Spotted salamander, emperor newt, lion cubs, capuchin monkeys, ocelot cats, are just some of the rare animals sold on the Internet. Every detail of the species is sold for hundreds and thousands of dollars
The (negative) connection between the Internet and the protection of animals is highlighted in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - CITES.
At the conference in Doha (Qatar), the "greens" were discriminated against when the proposal for a moratorium on bluefin tuna fishing was rejected by the votes of Angola, Namibia, and especially Japan, which consumes most of the fish, those considered suitable delicacies for sushi and sashimi.
The pressure of most western countries did not help, the fishing will continue and so will the human damage to the fish population. Another endangered fish is the shark. The growing demand for fin soup, which is considered to improve the strength of the shark, and the increasing use of shark meat in Western countries for food (for people) and for feeding animals and birds, endangers the continued survival of marine super-predators.
A survey shows that every year about 70 million sharks of all species are killed, the sharks are sensitive to wild fishing because of low natural reproduction. Many species have lost between 70% and 90% of their population in recent years.
In order to prevent the disappearance of the sharks, a proposal was made at the conference to declare a number of shark species as endangered species, a declaration that would allow monitoring of the trade in the various species and under appropriate supervision would protect them.
The main pressure to protect the sharks comes from small island countries whose economy depends on tourism and mainly on diver visits. Divers who visit coral reefs, reefs where colorful corals are at risk for many reasons, one of the reasons being the trade in black, pink and red corals, these are traded over the internet and sold as jewelry.
It turns out that the trade in corals, as in many other natural species, is conducted online. Lion cubs, wine from tiger bones, rare reptiles and birds, all find their way to global merchants who advertise their wares on the world wide web, the network that has become the means that dominates the trade between criminals and ignorant believers (with superstitions) and between ignorant people (just) who do not understand the terrible damage caused by purchasing protected species.
It turns out that the trade in wild species today occupies the third place after weapons and drugs, a trade whose annual volume amounts to tens of billions of dollars and most of which is conducted by criminal organizations.
The researchers of one of the branches of Sights Inland Fisheries and Wildlife - IFW who followed the online trade report that thousands of species are sold at auctions, classified ads, "chat" rooms and "social" sites are used as a cover for criminals who advertise their wares mainly in the USA but also in Europe , Russia, China and Australia.
Most of the publications refer to ivory, but the researchers also identified orders for the purchase of rare birds, kantab bear furs, tiger and tiger furs, capuchin monkeys, ocelot cats and even an imperial newt - which is only found in the wild in the highlands of northern Iran. The significant advantage of the network being "borderless" is a difficult problem for law enforcers for the protection of protected species and their trade.
One of the most desirable species (on the web) is the spotted salamander (Ukraine), its population is estimated at about a thousand individuals, each year about 200 individuals are sold (on the web). Spotted salamander, emperor newt, lion cubs, capuchin monkeys, ocelot cats, every detail of the species is sold for hundreds and thousands of dollars. The network enables worldwide publication and distribution, so that even very expensive "items" are hijacked by unscrupulous ignoramuses with means.
Most of the species mentioned are considered protected and therefore there is a reasonable chance of thwarting the trade, on the issue is the trade in pink and red corals (some of which originate in the Mediterranean Sea) and from which jewelry is made, the production is done mainly in China and Taiwan and therefore a demand to include them in the list of species prohibited from trade is met with resistance.
It is hoped that this time the feeling of environmental responsibility will increase over short-term considerations that are measured in performance.
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I really wanted an ocelot, it's my favorite animal
LeMichael: Yes indeed.
Meanwhile:
Despite a widespread demand by representatives of many countries to protect sharks and corals
The demand was rejected under pressure from representatives of China, Japan and a number of small countries that subsist from fishing,
To verify this, a request by Tanzania and Zambia to allow a (one-time) sale of
About 100 tons of ivory... was rejected.
And another positive spark: the US announced that it will not allow the purchase of shrimp from Mexican fishermen
Since they do not use equipment that would prevent harm to sea turtles.
To Michael
Yes indeed !
Currently:
The environment lost, even though Tanzania and Zambia's request to sell ivory was rejected,
After all, under pressure from China, Japan and others, the proposals to protect sharks, corals and tuna were rejected.
Asaf:
I assume that when you wrote that the trade in animals takes the third place after the trade in arms and animals, you meant to rank only the illegal trade - that is - a trade that apparently falls short of the trade in computers, (legal) food, cars, etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Ami, articles of this type enlighten the eyes of the public. Because the public is not involved in direct activity in these areas. Intelligent use in the dissemination of this type of information stimulates discussion and awareness of the issue.
It is scary to read that the illegal trade in tobacco is third in level after weapons and drugs. It's very bad.
Also, I didn't know there was more than one type of hard coral in the Mediterranean (Ocalina, passed through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean from the Red Sea).
Either way, I hope that exposures such as these will enlighten the eyes of the public and inspire them not to purchase and thus support criminal entities and damage to extinct natural resources.