of protected 32,000 brown fur seal skins,4 and

Transcription

1 Case study: Reptile skins WILDLIFE AND THE INDUSTRY Main flows of reptile skin seizures, Mexico Italy Spain China 2 o p States of Aerica Sciences Po - Atelier de cartoraphie, Map 1 Seneal Viet Na Sinapore Thailand Colobia 7,9 Arentina US$1s US$1s US$1s, 8,, Nuber 8,, 8,, of seized reptile skins 7,, Source of shipent 1, 7,, 7,, Values below Transit country 6,, 2 are not shown. or destination of shipent 6,, 6,,,, Source: World WISE,, Note: The boundaries shown on this ap do not iply official endorseent or acceptance by the Nations. Dashed lines represent undeterined,, boundaries. The dotted line represents 4,, approxiately the Line of Control in Jau and Kashir areed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jau and Kashir has not yet been areed upon by the parties. A dispute exists 4,, between the Governents of Arentina and the Kindo of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concernin sovereinty over the Falkland Islands 4,, (Malvinas). The final boundary between 3,, the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been deterined. 3,, 3,, 2,, 2,, 2,, 1,, Few anial products have attracted Value of lobal exports of raw fur skins and pieces suitable for 1,, 1,, ore controversy than the use of furriers use by country of export (US$1s), skins and furs in the fashion indus ,, Denark try. Anial rihts advocacy roups Denark Denark China Kon, China Hon 7,, have capained to reduce deand Hon Kon, China Hon Kon, China Finland 6,, in key arkets, and soe countries Finland Finland Canada,, have banned fur farin outriht.1 Canada Canada States of Aeric States of Aeric States of Aerica But wild sourcin of pelts and skins 4,, Poland Poland Poland Netherlands reains a source of livelihoods for 3,, Netherlands Netherlands rural people in parts of the world 2,, where the source species are abun1,, dant, includin areas where huntin is enshrined as a riht of indienous US$1s Fi. 1 people. Deand appears to be rowin in any key sectors. For exaple, accordin to COMTRADE data, lobal exports of raw fur skins topped US$7 billion in 213 (Fi. 1). CITES continues to record lare exports Source: International Trade Centre Trade database, akin use of COMTRADE data Denark Hon Kon, China of wild-sourced skins of protected 32, brown fur seal skins,4 and Finland species. In 213, thecanada CITES Trade alost 27, peccary skins, as well States ofasaerica Database docuented wild-sourced any finished arents ade of exports of close to Poland 7, bobcat these species.6 skins,2, rivernetherlands otter skins,3 49

2 Annual value of ink pelts produced in the States (US$ illions), selected years Fi Source: US Departent of Ariculture7 WORLD WILDLIFE CRIME REPORT 216 While the international fur trade has been active for centuries, the use of reptile skins for clothin, shoes, and accessories appears to be a relatively recent innovation.8 Crocodile farin dates back to the early 19th Century,9 and the trade in snakes and lizards sees to have taken off only a century later. By the id-193s, however, illions of reptile skins were bein harvested annually in India,, and throuhout the tropics for use in anufacturin shoes, handbas, and other leather products.1 The use of crocodile skins in the West appears to have peaked in the late 19s to early 196s, but deand persists today, and farin is widespread, with at least fourteen countries havin reistered captive breedin operations for Appendix I crocodile, alliator and caian species.11 The ore recent trade in snake and lizard skins reains relatively fraented, as described below. The scale of the reptile skin industry is iense and rowin. In 213, over 3, etric tons of reptile skins, worth alost US$6 illion, were leally iported internationally,12 ore than twice the inflation adjusted total a decade before. Dependin on the species ix, 3 etric tons of skins could represent between two illion and illion individual 2 reptiles.13 US$ illions The volatility of the fashion trade can ake farin skins and furs of exotic anials a risky econoic proposition. Wild sourcin, in contrast, requires less investent. In 213, one-half of the CITES perits issued for skins, feathers, and hair cae fro wild sources. When the taret species are solitary anials, wild sourcin is often carried out inforally and opportunistically by rural