Brasília, April 2, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - In a ceremony today at the Embassy of the Netherlands, in Brasília, Dener Giovanini, founder and director of the NGO, National Network to Combat Wild Animal Trafficking (Renctas), presented a CD-ROM containing all the data referring to wild animals in Brazilian law. The information on the disk will serve as support to environmental inspection organs, such as the Military Police Company for the Environment, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), and others, to make environmental agents better prepared.

Wild animal trafficking is a big problem in Brazil nowadays. It is estimated that the illegal market for these animals is responsible for around US$ 2 billion in business annually in Brazil and US$ 10-20 billion in the world as a whole.

According to Giovanini, what hinders the actions of environmental agents is the legislation itself, which he considers very lenient. The penalties for animal trafficking are, at the most, two years in prison, when they are not converted into community service. The fines reach US$ 1,727 (R$ 5,000) per animal, but the environmentalist says that the average is US$ 172 (R$ 500).

Translator: David Silberstein