Which country has the most animal trafficking?
China is often considered the center of the rhinoceros and tiger trade networks. In recent times, farms in China have grown to not only include animals such as pigs, cows, and chickens but also tigers, bears, and rhinos, all for wildlife trafficking.
What animals are trafficked the most?
pangolins. An estimated one million pangolins have been poached in the last decade, making them the most trafficked mammals in the world.
Where is animal trafficking a problem?
There are certain places in the world where wildlife trade is particularly threatening or where targeted action would be particularly worthwhile. These places are sometimes called ‘wildlife trade hotspots’ and include, for example, China’s international borders and the eastern borders of the European Union.
What animals are trafficked in China?
This may sound far-fetched, but many iconic wild animals – including tigers, bears, and rhinos – are now farmed en masse in China. According to wildlife experts who spoke at the Wilson Center in June, Chinese demand for wildlife products is driving a global trade in endangered species.
What happens if you get caught poaching in China?
Under China’s criminal law, a person who illegally transports protected wildlife and products thereof will face imprisonment of not more than five years and concurrently to a fine in minor circumstances.
What two countries have the highest illegal trade of wildlife?
The golden triangle of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar is a global hub for illegal wildlife trade and trafficking. China is the largest importer of illegal wildlife and animal products, driving demands for animals from around the world.
What animals are illegally trafficked?
Birds are the most common contraband; the State Department estimates that two million to five million wild birds, from hummingbirds to parrots to harpy eagles, are traded illegally worldwide every year. Millions of turtles, crocodiles, snakes and other reptiles are also trafficked, as well as mammals and insects.
How does animal trafficking affect the world?
Illegal wildlife trade is also often unsustainable, harming wild populations of animals and plants and pushing endangered species toward extinction. Furthermore, illegal trade negatively impacts a country’s natural resources and local communities that might otherwise benefit from tourism or legal, sustainable trade.
What is the punishment for poaching in China?
In China, anyone who illegally hunts, kills, purchases, transports, or sells a panda may be sentenced to imprisonment for more than 10 years, along with a fine or confiscation of property.
Why do Asians eat endangered species?
Medicinal power of wild animals. The Chinese passion for eating wild animals is tied up with the belief that foods can have medicinal properties. Ancient medical writings ascribe such uses to almost all plants and animals – even animal organs, excrement, bodily fluids and skin and feathers.