mock-up : an opinion editorial on animal conservation
- Jan 29, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 31, 2021
What will it take to end wildlife trafficking?
A recent ruling by Singapore’s wildlife agencies moves the needle in recognising the need for severity in the domestic market for illegal wildlife trade in Singapore, says Subaraj Rajathurai
By Subaraj Rajathurai
SINGAPORE: It’s a sad, sobering report. I’d hope to champion our local conservation scene. Yet to get the authorities involved and listening has been a monumental task and it hasn’t changed since I began. They, among others, remain largely indifferent to the plight of the innocent endangered species.
Due to there being gaps in the legislation and weak law enforcement, the poachers purposefully and wilfully engage in these unlawfully activities as there’s a chance to make huge profits with low risks of being caught and punished. I felt our authority is being undermined.
It’s been years and nothing has changed.
FILE PHOTO: Elephants Dying in a Frenzy as Ivory Fuels Profits. SEPTEMBER 4, 2012. THE ATLANTIC 1
I remember speaking to Ms Susan Lieberman, who is the vice president for the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, and she agreed with me: 2
“A lot of times we see seizures, and then nothing happens … People have to go to jail, particularly the people running these networks – the spider in the centre of the web.”
Just last year, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)’s investigations found over 40 shops in Singapore selling ivory, with online listings on popular platforms. When they were asked, the businesses stated they were simply able to smuggle their contraband across borders because it mostly went undetected. 3
How could it be so easy to get around our regulations?
Then over the past few months, after a record haul of illegal cargo in ivory and pangolin scales were seized, I was at my wits’ end. It revealed the sheer size of the problem at hand — at an impounded total of about 38 tonnes of scales since April, and nearly 10 tonnes of elephant ivory just at that seizure in July. 4
FILE PHOTO: Singapore has seized nearly 10 tons of elephant ivory and about 12 tons of pangolin scales belonging to around 2,000 of the endangered mammals. NATIONAL PARKS BOARD VIA AP 5
Despite all these actions taken around the world, the trade doesn’t stop. The ever-present, single-minded focus of these traffickers and suppliers to get their ‘goods’ did not sit well with me.
There should not be a delay on the new rules, and we as conservationists should derail their plans completely. For the past few years, China, the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Britain have announced domestic bans on ivory. 6
In Singapore’s context, our own Endangered Species Act isn’t strong enough to keep commercial illegal trafficking from happening.
There are loopholes.
Art by Enzo Pérès-Labourdette 7
The time is now; and we should be just as relentless in the fight.
I am proud to lead the National Parks Board (NParks) and WWF’s decision to close the domestic market for illegal wildlife trade in Singapore.
WWF-Singapore chief executive Maureen Derooij and I will continue taking important measures to ensure the wildlife here and in the Asean region is protected. We cannot allow or facilitate this masquerade anymore.
Our blanket ban will prohibit the sale of elephant ivory and it will begin in 2021. This will send a strong signal to governments all over the globe, highlighting the urgency to combat and stop illegal wildlife trafficking. 8
Subaraj Rajathurai is the Director of Strix Wildlife Consultancy. He is a well-known conservationist, championing environmental advocate and wildlife consultant in Singapore.
This commentary first appeared in The Conversation.
Comments