Illegal Wildlife Trade In India: An Overview

Samir Sinha Head, TRAFFIC India

WWF India Sectt. 172-B Lodi Estate
N. Delhi 11003
Tel: 011 43514786
E mail: ssinha@wwfindia.net

Discussion Notes
*
These
are
shared
for
discussion only and may not be
shared as representing any official
views of TRAFFIC or WWF India

1. TRAFFIC, earlier known as the Trade Records Analysis of Flora

and Fauna in Commerce was established by the Species Survival
Commission of IUCN in 1976, after the entry into force of CITES. The
major role was to monitor wildlife trade and the implementation of the
treaty.
2. A joint programme of WWF and IUCN
3. Since its founding in 1976,
it has grown to become the world's
largest wildlife trade monitoring programme.
4. TRAFFIC actively monitors and investigates wildlife trade, and provides
its information to a diverse audience world-wide, as a basis for
effective conservation policies and programmes.
5.
a. Headquarters at UK with a spread across 5 continents and with 7
regional programmes and presence in 30 countries.
b. TRAFFIC came to India in 1991 and is hosted by WWF-India
c. Closely works with IUCN, WWF and CITES secretariat along with
various National and regional and state agencies, on wildlife
trade issues.
6. Several agencies have given estimates of illegal wildlife trade:
a. US$20 billion annually (INTERPOL)
b. USD10 to 20 billion a year (TRAFFIC)
c. $5 billion and potentially in excess of $20 billion annually (CRS
Report for US Congress, 22nd Aug, 2008)
7. During the pre independence days, Tigers in India were considered as
pests and people were awarded for killing tiger. The Shikar (Hunting)
was a privilege enjoyed by rich and famous people. The hunting of wild
birds too was rampant as a sport as the records engraved on the
tablets at Keoladeo Ghana national Park, Bharatpur (Rajasthan) is a
witness to this.
8. Post independence the hunting became an open access to even the
common man, but finally in the late 19th century the wildlife protection
laws emerged and brought about a strict control on wildlife hunting
and trade in various articles.

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 1 of 8

9. Illegal wildlife trade today is a lucrative trade as it offers high gain with
low detection probability. Less conviction and other gaps.
10.The illegal wildlife trade in India thrives as India is a mega diverse
country with rich biodiversity offering much to the illicit traders across
the country. A small window to the wildlife wealth is provided below:
397 Mammals
(9%)
1232 Birds
(14%)
460 reptiles
(8%)
240 Amphibians
(5%)
2546 Fish
(12%)
17500 Flowering plants
(7%)
14500 Fungi
(21%)
*** (Figures in percentages reflect approx. percentage of global no. of
species)
11.Over the years, global crime in wildlife has escalated and become
much more organised. Shrinkage of habitats and the trans-border
demand for wildlife derivatives has resulted in regression of many
species. Illegal wildlife trade presents a serious threat to the survival
and conservation of many endangered species. On the other hand,
many of which were known to have abounded earlier, are now a
minuscule lot. The demand of animal parts and products has multiplied
manifolds over the years.
Tigers are hunted illegally for claws, bones, skins, whiskers, and
virtually every part of their body which are used in TCM
o China has a large number of tigers in captivity in tiger farms
o There is pressure on Chinese Govt to lift domestic ban on use of
tiger products sourced from tiger farms
o Lifting of ban on trade in tiger parts would be deleterious to the
tiger conservation globally.
o CITES continues to keep the ban trade in tiger parts in force.
Leopards are killed / trapped for claws, bones, skins, whiskers, any
many other body parts used in the TCM
Rhino are poached for horns and skin also now in some parts
Elephants continue to be killed for their ivory. Several techniques
including poisoned arrows are used for killing elephants
Otter skin trade is also prevalent in large volumes. The otter skin is
used as trimming for coats and other garments
Musk Deer hunted for Musk pod
Chiru hunted for wool for Shahtoosh shawls
Bear bile used in TCM
Mongoose for hair for fine paint brushes
Snakes skins for belts and leather purses
Sea Turtles shells
Butterflies as curios
Arrowana fish traded for their value in Feng shui
12.Live elephant trade across states in India is also of concern. Live
Elephants are reportedly being moved across International borders, to

