Use of owls in black magic and sorcery driven by superstition, totems and taboos is one of the prime drivers of the covert owl trade, finds a TRAFFIC India investigation into the illegal trade, trapping and utilization of owls in India. TRAFFIC India’s report entitled “Imperilled Custodians of the Night” was launched on 2 November 2010 by Shri Jairam Ramesh, Hon. Minister of Environment and Forests at his office in New Delhi. The prime investigator and author of the report is ornithologist Mr Abrar Ahmed. Read more
Research and Analysis
The impact of wildlife trade on biodiversity remains poorly understood and the knowledge about the species entering into trade, and the extent to which the level of trade is damaging the species and the ecosystem, is limited. Even for the legally traded species there is not enough clarity on the conservation impact on the species harvested. Given the dynamics of trade, it becomes imperative to constantly engage on ground to gather information on trade flows and trends. At the same time it is also required to collate information related to trade of wild species, their parts and derivatives and provide its analysis. TRAFFIC India’s Research and Analysis programme targets this very need and provides adequate and timely information on the trends to the key decision makers and implementers to influence their action towards wildlife conservation.
TRAFFIC India’s on-going projects include study on leopard poaching and trade in India, peacock feather trade, owl trade, dynamics of hunting community, trade in medicinal plants etc.
TRAFFIC India’s on-going projects include study on leopard poaching and trade in India, peacock feather trade, owl trade, dynamics of hunting community, trade in medicinal plants etc.
Snow leopards live in mountain steppes and coniferous forest scrub at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 6000 meters.
Study on illegal trade, trapping and use of owls in india
Report cover
Trade in Medicinal and Aromatic plant species (MAPs) in India:
Trade in many species, especially medicinal plants, timber and fisheries, forms a significant part of the livelihoods of many people in India. Implementation of sustainable harvesting techniques will benefit both the people and the wildlife in the long term.
FairWild Standards for sustainable harvesting and collection of wild medicinal plants: TRAFFIC India in collaboration with the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) has implemented the FairWild Standard (and in particular its former ecological moduleISSC-MAP) with local communities in Karnataka and Uttarakhand. These standards were developed by WWF-Germany, in co-operation with the IUCN/SSC Species Survival Commission Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (MPSG), TRAFFIC and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the work was funded by the German Government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ).
FairWild Standard (www.fairwild.org) which has been recently developed are a set of principles and indicators with a purpose to ensure the continued use and long-term survival of wild plant species and populations in their natural habitats, while respecting the traditions and cultures, and supporting the livelihoods of all stakeholders, in particular collectors and workers. These FairWild Standards, its principles and possible applications for the private sector, community resource management and policy-makers is being promoted by TRAFFIC India.
TRAFFIC India works with the government and the private sector to ensure that the legal trade in wildlife such as that of the various medicinal and aromatic plant species is maintained at sustainable levels. For more details, please visit http://www.floraweb.de/map-pro
FairWild Standard (www.fairwild.org) which has been recently developed are a set of principles and indicators with a purpose to ensure the continued use and long-term survival of wild plant species and populations in their natural habitats, while respecting the traditions and cultures, and supporting the livelihoods of all stakeholders, in particular collectors and workers. These FairWild Standards, its principles and possible applications for the private sector, community resource management and policy-makers is being promoted by TRAFFIC India.
TRAFFIC India works with the government and the private sector to ensure that the legal trade in wildlife such as that of the various medicinal and aromatic plant species is maintained at sustainable levels. For more details, please visit http://www.floraweb.de/map-pro