TRAFFIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE HELMETEDR E P O R T

HORNBILL TRADE IN LAO PDRSEPTEMBER 2016

Kanitha Krishnasamy, Boyd Leupen and Or Oi Ching

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

1

TRAFFIC REPORTTRAFFIC, the wild­life trade monitoringnet­work, is the leading non-governmentalorganization working globally on trade inwild animals and plants in the context of bothbiodiversity conservation and sustainable
development. TRAFFIC is a strategic alliance ofWWF and IUCN.
Reprod­uction of material appearing in thisreport requires written­permission fromthe publisher.
The designations of geographical entities inthis publication, and the presentation of thematerial, do not imply the expression of any
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or its supporting ­organizations con­cern­ing
the legal status of any country, territory, or
area, or of its authorities, or concerning thedelimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The views of the authors expressed in thispublication are those of the writers and do notnecessarily reflect those of TRAFFIC,
WWF or IUCN.
Published by TRAFFIC.
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Telephone : (603) 7880 3940
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Suggested citation: Krishnasamy, K.,
Leupen, B., Or, O.C. (2016). Observationsof the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR.
TRAFFIC, Southeast Asia Regional Office,Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Front cover photograph: A Helmeted Hornbill
photographed at the Belum-Temengor Forest
Complex in Peninsular Malaysia
Credit: Sanjiitpaal SinghOBSERVATIONS OF THE HELMETEDHORNBILL TRADE IN LAO PDR© Sanjiitpaal Singh

Kanitha Krishnasamy, Boyd Leupen and Or Oi Ching

A Helmeted Hornbill photographed at the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex in
Peninsular Malaysia

Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

2016

TRAFFIC Report

HELMETED HORNBILLTRADE IN LAOA TRAFFIC survey in Lao PDR found dozens of Helmeted
Hornbill products for sale. This hornbill is heavily poachedand trafficked despite being prohibited from international
trade. It is not found in Laos, nor protected by its laws.

88 Days

3 Locations

11

8 Shops

74 Parts

26

Casques

Beads

18

Pendant

WHERE PRODUCTS WERE FOUND FOR SALE
One shop in Luang Prabang accounted for 46%
of total products observed in Lao PDR
20GoldenTriangle

36
Luang Prabang

18
Vientiane

HELMETED HORNBILLCASQUES
Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax
vigil casques are made of solid
keratin, making it ideal for
carving and for this reason it issought after for trade. Since
2010, unprecendeted illegal
trade in this species has beenrecorded, and has led to thespecies being assessed as
Critically Endangered globally

T A B LE O F CON T E N T S
Acknowledgementsiii

Executive Summaryiv

Background and Introduction

1

Protection and Legislation

3

Methods

4

Results
Open availability of Helmeted Hornbill products
Sources
Demand and consumption

5
5
10
10

Conclusion and Recommendations

12

References

14

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDRii

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
CITESConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 		
Flora

CNY

Chinese Yuan

DWNP

Department of Wildlife and National Parks

EIA

Environmental Investigation Agency

IUCN

International Union for Conservation of Nature

LKP

Laotian Kip

PDR

People’s Democratic Republic

S-NCSEZ

Secretariat to the Lao National Committee for Special Economic Zone

UNODC

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

USD

US Dollar

WCS

Wildlife Conservation Society

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This survey and report would not have been possible without Elizabeth John, Lalita Gomez, Chris
R. Shepherd and Jamie Bouhuys. Ahimsa Campos Arceiz, Chris R. Shepherd, Roland Melisch, Xu
Ling, Yannick Kuehl and Will Duckworth are thanked for their useful comments on earlier draftsof this report. We thank the US Fish and Wildlife Services and Hauser Bears for their generous
funding support to TRAFFIC. Australia Zoo and Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors are also thanked
for funding TRAFFIC’s senior Communications Officer’s participation in the surveys.