counities. When the collectors are not directly eployed by the exporters, this increases the vulnerability of supply chains to illeal sourcin. The reptile skin trade provides a case in point. appears to be launderin of wild cauht speciens throuh the leal trade. Althouh any of the reptiles in leal trade are adittedly wild sourced, quotas are enerally set for this harvest, which could provide an incentive for isdeclaration. Reptile skins Reptilia is a taxonoic class with over 1, species,16 but less than 1% are CITES listed. There are 8 reptile species and five subspecies in Appendix I, 673 in Appendix II, and 4 in Appendix III. Reptiles and related products coprise a lare share of the seizures in World WISE, but this total is ade up of any products, ranin fro live creatures to edicinal preparations. Skins and skin products also feature proinently, althouh ost of the value derives fro hihend products, such as handbas and shoes. Any of these products could have coe fro illeally sourced reptiles, but soe are so far fro the illeal source that links to criinality are difficult to discern. This analysis focuses on the relatively low value raw and tanned skin trade, where the connections are clearer. 2 o p While the skins of soe anials, such as the tier (Box Asian bi cat skins ), are priarily used decoratively, the ain arket for ost anial skins today is the fashion industry. Fashion is, by its very nature, subject to trends and chane: aterials fashionable this season ay not be fashionable in the next. As a result, deand for wildlife products feedin this industry can be volatile. For exaple, the ink farin industry is a well-established one, and it is no loner necessary to draw inks fro the wild. The value of total production can vary by ore than 4% year-on-year, however, and the industry has experienced any boos and busts over the course of the past four decades (Fi. 2). While the value of the trade in alliator and crocodile skins is lare enouh to sustain farin in wealthier countries, the trade in saller reptile skins is less lucrative, akin wild sourcin ore attractive. Recent research on pythons suests an export value of US$1 per raw skin.14 Still, it takes tie, care, and feed to raise a carnivorous reptile to harvestable lenth. For exaple, a Burese python reportedly requires four years to reach harvestable size.1 Due to the scale of the industry, relatively low value per specien, and liited reulatory capacity in soe countries, the priary criinal threat Accordin to the CITES Trade Database, perits were ranted for the export of over 24 illion individual reptile skins between 2 and 213. The ain CITES-listed species traded for their skins can be divided into three roups: crocodilians, snakes, and lizards: Crocodilians: The Mississippi alliator Three species of caians Four species of crocodiles Snakes Three species of pythons The Indian rat snake The Javan spittin cobra Lizards Two species of onitors Two species of teus Over half of the leal CITES listed reptile skins exports durin 2 to 213 cae fro wild sources. This share has decreased, however, fro

3 CASE STUDY: Reptile skins Asian bi cat skins TIGER SNOW LEOPARD Turkey Spain States of Aerica LEOPARD China Arab Eirates CLOUDED LEOPARD Viet Na India Guinea Sciences Po - Atelier de cartoraphie, Seizures of bi cat skins, by species, areated Caeroon Thailand Gabon 2 o p TIGER LEOPARD Nuber of seized bi cat skins Kenya South Africa Leopard Tier Clouded Leopard Snow Leopard Seizures Extent of the species rane Sources: World WISE and IUCN Red list Note: The boundaries shown on this ap do not iply official endorseent or acceptance by the Nations. Dashed lines represent undeterined boundaries. The dotted line represents approxiately the Line of Control in Jau and Kashir areed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jau and Kashir has not yet been areed upon by the parties. A dispute exists between the Governents of Arentina and the Kindo of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concernin sovereinty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). The final boundary between the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been deterined. All Asian bi cats includin tiers, snow leopards, clouded leopards, leopards, and Asiatic lions are listed on Appendix I. There are believed to be as few as 3,2 wild tiers reainin across their Asian rane, ore than a 9% decline fro just over 1 years ao.17 Alost 7% of these are found in India. The other Asian bi cats toether nuber approxiately 1,.18 Up until 26, Asian bi cat skins were widely used to decorate traditional Tibetan costues, known as chupa. For a period this was a ajor drivin force behind the poachin of tier, leopard, and otter skins in India and Nepal. 