Nagpur: While most people see China as the main center for trade in the body parts of illegal tigers, a new study shows that the parts of the tigers traded entered the US representing almost half of the trade of global illegal tigers.
While the US is the main supporter of tiger conservation efforts around the world, their role in the trade of illegal tiger spare parts is substantial.
It is the conclusion of the recent study pattern of the parts of illegal tigers and laws that entered the United States for a decade (2003-2012) ‘published by Sarika Khanwilkar, Executive Director, Wild Tiger; Monique Sosnowski, a researcher at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Sharon Guynup, a global colleague at Woodrow Wilson International Center for scholars.
Wild Tiger is a US-based NGO dedicated to preserving wild Indian tigers and their habitat.
Khanwilkar said, “People in the US have this false idea that illegal trade in the parts of the tiger is half the world.
In fact, we in the US involved and riding a large portion of illegal trade.
This research is a step to better understand the role of the US in trade Global Tiger, which will enhance the policy and law enforcement and direct research efforts in the future.
“This research uses data seizures of tigers who entered the US from 2003 to 2012, obtained from US fish and wildlife services under the freedom of ACT information (FOIA ), Similar to the RTI India law.
The next request for seizure records to understand the current trend after 2012 is not provided.
To complete this seizure record, the data on the tiger and spare parts legally entered the US obtained from the CITES database.
“Most of the Illegal Tiger spare parts entered the US as a medicinal product, from China or Vietnam, and intended for personal use.
292 Tiger sectional seizures entering the US between 2003 and 2012 are substantial.
This represents almost half (46.8%) From global seizures previously reported during this period, “said this study.
There is no data about the potential exports of illegal tiger parts from the US, although it can be used as a country of transportation or the country of origin for Tigi Prisoners raised in the US entering illegal trade.
Because of the lack of data on sources (wild versus prisoners), and the country of origin, which can be different from the export state, from the section of the tigers confiscated, it is difficult to determine the trade route or understand where wild tiger boiled supply trade.
When asked about organized tiger hunting gangs in the bay in India because of the lack of global demand, said Khanwilkar, “this is not true.
There is no evidence that global demand for tigers has subsided.
The demand continues and the possibility of increasing due to drug use Tiger continues and economic prosperity, along with the use of online tools to buy and sell, has expanded access to illegal tiger parts.
“” Also, prisoners’ tiger populations throughout the world are still arranged badly and in agricultural countries of tigers, tigers Prisoners continue to supply parts for illegal trade.
The United Nations and several other sources quoted in this study indicate constant demand for tigers throughout the world, “he said.
Khanwilkar said, “Indian and tiger agricultural countries are places where the tiger spare spasms are the highest occurs.
There are so many we do not understand the trade route of humans.
Who knows whether the boiled tiger from India is sent to China, is processed into medicines , and then sent to the US? “” What parts of the tiger drugs entering the US from China are sourced from the Chinese prisoners’ tiger population? How many parts of the tiger seized entering the US come from the Indian wild tiger population? Because of the gap in our knowledge of the trade route , We just don’t know the part of the tiger body entering the US comes from India, “Khanwilkar said.
“To truly understand how many parts of the tiger entering the US market from India, we need to use a forensic DNA analysis to analyze parts and show their geographical origin.
Genetic forensics can be a valuable tool to confirm the source of illegal tiger parts , “he said.
“My goal is to digenize people in India about overcoming the trade of tiger spare parts, which includes political pressure on the US and other countries with high demand, collaborating on law enforcement, etc.
because there is a high demand in the US and it encourages tiger hunting Wild India, “Khanwilkar said.