iii TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Unlike other species of hornbills, Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil casques are made of solid
keratin, making them ideal for carving, and for this reason they are sought after for trade. Since
2012, unprecedented illegal trade in this species has been recorded, with high numbers of Helmeted
Hornbill items being seized in China, Indonesia and Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region(SAR). As a result of high levels of illegal trade in the species over a short period of time, in 2015,
the species was assessed globally as being Critically Endangered. However, little is known of themarket and trade dynamics of this species in many Asian countries and therefore conservation
strategies are hampered.
To understand the trade dynamics in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) better, TRAFFIC
conducted an assessment of the open Helmeted Hornbill trade in five locations throughout Lao
PDR. Surveys took place over eight days between April and July 2016. Surveys recorded 74
Helmeted Hornbill products in three locations. TRAFFIC recorded 18 Helmeted Hornbill products
in Vientiane, 36 in Luang Prabang and 20 in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. A totalof 11 whole casques were recorded during the survey, two of which were carved. Beads (24) andpendants (18) were the most commonly observed items. Every shop that sold Helmeted Hornbill
products also sold carved elephant ivory items in large numbers—between 100 to over 1000 ivory
products each. Where shops advertised prices, these were advertised in either Chinese Yuan or
US Dollars—not in local currency. All shops were operated by ethnic Chinese, with all traders in
Vientiane and Luang Prabang stating they were from mainland China. This species does not occur
in Lao PDR and it is not protected by national legislation. However, it is listed in Appendix I of
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
prohibiting any international commercial trade. Lao PDR has been a Party to CITES since 2004.
The high volume of products observed as offered for sale during our survey therefore represents aviolation of CITES regulations.
Information recorded during this survey provides a baseline for product availability at a given point
in time. Although the number of products observed was not high, it is concerning as it involvesa Critically Endangered, CITES Appendix I listed species. This has previously been raised as aconcern following CITES Secretariat missions to Lao PDR. The most recent of these missions was
conducted from 4–8 July 2016, just 11 days before TRAFFIC’s second visit in Lao PDR. Foremostto Lao PDR being able to commit to and implement CITES regulations is the crucial need for thegovernment to revise its legislation that control the use, import, export and re-export of wildlife,
particularly those involving non-native species. This remains a high priority for the country andthe CITES mission in July 2016 identified significant loopholes in the national legislation, including
matters related to the trade in specimens of species that are not native to Lao PDR. Lao PDR has
previously come under pressure at the 16th CITES Conference of Parties (CoP) to improve its
implementation of CITES. A year later, the country was subjected to an oversight process by CITES
for its role in the illegal ivory trade—Lao PDR was asked to develop and implement a time-boundNational Ivory Action Plan, a process that still remains in place.
Considering the close trade link between China and Lao PDR, including the presence of traders andbusinesses that stated they were from mainland China, close collaboration on investigations and law
enforcement action between the two countries is critical. Intelligence-led investigations into traderoutes and individuals and/or organized networks involved in such crime must be made a priority,from point of source to consumer. Given Lao PDRs disinclination to take action on violations
involving non-native species in the country, law enforcement efforts at border points become
extremely crucial to cut off any supply into Lao PDR.

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

iv

Trends in the Helmeted Hornbill trade should continually be monitored to document patterns,
including in neighbouring countries of Lao PDR. China’s influence in places like the Golden
Triangle Special Economic Zone points to the significance of—and need for—China-Lao PDR
co-operation to end such trade. The CITES Secretariat’s mission to Lao PDR reinforced this need,as there are no clear guidelines on the operation of these Economic Zones in relation to trade in
CITES-listed species. This should be key to any deliberations for transboundary enforcement
collaboration between China and Lao PDR. A pioneering law enforcement workshop between thetwo countries was recently held, in June 2016, in Xishuangbana in China’s Yunnan province, which
also borders Lao PDR and Myanmar. This workshop discussed the need to strengthen bilateral
co-operation including on information exchange, joint enforcement actions and co-operation andawareness raising.
International pressure for Lao PDR to shut down the illegal trade will be a critical component
in safeguarding this species from extinction. For example, one of the locations found to be
selling a Helmeted Hornbill casque and pendant (and many ivory products) was a luxury hotel
and Convention Centre in the heart of Vientiane. Governments organizing events should be
discouraged from doing so at locations such as these that openly violate CITES. Such a position
sends a strong message against those openly violating CITES protocols.
Since 2012, the number of Helmeted Hornbill seizures have persisted, with high volumes being
reported by Indonesia. If the enforcement and regulation efforts as well as demand for thisspecies, in both source and consumer countries do not succeed in abating demand for this species,
Indonesian Helmeted Hornbill populations are likely to reduce significantly and perhaps disappear.
Should this happen, it will force poachers to look for the species in the other range States, inparticular Malaysia and Thailand, where populations would in turn become vulnerable to poaching,if they are not already. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species assessment for the species
postulates that Malaysia is likely to become the next target for the species once the Indonesian
supply is exploited. Only with a suite of all these efforts can the poaching of Helmeted Hornbills be
reduced and the illegal trade in their parts and products be brought to an end.

v TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDRBACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
Hornbills have long been the subject of legends, ceremonies and beliefs, particularly for use in
traditional costumes and dancing in Borneo (Bennett et al., 1997; Anon., 2012). Their meat has also
been reported to be consumed there (Bennett et al., 1997). The birds’ most distinguishing feature isundoubtedly their large casques. Unlike the casques of other hornbill species (which are generally
hollow), the Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil casque consists of solid keratin (Kane, 1981; Kemp,
2001). Keratin is one of a family of fibrous structural proteins and is found in the outer layer ofanimal tissue, e.g. in mammalian hairs, horns, nails, quills, baleen plates, scales, claws and hooves,in reptile shells, nails, scales and claws as well as in birds’ feathers, claws and beaks (McKittrick etal., 2012). The Chinese are known to refer this material as “ho-ting” or “He-ding-hong” (鹤顶红)in Mandarin, which also has its origins from the Malay word “gading”, which means ivory (Kane,
1981). Keratin is softer than elephant dentine (a calcified tissue of the body, highly mineralized andone of the four major components of vertebrate teeth), making it ideal for carving (Collar, 2015).
Combined with its attractive yellow, orange and/or red coloring of the casque, it is prized as a luxury
commodity and being traded as “hornbill ivory” or “red ivory” (CITES, 2016a).
The current international trade in—and use of—Helmeted Hornbill products is a direct threat tothe survival of the species (Collar, 2015; Beastall et al., 2016). This trade dates back centuries, with
Helmeted Hornbill products being sent as tribute gifts to the Tang Dynasty between 618 and
907 AD. Records of similar tribute gifts to the Ming Court in China, from the Boni court (oldBrunei Darussalam), in the 14th century also exist (Kane, 1981; Kurz, 2014). A curator of theJapanese section of the British Museum notes that some records exist showing that hornbill ivory
was presented to the Japanese Shogun in the 1600s (BBC News, 2015). While carvers in thepast mainly created belts and snuff bottles for the Chinese and Japanese markets, carvings andproductions today have evolved towards jewelry and decorative items, some even noting interest
among Western collectors (Schuyler, 1950; Kane, 1981). The current rising demand for these carved
trinkets and ornaments is the single greatest threat to the survival of the species (Collar, 2015;
Beastall et al., 2016; CITES, 2016a; IUCN, 2016).
Present trends of poaching and illegal trade are likely to continue and even intensify, with thedemand for Helmeted Hornbill products having risen steeply in recent years (Beastall et al.,2016). Between March 2012 and August 2014, a minimum of 31 seizures occurred in China andIndonesia alone, involving no fewer than 2170 heads and/or casques (Beastall et al., 2016). In
2013, an estimated 500 Helmeted Hornbills were reportedly poached each month from three areas
in Indonesia (Stewart, 2015). In June 2015, two dealers who were arrested in Sumatra, Indonesia,
divulged that they had sold 124 casques to a middleman in China over a six-month period thatyear (Wildlife Conservation Society, 2015). TRAFFIC’s monitoring of 25 e-commerce and antiqueselling websites in China recorded more than 46 transactions involving Helmeted Hornbill casqueswithin a month period of time (Yu and Jia, 2015). In 2014, TRAFFIC researchers found four carved
Helmeted Hornbill casques during a survey in Mong La market on the Myanmar-China border, thefirst record of trade in this species in Myanmar (Beastall et al., 2016).
In 2016, the Indonesian government submitted a document to the CITES Secretariat, entitled“Illegal Trade in the Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil)”, proposing that CITES Parties adopt a
resolution at the 17th Meeting of the Convention of Parties (CoP17) in September 2016, in order
to control the trade in the species (CITES, 2016a). The Indonesian government submitted this
proposal on the basis that the species continues to be hunted for trade despite the government’s
law enforcement efforts, including the arrest of about 20 poachers. Indonesia’s proposed resolution
urges all CITES Parties to conduct a series of actions including legal and policy reform, introductionof law enforcement control mechanisms to eliminate physical and online market availability,

