Donate to help end illegal wildlife trade - WWF India

ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE

Illegal wildlife trade has been ranked as the fourth largest global crime by UNDOC. Illegal wildlife trade is an organised activity, threatening the survival of many species in India and all over the world. This also increases the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases among human populations

The huge demand for wildlife species as exotic pets, for food consumption, clothing, black magic and for their perceived medicinal value has put them at great risk. Species such as otters, monitor lizards, tokay geckos and sea horses are adversely threatened by illegal wildlife trade in India and need urgent protection. WWF has been working in collaboration with TRAFFIC to tackle the serious issue of poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

Let's PREVENT & END ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE for a healthy living planet!

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SPECIES THREATENED BY ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE

About
Otters are small in size with elongated bodies, long tails, soft yet thick layer of fur with short ears and nose. They are playful and energetic. There are 13 species of otters found in the world, of which India is home to 3 otter species: Asian small clawed otter (Aonyx cinereal), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)and Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata).

Status
Asian small clawed otter and Smooth coated otter are listed as Vulnerable and Eurasian otter is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. They are protected under India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Importance
Otters are top predators of the river ecosystem and are usually found in water bodies that have plenty of prey and clean water, thus indicating the health of the waterway. They help transfer nutrients from one ecosystem to another as they take in nutrients from the aquatic ecosystem by feeding upon fish and other aquatic organisms and then transfer those nutrients to the terrestrial ecosystem by depositing their waste on land.
Threats
- Habitat destruction and degradation
The 3 species of otters found in India inhabit aquatic habitats, including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamp forests, mangroves and coastal areas. Expanding agricultural practices, deforestation, quarrying, soil erosion, and climate change has adversely affected the habitats of otters.

- Trapping and hunting for illegal wildlife trade
Otters have been illegally traded and poached in India for their extremely soft and lustrous fur.
About
Red Sand Boa (Eryx johnii) is also known as the Indian Sand Boa. It is a non-venomous snake that is variable in colour and appears as reddish-brown, speckled-grey or yellow to black. Popularly called the double-headed snake, it has a blunt tail almost resembling a head which is wedge-shaped with narrow nostrils and tiny eyes.

Status
Red Sand Boa is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and is listed under it’s Schedule IV.
Importance
Red Sand Boa helps maintain a healthy population between prey and the predator. It feeds on rodents, lizards, and even other snakes and is often called the farmer’s friend.
Threats
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
Change in land use and expansion of human settlements has affected the habitats of serpents.

- Human wildlife conflict
Snakes are often exterminated due to the general ignorance among people about snakes, their ecological role and the laws related to their protection.

- Illegal wildlife trade
Red Sand Boa is the most traded reptile in India due to new age superstition of attracting good luck attached to it. It’s display as a double headed snake by snake charmer has landed this harmless in trouble.
About
Seahorses are charismatic fish with a snout like a horse. They are widespread in marine ecosystems across the world. Most seahorses are marine except a few estuarine species. 46 recognised species of seahorses are found in the world’s oceans, of which 7 are found in India.

Status
The 7 species of Sea horses found in India are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and are listed under Schedule I of the Act.
Importance
Seahorses are flagship species for their habitats and have an indispensable ecological role. They predate bottom-dwelling organisms and small shrimps, and are preyed upon by invertebrates, fish, sea turtles, seabirds and marine mammals. Due to their strong and long-term relationship with their habitats, their removal may jeopardise the balance of coastal ecosystems.
Threats
- Incidental bycatch
Non-targeted fishery gear gravely threatens seahorses all over the world. Due to the relatively unregulated nature of the seahorse fishery, this incidental bycatch often enters the clandestine markets where it is sold.

- Illegal wildlife trade
More than 70 million seahorses are extracted in unregulated fisheries around the world every year. Dried seahorses are easy to move across borders due to their small size and property of retaining their shape over long time periods. They are often smuggled in personal luggage through airports and among other shipments mislabelled as dried seafood.