63% between 2 and 29 to 49% between 21 and 213. Still, this aounts to over 14 illion wildsourced protected reptiles traded in about a decade. Many of these species appear to be traded in relatively well-anaed arkets, where there is a lon history of sustainable breedin or where wild Followin an appeal fro reliious leaders, the use of Asian bi cat skins for that particular use has declined sinificantly. This exaple illustrates the power of culturally-tailored deand reduction. Today, Asian bi cat skins are used for ornaental purposes. Skins are sold as rus for luxury hoe décor and are also purchased as prestiious ifts. Stuffed and ounted tiers are also favoured as luxury ites and status sybols.. Alost every part of a tier has a arket. World WISE contains seizures of tier claws, fat, enitals, hair, heads, oil, teeth, whiskers, edical preparations and derivatives, and other products. Bones populations are abundant. Others, however, have been the object of enquiries in the past and feature proinently in the World WISE seizure database. These species include: The reticulated python (Python reticulatus) The brown caian (Caian crocodilus fuscus) are used to ake traditional edicines as well as wine, which is arketed as both a tonic and as a virility product, dependin on location.19 The international illeal trade in Asian bi cat skins reflects any of the characteristics indicative of oranized criinal activity. 2 Since 1999, the CITES Secretariat has hihlihted the role of oranized criinal activity in the trade.21 Authorities in India for exaple, are taretin oranized networks of Asian bi cat poachers, processors, citybased dealers connected to international buyers involved in traffickin fro India to China, often via Nepal or Myanar The Indian rat snake (Ptyas ucosus) The coon water onitor (Varanus salvator) The blood python (Python bronersai) Species of python, caian, rat snake, and onitor lizard ake up over 9% 1

4 Main flows of reptile skins trade based on CITES export perits, Map 2 States of Aerica Gerany Italy Spain China Republic of Korea Japan Mexico Viet Na Thailand Sinapore Mali 2 o p Colobia Bolivia (Plurinational State of ) Zibabwe 4 Arentina Nuber of reptile skins traded (thousands) Source Nuber of reptile skins 2 traded per year (illions) wild/unknown sourced fared/captive sourced Values below are not shown. total captive The su of the arrows represent of the international trade Sciences Po - Atelier de cartoraphie, 3 Source: CITES Trade Database Note: The boundaries shown on this ap do not iply official endorseent or acceptance by the Nations. Dashed lines represent undeterined boundaries. The dotted line represents approxiately the Line of Control in Jau and Kashir areed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jau and Kashir has not yet been areed upon by the parties. A dispute exists between the Governents of Arentina and the Kindo of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concernin sovereinty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). The final boundary between the Republic of the Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been deterined. Of the top six source countries for leal reptile skins, five are also the top source countries fro which illeally Fared Source: CITES Trade Database 22 Wild or unknown source Reptile skin suppliers exist on five continents: Africa, Asia, Australia, North Aerica, and South Aerica. Just two countries Colobia and issued half the CITES export perits ranted in the last decade or so, however. CITES-listed reptile skins leally exported by source (illions of reptile skins), WORLD WILDLIFE CRIME REPORT 216 Source of reptile skins Fi. 3 Millions of reptile skins of the reptile skin seizures recorded in World WISE. In ters of leal CITES trade, water onitors, reticulated pythons, blood pythons, and Indian rat snakes are priarily sourced fro the wild in Southeast Asia, while brown caians are priarily sourced fro fars in South Aerica.

