CNN : Planet In Peril - 01/18
Summary
TLDRThis documentary explores the interconnected crises of climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, and species loss, highlighting their immediate impacts. The team investigates illegal wildlife trafficking in Bangkok's JJ Market, a hub for endangered species trade. With the UN estimating species loss at 1,000 times the natural rate, the documentary underscores the urgency of addressing these environmental perils.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The documentary explores the interconnected global issues of climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, and species loss.
- 🌳 Forests are being lost, which means we are destroying nature's natural regulator and contributing to global warming.
- 🏝️ Islands are appearing due to rising sea levels caused by global warming, highlighting the immediate and tangible effects of climate change.
- 💧 Water pollution is so severe in some areas that it's causing health issues, including cancer, among local populations.
- 🐘 The illegal wildlife trade is a significant contributor to species extinction, with animals being trafficked globally for various purposes.
- 🐢 Endangered species like Madagascar's tortoises are being sold illegally in markets like Bangkok's JJ Market.
- 🚔 Thai police and conservationists are working together to combat illegal wildlife trade, facing challenges like evading the traders' scouts.
- 🔍 The documentary crew goes undercover to document the illegal sale of endangered animals, highlighting the scale of the problem.
- 💸 The illegal wildlife trade is a multi-billion dollar industry, with China and America identified as the top importers of illegal wildlife.
- 🐅 Species like tigers, bears, and sharks are being poached and their parts sold, contributing to their endangerment and extinction.
Q & A
What is the fundamental law of physics mentioned in the script?
-The fundamental law of physics mentioned is for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
What is the main focus of the investigation in the documentary?
-The main focus of the investigation is to understand the reasons behind the changes happening to the planet, including climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, and species loss.
Why are species disappearing at an alarming rate according to the UN estimate?
-Species are disappearing at a rate 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction, partly due to the black market trade of wildlife.
What is the role of wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin in the documentary?
-Jeff Corwin, a wildlife biologist, is helping the team investigate the illegal trade of endangered animals in Southeast Asia.
What is the significance of Bangkok's JJ Market in the context of the documentary?
-Bangkok's JJ Market is one of the main hubs for illegal wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia, where endangered animals are sold.
What challenges do the Thai police face when attempting to raid illegal wildlife sellers?
-The Thai police face challenges such as the risk of being noticed by the wildlife traders' scouts, who can quickly alert the sellers, leading to them closing their shops and making it difficult for the police to enter.
What is the international treaty that is supposed to protect endangered species?
-The international treaty mentioned is CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which is supposed to protect endangered species.
Who is Steve Galster and what is his role in the documentary?
-Steve Galster is the co-founder of Wildlife Alliance, a conservation organization. He is helping train local law enforcement to recognize and protect native species and has experience going undercover to stop wildlife trading rackets.
What are some of the consequences of the illegal wildlife trade mentioned in the script?
-Consequences of the illegal wildlife trade include the killing of endangered animals for meat, medicine, and trophies, as well as the cutting off of bear paws and shark fins for various uses.
What is the estimated annual value of the illegal wildlife trade?
-The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between 10 and 20 billion dollars a year.
Who are the top two importers of illegal wildlife according to Steve Galster?
-According to Steve Galster, the top two importers of illegal wildlife are China and America.
Outlines
🌍 Global Impacts of Environmental Degradation
The paragraph introduces the concept of interconnected environmental issues, emphasizing the ripple effects of human actions on the planet. It discusses the urgency of the situation, with real-time consequences such as deforestation, the discovery of islands due to global warming, and poisoned water sources affecting human health. The documentary's premise is set by highlighting the investigation into climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, and species loss, led by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin, and the narrator. The United Nations' estimate of species loss at 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction is presented as a staggering figure, with the black market trade of wildlife being a significant contributor to this crisis. The paragraph concludes with an introduction to an undercover operation in Bangkok's JJ Market, which is a hub for illegal wildlife trafficking, setting the stage for the investigative journey that follows.
