All together against corruption and species trafficking for wildlife conservation!

Posted on 6 March 2023

The global warning light is red for wildlife.

The figures reported in the 2022 edition of the Living Planet Report, published every two years by the WWF, are well representative of the critical state of wildlife. For vertebrate wildlife populations worldwide alone, the report shows a 69% drop in monitored populations between 1970 and 2018.

For Madagascar, one of the richest countries in biodiversity in the world with 80% of endemic species of fauna and flora, 91% of reptiles and 80% of plants found nowhere else, the situation is equally alarming. All the wild life of our island is dying out at a lightning speed despite the essential role it plays in the balance of human life. The pressure of human activities on wildlife has intensified over the years, leading to the loss of their natural habitat and consequently to their decline.

Wildlife trafficking is one of the main threats to biodiversity. To give us an idea, the radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) or "Sokake" is one of the most trafficked land tortoises in the country and in the world. This rare endemic species is sold freely at the national level and exported to supply the domestication market, food or to serve as an attraction in animal parks. Many Malagasy families probably own a radiated tortoise without knowing that it is a crime. Indeed, the increased domestication of radiated turtles is based on beliefs about their therapeutic virtues (notably against asthma) or other beneficial powers associated with them.

The high level of corruption in the country, ranked 147th out of 180 countries with a score of 26/100 according to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2022 (CPI 2022), strongly contributes to the further fructification of this illicit market. TRAFFIC illustrates Madagascar’s illegal wildlife trade. From 2000 to 2021, 121 seizures globally involving Madagascar were reported (including one in Reunion). All originated from Madagascar. Of these, 77 (64%) seizures occurred in Madagascar. Various species were identified during these seizures, including 30,875 turtles. The prolonged traffic of this species risks leading to its extinction by 2050 according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The radiated turtle is on the IUCN red list like other endemic species, and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

On the other hand, Madagascar's precious woods represented by the genera Dalbergia (rosewood and rosewood) and Diospyros (ebony) are among the most sought-after hardwoods for the manufacture of musical instruments in Europe and the United States, and for the manufacture of furniture in Asia (Report "the island of woods", TRAFFIC, 2016).

For their perceived value and authenticity, these species are felled and looted within protected areas and then sold illegally on the international and local markets. According to TRAFFIC, 350,000 trees have been illegally felled within protected areas and at least 150,000 tons of logs subject to export. Illegal logging of precious woods dates back to the 1990s but has increased sharply since the political crisis of 2009. In 2011, Madagascar listed these Malagasy precious wood species on CITES Appendix III.

What solutions? The USAID-funded « Countering Corruption and Wildlife Trafficking » project aims to reduce wildlife trafficking by combating corruption and improving natural resource governance, with a focus on turtles and precious woods. The project is implemented by a consortium of organizations: TRAFFIC, Transparency International - Madagascar Initiative (TI-MG) and Alliance Voahary Gasy (AVG), under the lead of WWF. The consortium is working closely with government, civil society and anti-corruption organizations to strengthen governance in order to preserve Madagascar's natural heritage and resources for future generations.

Since 2021, three training modules have been integrated into the École Nationale de la Magistrature et des Greffes (ENMG) on the fight against wildlife trafficking, corruption and illicit financial flows.

Also, the risks of corruption in the illegal exploitation of radiated turtles are known and documented, and stakeholders in the Androy and Atsimo Andrefana regions have been trained and are operational on techniques for investigating and denouncing cases of wildlife trafficking and associated corruption.

On this March 3, 2023 World Wildlife Day, we are aware that there is still so much to do ...

Let's take a moment to remember the value of wildlife and the impact of its disappearance on our daily lives, which are often considered a priority but which depend on what we destroy. Let's strengthen our commitment against corruption and trafficking and for the conservation of radiated turtles, precious woods and all the other wild species that represent our greatest wealth and source of life.