![]() ![]() This disparity can be seen everywhere around the world.Įven in a country like Nepal, which has set an exceptional record in controlling poaching to bring back rhinos and tigers from the brink of extinction and has one of the world’s strongest punishments for wildlife crime, the government is unable to enforce laws fairly. This can be construed as a double standard in attitude towards wildlife crime. For example, the continued display of ivory and other wildlife parts at British royal residences despite Prince William’s strong commitment to curbing wildlife crime proves the difficulty of dealing with the powerful. The biggest challenge to protect biodiversity today remains to bring the powerful under the ambit of the law. ![]() International enforcement agencies like Interpol have been making efforts to clamp down on criminal networks for many years, but many governments have ignored in-country influential consumers who not only create demand for trade but can also be inadvertent promoters of illegal wildlife parts. If the aim is to break this cycle of crime, it is these networks that need to be disrupted it is the consumers they feed who need to be penalised. The international kingpins and an extensive network of smugglers run this nexus. ![]() The over 6,000 wildlife seizures reported by European Union member states in 2018 represent 16,740 specimens of species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and mostly originated from the developing world.Ĭlearly, local harvesters in poor countries are not the ones organising complex transnational operations to transport wildlife parts across international boundaries. For instance, pangolins are poached extensively in Asia and Africa to meet the demand arising from China. Research shows many other endangered species from the Global South end up reaching the Global North.įor example, a recent study found that there were at least 292 seizures of illegally traded tiger parts at United States ports between 2003-2012 the majority of them from the wild in Asian countries where tigers still roam free. The global illegal wildlife trade is largely facilitated by organised criminal networks. When poor people have money, they buy bread, not a tiger head. But when arrests are made, it is primarily low-level actors from local communities – people who are easily replaceable in the trade supply chain – who face the force of the law. The demand for exotic species that is central to the horror of wildlife crimes originates from wealthier communities and countries. Hundreds of people across Nepal are in prisons, convicted for wildlife crimes. Yet, while prosecution is indeed important, it is mainly targeted at poor and vulnerable communities in the biodiversity-rich Global South which are not often responsible for driving international illegal wildlife trade. It recommended that countries significantly increase their focus on investigations, prosecutions and convictions. ![]() Recently, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), the world’s leading body in this arena, highlighted in its biannual report for 2021-2022 that despite global gains, the threat of illegal wildlife trade remains significant. Wildlife crimes are among the biggest challenges for biodiversity conservation, and there is interest worldwide in curbing it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |