wildlife trade and influential parameters. In the first part, the paper examines Enforcement and Awareness initiatives based on the initiatives' underlying theories, literature and case studies. It reveals the presence of common characteristics summarised under four thematic points: (1) the complexity, (2) velocity, (3) adaptability and (4) scope of an initiative. In a second stage, the study provides an analysis of the empirical findings collected according to the thematic area previously presented. Evidence for this study was obtained from interviews and observations made in the context of an internship. Thanks to the thematic analysis, the paper approves the presence of specificities and similarities between Enforcement and Awareness initiatives and suggests the consideration of two parameters essential for the success of the initiatives: (1) the governmental authorities' commitment to participate in the conduct of Enforcement or Awareness-related activities and (2) the involvement of non-governmental actors ensuring an efficient conduct. Details: Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala Universitet, 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Master thesis in Sustainable Development 234: Accessed July 18, 2016 at: http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:822507/FULLTEXT01.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Asia URL: http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:822507/FULLTEXT01.pdf Shelf Number: 139648 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: De Wet, Neil J. Title: The South African regulatory framework relating to illegal trade in rhino horn Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the current South African regulatory framework related to the illegal trade in wildlife, provides the means to regulate the illegal trade in rhino horn effectively. In an effort to combat and eradicate the illegal trade in wild species and parts therein, South Africa has enacted numerous laws and it has ratified various international conservation Conventions. However, with more than 800 rhinos having been killed in 2013 alone, it is doubtful whether these laws and conventions are adequate. The first chapter is an introductory chapter summarising the latest statistics on rhinos fatalities as a result of poaching, an estimate on their numbers as well giving a brief overview of what laws and conventions will be discussed in this study. In the second chapter the historical development of the trade in rhino horn is dissected, who the culprits are and the reason why rhinos are poached for their horn. The third chapter analyses international conventions that have been adopted by South Africa, including conventions such as the Convention on International Trade in Enangered Species, the Convention on Biological Diversity and agreements such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The fourth chapter will focus more on the regional contributions which the African Union and Southern African Developing Community have made in an effort to combat the illegal trade in endangered species and their products such as rhino. The fifth and final chapter discusses South African legislation which comprises of the National Environmental Management Act, National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act, National Environmental Management Protected Areas Act and the Criminal Procedure Act so as to determine what influence it has had in the effort to regulate the illegal trade in rhino horn. The conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that the South African regulatory framework on paper is indeed adequate enough to regulate and even eradicate the illegal trade in rhino horn. The reason, however, for it's currently failure is attributable to a lack of enforcement of these measures as a result of a lack of provisions holding entities accountable. Details: Potchefstroom, South Africa: North-West University, 2014. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 18, 2016 at: http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/144/1441177074.pdf Year: 2014 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/144/1441177074.pdf Shelf Number: 139649 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeIvoryRhinoWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Xu, Ling Title: An Overview of Pangolin Trade in China Summary: KEY points: t All Asian and African pangolin species are listed in CITES Appendix II, and a zero export quota for the international commercial trade of the four Asian pangolin species is in place; t China has regulated the use of pangolin scales. Since 2007, pangolin scales can only be used for clinical applications at designated hospitals and manufacturing of Chinese patented medicines. During the 2008-2015 period, the average annual legal consumption of pangolin scales in China was 26 600 kg; t In June/July 2016, 35% of animal medicine wholesalers, 62% of TCM retail shops, and 153 online advertisements were found to be illegally selling pangolin scales. Most illegal pangolin scales sold at markets in China were from Southeast Asian countries, followed by African countries; t Between 2007 and 2016, there were 209 pangolin seizures in China; 2405 live pangolins, 11 419 dead pangolins and 34 946 kg of scales were seized. Amongst these, Malaysia, Indonesia and Viet Nam were major source countries for whole pangolins; while main sources for smuggled pangolin scales were Nigeria, Cameroon and Myanmar. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2016. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: TRAFFIC Briefing: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27254615/1474377211627/Pangolin-trade-in-China-briefing-paper.pdf?token=2e3bmKXfZdrTcqkTP83Tf78OAXM%3D Year: 2016 Country: China URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27254615/1474377211627/Pangolin-trade-in-China-briefing-paper.pdf?token=2e3bmKXfZdrTcqkTP83Tf78OAXM%3D Shelf Number: 146125 Keywords: Endangered SpeciesIllegal Wildlife TradePangolinWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Gomez, Lalita Title: Observations of the illegal pangolin trade in Lao PDR Summary: Pangolins are the most heavily trafficked mammal in the world. All eight extant pangolin species are currently listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), prohibiting any uncertified international trade. In addition, a zero quota for CITES exports of all four Asian species was established in 2000. Despite these measures, pangolins continue to be threatened by increasing levels of illegal wildlife trade. Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is known to play an important role in the international wildlife trade and is a range country for two pangolin species, Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica, and Chinese Pangolin M. pentadacytla. Its wildlife laws currently fail to protect non-native pangolin species and do not meet the requirements for the effective implementation of CITES. In addition to having weak legislation, Lao PDR is strategically located next to China, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam and forms an important transit hub for these countries, which all have an active wildlife trade profile for aspects of supply, transit and end-use demand. This report explores Lao PDR's role in the illegal pangolin trade and discusses the findings of two market surveys, conducted in several locations as well as the outcomes of an analysis of pangolin seizures that involved Lao PDR as either an origin, transit, seizure or destination country between 2010 and 2015. Opportunistic market surveys were conducted between April 2016 and July 2016 within seven cities in the northern regions of Lao PDR. An estimated total of 2734 pangolin scales were found in 13 shops at these different locations. The largest quantity of scales was observed in Luang Prabang, with an estimated 1200 scales found in two shops. Prices for pangolin scales ranged from USD1/ (small) piece to USD1/gram, with large scales sometimes weighing as much as 20 grams. Lao PDR's pangolin trade appeared to be mainly focused on a Chinese clientele in the areas surveyed. Shop owners and employees were predominantly of Chinese ethnicity and prices were often given in Chinese Yuan (CNY). In Luang Prabang and Vientiane, pangolin products were mostly found in popular tourist spots, alongside other illegal wildlife products such as elephant ivory and rhino horn. Forty-three reported pangolin seizures involving Lao PDR were recorded between 2010 and 2015, involving an estimated 5678 pangolins. Most of these seizures involved shipments being smuggled into the country from Thailand and out to China and/or Viet Nam. In five incidents shipments were confirmed to originate from Africa, confirming the increasing occurrence of African-sourced pangolin trade which complements and substitutes supply from the four declining Asian species. The large discrepancy between observed local trade and the seizure records confirms Lao PDR's role as a transit country in the international pangolin trade. Improved control of Lao PDR's pangolin trade will be an essential step in reducing the global pangolin trade. In order to achieve this, TRAFFIC recommends the following: CITES and national legislation - Proposals to list all eight pangolin species in Appendix I of CITES should be supported at CoP17 (i.e. Proposals 8 and 12) as this places an overall higher degree of international protection, and will enhance efforts to safeguard pangolins and support regulatory control mechanisms by non-range States. - National legislation requires urgent improvement to enable effective law enforcement, which is currently ineffectual due to weaknesses in the law that prevent arrests, prosecutions and convictions. Currently considered a Category 3 country by the CITES National Legislation Project, meaning that its "legislation (...) is believed generally not to meet the requirements for the implementation of CITES", Lao PDR needs to amend its national wildlife laws to incorporate CITES implementing legislation, including legislation protecting all species of pangolins not native to the country and providing for stricter deterrents / penalties for serious wildliferelated offences, especially when perpetrated through organized groups, transnationally and repetitively. Law Enforcement - Law enforcement capacity should be enhanced to improve proactive investigation into international wildlife crime in general and the pangolin trade in particular. Multi-agency collaboration, both at national and international levels, should be enhanced to tackle the international and organized criminal networks involved in smuggling pangolins across Lao PDR's borders. This should include members of Lao PDR Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN), notably the environmental police, Customs, the Department of Forest Inspections (DOFI), prosecutors and judges, to investigate mid-high profile cases that involve organized and transboundary activities. - Increased surveillance of trade in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and in the other trade "hotspots" identified in this report is also needed. - Increased prosecution rates including more severe penalties should be realized in order to deter potential wildlife criminals. - Lao PDR should aim to improve its