🐢 The Dark Secrets of Wildlife Trafficking
This paragraph delves into the illegal wildlife trade at Bangkok's JJ Market, detailing the challenges faced by law enforcement and conservationists in combating this lucrative and dangerous industry. It describes the market's facade as a typical Thai market with a hidden underbelly of illegal wildlife sales. The paragraph introduces Steve Galster, a conservationist with extensive experience in undercover operations, who is working with the Thai police to identify and protect endangered species. The scale of the problem is underscored by the United Nations Environmental Program's estimate of 18 to 50,000 species lost annually due to human activities. The paragraph also discusses the high value placed on endangered animals, such as the South American marmosets, and the difficulty in conducting surveillance and raids due to the traders' vigilance and the challenges in enforcing international treaties. The narrative culminates in a planned raid by the Thai police, with the team preparing to navigate the market's labyrinthine structure and the potential risks of being discovered by the traders.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Action and Reaction
💡Ripple Effects
💡Deforestation
💡Global Warming
💡Endangered Species
💡Illegal Wildlife Trade
💡Overpopulation
💡Species Loss
💡Conservationist
💡International Treaties
💡Biodiversity
Highlights
The documentary explores the interconnected problems of climate change, overpopulation, deforestation, and species loss.
UN estimates we are losing species at 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction.
Illegal wildlife trade is a significant contributor to species loss, with China and America as top importers.
Bangkok's JJ Market is a hub for illegal wildlife trafficking, with species from around the world being sold.
The documentary team goes undercover in JJ Market to document the illegal sale of endangered species.
Endangered tortoises from Madagascar are sold for approximately $500 each due to their rarity.
Slow lorises, an endangered primate, are found for sale despite international treaties meant to protect them.
South American marmosets, also endangered, are priced at nearly $2700 each.
The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be a $10 to $20 billion industry annually.
Conservationist Steve Galster has worked undercover to stop wildlife trading in various countries.
The documentary crew collaborates with Thai police to plan a raid on illegal wildlife sellers in JJ Market.
The police raid is meticulously planned to avoid tipping off the illegal traders.
The documentary captures the tense moments as the police and conservationists prepare for the raid.
The police face challenges as illegal traders become aware of the raid and begin to close their shops.
The documentary sheds light on the urgency and difficulty of enforcing international wildlife protection treaties.
The impact of the illegal wildlife trade on species extinction rates is emphasized throughout the documentary.
Transcripts
for every action there is an equal and
opposite
[Music]
reaction it's one of the fundamental
laws of physics of nature nothing occurs
in a vacuum in the natural
world there are Ripple effects and that
is putting our planet in
Peril this journey around the globe is
an investigation into the reasons our
planet is
changing it's about the front lines the
places where threats aren't just
forecasts of the future but are
happening
now where forests are lost we're
destroying Nature's natural regulator
where islands are discovered this island
exists because of global warming where
water is poison a lot of people live
around here and are dependent on this
water where endangered animals are
bought and sold and killed there's a lot
of animals right here that range the
gamut of critical status where people
are dying we're hearing that people are
getting cancer from drinking
water this is a planet under assault
this is a planet in peril
this documentary is the result of a
year-long investigation Dr Sanjay Gupta
wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin and I
traveled to some 13 countries on four
continents to examine climate change
overpopulation deforestation and species
loss problems which as you'll see
tonight are all interconnected the UN
now estimates we are losing species at
1,000 times the natural rate of
Extinction that is a staggering figure
species are disappearing in part because
of the black market trade of Wildlife
and that's where our investigation
begins
tonight it's pretty nrip besides two big
glass windows M outside on the
left behind a closed door in a cramped
and sweltering room in a police station
an informant Maps out the secret she's
seen in bangkok's Infamous JJ Market
there was a glass tank of small star
tortoises for her own safety we can't
show her face this is a dangerous and
tricky
job this is where the mins
are the police hope to catch dealers
selling rare and endangered animals but
first they need to plan on how to enter
the market without anyone suspecting
them you think if you go in from the
different entrance do you think you can