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 2 of 8

Nepal and Myanmar without proper documentation. This is a violation

of CITES.
13.Live bird trade is spread across the country and birds are trapped to be
sold as pets, for taboos and for export to overseas markets. Species
like owls, falcons and cage birds like munias and hill mynas demand a
very high price.
14.Star tortoise trade over the years has been of concern. This species is
exported to Southeast Asian countries in large volumes for their
demand in pet trade.
15.The trade in marine species and products is equally large and is an
area of concern. Shark fins are traded for fin soup, Sea horses for food
and medicine, corals for their use in jewelry and shells as curios.
16. Another area of concern is the medicinal plant sector. Much of this
trade is hidden and very less is known about it. Over 8,000 species of
medicinal plants in use. Nearly 90% of the species in trade are
exploited from the wild. Such exploitation is usually done in an
unscientific and unsustainable manner, often clandestinely. Movement
of products mostly from India to Nepal & China, some trade also with
Pakistan but mostly covert
17.The trade of Medicinal plants is regulated under the CITES, WLPA,
Customs Act and by the DGFT rules.
18.The trade of wild species specimens for use in schools and for museum
specimens is another grey area that needs to be looked into.
19.Illegal wildlife trade has now emerged as organised transnational
crime.
20.Some of the important wildlife seizure that have taken place in the last
decade are:
(i)

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh - On 8.12.1999 sales tax inspectors

inadvertently uncovered and seized, 3 tiger skins, 50 leopard skins
and 5 otter skins.
The skins were meticulously packaged, numbered and concealed in
a consignment of cloth in a truck bound for Siliguri, West Bengal.

(ii)

On 12.01.2000, police seized 4 tiger skins, 70 leopard skins, 18,000

leopard claws, 150 kg of leopard and tiger bones, 132 tiger claws,
2 leopard teeth and one dried leopard penis, 221 blackbuck skins

(iii)

8th October 2003-Customs officers at a temporary checkpoint at

Sansan, a small township at Angren County, southwest of Lhasa in
the Tibet Autonomous Region found a truck carrying a consignment
of 31 tiger skins, 581 leopard skins, 778 Eurasian otter skins and 2
lynx skins, as well as one fake tiger skin.
Seizure on 1st Feb. 2005, by Delhi Police - Raid on the basement of
a warehouse in Patel Nagar. The haul consisted of:
39 leopard skins (including one snow leopard), 2 tiger skins, 42
otter skins, 3kg of tiger claws,
14 tiger canines, 10 tiger jaw
bones,
About 135 kg of porcupine quills, 60 kg of tiger and
leopard paws, 20 small pieces of bone that appear to be tiger and
leopard 'floating' clavicle bones.

(iv)

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 3 of 8

(v)