reporting to the CITES Secretariat as per the new annual illegal trade reporting requirements i.e. CITES Notification 007 that was issued in February 2016. Seizure reports, including comprehensive accounts of actions and outcomes, specifics of seizure and prosecution details are imperative to the analysis of the country's wildlife trade levels and trends, and, eventually, a better understanding of the international illegal wildlife trade. - Better co-operation and co-ordination between the Customs agencies of Lao PDR and Thailand is required in order to increase detection rates along the Lao-Thai border (which has proven to be a crucial transit point in the international pangolin trade). - Better co-operation and co-ordination is also needed between Lao PDR and China and Viet Nam, which should include extra vigilance concerning exports from Lao PDR to these two countries. - In the case of Chinese citizens caught smuggling wildlife products from Lao PDR into China, or involved in illegal purchase, sale or transport of protected species in Lao PDR, moving seizures and apprehension of suspects to prosecution (in both Lao PDR and China) would help increase deterrents to illegal wildlife trade. Future Research - Continued research into Lao PDR's role in the international illegal wildlife trade in general, and the pangolin trade in particular, is needed in order to obtain a current and improved understanding of the trade levels and dynamics in this crucial transit hub. Such research should include seizure analyses and market monitoring, especially in SEZs. - Beyond Lao PDR, additional research into the global pangolin trade will help guide law enforcement efforts, with the goal of improving the effectiveness of interventions. Such research should include: 1) continued research into the Asian pangolin trade, including seizure and trade route analyses, and drivers of demand; 2) increased research into the trade of African pangolin species to Asia, including seizure and trade route analyses, and drivers of demand. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2016. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27258781/1474607479773/Pangolin-trade-Lao-PDR.pdf?token=Q0LsZOB5mA8Ov0Pk57W25nPfOSk%3D Year: 2016 Country: Asia URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27258781/1474607479773/Pangolin-trade-Lao-PDR.pdf?token=Q0LsZOB5mA8Ov0Pk57W25nPfOSk%3D Shelf Number: 147817 Keywords: Endangered SpeciesIllegal Wildlife Trade Pangolin Wildlife Crime Wildlife Trade |
Author: Sinovas, P. Title: Ecuador's Wildlife Trade Summary: This report provides a comprehensive overview of wildlife trade in Ecuador, focusing on the ten-year period 2004-2014. The exact time-frame of trade varies slightly depending on the different data sources used. The aim of this analysis is to provide a baseline of trade levels and trends in Ecuador, and to inform future trade management in the country in order to ensure that wildlife trade is legal, sustainable and traceable. Ecuador has one of the highest diversities of amphibian species in the world and has a high concentration of threatened species. The production of amphibians for the pet trade is an emerging market in Ecuador, with an average of around 500 live frogs being exported per year in recent years for the pet market, with approximately a third of them being CITES-listed species (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). The main species involved were Ceratophrys stolzmanni (Pacific Horned Frog) and Epipedobates anthonyi (Anthony's Poison-Arrow Frog), while the main destination countries of this trade were the United States of America, the Netherlands and Canada. In addition, Lithobates catesbeianus, (Bullfrog) a non-native species, was exported by Ecuador to the United States in volumes of over 400,000 per year for the food market. Approximately 9,000 tonnes of by-caught sharks are landed per year in Ecuador. Most of their meat is destined for the domestic market, while relatively small amounts are exported to the United States, Spain, Japan and other countries. Virtually all of the fins, amounting to a total of about 200 tonnes per year in recent years, are exported to mainland China and Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China (henceforth referred to as Hong Kong SAR). The main species captured are Alopias pelagicus (Pelagic Thresher), Prionace glauca (Blue Shark) and Carcharinus falciformis (Silky Shark). Captures also include two species listed in the CITES Appendices of the 16th Conference of the Parties (CoP16): Sphyrna lewini (Scalloped Hammerhead Shark) and S. zygaena (Smooth Hammerhead Shark), even if recent legislation limits the amount of bycatch that can be landed for these species. The ornamental fish trade often goes unreported and data are lacking on their taxonomic details and origins. Although trade data on ornamental fish is scarce, the United States reported the import of 1.3 million ornamental fish from Ecuador per year, largely recorded as unspecified tropical freshwater species, showing a declining trend over the ten years (2005-2014). Sea cucumber fishing started in the 1990's in the Galapagos Islands, with harvests and exports concentrating on Isostichopus fuscus (Brown Sea Cucumber). After being listed in Appendix III by Ecuador in 2003, the species was the top CITES-listed taxon in terms of number of individuals exported by Ecuador between 2005 and 2014, with over 1.5 million individuals shipped during that period. Virtually all exports were destined for China. However, trade has been banned in recent years as a result of population over-exploitation. Whilst domestic demand accounted for the majority of timber