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

1conservation action planning, awareness raising as well as a report to the CITES Secretariat on the
progress of implementation of this resolution.
The largest consumer of Helmeted Hornbill ivory is China, or members of Chinese communities
in Southeast Asian countries (EIA, 2015a; Bale, 2016; CITES, 2016a). Documented seizure records
show that the majority of Helmeted Hornbills are poached in Indonesian Borneo and Sumatra andthen smuggled to China, where the casques are carved for commercial sale (Stewart, 2015; EIA,
2015b; Beastall et al., 2016). Although the levels of poaching in Indonesia as well as the trade inHelmeted Hornbill involving China may be better understood, the same level of understanding ofother national markets remains largely unknown. This knowledge is of vital importance if we are tounderstand and eventually tackle this trade, and prevent the Helmeted Hornbill from going extinct.
In this regard, an assessment of the Helmeted Hornbill trade in Lao PDR, which lies geographicallybetween the Helmeted Hornbill’s native range and China, is critical. This is especially soconsidering the country’s proven role of importance in the international illegal wildlife trade,including its wildlife trade relationship with China (Butler, 2009; Foley et al., 2011; Burgess et al.,2014; CITES, 2014; Livingstone and Shepherd, 2014; CITES, 2015; DLA Piper, 2015; EIA, 2015b;
Greatorex et al., 2016; Milliken et al., 2016; UNODC, 2016). Stemming from an earlier identificationof its role at the 16th CITES CoP on the illegal ivory trade, in 2014, the country was subjected to a
CITES oversight process — Lao PDR was asked to develop and implement a time-bound National
Ivory Action Plan, a process that still remains in place (Milliken et al. 2013; CITES, 2014; Milliken
et al. 2016). The 66th CITES Standing Committee meeting in January 2016 recommended that the
CITES Secretariat conduct a technical mission to Lao PDR under Article XIII of the Convention todetermine whether provisions of the Convention are being effectively implemented by Lao PDR,
including on the issue of trade in CITES-listed species, national legislation, and trade controls(CITES, 2016b). This was initiated after the CITES Secretariat conducted two other missions to thecountry in 2011 and 2013, the follow-up responses by Lao PDR which were considered insufficient.
The most recent mission took place from 4–8 July 2016 and is further discussed below
One investigation in 2015 found a strong relationship between China and wildlife trade activities
occurring in Lao PDR, including the trade in Helmeted Hornbills (EIA, 2015b). This investigation
revealed that Helmeted Hornbill carvings were obtained from Fujian Province in southern China
and subsequently smuggled into Lao PDR. Apart from this investigation, little is known about thenature of Lao PDR’s Helmeted Hornbill trade. Given the increasing popularity of hornbill ivory and
Lao PDR’s role in illegal wildlife trade, TRAFFIC undertook this assessment of Lao PDR’s Helmeted
Hornbill trade in order to better understand its scale and dynamics. This paper documents thefindings from that study.

2 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDRPROTECTION AND LEGISLATION
The largest of all Asian hornbill species, the Helmeted Hornbill is legally protected in all its range
States. It is found in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand (BirdLife
International 2016, IUCN 2016). It was formerly native to Singapore as well, but has since been
extirpated there (IUCN, 2016). In 2012, the Helmeted Hornbill was assessed by the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being Near Threatened. However, just three years
later, in 2015, owing to the mounting threat of the hornbill ivory trade, Helmeted Hornbills was
up-listed to Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2016). It is generally thought to be scarce and occurs at
low densities; in Sumatra, Helmeted Hornbills appear to have disappeared from habitats where it
was previously abundant (IUCN, 2016). The species is listed in Appendix I of CITES, meaning that
all international commercial trade in the species is prohibited.

