Nepal's New Weapon Against Illict Wildlife Trade

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http://ens-news.com/ens/jul2002/2002-07-25-02.asp

 

Nepal's New Weapon Against Illict Wildlife Trade

 

By Deepak Gajurel KATHMANDU, Nepal, July 25, 2002

 

(ENS) - Many species of endangered birds are for sale

in the open markets of Kathmandu. Street vendors can

be seen carrying cages displaying their rare birds. Of

small or medium size, brightly colored, they are

fascinating. The traders do a brisk business.

 

Environmentalists have been urging the government

authorities to check this uncontrolled and illegal

trade in birds. They say that many bird species

protected by the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species (CITES) are traded in Nepal.

 

Due to confusion over jurisdiction among government

authorities, wildlife traders are making money by

illegal means, and there is nobody to prosecute them.

 

Most of the birds are brought to the markets of

Kathmandu from India, though some are caught in Nepal,

the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists found

during a recent investigation into the bird trade.

 

The journalists uncovered bird trading rackets in

India's Bihar state and in Nepal. The traders buy

birds from local catchers, and sometimes they hire

professional catchers, locally called " chidimar. "

Often on buses, passengers will hear the rare birds as

they are transported from one place to another,

chirping in basket-like cages made of bamboo.

 

The Nepal Department of National Parks and Wildlife

Conservation (DNPWC) says its jurisdiction is limited

to the lands within the boundaries of national parks

and conservation areas and the immediate surrounding

areas.

 

The Forest Department claims that its officers cannot

take action in urban areas. The Police Department has

its own justification, " We do not have the mandate and

knowledge to take action against wildlife traders

until we are requested from the concerned authority, "

police officials say.

 

Confusion over jurisdiction and lack of seriousness

among the concerned authorities frustrates

conservationists. " We are losing precious natural

resources with endangered wild species of animals and

plants because of inaction on the part of government, "

says environmental journalist Jeeb Nath Khanal.

 

Pressured by conservationists, the government now

seems to be serious about nature protection.

Twenty-seven years after Nepal signed the

international treaty, the government has prepared a

manual for the enforcement of CITES regulations.

 

The manual was prepared jointly by Department of

National Park and Wildlife and World Wildlife

Fund-Nepal. With the specialized manual in place,

experts are hopeful that CITES regulations on illegal

trade in endangered species will be observed in Nepal.

 

 

" The manual is significant amidst the lack of required

information and confusion among authorities in

controlling illegal trade of endangered animal and

plant species, " says zoologist Dr. Mukesh Chalise, an

American Primatology Award winner.

 

Nepal is inhabited by 57 mammals, 40 birds, 13

reptiles, one amphibian, two butterflies, and 13

plants species listed for some level of protection by

the CITES regulations, according to the manual.

 

The manual specifically gives details of all the

species of plants and animals from Nepal listed for

protection under the CITES treaty. The manual does not

provide any photos but describes the species' size,

habitat, and color.

 

The publication has clearly spelled out the role of

authorities including custom officials, police, army,

forest department, DNPWC, Natural History Museum, and

post office administration, among others.

 

In addition, it attributes the role of

non-governmental organizations such as King Mahendra

Trust for Nature Conservation, WWF-Nepal, IUCN-The

World Conservation Union, Wildlife Watch Group of

Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists and other

concerned organizations.

The role of general public, too, is specified in the

manual. The public can contribute by providing

information on illegal trade of wild plants and

animals.

 

Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation

has been given the major responsibility for the

management for enforcing CITES regulations in Nepal. A

CITES Unit is set up under the Department for this

purpose. The Department must work in coordination with

other government line agencies and nongovernmental

organizations.

 

Rhino horns, tiger and leopard skins and bones, golden

monitor lizard skins, bear bile, and musk deer pod are

some of the illegally traded animal parts in Nepal via

various border check points, experts say.

 

Upon conviction, penalties vary widely. A person found

guilty of illegally trading or possessing rhino horns

can draw a maximum of 10 years in prison, while a

person convicted of illegally cutting a tree in a

protected area can be handed a three months' sentence.

 

 

CITES accords protection to more than 30,000 species

of animals and plants. Wildlife trade worldwide is

estimated to be worth billions of dollars every year,

and includes hundreds of millions of plant and animal

specimens. The trade is diverse, ranging from live

animals and plants to an array of wildlife products

derived from them, including foods and medicinals, fur

and leather goods, souvenirs, wooden musical

instruments, and timber.

 

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2002. All

Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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