China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) has won one of six 2004 Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards for its work in curbing the illicit trade in tiger and leopard skins.

The awards were presented during the ongoing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference in Bangkok by the Species Survival Network, a global coalition of nearly 80 wildlife conservation organizations.

In October last year, GAC officers operating a temporary roadblock at Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, stopped a vehicle that had entered China from India. They confiscated 31 tiger skins, 581 leopard skins and 778 otter skins.

It was the largest single seizure of big-cat skins in Asia to date. The three Chinese in the truck were arrested and the case is being prosecuted.

Officers from Lhasa Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau continued their investigation to learn more about the smuggling operation. Their efforts were critical in determining that the skins came from India and their inquiry has led to greater understanding of how the trade works.

But officials who are fighting this battle say that it is a tough one.

Fan Zhiyong, director of China's fauna division of CITES Management Authority, said that China's growing affluence is a driver of growth in the market for wildlife as food, medicine and personal accessories.

For example, the millions of turtles consumed every year in China has brought nearly all types of mainland Southeast Asian turtles close to extinction.

But China is working to raise public awareness of the importance of wildlife protection to save its and other regions' species from extinction, Fan pointed out. "Now it is not as easy to find wildlife products in the Chinese market as it was several years ago," he said.

CITES Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers agreed that China has strengthened its crackdowns on illegal wildlife trade.

Other winners of the Bavin award this year include Kenya, Cambodia and Thailand.

(China.org.cn October 10, 2004)