From parrots and macaws to jaguar fangs, shark fins, turtles and iguanas. Although illegal trafficking of fauna and flora affects numerous protected species in Latin America, very little is known about this serious crime, according to the United Nations.
This This type of trafficking adds up to enormous biodiversity with laws full of loopholes and often light sentences for the damage caused to the ecosystem and the huge profit obtained by the criminals..
For Jorge Eduardo Ríos, head of the Global Programme to combat this trafficking at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the lack of data and studies makes it very difficult to measure the real impact of the problem.
«But everything indicates that the situation is getting worse", he warns in an interview given to Efe on the occasion of World Wildlife Day, which is commemorated this Saturday, March 3.
Ríos points out that some NGOs estimate that the global illicit business of this type of crime is worth between 10.000 and 20.000 billion dollars, a very conservative estimate for this expert if illegal fishing and logging are also included.
One of the problems is that Eco-trafficking can be as lucrative as drug trafficking, but sometimes it is only punishable with a fine, And that is precisely why the UNODC insists that this type of crime should be classified as "serious".
"In many cases, the penalties are administrative, not criminal. Obviously, this is a very attractive scenario for criminals," says Ríos.
Despite its enormous ecological wealth, Latin America does not have a species that symbolizes the ravages of this crime, as in other continents they represent elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers or gorillas.
The expert, of Bolivian and American nationality, indicates that "a minimal percentage" of international aid ends up in Latin America because There are no "charismatic species" that capture attention as a symbol of the problem.
And that is precisely one of the aspects that the UNODC is trying to change, says Ríos, since international aid They must reach programs to defend species that are not so well known.but equally important for the ecosystem.
Wildlife trafficking has various routesThere is a regional Latin American market for tropical birds, while jaguar or alligator skins go to the international market and some illegally slaughtered fish or marine species go to the voracious Asian market.
Ríos stresses that "corruption is one of the elements that facilitates the existence of this crime and prevents the seizures that should occur," the expert emphasizes.
Regarding Asian and especially Chinese demand, Ríos points out that Chinese authorities are trying hard to tackle it, but he recognises that it is a complex problem due to the existing demand.
"The most difficult thing to change are the traditions that exist in certain countries and raising awareness of the consequences of consuming products from protected species," he explains.
In the medium term, in addition to the increase in penalties for "eco-trafficking", The UN expert points out that change must occur with a reduction in demand for these products and with greater ecological awareness..
She says the focus should be on young people and on tackling ignorance about the damage caused, including among tourists who buy souvenirs to take home.
"A tourist is not going to kill (protected) species on holiday, but if he buys a turtle shell or a snail or the skin of an Amazonian ocelot, he is encouraging illegal trafficking and crime," he points out.
Source: EFE
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