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| Sunday, 16 November 2003 |
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Export of endangered plants continues unabated by Shanika Sriyananda Despite tough regulations to prevent the exploitation of endangered fauna and flora, the export of some of Sri Lanka's rare and threatened species of freshwater plants continues unabatedly. Twenty one endangered endemic aquatic species, commercially over-exploited during the past four decades, are now on the brink of extinction. According to informed sources, 15 top exporters of ornamental plants including three foreigners, are engaged in exporting aquatic plants from the wild habitats to international market. Some businessmen are alleged to have got the customs clearance by camouflaging the identity of the species by cutting off the leaves and making false declarations, the sources claimed. The source also allege that while exporters were earning millions of rupees through their illegal exports, poor local villagers were sent behind bars for illegal haunting of wild plants. "They do not get the benefits of the lucrative business", sources said. Dr. Channa Bambaradeniya of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) told a recent press conference organised by the Green Media Network that due to over-exploitation some of Sri Lanka's endangered flora have been wiped out completely from their original habitats. "The 'athiudayan' (Genus Cryptocoryne), a plant which is endemic and threatened, is now low in their distribution due to over-harvesting from the wild. This particular plant has different species, especially with colour variations depending on the place they grow. These different varieties will sell for different prices in the international market", he said. According to Dr. Bambaradeniya, due to over-exploitation of these plants, the indigenous animals which depended on these plants are also on the verge of extinction. He accused the authorities for not using appropriate techniques to propagate the local endemic aquatic flora and pointed out that countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and United States had already propagated our endemic aquatic plants. "But we still rely on wild collections", he said. |
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