LAWS GOVERNING WILD ANIMAL TRADE

There are Philippine laws in place to protect wildlife and ensure proper and safe transport, as well as to protect the nation’s ecosystem.

Republic Act No. 9147, the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001, prohibits the trading and transport of wildlife in the Philippines. Anyone who wishes to engage in the sale of wild animals has to apply for the necessary permits.

There is also Republic Act 2590, which specifically focuses on protected species and makes it “unlawful for any person in the Philippine Islands to hunt, wound, take, or kill, or have in his or her possession, living or dead, or to purchase, offer, or expose for sale, transport, ship, or export, alive or dead, any protected bird, fish, shellfish, or mammal, or to sell or have in possession for sale any part of either.”

The Philippines is also part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the international agreement among countries to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

In spite of these laws, however, most of those who engage in the trade of illegal wildlife in the country are seldom caught and even more rarely prosecuted. Also, the low penalties prescribed in the current wildlife law do not deter people from illegally poaching and selling wildlife in the country.

Adding to the complications is the penchant of some people to take pity on vendors selling wild animals. Rather than report the activity to the authorities, they believe that the best course of action in this situation is to purchase the hapless creatures being sold.

Here’s the rub: Even if one does it with the best of intentions, not only is it often illegal, but it also does not solve the problem and actually makes it worse in the long run.