TOC APPEAL
We have 19 photos from you, our readers, so far – please continue to support The Anti-Mandatory Death Penalty Photo Project by simply taking a photo of yourself that says you do not support the Mandatory Death Penalty, and send it to us via email (antimdpphoto@gmail.com) or post it on the Facebook page via the hyperlink above! It can be as simple or as creative as you want, as long as it expresses the sentiment “I do not support the Mandatory Death Penalty”.
________________________________
By Gangasudhan
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) today released its findings of a three-month undercover investigation of 134 jewellery and antique shops around Singapore which revelaed that 59 offered tiger parts for sale. And in addition to the report, incriminating evidence of these shops selling alleged tiger parts has been captured on video.
Approximately 159 tiger claws, 303 tiger teeth and 38 pieces of tiger skin were found on sale during the investigation, which was conducted from December 2009 to February 2010. The alleged tiger parts were found to be openly on sale at 52 shops whilst 28 shopkeepers mentioned that an order for more tiger parts could be placed with an expected delivery date between one week and three months. Seven shopkeepers even demonstrated awareness that tigers are protected animals; that it is illegal to sell tiger parts; and, that tiger parts are customs-controlled items.
Excerpt of actual footage from undercover investigation
The alleged tiger parts were claimed to originate from Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos and Cambodia, and one shopkeeper revealed that the demand and amount of tiger parts being stocked by the shops appeared to be higher over the Chinese New Year period due to the birth of the Zodiac Year of the Tiger in the Chinese calendar.
Still a major problem
Tiger parts are used for various purposes such as traditional medicine, jewellery, lucky charms and novelties. Mr Louis Ng, Executive Director of ACRES, informed that the findings, together with the footage collected, has been submitted to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) for its necessary enforcement action and that his organisation will be working closely with AVA on the matter.
He added that the investigation findings clearly show “the presence of an illegal trade in alleged tiger parts in Singapore and that there is an immediate need for continued serious efforts to curb this illegal trade.”
In less than a century, the world’s tiger population has spectacularly dropped from more than 100,000 to less than 3,200, with three subspecies having become extinct altogether. And although all commercial tiger trade has been banned since 1987 by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), there has nevertheless been an approximate 50% decrease in wild tiger populations since the ban.
The AVA is the CITES authority in Singapore and administers the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act (ESA), which lists all CITES species in its Schedules. Under the ESA, it is an offence to import, export and re-export any CITES species without a permit from AVA. The possession, sale, offering or exposing or advertising for sale or displaying to the public of any illegally imported CITES specimen is also an offence, with the penalties, on conviction, being a fine of $50,000 per species and/or 2 years imprisonment.
Also, specifically under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) (Prohibition of Sale) Notification, the domestic sale of tiger specimens itself is prohibited as well, and any person who sells, offers or exposes for sale or displays to the public any tiger parts and products will be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 for each species and/or 1 year imprisonment.
Ms. Anbarasi Boopal, Director of ACRES Wildlife Crime Unit, adds, “It is important to note that anyone who advertises for sale any tiger parts contravenes the above Act, even if the products turn out to be not authentic. By making a claim that the product is from tigers, the dealer is potentially driving up the demand for tiger parts, which directly contravenes the spirit of CITES and the local legislation meant to enforce CITES.”
ACRES is a Singapore-based animal protection charity aimed at fostering respect and compassion for all animals and currently counts more than 18,000 supporters on its database. Between 2008 and 2009, ACRES received a tip-off on three occasions regarding the sale of alleged tiger parts in Singapore, and following its investigations, enforcement action by the AVA followed in all three of these cases.
_______________________________________
Images & video courtesy of ACRES
This report was first published on
_________________________________________________
HELP keep the voice of TOC alive!
If you like this article, please consider a small donation to help theonlinecitizen.com stay alive. Please note that we can only accept donations from Singaporeans. Thank you for your assistance.Do you have a flair for writing? Volunteer with us. Email us your full name and contact details to theonlinecitizen@gmail.com
Tigers are handsomely magnificent creatures, regal in behaviour and sight. It is a real pity if they are relegated to pictures or imagination to our future generations. Those Chinese zoos would do anything to make a pile out of these fated Siberian animals. Most probably they are intently starved to death for this purpose. Making money at all costs, that is the evil of capitalism. How much can ACRES do to contribute towards protecting endangered species in a small island of Singapore. Nevertheless, a tiny effort is better than none. Hope that this animal charity would help to protect the sea creatures of Chek Java on Pulau Ubin. Mah Bow Tan is still eyeing the place for future development. The Minister may follow his boss and say something like industrial development are more important than protecting some slimy sea creatures. Way back in the late 70s or early 80s, MM Lee said that the living are more important than the dead when the Govt acquired the cemetery lands of Bishan to develope the HDB estate. We pray and hope the next Minister of National Development would not copy such short-sighted policies to boost his prestige at the expense of nature. This is not some cemetery lands, a distinction Govt should note at all costs. This is the land of our beloved sea cucumbers, anemones and star fishes, of no economic value to this Govt, but of emotional passion to us ordinary people who could not care less of any grand development project. Please cast your predatory eyes on other places in Singapore, and leave Chek Java alone.
Throw the book at them. It is dealers like these that creates the market that kills the tigers.
Amazing that all this undercover investigative work was carried out by a charity. AVA needs only to sit back and have ACRES do all the hard work, then step in the last moment to do the “necessary enforcement action.” (Quite frankly, I find it typical that it’s always the public bringing up health/food/animal concerns to the AVA, with AVA then only reacting with the least amount of effort.)
Bravo for ACRES.
So, my question is…….why an non-profit NGO is doing the work, when it should be the AVA’s job? Mind you, AVA have more financial and manpower resources than ACRE’s. Aren’t they supposed to be paid to do such work?
JC
Mar 19, 2010 17:03
The worst thing is that even when the hard work is already done, they may still not do anything.
its been the pattern all this while… government agencies are only reacting to situations.
When lamp post fell and killed someone, then Town Councils go around checking their stability.
When rojak kills someone, then NEA goes around checking and reviewing their grading system.
When Nicoll Highway collapse, then LTA imposes stringent safety measures.
When dengue fever spread, then NEA goes around checking houses.
they are never proactive. They only react when something goes wrong… just wait for the next incident to happen and you will see the government agencies reacting to take action. Sometimes i wonder whether anyone think ahead or not
*sigh*
can anyone tell me why they wanna wear stuff like that?
so primitive. like cavemen.
except cavemen killed the animals themselves and wear it to show off their kills.
59 out of 134 shops sells tiger parts. Guess the AVA is just humouring CITES.
Considering a small place here, but when looking through the non-profit organizations set up here, it’s amazingly a lot! Wonder if this demonstrates the inefficiency or ineffectiveness on the way things are run???
Many responsibilities and issues seem to be thrown to the non-profits… hmmm…
I’m always impressed with ACRES. They aren’t a big organisation or charity, but they’ve done pretty impressive stuff. They have huge visions and they dared to make a difference for the animals.
Hopefully, the authorities are able to act on these errant shopkeepers and stop these illegal wildlife trade.
Kudos to ACRES and Louis!
Internet is biggest threat to endangered species, say conservationists
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/21/endangered-species-internet-threat
More countries agree to tiger conservation than other species like sharks and tunas, current news on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Flora and Fauna conference on going now at Doha, Qatar :
UN Fails to Pass Shark Protection Measures
http://www.ecofactory.com/news/un-fails-pass-shark-protection-measures-031710
Epic battle to save animals
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/world/Epic%20battle%20to%20save%20animals%20/-/1068/884042/-/145kx2cz/-/