Picture this: the hustle and bustle of Bangkok’s markets, a vibrant cacophony of sights and sounds. Beneath this energetic facade, a darker truth lurks – the shadowy underbelly of wildlife trafficking. Steve Galster, a tireless advocate in this battle against illicit animal trade, asserts on the Bangkok Post podcast Deeper Dive that for the sake of our future, we ought to extinguish this practice—lock, stock, and barrel—before another pandemic blindsides humanity.
Why Thailand? Well, according to Galster, the trailblazing founder of Freeland, Thailand’s superior infrastructure makes it a nexus for this nefarious network. “Imagine a spiderweb stretching from the African savannahs to the dense forests of Indonesia, all converging on China. Thailand sits at the center, its silk threads woven by savvy business tycoons over generations. This is no mere coincidence; it’s a deeply entrenched system,” Galster elucidates to host Dave Kendall.
The severity of this issue cannot be overstated—our very own pangolins, endearingly awkward and scale-clad, teeter on the brink of extinction, being ferried from Indonesia, through the corridors of Malaysia and Myanmar. The horror doesn’t stop there; pangolins are only the tip of the iceberg. “We’re talking about a veritable Noah’s Ark of the endangered: tiger skins, leopard hides, big cat bones, even lion carcasses, plus exotic birds winging their way in from Brazil,” laments Galster.
These criminal acts are not merely an assault on individual creatures; they unravel the very fabric of the natural world. As Mr. Galster passionately articulates, we’re nestling in the lap of the most catastrophic extinction event in history—a daily loss of 100 species—a shocking revelation brought to light by a UN report. This decimation is largely owed to rampant habitat destruction, but the claw of smuggling deals a fatal blow just the same.
And if you think that’s terrifying, brace yourself. The very survival of humanity hangs in the balance, warned by the grim specter of potential pandemics. “Remember the raccoon dogs tied to COVID-19’s origins? Traded live in markets, these animals might just be the harbinger of calamities to come,” cautions Galster. Even today, such animals are openly sold, raising the specter of new, deadlier diseases.
Galster’s plea is simple but profound. “It’s time for a bold move—a full-scale prohibition on the wild animal trade. When the costs and risks are weighed, they overshadow any paltry profits. The wellbeing of myriad species, including our own, demands that we heed this clarion call to action.”
To delve deeper into this riveting conversation with Steve Galster, find the full interview by tuning into Deeper Dive Thailand on your preferred podcast platform. Can we truly afford to turn a deaf ear to the pulse of our planet? The time for change, my friends, is now.
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