W Times December 2011.Indd
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uf]=x'=sf=b=g+= @$÷)^^÷^& lh=k|=sf=sf=b=g+= @*^÷@)^& Snow leopard in Mt. Everest 2005, Photo by: Joel Brown Contents Editorial 2 Journey from Mustang to Chitwan 3 Non-committal Government on Assam Wildlife Investigations 9 Letter to the Editor 11 Wikileaks expose on climate summit sabotage 12 Year 5 No. 29, January 2011 Year www.citesnepal.org Nepal Environmental Early Recovery Program 15 Wildlife News 16 Combat vigorously illegal trade of tiger products 20 Price: Rs 20/- Editorial he Tiger Range Countries now have a huge responsibility of not only saving the tigers but also Tdoubling them by year 2022. The year of the Tiger 2010 ended with promises and hopes to double the number in the Tiger Summit held in St. Petersberg in November 2010. Soon after that, Nepal government, who has been actively involved and participating in tiger conservation, set aside 10 million rupees every month for tiger. This huge sum of money has been allocated for the tiger conservation activities. The effort shown is appreciable. But evaluating the present scenario, has this amount been aptly used for conservation? This year tiger count started only in Chure region (Terai) of Nepal due to lack of fund. This census was also only possible due to the funding from the students. This contradicting action on part of the government official shows the carelessness and mismanagement of the budget. The big question here is why the money was not used for tiger count which is a vital element for tiger conservation? Where is the cash that should have been used? Why is the government only big talk, but no action? These questions need to be answered soon so that the conservation of tiger remains a priority and Nepal can live upto its commitment to save the tigers. • Recently some senior and field staffs resigned from Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) having long and impressive experience on park management particularly on tiger conservation. It is learnt that they left due to frustration and joined non-governmental organizations. This is unfortunate for department that the capable officers are leaving at a time when the government and international organizations are increasing budgets for conservation activities. It is not enough to allocate the resources only, if the competent people are not available. If there are no capable and experienced people left in DNPWC for park management, only the resources and external supports would not be sufficient. Managers and conservationists are required for systematic management and preservation. Without skilled people, the budget itself cannot accommodate. It is necessary for government to create suitable environment where the people can continue their work and are motivated for their endeavors. 2 The Serpent King How a notorious Malaysian wildlife smuggler was brought to justice -- and what it tells us about stopping the world's most profitable black market. By Bryan Christy t began almost innocently. IA broken lock on a suitcase moving through Kuala Lumpur International Airport this summer led to an odd discovery: nearly 100 baby boa constrictors, two vipers, and a South American turtle, all hidden inside. It was a fairly modest catch for a wildlife smuggler, but the man who claimed the suitcase was no ordinary criminal. He was Anson Wong Keng Liang, the world's most notorious wildlife trafficker. And instead of a slap on the wrist, which he might astounding array of contraband, reasonably have expected, including snow leopard pelts, Wong was about to receive a panda bear skins, rhino horns, surprising punishment. rare birds, and Komodo dragons. He moved everything From the tiny Malaysian island from chinchillas to elephants, of Penang, in a storefront no smuggling critically endangered larger than your average nail wildlife from Australia, China, salon, Wong commanded one Madagascar, New Zealand, of the world's largest wildlife South America, and elsewhere trafficking syndicates. Much to markets largely in Europe, of the work Wong's company, Japan, and the United States. Sungai Rusa Wildlife, had done since he got into the business Wong got into the business in three decades ago was above- the early 1980s, selling exotic board: He legally wholesaled animals to zoos and dealers tens of thousands of wild around the world. In the reptiles annually, making him beginning, he told me when I the likely source for many of met him at his office on Penang the snakes, lizards, turtles, and in March 2007, he dealt openly frogs on sale in American pet in the unavailable: gorillas, stores. But using a private zoo tigers -- "anything," he said, as a cover, he also offered an by which he meant "anything 3 rare." (Changes in international officials in the customs on September 18, 1998, he was and Malaysian law eventually bureau and, importantly, in met by Morrison, along with led him to focus on