Who is responsible for enforcement?
Fauna and Flora: The Department of Wildlife is the one responsible for the control of wildlife trafficking. This formerly belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, but in 92, when creating the Department of Environment and Sustainable Development, is transferred. At that time, formed the control group and so far we are working very actively. In recent years, in relation to the decade of 70/80 to mid-90s, have dropped significantly the levels of smuggling in the domestic market, but the problem still exists. Traffic is focus for times and that is linked to fashion. For example, in recent years, budgetary issues and international traffic of hides and skins has dropped so much because low demand.
E: How are international monitors the illegal trade?
FYF: International trade is regulated by an organism called CITES, Convention on International Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora, an organization that depends on the United Nations, created in 1971 and to which are attached more than 150 countries. The CITES convention contains three appendices which two are more important. One can find species that have a total ban on marketing, which are those that are endangered, and the other those that can be traded but with regulations.
This body meets every two years in a city where attended by delegates from the countries that form, there are discussed variety of topics, such as the inclusion of some species within these appendices, the change of a sort of an addendum to other types of prohibitions, all you have to do with international trade.
E: How do you manage to detect traffic coming from another country?
FYF: When a country are found in animals from another country, beyond which is covered by the applicable law, notice is usually given to the country of which comes from the animal, this happens when you can determine the country you come from and performed for the other countries take the necessary measures. If you have data of the dealer who made the transaction is also reported. This type of work is done and there is a mechanism to make these detections.
Controls against smuggling are two: a federal force of support administrative force, one is the customs control of the two countries, which in turn has its own police, and the other is the control of the gendarmerie. These two forces are basically the two most important in what is the entry or exit of animals in a country.
The issue of border traffic in our country is quite complicated, because Argentina has borders is very large and very dry border, or walking pass. We have agreements with various agencies over the country such as the national gendarmerie and police aircraft. Joint procedures are performed, it instructs the staff on what is the procedures and the identification of animals, hides and skins. All this is done to give us a hand to us in the enforcement of the law anyway is not a very good control as desirable. When there is any failure or problem occurs the traffic, but that does not mean that there is total neglect of contraband because the methodologies are many and often escapes the checks. This is putting pressure on points that are usually used but sometimes it fails because when acting on some routes in traffic, change.
There are also boundaries in which trafficked more than others, such as the border with Bolivia, Paraguay and some parts of border with Brazil.
E: How is legislation in the country in traffic?
FYF: The most important regulations of our country is Resolution No. 62/86 which states that prohibited the marketing of all live animals native wildlife, except those declared pest or harmful to the province of origin. Another important is Resolution No. 144/83, which adds to what is allowed as raised in hatcheries registered. Then there is a lot of resolutions of the nation and in turn from each province who speak specifically of some sort. The prohibitions in general tend to be fairly evenly between the province and the nation.
For example there are prohibitions on certain species and two species of native Yacaré and two boas native species, there are also regulations for the alligators where it says how to market.
E: How do you deal with domestic illegal trade?
FYF: The traffic of live animals for pets in the provinces is very important because the lack of work that needs and social problems, many villagers draw the habitat of wild animals as a possible livelihood.
Against this is also difficult to fight because they can give those people an alternative outlet.
There are some places that are more contentious as the Gran Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba. The cluster is much illegal sale there, so it is very common to see at this time on the routes under bridges or people selling birds and parrots.
E: What happens if you catch people doing this kind of illegal sale?
FYF: First was the seizure of the animals and an order drawn. It can be considered an offense or a crime depends on the framework that takes in what is the law of fauna, and also depends on the nature of the violation you are watching at that time, animal and other conditions that committing dealer. Then in relation to which this applies is the administrative or criminal proceedings where a court intervenes.
We had several lawsuits that have won but the penalties are very low, they are generally penalties under three years are therefore with elimination of any prison sentences, suspended prison is in compliance and free. There is no penalty harsh, that at some point would have to modify it but in general criminal law is quite lie still for anything.
E: What do you do with animals kidnapped from the traffic?
FYF: Normally when an animal is illegal trade products, animals almost one hundred percent are almost destroyed because the people who are stuck in this trade does not invest anything in their maintenance. As they move in quantity unless they stay, they will always make a profit, then the animals are crowded because they have little space, travel in terrible conditions because they need to be hidden, food is the minimum necessary and usually of poor quality because it is cheaper, do not invest in any kind of vitamins or medications for the cost of these.
