Mapping of the issues concerning the illegal trade in wildlife, including the internet trade and suggestions for a better approach.

Demy Geldhof
Persbericht

De illegale handel in bedreigde dier- en plantensoorten ontleed.

Op het internet kan je tegenwoordig zowat alles kopen. Verschillende studies tonen aan dat bedreigde dier- en plantensoorten in grote aantallen verkocht worden via veilingsites zoals eBay en op sociale media als Facebook, Instagram, enzoverder. Als je 'buy exotic animals' op Facebook ingeeft, vind je verschillende gesloten groepen waar luipaarden, primaten tot vrijwel alle soorten reptielen verhandeld worden. Als je als consument een mooi, exotisch dier online wilt aankopen is het quasi onmogelijk te bepalen of deze diersoort (of een lichaamsdeel ervan) al dan niet mag aangekocht worden. Hetzelfde geldt voor exotische planten. Men beweert telkens over de juiste documentatie te beschikken, maar het is voor een leek zeer moeilijk dit na te gaan. Fraude, vervalsing en witwassen zijn hier dan ook niet onbekend. Met als gevolg dat de illegale handel in de meer dan 35.000 met uitsterven bedreigde dier- en plantensoorten goed is voor naar schatting 20 miljard dollar per jaar. Dat plaatst hem op dezelfde hoogte als de drugs-, wapen- en mensenhandel.

Consumenten zijn zich niet bewust van hun aandeel in deze illegale handel, noch van het dierenleed dat hierachter verscholen ligt. De vangmethodes - strikken, valkuilen, netten en klemmen - zijn stuk voor stuk verschrikkelijk en kunnen niet garanderen dat het "juiste" dier wordt gevangen laat staan dat ze kunnen verzekeren dat het dier überhaupt overleeft. Tot het moment van verkoop worden ze in erbarmelijke omstandigheden gehouden. Financieel gewin neemt hier duidelijk de bovenhand op dierenwelzijn.

Kaketoe geforceerd in een plastiek fles.Ook het transport van de gevangen dieren is vaak gruwelijk. In Indonesië werden smokkelaars betrapt met bedreigde kaketoes die in plastiek flessen werden geforceerd. De daders zijn zeer vindingrijk in dieren over de grens te krijgen en gebruiken populaire koeriersdiensten, zoals DHL en FedEx, om hun "goederen" te verzenden. Het internet en deze koeriersdiensten maken het voor iedereen mogelijk om exotische fauna en flora aan te kopen. Deze screenshot van een vingeraapje, gevonden in een gesloten Facebookgroep, toont aan hoe makkelijk je een exotisch dier kan aankopen en schetst al snel een beeld van hoe ver het aapje van z'n natuurlijke habitat verwijderd wordt.

Screenshot, genomen in een gesloten Facebookgroep van een vingeraapje in een jurk

De ecologische gevolgen van de illegale handel zijn waarschijnlijk niet zo bekend bij het grote publiek. Het WWF bracht in 2016 een studie uit die aantoonde dat de mensheid een zesde massa-uitsterving aan het veroorzaken is. Hoewel verschillende menselijke ingrepen hier aan de oorzaak liggen, zoals de ontbossing van het Amazonewoud, mag niet vergeten worden dat ook consumenten de hevige exploitatie en dus deze gigantische uitsterving in de hand werken. Verder worden al dan niet bedreigde dier- en plantensoorten in vreemde omgevingen geïntroduceerd, waar ze bestaande ecosystemen catastrofaal kunnen veranderen. Zo kunnen inheemse soorten verdwijnen door competitie met de nieuwe invasieve soorten en door gebrek aan sanitaire controles kunnen uitheemse ziektes binnengebracht worden, waartegen de streekeigen dieren en planten niet bestand zijn.

Als je als consument hier wel al bij hebt stilgestaan, en dit toch ondergeschikt vindt. Wat dan met het leed dat deze handel bij mensen veroorzaakt? Net zoals de drugshandel gaat de illegale handel in exotische dieren en planten gepaard met het vermoorden van mensen, corruptie en onderuithalen van politieke en wetgevingssystemen. Landen die volop in ontwikkeling zijn, beladen met natuurlijke rijkdommen, zijn hier het kwetsbaarst voor. De politieke (en dus nationale) stabiliteit wordt hierdoor ondermijnd en zo komt de lokale fauna en flora in handen van criminele netwerken. Dat laatste heeft ook rechtstreekse gevolgen voor het plaatselijke toerisme die hier veelal op teert. Zegt dit je nog altijd niets, wat dan met de terreurdreiging in ons eigen land? Er zijn steeds meer aanwijzingen die aantonen dat er een link is tussen deze illegale handel en de financiële inkomsten van terrorisme. Als men deze financiële inkomsten wil blootleggen en tevens problematiek in ontwikkelingslanden wil aanpakken, is het van groot belang dat deze illegale markt niet uit het oog verloren wordt.

Exotische dieren komen, zoals vermeld, vaker voor in ontwikkelingslanden waar corruptie jammer genoeg welig tiert. Het gaat meestal om gesofisticeerde internationale criminele kringen en netwerken die precies weten hoe ze te werk moeten gaan en steeds meer manieren vinden om wetgevingssystemen te omzeilen. Zo blijven ze onder de rader opereren, importeren en exporteren. Deze netwerken of organisaties zijn vaak gelijkaardig aan die van de drugswereld, gelinkt eraan of zijn simpelweg dezelfde organisaties. Staten zien het bestrijden en bestraffen van deze handel niet als prioriteit, waardoor hij aantrekkelijk en vaak weinig risicovol is voor criminele organisaties. Daarenboven wordt alles nog eens eenvoudiger en anoniemer door de online handel (E-commerce). 

Er zijn dringend maatregelen nodig om criminelen te ontmoedigen in deze handel te investeren. Gevangenisstraffen en geldboetes moeten worden verhoogd. Websites en sociale mediabedrijven moeten aansprakelijk worden gesteld. Nog belangrijker is dat consumenten inzien dat exotische dieren (of hun lichaamsdelen) en -planten niet in de woonkamer thuis horen. Beter van ze in hun natuurlijke habitat op te zoeken en zo het lokale toerisme te steunen. Deze bewustwording is noodzakelijk om ons ecologisch systeem te redden, ontwikkelingslanden te steunen, inkomsten van terrorisme terug te schroeven en vooral om dierenwelzijn te verhogen. Om het met Jane Goodall's woorden te zeggen: "When there are no customers, there is no trade."

 

Bibliografie

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