“Red sanders are under severe pressure from illegal logging and logging.” File image for representation. , Photo Credit: C. Venkatachalapathi
CITES trade database A factsheet prepared by TRAFFIC, a global wildlife trade monitoring organisation, records 28 incidents of red sandalwood seizure, seizure and sampling of wild animals from India. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
“These consignments were exported to China (53.5%), Hong Kong (25.0%), Singapore (17.8%) and the United States (3.5%) from 2016 to 2020,” the factsheet said. red sanders pterocarpus santalinus, or red sandalwood, is an endemic tree species with a distribution restricted to the Eastern Ghats of India. Found in Andhra Pradesh and growing to a height of 10 to 15 metres, the species is considered one of India’s most exploited tree species, and is under severe pressure from illegal logging and felling. Import of red sandalwood is restricted under India’s foreign trade policy, while export is restricted.
“India reported exports of over 19,049 tonnes of logs. In comparison, importing countries reported about 4,610 tonnes of logs, 127 tonnes of sawn timber, 20 tonnes of transformed timber and 980 kg of wood products, clearly indicating a discrepancy in the reporting of red sandalwood trade.
According to a recent release “Red sanders: Factsheet on India’s red sanders in the illegal wildlife trade”, China remains the largest importer with over 13,618 tonnes of product, followed by Hong Kong (5,215 tonnes) and Singapore (216 tonnes). is the location of ,
“Red sanders are under severe pressure from illegal logging and harvesting. Its heartwood is in demand in both domestic and international markets and is used to make furniture and handicrafts, while the red color obtained from the wood is used as a dye in textiles and medicines. agent. “Large-scale illegal logging has been reported across its range state,” said Mervyn Fernandes, coordinator of TRAFFIC’s India office.
Listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act and Endangered as per the IUCN Red List, Red Sanders is a very slow growing tree species that attains maturity in natural forests after 25–40 years.
The document also highlighted the efforts to conserve the species and pointed out that in 2016 the Andhra Pradesh Forest Act, through AP Act No. 15 of 2016, was amended to grant special protection status to Red Sanders. Offenses of red sandalwood were made cognizable and non-bailable and punishments were enhanced.
Publication declaring red sanders sheltering forests within the species’ geographic range as ‘high conservation areas’ to provide an adequate legal framework for the protection of the species and its habitat. “To coordinate efforts of enforcement agencies such as Forest Department, Customs, Railways, Police, DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence), and Coast Guard to curb red sandalwood smuggling by sharing real-time intelligence on hotspots and transit routes and Smuggling of red sandalwood,” the fact sheet stated.