WILDLIFE TRADE

WHY IN NEWS:

• The illegal wildlife trade has been brought into sharp focus in recent months, given that it may have played a role in the emergence of COVID-19

BACKGROUND

• Over the years illegal wildlife trade has emerged as a form of Organised Transnational Crime that has threatened the existence of many wild species across the globe
• As per Worldwide Fund for nature, "illegal wildlife trade is estimated to reach $20 billion per year, which makes wildlife trafficking the world's fourth largest illicit trade, after narcotics, human trafficking and trade in counterfeit goods.

ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE IN INDIA:

• India is only 2.4 % of world's land area, but contributes about 8% of known global wildlife
• In India, the illegal wildlife trade includes diverse products including mongoose hair; snake skins; Rhino horn; Tiger and Leopard claws, etc.
• State of India’s Environment 2017 highlights a 52 % spike in poaching and wildlife crimes between 2014 and 2016.
• In 2018, TRAFFIC India released a study which revealed that at least 5,772 pangolins were captured in India from 2009 to 2017 for illegal trade.
  • The main reason for the unabated wildlife trafficking across India is its porous international land borders.
• The main consumer markets are China and South East Asia, but wildlife is also smuggled to the Gulf, Europe and Northern America.
• Beyond India, the main transit countries are Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

HOW THE DEMAND ARISES:

• Wildlife is consumed in a huge variety of ways in India:
• Traditional medicines:
  • For example spiny-tailed lizard as a supposed cure for arthritis.
• Decorative:
  • For example use of peacock feathers in temples or in our homes as decorative items. Also corals in jewellery.
• Source of protein:
  • Meat from wild boar or deer is consumed.
• Religious practices:
  • For example, owls are in extremely high demand around Diwali, because people believe in culling them to appease the gods.
• Demand for exotic pets

IMPACT:

• Threat to conservation of species
• Affects forest conservation efforts
• Risks to human health:
  • Illegal wildlife trade contributes to habitat destruction, which removes necessary buffer zones between humans and wild fauna, making it more likely that animal pathogens come into contact with people
  • These networks also undermine states' abilities to tackle outbreaks of zoonotic disease
• Adversely affects country’s natural resources and local communities

INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES:

• CITES:
  • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, is an international treaty that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival
  • The convention only applies to species listed in one of its three appendices.
• The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
  • IFAW is one of the largest animal welfare and conservation charities in the world.
  • The organization works to rescue individual animals, safeguard populations, preserve habitat, and advocate for greater protections
• TRAFFIC
  • It is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants.
  • It is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN.
  • It works closely with the National and the State Governments and various agencies to help study, monitor and influence action to curb illegal wildlife trade and bring wildlife trade within sustainable levels.

INDIAN INITIATIVES:

• Constitutional safeguard:
  • Article 48A of DPSP states that “The State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wild life of the country.”
  • Under Article 51A (g), it is a fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve natural environment including forests, lake, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.
• Legislations:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
    • Trade in over 1800 species of wild animals, plants and their derivative are prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960
    • It empower authorities to penalize and jail those who harm wildlife.
  • Indian Penal Code, 1860:
    • Section 428 and Section 429 reads that killing, poaching, maiming, poisoning or torturing an animal is a cognizable offence and the punishment for such act is rigorous imprisonment which may extent to five years or fine or both.
  • India is also a member of the CITES since 1976.
• Institutions:
  • Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB)
    • It is a statutory multi-disciplinary body established by the Government under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to combat organized wildlife crime in the country, under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • State forest departments:
    • They are responsible for preventing wildlife poaching in the country
• Other initiatives:
  • Participation of local community:
    • Five crore, people living around national parks and sanctuaries are working as partners in environment conservation
    • A 15-year National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-31) with a special focus on peoples’ participation has been launched.
  • Demand-reduction campaigns:
    • In May 2019, the WCCB launched a campaign in collaboration with the UN Environment named ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ campaign launched to raise awareness on illegal wildlife trade at airports across India.
    • Tiger, Pangolin, Star Tortoise and Tokay Gecko featured in the campaign.

CHALLENGES/CONCERNS:

• Failure of CITES:
  • The CITES only applies to species listed in one of its three appendices.
  • Thousands of species are not listed; and not all the world’s nations have agreed to be bound by CITES provisions
  • CITES requires parties to penalize trade that violates its provisions. It does not, however, require them to criminalize such behaviour, and in some countries, failure to comply will result in only an administrative penalty
  • CITES applies solely to export, re-export, import and introduction from the sea. It does not regulate domestic harvesting, use or consumption of fauna and flora
  • Prohibitions of trade under CITES typically apply only when trade threatens a species with extinction.
• Dietary needs:
  • In many countries, the meat of ‘wildlife’ is an essential part of people’s diet and a primary source of protein.
  • This is often the case for some rural communities, many of whom already live on or below the poverty line.
• Poor implementation:
  • Laws against illegal wildlife trade in India is poorly communicated and just as poorly implemented and enforced
• Nexus between smugglers and forest and customs officials
• Lack of political will:
  • As the protection of wildlife has no immediate political ramifications
• Wildlife crime in India has now been linked to International organized crime syndicates >> hence highly influential in policy directives and law enforcement

BEST PRACTICE:

• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS):
  • KWS has put in place specific security strategies to address wildlife crime.
  • The agency works closely with other law enforcement agencies in all matters of wildlife security at the local, regional and international level.

WAY FORWARD:

• Coordination:
  • Wildlife crime and trafficking warrant a considerably more coordinated and collaborative response from the law-enforcement, criminal-justice system, environmental protection bodies and civil societies.
• Focus on worst affected countries like China:
  • Lobby individual countries to enact national legislation banning specific forms of wildlife trade.
• Need for greater investment in wildlife forensic science
  • This helps in evidence get evaluated quickly, accurately, scientifically and strongly.
  • For example, wildlife forensic scientists in the U.K., have developed techniques that can lift fingerprints off feathers and eggshells
• Cross-country cooperation required:
  • For example Kenya’s cross-border collaboration with Tanzania and Uganda yields tremendous results in in combating illegal wildlife trade.
• Indian can be a signatory to Lusaka Agreement
  • Lusaka Agreement on Cooperative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora is a mechanism constituted by Eastern African Countries – but it is open to non-African countries as well.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Establish the link between illegal wildlife trade and emergence of new zoonotic diseases. Also comment on the measures taken by India in curbing wildlife trade?