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WILD TIGERS ON THE
BRINK
Environmentalists
Call for China and India to Combat the Illicit Skin Trade
27 September 2006 Delh-
Environmentalists are calling on the governments of India and China to take
action against the criminals involved in the illegal skin trade. The subject
will be a major topic of discussion by the international community attending the
upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Standing Committee, who will be meeting in Geneva from 2 to 6 October 2006.
Recent undercover investigations
by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Wildlife Protection
Society of India (WPSI) revealed that the trade in tiger and leopard skins in
China and Tibet continues to thrive, operating without any hindrance from the
Chinese government whilst driving India’s wild tigers closer towards
extinction.
Skin
wearer with enforcement officer at Litang Horse Festival, August 2006. Copyright
EIA / WPSI
Investigators discovered that
while the open use of tiger and leopard skins for decorating costumes seemed to
be in decline, traders now appeared to be catering to an increased demand for
the use of whole tiger and leopard skins as home décor and prestigious gifts.
Consumers driving this demand include Chinese tourists, local Chinese
businessmen and government officials.
Belinda Wright, Director of WPSI
stated; “Despite many promises from both the Indian and Chinese governments,
no effective action has been taken to crack down on the hardcore criminals
behind the skin trade. The governments involved are in a state of lethargy, and,
in the case of China, even appear to be condoning the trade.”
In the markets of China,
investigators documented the open and easily accessible trade in tiger and
leopard skins. In the space of just ten days, investigators met 11 traders who
offered them whole tiger and leopard skins. The traders were clearly aware of
the illegality of their operations, but were unconcerned about the threat of
arrest or disruption by local authorities; one trader even said that enforcement
had decreased in the last two years.
Tent
with 100 tiger skins displayed by Litang Cultural Tourist Board, August 2006.
Copyright EIA / WPSI.
Debbie
Banks, Head of EIA’s Tiger Campaign, stated; “This trade is run by highly
organised criminal networks who have far too much invested to let a few isolated
raids and random seizures deter them. If the governments are to stand a chance
of combating this illegal trade, they will need to recognise this and direct
their enforcement teams to take more proactive, intelligence-led action.”
The USA government has submitted
a document for discussion at the 54th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee on
the illegal trade in tiger parts. This document recommends that the members
agree on parameters for measuring progress by tiger range states to combat the
trade. If endorsed, Parties such as China and India would have to show that
sufficient action has been taken by April 2007, or risk the suspension of trade
in CITES listed species.
EIA and WPSI call on all Parties
to CITES to recognise the urgency of the matter. They also urge the wider
international community to provide financial support and enforcement expertise
to facilitate the development of specialised, multi-agency enforcement units
capable of tackling the organised criminal networks behind this illicit trade.
Wright continued: “Enforcement
is not controversial or the subject of scientific debate. It is quite simply
essential. The clock is ticking for the tiger and there is only so much more
talking we can do, the time for action is now, before the last tiger vanishes”.
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