 |
| The top trafficking states of India |
Wildlife trafficking, which is the illegal trade of wild animals and plants, either as dead or live specimens, or their parts, has a huge negative effect on the world’s environments, biodiversity, economies, governance, and health. It is a form of transnational organised crime that spans across many countries and involves poaching, smuggling, and illegal collection or capture, of protected wildlife.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), wildlife
trafficking is the fourth largest form of transnational organised crime
(after smuggling of drugs, human trafficking, and counterfeiting) worth
an 1.5 billion per annum.
Despite being a part of the CITES(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora), India is currently one among the top 20 countries for wildlife trafficking, and among the top 10 for wildlife trafficking by air. Due to its megadiverse nature (India has 8% of the world’s wildlife), and dense human population (which makes tracing illegal goods very difficult once they have entered domestic markets), India serves as both, a source, as well as a transit country for illegal wildlife and wildlife products.
Added to this, several other factors have made the fight against the illegal wildlife trade increasingly difficult. Amongst these are the porous international borders with China, Myanmar, and other Southeast Asian countries, a growing aviation market and the fast-expanding airport sector, and the use of social media as online marketplaces by wildlife traffickers.
Furthermore, smugglers of exotic wildlife species in India have even resorted to misusing the Voluntary Disclosure Scheme issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2020. The scheme aimed to regulate the growing market of exotic animals in India – which boomed after the complete ban on trade in Indian species – by allowing Indians to declare the possession of exotic wild species without any documentation before March 15, 2021.
Besides these reasons, there are major lacunae in laws that pertain to the ownership of exotic animals in India. People caught transporting exotic wildlife species can be charged with the crime only if it can be proven that they crossed an international border illegally with those animals. “Once inside India, there are no policies or laws that regulate the ownership of exotic species. The Wildlife Protection Law only applies to Indian wildlife,” says Sanjeev Pednekar, founder of Prani, an education centre and pet sanctuary for rescued birds and animals in the outskirts of Bengaluru.
What species are most commonly trafficked in India?
Since India is not only a major source, but also a transit, and destination country for trafficked wildlife and wildlife products, a large number of species are illegally transported out of and into the country. According to the Smuggling in India report 2020–21, the DRI’s (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) most common wildlife and wildlife products that were seized from being smuggled out of India are ivory, turtles and tortoises (especially the Indian star tortoise), and red sandalwood (red sanders or lalchandan). Lately, there has been a decline in rhino horn trading from India; however, the country is fast becoming a major hub for pangolin poaching and trafficking. The trade in tiger parts also seems to be continuing unabated.
What are the most common routes through which wild species are trafficked in India?
International wildlife trafficking into and out of India mainly occurs through two routes – one, through the long international border along the Northeast, and the other, through airports. The 2018 TRAFFIC report In Plane Sight notes that trafficking in rhino horns, tiger parts, and pangolin scales is especially rampant in the Indo-Nepal, and Indo-Myanmar-China borders, with Northeast Indian cities such as Dimapur, Guwahati and Imphal being used a transit sites. Trafficking of birds and reptiles along the India-Bangladesh border is also rampant. Most recently, the Dooars region in northern West Bengal, specifically, the town of Jalpaiguri, made news as an emerging transit point for trafficking of exotic animals and birds.
The trafficking of reptiles, specifically turtles and tortoises, into and out of India is especially rampant, with Chennai and Mumbai airports being major hubs for this activity. The Indian star tortoise, which is the most trafficked reptile in the world, is supplied from trade hubs in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, to Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, primarily by air. Seizure data from the website Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Trade of Endangered Species (ROUTES) shows that more than 54% of the trafficked animals were in checked-in luggage and about 11% in air cargo. The top Indian cities where such airport seizures happen include Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi, with reptile seizures being especially high in Chennai airport.
What factors drive wildlife trafficking in India? How does wildlife trade affect the environment?
Wildlife trafficking in India is driven by many factors. The foremost of these is the demand for raw material like red sandalwood and ivory (used in manufacturing luxury products), and animal parts – particularly rhinoceros horn and tiger parts – for traditional medicine. The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 states that although global markets for rhino horn and ivory have fallen consistently since 2011, new market demands such as those for pangolin scales and European glass eels have emerged. In Assam, because of intense hunting of pangolins by local tribes, which eat the meat and sell the scales, this once-abundant animal is now relatively rare. The traditional medicine markets in China and Vietnam are major consumers of pangolin scales, rhino horns, and the skin and body parts of various big cats, birds, Asiatic black bears, musk deer, wolves, and jackals.
Another factor that drives wildlife trafficking is the demand for meat – many animals such as the Bengal slow loris, softshell turtles from Uttar Pradesh, deer, antelope, wild cattle, and even sea cucumbers are mainly trafficked for consumption.
A Persistent Threat
Wildlife trafficking in India remains a critical challenge despite concerted efforts. While increased awareness and enforcement have led to some successes, the illegal trade of endangered species continues to thrive due to complex factors including poverty, corruption, and high international demand. To effectively combat this issue, a multi-faceted approach is essential, involving stricter laws, enhanced border security, sustainable livelihood options for local communities, and international cooperation. Ultimately, safeguarding India's rich biodiversity requires a long-term commitment to conservation and the rule of law.
