STRENGTHENING REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR WILDLIFE PROTECTION IN ASIA
Regional cooperation for tackling illegal wildlife trade
Basic Information Start date: 7 April 2011 © Dr. Monirul H. Khan
End date: 31 December 2016 Total commitment: US$ 36 million Implementing agency: Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bangladesh Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal
Overview
Challenge
South Asia is home to a diverse network of natural ecosystems and accounts for 13-15 percent of the world’s biodiversity. The region hosts the most charismatic and endangered species, the Royal Bengal Tiger. Because of its rich biodiversity, the region has become a very lucrative target of the illegal wildlife trade. To tackle illegal wildlife poaching and trade, Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wildlife Protection in Asia (SRCWP) is helping participating countries support capacity building in wildlife protection and mitigate the burgeoning threat to South Asia’s biodiversity.
South Asia is home to over 65 percent of the 3,000 or so remaining wild tigers. According to The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC) report, seizure of parts of more than 1,400 tigers across Asia in the past 13 years reveals illegal trade of tiger persists. Illegal wildlife trade is controlled by criminal gangs where flagship species such as rhinos, elephants and tigers are being poached in one country, stockpiled in another, and then traded beyond the South Asia region. Thus, no single country can manage or eliminate the illegal wildlife trade or threats of poaching on its own. Since wild animals cannot be confined to national boundaries, a single country can neither manage contiguous crossborder wildlife habitat effectively. Thus, focusing on regional approach to conservation of Asia’s flagship species would lead to improved natural habitats for all species and, ultimately, increase productivity of natural capital and healthy ecosystems for South Asia. Since many of the poor rely on these natural habitats for their livelihoods, increasing natural capital productivity would also have positive development outcomes in the region.
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