production by Ecuador between 2010 and 2014, the international trade was an important part of the market. Timber exports amounted to about 87,000 m3 per year on average between 2012 and 2014, with India being the main destination of timber exported by Ecuador and cultivated Tectona grandis (Teak) the main species. Ecuador's extremely diverse orchid flora was one of the most highly traded wildlife groups in Ecuador, averaging over 46,000 plants per year between 2004 and 2015. Almost all were artificially propagated and around three quarters reached Germany, the United States, Japan and Canada. Over 250 genera were reported in trade by Ecuador, with genera Masdevallia, Cattleya and Pleurothallis accounting for more than 25% of exports. Trade in Appendix I was dominated by Phragmipedium species. The wildlife trade in Ecuador has a minimum estimated value of US $35 million a year. Most of this value (US $29 million) is represented by the export of timber. Excluding these timber/processed wood commodities, shark exports were the next most valuable commodity, with an average of US $3.4 million per year. Forty CITES-listed species occurring in Ecuador showed noteworthy trends (high volume and/or sharp increase) in global exports of wild or ranched specimens in 2012. Birds were the group with the highest number of species showing noteworthy trends, with fourteen species meeting the selection criteria. Of these forty species, only three were reported in trade by Ecuador during the period 2003- 2012: Swietenia macrophylla (Big-leaf Mahogany), Cedrela odorata (Spanish Cedar) and Isostichopus fuscus (Brown Sea Cucumber). According to CITES, over 800 species native to Ecuador were reported in trade between 2004 and 2013, both as wild-sourced and captive-bred or artificially propagated. Two species which are thought to be endemic to Ecuador were traded as captive-bred and artificially propagated by countries that are not in their distribution range (non-range). The majority of these species are not utilized by Ecuador for international trade, and may represent an opportunity for the development of additional wildlife sustainable use systems in the country. Details: Quito, Ecuador: Ministry of Environment of Ecuador; Bonn: German Development Cooperation, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: English translation of the technical report prepared for the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ). UNEP-WCMC: Accessed October 11, 2016 at: https://www.unep-wcmc.org/system/comfy/cms/files/files/000/000/808/original/Ecuador%C2%B4s_wildlife_trade.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Ecuador URL: https://www.unep-wcmc.org/system/comfy/cms/files/files/000/000/808/original/Ecuador%C2%B4s_wildlife_trade.pdf Shelf Number: 145415 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeNatural ResourcesThreatened SpeciesWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Sy, Emerson Y. Title: Trading Faces: Utilisation of Facebook to Trade Live Reptiles in the Philippines Summary: The trade in live reptiles as pets has increased significantly in the last three decades with Asian countries playing an increasing role as important trade hubs and consumers. In the Philippines, all non-native and native reptile species are protected under the Wildlife Act of 2001 and enthusiasts are required to obtain permits to keep reptiles legally. Physical markets were traditionally the main source of live reptiles, but some illegal wildlife traders suspected to have been displaced by successful enforcement actions have increasingly turned to online platforms to continue their illicit trading activities. Facebook is an immensely popular social networking website with more than 47 million active monthly users in the Philippines. Recognising the increasing importance of Facebook in live reptile trade, TRAFFIC researchers conducted a three-month survey from June-August 2016 to elucidate current trade dynamics, analyse trends, and identify areas for future work. CITES trade data for non-native reptiles imported to the Philippines from 2005-2016 were also analysed to determine species and quantities imported into the country over the 12-year period. A total of 2245 unique live reptile advertisements representing 115 taxa and a minimum of 5082 individuals were posted by 1046 traders in 90 pre-selected Facebook groups. The cumulative membership (i.e. summed membership without removing people who were members of multiple groups) in the 90 Facebook groups at the beginning of the survey was 359 328, but quickly increased by 11% within three months. The estimated potential value of all advertised reptiles recorded during this study was PHP26 451 345 (USD570 148). The results of this study were shared by TRAFFIC with the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and Facebook to augment their trade data and for follow-up action. The top 10 most commonly-traded species alone accounted for 82% of all animals recorded to be offered for sale on Facebook. Thirty four percent of traded taxa are native and legally protected in the Philippines, including the two Critically Endangered Philippine Forest Turtles Siebenrockiella leytensis offered. Practically all available native specimens found for sale were likely collected illegally from the wild since there are no credible commercial captive breeding programmes in the country. Based on current Philippine wildlife law and regulations, at least 80% of documented online traders in this study were deemed involved, knowingly or otherwise, in illegal trading activities. Research also showed that within Metro Manila, the preferred method of parties to finalise a transaction is to meet at