NEW DELHI, May 21, 2019 (BSS) – India in collaboration with UN agencies
has launched a massive awareness campaign at its airports across the country
to prevent illegal wildlife trade as trade in wildlife has seen a sharp rise
in recent years.
UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador and Actor Dia Mirza inaugurated the
campaign styled ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ at the airport on Monday
ahead of the International Day of Biological Diversity to be celebrated
tomorrow.
“The campaign -Not all animals migrate by choice- aims at creating
awareness and garnering public support for protection and conservation of
wildlife, prevention of smuggling and reduction in demand for wildlife
products, officials of the ministry of Environment said.
The campaign also complements worldwide action on illegal trade in
wildlife through UN Environment’s global campaign and Wild for Life, they
said.
“This campaign is an important step forward in creating much-needed
awareness on wildlife trafficking which threatens the very survival of these
species,” said Atul Bagai, Head of UN Environment India.
In the first phase of the campaign, Tiger, Pangolin, Star Tortoise and
Tokay Gecko have been chosen as they are highly endangered due to illegal
trading in International markets.
Tiger is traded for its skin, bones and body parts while Pangolin, the
most illegally traded wild mammal on the planet, is trafficked for its meat
and its scales are used in traditional medicines.
Besides, Star Tortoise is traded for their meat and pet trade and Tokay
Gecko in traditional medicine mostly into South East Asia and particularly
Chinese Markets, the officials added.
Some of the major wildlife species being smuggled through airports are-
star tortoises, live birds, Shahtoosh shawls, tiger and leopard body parts,
ivory, rhino horns, pangolin and pangolin scales.
Sea shells, sea-horse, Sea-cucumber, red sanders, agarwood, deer
antlers, mongoose hairs, reptile skins, live snakes, lizards, corals, orchids
and medicinal plants are also being smuggled through the airports.
In collaboration with the airports authority of India and GMR Group, the
campaign will travel 22 airports across India over the next year.
Both WCCB and UN Environment initiated a comprehensive approach with a
focus on awareness building of various stakeholders towards the issue of
prevention of illegal trade and smuggling of wildlife and wildlife products
through exit points.