©Kanitha Krishnasamy/TRAFFIC

Lao PDR does not have specific legislation for implementing CITES, however some general text
contained within several pieces of legislation is relevant to the implementation of CITES within the
country (CITES, 2016b). One of these pieces of legislation is the Wildlife and Aquatic Law 2007, thecountry’s primary piece of wildlife legislation. However, this law only governs native species and theHelmeted Hornbill does not occur in Lao PDR. Thus, like other CITES Appendix I listed species
not occurring in Lao PDR, the Helmeted Hornbill is offered no protection under this legislation,
impeding legal enforcement of CITES in Lao PDR. Indeed, Lao PDR has been assessed by CITES
as being a “category 3 country” meaning that its “legislation…is believed generally not to meet therequirements for the implementation of CITES” (CITES, 2016c).

Hornbill beak tips were among hundreds of animal parts seized in raids in Malaysia in August 2016

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

3© Muhammad Alzahri

METHODS
Market surveys were conducted by TRAFFIC over eight days between April and July 2016. Surveys
were conducted exclusively in the northern half of Lao PDR, based upon reports from conservation
organizations and media that identified this region as the area where Lao PDR’s wildlife trade ismost prolific. Shops that sold elephant ivory were visited during the survey, as these outlets were
thought to have a higher likelihood of selling Helmeted Hornbill products. Shops and markets werevisited in Boten Specific Economic Zone, Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, Luang Namtha,
Luang Prabang and Vientiane (Figure 1). All locations and venues were visited once. All openly
available Helmeted Hornbill products were counted. Price data were acquired where possible, either
by observing the advertised price or by asking the seller. In the case of the latter, the first price given
was recorded and no further bargaining was conducted. All transactions observed were quoted in
Chinese Yuan or US Dollars. A conversion rate of US Dollar (USD) 1 = 6.68 Chinese Yuan (CNY)/ 1 CNY = 0.15 USD (https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/ accessed on 25 July 2016) wasused. Photographs of displayed goods were taken opportunistically.

4 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR© Muhammad Alzahri

RESULTS
Open availability of Helmeted Hornbill products

A total of 33 outlets were visited during the market surveys. Of these, eight outlets (Table 1) inthree of the surveyed locations, namely Vientiane, Luang Prabang and the Golden Triangle Special
Economic Zone were found to be openly selling Helmeted Hornbill products, recording a minimumof 74 individual items. No Helmeted Hornbill products were observed in Boten Specific Economic
Zone or in Luang Namtha (Figure 1). The majority of observed products consisted of loose beads,
which were likely to be stringed together as bracelets.
Table 1: Helmeted Hornbill products observed for trade in Lao PDR between April and July
2016
Location
Vientiane
Luang Prabang Golden Triangle
Total
Special Economic
Zone

Survey Data

19
April

20 AprilShop Name

Outlet1

Casque (carved anduncarved)

11Pendant

1

7

25 April

Outlet Outlet Outlet Outlet Outlet
2
3
4
5
6
2

Beads

2

2

1

2

24

Necklace (including
pendant)

5

Outlet8

5(2 werecarved)

11

7

18

1

1

1

1

Bracelet
Total by Area

Outlet7

26

Necklace (mixed
with elephantivory)
Total

20 July

2

8

2
18

6

8
1

4

1

4

1

10

34

2

18

2

74

36

20

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

5© James Eaton/Birdtour Asia

Figure 1: Locations in which Helmeted Hornbill products were found openly for sale between
April–July 2016

Of the three locations selling Helmeted Hornbill products, the highest number was recorded
in Luang Prabang; a city certified as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. One shop in Luang Prabang (Outlet 5) accounted
for 94% of the total Helmeted Hornbill items recorded in this city, and 46% of the total products
recorded in Lao PDR. In addition to the 34 items recorded for sale in this shop, the owner of thestore was wearing a beaded necklace, which included a large (approximately 8 cm long) carved
Helmeted Hornbill pendant. This item was not offered for sale. The carved pendants that wereobserved throughout the survey generally measured between 5 and 8 cm in length, and were mostoften carved so as to represent the Goddess Guanyin or other Chinese deities (Figures 2a, b and c).
6 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

Figure 2: (a), (b) and (c): Commonly observed Helmeted Hornbill carvings in Lao PDR in April
2016, representing Chinese deities.
a)c)

All photos in page ©Kanitha Krishnasamy/TRAFFICb)

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

7

In each shop where Helmeted Hornbill products were found, elephant ivory was also available forsale (between 100-1000 elephant ivory products per shop) (Figure 3). In one shop in the Golden
Triangle Special Economic Zone, one necklace was found in which both Helmeted Hornbill casquesand ivory had been used.
Traders were engaged in conversation to understand trade dynamics in all places, with the exceptionof those operating in the Golden Triangle. Traders in Vientiane and Luang Prabang were very
conversational and engaging. In contrast, none of the traders in the Golden Triangle was interested
in engaging in any type of conversation, therefore limiting researchers to only counting the items for
sale, without any further investigations. Price data were also not available in the Golden Triangle,
and similarly, no pictures could be taken.

©Or Oi Ching/TRAFFIC

Figure 3: Helmeted Hornbill products (three small bottles with five Helmeted Hornbill beadseach), displayed amongst elephant ivory products in Luang Prabang in April 2016

In Vientiane and Luang Prabang, traders claimed that all Helmeted Hornbill products were acquired
from China. Through conversations with the shop traders here, all of them revealed that they
themselves were from mainland China; some noted that they either have families back home, whileothers noted having moved to Lao PDR a long time ago. Each of them spoke in Mandarin, andprices on both Vientiane and Luang Prabang were quoted in both CNY and USD. The trader in one
shop in Vientiane calculated the price for a carved Helmeted Hornbill pendant in CNY, and laterquoted an equivalent price in USD. The price of this particular pendant (Figure 2a) was quoted at
CNY300/g, totalling CNY9000 (USD1386) for the whole item. This particular shop advertised all
prices, including its elephant ivory, in USD. This shop was also advertising the sale of a Helmeted
Hornbill casque for USD 3700 (Figure 4). Traders here mentioned that if the researchers wereinterested in purchasing, they would also accept Laotian Kip (LKP), although they did not mention
the value of the items in Kip. Prices of products in this shop, which is located in Vientiane’s upscale
Convention Hotel, were the highest compared with prices recorded elsewhere in Vientiane and Lao
PDR.
8 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR©Kanitha Krishnasamy/TRAFFIC

Figure 4: A Helmeted Hornbill head and casque for sale for USD3700 in Vientiane in April
2016.

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

9Sources

All traders in Vientiane and Luang Prabang reported that their Helmeted Hornbill products werebrought in from China. One trader claimed that he also had networks in Kalimantan, Indonesia,
which enabled him to source Helmeted Hornbill products directly from a range State. Althoughthese statements cannot be verified, they are consistent with previous information regarding
international Helmeted Hornbill trade routes. Raw Helmeted Hornbill products are often smuggledfrom Indonesia and sent to China, for example to the southeastern Province of Fujian (Beastall etal., 2016); the exact mode of transportation is unknown. Fujian’s city of Putian has been reported
as having a large carving industry for wildlife products, including precious woods (EIA, 2015b).
A search on an online platform for China’s international trade services showed that at least 100
carvers for all types of arts and crafts exist here (http://www.chinainfo.org/category/search.
html?p=5&a=fe&c=4634#). After the completion of carving in China, Helmeted Hornbill products(and other wildlife parts such as tigers and rhino horn shavings) have been reported to be smuggled
into Lao PDR (EIA, 2015b).
In 2013, Indonesian authorities arrested four Chinese nationals at the country’s international airport
in Jakarta for attempting to smuggle 248 Helmeted Hornbill casques and 189 pangolin scales;authorities reported that the items were being smuggled to Hong Kong via a commercial Chineseowned airline (FoxNews, 2013; Poskotanews, 2013). The same month, Indonesian authorities
again arrested a Fujian-born Chinese national who was living in West Kalimantan for attempting
to smuggle 24 hornbill casques (Anon, 2013). Although these seizure records do not specifically
implicate Lao PDR, China’s heavy involvement is noteworthy and perhaps relevant to the open tradein Lao PDR. Given that China has made seizures of Helmeted Hornbill products (Beastall et al.,2016), the likelihood of the country acting as a source or conduit for products being supplied for
trade in Lao PDR is suspected to be high. The trade link between China and Lao PDR is undeniable
and underscores the need for collaborative action between both governments.

