Paul Eccleston, The Telegraph 15 Oct 08;
There is an organised and growing trade in wild cat parts in Burma, wildlife investigators have found.
Skins and body parts from almost 1,200 animals were found openly on sale in markets.
They included parts of at least 107 Tigers and all the eight species of wild cats found in Burma, which is also known as Myanmar.
Of the eight species one is classified as Endangered, four as Vulnerable, and three are considered Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - mainly because not enough is known about their status.
The tiger (Panthera tigris), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata) and Asiatic Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii) should be protected under Burmese law.
The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverinnus), Leopard Cat (Panthera bengalensis) and Jungle Cat (Felis chaus), are non-protected species.
Burma, run by a military junta, is a signatory to the CITES convention - which governs the trade in endangered species - 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.
But investigators from TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, and WWF found a flourishing trade in big cat parts - claws, teeth, bones and even genitalia - mainly as trophies, trinkets and good luck charms for the tourist trade in south-east Asia.
Parts from the cats that are globally threatened were offered in significantly larger numbers than non-threatened species highlighting the threat posed to conservation efforts.
Dealers at four markets looked at during the survey over a number of years admitted they were operating illegally and even offered suggestions on how the contraband parts could be smuggled across borders.
Three of the four markets were situated on international borders with Thailand and China, catering to international buyers and where there is a flourishing demand for exotic animal parts used in traditional medicines.
The most numerous species for sale was the Leopard Cat, with a total of 483 parts representing at least 443 individuals. The second most numerous was a totally protected species, the Clouded Leopard, with a total of 301 parts representing a minimum of 279 animals. Both are widespread in the wild, and have attractive pelts.
The Tiger and Marbled Cat were offered significantly less than all other threatened cat species combined.
TRAFFIC called on the Burmese authorities to clampdown on the illicit trade by:
# Closing down markets where the parts are on sale and prosecuting the dealers.
# Working with other neighbouring countries to end the international trade.
# Trained staff being more vigilant at airports and border points.
# Regular and systematic monitoring of markets by NGOs working with the authorities.
# Revising existing laws and enforcing all CITES regulations.
# Clarifying the status of the Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat and Jungle Cat.
