Pro-trade lobby unaware of demand & scope for growth?
Is it time to reconsider a legal global trade in tiger, elephant and rhino products?
That was the question being debated last Thursday (October 17) at an EarthWatch Institute event held at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
The EarthWatch Institute debate gets under way at the Royal Geographical Institute, London (c) EIA
.EIA Executive Director Mary Rice was on the team arguing against trade, along with elephant scientist Dr Katarzyna Nowak and WWF UK Executive Director of Global Programmes Dr Glyn Davies. Together the three provided real world examples of how parallel legal markets for ivory and captive-bred tiger skins have done nothing to support conservation of the species in the wild.
The risks associated with continuing along this path and of opening trade in rhino horn are enormous and potentially irreversible. Mary and co said “no” to trade, instead calling for investment in more effective enforcement of bans to target the criminals at the heart of the illegal trade, sustained and innovative demand reduction campaigns and support for initiatives that benefit communities living with wildlife.
The jaw bones of an entire family group wiped out by poachers in Quirimbas National Park, Mozambique, 2011 (c) EIA
The arguments in favour of legalising trade were that cheap legal products would meet demand, out-compete the criminal networks profiting from trade and ultimately relieve pressure on wild populations. But such simple economic principles of supply and demand do not apply in a world full of greed, corruption and criminality.
The experiments thus far with ivory and farmed tiger skins show that a legal trade has been a monumental failure. In China, Government controlled systems have created high-end markets for legal products that are being undercut by illegally acquired specimens. The legal trade is perpetuating the desirability of these products, stimulating demand and driving poaching. It’s chaos!
The proponents of trade claimed banning it just drives trade underground and makes it impossible to detect. Hmm, really? A targeted, intelligence-led approach has enabled EIA investigators to come face to face with criminals trading illegal ivory, tiger and other Asian big cat parts and products. Surely government law enforcement authorities can do the same?
We’re not convinced the proponents of trade have really understood the scale of current demand and the scope for entirely new spin-off markets and demands – just like farmed bear bile, no longer used solely for traditional medicine but now widely available as a shampoo, toothpaste and face masks!
With rhino horn, the poaching epidemic has been triggered by a whole new demand and market for pre- and post-hangover cures and cancer treatments in Vietnam. Who saw that coming before it was upon us?
The audience ultimately voted “no”; they too were not convinced by the arguments of the proponents of trade.
Debbie Banks
Head of Tigers Campaign