Demand and consumption

The fact that all shops in which Helmeted Hornbill products were found were operated by ethnic
Chinese or nationals from that country, points at the dominant trader and customer base forHelmeted Hornbill products. Conversations with customers were held in Mandarin, although
in most shops, traders could converse in English. The three cities in which Helmeted Hornbill
products were found clearly catered for the ethnic Chinese market. In one shop in Luang Prabang,
Chinese tourists were observed purchasing ivory products, with payments made in CNY. While
the true nationalities of every purchaser in the shop cannot be assessed, it should be noted that all
traders that were engaged in conversations (in six of the eight shops) that sold Helmeted Hornbill
products stated that they were from mainland China.
Of the survey locations, Boten is the closest town to the Chinese border, followed by Luang Namtha.
However, not a single Helmeted Hornbill product was observed in either location. Luang Namtha isa small, less developed town than Vientiane and Luang Prabang that appeared to have very little in
the form of tourism products. All hotels and accommodation types observed here were small, in theform of inns or guest houses. Two of the surveyed locations, namely Boten and the Golden Triangle
area, are designated Economic Zones in Lao PDR. Both of these cities are subject to an extensive
Chinese influence, with both visitors and investors being predominantly Chinese (Secretariat to
the Lao National Committee for Special Economic Zone, 2012). CNY was accepted as a currency
in both places, and clocks in Boten were fixed for the mainland Chinese time zone. While no
Helmeted Hornbill products were openly available in Boten, a sizable number was recorded in theGolden Triangle. The same holds true for elephant ivory availability.
The reasons behind the lack of any Helmeted Hornbill products (and ivory) in the Economic
Zone in Boten is unclear, however the presence of a casino in the Golden Triangle is thought to be
10 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR©Elizabeth John/TRAFFIC

an influencing factor on product availability here as well as trade activity, compared to Boten. A
primary reason for the low levels of trade activity observed in Boten could be the shutting down ofcasinos there which was thought to influence economic activity (Gluckman, 2011; Strangio, 2016;
Or and Krishnasamy, in prep). Boten used to receive thousands of tourists a month from across the
Chinese border in Yunnan Province. However, the closure of casinos here, as a result of pressure
from China in 2011 due to Chinese gamblers being held hostage in Lao PDR to settle debts, reduced
the once vibrant place into the sleepy town it is now (Gluckman, 2011; Ganjanakhundee, 2013; EIA,
2015b; Or and Krishnasamy, in prep).

A variety of hornbill products displayed for sale in one outlet in Vientiane.

