Trafficking of Endangered Species - A Billion Dollar Business

[Guest guest]

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-11-10-voa56.cfm

 

Voice of America News

November 10, 2006

VOA ENGLISH SERVICE

 

Trafficking of Endangered Species - A Billion Dollar Business

 

DATELINE: Washington, D.C.

 

The illegal trafficking of endangered species is a billion dollar

business. But these short-term profits for poachers and traders are

pushing exotic animal and plant populations closer to extinction.

And by killing off exotic animals, such as tigers, they are also

eliminating legitimate sources of revenue that could be gained from

developing eco-tourism. VOA's Brian Padden reports on how

conservationists are trying to stop the illegal trade in endangered

species.

 

Catching a black-market trader involved in illegally selling tigers

in Asia does little to stem the trafficking of this endangered

species. The high profits from selling tiger skins for fashion and

tiger bones for traditional medicine, combined with the relatively

small penalties involved for getting caught, make it a low risk,

high reward business.

 

John Gavitt, with the conservation group , says law enforcement is

fighting a losing battle. " In a place like Cambodia in the low

levels some of the penalties are simply a signed statement that they

will not do it again. Or they will receive a fine and/or go to jail.

In other countries if it is really a serious crime such as a number

of tigers being smuggled in, people do go to jail but again, I

think, generally the penalties do not fit the seriousness of the

crime we're dealing with these days. "

 

In addition to stronger law enforcement, conservationists say

measures must be taken to cut both the supply and demand of the more

than 12,000 animals and plants on the endangered species list.

 

Judy Oglethorpe, with the World Wildlife Fund, works to provide

economic alternatives such as improved fishing and farming and eco-

tourism to replace the need to hunt endangered species. But she also

says providing birth control to stem the growth of the human

population is key to restoring the balance of nature.

 

" If we don't do that, we can do all the other things we do and in

the next generation we'll be back to square one. So we believe this

is important as a long-term solution, " she says.

 

And Crawford Allan, also with the World Wildlife Fund, says his

organization has been helping create public awareness campaigns to

prevent tourists from inadvertently buying products made from

endangered species.

 

" We say if in doubt, don't buy it. That's the simple thing. If you

really think, you are not sure whether that's a wildlife souvenir,

that's a really bad choice, just don't buy it. Just don't take the

risk, because you can really ruin your holiday and you can push that

species one step closer to the edge. "

 

These conservationists say these measures and developing ecotourism

will to make it more profitable for a country to protect endangered

species than to exploit them.