a pre-arranged place such as at the trader's residence, pet center or train station. Philippines also reported the import of 6078 live non-native reptiles representing 72 taxa, from 25 countries between 2005-2016. Fifty two percent of taxa (n = 60) available in trade were internationally regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Five non-native CITES Appendix I-listed reptiles, representing 36 animals were also recorded for trade in the 90 Facebook groups. None of them had importation records, according to the BMB, and were therefore traded illegally. This includes the 20 Critically Endangered Radiated Tortoises Astrochelys radiata endemic to Madagascar and the seven Endangered Big-headed Turtles Platysternon megacephalum. Further, 33 non-native CITES Appendix II-listed species were also offered for sale on Facebook. Of these, 28 individuals from eight species had no importation records since 1981, meaning they were very likely acquired and being traded illegally. The availability of non-native species, including CITES Appendix I-listed taxa, without legal importation records suggests smugglers exploited loopholes in the implementation of Philippine wildlife and Customs rules and regulations. The weak implementation of wildlife law and corruption, where there have been recent reported cases with airport personnel facilitating trade, are factors affecting wildlife trade governance at seaports and airports. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) anti-illegal wildlife trade efforts will continue to be undermined unless import/export loopholes are addressed and those individuals involved are held accountable to the full extent of the law. The trade also directly threatens native and endemic reptiles due to unabated wildlife poaching throughout the country. Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27803939/1516283835030/Facebook-Reptile-Trade-Philippines.pdf?token=CejcV%2BesSUguyxJBC0RKP5hWCVc%3D Year: 2018 Country: Philippines URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27803939/1516283835030/Facebook-Reptile-Trade-Philippines.pdf?token=CejcV%2BesSUguyxJBC0RKP5hWCVc%3D Shelf Number: 148958 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal TradeIllegal Wildlife TradeReptilesSocial MediaWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: EMS Foundation Title: The Extinction Business: South Africa's 'Lion' Bone Trade Summary: For more than a decade, South Africa has been actively supporting and growing the international trade in big cat bones, despite local and international outrage and condemnation from conservation and protection organisations, lion scientists, and experts. In 2017, South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, controversially, and in the face of vociferous opposition and robust arguments against this trade, set the annual export quota at 800 lion skeletons. Even more alarmingly, Molewa, without stakeholder participation, took the incomprehensible decision to almost double the quota in 2018 to 1,500 skeletons. On July 11th 2018, the person in charge of the quota at the DEA told us categorically that no quota had been set for 2018. A few days later the DEA was forced to make a public announcement about the 2018 lion bone quota following a public outcry when a letter from Molewa, dated June 7th 2018, informing the provinces of the new quota allocation, was leaked. The undeclared reasons behind government's decision to conceal this information from interested and affected parties needs to be brought to light and interrogated. The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) justified its decision to dramatically increase the quota on a single government commissioned interim study which, from the get-go guaranteed a skewed outcome, particularly because of the inclusion of outspoken pro-trade economist, Michael 't Sas-Rolfes, in the small research team. The report itself admitted that the findings were based on insufficient data and that "further avenues need to be explored". By no stretch of the imagination can this interim study translate into a conclusive scientific justification for a lion bone quota, and even less, an increase of the quota. Notably, some of the researchers involved in this study have distanced themselves from the decision-making process around the 2018 quota, stating that all the decisions were made by the Scientific Authority and the DEA, and that the researchers provided no input on what the quota should, or should not, be. They specifically added that "The wording of that quota letter via NW [NorthWest] is a bit unclear concerning our involvement...we provided no input on what the quota should, or should not, be. We correctly excluded ourselves from this process." In the last 18 months, the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading have been gathering extensive information and investigating South Africa's international 'lion' bone trade. This data has provided the basis of our Report, The Extinction Business: South Africa's 'Lion' Bone Trade. The South African captive big cat industry is a pariah and it is under severe local and international scrutiny. Hunting associations that support the trophy killing of captive bred lions have been sidelined by international hunting associations and organisations. Instead of working with all the stakeholders to limit and close down the industry, South Africa is steadfastly supporting it. It is facilitating its conversion into an even crueler industry: captive breeding and farming lions so they can be slaughtered solely to feed the problematic big cat bone trade in Southeast Asia. This is evidenced by the emergence of lion slaughterhouses in South