Elephant conservation news 19 - 26 June 2009
Thailand continues to harbour the largest illegal ivory market in Asia, wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC has said.
A report into Thailand's illegal ivory trade found more than 26,000 ivory products for sale in markets across the country, as well as 50 more retail outlets offering the illegal goods than the previous year.
TRAFFIC blamed the scale of the country's ivory market on "legal loopholes" and "insufficient law enforcement".
The network also uncovered new information on ivory workshops in the country - many of which use ivory illegally imported from Africa - as well as reports of traders buying wild elephant calves for use in begging or as entertainment in tourist centres.
Tom Milliken, from TRAFFIC, said: "Thailand has consistently been identified as one of the world's top five countries most heavily implicated in the illicit ivory trade, but shows little sign of addressing outstanding issues."
Dr Colman O'Criodain from WWF International added: "A good first step would be to put in place a comprehensive registration system for all ivory in trade and for live elephants."
New tool to help combat illegal wildlife trade
Meanwhile, the World Customs Organisation has launched an online tool to help environment law enforcement authorities share information.
ENVIRONET aims to improve environment border protection, focusing on wildlife products that fall under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna.
Designed to supplement EU-TWIX, an existing system that links customs authorities dealing with wildlife goods in the EU, it will tackle a greater range of environmental offences.
