Madagascar Tortoise Trafficking Rages out of Control

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130502115520.htm

May 2, 2013

From January to March of 2013, more than 1,000 tortoises have been confiscated from wildlife smugglers.  These tortoises consist of mainly the radiated and the ploughshare tortoises, both of which are severely endangered due to habitat loss and overexploitation. These species are endemic to 

Madagascar; a biodiversity hotspot, diminishing in wildlife due to deforestation and the ever-growing wildlife trade. Many of these tortoises were seized by authorities in the illegal wildlife markets of Bangkok. In fact, the radiated tortoise is currently the most common tortoise for sale in these markets.

Since 2009, the illegal wildlife trade in Madagascar is said to have grown by 1000% percent. This is due to poor governance and a lack of law enforcement. The ever-growing poverty and year-long droughts has pushed many people to resort to smuggling these tortoises. It was once thought to be taboo to harm a tortoise, but the worsening situations have led to the erosion of these cultural beliefs.

These tortoises were said to be one of Madagascar’s iconic species. It is truly sad to see these species being exploited. The Wildlife Conservation Society executive director, James Deutsch, stated that the current level of exploitation is completely unsustainable. If immediate action is not taken, the extinction of these species is imminent.

The WCS is urging Malagasy officials to protect these rural areas more by posting more guards in these areas. They would also like for other countries, such as Thailand, to more strictly enforce wildlife trading laws to prevent the future trade of these already endangered species. The WCS also stresses the importance of education in these countries to demonstrate the importance of these species to the unique ecosystems in which they are found. Some of the tortoises, which have been seized, have been sent to the US to set up an assurance population.

I chose this article because we have recently studied ecological organizations such as the WCS and the illegal wildlife trade is a topic, which frequently comes up in class. Many people are not aware of the damage, which is being caused by humans. These tortoises are somewhat of a flagship species, and that is why I chose to write about their current situation. As well as facing overexploitation, these animals are endemic to the islands of Madagascar and are already classified as endangered due to major habitat loss.