5 Share of total reptile skins seizures by type of reptile, areated Crocodiles Alliator 1% 1% Teu lizards Monitor lizards Others 3% 4% 7% Rat snake 1% Python Caian 19% Source: World WISE23 traded reptile skins recorded in World WISE oriinate:, Arentina, Colobia, the States, and. The volues detected in illeal trade over the past decade are uch saller, however: on averae, for every 1, skins leally traded, one illeally traded skin is recorded in World WISE. Given the unknown rate of detection, the recorded seizures ay not be reflective of the underlyin illeal arket. There could be several reasons why relatively few reptile skin seizures are reported. Reptile skins are relatively Fi. Colobia reported exportin ore CITES-listed reptile skins than any other country. The trade involves caians, particularly brown caians (Caian crocodilus fuscus). Very few brown caian skin exports are reported as wild-sourced, althouh Colobia lies within its natural rane. The caian farin industry in Colobia was initiated in 1987 and has been described as extensive and sophisticated. 26 Aside fro production quotas, the country has iposed skin size liits on exports to exclude wild-cauht adults bein exported as captive-bred.27 2 o p % reion. The seizure record is doinated by two reions (South Aerica and Southeast Asia) and types of reptile (pythons and caians). CASE STUDY: Reptile skins Fi. 4 low value,2 decreasin their attraction for traffickers, and it ay take several live speciens to ake up a kilora of skin. There ay also be an under-reportin of seizures. World WISE seizure data are weak for soe key source reions, particularly Latin Aerica, so seizures ade in the reion ay not be included in the database. And if illeally sourced skins are bein introduced to the supply chain before export, they would be recorded as leal trade. Zibabwe 3% Others Arentina 8% 8% Viet Na 8% States of Aerica 13% Source: CITES Trade Database 24 Reptile skin seizures by country identified as source (nuber of skins), areated Fi. 6 The relationship between the leal and illeal trades varies by species and Share of CITES-listed reptile skin exports by country of export, areated % Nonetheless, crocodile trade experts have expressed concerns that fars were exaeratin their production capacity in order to secure lare export quotas, and then fillin these quotas with wild-cauht caians. Larer skins were alleedly tried to export lenth.28 In 216, the IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group estiated 3% of the caian exports fro Colobia since 199 were of wild Seneal 78 Mexico Viet Na Colobia 26% States Other 1,16 6,171 Colobia 2,67 24% Arentina,11 7,311 Source: World WISE 3

6 oriin, harvested contrary to Colobian law, suestin soe four illion illeal skins have entered trade since that tie.29 extra skins bein applied to the next year s quota. As with any wildlife products, stockpilin of skins in source and transit countries ay be probleatic, as it akes accountin ore difficult and offers opportunities for launderin illeally sourced skins. Field research in 21 indicates collectors are paid about US$4 for a live reticulated python, dependin on the size of the snake. This is the hihest value paid for a sinle reptile, oney that represents a windfall for opportunistic collectors, but licensed collectors ust collect lare volues if they pursue snakes as a full tie profession. The low price per wild skin also akes it difficult to see how python farin could be econoically viable. Althouh quotas are announced for harvest, those licensed to ather are not assined an individual quota, and any of the collectors are not licensed at all. It is those who turn the reptiles into saleable skin products that hold the perits for harvest. After a national quota on wild harvest is established, tanneries are allocated a share. Tanneries and exporters arrane to have harvest perits issued to slauhterhouses (who are reistered with the local wildlife departent offices). These larer copanies accrue ost of the proceeds of the skin trade (Fi. 7). The decentralized and inforal nature of the collection process creates considerable leal abiuity in the arket. Collectors and even slauhterhouses ay sell to processors and exporters who ay feed leal or illeal arkets. 