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This photo was taken a few years ago during a time I was asked to get images of the "above ground" visibility of illegal wildlife trade in several cities. The terms of the contract means I'm unable to give too many details (for safety and ongoing investigation reasons) but I posted the image on Facebook yesterday as part of an overview for something else, it drew a coupe of comments and then as is often the case my email inbox started to get activity.
This particular image was taken in Kathmandu when there were several of these young guys selling openly on the streets, selling birds on behalf of dealers. There were arrests, an impact was made and in general there are not as many open sellers on the streets. Getting these shots isn't easy, these guys are wary and there is an element of risk. The trade itself has gone underground and is still a serious problem. Sadly the very medium on which you are reading this blog is now playing a prominent role in illegal wildlife trade, social media has become a large business platform.
The trade is global. I've had to have a moderator watch social media threads for these blogs and we've had to delete comments at times because I've received flak along the lines of "who the hell are these people taking shots at my country when they have so many issues in their own country?"... and unfortunately it's justified as for example the US is the second biggest consumer/buyer of illegal wildlife and wildlife parts after China. It's a serious problem everywhere and just because some countries have strong laws prohibiting trade it doesn't mean it goes away.
Here, in this backyard, Nepal there have been serious problems of late perhaps representing the surge in trade because of expanding markets. Several tiger skins have been seized and DNA testing has identified them to be Bengal tigers from this part of the world. I'm spending more and more time following up leopard skin seizures and this is problematic because there is no genetic database. On the local level even here in the Kaski guns have been seized to combat the illegal taking of bush meat which has been growing as the economic situation worsens but also it has come to light there are restaurants selling deer and other wildlife in back rooms... because there is a demand.
Every deer killed means less prey for a leopard... meaning the likelihood of a conflict situation developing when these carnivores (and other species) start to hunt closer to villages and towns. Anyone who has been reading these blogs understands the consequences of that by now.
It's a vicious cycle. Look at your own area. How much forest has been cut down for urban development over the years? Wildlife becomes more rare, it's value increases on the illegal markets, it becomes a commodity.
In Nepal a few days ago this announcement and I quote "The Government is making preparations to amend the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1973 to allow the general public to keep and breed certain species of animals" and further on was the passage "The proposed amendment aims to attract the private sector in rearing and breeding of wild animals. Body parts and goods made of such animals may be sold, distributed and exported"... I don't think I need to explain the ramifications of this with regard to stimulating the illegal trade. Further down in the announcement it stated that individuals are able to apply to set up rescue centres. This is something I am already involved with but the link to the commercial aspect is of great concern as shown by the shady activities of many zoos, sanctuaries and "rescue centres" worldwide. At the same time the very powerful tourism sector here is lobbying hard to get to be able to get the "tiger tourists" back into core protected areas. The bucket list "I want to see a wild tiger" brigade pay big money, valuable funds for a struggling country. Once again, this will lead to ramifications.
I write this today because as I've mentioned previously WildTiger is evolving in the direction it takes as issues arise. There's no doubt illegal wildlife trade, a multi-billion dollar activity which is a huge threat to biodiversity and ecosystems, is growing. The extent of the problem is beyond the straight consciousness of people involved in combating it as it it becomes of war of proportions evidenced by the shrinking populations of icon species such as elephants and rhinos in Africa and the ever surging threat to tigers, leopards and snow leopards, just examples, in Asia.
There are answers to the problems, we all know that, but they involve a huge shift in thinking and will. There needs to be a balanced amount of talk and awareness but much more action.
For most this is just another issue in a world where a lot is going wrong. For those of us who have to deal with it daily it's a deadly serious situation with ramifications already active but will be even more dangerous for future generations. We are obliged to act.
