Thimpu, Bhutan: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is to
provide an additional USD 719,000 in funding towards INTERPOL’s Project
Predator to support the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) in
protecting wild tigers.
The announcement by the US Ambassador to India and Bhutan,
Nancy Powell, was made during the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger
Conservation co-organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Global
Tiger Initiative.
Bringing together ministers from the 13 tiger range
countries, who collectively endorsed the Saint Petersburg Declaration on Tiger
Conservation and Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) in 2010 in Russia, the
four-day meeting (21 – 24 October) will focus on key achievements in
implementing the 12-year strategy and also issue guidance on continuing
momentum and ensure continued high-level political support.
“Protecting our living natural resources, especially
endangered species, has increasingly become an issue impacting the security of
nations because of massive upsurges in international wildlife trafficking. We need to recognize wildlife crime as a
serious crime that undermines good governance and rule of law," said
Ambassador Powell.
Project Predator is an INTERPOL initiative designed to
support countries in their governance and rule of law with respect to the
conservation of wild tigers. The project
is developing governmental support by holding high level police, customs and
wildlife enforcement seminars and encouraging the use of modern
intelligence-led enforcement practices.
The manager of INTERPOL'S Environmental Crime Programme,
David Higgins, said: “This additional financial support from USAID will assist
INTERPOL's global and regional networks of national police and enforcement
agencies in supporting the tiger range countries in their efforts to stop tiger
poaching and the illegal trade in tiger parts and products, and target those
criminals who are attempting to undermine efforts to conserve this iconic
species."
Mary Melnyk, USAID’s Senior Advisor, Natural Resources
Management for Asia and the Middle East, added; “USAID is supporting INTERPOL
not only because of its international network and communications systems to
track down criminals, but also to encourage the greater participation of police
in cracking down on wildlife crime.”
In 2011 USAID provided USD 600,000 for the launch of Project
PREDATOR which during the past year has provided assistance to Bhutan, China,
India and Nepal, leading to nearly 40 arrests and the seizure of big cat skins,
body parts and other wildlife products.