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

11CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The information recorded during our market survey provides a baseline for product availability
at a given point in time, and while the volume of products is not as high, compared to elephantivory products that were seen in the hundreds or thousands, this occurrence remains concerning.
All trade observations have been shared with law enforcement authorities in Lao PDR. As arequirement under CITES, national legislation of CITES Parties must include provisions to regulate
or control the use and trade of CITES-listed species. According to Article VIII of the Convention,
this specifically should include the prohibition of trade in specimens that are in violation of theConvention, including to penalize trade in, or possession of, such specimens, or both, whether the
species concerned are native to the country or not (CITES, 1973; CITES, 2016c). Without such
legislation, Parties will not be able to comply with the requirements of the Convention. Legislation
is clearly insufficient in the case of Lao PDR (CITES, 2016b), where traders were found blatantly
selling prohibited CITES Appendix I-listed Helmeted Hornbill products. A revision of Lao
PDR’s wildlife legislation is therefore timely and urgently needed. In the meantime, given Lao
PDRs disinclination to take action on violations involving non-native species in the country, law
enforcement efforts at border points become extremely crucial to cut off any supply of Helmeted
Hornbill ivory into Lao PDR.
The CITES Secretariat mission to Lao PDR was conducted in July 2016 (CITES, 2016b). The CITES
Secretariat mission concluded that Lao PDR’s efforts to implement CITES must be improved on
various matters including those concerning legislation, trade in CITES-listed species and the needfor neighbouring countries, including China, to co-operate and ensure effective implementation of
the Convention (CITES, 2016b). The CITES Secretariat’s mission to Lao PDR in July 2016 notedthat it is “concerned that some CITES species included in Appendix I or II are adversely affected byillegal, unsustainable or untraceable trade and that the provisions of the Convention are not being
effectively implemented in Lao PDR”. Outcomes from this mission reported that Lao PDR intends
to update its species listing in the law in 2017, but does not give a specified date by when thiswill be initiated or completed. Until such time as legal revisions are completed, law enforcement
authorities will continue to be disempowered from taking effective legal actions in the case of illegal
wildlife trade involving highly endangered wildlife.
Trends in the Helmeted Hornbill trade must continue to be monitored by conservation
organizations and law enforcement authorities, including in key markets in Lao PDR’s
neighbouring countries. China’s influence in places like the Golden Triangle Special Economic
Zone points to the significance of—and need for—China-Lao PDR co-operation to end this trade.
Further, protocols for governing trade in Lao PDR’s Economic Zones are important and should beestablished. The report from the CITES Secretariat mission to Lao PDR in 2016 supports this; it
identified an urgent need to adopt clear guidelines regarding the consumption and trade in CITESlisted species within the Economic Zones. This particular area should be key to any deliberations
for transboundary enforcement collaboration between China and Lao PDR. A pioneering law
enforcement workshop between the two countries was recently held in Xishuangbanna in China’s
Yunnan province, which also borders Lao PDR and Myanmar (TRAFFIC, 2016a). This workshop
discussed the need to strengthen bilateral co-operation including on information exchange,
joint enforcement actions and co-operation and awareness raising. Given the evident link of
trade activity, including traders, for this species between China and Lao PDR, investigation into
Chinese nationals that are in any way involved in the Helmeted Hornbill trade will be critical in any
successful law enforcement efforts. Intelligence-led investigations along the entire trade chain–from source to manufacturers to consumers–must be undertaken to determine the scope of the
trade chain, including the involvement of other countries and territories not specifically mentioned
in this paper. Further, as a form of international pressure, governments organizing official
12 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

functions in Lao PDR should avoid doing so at Vientiane’s luxury hotel and Convention Centre
that was found to be openly selling Helmeted Hornbill products (as well as many elephant ivory
products). Such a position sends a strong message against those openly violating CITES protocols.
Since 2012, the number of Helmeted Hornbill seizures in China and Indonesia have persisted,with high volumes being reported by Indonesia. If the enforcement and regulation efforts, as well
as demand for this species, in both source and consumer countries does not abate, IndonesianHelmeted Hornbill populations are likely to reduce significantly and perhaps disappear, which
will force poachers and traders to look for the species in other range states, such as Malaysia andThailand where populations in turn will become vulnerable to poaching, if they are not already. Just
last month, in August 2016, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) Peninsular
Malaysia seized over 200 wildlife parts in a series of raids, which included one Helmeted Hornbill
casque and over 45 tips of hornbill beaks (Figure 5) (Cheng, 2016; TRAFFIC, 2016b). This is thefirst time a seizure of this nature has been reported by the government and serves to illustrate that
this trade is expanding to other previously exported countries; the source of these hornbill parts are
currently unknown. The IUCN assessment for the species postulates that Malaysia is likely the next
target for the species once the Indonesian supply is exploited (BirdLife International, 2016; IUCN,
2016). Only with a suite of all these efforts can the poaching of Helmeted Hornbills be reduced andthe illegal trade in their parts and products be brought to an end.

©Kanitha Krishnasamy/TRAFFIC

Figure 5: Seizure of Helmeted Hornbill casque and tips of hornbill beaks by DWNP in August
2016

TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR

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15SEPTEMBER 2016

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network,is the leading non-governmental organization
working globally on trade in wild animals andplants in the context of both biodiversity
conservation and sustainable development.
For further information contact:
TRAFFICSoutheast Asia Regional Office
Unit 3-2, 1st Floor
Jalan SS23/11, Taman SEA
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16 TRAFFIC Report: Observations of the Helmeted Hornbill Trade in Lao PDR