Chinese authorities are considering changes to wildlife trade regulations that govern the live trade in 18 parrot and reptile species, several of which are gravely threatened by poaching and illegal trade.
The proposals involve the implementation of a “special marking system” of ID tags on bird leg rings or microchips inserted in reptiles to enable authorities to better regulate and trace the country’s extensive wildlife breeding industry.
However, the plans have drawn criticism from conservation groups, who say that without proper oversight, the marking system could result in a sudden spike in demand for the affected species and the emergence of an unregulated pet trade, ultimately undermining hard-won conservation gains both within and beyond the country’s borders.
Previously, China’s “special marking system” was only applied to high-risk animal products, such as pangolin scales, used in traditional medicine. But moves began toward a marking system for live animals in May 2022.
All 18 species in the proposals are protected under the Wildlife Protection Law, China’s main piece of legislation covering wildlife conservation and trade. However, these rules have long attracted controversy because they endorse so-called “utilisation” of wildlife as well as its protection.
The marking system species include the endangered African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) and critically endangered radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), both of which are included in Appendix I of CITES, the global convention regulating the wildlife trade, due to their severe vulnerability to trafficking.
The African gray parrot has largely disappeared from its natural range across Central and West Africa due to poaching, while numbers of radiated tortoises, which hail exclusively from southern Madagascar, have been heavily impacted by killing for their meat and capture for the pet trade.
The special marking system proposals are the latest shift in wildlife trade laws in China; they follow a Supreme Court decision in 2022 that reduced the criminalization of transport and purchase of captive-bred wildlife as pets, provided they were not intended for consumption. The series of changes are likely a response to public outcry against high-profile criminal cases involving pet ownership of wild animals, sources told Mongabay.
The special marking system, first proposed for public consultation in May 2022, is currently being piloted on the 11 parrots and 7 reptiles in Henan province under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), the state agency responsible for wildlife protection in China.
No scientific basis
Various conservation organizations have expressed serious concerns about the inclusion of CITES Appendix I species under the proposed marking system. In a 2022 response to China’s public consultation on the system, NGOs urged the removal of African gray parrots and radiated tortoises from the marking system.
“If commercial use and trade of these species is legalized in China, the significant demand for wild-caught breeding stock within China could endanger wild populations,” the response says. “We urge China to reformulate these and any other such lists … giving full consideration to the status of the species in the wild, the extent of illegal trade in the species and the likelihood that relaxing the conditions under which these species are kept or bred in captivity could stimulate illegal trade or provide opportunities for laundering.”
The groups also requested clarification on the criteria used to select the 18 species included in the marking system. However, sources told Mongabay that as of September 2024, they had yet to receive such clarifications.
Given the lack of dialogue from authorities on their methods, sources who requested to remain anonymous due to political sensitivity remain skeptical about the overall rigor of the proposed system.
The inclusion of CITES Appendix I species on the list is a serious concern given the significant demand for them from wild sources. For one, radiated tortoises are notoriously difficult and expensive to breed in captivity. Most breeders therefore resort to smuggling radiated tortoises from the wild according to demand, sources told Mongabay. In short, when demand for pet radiated tortoises peaks, so does the incentive to obtain them from the wild.
Vulnerable to exploitation
Another major concern for conservationists is the lack of a clear mechanism to effectively oversee a new marking system. Unless the capacity of enforcement agencies is stepped up, the door is open for unscrupulous traders and facilities to exploit loopholes in the regulations, such as passing off illegally bred animals as legally marked ones, a practice known as wildlife laundering.
A further challenge will be to bring the postal and transport sector up to speed with handling the marking system to ensure they don’t unwittingly serve illegal traders.
Additional concerns surround invasive species. Among the 18 species on the marking system list are several that are considered invasive. The green iguana, for instance, is increasingly problematic in Taiwan and parts of Southeast Asia, where it’s been abandoned into nonnative habitats by jaded owners. Priming the public with knowledge about responsible pet ownership and the risks of releasing species into the wild should be a key part of the changes, sources say.
This article by Carolyn Cowan was first published by Mongabay.com on 31 October 2024. Lead Image: African grey parrots are fast-disappearing from their native forests in central and western Africa due to demand from the international pet trade. Image by Nina R via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
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