2 BULLETIN OTTER PELT SEIZURES IN NEPAL REPTILE PET MARKET IN JAPAN MEDICINAL USE OF PRIMATES IN BENIN OCTOBER 2018 OCTOBER 2 30 NO. VOL. The journal of TRAFFIC disseminates information on the trade in wild animal and plant resources 75$)),&ZDVHVWDEOLVKHG LQWRSHUIRUPZKDW UHPDLQVDXQLTXHUROHDVD JOREDOVSHFLDOLVWOHDGLQJDQG VXSSRUWLQJH൵RUWVWRLGHQWLI\ DQGDGGUHVVFRQVHUYDWLRQ FKDOOHQJHVDQGVROXWLRQV OLQNHGWRWUDGHLQZLOG NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY / WWF PICTURE LIBRARY NATURE DQLPDOVDQGSODQWV TRAFFIC’s Vision is of a world in which trade in wild plants and animals is managed at sustainable levels without damaging the integrity RIHFRORJLFDOV\VWHPVDQGLQVXFKDPDQQHUWKDWLWPDNHVDVLJQLÀFDQWFRQWULEXWLRQWRKXPDQQHHGVVXSSRUWVORFDODQGQDWLRQDO economies and helps to motivate commitments to the conservation of wild species and their habitats. rade in wildlife is vital to meeting created by illegal and/or unsustainable wildlife trade. the needs of a significant proport- TRAFFIC’s aim is to encourage sustainability by providing Tion of the world’s popul ation. government, decision-makers, traders, businesses, consu- Products derived from tens of thousands mers and others with an interest in wildlife trade with of species of plants and animals are reliable information about trade volumes, trends, pathways traded and used for the purposes of, and impacts, along with guidance on how to respond where among other things, medicine, food, trade is illegal or unsustainable. fuel, building materials, clothing and ornament ation. TRAFFIC’s reports and advice provide a technical basis for the establishment of effective conservation policies and Most of the trade is legal and much of it programmes to ensure that trade in wildlife is maintained sustainable, but a significant proportion is within sustainable levels and conducted according to not. As well as threatening these resources, national and inter national laws and agreements. The journal unsustainable trade can also lead to of TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC Bulletin, is the only publication species declining in the wild to the point devoted exclusively to issues relating to international trade that they are threatened with extinction. in wild plants and animals. Provided free of charge to over Illegal trade undermines local, national 4000 subscribers and freely available from the TRAFFIC and international efforts to manage wild website (www.traffic.org), it is a key tool for disseminating natural resources sustainably and causes knowledge of wildlife trade and an important source of massive economic losses. information for those in a position to effect change and improve awareness. HARISH SEGAR / WWF iNTERNATIONAL The role of TRAFFIC is to seek and activate solutions to the problems Much of the content published in the TRAFFIC Bulletin arises from invest- igations carried out by TRAFFIC staff, whose wide-ranging expertise allows for a broad coverage of issues. TRAFFIC has also built up a global network of contacts with, for example, law enforcement agents, scientists, and wildlife experts, some of whom are regular contributors to the TRAFFIC Bulletin. TRAFFIC welcomes articles on the subject of wildlife trade that will bring new information to the attention of the wider public; guide lines are provided in this issue and online to assist in this process. For more information, please contact the editor: JOHN E. NEWBY / WWF INTERNATIONAL JOHN E. NEWBY TRAFFICTRAFFIC MICHEL GUNTHER / WWF INTERNATIONAL MICHEL Kim Lochen ([email protected]). The TRAFFIC Bulletin is a publication of TRAFFIC, a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The TRAFFIC Bulletin publishes information and original papers on the subject of trade in wildlife, and strives to be a source of accurate and objective information. B U L L E T I N The TRAFFIC Bulletin is available free of charge. Quotation of information appearing in the news VOL. 30 NO. 2 OCTOBER 2018 and short reports sections is welcomed without permission, but citation must be given. Reprod uction of all other material appearing in the TRAFFIC Bulletin requires written permission from the publisher. CONTENTS MANAGING EDITOR Steven Broad EDITOR and COMPILER Kim Lochen SUBSCRIPTIONS and MAILING Editorial 41 (PDLOEXOOHWLQ#WUD൶FRUJ Sabri Zain The designations of geographical entities in this Bulletin board 42 publication, and the presentation of the material, Anti-snare campaign: 43–44 do not imply the expression of any opinion a year of combating snares in Malaysia whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC or its Nur Hazwani Hassan and Salman Saaban supporting organisations concern ing the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its Emerging international trade in vulnerable 45–47 frontiers or boundaries. species of South Asian freshwater turtles Sarah Stoner Any opinions expressed are those of the writers DQGGRQRWQHFHVVDULO\UHÀHFWWKRVHRI75$)),& Trade in primate species for 48–56 medicinal purposes in southern Benin: Published by TRAFFIC implications for conservation David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Chabi A.M.S. Djagoun, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK. Etotépé A. Sogbohossou, Barthélémy Kassa, Hugues A. Akpona, Isidore O. Amahowe, Copyright of material published in the Joël Djagoun and Brice Sinsin TRAFFIC Bulletin is vested in TRAFFIC © TRAFFIC 2018. 