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Two days training workshop “Controlling Illegal Wildlife Trade” was held from November 23, 24 at Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH), Garden Avenue, Shakarparian, Islamabad to highlight the issues of illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts and their derivatives which is threatening Pakistan’s unique biodiversity and its habitats.
Illegal wildlife trade is not only causing huge loss of revenue to national exchequer but also disturbing the ecosystem in the country leading to climatic change, various deadly diseases and socio-economic problems, said Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Chairman Dr. Manzoor Soomro.
He was addressing the inaugural session of a 2-days training workshop “Controlling Illegal Wildlife Trade” on Wednesday at Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH), Garden Ave, Shakarparian, Islamabad, as the chief guest.
Pakistan Wetlands Programme WWF Pakistan and PMNH have arranged this training opportunity for Customs authorities and other wildlife law-enforcement agencies involved in controlling illegal trade from ports and exit points in Pakistan.
Dr. Syed Azhar Hasan, DG, PMNH highlighted the expertises available with PMNH regarding identification, conservation, and documentation of the natural resources.
Dr Ghulam Akbar from WWF Pakistan spoke on aims and objectives of the workshop and the urgent need to control illegal trade of wildlife that has endangered many species.
He said Wildlife trade is any sale or exchange of wild animal and plant resources by people. This can involve live animals and plants or a diverse range of products needed or prized by humans—including skins, medicinal ingredients, tourist curios, timber, fish and other food products. Most wildlife trade is probably within national borders, but there is a large volume of wildlife in trade internationally.
Syed Mahmood Nasir, Inspector General Forests, said environmental crime has been an increasing concern of the international community and governments. Customs plays a central role to control international trade in environmentally sensitive goods regulated by the Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and help in eradicating their illegal trafficking, he added. He spoke on illegal trade of turtles, birds such as eagles, hubara bustard and precious plants, its threatening Pakistan’s unique biodiversity and its habitats. Examples of trade involving wildlife species include unsustainable harvesting and exporting of the freshwater soft-shell turtles, shark fins, live corals, sea cucumbers and other marine invertebrates, and the skins of reptiles and small predators such as otters. In addition, large mammal trophies, skins and their parts and products are also being traded illegally. Pakistan’s ports are either being used as origins or as transits.
 He said there is an urgent need for knowledge and action, including strengthening of the role and effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), applying new approaches through instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), mobilizing action by the private sector and using other regulatory and incentive mechanisms at international, national and local levels to ensure that the positive values of wildlife trade are harnessed and its negative impacts avoided.
Mr. Khalid Mahmood, President of WWF-Pakistan, said The primary motivating factor for wildlife traders is economic, ranging from small scale local income generation to major profit-oriented business, such as marine fisheries and logging companies.
Between collectors of wildlife and the ultimate users, any number of middlemen may be involved in the wildlife trade, including specialists involved in storage, handling, transport, manufacturing, industrial production, marketing, and the export and retail businesses, he said, adding in fact most of us are involved in wildlife trade in some way, even if it just as end consumers of wildlife products.
He said WWF Pakistan seeks and activates solutions to the problems created by illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade. Our aim is to encourage sustainability by providing decision-makers, traders and others involved in wildlife trade reliable information about the environmental harm irresponsible trade can cause, and present guidance on how to counteract it, he maintained.
He said legislation is a vital way to control wildlife trade, but to be successful, laws need to be widely understood, accepted and practical to apply. This training programme is first of its kind in the country and will be helpful for conservation of biodiversity of Pakistan by controlling illegal trade of wildlife species now reaching to billions of dollors.
Dr Masood Arshad from WWF-Pakistan and Dr M. Rafiq, Director Zoological Sciences Division, PMNH emphasized the need for awareness on laws relating to wildlife and its illegal trade.
Some 60 participants from Pakistan Customs, wildlife and forest departments, scientists are participating in this workshop. Experts from PMNH and WWF, Pakistan Wetlands Programme imparted training.
For further details:
Nasir Malik
Coordinator, Awareness-raising and Communication
Pakistan Wetlands Programme
House No. 62, Street No. 25, Sector F-10/1, Islamabad
Ph: ++92-51-2114125-9
Email: nimalik@wwf.org.pk or nasirmalikx@gmail.com
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