- Traditional medicine
Seahorse serves as a key ingredient in traditional Asian medicine in several countries including India where communities believe in its anti-inflammatory properties as a cure for diseases like asthma and arthritis. Superstitious beliefs in India on their use as a good luck charm and cure to epilepsy have put sea horses under pressure.

- Curios & aquaria trade
Live wild-caught seahorses are traded to aquariums whereas dead seahorses are used in jewellery, key chains, souvenirs etc. Owing to their plated body structure, they maintain their appealing shape even after death, making them a popular article for sale as curios.
About
Monitor lizards belong to the genus Varanus. It’s name is inspired by the behaviour of several monitor species to stand on their hind legs to survey the surroundings. 79 species of monitor lizards are found in the world, of which India is home to 4 species: Bengal Monitor, Common Water Monitor, Yellow Monitor, and Desert Monitor.

Status
The 4 species of monitor lizard found in India are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and are listed under Schedule I of the Act.
Importance
Monitor lizards perform an essential function in agricultural and forest ecosystems by feasting on insects, rodents, bird eggs, snakes, fish, and crabs, thereby regulating their populations. In some regions, they are also a source of food for other predators. Monitor lizards are also scavengers and play a significant role in biomass decomposition and recycling. They clear carrion and help in controlling the spread of disease.
Threats
- Habitat loss and destruction
Urbanisation has led to large scale habitat degradation and rapid expansion of agricultural lands, pollution, overfishing, and infringement of forests and water bodies.

- Direct persecution
Lack of awareness among people about monitor lizard poses a direct threat to the survival of the species and are often killed in retaliation.

- Illegal wildlife trade
Monitor lizards are poached for their reproductive organs that are traded. They are extensively poached for their meat which is considered a delicacy and also believed to have medicinal properties while the skin is extensively used to manufacture expensive leather goods and products.
About
The Tokay Gecko an arboreal and nocturnal reptile. It is one of the largest gecko species found in India and the second-largest gecko species globally. Tokay Geckos are characterised by their blue-grey skin, possessing spots ranging from light yellow to vibrant red and distinct vocalisations. Male Tokay Geckos utter a noisy, persistent mating call, "tokay-tokay,” that gives rise to its common name.

Status
The Tokay Gecko is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and listed under Schedule IV of the Act.
Importance
Tokay Geckos feed on moths, grasshoppers, beetles, termites, crickets, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and spiders, and also feed on other geckos, small rats and mice, and snakes. They consume species that are the vectors of human diseases such as mosquitoes and flies or are regarded as pest. Like other lizard species, Tokay Geckos are preyed upon by birds thus acting as both prey and predator.
Threats
- Habitat destruction & deforestation
Escalating urbanisation has resulted in deforestation and habitat loss of Tokay Gecko. Cutting down of trees, especially with large canopy cover, is pushing the shift to human settlements making geckos more vulnerable to human exploitation.

- Trapping and hunting for illegal wildlife trade
Tokay Geckos are exploited for their use in traditional Asian medicines especially to meet the demand for their internal organs, meat and tongues. Reportedly, their remains are dried and crushed into powder before use. Tokay Geckos are also popular in the global pet trade, especially in the European Union and North America.
 

HOW YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL HELP SAVE WILDLIFE

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. In India, it operates as a programme division of WWF-India. TRAFFIC works closely with National and State governments, and various other agencies to curb poaching and illegal wildlife trade in the country.

Your contribution will help curb trafficking of wildlife species that are lesser known but found in large numbers in illegal wildlife trade. Illicit trade of otters, tokay geckos, monitor lizards, red sand boas and various marine species largely goes unnoticed due to lack of knowledge and understanding about them, general awareness and also low priority among enforcement agencies. We are hopeful that through your support we can continue to help secure the future of wildlife in India.

Your donation will help us to:

• Organise specialized training of wildlife law enforcement officers
• Train wildlife sniffer dogs to detect and deter wildlife crime
• Purchase and distribute Deep Search Metal Detectors that help detect metal legal traps used to catch wild animals.
• Launch awareness campaigns

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