Trade in Wildlife Parts

1. Trade in Wildlife Parts

2. History • History • Back in the day (colonization of NA) • Native Americans used parts to trade w/ white man • Mostly pelts, antlers, and horns • For guns, traps, pots and pans, and other necessities • Lead to early exploitation of native wildlife populations • Back in the day (colonization of NA) • Native Americans used parts to trade w/ white man • Mostly pelts, antlers, and horns • For guns, traps, pots and pans, and other necessities • Lead to early exploitation of native wildlife

3. History cont’d • Exploitation went on for many years • Only after many wildlife numbers decreased dramatically did the gov’t step in • Began with setting aside land for National preserves • Created many different laws pertaining to wildlife

4. Laws • 1st major law: Lacy Act (1900) - regulates interstate and international trade of wildlife and wildlife parts (dead or alive) • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1916) - protects migratory bird species in Canada, Mexico, and the US

5. Laws cont’d • Duck Stamp Act (1934) - to supplement and support Migratory Bird Act - Funds from duck stamp set aside to buy land for wildlife sanctuaries (mostly wetland habitats)

6. Laws • Endangered Species Act (1973) - Purpose: - To conserve habitats that endangered species depend on - To create programs to conserve endangered/threatened species - To uphold other treaties/conventions

7. Endangered Species Act • Policy: • To conserve endangered/threatened species to uphold this act • Cooperation between state and federal authorities for conservation • Prohibition of exporting or importing any endangered/threatened species native to any country

8. CITES • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (1975) • Global treaty focusing on protection of plant and animal species form unregulated international trade

9. CITES • Three phases • Protects threatened species from international trade • Regulates trade in non-threatened species but may become threatened if trade goes on • Gives countries options of species to list if already protected within boundaries

10. International Trade • Main importers: South East Asia, Europe, and US • Main exporters: South America, US, and Africa

11. ASIA • Big importers and exporters • Poor economy in places (rural) = exporters • Good economy in places (city) = importers • China – biggest importer both internationally and intranationally • -biggest problematic country • Big importers and exporters • Poor economy in places (rural) = exporters • Good economy in places (city) = importers • China – biggest importer both internationally and intranationally • Biggest problematic country

12. ASIA • Rural problems • Not a lot of money • Know that wildlife parts = big money • Used to and still hunt for subsistence • Sell/trade parts for food, salt, guns, etc. • Belief of success in next hunt if have skulls

13. ASIA • City problems • Too much money • Want traditional medicines • Want to be like western peoples (US) --Trophies etc.

14. ASIA • Main mammals poached in SE Asia: • Tigers • Tibetan antelope and gazelle • Giant panda • Rhinos • Tapirs • Musk deer • Various monkeys

15. Tigers Hair: when burnt chases away centipedes Brain: laziness and pimples Tail: various skin diseases Skin: treat mental illness Bones: arthritis, strengthen muscles Stomach: calm upset stomach Whiskers: toothaches

16. Other mammals: • Panda Tapir: -- skin used to remove boils and keep away infections Panda -- skins sold for $100,000 US

17. More mammals: Tibetan antelope: -- fashionable hides -- called Shahtoosh -- In 1992, $2750 /lb -- 20000 killed annually (1999) -- exported to Italy, France Sumatran Rhino: -- horn: relieves headaches and fevers

18. More mammals: Musk deer: -- musk gland used -- to treat malaria, convulsions -- perfume to Germany, France -- $ 45,000 /kg Gibbons and macaques: --skins made into shoulder bags -- treatment for malaria

19. Solutions (possible) • A college in San Francisco started promoting alternative ingredients for traditional medicines • Actually pay people to work in national preserves • Give people salt to safeguard wildlife

20. AFRICA • Declined in exporting 1980’s – 1990’s • Recent increase due to lifted ban on ivory • Main problems: -- civil war -- hunting (subsistence) -- lack of funding

21. AFRICAN MAMMALS • Main mammals effected in Africa • Elephants • Black and White Rhinoceros • Gorillas and other primates • Cheetahs and other big cats

22. ELEPHANT elephant • Hunted for ivory • jewelry • piano keys • carvings • Hunted for meat

23. RHINOCEROS Hunted for : horns - medicinal value - dagger handles meat trade

24. Gorillas and other primates gorilla Hunted for: meat hands and other body parts young ones capture for zoos and private collections

