\nTED Case Studies<\/p>\n
CASE NUMBER: 66
\n CASE MNEMONIC: SWIFT
\n CASE NAME: Swift Protection<\/p>\n
A. IDENTIFICATION<\/p>\n
1. The Issue<\/p>\n
Trade of Swiftlet nests began in China during the T’ang
\nDynasty (A.D. 618-907). China is the prime consumer of a soup made
\nfrom these nests (bird’s nest soup), which is considered the
\n“caviar of the East” until a policy of austerity under communist
\nrule discouraged such extravagance. Recent relaxation of controls
\nin the PRC has led to a surge in demand for Bird’s Nest Soup.
\nChina is importing enormous amounts of ingredients for the soup
\nfrom countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. This is now
\nthreatening the swift populations and has led CITES to consider
\nadding the bird and its nest to its lists of endangered species.<\/p>\n
2. Description<\/p>\n
Chinese have been eating the nest of the Swiftlet, a bird
\nabout the size of a sparrow found in Southeast Asia and the Indian
\nSubcontinent, for over 1,000 years. The Edible-nest, Indian
\nEdible-nest and Black-nest Swiftlets weave a nest from strands of
\nsaliva: the male regurgitates a long, thin gelatinous strand from
\nsalivary glands under its tongue which is then wound into a half-
\ncup nest which bonds like quick-drying cement to the inside of a
\ncave wall. Swiftlet nests are (usually) carefully removed from
\nthe cave wall. The nests are relatively tasteless and so are
\nusually served in soup or jelly, mixed with chicken, spices, sauce
\nor sweets. For centuries in China these nests have been considered
\nnourishing and tasty as well as a booster of health for the sick
\nand aging; they are even believed to be an aphrodisiac.<\/p>\n
The harvesting of Swiftlet nests is a potentially hazardous
\noccupation. They are collected from high, dark caves by special
\ncollectors who climb up and balance on bamboo poles attached to
\nsteep cliffs. These cliffs reach hundreds of feet in height. This
\nis a traditional occupation and the skill of nest collection is
\ngenerally passed down from father to son.<\/p>\n
Biochemist Kong Yun-Cheng at the Chinese University of Hong
\nKong conducted a chemical analysis of the soup which revealed that
\nthere is a water-soluble glyco-protein in the nest which promotes
\ncell division within the immune system. However, it is destroyed
\nduring the cleaning process. Therefore, the soup is actually of
\nlow nutritive value.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the market for these nests is booming. Prices
\nhave doubled in recent years. China was traditionally the biggest
\nimporter of birds’ nests until the Communist revolution when the
\nsoup was frowned upon as a bourgeois extravagance (see SHARK case).
\nToday Hong Kong is the biggest official consumer of birds’ nests,
\nimporting about 100 tons (grossing about $25 million) annually. In
\nHong Kong 55 pounds of top quality white nests (the most prized)
\ncan be worth $50,000. The value of the nest has become so great
\nthat harvesters no longer wait until eggs or chicks depart the
\nnest. Both are simply discarded and the nest taken. This practice
\nhas decimated many younger bird populations in some areas.<\/p>\n
Not all nests are created equal. Black nests are the lowest
\ngrade of Swiftlet nest since they must be cleaned to remove
\nfeathers. They are considerably less expensive than white nests.
\nThe nests are so valued that shipments are usually shrouded in
\nsecrecy for fear of hijackers. It is believed that there is a
\n“world kingpin” or at least a key group of brokers in Kowloon, Hong
\nKong who control much of international trade in Swiftlet nests.
\nThis kingpin is supposed to have contracts with governments, kings,
\nprinces and private owners of islands.<\/p>\n
The rising price and rising demand for these nests have
\nresulted in a decline in the swiftlet population. Poachers and the
\ncutting down of forests where Swiftlets feed contribute to the
\ndecline. Indonesia is the biggest supplier of swiftlet nests with
\nThailand ranking second, followed by Vietnam, Singapore, Burma,
\nMalaysia, southern India and Sri Lanka. In most nest-producing
\ncountries swiftlet colonies are dwindling. Kong Yun-Cheng argues
\nthat if harvesting continues at its current rate the species may
\ndie out in 5 to 10 years.<\/p>\n
Nest harvesters in Indonesia have developed the practice of
\n“farming” which entails buying up houses with colonies of Mossy-
\nnest Swiftlets which are cross-fostered: the eggs of White-nest
\nSwiftlets are placed in these nest colonies. Once mature the
\nWhite-nest Swiftlets return to the house and establish a colony.
