Carrie Lam must toughen enforcement and law to combat heinous, cruel wildlife trade

^{Lemurs are some of the world’s most threatened animals Photo: Wikipedia}

The heinous, cruel trade in illegal wildlife must be combated far more effectively by the Carrie Lam Administration. The trade is so huge it rivals that of drugs and weapons worldwide. Interpol puts illegal wildlife trading at up to US$ 20 million a year. The worst region for the trafficking is Southeast Asia with Hong Kong a main hub. There is hope, because of persistent publicity by the likes of the World Wildlife Fund and because Ms Lam has spoken about cruelty to animals domestically in her policy address, ordered police action and toughened penalties.

^{The slow loris Photo: National Geographic}

Between 2015 and 2019, 172,000 live birds, 123,500 mammals and 3.9 million reptiles were imported into Hong Kong, according to ADM Capital Foundation, a leading campaigner. The cruelty going on every day is obscene. Creatures trafficked from all over the world to Hong Kong die in their thousands. Take chameleons, for example. Ninety-nine percent will lose their lives while being trafficked hidden in packaged disguises. The criminal gangs ship large numbers of the chameleons, coveted as pets, to make up for the losses.

Every sort of creature that might find a buyer is trafficked: tortoises, turtles, lizards, pangolins, lemurs, monkeys, slow lorises, spotted linsangs and many kinds of birds. Some are sold in Hong Kong shops operated by “registered wildlife dealers”. Others in China, Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia are sold in open-air markets. Some end up in specialty markets waiting for cruel customers who will eat them. Some become ingredients in Chinese traditional medicine. Many animals are kept for months in markets waiting to be sold. The vast majority are treated heinously denied freedom from pain, hunger, thirst and distress.

^{The Indian pangolin is slowly disappearing from Pakistan Photo: Ansar Khan/Life Line for Nature Society}

ADM Capital Foundation has named some of the criminal organisations behind this trade: Shuidong Syndicate, led by a local businessman; May 21 Network, now thought to have been disbanded; and Teng Group. Recently the police arrested 11 gangsters affiliated with the Sun Yee On triad. Sai Kung is a hub, because of easy water-borne traffic to and from Guangdong. The Marine Police regularly report seizures.

The businessmen behind the syndicates carry on. Lax enforcement and weak laws mean they see the wildlife trade as low risk and high reward. These gangsters see no personal risk. “We have never, ever had a prosecution in Hong Kong that goes beyond the mule,” Law Professor Amanda Whitford said at a Legislative Council press conference. Ms Whitford along with Councillor Elizabeth Quat and WildAid, WWF and ADM Capital Foundation presented a paper calling on the Council to stiffen the law and have wildlife offences moved under the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

^{Indian star tortoise Photo: The Spruce Pets}

If you read Chief Executive Lam’s last policy address you will see she is sensitive to animal abuse. Her next address may contain new proposals to combat this cruel trade. There is hope. BUZZ will send this article to her office. Everyone who hates this evil trade should speak up, respond to Government invitations to comment on the forthcoming address or support the above organisations in their exemplary work; WildAid, WWF, ADM Capital Foundation and others.