Opinion: Smuggling of Sri Lanka’s wildlife by foreign nationals

Sri Lanka has some of the strongest species protection laws that prohibit the exploitation of all endemic species. However, it has been found that some rare endemic species are currently available for sale at a very high price, mainly in Europe, where the species are not listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Figure 1. Cophotis ceylanica, an endemic species sold at ~€2200/pair (Auliya et al., 2016; Biol. Conserv.).

Figure 2. Lyriocephalus scuttatus, an endemic species sold at up to €1600/pair (Auliya et al., 2016; Biol. Conserv.).

Figure 3. Ceratophora stoddartii, an endemic species sold at ~€1000/pair (Auliya et al., 2016; Biol. Conserv.).

Once a species is transported to another country by foreign nationals, they are no longer subject to Sri Lanka’s protection laws. Strengthening customs is expensive for a developing country like Sri Lanka as it requires vigilance in multiple areas and fields such as the port, airport and postal services. Hence, there is great potential for leakage. Alternatively, species of a high demand, such as rare and charismatic species, are found in limited locations. Therefore, improving on site policing and management and public awareness may be a more realistic approach as it requires limited funding but it improves overall protection and management of the area. Weak legislation like in Europe should also be replaced by proper legislation to prevent this illegal wildlife exploitation by foreign nationals.

More details about this opinion article can be found here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abo4994

Also, my previous opinion article on the sudden agrochemical ban in Sri Lanka and its effects on food security and farmers’ livelihoods can be found here: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm9186