NEPAL 2nd September 2005, The Royal Nepal Army seized five tiger
skins, 36 leopard skins, 238 otter skins and 113 kilograms of tiger
and leopard bones in the Rasuwa district of Nepal, bordering the
Tibetan Autonomous Region. The goods were coming from Delhi
and supposed to be sent to Tibet. On 10th August 2007 One Tiger
skin & 2 Leopard skins seized in Nepal. The ten foot long tiger skin,
which was soft and supple, was wrapped in sheets of the Times of
India.
(vi)
20 Convicted for Lion Poaching in Gujarat October 28, 2008
Twenty people have been sentenced to three years imprisonment
and fined for poaching endangered lions in the Gir Forest and
trading in their parts. The Court of P.K. Makuana, Ist class
magistrate, in Junagadh handed down the jail sentences and in
addition ordered each defendant to pay a fine of Rs 10,000..
(vii) Tiger Found In Man's Freezer - Monday, 14 June 2010, Coventry UK
A tiger, several turtles, a monkey and the remains of a chimpanzee
have been discovered in a household freezer. Investigators also
uncovered the skulls of a baby seal and penguin alongside lemurs,
sparrowhawks, buzzards and owls during the raid
(viii) 28th August, 2010, Bangkok. A two-month-old tiger cub was
discovered hidden with stuffed tiger toys in the baggage of a
women heading to Iran from Thailand.
21.Timber trade especially species like Red Sanders from India to
Southeast Asia and Nepal is very rampant.
22.The Internet has emerged as a modern 21st century tool for illegal
wildlife trade.
By September 2009, over 1.73 billion people globally around a
quarter of the world population had access to the Internet, an
increase of almost 380 % between 2000 and 2009
The Internet provides quick and extensive information to a vast
and interconnected audience, many of which can be anonymous or
use fake identities, with much of the exchange focused on
commerce.
From July 2005 to February 2006, TRAFFIC found 4,291 unique
advertisements offered by almost 2,000 sellers for CITES-listed
species on the Chinese-language Internet, including auction
websites and chat rooms in the thematic websites
According to a report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center
(IC3) of the United States, non-delivery and auction fraud have
been the top two reported cyber crimes since 2005 (Anon. 2008).
In 2004, TRAFFIC advised eBay to stop all trade in ivory on their
websites because of the difficulties in distinguishing legal from
fraudulent ivory
In June 2007, eBay announced a ban on the international trade of
elephant ivory on all its sites worldwide.
In 2008, TRAFFIC worked with the Chinese CITES MA to train
relevant authorities and website managers in China in order to
deter illegal trade in CITES-listed species on the Internet.
23.Transnational criminal organisations involved in arms, narcotics and
human trafficking are increasingly likely to be involved in the illegal

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 4 of 8

wildlife trade. This suggests a link between the illegal trade in wildlife
products and terrorism. Major implications that the illegal wildlife
trade could bear on security and its erosive effect on state institutions
24.Some Recent International Trends in Organised Wildlife Crime include:
Involvement of Diplomats
Convergence of Smuggling interests- Barter of products
Involvement of Insurgents
BIOPIRACY-Involvement of scientists
Tourists as potential customers
Demand expected to rise with economic growth
25.For gaining better understanding of illegal wildlife trade it is required
to:
Identify vulnerable areas/species

Identify potential trade centres/ routes

Develop a good network of informants

Study the motivation of such informants so that you can handle them
better
Establishing a Criminal Profile Directory
Maintain records of persons with a history of poaching and/or
wildlife trade in their locality
Include details about physical appearance, identification
marks/signs, employment, family, normal place of residence, key
associates, criminal history, convictions if any, pending cases
etc.
Photographs?
Analyse link of old crime to new offenders and old offenders to
new crime

26.When a mortality or poaching is detected

Encourage people NOT to hide facts- Cover-ups only

encourage poachers

Protect, observe, process and record the scene of crime

properly.

Important to establish linkages between the scene of

crime and the suspect(s) through the circumstantial,
corroborative and physical evidences
27.To strengthen the linking of the offenders with the crime it is prudent to
use the latest tools like wildlife forensics for:
Fingerprinting
specimens of blood
Footprints
Ballistic examination of cartridges, weapons etc.
28.For better enforcement carry out regular Security Audits
Are security protocols as prescribed being followed?
If staff is trained, equipped and motivated to prevent or respond to
any crisis?

