Peacock feathers, exotic pets, and endangered animal parts remain in high demand in the underground trade. In India, authorities uncovered a cross-border smuggling attempt that highlights this ongoing problem.
What's happening?
The Ukhrul Times reported that Manipur police arrested a suspect in Kakching district for smuggling.
The police caught a young man allegedly smuggling four sacks of 72,000 peacock feather shafts to Myanmar. Weighing about 142 kilograms (313 pounds), the haul was estimated to be worth 3.7 million rupees, or around $43,000, on the international market.
The collection and possession of molted feathers (those that fall off naturally) aren't illegal per se, but the massive amount that police confiscated suggests they may have come from poached birds.
According to Wildlife SOS, a peacock naturally sheds 150 to 200 feathers each year. That means someone would need to collect molted feathers from 360 to 480 peacocks for a whole year to fill the four sacks — a highly improbable scenario without illegal sourcing.
Why is the illegal trade of peacock feathers concerning?
While feathers might seem harmless, this incident is part of a much bigger issue threatening global biodiversity: wildlife trafficking.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare says that wildlife trade ranks among the biggest threats to biodiversity, second only to habitat loss. Even the smuggling of endangered animal parts puts global conservation efforts at risk.
Although numerous laws protect wildlife, trafficking groups find loopholes in these laws to meet the demand for exotic pets.
"Green collar" traffickers smuggle wildlife under the guise of legitimate transfers to rehabilitation or rescue centers. Illegal traders also continue to smuggle endangered animal parts across continents.
What can we do about wildlife trafficking?
Wildlife trade isn't just about taking exotic animals from faraway places. It's about how we value — or exploit — the natural world.
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Organizations like Wildlife SOS and IFAW are doing their share in protecting and rescuing wildlife. Individuals can take local action and foster community awareness against wildlife smuggling. It's also important to learn more about greenwashing to discern genuine conservation efforts. Small steps like these add up to real change.
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