Q.19. ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ is a campaign against what activity? Suggest innovative steps to make the campaign a success.
16,Oct 2024
Posted By : SPM IAS Academy
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The campaign ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’, launched by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) of India and UN Environment, aims to raise awareness about the illegal wildlife trade, particularly targeting airports across India. It highlights how animals such as Tigers, Pangolins, Star Tortoises, and Birds of Prey are trafficked, often suffering severe abuse and distress when forcibly removed from their natural habitats. The campaign seeks to alert both the public and authorities to the illegal movement of wildlife through airports and other transportation hubs.
Key Species Targeted by Illegal Wildlife Trade:
Tiger: Often trafficked for their skin, bones, and organs, which are used in traditional medicines and as luxury items.
Pangolin: One of the most trafficked mammals globally, sought after for their scales and meat, particularly in East Asian markets.
Star Tortoise: Popular in the illegal pet trade due to their unique patterns, leading to significant population declines.
Birds of Prey: Illegally captured for use in falconry or sold as exotic pets, impacting wild bird populations.
Innovative Steps to Make the Campaign Successful:
A. Airport Surveillance and Training:
Enhanced airport security: Installing advanced scanners to detect wildlife in baggage or cargo, and deploying sniffer dogs trained to locate specific species like Pangolins and Star Tortoises.
Staff training: Training airport personnel, customs officials, and airline staff to recognize signs of illegal wildlife transport. This can include workshops on identifying endangered species and suspicious travel patterns.
B. Strengthening Provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972:
Augment penalties: Revising the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, to impose stricter penalties for wildlife trafficking, including increased fines and longer imprisonment terms for repeat offenders.
Faster legal proceedings: Streamlining judicial processes to ensure swift prosecution of wildlife traffickers under WPA, thereby acting as a strong deterrent.
Community-based monitoring: Engaging local communities and enlisting them as “wildlife guardians” under the Act to report illegal activities, thereby augmenting the monitoring capabilities of the state.
C. Public Awareness Campaigns in Airports:
Interactive displays: Install digital displays and art installations in airport terminals, showing the plight of animals like Tigers and Pangolins trafficked illegally. These could include virtual reality experiences of animals in their natural habitats to foster empathy.
Collaborations with airlines: Partnering with airlines to run in-flight announcements or short films on illegal wildlife trade, and educating travelers on how they can help, especially regarding reporting suspicious activity.
D. Citizen Reporting and Technology Integration:
Mobile apps for reporting: Developing easy-to-use mobile applications that allow passengers to anonymously report suspected wildlife trafficking incidents. The app could use geotagging to alert relevant authorities in real-time.
Big data and AI: Using big data analytics and AI-based monitoring systems to track trafficking networks and identify patterns in wildlife crime at airports and transportation hubs.
E. Corporate Responsibility and Stakeholder Involvement:
Partnership with logistics companies: Engaging courier and cargo companies like DHL or FedEx in the campaign to screen shipments for illegal wildlife products. Corporations could be incentivized through tax rebates for their cooperation in anti-trafficking efforts.
CSR initiatives: Encouraging businesses, particularly those in the aviation and logistics sectors, to incorporate anti-trafficking efforts into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. This could include funding for wildlife rescue operations or supporting conservation organizations.
F. Leveraging Environmental Activists
Prominent activists such as Poornima Devi Barman known for mobilizing local communities, especially women, through her Hargila Army, Barman can be a valuable ally in promoting this campaign.
The ‘Not all animals migrate by choice’ campaign plays a crucial role in combating illegal wildlife trafficking, especially at airports. By incorporating advanced technology, enhancing provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act, and fostering public awareness through innovative approaches, the campaign can more effectively curb the illegal trade of endangered species like Tigers, Pangolins, Star Tortoises, and Birds of Prey. Empowering communities, leveraging technology, and fostering collaboration between government and private sectors are essential steps toward a more robust and successful campaign.