14 August 2007

One tiger skin and two leopard skins were seized in Nepal on 10 August 2007, as a result of an undercover operation conducted by Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN), the District Forest Office and the Nepal Police. The ten foot long tiger skin, which was soft and supple, was wrapped in sheets of the Times of India newspaper.

Despite a stringent wildlife law in Nepal that prescribes 15 years imprisonment or a fine of NRs.100,000 (US$1,550) or both for individuals found trading, killing or maiming any protected animal that is in Schedule I (Nepal has 26 mammals including the tiger in Schedule I), the immense profit margins of the illegal wildlife trade do not deter traders or poachers.

Prasanna Yonzon, Chief Executive Officer of WCN, says The wildlife crime nexus is large; penetrating one group of traders does not affect the illicit tiger trade. Sharing intelligence and information with Indian partners can thwart the tiger and rhino horn trade. An effective intelligence network and transparency in information on wildlife trade issues by the governments of India and Nepal can certainly limit wildlife trade across transnational borders.

WCN, which closely monitors the illegal wildlife trade in Nepal, acknowledges that illegal wildlife trade is burgeoning because of the ever growing market in China. Capacity building and intelligence training for enforcement agencies and NGOs are now necessary to stop the illegal wildlife trade.  

For further information please contact:

Prasanna Yonzon
Chief Executive Officer
Wildlife Conservation Nepal
GPO Box 20569, Kathmandu
Phone:+977 1 4289818 cell: 977 9851059244
email: wcn@ntc.net.np


Please Note: The tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is mainly found in three places in Nepal's protected areas: Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. It is estimated that there are 340-350 tigers in Nepal of which 123 are breeding tigers.