Context
Recently the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has released the World Wildlife Crime Report 2024.
Key Findings
- The market for rhino horn (29 percent) constituted the most important chunk amongst animal species.
- It was followed by the market for pangolin scales at 28 percent, accompanied with the aid of the market for elephant ivory at 15 percent.
- Other animal species most stricken by the worldwide unlawful animal alternate covered eels (5 percentage), crocodilians (5 percentage), parrots and cockatoos (2 percent), carnivores (2 percent), turtles and tortoises (2 percentage), snakes (2 percentage), seahorses (2 percent) and others (8 percentage).
- The rhino and the cedar have been the animal and plant species maximum stricken by worldwide illegal wildlife trade all through 2015-2021.
Factors driving flora and fauna crime
- Demand for Wildlife Products: Demand for product derived from the natural world, which include ivory, rhino horn, tiger components, and so forth. Regularly fueled with the aid of cultural beliefs, traditional remedy practices, style tendencies, and status symbols leads to wildlife crime.
- Economic Incentives: Wildlife crimes are extraordinarily beneficial, imparting significant economic profits for poachers, traffickers, and prepared crime syndicates.
- Weak Law Enforcement: Inadequate enforcement of natural world safety laws, corruption within law enforcement organizations, and limited assets allocated to fight wildlife crime contribute to its persistence.
- Poverty and Lack of Livelihood Alternatives: Poverty and shortage of employment options drives human beings to have interaction in poaching or trafficking activities.
- Globalization: The globalization of alternate and transportation networks has facilitated the unlawful movement of natural world and wildlife products throughout borders.
Impacts of natural world crime
- Wildlife crime ends in populace declines or even extinction of endangered species. The lack of biodiversity can disrupt whole ecosystems, affecting their resilience and potential to provide critical offerings.
- The illegal trade deprives governments of sales from valid wildlife-based industries together with ecotourism and sustainable harvesting.
- The overexploitation of pinnacle predators will increase in prey species, which in turn negatively affect flora and different natural world populations in addition down the food chain, causing a cascade effect.
- Illegal wildlife trade involves the smuggling of live animals or animal products, which includes illnesses that pose dangers to human fitness.
- Many indigenous communities rely on the natural world for their cultural and non secular practices. The loss of key species erodes traditional knowledge and cultural identities, leading to a lack of cultural variety.
International Conventions to tackle natural world crimes
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Its goal is to make certain that global exchange in specimens of wild animals and flora does no longer threaten the survival of the species.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN): It is an international employer running inside the area of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural sources.
- Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS): It is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their levels.
Steps taken by Government to Protect Wildlife
- The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides for stringent punishment for violation of its provisions.
- The Wild Life Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) coordinates with State/UTs and different enforcement groups to collect intelligence about poaching and illegal change in wild animals and animal articles.
- Recovery of Endangered Species has been included in Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats which is a centrally backed scheme.
- The enactment of the National Biological Diversity Act (NBA), 2002 was accomplished with a view to ensure the safety of threatened species and their habitats.
Constitutional Provisions
- Article 48A: The State shall enterprise to shield and enhance the surroundings and to protect the forests and flora and fauna of the country.
- Article 51A(g): To defend and enhance the herbal surroundings together with forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for dwelling creatures;
Way Ahead
- Addressing wildlife crime requires a complete approach together with strengthening regulation enforcement, addressing poverty, promoting sustainable livelihoods, raising cognizance, and attractive neighborhood groups in conservation efforts.
- Governments need to provide education and prepare capability-constructing applications for cops, wildlife managers, and neighborhood communities to enhance their capabilities in flora and fauna protection, monitoring, and conservation.
Source: The Down to Earth
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q.Discuss the findings and recommendations of the 2024 World Wildlife Crime Report regarding illegal wildlife trade. What are the key challenges hindering effective enforcement against wildlife trafficking.(250 words)
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