KARACHI: Illegal wildlife trade seems to have increased over the past one year, with a number of cases reported in the media that involved geckos, scorpions, turtles, snakes and now migratory birds, it emerged on Sunday.

At least three consignments, according to sources, have been confiscated only this month. The seizures of rare poisonous snakes and migratory birds were made near Jamshoro, Hyderabad toll plaza and in Golarchi (Badin district).

Earlier, about 200 black spotted turtles were confiscated at the Karachi airport and a large consignment of the same species that was smuggled out of Pakistan and seized in China was returned and the animals were released in the Indus River.

“Illegal wildlife trade has definitely intensified and has its root causes in increasing poverty, shrinking livelihood opportunities, weak enforcement of law and absence of the wildlife management board that existed decades ago and played an important role in protecting wildlife interests,” said senior environmentalist Nasir Panhwar currently heading the Centre for Environment and Development.

The government operation, he believed, had been further weakened with the continued function of honorary district game wardens that were appointed by the government on political grounds.

“They should have been working for nature conservation, but instead they are contributing to ruining natural resources,” he said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, wildlife officials told Dawn that honorary district game wardens were currently the single biggest hurdle in actions aimed at promoting nature conservation because they used their political influence to get released poachers arrested by the staff.

“As season for birds’ migration has begun, our staff is under tremendous pressure to restrain their activities. Recently, game wardens of Thatta and Badin districts have warned the wildlife staff not to conduct any raid in these districts,” revealed a wildlife official.

The field staff, he said, was limited in number and had no facilities at all, for instance, they were not provided with vehicles to patrol and weapons to enforce law. “They are patrolling the Thar Desert on foot. How could one expect law enforcement if there is no facilitation by the government,” asked a wildlife official, adding that in the absence of the departmental support, field staff was vulnerable to all kinds of threats.

“Our promotions, too, have been pending for many years,” complained another.

Sharing concerns on appointment of district game wardens, Dr Ejaz Ahmed representing the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan said that though he was aware that their role wasn’t satisfactory, he was not sure of the extent of their interference in departmental activities of the wildlife staff.

“They can play a positive role if their appointment is made on merit. Second, I think it’s because of wildlife department’s proactive role in checking trafficking that has given the impression that illegal wildlife trade has increased,” he said.

There was a dire need for capacity building of all relevant departments, including customs, if illegal wildlife trade had to be checked efficiently, he added.

According to sources, the increasing incidents of illegal wildlife trade indicate inadequacies present in the decades old Sindh Wildlife Ordinance of 1972 and the gaps present in the mechanism the provincial wildlife department operates.

A draft of the Sindh Wildlife Act, 2010, an important piece of document meant to replace the outdated wildlife ordinance, they said, had been awaiting government approval for four years.

Prepared after extensive deliberations among relevant stakeholders, including government officials, senior wildlife experts and representatives of non-governmental organisations, the draft, after multiple changes, was now with the law department that had earlier asked the wildlife department to make the document concise.

The document, according to sources, has now been renamed as the Sindh Wildlife Act, 2014.

The draft act is said to be the most comprehensive document on wildlife ever formulated in the country, because it takes care of all international obligations on wildlife as well as local sensitivities to the subject and has actually broadened the definition of wildlife that was earlier restricted to wild animals only.

“It recommends enhancement of punishment for violations to wildlife rules and suggests broader role of the wildlife department. There is emphasis on community participation and recommendation to re-establish the wildlife management board,” said an official.

Upon contact, Sindh wildlife conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar rejected the impression of a hike in wildlife trafficking and said that the media was highlighting the cases more because the department was actively checking illegal activities and taking action according to law.

He also dispelled media reports that geckos and scorpions were being traded on a large-scale and said that no poacher dealing in these species had been caught.

“Trade in geckos and scorpions is not a reality because these species do not exist in that large number being mentioned in media reports,” he said.

On the issue of honorary district game wardens, he said: “The institution of district game wardens has miserably failed to deliver. In contrast, it’s working efficiently in India.”

Replying to a question as to what kind of help he desired from the government, he said: “There is an immediate need to approve the Sindh Wildlife Act 2014, re-organise the department and revive the old accounting system under which the department needs were met on daily basis without delay.”

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2014