Illegal wildlife trade: When creatures of the sea take flight
- August 25, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
No Comments
Illegal wildlife trade: When creatures of the sea take flight
Sub: Env
Sec: Int Conventions
Illegal Wildlife Trade: The Rising Threat:
- The illegal wildlife trade, including marine species like seahorses, whales, and sharks, has seen a significant increase, particularly in the last four years. In August 2024, enforcement agencies at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport seized 6,626 dried seahorses, highlighting the smuggling activity driven by demand in Southeast Asian markets for traditional medicine, cuisine, and ornamental purposes.
- Between 2023 and July 2024, 66 operations across Karnataka resulted in the recovery of various wildlife products.
- These include porcupine quills, Alexandrine parakeets, elephant tusks, spotted deer, bison horns, Stony corals, tiger nails, 9-foot long python skins, ball pythons, Thailand king cobras, capuchins, spider monkeys, spotted deer antlers, elephant bones, hippo tusks, owls, woodpeckers, jungle cat paws, nails and teeth, wild boar teeth, jackal teeth, red sand boa, otter skin, pangolin scales, monitor lizard penis, sea fans, leopard nails, civet cat jaws, ambergris and sea shells.
Impact on Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems:
- The illegal trade impacts marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of fishing communities. Over 1,900 kg of pangolin scales were seized in the northeastern states between 2012 and 2024. From 2015 to 2021, 14,188 kg of processed and dried fins were seized across India. Other species at risk include sea cucumbers, sea fans, and rays.
- The pandemic exacerbated the trade, with an increase in exotic wildlife as pets. Displaced individuals turned to hunting and trade for income, fueling the industry. The trade now includes lesser-known species like pangolins and lorises, driven by online trends and legislative gaps.
Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Programme:
- Launched in 2018, by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) – India, the CWT Programme aims to address wildlife trafficking in India.
- Wildlife Conservation Society – India (WCS-India) is a Section 25 non-profit company incorporated in India and compliant with all Indian regulations.
- The initiative works across various landscapes and species, employing evidence-based approaches and fostering collaboration with key stakeholders to conserve wildlife at risk from trafficking.
- Their work has included monitoring open-source information to map trade dynamics, legal analysis to document patterns in wildlife crime, capacity development of enforcement agencies, technical support to aid enforcement, and creating and disseminating IWT resources, including manuals and films.
Source: TH