Book Review (Spotlight Weekly)

Illegal Trade

Mangal Man Shakya compiles different case stories to expose the flourishing trade of wild life in Nepal

By A CORRESPONDENT

The issue of illegal wildlife trade is a recent one in Nepal and only a few books have been written about this problem. For environmentalists, wildlife watchers and researchers, the illegal wildlife trade is an issue of major concern because these kinds of trades ultimately harm the humanity by destroying biodiversity and earth’s ecosystem.

Shakya has come out with a well-researched study report-cum-book. Financed by the British Embassy Kathmandu, the study covers various areas relating to the illegal wildlife trade. Shakya, who has been actively working in the area of environment and wildlife, has also won the Environmental Journalist Award in 1993 given by the Nepal Forum for Environmental Journalist.

Based on the site visits and interviews, the book is like a fact-finding report that includes many data collected and compiled by different ministries and departments under the government.

A freelance journalist, Shakya - who is associated with various non-governmental organizations advocating the cause of environmental protection - has visited many parts of the country to collect the information related to the illegal trade of wildlife.

Chairman of Kathmandu Environment Education Project (KEEP) and project director of South Exchange Program (SSEP), funded by Norwegian organization Fredskorpset, Shakya has also served as a chairman of Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists and Radio Sagarmatha.

”Wildlife trade is one of the major threats for the survival of rare and endangered species which are already at a state of eking out a precarious existence confined in protected areas. Poaching of such species is propelled by international demands created by the craze of luxury consumers desiring exotic fashions or erotic functions,” writes Dr.Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha, life member Royal Nepal Academy. “It is heartening to see that an active journalist like Mr. Mangal Man Shakya could create a niche for wildlife reporting.”

Divided into six different chapters, the book deals with nature of wildlife trade, the international scenario, CITES and the International Wildlife Trade, various acts related to the forest and the wild life conservation.

In the third chapter titled Wildlife Trade Scenario in Nepal, Shakya deals about the geography of the trade - the trade in various regions of Nepal.

The fourth chapter focuses on the state of Kathmandu valley. The chapter includes trade in Kathmandu Valley, Central-level Communication gaps and conclusion. The fifth chapter analyzes the case studies in different places focusing on the cases of western Nepal.

The last chapter consists of recommendations regarding prevention of the growing illegal wildlife trade. The book also includes interviews and data collected by him. Shakya also describes records of confiscated goods on border areas, wildlife cases in Kathmandu, pending cases and price list of wild life goods.

“This is a first of its kind study on illegal trade of wildlife products in Nepal. This trade in Nepal can be traced as far as the Licchhabi period (A.D. 496-880). However, it was noticed only during the regime of Rana (1846 –1950), when poachers began to hunt rhinoceros and sell its horn in the then British-Indian market,” writes Shakya.

“This is also a continuation of my first report titled CITES compliance in Nepal (April 1999) co-authored with my British Colleagues, Colin Pingle and Chris Murgatroyed. The previous report focused only on the trade in southern part of Nepal and completely left out the northern parts of the country. The current report looks at the illegal trade in the country as a whole.”

Nepal particularly suffers from illegal trade of rhino horns, tiger bones, hides, endangered birds, elephant tusks and so on. Any effort to control and prevent wildlife trade will go a long way in the betterment of humanity as a whole.

Trading for Extinction
An Expose of Illegal Wildlife Trade in Nepal

By: Mangal Man Shakya

Published by: WordScape

Prices: NRs 250 (soft cover) US$5, Euro 4