Working to Halt the Trade Worldwide
IFAW has produced public awareness materials to educate farmers in the
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area. We also developed an educational CD and brochure to
coincide with spring fashion events in London, Paris, and Milan asking fashion
designers to help raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan antelope.
Many fashion designers from the UK to India have pledged to
denounce shahtoosh and use alternative materials. In addition, we are building a
coalition of groups in India to target the illegal process and market
there.
At the April 2000 CITES meeting, a resolution sponsored by China on the "Conservation of and Control of Trade in Tibetan Antelope" was approved. The resolution urges CITES signatories to reduce poaching and smuggling of Tibetan antelope parts and wool, prohibit shahtoosh processing, establish and enforce internal trade controls, and adopt penalties to deter illegal trade. Following the meeting, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a status review to list Tibetan Antelope on the United States’ Endangered Species List.
At the April 2000 CITES meeting, a resolution sponsored by China on the "Conservation of and Control of Trade in Tibetan Antelope" was approved. The resolution urges CITES signatories to reduce poaching and smuggling of Tibetan antelope parts and wool, prohibit shahtoosh processing, establish and enforce internal trade controls, and adopt penalties to deter illegal trade. Following the meeting, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a status review to list Tibetan Antelope on the United States’ Endangered Species List.
Hundreds of pelts confiscated by anti-poaching patrols were publicly burned by the Chinese Government last year. Grace Gabriel, IFAW China Director was invited by the local Chinese government to help light a fire to burn chiru pelts confiscated by the authorities.