Africa as well as the fact that we have clear evidence that 91% of the 'lion' skeletons exported from South Africa in 2017 included skulls. Thus showing that South Africa's lion bone trade is not a by-product of an existing industry (i.e. trophy hunting) but an entirely separate industry. Consequently, a trade in wild animal body parts, with links to international criminal networks, in countries where they are attempting to lower demand for big cat body parts, is being stimulated. Alarmingly, the Minister is unpersuasively attempting to argue that this abhorrent and destructive industry is a sustainable, and ethical alternative to trophy hunting. By doing so, true conservation efforts that should benefit wild animals in this country, as well as its citizens, are being undermined. A ban on the captive breeding of lions and tigers will bring an end to this unacceptable and brutal South African industry. The DEA, however, refuses to recognise this and instead, for inexplicable reasons, chooses to intensify its support for an industry that is tarnishing Brand South Africa's image. South Africa's tourism industry is suffering reputational damage, and this will, in turn, have a negative impact on South Africa's economy and job creation. A vast number of individuals rely on continued employment in the tourism sector, and their livelihoods are in the firing line in order to benefit only the few predatory elite in the 'lion' bone trade. When it comes to the economics of the 'lion' bone trade on the South African side - after all, this is what is driving the trade - there is almost nothing in the public domain about the modalities of the industry and/or the processes and mechanisms of how the money flows along the entire supply chain. Access to this information and transparency is crucial, not only to understanding the nature of the trade, but in gaining insights into the illegal trafficking links. The South African government urgently needs to open up this industry, and its participants, to public scrutiny so that it can be fully and accurately interrogated, understood, and the money trail monitored. The illegal trade in wild animals, which is not only devastating animal communities and consuming huge financial resources, cannot be adequately tackled without addressing the significant loopholes in the existing legal trade multilateral agreements, i.e. CITES. Drawing upon hundreds of CITES export permits, issued by South Africa's conservation agencies, this Report examines and investigates substantial problems and endemic loopholes in the CITES permitting, enforcement and oversight system. It further demonstrates the failings of South Africa's national policies and procedures, all of which translate into a convergence of the legal and illegal trade in wild animal. Systemic weakness in the international wild animal trade permitting regimen, particularly in South Africa and Asia as illustrated in this Report, not only add to wild animal trafficking, but also undermine any efforts to address the illegal trade. It is also clear that transnational wild animal trafficking networks and crimes perpetrated against wild animals cannot be disrupted without examining the legal and regulated trade, and the supply and demand chain thereof. Indeed, the critical mechanism to disrupt transnational organised wildlife crime is to critique and amend the legal trade. Our findings reveal that: - There are substantial loopholes in the CITES permitting system itself; Merely complying with the CITES Treaty is insufficient and is a threat to wild animals and biodiversity. Countries need to do more in the context of their own national legal frameworks to protect wild animals caught up in the international trade; - There is a lack of verification, one example of this is that more than the 2017 set quota of 800 skeletons went out of South Africa with legal CITES permits; - There is a lack of required due diligence by the CITES Management authorities on both the exporting and importing side, in profiling and authenticating exporters, importers, addresses and destinations; - There are major oversight problems in South Africa and in the countries of import. This has created a situation where the legal trade in 'lion' bones is fueling the illegal trade in lion and tiger bones and providing laundering opportunities for tiger bones in Asian markets. This is brewing into a toxic mix, particularly when it is placed in the context of the widespread overlap between those involved in international lion trade, trade in tigers and other CITES-listed species, and the routine leakage of imported lion products into illegal international trade. Details: Honeydew, South Africa: EMS Foundation, 2018. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2018 at: http://emsfoundation.org.za/wp-content/uploads/THE-EXTINCTION-BUSINESS-South-Africas-lion-bone-trade.