Massive Tiger bone seizure

The bones were found in a shipment from Jakarta, Indonesia, hidden in a container of deer antlers being exported to Taiwan for use in traditional medicines. Also seized were 400kg of pangolin scales and five pieces of carved ivory weighing 1kg. The international trade in tiger, pangolin and elephant parts is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). All three are protected species in Indonesia, but a report released last year by TRAFFIC International – the global wildlife trade monitoring programme of WWF and IUCN – found that poaching of and trade in Indonesia’s tigers continues unabated. At least 50 tigers are killed or removed from the wild in Indonesia every year.

“This single shipment intercepted in Taiwan last month represents nearly half that annual figure,” said WWF-Canada TRAFFIC Representative Ernie Cooper. Indonesia was once home to three sub-species of tiger – Javan, Balinese and Sumatran. Of these, the Javan and Balinese sub-species are now extinct, leaving just 400 to 500 Sumatran tigers in the wild. “Indonesia is in real danger of losing its last remaining Tiger sub-species if the widespread illegal trade in Tiger parts is not stopped.”

During TRAFFIC’s research in Sumatra, traders indicated that they illegally sold Tiger parts to Taiwan and other consumer countries. “We would like to commend the efforts of the Taiwan Custom’s authorities in intercepting this illegal shipment and we encourage other potential consumer countries to show similar vigilance and strong enforcement action,” Cooper said. “Despite earlier indications of the trade in some markets shifting to Tiger skins and other products beside bone, this seizure clearly illustrates that tiger parts in traditional Asian medicine continues to be a threat to wild tigers.”

Canada is one of the consumer countries for tiger bone medicine. “Over the years Environment Canada has made many seizures of tiger bone products as they were imported into the country, said Cooper.” Unfortunately Environment Canada has less than 20 officers dedicated to CITES enforcement and only about eight are actually involved in inspecting the movement of wildlife into Canada. “It is entirely likely that tiger bone and other endangered species parts and products are being smuggled into the country. The government of Canada needs to make wildlife enforcement a priority and provide Environment Canada with the resources to hire at least 100 more wildlife enforcement officers,” Cooper stated.

The critical shortage of federal wildlife enforcement officers in Canada was highlighted in a TRAFFIC report entitled CITES, Eh? that was published in May 2005. CITES, Eh? provides a detailed set of recommendations resulting from the analysis of Canada’s administration and enforcement of CITES. Execution of these recommendations would drastically improve Canada’s implementation of the Convention and enhance the country’s role in international wildlife conservation.

“Increased and improved enforcement is critical to saving Sumatran Tigers,” Cooper stressed. “Action should be taken against the markets, trade hubs and retail outlets, especially in northern Sumatra, but also in the consumer countries and that includes Canada. Traders of illegal wildlife and wildlife parts and derivatives should be punished to the full extent of the law.”

Reports in recent months regarding the decline in Tiger populations in some protected areas in India have forcefully re-focused the attention of the international conservation community on the poaching of Tigers, especially in South Asia. However, this seizure has firmly put the global spotlight on Southeast Asia as well. The seizure had also taken place just days after a meeting of the CITES Standing Committee, which requested that all range States of Asian Big Cats report next year on their work in combating illicit trade in specimens of Asian Big Cat species and their implementation of CITES recommendations addressing legislation and enforcement, anti-poaching efforts, public education and outreach, and other domestic controls. “Conservation efforts must address the global picture if the trade in Tigers is to be stopped, and if ultimately Tigers are to survive in the wild,” Cooper said.

The seizure also clearly indicates that illegal trade of numerous protected species from Southeast Asia to Taiwan and other East Asian destinations continues on a large scale. Pangolins, one of the most heavily traded species in Asia, are also protected in Indonesia, and throughout their range in Asia. However, demand for their scales and meat in East Asia continues to drive a market that is threatening remaining wild populations.