The Wild Cat Trade in Myanmar

Photos by Chris Shepherd, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia

A new report issued today by TRAFFIC Southeast Asia documents the trade in wild cat parts in four markets in Myanmar. The results of twelve surveys of these markets from 1991-1998 uncovered 1320 items representing all eight of the wild cat species found in Myanmar. These items represented a minimum of 1158 individual animals. The most frequently found items were whole skins followed by canine teeth and skulls. The majority of the cat parts were found in the notorious Tachilek Market at the border of Myanmar and Thailand. This has long been a hot spot of illegal wildlife trade. Among the cat parts identified were 301 from clouded leopards, representing a minimum of 279 individuals. The entire report, The Wild Cat Trade in Myanmar, can be downloaded on the TRAFFIC website.