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 5 of 8

 Mock Drills
Training
Monitoring by Senior Officials?
Follow up of Court Cases
Updating threat perceptions
Periodic review by independent/ anonymous evaluators
29.Some of the recent efforts that have been taken up by TRAFFIC in the
region to strengthen the wildlife enforcement network include:
Establishment of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network
(SAWEN) Facilitating the Govts. Of India and Nepal to sign a MoU on
wildlife enforcement issues.
Similar efforts are on for Bhutan too.
TRAFFIC has come out with several reports and publications on
wildlife trade issues. These can be accessed at www.traffic.org
TRAFFIC India core areas include:
a. Undertake in-depth research and use this knowledge to
help decision makers at all levels to understand the scope,
dynamics and impacts of wildlife trade, so that they can apply
appropriate management measures.
For example, TRAFFIC
Indias recent study into the Peacock tail feather trade, illegal
owl trade and illegal Leopard trade aims to inform the key
decision makers about the prevailing trade trends and
dynamics, effects of trade on species and provide an early
warning.
b.

Developing a mechanism for generating, developing and

processing of actionable information around key
landscapes and strengthen cross-border co-operation for curbing
wildlife trade. TRAFFIC is developing intelligence unit and
networking with the enforcement agencies to take this effort
forward. The information on illegal wildlife trade is gathered and
shared with cross border agencies and NGOs for appropriate
legal action and curbing the illegal trade.

c. Helping to enhance capacity of the enforcement agencies

so that they understand and respond adequately to wildlife
crime and trade related issues. For this, TRAFFIC India conducts
several workshops across the country. So far TRAFFIC has
trained over 300 officials on legal and technical aspect including
the use of forensics, in curbing illegal wildlife trade.
d. Monitor emerging trends in wildlife trade and develop
baseline information about key species. TRAFFIC India is
putting together a detailed database on wildlife trade in various
wild animal and plant species in India. The Handbook on Wildlife
Law Enforcement in India a latest publication gives a detailed

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 6 of 8

picture of the illegal wildlife trade in India and transborders with

snapshots of the laws and regulations that control the trade.
e. Provides information and assistance to help the decisionmaking processes at CITES (The Convention on the
International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna).
TRAFFIC India was present at the 14 th Conference of Parties to
CITES, held in Hague, The Nertherlands in June 2007 and
provided active inputs on the Tiger debate during the
conference. A detailed report on the debate called, The Roar of
the Tiger can be downloaded at www.wwfindia.org/traffic
f. Working with Government and the private sector to
adopt economic policies and practices that ensure that the
wild species are traded in the most sustainable levels. Recently,
TRAFFIC India in collaboration with Bangalore based Foundation
for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) launched
International Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP) in Uttarakhand and
Karnataka. These standards will help in conservation and
sustainable utilisation of the medicinal and aromatic plant
species that are collected from the wild. The International
Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and
Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP ) has been developed by WWF
Germany, in cooperation with the IUCN/SSC Species Survival
Commission Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (MPSG), TRAFFIC
and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).
g. Improving public awareness on wildlife trade and crime
related issues across a diverse range of stakeholders. TRAFFIC
India continues to launch awareness campaigns to educate
consumer and also produces communication tools such as the
Dont buy Trouble series of posters, Leaflets Are you
committing a crime? Think before you buy- both in English and
Hindi, a wildlife film, a quarterly newsletter-TRAFFIC Post and a
monthly e-newsletter on tiger poaching, trade and other
relatedissues.
These
can
be
downloaded
at
www.wwfindia.org/traffic.
h. Strengthen law enforcement effectiveness to address
illegal tiger poaching and trade Launching of Tigernet
This is the first consolidated national official database for Tiger
and wildlife crime on the net, www.tigernet.nic.in with
information on on mortality and poaching related to Tigers and
other protected species within Tiger reserves. It is a partnership

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 7 of 8

between the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of

Environment and Forests, Govt. of India and TRAFFIC India.
Gathering accurate information on such Tiger activities is crucial
to assisting anti-poaching efforts. The new system will allow
enforcement officers to record information on Tiger mortalities,
to monitor patterns of where poaching incidents are occurring
and use this information to strengthen anti-poaching efforts.
We all need to work together to conserve our diverse wildlife resources for
future generations.

An Overview of Illegal Wildlife Trade in India: Discussion Notes

TRAFFIC India
Page 8 of 8