Nepal

[Mickie31]

The news today says that Nepal is becoming a place for the illegal trading of wildlife. Outside preserved areas highways and mountains are becoming a popular place for illegal traders. What do you think about this?

[Kitten]

I think this sort of thing happens all over the world and it's unfortunate that any area anywhere tolerates and thrives off this sort of thing.

[solarwind]

Until we can better manage the obcene demand for skins, tusks and so on, especially for the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous, there will aways be those who are willing to rape the environment to provide for these demands in exchange for money.

[mollyL]

These people dealing in illegal wild life, alive or dead, are living on subsistence level and this is a chance for them to make some more money for their families. This is why fair trade products in third world countries is so important. People making a fair wage for their labour don't need to poach.

[RFL1986]

That is one of the reasons that fair-trade is so important. It's appalling that the Nepalese have to poach to make money but sometimes there aren't many options presented to people who are just trying to get by.

[SageMother]

Originally Posted by Mickie31

The news today says that Nepal is becoming a place for the illegal trading of wildlife. Outside preserved areas highways and mountains are becoming a popular place for illegal traders. What do you think about this?

I think this has been going on longer than the news would lead us to believe. People with few options for making a good income will do many things that those who have other option find abhorrent.

[Mickie31]

Originally Posted by solarwind

those who are willing to rape the environment to provide for these demands in exchange for money.

I think the statement you make here is very powerful and I agree totally what you say about raping the environment because that is exactly what they are doing and really explains it well. Do you think that more awareness of the problem would help to prevent people buying clothing that they don't know where it has come from. We need drastic measures to deal with these situations. Would protests help or even petitions? What can we do more to help this situation?

[mollyL]

A strong campaign in fashion mags showing exactly what is happening and where the expensive exotic furs and such come from, fair trade practices, as RFL said, and more help to get the people out of their subsistence lives and into more living-wage practices. Schools and proper food and medicines for the kids as well.

[Grace]

That's a great way to start with the magazines and making the wages higher. I visited Madras, India in 1989. It's a third world country, and things there are upside down. People that owned a bicycles could make a living for their family. It has tremendously poor conditions to work in.

[atula]

Why nepal, I have even heard that china is known for illegal wildlife trade and not to forget india where some of the forest officers themselves trade tigers, elehants, lions etc. for some quick bucks....
It is definitely disgraceful.....