Singapore can do more for animal welfare

Straits Times Forum 22 Sep 12;

IN ADDITION to the welfare of pets and farm animals, the Government should also look into taking proactive steps on wildlife conservation ("Let's talk about animal welfare"; Sept 14).

Singapore is a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

At meetings of member countries, animal protection proposals are discussed. Countries then vote in acceptance or rejection of the proposals to protect animal species. Each country is entitled to a single vote, and Singapore's vote is represented by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

If two-thirds of the member countries vote against a proposal to protect a particular species, the proposal falls, regardless of the animal's conservation status, be it endangered or critically endangered.

Many considerations, such as economic impact, support from citizens and political relationships with countries that could be potentially affected by the new proposal, often take precedence over the need to conserve a particular species.

As a result, many proposals to protect endangered animal species have been consistently rejected throughout the years by different countries, due to a variety of reasons that disfavour protection of an animal species.

Today, many endangered species are still freely sold in Singapore.

Critically endangered southern bluefin tuna and endangered bluefin tuna are sold as sashimi in Japanese restaurants. Chinese restaurants are still selling shark's fin relatively freely, despite the fact that many shark species are threatened by extinction today.

Horns of critically endangered saiga antelopes are still being used to make "cooling drinks" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

More than 70 per cent of local TCM stores are either selling full-sized horns, horn shavings or drinks made from their horns, because traders are allowed to sell their horns as long as they have a Cites permit.

At the Cites Conference of the Parties in March next year, a proposal to legalise the elephant ivory trade will be brought to the table for voting, putting the lives of elephants on the line once again.

Because the AVA holds a vote in Cites, Singapore has an important role to play towards conservation.

At the upcoming conference, the Government should vote based on environmental responsibility. All products derived from endangered animals must be banned.

Jennifer Lee (Ms)
Founder
Project: WILD
Project: FIN