The Biswanath Wildlife Division arrested five persons in India in connection with the illegal wildlife trade network, according to DY 365 Live. According to authorities, the arrested parties were attempting to sell illegal tiger parts.
What's happening?
Five men were arrested in India after attempting to sell Royal Bengal Tiger bones. Last month, the Biswanath Wildlife Division, under the jurisdiction of the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, and local police made the arrest and recovered the bones, which are highly valuable on the black market.
"The detainees were attempting to sell the wild animal trophy and were in contact with individuals previously involved in rhino poaching," officials said, per The Assam Tribune.
Further investigation into the deal could lead to more insight into organized illegal wildlife trade.
"Investigation is going on," the investigators said. "We are following all leads to identify the source of the tiger and the final destination of the contraband."
Why is illegal wildlife trade important?
The Royal Bengal Tiger is an endangered species. According to Earth Day, the population has declined by over 50% in the last 30 years, with only about 4,000 Royal Bengals living in the world. Poaching is one of the main reasons for the population's decline, along with habitat destruction.
Tigers are essential to their ecosystem, keeping a natural balance between their prey and forest vegetation. By removing them or killing them for trade, it upsets the balance. Tiger parts are highly sought after in the illegal trade black market for their supposed use in medicine.
The illegal wildlife trade is a big system, worth anywhere from $7 billion to $23 billion each year. Because of the rise of online marketplaces and the need for international cooperation, it can be difficult to police poaching.
However, it is essential to stop illegal wildlife trade to protect threatened and endangered species and prevent the introduction of invasive species to new areas.
What's being done about tiger poaching?
In India, officials have a zero-tolerance policy on poaching. The Biswanath Wildlife Division and other officials are continuing operations to prevent the illegal poaching of tigers and other species in Kaziranga.
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Do you think humans are doing enough to protect endangered animals? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 Across the globe, governments and conservation groups are continuing to increase their work in cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade market and increasing conservation efforts. According to EIA International, protecting tigers involves disrupting illegal tiger trade networks, decreasing the demand for tiger parts, and campaigning for better legislation to protect tigers and other big cats.
There has been some success in tracking and arresting those accused of poaching tigers. And conservation efforts have made progress in reintroducing some species that were nearly poached to extinction. Anti-poaching laws helped the Bali starling find a comeback. In India, several endangered species are making a comeback from poaching due to increased policing of illegal wildlife trade and more conservation efforts.
Conservation of tiger species in India, Thailand, and beyond has found some success in introducing young tiger cubs back to their environments.
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