2 o p In contrast to the caian farin industry, accordin to the CITES Trade Database, ost of the leal python skin exports fro Southeast Asia were reportedly wild-sourced, and their collection represents a sinificant livelihood for rural people. To better understand this arket, field research was carried out in and, the two larest wildsourced reptile exporters, in 21. This research found that althouh there is a coprehensive syste for onitorin reptile skin exports, there are serious challenes to ipleentin the quota syste for harvestin. It appears that this syste ay still be fed by illeally athered reptiles, and a parallel syste of illeal exports also exists. The followin discussion is based on this field research.3 and whole counities ay enae in reptile atherin as a secondary source of incoe durin ties of peak availability. When deand is hih, collectors ay be coissioned and iven advance payent to collect soe species.33 WORLD WILDLIFE CRIME REPORT 216 has a coplex syste for onitorin and reulatin the harvest and export of reptile skins. A national quota for wild harvest is deterined, and provinces and districts are assined a share. Exporters are allowed access to 9% of this quota, and 1% is reserved for doestic consuption. Before export, these skins ust be processed at a local tannery; in 1986, the n Ministry of Trade banned the export of raw skins, in order to retain the value added for the local econoy.31 While this syste is sound in theory, the extreely decentralized nature of wild sourcin akes enforceent probleatic, particularly at the atherin stae. In 21, it was estiated that there were alost 2, people involved in the reptile skin trade in, ostly collectors.32 The harvestin of ost reptiles, especially snakes, occurs durin the rainy season when they are breedin, rouhly correspondin with winter in the Northern Heisphere. While licenses to ather are required under law, it appears that a ood deal of the harvest is carried out opportunistically by rural people, 4 The way that the inputs of opportunistic collectors are consolidated sees to differ by reion. In ost of, the collectors either sell to local iddleen or, if they live close enouh, directly to reptile slauhterhouses. Middle-en typically double or triple the price paid when they sell it on to larer buyers or the slauhterhouses. Larer buyers ay also travel to collection sites theselves. The slauhterhouses are enerally sall and ediu enterprises, and, in soe areas, ay consist of a sinle specialized skinner. In addition to the skins, slauhterhouses produce eat, which is used for local consuption, fish bait, or crocodile feed. Python eat is also exported: accordin to CITES trade data, and toether exported an averae of 22 etric tons of python eat per year between 29 and 213, althouh this only represents perhaps 2, to 4, snakes.34 Python all bladders are also harvested for traditional edicine, and ay be exported. All these products are additional sources of incoe for rural counities, but are secondary in econoic iportance to the skin trade. To aintain collection networks, slauhterhouses ay continue to buy reptiles even after annual export quotas are reached, with the For the ost part, the lack of accountability in the atherin of pythons, and perhaps other reptiles as well, Fi. 7 Averae distribution of proceeds within fro the export of a reticulated python skin typically sold at US$4 Collector, $3.78 First buyer, $9.18 Lare buyer, $.4 Skinner, $9.72 Tanner/ exporter, $2.92 Source: Field research in 21 (see online ethodoloical annex for details)

7 allows processors and exporters to reain blind to the illeal sourcin of their raw aterials. It is difficult for a tannery to know whether the skins they are processin have been sourced fro a protected area, for exaple. In contrast, all reistered exporters are required to have interated tanneries, as the export of raw skins is currently prohibited. Soe fully interated producers who control the supply chain fro collection to retail do exist. Soe even export overseas, but these are exceptional.3 Sinapore. Sinapore is reconized as havin soe of the finest reptile leather tanneries in the world,36 and is a sinificant re-exporter. Europe, Japan, and North Aerica are also hubs for the trade. Field research also indicates that illeal exporters exist, but, for soe reason, the nuber of skins recorded in World WISE reains low. It is also clear that the volues bein traded (both doestically and internationally) often exceed the harvest quotas set as part of the reulatory syste. Fi. 8 Shares of CITES-listed reptile skin exports by country of 2 o p Most of the value of the reptile skin products industry appears to lie in CASE STUDY: Reptile skins Sinapore was also the destination of 16% of the reptile skins seized between 2 and 214, second only to Spain (Fi. 9). the final production and retailin of fashion ites. Data are not available for the breakdown of proceeds in destination arkets, althouh desiner reptile skin products can retail for tens of thousands of dollars. Data are available for those who produce and export finished python skin products fro, such as handbas, however. Finished product anufacturers clai alost three-quarters of the export value of the product, while collectors receive only about 3%. differs fro in that those atherin the snakes appear to be ore tihtly controlled. The collectors are ore likely to be licensed and sell directly to a liited nuber of slauhterhouses. Licensed collectors receive a reater share of the export value than their inforal n counterparts, as uch as US$6 per skin, of which they ust