Las Ombudsman Offices across the country are pushing for a request for reports from the national government to understand the scope of measures taken regarding wildlife. The central concern is the relaxation of regulations for the transit and export of specimens, which could facilitate the illegal trafficking of species.
The Ombudsman of Formosa, José Leonardo Gialluca, warned in a conversation with La Otra Mirada of FM Espacios 92.5 that the elimination of the Undersecretariat of Environment and the transfer of its functions to the Secretariat of Tourism, Environment, and Sports weakened state controls.
Risks of Relaxation
National resolutions allow the export of wild animals under certain conditions (registered breeding farms, scientific or conservation purposes). However, the absence of a strong authority to oversee creates a vacuum that can be exploited by illegal networks.
“The problem is that at the national level there is no strong authority that allows oversight like there was before,” Gialluca pointed out.
Scale of the Crime
Illegal wildlife trafficking is considered the fourth most profitable crime in the world, behind drugs, counterfeiting, and human trafficking.
- It generates between 15 and 20 billion dollars per year.
- The Argentine NEA is one of the main targets of these organizations, given its great diversity of species.
- In Formosa, procedures against people transporting protected birds, reptiles, and mammals are frequent.
Request for Reports from the National Government
The Ombudsman Offices requested information on:
- The number of authorizations granted for interprovincial transit and export of wildlife.
- Registry of authorized breeding farms.
- Organizations responsible for controlling the activity.
- Human, technical, and budgetary resources available for oversight.
The national government has 15 days to respond. Otherwise, the Ombudsman Offices have indicated they may proceed with legal actions.
Impact on By-products and International Markets
The relaxation could also favor the illegal trade of skins and by-products of protected species, a business with strong demand in international markets and often driven by intermediary networks.
The warning from the Ombudsman Offices reflects the need for an active state presence to protect native wildlife. The relaxation of controls opens the door to depredation and the strengthening of illegal networks that threaten Argentine biodiversity.
“Native wildlife needs strong protection and not to open the door to depredation as the national government has currently done,” concluded Gialluca.
