Wildlife trade – Smuggling big cats to the Middle East

Wildlife trade –A real threat to Africa’s wildlife October 2011: It is estimated that the illegal trade in wildlife is the second largest illegal market in the world, after drugs. Immense and increasingly sophisticated illegal trade in wildlife parts and live wildlife, coupled with antiquated enforcement methods, are decimating much of the world’s wildlife on a scale never before seen.

Wildlife Conservation Society conservationist Elizabeth Bennett. says that much of the trade is driven by wealthy East Asian markets that have a seemingly insatiable appetite for wildlife parts.

'We are rapidly losing big, spectacular animals'
According to her report, organised crime syndicates using sophisticated smuggling operations have penetrated even previously secure wildlife populations. Some of the elaborate methods include: hidden compartments in shipping containers; rapidly changing of smuggling routes; and the use of e-commerce whose locations are difficult to detect.

Live wildlife trade to the Middle East
Charity Born Free Ethiopia have set up a wildlife rescue centre to care for some of the animals being confiscated from traders and others in Ethiopia.

Stephen Brend, Project Director of Born Free Ethiopia, comments on wildlife trade issues: “The thinking behind establishing Ensessakotteh, our Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre in Ethiopia, was not just to save animals from being kept, often illegally, in appalling conditions. If we are to be truly successful, in addition to saving those animals, we also need to stop wildlife trafficking full stop. Recent news suggests we have our work more than cut out for us."

Somalia a hub for wildlife trade
UN forces in Somalia recently confiscated two lion cubs that were already on a ship leaving the country. Born Free Foundation was prepared to help with their rescue and relocation, but the UN handled the situation and the lions were moved to South Africa. Unfortunately, Somalia is so lawless we have no real idea how many animals pass through there.

Demand for cheetah cubs
We do know, however, there is a huge demand for cheetah cubs in the Middle East. At least 20 have been smuggled from Ethiopia this year – and these are the ones we are aware of. There is no way the already-small wild population can withstand losses like that, so the situation is critical.

We are continuing to work with the Wildlife Conservation Authority in Ethiopia to try to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement both within the country and at border points. As the rescue of four little cheetahs in January shows, the system can work. We just need it to work more often.

Born Free Ethiopia is currently raising funds to rescue four more large, male lions and bring them to Ensessakotteh – find out more and help here      
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/cheetah-for-sale.html