\nWhile Indonesian nest traders claim that a third of nests exported
\nfrom Indonesia come from these farms, researchers of the World Wide
\nFund for Nature believe the farms produce far less.<\/p>\n
While the Edible-nest and Black-nest Swiftlet are not yet on
\nthe endangered species lists of either CITES or the IUCN, there are
\nmeasures which attempt to protect them. Supplier countries have
\ndomestic legislation to regulate importing\/exporting, hunting,
\npoaching, and selling of Swiftlet nests. For example, since 1934
\nthere has been an ordinance in Sarawak, Malaysia which permits the
\nnests to be harvested only every 75 days. Currently in Sabah only
\n2 harvests per year of White-nest Swiftlets are allowed. Despite
\npolicies to protect the bird their numbers continue to decline,
\nprobably a result of illegal trade which counts for a substantial
\npercentage of harvested nests. The World Wide Fund for nature
\nis currently preparing a proposal for the 1994 meeting of the
\nConvention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Flora
\nand Fauna (CITES) which will be held in the United States. The
\nproposal will recommend that the Swiftlet species be placed on
\nCITES’ Appendix II (threatened species).<\/p>\n
3. Related Cases<\/p>\n
MIGRATE case
\n BIRDS case
\n TIMOWL case
\n CRANE case
\n SHARK case<\/p>\n
Keyword Clusters<\/p>\n
(1): Trade Product = FOOD
\n (2): Bio-geography = TROPical
\n (3): Environmental Problem = Species Loss Air [SPLA]<\/p>\n
4. Draft Author: Jeanine MacKay<\/p>\n
B. LEGAL Clusters<\/p>\n
5. Discourse and Status: AGREEment and INPROGress<\/p>\n
6. Forum and Scope: CITES and MULTIlateral<\/p>\n
CITES is considering regulations on trade in bird’s nests.<\/p>\n
7. Decision Breadth: 125 (CITES signatories)<\/p>\n
8. Legal Standing: TREATY<\/p>\n
C. GEOGRAPHIC Clusters<\/p>\n
9. Geographic Locations<\/p>\n
a. Geographic Domain : ASIA
\n b. Geographic Site : Eastern Asian [EASIA]
\n c. Geographic Impact : CHINA<\/p>\n
The bird is found in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, the
\nPhilippines, Vietnam, Burma, Singapore, India, and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
10. Sub-National Factors: NO<\/p>\n
Local leaseholders can buy exclusive rights from the
\ngovernment to harvest nests in certain areas. These leaseholders
\nmay impose their own restrictions within their harvesting areas.<\/p>\n
11. Type of Habitat: TROPical<\/p>\n
D. TRADE Clusters<\/p>\n
12. Type of Measure: Import Ban [IMBAN]<\/p>\n
13. Direct vs. Indirect Impacts: DIRect<\/p>\n
14. Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact<\/p>\n
a. Directly Related : NO
\n b. Indirectly Related : YES FOOD
\n c. Not Related : NO
\n d. Process Related : YES Species Loss Air [SPLA]<\/p>\n
15. Trade Product Identification: FOOD<\/p>\n
16. Economic Data<\/p>\n
To some local communities the income from swift nest can be
\nsubstantial. Most income is probably made through intermediaries.<\/p>\n
17. Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness: BAN<\/p>\n
An import ban would cut off 100 percent of legal trade, but
\nmay not prevent substantial illegal trade.<\/p>\n
18. Industry Sector: FOOD<\/p>\n
19. Exporter and Importer: MALAYsia and CHINA<\/p>\n
The leading importers of bird’s nest soup ingredients was
\nHong Kong ($25 million). Large amounts are believed to be trans-
\nshipped to China. Several other Asian countries are also
\nsignificant importers.<\/p>\n
E. ENVIRONMENT Clusters<\/p>\n
20. Environmental Problem Type: Species Loss Air [SPLA]<\/p>\n
21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species<\/p>\n
Name: Swiftlet
\n Type: Animal\/Vertibrate\/Birds
\n Diversity: 158 birds per 10,000 km\/q (Malaysia)<\/p>\n
There are three species targeted by trade in edible nests:
\nAerodramus fuciphagus or Edible-nest (white-nests), Aerodramus
\nunicolor or Indian Edible-nest, and Aerodramus maximus or Black-
\nnest.<\/p>\n
22. Resource Impact and Effect: HIGH and PRODuct<\/p>\n
The farming of swiftlets has grown enormously and has a
\nvariety of implications. Perhaps one-third of swiftlet-product
\ntrade now comes from farms.<\/p>\n
23. Urgency and Lifetime: SHORT and 5-10 years<\/p>\n
“One aspect of the trade which urgently requires looking at is
\nthe ‘farming’ of swiftlets in Indonesia. People are buying upon
\nhouses with colonies of mossy-nest swiftlets and then cross-
\nfostering by placing white-nest swiftlets in these nests.” It
\nusually does not work and takes place in Java.<\/p>\n
24. Substitutes: SYNTHetic products<\/p>\n
Synthetic substitutes for swift nest are becoming available.
\nHowever, there is still a desire for the actual product.<\/p>\n
VI. OTHER Factors<\/p>\n
25. Culture: YES<\/p>\n
Bird’s Nest Soup has been a part of Chinese culture for 1,000
\nyears. Increasing wealth in the Asian region along with the big
\nincrease in price of a bowl of bird’s nest soup has made Swiftlet
\nnests the `caviar of the East.’ While it is possible to find
\nsubstitutes to thicken soup, it will be difficult to take away the
\nallure of Bird’s Nest Soup as a status symbol.<\/p>\n
26. Trans-Border: NO<\/p>\n
27. Rights: NO<\/p>\n
28. Relevant Literature<\/p>\n
Campbell, Bruce and Lack, Elizabeth. A Dictionary of Birds.
\n London: Buteo Books, 1985.
\nde Groot, Roy Andries. “On the Trail of Bird’s Nest Soup: Caves,
\n Climbs and High Stakes.” Smithsonian 14 (September 1993).
\nSummers, Diane. “Dark World of Gourmet Soup.” International
\n Wildlife 22 (January\/February 1992).
\nLau, Amy. International Trade in Swiftlet Nests with Special
\n Reference to Hong Kong. TRAFFIC International.
\nMelville, D.S., Personal communication, Executive Director, World
\n Wildlife Fund, Hong Kong, November 11, 1993.
\nThe World Wide Fund for Nature in Hong Kong is preparing a
\n proposal for the next CITES meeting to have the issue
\n listed on the Convention’s Appendix II (threatened
\n species).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TED Case Studies CASE NUMBER: 66 CASE MNEMONIC: SWIFT CASE NAME: Swift Protection A. IDENTIFICATION 1. The Issue Trade of Swiftlet nests began in China during the T’ang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). China is the prime consumer of a soup made from these nests (bird’s nest soup), which is considered the “caviar of the East” until […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[413],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n