Canada has gaps in wildlife import controls — Mongabay
In Canada, the law prohibits the import of animals and plants illegally taken in other countries, but for species not included in the CITES lists, importers are not required to prove the legality of their origin. Because of this gap, protected species can enter the country, be sold and bred, Mongabay reports.
Problem with verifying origin
The federal WAPPRIITA law prohibits the import of plants and animals whose possession, distribution or transportation violated the legislation of another country. At the same time, according to Sheldon Jordan, Canada’s former director of environmental law enforcement, documents confirming the legal origin of specimens are not required at the border if they do not belong to species listed under the CITES Convention.
CITES regulates international trade in animal and plant species threatened with extinction. Trade in Appendix I species is mostly prohibited, while Appendix II species require export and import permits. A representative of Environment and Climate Change Canada told Mongabay that for species regulated by foreign legislation but not included in CITES, ensuring compliance with national laws is more difficult.
The Canada Border Services Agency said it inspects passengers and cargo based on risk assessments, operational information, monitoring and the requirements of other federal agencies. Commercial shipments must be accompanied by a manifest, and some parcels are checked using X-rays. If officers suspect that proper documents are missing, they contact specialists at Environment and Climate Change Canada.
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Methods of laundering animals
According to the report, the illegal harvesting and sale of wildlife worldwide is estimated at about $20 billion annually, while legal trade amounts to around $220 billion. It covers at least 70,000 species, while data on its environmental sustainability are lacking.
Experts also point to schemes in which animals illegally taken from the wild are mixed with batches of captive-bred individuals, or their offspring are sold as legally bred. According to conservationist Chris Shepherd, such practices involve, among others, tarantulas, monitor lizards, parrots and songbirds.
Canada is a country of origin, a sales market and a transit point for trade in wildlife and wildlife products. Canadian species involved in trade include narwhals, glass eels and black bears. Domestic demand, according to experts, is largely for exotic pets — reptiles, felines and birds.
Jordan noted that Australia and Japan require timber importers to confirm the legal origin of products, while the European Union is moving in a similar direction regarding fish and seafood. The Canadian department said that additional documents for foreign species outside the CITES lists would help verify compliance with the country’s legislation.