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South Africa URL: http://emsfoundation.org.za/wp-content/uploads/THE-EXTINCTION-BUSINESS-South-Africas-lion-bone-trade.pdf Shelf Number: 150918 Keywords: Animal ExtinctionIllegal Wildlife TradeLionsTigersTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife TradeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Williams, Vivienne Title: South African Lion Bone Trade: A Collaborative Lion Bone Research Project Summary: The African lion is the only big cat listed on CITES Appendix II, and the only one for which international commercial trade is legal under CITES (Williams et al. 2017a). Debates on the contentious trade in lion bones and body parts were amplified at the 2016 CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP17) when consensus on a proposal by Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Togo to transfer all African populations of Panthera leo (lion) from Appendix II to Appendix I of CITES could not be reached, and many southern African countries in particular opposed the proposal. Instead, through negotiations within a working group, a compromise to keep P. leo on Appendix II with a bone trade quota for South Africa, was agreed as follows: A zero annual export quota is established for specimens of bones, bone pieces, bone products, claws, skeletons, skulls and teeth removed from the wild and traded for commercial purposes. Annual export quotas for trade in bones, bone pieces, bone products, claws, skeletons, skulls and teeth for commercial purposes, derived from captive breeding operations in South Africa, will be established and communicated annually to the CITES Secretariat. CoP17 underscored a need for further information on lion trade and the consequences for lions across the continent. And, in accordance with the annotation, South Africa was required to establish an export quota for lion bones, and the Scientific Authority was mandated to advise the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on the size of this quota on an annual basis. Following consultation with various relevant government agencies (national and provincial) and other stakeholders (including a public meeting on 18 January 2017), the 2017 export quota was set at 800 skeletons (with or without the skull) in July 2017. No specific export quotas were set for teeth, claws or individual bones; these items are included in the quota as parts of a skeleton. In order to provide sound scientific decision support to the DEA, an interdisciplinary and collaborative research project led by two independent experts, Dr VL Williams (VLW) and Mr M 't SasRolfes (M'TSR), was commenced in March 2017 and will end in March 2020. This interim report is the first in the series of report backs on the research to SANBI. The core aims of the collaborative research project, as given in the collaboration memorandum, are: 1. To increase understanding of the captive breeding industry and the trade in lions (especially bones, but also other products and live lions) in South Africa; 2. To investigate how the trade in captive-produced lion skeletons and other body parts under a quota system affects wild lion populations; 3. To strengthen the evidence base for the annual review of the lion bone export quota in order to ensure it is sustainable and not detrimental to wild populations. The lion bone trade also interacts with the recreational hunting industry and may affect other felid species internationally; accordingly, the project also aims: 4. To gain a better understanding of the consequences of the US ban on imports of captive-origin trophies that took effect from the start of 2016; 5. To gain a better understanding of potential linkages between markets for lion body parts and those of other large felids in and beyond Africa. In respect of the aims, various sub-projects and/or data analysis activities were initiated in 2017, namely: 1. The National Captive Lion Survey: an online questionnaire survey distributed to South African facilities that breed, keep, hunt and trade in lions (live and/or products) (commenced August 2017; ongoing, but to be closed in 2018 on a date to be determined; the focus of this report) (various collaborators); 2. Analysis of data supplied by multiple information sources: analysis of available data (see Table 1) to inform the evidence base; 3. Muthi market monitoring: a project tracking the presence of lion parts (mainly skins) in traditional medicine outlets/markets (commenced January 2017; ongoing) (VLW only; not SANBI funded). Details: South African National Biodiversity Institute, 2017. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Interim Report 1: Accessed July 30, 2018 at: https://conservationaction.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2017_Interim-Report-1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: South Africa URL: https://conservationaction.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2017_Interim-Report-1.pdf Shelf Number: 150968 Keywords: Animal PoachingLion Bone TradeLionsWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Budiani, Indah Title: Illegal Online Trade in Indonesian Parrots Summary: This report aims to address how the illegal parrot trade is conducted online, and to what extent the use of internet-based platforms has facilitated the international trade. It examines the overall structure and key figures in the parrot trade, and addresses how trade chains and interactions between different actors in the illegal market have changed with the emergence of new, virtual forms of doing business. The increased efforts of Indonesian authorities to clamp down on wildlife trade and to pursue criminal actors operating online are also covered, as well as the effect these operations have had on the strategies used by parrot traders to avoid detection. It also addresses the relationship between the illegal and legal trade in captive-bred parrots and opportunities for laundering. Drawing together these strands, the report considers both the challenges and opportunities the online parrot trade offers for effective monitoring and law-enforcement responses. Details: Geneva, Switzerland: The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 2018. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2018 at: http://globalinitiative.net/indonesian_parrots/ Year: 2018 Country: International URL: http://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/TGIATOC-ParrotsTrade-A4-Web.pdf Shelf Number: 153153 Keywords: Captive-Bred Parrots Crime Online Environmental Crime Illegal Parrot Trade Illegal Wildlife Trade Online Parrot Trade Online Trade Parrot Traders Poaching Wildlife Crime Wildlife Trade |
