Experts Call For Establishment Of A Vigilant Wildlife Crime Monitoring Network

This was stated by experts at the inaugural session of three-day consultative and capacity building workshop organised by WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Ministry of Climate Change

R, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2017 ) This was stated by experts at the inaugural session of three-day consultative and capacity building workshop organised by WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with Ministry of Climate Change, at a local hotel.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, speakers also urged that the existing provincial wildlife protection laws require the inclusion of stringent actions against poachers and wildlife traffickers.

The role of communities, they added, should be enhanced in conservation of endangered wildlife biodiversity. They also called for improvement of the management of wildlife departments and urged efforts to build capacity of wildlife staff for use of modern technologies in tracking and curbing wildlife crimes.

The workshop was organised to develop a road-map to establish a wildlife crime monitoring network in Pakistan and adopt zero-poaching strategies as an effective means to curb wildlife trafficking in the country.

During the event, experts from WWF International and trainers from Wadi Wurayah National Park, Fujairah Municipality, UAE conducted a training of officials from different Federal and provincial departments.

Syed Rizwan Mehboob, Focal Person, Green Pakistan Programme, Ministry of Climate Change shared that illegal wildlife trade has received limited attention in the national agenda. He said that in order to curb wildlife trade and ensure zero-poaching, a robust monitoring mechanism should be in place and suggested that the proposed wildlife crime monitoring network would provide the basis to initiate well-coordinated efforts in the right direction.

He also emphasized learning from wildlife conservation models of other countries, especially Nepal, where effective zero-poaching strategies have contributed towards the protection of species like rhinos and tigers.

Umeed Khalid, Conservator Wildlife, Ministry of Climate Change said that illegal wildlife trade is a lucrative business after human trafficking and drugs trafficking. He also said that traffickers use various tactics to transport live wildlife species, their parts and products.

Their ringleaders are reaping huge benefits from this trade, however, penalties to deter these crimes are very low. He further shared that freshwater turtles, tortoises and Indian pangolins are under severe pressure due to increasing demand of their parts in East Asian countries.

He also said that wildlife in Pakistan is confronting multiple threats hence the proposed wildlife crime monitoring network should be established to deal with such issues in an effective manner.

Rab Nawaz, Senior Director Programmes, WWF-Pakistan said iconic species in Pakistan are heading towards extinction due to poaching and illegal trade. He said that there is no single factor that can alone stop wildlife crime in the country but a broad approach needs to be urgently adopted and should involve many tools and partners, and target the entire trafficking chain.

He hoped that with strong commitment from different departments and relevant organizations, criminals can be deterred and the population of endangered species in the country can be revived. Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Adviser Marine Fisheries WWF-Pakistan said that wildlife crimes, particularly in fisheries, range from tiny fish to gigantic animals worth billions of Dollars in profit.

He said that global demand for shark fins and meat has grown in recent times, which is seriously impacting shark stocks in the Arabian sea. In order to discourage illegal wildlife trade of fisheries, he called for federal and provincial laws to proactively control the illegal trade of marine animal and parts thereof such as shark fins.

International wildlife crime and law-enforcement specialists Diwakar Chapagain and Rohit Singh spoke about adopting a zero-poaching strategy in Pakistan. They shared that a detailed plan should be rolled out and collaborative groups should be formed.

Experts also said that national plans should be drafted to provide the guidelines and finally the government need to take lead on this initiative. Ahmer Bilal Soofi, President WWF-Pakistan, who generously provided financial support to organise this important event, in his remarks mentioned that the workshop recommendations would provide a long-term solution to persistent conservation challenge of wildlife crimes.

He further added that the proposed network should consider to include robust monitoring of the porous Pakistani borders; regular assessments of fauna at biodiversity hotspots; comprehensive data gathering on illegal wildlife trade; developing guidelines on monitoring the network and provision of socio-economic incentives to local communities to successfully adopt zero-poaching in Pakistan.

Ashiq Ahmed Khan, renowned wildlife expert; Dr. Babar Khan, Regional Head Sindh and Balochistan WWF-Pakistan; Saeed Akhtar Baloch, Conservator Sindh Wildlife Department; Safdar Ali Shah, Chief Conservator Wildlife KPK; Sharif-ud-Din Baloch, Conservator National Parks, Balochistan; Syed Raza Rizvi, Chief International Customs and others also spoke on the occasion.

APP/adl/kmd � 18:47/19:19/19:19