The Emerging Black Market of Wildlife
China has always been the biggest consumer of the wildlife produce, placing itself on the first spot. This comes as no surprise as traditional Chinese medicine comprise of the natural flora and fauna in its various forms. Age old practices and continued blind belief, without control and concern for the environment has stripped many regions of their bio-diverse wealth.
Apart from contributing to global warming and reducing the environment to bits, USA accounts for an estimated of the worlds illegal wildlife trade. The United States of America is the emerging biggest consumer and grandest market for illegal wildlife trade and wildlife parts trafficking. As interest in alternative medicine is witnessing a new sunrise in the west, it is spelling the darkest dawn for the virgin forests and wildlife of East.
The West European countries and Far East form the third largest chunk of buyers while Africa, Central Asia, and the Caribbean are emerging as the largest sellers of illegal wildlife products.
Wildlife trafficking has grown into such a lucrative multibillion dollar business that it testifies the fact that t
Click here: Eyewitness News: Crackdown on Irish syndicate involved in rhino poachinghere is not end to man wants, greed and insensitivity. The trade has spread its ugly tentacles in the all sections of the society and continues to grow each day. If left unchecked, this will soon spell the end of several ecosystems on which man depends. While we write this and as you read, we do not know which child of nature is being trapped and killed.
Illegal Wildlife Trade and Trafficking on the World Wide Web - The Internet
With the Internet, illegal cross border wildlife trade has now got a new lease of life. The technological boon has further fueled this trade by removing the cross cultural and cross border limitations.
Clients now interact through the web, place orders, pay illegally under guise of other products, imports and much more, at the click of a button. The new age wildlife traders are no longer the tribal or the poor villagers who are not aware of the consequences of their profession. They are media savvy, computer literate, money-wise and strategic.
Voices of concern are high and dry. B K Sharma, Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, says, the buyer and the seller- their identities are protected. And the second one is the transaction speed. Somebody sitting in Tokyo can sell a product to a buyer in Los Angeles by a click of the mouse.
Peter Pueschel, Director, IFAW (Wild Trade Programme), explains: Our experience shows that many criminals easily falsify these documents and nobody can assess at the copy on the Internet whether its true or its false.
Also, these syndicates are well connected, politically powerful and have the financial clout to pull off their trade without being caught.
Lack of education is also leading to this trade. Most people who buy the products on the internet are not aware that the content of the product is illegal and is infringing upon some endangered product and its law in some region.
From exotic pets, animal body parts, skin, everything is out for grabs %u2013 at a high price, making the trade attractive and exciting to indulge in.
A Sample Catalogue and Rate Card of Wildlife Products
Here is a sample of products up for sale on the World Wide Web a compilation from different sources on the dollar value of the priceless treasures.
The above list %u2013 of the dead, extinct, endangered and those unfortunately alive, presents a gory picture of life on sale. And this is still just the tip of the iceberg.
Poaching is one of most horrid faces of wildlife trade is actively practiced in India. Its national Tiger is no longer safe in its jungle haven. The famed sanctuaries of Sariska, Ranthambore, Corbett and other national parks which were once safe for wild animals, have become their graveyards. With forests being pushed out of boundaries, wild animals have been exposed to many risks that now have led to their extinction and endangerment. While the elite take pride in sending their pets to a dog spa and the poor rely on the beasts of burden, the tigers, rhinos, and other animals are nowhere on anyones radar except the poachers.
Rhino Horn sawn off - Pix Credit - topnewsdot.in
WHEN all the trees have been cut down, WHEN all the animals have been slaughtered & hunted, WHEN all the birds are gone & have stopped singing, WHEN all the waters are polluted, WHEN all the whales, sharks & fish are gone, WHEN all the air is unsafe to breathe, WHEN all the rivers & oceans are contaminated from oil spills, WHEN the polar bears are gone, WHEN all the mountains have been drilled & flattened, WHEN all our foodstuffs become unsafe to eat riddled with pesticides, WHEN we have failed to protect although warned of our endangered species, WHEN all the laws to protect animals from abuse & cruelty have failed, WHEN the elephants, tigers & rhinos are gone; look to our own imminent demise. WHEN?
AnimalActionUSA
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