Author: ADM Capital Foundation Title: Trading in Extinction: the Dark Side of Hong Kong's Wildlife Trade Summary: The report 'Trading in Extinction - the Dark Side of Hong Kong's Wildlife Trade', consolidates a large body of pre-existing work and reconciles this with a snapshot of Hong Kong's seizure data. It aims to update and, for the first time, illustrate the extent and nature of the wildlife trade and wildlife crime in Hong Kong. It demonstrates that not only is the trade in legal and illegal wildlife at a significant and unsustainable scale, it is likely to get worse. Further, while Hong Kong plays a primary role in connecting trafficked products with their illegal markets, the Administration should and could do more to disrupt the associated criminal activity. Details: Hong Kong: ADMCF, 2019. 240p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: https://www.admcf.org/wildlife-trade-in-hong-kong/ Year: 2019 Country: Hong Kong URL: https://www.admcf.org/wildlife-trade-in-hong-kong/ Shelf Number: 154459 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Collard, Rosemary-Claire Magdeleine Solange Title: Animal Traffic: Making, remaking, and unmaking commodities in global live wildlife trade Summary: Against mass species loss and escalating concern over declining biodiversity, legal and illegal trade in wildlife is booming. Annually, it generates tens of billions of dollars and involves the circulation of billions of live and dead animals worldwide. This dissertation examines one dimension of this economy: flows of live, wild-caught animals - namely exotic pets - into North America. My central questions are: how are wild animals' lives and bodies transformed into commodities that circulate worldwide and can be bought and owned? How are these commodities remade and even unmade? In answering these questions the dissertation is concerned not only with embodied practices, but also with broader, dominant assumptions about particular figures of the human and the animal, and the relations between them. This dissertation draws on reading across economic geography and sociology, political economy and ecology, and political theory to construct a theoretical approach with three strands: a commodity chain framework, a theory of performativity, and an anti-speciesist position. It weaves this theoretical grounding through multi-sited research carried out from 2010-2013, including participant- and spectator-observation, interviews, and film and photography. In this research, to retain a focus on animals I inserted myself in multi-species contact zones. Specifically, I traced three nodes in global live wildlife trade's circuits: commodification of animals through capture in biosphere reserves in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize; recommodification (re-legitimation of the animals' status as commodities) through exchange at exotic animal auctions across the US; and attempted decommodification through rehabilitation at a wildlife centre in Guatemala. This research suggests that commodification and decommodification are not processes of "denaturing" and "renaturing", respectively. Rather, they are both productions of particular natures. Commodification produces an encounterable, individual and controllable animal life. Decommodification seeks to do the opposite. Ultimately, I argue that all of these global live wildlife trade processes depend on and perform, or bring into being, a human/animal dualism that positions the human figure as a master subject and the animal as a subordinate object. This dissertation thus amounts to a critique of the exotic pet commodity form. Details: Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia, 2013. 216p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed march 14, 2019 at: https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0165692 Year: 2013 Country: South America URL: https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0165692 Shelf Number: 154968 Keywords: Illegal Trade Trafficking in Animals Wildlife Crime Wildlife TradeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Title: Strengthening Governance and Reducing Corruption Risks to Tackle Illegal Wildlife Trade: Lessons from East and Southern Africa Summary: In countries affected by the illegal wildlife trade, corruption is a key enabler and facilitator. Failure to address this corruption, and the institutional and governance gaps that allow it to take place, make tackling the illegal wildlife trade a significant challenge. This report provides a structured analysis of how corruption facilitates wildlife crime based on research in four source and transit countries in East and Southern Africa. It offers a series of specific recommendations targeted at national governments, donors, and intergovernmental organisations to address the issues of corruption and the illegal wildlife trade. Details: Paris: OECD Publishing, 2018. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2019 at: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/trade/strengthening-governance-and-reducing-corruption-risks-to-tackle-illegal-wildlife-trade_9789264306509-en Year: 2018 Country: Africa URL: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264306509-en.pdf?expires=1553956239&id=id&accname=oid006203&checksum=7DAFECC3C701884906B71AB38DB91D31 Shelf Number: 155238 Keywords: Africa Corruption Illegal Wildlife Trade Illicit Trade in Wildlife Poaching Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Crime Wildlife Trade |