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The EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading have produced a report which makes damning allegations regarding the trade of South Africa wildlife.
The report which is titled: The Breaking Point – Uncovering South Africa’s Shameful Live Wildlife Trade with China, is drawing attention far and wide; and causing a major stir.
The report states South Africa has become the largest exporter of live wild animals to Asia.
The report further claims wild animals are often killed in Asia, in order for individuals to extract potions from their carcases. The report also claims wild animals are also eaten as delicacies in Aisa.
“Some are sent to languish in atrocious zoos. Some are inserted into the murky world of the illegal wildlife trade. The reality is that the South African government fails to apply its strong regulatory powers and by design or neglect allows strikingly large numbers of animals to be exported,” the report reads
The EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading claim they have investigated the export of a large sample of wild animals to China. It is their findings in the investigations which are set out in the Breaking Point Report.
Through their investigations, the two NGOs claim, “The legal trade with China is extensive, with glaring violations overlooked by authorities and benefits flowing to a few wealthy traders. The legal trade also acts as a cover for illicit trade. CITES legal wildlife trade monitoring systems contain extensive loopholes, gaps and opportunities to launder illegal items into the legal market.”
Key points of the report include:
- Oversight by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is allegedly lax. As a result, the report claims wild animals are being subjected to cruel and degrading conditions when captured, bred, transported, displayed in Chinese ‘theme parks’ or used in scientific experiments.
- Illegal shipments masquerading as legal exports of wildlife species classified as threatened by extinction and endangered by CITES.
- Brokering and wholesale companies and zoos implicated in the trafficking of wild-caught CITES Appendix I-listed species.
- Export permits frequently list fake or untraceable destinations.
- Enforcement negligence.
- The source of so-called captive-bred animals is not checked or properly verified.
To read the report, click here – The Breaking Point
The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries is aware of the report by EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading.
In a statement, the department said the report makes serious allegations relating to the abuse of the CITES permitting system.
“As a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Department views these allegations in a serious light,” the statement reads.
Accordingly, the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Barbara Creecy will be convening an urgent on-line meeting between EMS Foundation, Ban Animal Trading and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries.
The purpose of the meeting will focus on investigating the allegations of irregularities. The meeting will also look if the Convention or other aspects of South African law have been infringed. If the regulations have been infringed on, it will be discussed what remedial action needs to be taken.
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