1. Trade in Endangered Species
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2. 0. Introduction In China, panda poachers and smugglers have
received death penalties or long prison terms
for their crimes (World Wildlife Fund);
nevertheless these threats to endangered
species have not been eradicated yet. I would
Like to examine the problem of endangered
species showing some examples.
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3. 1. Biodiversity
According to Mototani(1992), groups that have taken conservation actions, like UNEP(1), IUCN(2) or WWF(3), often use the term “biodiversity” in their statements. In Japanese, “diversity” is translated “ta-yo-u-sei”, but it tends to mean “multiplicity” rather than “diversity”. Mototani emphasizes that grasping the meaning of the word “diversity” correctly is the key to know what we, human beings, should do with “biodiversity”.
Diversity is derived form the word “diverge”, and it means to separate and go in different directions (Hornby :1995). The mammal evolved from the reptile. To protect biodiversity is to protect evolution.
We need to know that exterminating species is also killing the possibility of evolution.
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4. 2. Examples 2.1. Panda In recent years, several panda pelts being
sold for large sums have been confiscated
(World Wildlife Fund). Although poaching
pandas is risky business, as I have mentioned
before, these smugglers have kept doing this
illegal act, because the pelts sell at a high
price in illegal markets in the Far East.
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5. 2.2. Elephant There are two species - the African and the
Asian elephant. Both the male and female
African elephant carry tusks, while it is only
the male Asian elephant carries tusks (ACAP).
Japan is the biggest ivory-importing country
and, seeking permission to import more, desp
-ite on an international ban. Ivory is used for
jewelry, carvings and Hankos (name stamps).
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6. 2.3. Crocodile Since 1973, every species of crocodile has
been protected under CITES(4), however,
seven species are critically endangered and
nearly all are imperiled in some part of their
range. Some of them are killed illegally to
make wallets, shoes, handbags, belts, and also
killed for their meat (bagheera.com).
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7. 3. The open question
(bagheera.com)
Alligator and crocodile farms have been created as
a result of high prices for skins and meat and fairly
successful in many places in the world. Because of
voluntary policing and selective purchasing by the
leather-tanning industry, legal skins now are worth
two or four times as money as illegal skins.
Is farming of crocodilians the solution to saving wild
population?
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8. 4. Conclusion As I have mentioned in section 1, protecting
biodiversity is also protecting evolution. Acco
-rding to JWCS, however, it is said that three
species have been becoming extinct per one
hour and the 99 percent of their causes have
been made by human beings. We tend to
regard animals and plants as only natural
resources that we can exploit as our likes. To
protect biodiversity, we need to reconsider
this problem and begin what we can do.
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9. Abbreviations References ・UNEP : United Nations Environment Programme
・IUCN : International Union for Conservation of Nature
・WWF : World Wildlife Fund
・CITES : Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora
References
・Mototani Isao (1992) : Chikyuu-kankyou-mondai-dokuhon, Touyou-syoten,
Tokyo.
・Hornby A S (1995) : Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford,
New York. ・ ・ ・ ・
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