What's TRAFFIC doing to save Tigers?

Governments are working together to stem the trade in illegal tiger skins. photo: WWF / Jeff FOOTT

The world's largest wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC works to ensure that trade does not threaten the survival of wild species or their role in natural ecosystems. Its work is an integral part of WWF's efforts to save life on Earth.

ASEAN-WEN
To confront increasingly sophisticated wildlife crime syndicates, the Association of South East Asian Nations, with help and support from TRAFFIC and WildAid, launched the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) in December 2005.

Through this initiative governments in Southeast Asia, TRAFFIC and its partners have formed the world's largest wildlife law enforcement network, which has made great strides in tackling illegal wildlife trade cartels by cutting through red tape, boosting cooperation, improving co-ordination and strengthening political will. TRAFFIC and WildAid are helping raise capacity and awareness to help countries make ASEAN-WEN work.

Authorities are on the lookout against tiger poachers and sophisticated wildlife crime syndicates.. photo: WWF / Vladimir FILONOV

Cooperation and communication are critical when tracking smuggled wildlife as it is often sent through different countries and is difficult to detect. In June 2006, Thai police confiscated illegal wildlife parts, including the remains of six tigers during an inspection of air cargo at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport. The cargo had been transported from a Thai city near the Malaysian border, to Bangkok in the cargo section of a Thai Airways flight. If convicted under Thai law, the traffickers face up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of four times the value of the contraband, which in this case would total about USD 80,000. TRAFFIC has been providing training to the authorities and airlines at Bangkok Airport and other airports in ASEAN nations under a grant from the U.S. State Department.

Asian Big Cats Initiative
In 2004, with funding from the U.S. Department of State, WWF and TRAFFIC brought together all South Asian nations and China to a meeting on collaborating to combat wildlife trafficking in South Asia and China. Since that time a dialogue has been built between the key countries of China, Nepal and India to tackle cross border smuggling particularly in tigers. The latest stage of the dialogue was in July 2006 when TRAFFIC, WWF-UK and the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office brought together government delegates from China, India and Nepal to discuss ways to turn dialogue into actions to unify their efforts to combat the illegal trade occurring in China and the surrounding countries.

Wild tigers are under pressure from poachers due to rising demand for illegal wildlife souvenirs. photo: WWF / R. Isotti - A. Cambone

China, India and Nepal are all Parties to CITES, and all three have legal and institutional instruments in place to address wildlife trade issues. However, illegal wildlife trade has become more organized, demand has increased for wildlife and their products and smugglers have more sophisticated systems for transporting items. In order to halt a trend driven by increased, international demand, TRAFFIC has asked all three countries to step up efforts such as enforcement at international borders, regional advocacy and collaboration with stakeholders such as transport companies.

At this workshop, TRAFFIC introduced the Asian big cats initiative in the region that will focus on strengthening enforcement capacity and cross-border collaborations. Continuing trade in Asian big cats and their parts, particularly trade in Tiger and Tiger parts in the Tibetan areas of China, is of concern. In August 2005, in Lhasa, Tibet, TRAFFIC representatives found nearly 25 stores openly selling tiger and leopard 'chubas,' a traditional Tibetan robe, in the central market in Lhasa. The demand for these robes is no longer the sole interest of Tibetans; they are becoming more widely popular as fashion items, as are tiger and leopard skin rugs. Numerous major seizures of tiger and leopard skins and bones in India, Nepal and Tibet, including one seizure of 39 tiger skins in 2003, show a steady flow of significant volumes of tiger parts from India to Tibet over the past three years.

Trains and Tigers in Tibet
With the opening of a new railway line from China, through the Tibetan Plateau, and the increased number of travelers who will visit the area as a result of it, WWF and TRAFFIC have called for conservation measures to protect the world's largest and highest plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau shelters a wide array of unique species, including the Tibetan antelope, Tibetan gazelle, wild yak, blue sheep, snow leopard, brown bear, Bengal tiger and black-necked crane.

The sale of souvenirs and other products made from endangered species is growing due to tourist consumption, and is increasing pressure on local biodiversity. WWF, TRAFFIC and partners plan on distributing brochures to train passengers and visitors to the region, asking them to refrain from buying products made from such endangered species as tigers.

Re-establishing TRAFFIC in India
It was discovered in 2005 that Sariska Tiger Reserve in India had lost all its tigers to poaching, with other reserves in very bad shape, was a wake up call to India and the conservation community.

A combination of poor protection of wild tigers in some Indian reserves, ineffective enforcement, the internal conflicts of Nepal allowing an easier smuggling route and the increased wealth and availability of furs in China, may spell disaster for the tiger.

In response to this crisis TRAFFIC has this month reestablished its presence in India. There is an urgent need to stop the flow of tiger parts from India that is fuelling demand for fur and bone in Asia, particularly China. Setting up informer networks, investigating trade and training law enforcement will be key functions of the work. Already the investigative work of TRAFFIC India has resulted in the seizure of one tiger carcass in India.

Learn more about Tigers and Wildlife Trade