pay a sall portion as a license fee. Althouh soe collectors report capturin as little as one python in a week, others say they have cauht as any as ten in one day. Gatherin can be profitable, so uch so that soe collectors are professional wildlife hunters. Licensed huntin does have its burdens, however: record keepin requireents for collectors are extensive and failure to coply can result in iprisonent. After s ban on raw skin exports in 1986, bean supplyin specialized tanners overseas, who prefer to conduct the tannin theselves. It is possible that soe of the raw skins exported currently ay be sourced fro other countries. Destination arkets The destination of 38% of the reptile skins for which CITES perits were issued between 2 and 213 was iport, areated States of Aerica % Others 16% Sinapore 38% Gerany % Japan % Italy Mexico 11% 12% 8% Source: CITES Trade Database 37 Fi. 9 Reptile skin seizures by Fi. 1 Averae distribution of pro- country identified as destination (nuber of skins), areated Thailand 3% China Italy 3% 4% 1% Other 17% States 16% Sinapore 16% Source: World WISE ceeds within fro the export of a reticulated python skin finished product typically sold at US$18 Spain 31% Collector, First buyer, $3.24 $9.72 Lare buyer, $.4 Skinner/ tanner, $9.72 Product anufacturer, $79.92 Source: Field research in 21 (see online ethodoloical annex for details)

8 Endnotes Analysis WISE, and alost two-thirds of reulated exports of reticulated python skins are wild-sourced. Since illeally sourced pythons can enter licit trade, it is iportant to copare leal exports to sustainable production, and this is easier to do when the leal arket is relatively siple. Alost three-quarters of leal exports of reticulated python skins between 24 and 213 cae fro and, and ore than half were shipped to Sinapore. Careful onitorin of this trade chain could help secure the species at relatively little cost. 1 Includin Austria, Croatia, and the Kindo. 2 Lynx rufus 3 Lontra canadensis 4 Arctocephalus pusilus Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari 6 Based on export data in the CITES Trade Database: 7 Based on data released on 24 July 214, by the National Aricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Aricultural Statistics Board, States Departent of Ariculture (USDA): co/wp-content/uploads/214/7/nassink714.pdf 8 Grahae Webb, Charlie Manolis and Robert Jenkins, Iprovin International Systes for Trade in Reptile Skins based on Sustainable Use, UNCTAD/DITC/ TED/211/7. Nations Conference on Trade and Developent, IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group, Farin and the Crocodile Industry : 1 Martin Jenkins and Steven Broad, International Trade in Reptile Skins: A Review and Analysis of the Main Consuer Markets, , (Cabride, TRAFFIC, 1994). 11 See the CITES website List of Species : species.htl 12 Based on COMTRADE data. This is the total declared value for HS codes 4132: Reptile skins, raw; 4164: Tanned/crust hides and skins of reptiles; 41133: Leather further prepared after tannin/crustin of reptiles; 41721: Reptile leather, veetable pre-tanned and 41729: Reptile leather, other than veetable pre-tanned. 13 Skin weihts vary substantially, but trade fiures suest a weiht of around.7 k for skins of saller lizards like Varanus salvator and Tupinabis species on the one hand, and 1. k for a crocodile skin on the other. Ines Arroyo-Quiroz, Raon Perez-Gil and Niel Leader Willias, Mexico in the international reptile skin trade: A case study, Biodiversity Conservation, vol. 16 (27), p Alexander Kasterine and others, The Trade in South-East Asian Python Skins, (Geneva, International Trade Centre, 212). 1 Ibid, p Peter Uetz and Jiri Hošek(eds.) The Reptile Database, (accessed 24/8/21) 17 See the docuents of the Global Tier Recovery Prora (GTRP), endorsed in the St. Petersbur Declaration on Tier Conservation at the International Tier Foru ( Tier Suit ), held in St. Petersbur, Russia Noveber 21: 18 Based on estiates in the IUCN Red List database: 19 See the description of use and trade at the panthera tiis listin on the IUCN Red List: UK.21-2.RLTS.T19A6991.en 2 o p Copared to other species-products, the lare-scale sulin of reptile skins appears to be a relatively uncoon practice, or at least a relatively undetected one. Rather, illeally cauht reptiles ay be introduced into leal supply chains within the source country when field collection is not directly onitored, allowin the to be exported as leal trade. Reptile skins are particularly vulnerable to this practice because of several characteristics of the species and the arket that akes use of the. WORLD WILDLIFE CRIME REPORT 216 The incoe-eneratin activity of collectin reptiles for the skin trade presents low barriers to entry. The CITES-listed reptiles ost tareted in the skin trade reticulated pythons and water onitors are found in both rural and urban areas. They are relatively easy to transport, and