The illicit trade in animal parts

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Editorial

Saturday, 04 February 2012

Author / Source : Editorial

Killing wild animals and then taking out certain body parts from them for profit have put major forest reserves in the world in danger. Yet despite this knowledge the unlawful poaching of animals is hard to stop as in many cases forest officials were found to be working in collusion with the poachers.  The ultimate result of this has been devastating, naturally. A recent report informs that Coast Guards arrested 52 people with body parts of deer, tiger and crocodile. After the latest busting of the animal body part ring, the large, almost too big to contain network has been identified. However, in these cases while the field level operators, usually the footmen, are caught, the masterminds and designers of such activities remain elusive. Of course the Coast Guard deserves accolades but capturing only the workers will only be a warning sign and the ringleaders will become more alert. The fact that not a single lynchpin of this trade has ever been caught is proof that the law is actually going round in circles.
Coming back to groups that are engaged in this trade, it has to be said that forests in Bangladesh have become the target because security in other forests have adopted stringent measures to restrict poachers and their nefarious reach. Here, the corruption of forest officials had been reported in the media with stories of illegitimate cash stashed in pillows which is very much vivid in the minds of the people.   Perhaps this tendency towards graft has been the main pull for international rings that trade in animal body sections. Understandably, such operations cannot happen unless there is a silent nod from the authority. If this has to be checked then firstly, the moral erosion within the forest preservation system has to be uprooted. In addition, forest guards need to be given monetary incentives so that they are immune to bribery. 
While it is easy to pontificate from the capital as to what must be done, the real picture in the wilderness is often something beyond comprehension. It is very much possible that all these suggestions may sound preposterous,   but solutions must be made, not in the city, but by forest officials and the government in the respective areas. The government also has a duty to seek the help of nations where animal parts are used for herbal medicines and other purposes. Animal limb trade is an operation transcending states and for that a unified effort of several governments is clearly essential.