WILDLIFE MAFIA PLUNDERING ASIAN JUNGLES

NEW DELHI, July 24 (Bernama) -- Tiger, tiger, burning bright...

Crafty international syndicates which once thrived on illicit drugs and arms

smuggling, are now training their cross-hair on the jungles of Asia.

The ''Wildlife Mafia'', as they are referred to by the authorities, want to

monopolise wildlife trafficking as it appears to be a safe, money-spinning

enterprise which wildlife experts have summed up as a US$20 billion (RM60

billion) industry.

"It is a convergence of crimes, arms smugglers to human traffickers and now,

moving into wildlife smuggling. A soft option to get good returns," Samir Sinha,

head of Traffic India, a wildlife monitoring agency, told Bernama in a recent

interview.

Animal activists fear the rampant cross-continent wildlife crime, if left

unchecked, could adversely empty rich Asian forests blessed with precious

species –- some facing extinct.

Tigers and Indian star tortoise, Indonesian endangered Javan Lutungs (loris),

Bangladesh turtles and small crocodiles, Malaysian freshwater turtles and the

Philippine geckos are very much in demand in the international black markets.

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VP VP GR