Guwahati, June 27: The burgeoning crime against wildlife especially the trafficking in wildlife that has transcended international frontiers across the globe not only poses threat to national security but also to human health as it may precipitate zoonotic diseases among the human population.
Wildlife crime poses threat to national security because it is the fourth largest illegal trade after that in drugs, weapons and human trafficking. It may also spread zoonotic diseases among the human population by afflicting those involved in the trade as well as those guarding against this illegal trade across the globe. So, it requires concerted and urgent global efforts among varied agencies to check wildlife crimes.
This was what driven home by a team of resource persons from Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation and research organization, who were conducting a sensitisation workshop on wildlife crime for a select group of officials from various government agencies/departments that work under one roof and in tandem at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Moreh on the India-Myanmar border in Manipur.
Personnel from Manipur Police were also in attendance in the workshop where officials from all agencies were urged to treat wildlife crime especially the illegal trade in wildlife at par with crimes like drugs smuggling, clandestine arms trade and not as mere conservation issue.
The programme was held on Friday in collaboration with Customs Preventive Force and with support from US Fish and Wildlife Service. It was attended by 28 select personnel from various government agencies including Customs Department, Immigration Bureau, ICP, Land Port Authority of India and Manipur Police.
“Given the complexity of various dimensions of wildlife crimes and the global network of these criminals, it is not possible for any single agency to check it. Hence Aaranyak, which believes that prevention of wildlife crime is essential for effective conservation, strives to facilitate synergy in action among various agencies in dealing with wildlife crimes,” stated the Aaranyak team.
Making a presentation in the workshop, Dr Jimmy Borah, Senior Manager of LAD in Aaranyak, flagged why forces deployed on border areas of the country are required to be highly vigilant against the wildlife crimes that pose grave threat to the biodiversity as well as economy of the country.
He cited reports about linkage of wildlife crimes with the illegal trade in drug and weapons that also involve insurgents and hence said transboundary movement of illegal wildlife must be prevented as much as possible. He highlighted the way land, sea and air routes are used by wildlife criminals in transshipping wildlife across the globe besides flagging the provision of the Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972 as well as CITES convention in dealing with wildlife crimes.
Ms Ivy Farheen Hussain, a Project Officer in Aaranyak, highlighted the local perspective of wildlife crime and roles of various stakeholders in preventing and mitigating it and how international frontiers could be hotspots for this illegal trade.
Presenting findings of a study conducted on wildlife crime taking place across India-Bhutan border in western Assam areas, the Aaranyak official said that mounting vigil against wildlife crime along the international border areas is of much importance.