Yangon, military takeover fuels trafficking of peoples and protected species

Illegal trade has increased by 74% in a year, with over 11,000 cases involving live animals. Of the 173 species traded, at least 54 are threatened with extinction.  639 social accounts used for trading identified. The danger of new viruses and diseases linked to trafficking. The trade that also affects people fleeing the violence of the civil war.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - In the shadow of the coup in Myanmar and the violence between the Burmese army and civilians, illegal activities affecting people and animals are taking place, fueling trafficking, human rights violations and smuggling.

A report published yesterday by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) denounces the "growing" phenomenon related to the illegal purchase of wildlife online, which constitutes a "threat" to public health and endangered species. The trade is fueled by a lack of enforcement of laws since February 2021 amid street riots and clashes with the military. 

The volume of illegal trade has increased by 74% in one year, reaching 11,046 cases all involving the sale of live animals. For the 173 species traded, at least 54 are threatened with extinction on a global scale. Researchers identified 639 Facebook accounts belonging to wildlife traders. The largest online trading group had 19,000 people in it and dozens of posts each week. 

Among the species sold are mainly mammals and, in particular, elephants, bears, gibbons, Tibetan antelopes and an Asian giant tortoise. The illegal trade also includes civets and pangolins, which are among the potential spreaders of major diseases such as SARS and Covid-19. Moreover, unregulated wildlife trade and interactions between wildlife and humans increase the risk of vaccine-resistant mutations and variants, experts say.

Covid-19 is one of the many diseases that can be traced back to animals. Just as in Africa the sale of bushmeat was allegedly behind the spread of Ebola, bird flu originated from poultry in a Hong Kong market in 1997, and measles evolved from a virus that had previously infected cattle. "Illegal wildlife trade," points out Mary Elizabeth G. Miranda, an expert in animal husbandry, "is a serious concern from a biodiversity conservation perspective and with a potential impact on health security.

WWF's study in Myanmar focused on the online trade in animals and other creatures within the country, although it involves neighboring nations such as Thailand (parrots) and India (crocodiles).  China is one of the main markets for the illegal trade, however experts urge continued study of Myanmar as it appears to be taking on an increasingly significant role in the international market for endangered species.

Illegal trade in protected or endangered species is just one of the emergencies triggered or fueled by the military's coup just over a year ago. In recent months, the civil war has spread throughout the country also involving militias linked to ethnic minorities and no city appears to be spared by the fighting, triggering a real exodus to nations in the area in search of shelter.

According to UNHCR data, there are over 400,000 internally displaced persons, but some tens of thousands have managed to escape to India or Thailand, and AsiaNews has reported on some of their dramatic stories of suffering and deprivation.