Nepal, July 29 -- The government's annual statistics concerning the national tiger population announced yesterday in conjunction with Tiger Day seem promising. The findings show that the number of tigers in Nepal has seen a rise in the last year from 121 to 155. Though these figures support the idea that Nepal is moving in the right direction to protect its tiger population, efforts still need to be made to curb the international illegal animal trade that most threatens these iconic animals.
Nepal still remains a viable trade route and transit market for illegal wildlife. Though it lacks a local market for consumption, Nepal has become a conduit to smuggle illegal animal parts to end users in other countries, especially China. Believed to be one of the largest underground trade centres in the region, commodities like tiger skin and bones, ivory, rhino horn, bear bile, shahtoosh fur, musk pods, leopard parts and live animals easily flow through Nepal's porous borders. This coupled with a lack of coordination between countries in the region and the long-standing political instability has laid the ideal conditions for wildlife trafficking. But things seem to be changing.
The 15th meeting of the parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species this March in Doha strengthened the partnership of member nations with the international police force INTERPOL in regards to illegal animal trade. The need for professional enforcement involvement is essential in a business that is becoming increasingly organised and sophisticated. This along with the development of an illegal trade monitoring database is a positive step to increase international cooperation to fight illegal animal trade. Also at the meet, the European Union along with Nepal's neighbours China and India reached an agreement on illegal wildlife trade aimed at increasing intelligence sharing against criminal networks behind the trade.
In Beijing last month, Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on conserving wildlife and curbing the illegal trade in animal parts, the first of its kind. Among other things, the MoU commits the two countries to increasing their capacity to combat illegal trade at border regions as well as implementing established international conventions. A similar agreement between Nepal and India was signed just yesterday.
These bilateral measures, if implemented and enforced, will enhance coordination and cooperation between the respective neighbours. But it is not until these three countries, forming an unholy nexus for the illegal animal trade, form a regional agreement to increase transboundary cooperation and break up the organised crime networks controlling the trade that the issue of wildlife trafficking can be effectively addressed.
While the government's findings suggest significant steps in conservation efforts, the figure may be misleading. The additional 34 tigers in the count were all found in the Chure region, which was left out of the 2008-09 census. But this fact should not discount last year's tiger conservation efforts; poaching has seen a decrease in the Chitwan area.
The bottom line is, in order to better protect the tiger population, more efforts must be made to curb the trade fuelling the international market with illegal animal parts.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from EKantipur.com. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
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Saving tiger
Nepal, July 29 -- The government's annual statistics concerning the national tiger population announced yesterday in conjunction with Tiger Day seem promising. The findings show that the number of tigers in Nepal has seen a rise in the last year from 121 to 155. Though these figures support the idea that Nepal is moving in the right direction to protect its tiger population, efforts still need to be made to curb the international illegal animal trade that most threatens these iconic animals.
Nepal still remains a viable trade route and transit market for illegal wildlife. Though it lacks a local market for consumption, Nepal has become a conduit to smuggle illegal animal parts to end users in other countries, especially China. Believed to be one of the largest underground trade centres in the region, commodities like tiger skin and bones, ivory, rhino horn, bear bile, shahtoosh fur, musk pods, leopard parts and live animals easily flow through Nepal's porous borders. This coupled with a lack of coordination between countries in the region and the long-standing political instability has laid the ideal conditions for wildlife trafficking. But things seem to be changing.
The 15th meeting of the parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species this March in Doha strengthened the partnership of member nations with the international police force INTERPOL in regards to illegal animal trade. The need for professional enforcement involvement is essential in a business that is becoming increasingly organised and sophisticated. This along with the development of an illegal trade monitoring database is a positive step to increase international cooperation to fight illegal animal trade. Also at the meet, the European Union along with Nepal's neighbours China and India reached an agreement on illegal wildlife trade aimed at increasing intelligence sharing against criminal networks behind the trade.
In Beijing last month, Nepal and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding on conserving wildlife and curbing the illegal trade in animal parts, the first of its kind. Among other things, the MoU commits the two countries to increasing their capacity to combat illegal trade at border regions as well as implementing established international conventions. A similar agreement between Nepal and India was signed just yesterday.
These bilateral measures, if implemented and enforced, will enhance coordination and cooperation between the respective neighbours. But it is not until these three countries, forming an unholy nexus for the illegal animal trade, form a regional agreement to increase transboundary cooperation and break up the organised crime networks controlling the trade that the issue of wildlife trafficking can be effectively addressed.
While the government's findings suggest significant steps in conservation efforts, the figure may be misleading. The additional 34 tigers in the count were all found in the Chure region, which was left out of the 2008-09 census. But this fact should not discount last year's tiger conservation efforts; poaching has seen a decrease in the Chitwan area.
The bottom line is, in order to better protect the tiger population, more efforts must be made to curb the trade fuelling the international market with illegal animal parts.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from EKantipur.com. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
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