Animal Trafficking in Europe
The world has lost hundreds of thousands of species, many of them even before being discovered by science. The illegal trafficking started with some tradeof alive animals, usually to sell as pets or display at exhibitions. Although the most common practice is the trafficking of skins, bones, teeth or certain organs, they are also used either for clothing or decoration. This insecure illegal trade most of the times has had a significant impact on populations of different species such as lynx pardinus and sharks
lynx pardinus
Is anendemic feline in the Iberian Peninsula. Today the area occupied by this race reaches half the size of their counterparts in Central Europe.
A long time ago, a study on the distribution of Iberian lynx in Spain, where it concentrates 95% of the specimens, estimated a number of animals ranged between 1,000 and 1,200 copies. Since then the situation or the problem has increased to the point where the total population today is less than 200 copies. Until today scientists have only found clear indications of the presence of lynx in Doñana.
According to investigation presented by Francisco Palomares, a researcher at Doñana and one of the largest international experts in lynx, for the world's most endangered animal (Lynx) it is still difficult to survive in Spain, even knowing that big efforts of conservation are carried out in some areas of Spain.
In the Doñana Biological Reserve they are doing a lot of things to save those animals such as experiments or similar things like that. They exactly do not know what is happening to the species, but the most probably hypothesis that they concluded was trafficking in Doñana.
Sharks
Besides the extensive use of these fish for food , other parts of sharks are used or traded in various degrees by most European countries.
Whether directly or indirectly, the fishing fleets of European countries catch sharks, and at least some of this catch is valued for one attribute or another. A country that trafficksmany sharks is below:
France
France is a mayor fisher,catching a variety of species especially dogfish, cat-sharks, skates and rays. These are marketed domestically with dogfish exported to neighboring countries.
Further on we can see a perfect example of this situation in Madrid, Spain, of how this is progressing:
“Eight arrested for trafficking in tigers, lions and wolves Iberian. The Civil Guard has dismantled an organization dedicated to the illegal trafficking of protected species and have capturedseveral lions, a tiger,an Iberian wolf, an European lynx, a cheetah, anda golden eagle. The operation began when it was found on the Internet that a person was offering the sale of a copy of the Iberian wolf. The subsequent investigation found that the origin of the animal was totally illegal. The organization was carrying animals from Eastern European countries, illegally and in rental vans, traveling vast distances without rest and in poor health conditions of welfare and animal. All these animals were covered with falsified documentation.”
To conclude, the illegal wildlife trafficking has a devastating impact on animal welfare, species conservation, ecosystems and the communities that could develop through tourism. It is the biggest cause of species extinction. Those who buy trafficked animals may have a little of understanding and have mercy of the damage they are doing to the environment, animals and development of the world.
Written by: Mariana Rios
Bibliography
Www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/12/ciencia/1134401664.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_pardinus
www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/01/espana/1263385556.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_pardinus
http://html.rincondelvago.com/animales-en-peligro-de extincion_2.html
http://www.wwf.es/que_hacemos/especies/problemas/trafico_de_especies/
http://www.dicyt.com/noticias/el-trafico-ilegal-de-animales-y-la-introduccion-de-especies-en-nuevos-habitats-principales-causas-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad
Www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/12/ciencia/1134401664.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_pardinus
www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/01/espana/1263385556.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx_pardinus
http://html.rincondelvago.com/animales-en-peligro-de extincion_2.html
http://www.wwf.es/que_hacemos/especies/problemas/trafico_de_especies/
http://www.dicyt.com/noticias/el-trafico-ilegal-de-animales-y-la-introduccion-de-especies-en-nuevos-habitats-principales-causas-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad
Editor: Maria Andrea Ramirez