When does the kidnapping is the first derivation, which is usually close to a zoo where they will receive the first veterinary care, they are separated the animals, they are beginning to feed properly and treated to de-stress, this process is the more important because more than he could get diseases are at a stress level of abuse and this product is usually where there is a high mortality. Animals that survive these deaths have a strong chance of survival.
After this we turn to a second stage. The theme of the release or the reintroduction of the animals in their natural state is not so simple, you have to consider many things. First, the health issue is critical, it must be certain that these animals are perfectly healthy because you can not run the risk of moving to a natural population a rare disease. In turn, the detection of these diseases is not easy and there are many viruses that animals may be carrying and which are not at all easy to detect or screening procedures are very expensive. You have to know how long the animals were in that state of overcrowding.
Secondly, we must be certain which is the origin of this animal for genetic basically a topic, it is not feasible or acceptable to release animals anywhere.
Sometimes the theme of liberation produces more harm than good for the species for reintroduction also involves a lot of previous work.
If the species is not problematic at the population level status is normally discarded the theme of liberation, because they prioritize other potential problems that might cause. The release or re-used or works when wild species are important population issues. Animals that can be reintroduced normally become part of the zoo campus.
E: What if these animals are in another country?
FYF: Depending on the species. If the species is important, for example one that is in danger of extinction in their country of origin, made international contacts, sent and there in their country of origin, it referred to a rehabilitation center. When the specimen belongs to a population that has no environmental problems are prioritized and costs are not commands, it may be that the country does not accept it, in these cases become part of the staff of a zoo. Moreover, the law provides for three things: The release of these animals, which are part of a zoo or, in extreme cases, euthanasia. The latter is done in the case of animals that have very serious diseases which not only run but also watering the animal people.
E: Is there legislation to control illegal particular tenure?
FYF: particular tenure is not legislated. For example, the turtle is quite a problem because every 10 houses in 8 should be one, at the time of summer when they are not lethargic start to “disturb” and want to give away, there are times that the drop. In particular the release in this case is not accepted, so we have a system of legal tenure. This means that we have a list of people who want to donate your turtle and people who are interested in “adopting” a pet, so when we bring a turtle, we accept and relocated. That person will give the animal as if it were a legal guardian and somehow make people want to have that kind of animal, use those already in the home circuit and will not buy the illegal market. Obviously we will back up and give you a booklet explaining food, veterinary care and expertise.
E: How are the subject of complaints?
FYF: Today people are much more informed than 10 years ago. It is very common to receive complaints, people already know what is illegal and if you do not know what it presupposes. He also knows where to call or seek care for your here, call us from around the country. Complaints can be anonymous and we check them all because they do not always valid.
E: How did the “breeders”?
FYF: There is an international trend towards non-use of products that come directly from the wildlife there. Thus arose the farms where they produce what is called “ecological fur and leather, this term refers to hides and skins of animals bred in captivity. In Argentina, there are those who are called “pseudo farms, which are used as a smokescreen to cover up illegal activities. What they do is to mount a hatchery and under that screen from the resource by incorporating environmental and finished product there. The only solution to this problem is the constant monitoring, this means more work and much use of budget.
E: Is there a regulation for these breeders?
FYF: Argentina, being a federal country has a national wildlife management under federal jurisdiction and also one in each province regulates the resources within the province. In the case of the farms there is a joint regulation. There is a breeding record here in the national leadership but, for lack of demand, not many registered.
E: What animal species generally breed?
FYF: Some breeders refer to animals fauna typical of Argentine national territory and other animals of exotic wildlife. There are breeding live animals for the pet birds that basically provide kids and parrots. Here are just two and only one is working on a commercial with some problems of budget and audit.
Hatcheries for hair Fiber guanaco and vicuña are giving very good results because the fiber is very fine and good to make some clothing. It is much appreciated especially internationally and this has a very good marketing value, are taken very good products on the other hand do not kill animals but the shearing.
This is one of the things that the world is becoming for many years. It uses what is called “sustainable use of resources, added value is generated, regulated, and is legislated under the management plan is carried out this type of resource utilization. The marketing of what is the wild, only allows its use in the hatchery and regulates their activity, both the breeding and the marketing.
Nor is killed because it competes with other economic resources of the area and preserving the species.
This is good because by giving added value to the product helps preserve the species in the wild.