81)$2¶VH൵RUWVWRZDUGVVXVWDLQDEOH ± ISSN 0267-4297. wildlife management and improved UK Registered Charity No. 1076722 food security and livelihoods Kristina Rodina Cover photograph: The illegal trade in otter pelts in Nepal 59–63 Green Tree Python Morelia viridis Melissa Savage and Mohan Bikram Shrestha 0DUWLQ+DUYH\::) Scaling up: the contemporary 64–71 Photographs this page, from top: reptile pet market in Japan Small-clawed Otters Aonyx cinereus Keiko Wakao, Jordi Janssen and Serene Chng 1'XSODL[ Wild meat market, Phalanga, D.R. Congo Seizures and prosecutions 72–78 1DWKDOLHYDQ9OLHW&,)25 Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus Spot survey: insights into medical students’ 79–84 0DUWLQ+DUYH\::) perspectives on the use of wildlife products in traditional medicine in Viet Nam Funding for the printing and distribution of this Vinh Dang and Madelon Willemsen issue of the TRAFFIC Bulletin is generously SURYLGHGE\7KH5X൵RUG)RXQGDWLRQ Funding to print and distribute future issues is sought. 3OHDVHYLVLWKWWSZZZWUD൶FRUJGRQDWH if you can help. AC Print Solutions Limited 55 High Street Hunsdon Herts SG12 8NJ E D I T O R I A L KHQ WKH ¿UVW /RQGRQ &RQIHUHQFH RQ ,OOHJDO The Taskforce will also be working to identify criminals :LOGOLIH 7UDGH ,:7 ZDV KHOG LQ )HEUXDU\ XVLQJ OHJLWLPDWH ¿QDQFLDO LQVWLWXWLRQV WR FRQGXFW WKHLU W2014, the world was seeing unprecedented EXVLQHVVHV DQG LOOXPLQDWH WKH FRQÀXHQFH RI SURFHHGV levels of poaching and illegal trade in many species. from wildlife and other illicit trades. The year before had been the worst year on record for Illegal wildlife trade on the internet was another focus rhinoceros poaching in South Africa thus far, with over of the Conference, recognising that e-commerce and 1,000 animals killed illegally. The report of the Elephant online auction sites, as well as social media platforms, Trade Information System that was presented at the are increasingly used to sell illegal wildlife products, 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES providing as they do an alternative to physical markets (Convention on International Trade in Endangered which may be perceived to be or may actually be more exposed to monitoring and enforcement action. Showcased at the Conference was the work of WKH*OREDO&RDOLWLRQWR(QG:LOGOLIH7UD൶FNLQJ E D I T O R I A L Online. The Coalition, which includes 23 global e-commerce, social media and technology 6SHFLHVRI:LOG)DXQDDQG)ORUD WKDW\HDUDOVRVKRZHG companies including Tencent, Alibaba, eBay, Google, illegal trade in ivory at its highest levels in nearly two Microsoft and Rakuten, in partnership with TRAFFIC, decades, with 2011 the worst year on record for ivory ::) DQG ,)$: DLPV WR UHGXFH ZLOGOLIH WUD൶FNLQJ seizures. Political attention at the highest levels was through web-based platforms by 80% by 2020. urgently needed to address the crisis and many hoped Another strong display of private sector engagement that the London Conference would provide the global LQ FKDPSLRQLQJ JOREDO H൵RUWV WR WDFNOH ZLOGOLIH FULPH response that was needed. at the Conference was the announcement by the World That meeting concluded with the London Declaration Travel and Tourism Council that over 100 travel and that was adopted by acclamation by 41 countries, setting tourism companies have now signed up to the Buenos out an international call for action to eradicate markets Aires Declaration, working towards a common goal to for illegal wildlife products; strengthen law enforcement educate over one billion travellers about the nature, scale H൵RUWV DQG HQVXUH H൵HFWLYH OHJDO IUDPHZRUNV DQG and consequences of illegal wildlife trade. deterrents are in place; and promote sustainable The need to address demand for illegal wildlife livelihoods through positive engagement with local products was another issue highlighted at the Conference, communities. with Defra announcing the establishment of a consortium Four years on, some progress is being made on these of global behavioural change specialists, including IURQWVZLWKFRRSHUDWLYHH൵RUWVWRDGGUHVVZLOGOLIHFULPH TRAFFIC, the Oxford Martin School at the University increasing