require no special equipent to acquire. Since alost anyone can participate, reulatin collection is challenin. The nature of the arket also prootes inforality in production. Because deand is linked to fashion, it coes and oes, and, in places like, ost reptile skins are worth too little on an individual basis for farin to ake uch sense or for wild sourcin to be a full tie profession. In these cases, reptiles are essentially crowd sourced : the word oes out that certain buyers will purchase live snakes, and the collectors oranize theselves. This decentralized and episodic sourcin is extreely difficult to control in a country the size of. Reulation is conducted further downstrea, where the flow of skins consolidates at tanneries and points of export. Variable deand can also be of benefit to enforceent, however, since it tends to proote consolidation of international trade chains. For exaple, pythons, particularly reticulated pythons, are a hihly vulnerable species. They are the ost seized species aon the reptiles accordin to World 6 Aside fro the field research, there are other reasons to believe that illeally sourced reptiles are enterin the leal supply chain prior to export. Accordin to COMTRADE, close to 4, etric tons of reptile skins were reportedly leally iported in 213. The volues reported seized in World WISE were uch saller: about 2,6 skins on averae per year. Seizures of lare volues of illicit skins coparable to shipents seen in the leal trade are rare.38 This low volue of detected illeal trade could be due to soe weakness in enforceent particular to reptiles; other protected species illeally traded in the reion are detected in uch larer volues. But it is ore likely that illeally sourced reptiles are siply introduced into the leal supply chain before export. Since farin of soe species for the skin trade does not appear to be viable in soe areas, iven the low value paid for wild sourced anials, it sees likely that sources are coonly isdeclared. The fundaental vulnerability, however, sees to be liited control over the harvestin of wild reptiles in the field.

9 CASE STUDY: Reptile skins wire.co/news/hoe/211172/ en/lvmh-jointly-control-hen-lonworld%e2%8%99s-leadin 37 Where the shipent was defined in eters of skin, these fiures were converted to nuber of skins usin an averae lenth of Python olurus ( ) and Python reticulatus (4). 38 For a fuller description of the ethods, see the online ethodoloical annex. 2 o p 2 Illicit traffickin in protected species of wild flora and fauna and illicit access to enetic resources: Report of the Secretary-General : docuents/coissions/ccpcj/ccpcj_ Sessions/CCPCJ_12/E-CN1-23-8/ECN1-23-8_E.pdf CITES SC Issues relatin to species: Tier Technical issions : cites.or/sites/default/files/en/co/ sc/42/ pdf cop/11/doc/3rev1.pdf UNODC, Transnational oranized crie in East Asia and the Pacific: A threat assessent (213): docuents/southeastasiaandpacific//publications/213 TOCTA_EAP_web.pdf Where the shipent was defined in eters of skin, these fiures were converted to nuber of skins usin an averae lenth of Python olurus ( ) and Python reticulatus (4). Fared includes a sall nuber of exports declared as ranched (sourced as es or juveniles fro the wild but reared in a controlled environent) as well as those reported born or bred in captivity. Based on iport data. Includes re-exports of previously seized skins, which ay have been taken in an earlier tie period. Includes re-exports. Dividin the COMTRADE-declared value by volue ives an averae value of less than US$2 per kilora. Grahae Webb and others, Predictin Total Lenths of Spectacled Caian (Caian Crocodilus) fro Skin Measureents: A Tool for Manain the Skin Trade, Herpetoloical Conservation and Bioloy, vol. 7, No.1 (212), pp Ibid. See CITIES Standin coittee 66 Inf.2: Concerns about the Production and Trade in Brown Caians (Caian crocodilus fuscus) fro Colobia. default/files/en/co/sc/66/inf/e-sc66inf-2.pdf Ibid, pararaph. See online ethodoloical annex for details on field research. n Ministry of Trade, Decree No. 36 of CITES Anial Coittee 2, Country Report of : Snake Trade and Conservation (Jakarta, 211). Vincent Nijan and others, Over-exploitation and illeal trade of reptiles in, Herpetoloical Journal, vol. 22 (212), pp If each python produced about 1 k in eat. A survey of slauhterhouses found an averae weiht of reticulated pythons averaed 8.44 k. Mark Auliya, Exploited for the international fashion industry: The Trade in the Reticulated Python Python reticulatus in Peninsular, Unpublished report for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Petalin Jaya,, 21. For exaple, the n handba anufacturer Raflo: IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group op cit. In 211, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton reached an areeent to jointly own and control Hen Lon, one of the world s leadin reptile skin tanneries, based in Sinapore. See 7