reptiles, the wildlife department, the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney which he believed were not agency responsible for CITES Robert S. Anderson and a as protected as other species.) paperwork. team of Mexican federals, who Wong's techniques mirrored arrested him. Wong fought his those of narcotics and other Wong's activities finally extradition from Mexico to the traffickers. He paid mules landed him on the radar of United States for two years, but to carry Komodo dragons international law enforcement eventually he gave in. hidden inside suitcases, and hid agencies in the early 1990s, endangered Malagasy tortoises when Special Operations, the In June 2001, Wong was at the bottom of legal wildlife elite undercover unit of the sentenced in California to shipments. Purchasing vacation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 71 months in prison, fined packages as cover, he sent (USFWS), made him the target $60,000, and banned from men out to poach rare wildlife of an investigation called exporting to the United from breeding facilities in New Operation Chameleon. Agents States for three years after his Zealand. The most important set up a reptile importing release. But the sentence did technique Wong and other company outside of San not stop him. While he was in large-scale smugglers employ, Francisco and a retail operation prison his wife ran his wildlife however, is far less exotic than in Reno, Nevada, and began business, including sales to the all that. Instead, it has to do doing business with Wong. United States. When he got with paperwork. Before long, they discovered out in 2003, Wong returned to Wong not only smuggled rare Malaysia, grew a pony tail, and Smugglers like Wong scan and endangered reptiles, but went back to work. the globe for countries with also critically endangered birds weak laws or corrupt law and mammals. His reach was Things didn't begin to change enforcement officials tasked global. until January 2010, when with stamping their animals' National Geographic published documentation, paper that is as To arrest Wong, agents needed a profile I wrote of Wong, much in demand as the animals a ruse to lure him out of detailing his government themselves. Malaysia. There is a lucrative connection and his new plans international black market in to exploit tigers. The outcry by Few places launder as much bear bile, which is used as a cure- both the public and journalists illegal wildlife as Penang. The all in traditional Asian medicine. in the Malaysian press was island's location and favorable USFWS Special Agent George immediate. (Malaysian regulatory regime have made it Morrison, acting undercover, newspapers and television not just a global manufacturing offered Wong a piece of a bear- are state controlled, which hub for multinational companies bile smuggling operation he makes it difficult for journalists such as Dell and Intel, but also claimed to be running, on one to criticize the government a bathtub drain for the world's condition: The two men had to directly -- but they are free rare animals. This was largely meet in person. Wong agreed, to disclose foreign reporting the work of Wong: "I can get but because he was already about Malaysia, such as my anything here from anywhere," wanted in the United States on story.) In the course of the past he boasted to an American smuggling charges, he refused year, the Ministry of Natural undercover agent in March to meet there or in Canada. Resources and Environment 1997. "Nothing can be done to They agreed to go to Mexico announced a revamp of its me. I could sell a panda - and, instead. wildlife department, promising nothing. As long as I'm here, to rotate senior officers every I'm safe." The key, he explained, When Wong stepped off a Japan three years. It stripped the was paying off government Airlines flight in Mexico City department of key powers and 4 is in the process of transferring November, a judge sentenced 2009, over 18,000 live animals Misliah, who is now also him to five years in prison, and more than 267 tons of dead under investigation by the an unprecedented term for a animals and derivative products Malaysian Anti-Corruption wildlife trafficker in Malaysia, were seized in law enforcement Commission. As a result, and a stern sentence for animal actions in Southeast Asia alone -- when Wong was caught with smuggling compared to current and that appetite won't go away a suitcase of boa constrictors, standards anywhere else in the just because Wong temporarily he didn't get away with it. world. did. It's all but guaranteed that The Malaysian government somewhere in Malaysia or revoked his business licenses, The effort to catch Wong - another country willing to look shut down his zoo, and seized - all 17 years of it -- offers a the other way, there are aspiring his entire collection of animals, few important lessons on what kingpins working to take over including his Bengal tigers.