Breaking! Myanmar Stands Against The Illegal Wildlife Trade By Burning $1.15 Million Worth Of Seized Ivory & Wildlife Parts

To commemorate World Wildlife Day, authorities in Myanmar destroyed more than an estimated USD $1.15 million dollars of confiscated wildlife parts in Yangon yesterday.

The public event, which was organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conversation in opposition of the illicit wildlife trafficking trade, marked the second symbolic demonstration of its kind in the country.

As previously reported by WAN, the first took place in October of last year when a reported $1.3 million worth of seized wildlife parts were incinerated at a government compound in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar.

Sadly, despite the fact that Myanmar is a signatory to CITES, which means that any hunting of wildlife is illegal in the country, trafficking and selling endangered animals remains rampant, particularly in border areas which serve as a key hub in the $20 billion a year global wildlife trade.

According to Xinhuanet, yesterday’s burn included 219 pieces ivory, 210 dried sections of elephant trunks, 527 bones of tigers, leopards and other wild animals, 800 different horns and 134.7kg of pangolin scales.

U Win Naing Thaw, Director of the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Department, reportedly stated that while he regrets burning of the wildlife parts, he feels “sorrier for the live animals that are traded illegally.”

The move is intended to send a message to people that wildlife crime will no longer be tolerated in Myanmar.

The Forest Department (FD) is responsible for the protection and conservation of wildlife in Myanmar.

As per a report last year released by Save The Elephants, titled ‘Myanmar’s Growing Illegal Ivory Trade with China’, Myanmar has the largest captive or ‘domestic’ elephant population in the world, with more than 5,000 individuals.

End The Illegal Wildlife Trade!