Burma’s Wild Cats Killed for Trade: WWF

By THE IRRAWADDY

Everything from the skin and bones to the teeth and claws of almost 1,200 wild cats have been for sale at wildlife markets in Burma over a 15-year period, according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report released on Tuesday.

The report, titled "The Trade in Wild Cats and Wild Cat Parts in Myanmar [Burma]," is the result of 12 surveys undertaken by the wildlife trade monitoring network (TRAFFIC) and the WWF between 1991 and 2006.

According to the report, a total of 1,320 wild cat parts, representing a minimum of 1,158 individual animals, were observed and recorded.

"The cat parts were openly displayed for sale and the dealers quite frank about the illegality of the trade, which suggests a serious lack of law enforcement," said Chris Shepherd, programme coordinator for TRAFFIC’s Southeast Asia office.

Three of the four markets were located on international borders with Thailand and China, where there is a flourishing demand for exotic animal parts used in traditional medicines.

Burma is a signatory to CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which bans international trade in many species of wild cat, as well as being a member of the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), a partnership that seeks to end the illegal cross-border wildlife trade in the region.

WWF said that national legislation in Burma is "imprecise as to how many cat species are totally protected, but at least five are."

Five indigenous cat species—the tiger (Panthera tigris), the leopard (Panthera pardus), the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), the marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) and the Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii)—are listed in CITES.

"Myanmar has an amazing wealth and variety of wildlife. However, immediate action to close down these markets and prosecute those engaged in the trade of protected wildlife is essential,” said Shepherd, adding that national legislation needed to be tightened and better cross-border co-operation with neighboring countries, particularly Thailand and China, was required.