Kathmandu a transit point for wildlife trade: Report

A report on wildlife trade has unveiled that the animal parts brought from India are being smuggled into Tibet using Kathmandu as a transit point.

"Report on Wildlife Trade & Traders in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Rasuwa", released by the Wildlife Watch Group (WWG) portrayed Kathmandu as a hub for illegal trade of wildlife animal.

The report was released at a workshop organised by the WWG and WWF Nepal.

"More often, wildlife traders are using Kathmandu as a transit point while ferrying animal parts from India and the Tarai area to neighbouring Tibet," states the report on illegal trade of wildlife.

According to the report, skins and bones of animals are used as decorative items while bones, horns, bile and musk pods are used as ingredients of 'alternative' medicines.

It also states that Boudha, Durbar Marg and Thamel are major markets for these items.

"There has also been strong demand of skin from newly-constructed monasteries in Europe, America, Tibet and Nepal," the report quotes an antique trader, Shiva Shahi.

Royal families and the Ranas also seek these items, says the report, quoting Shahi.

The report further quotes Joshi, "An antique shop in Durbarmarg continues to sell body parts of endangered species, including bones, skins, musk pods, bear bile and rhino horns."

"Most of the people involved in such illegal trade are people of the Tibetan origin, while there are instances where representatives of both the Nepali and Chinese governments are found to be engaged in the illegal trade of such items," the report states.

The report also quotes Ram Bahadur Tamang, a carpet weaver and native of Chitwan, as saying that villagers poach tigers and tiger skin to Nepali businessmen for $750 to $ 1000. Those Nepali businessmen later sell the same skin to tourists or businessmen for $7,600 to $10,700.

The National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 prohibits the trade of wildlife and its body parts and has the provision of imprisoning the convicted for 5 to 15 years, imposing Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 as fine or both.

The report quotes one of the interviewees as saying that wildlife traders bribe police officials to prevent the arrest of persons involved in wildlife trade or seizure of their items.