find a place
JJ Market officially called jatu jaac is
a sprawling weekend Market that attracts
buyers from around the
[Music]
world at first glance it's not much
different for many Thai markets but
behind the bustle there are dark secrets
[Music]
this is one of the main hubs for illegal
Wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia
some of the animals are taken from
Thailand's forests and Waters but many
are stolen from places as far away as
Africa and South
America wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin
is helping us investigate this illegal
trade our team puts on undercover
cameras posing as tourists checking out
the market on a typical Saturday
afternoon
the Stalls are packed not only with
people but with animals for
sale many of the animals look as though
they're dead or close to it due to the
stifling heat it's inhumane perhaps but
selling all these animals is perfectly
legal but as we move deeper into the
market we begin to find endangered
animals these are endangered tortoises
from Madagascar selling for about 500
each and why are they so expensive the
dealer proudly tells us it's because
they're rare there aren't many left in
the world he says they're also illegal
to
sell cameras are not welcome in the
animal Market everywhere we find signs
like this one no photo dealers here know
they have to be careful because there's
an international treaty called SES
that's supposed to protect endangered
species like the two small primates
called slow lorises we discover just
left of the sign in the front window but
as we'll soon find out in Thailand there
are real problems enforcing
International
treaties inside this door we find even
more threatened species two South
American marmosets going for almost
$2700 each the shop owners are
suspicious making it difficult for our
cameras to get close to the other
animals not wanting to cause a stir our
team leaves
the Thai police planning to raid these
stores are from the natural
environmental crimes division who's the
middleman they're working with
conservationist Steve
gster gster is the co-founder of
wildlife Alliance a conservation
organization that helps train local law
enforcement to recognize and protect
their native
species gers worked as a conservationist
for more than 20 years it is risky work
he's gone undercover in Russia
Afghanistan and throughout Africa in
each place he stopped Wildlife trading
rackets this undercover video he shot
helped convict this Russian police
officer who was illegally selling tiger
skins the United Nations environmental
program says we are now losing anywhere
between 18 and 50,000 species of plants
and animals every year as we said
earlier that's up to 1,000 times the
natural rate of Extinction
dangered animals like tigers are killed
and sold for meat medicine and trophies
bear paws are cut off dried and sold as
ashtrays sharks are pulled from the
ocean their fins cut off for soup where
do all these animals and their parts end
up gster says the top two importers of
illegal Wildlife are China and America
and it's big business the trade is
estimated at between 10 and 20 billion
dollar a year
colster believes up to 1 million animals
are shipped through Thailand every year
and many of them make their way through
bangkok's jat jack
Market when she gets to that shop she's
going to slow down and switch the purse
to her left shoulder be very obvious
back inside the police station the mood
is tense the police believe the wildlife
Traders have their own Scouts looking
for any signs of a coming raid they can
stay behind about 20 M that' be good
they finally agree on a
plan informant will take an unmarked car
to the
market and through a series of signals
guide the police to the illegal
sellers officers received their final
orders and break into
teams it's about 4 miles to the JJ
market and with the informant already
there there's no way to tell if the
illegal Traders have already been tipped
off
it's rush hour in
Bangkok we're riding with heavily armed
Thai police and Wildlife alliances Steve
gster heading toward the jjack or JJ
Market we split into two teams wildlife
biologist Jeff Cor is just ahead of
us an informant and our team took these
pictures just yesterday with an
undercover camera endangered animals
being bought and
[Music]
sold the informant's now at the market
hoping to guide police to the illegal
dealers obviously these dealers are very
sensitive to to anyone coming very
sensitive this is why you just saw the
police take so much preparation it just
takes one leak or one person sensing
there an undercover cop route and word
goes all around the market and they
padlock their doors close down and they
can't get
anything we drive into the market and
the police start their work on
foot JJ's like a
labyrinth we weave through the small
aisles it's clear word of our arrival is
spreading animal dealers are closing
their shops they know there's a
provision In tha law that makes it all
bit impossible for police to enter a
closed
store this door right here was just open
so was this one it's most curious that
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