RED SANDERS - ENVIRONMENT
News: UNEP-managed
CITES database reveals red sanders smuggling
What's in the news?
● The
CITES trade database has recorded 28 incidents of Red Sanders confiscation,
seizure, and specimen from the wild being exported from India, a fact sheet
prepared by TRAFFIC, a global
wildlife trade monitoring organization has revealed.
Key takeaways:
● These
consignments were exported to China
(53.5%), Hong Kong (25.0%), Singapore (17.8%) and the United States of America
(3.5%) from 2016 to 2020.
● According
to the recently released communiqué titled “RED SANDERS: Factsheet on India’s
Red Sanders in illegal wildlife trade”, China remains the largest importer with
more than 13,618 tonnes of the products, followed by Hong Kong (5,215 tonnes)
and Singapore (216 tonnes).
Red Sanders:
● Red
Sanders Pterocarpus santalinus, or red sandalwood, is a very slow-growing tree species that attains maturity in natural forests after 25-40
years.
● It
is reported to be one of India’s most exploited tree species.
Distribution:
● The
tree species is found in thorny scrub,
dry deciduous forests.
● It
is endemic to the Eastern Ghats of
India.
● It
is endemic to a distinct tract of forests in Andhra Pradesh.
● Some
contiguous patches in Tamil Nadu and
Karnataka also see some wild growth.
Demand:
● Its
heartwood is in demand in both domestic and international markets and is used
to make furniture, musical
instruments and wooden handicrafts.
● The
red dye obtained from the wood is used as a colouring agent in textiles and medicines.
● A
tonne of Red Sanders costs between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in the
international market.
Restriction:
● Under
the foreign trade policy of India, the import
of Red Sanders is prohibited, while export is restricted.
Threats:
● Illegal
smuggling
● Over
harvesting
● Invasive
species.
Conservation Status:
● Listed
under Schedule IV of The Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972.
● IUCN
Red List - Endangered.
● Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora
(CITES) - Appendix II and is banned
from international trade.