25. Cheetahs and other big cats • Hides used for trade • Meat used to sell to other tribes • Killed for predation on cattle

26. Africa Solutions: • Burning stacks of horns to curb hunting • Cutting of rhino horns before they get big • More money to fund park rangers • Public education • Cease fire agreements to wars to stop accidental deaths • Public education • Cease fire agreements to wars to stop accidental • deaths

27. Africa More Solutions: • Hippo teeth and warthog tusks for ivory • DNA tracking of ivory • New tests help differentiate elephant ivory from mammoth ivory (which is legal) • Tests also locate approximate location of kill

28. SOUTH AMERICA • Recent member to illegal trade family • Mostly trade for money • Lack of education about endangered species

29. South America • Brazil • Mostly bird smuggling: parrots, etc. • Venezuela: • Mostly bird smuggling • Few mammals being smuggled • Just hides and other parts: ocelot skins

30. South America • Problems: • Increase of population size • Decrease value of money • Had to increase exporting something • Rise in unemployment = need for cheep food = native species

31. CAPYBARA: Hide used for leather products Considered a delicacy OCELOT: Pelts used in fur industry Trapped for house cats SA Mammals

32. South America • Another major problem: • Drug lords getting in on trade • Good, quick money • Stuffing drugs and other paraphernalia into mounted species

33. South America Solutions: -- Find other products to export (oil, minerals, etc.) -- help their economy -- increase value of their money -- employ more people

34. North American Trade

35. Intro to North America • World’s largest importing/exporting region in the world. • Trade is about 20 billion dollars worldwide, second only to narcotics. • Discovery by European nations 300 years ago. • Historically fur- Highest value commercially in the world.

36. United States • High demand for live animals and exotic leathers. • Largest wildlife consuming country in world. • Center of commerce for worlds animals and plants. • Canada and Mexico play similar roles but on a smaller scale.

37. Trade • Two types usually • Legal • Illegal • Majority of trade is illegal • Many rules/regulations restricting trade. • Some categories subject to restrictions are: • Mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, insect, crustaceans, etc. • Also any products manufactured from wildlife like feathers, skins, and eggs.

38. Trade • Designated ports for entry. • Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. • Must have containers marked and labeled to show name of shipper and consignee and number and kind of contents.

39. Illegal Trade • One third of world’s wildlife is in danger of extinction because of illegal trade. • Profit is high, risk of getting caught is low. • Animals worth more dead than alive. • The more endangered, the more valuable.

40. Illegal Trade • Worth more than $5 billion per year in the U.S. • Most people involved are also involved with organized crimes like drugs and prostitution. • Supplies are diminishing. Heading to Canada for supplies.

41. Canada • Many Canadian animals are in high demand. • National Parks are supermarket for major trophy heads. • Animals are grown protected, now they are major target for poachers.

42. Targets • High price getters • Bighorn, Elk, Moose, Deer, Goats, and Bears. • Also Fetuses, antlers and velvet, deer hooves, predatory bird feathers, gall bladders, teeth, paws, and claws of bears. • Bears are one of main targets.

43. Black Bear • Mainly targeted for gall bladder. • Trade is similar to heroin, only scarcer. • Valued part- bile • Traditional medicines to treat burns, fever, stomach ulcers, heart disease, cancer, gall bladder problems, and hemorrhoids.

44. Black Bears • Flight from Toronto to New Delhi crashed June 22, 1985. • Two suitcases with gall bladders from 1,000 black bears was lost. • 70 pounds • $1 million in gall bladders • Bear paws are also taken.

45. Poaching • California population is decreasing. • Biggest factor said to be poaching due to value of gall bladders. • Most go to China

46. Viagra Involved?? • Thought to slow use of animal parts from endangered species for aphrodisiacs. • Slowed trade in harp seals genitals • Claimed to be reason for market drying up. • 10 years ago- $65 a piece. 8 years later- $6 • Found viagra had very little impact. • Decline underway before 1998.

47. Seals • 92,000 killed last year in newfoundland. • 282,000 in 1998 • Reduced numbers caused by poor ice and oversaturated market. • Now hunting/trade on rebound in Canada • 214,000 this year already. • $27 a piece. Up from $8.50 a year ago • Set a legal quota on number to be taken.