Conserving Musk Deer the Uses of Musk and Europe's Role in its Trade (pdf, 360 kb)

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Kong and Singapore record receiving only 20 kg from Germany, 1994-96, and not 58 kg.  Contacts with

relevant CITES Management Authorities and musk traders in Germany and Switzerland confirm that the

data from the countries of re-export, that is Germany and Switzerland, seem the most reliable in these

cases.

0

10

20

30

40

50

'96

'95

'94

'93

'92

'91

'90

'89

'88

'87

'86

'85

Year

Exported musk (Kg)

DE

FR

CH

0

10

20

30

40

50

'96

'95

'94

'93

'92

'91

'90

'89

'88

'87

'86

'85

Year

Exported musk (Kg)

DE

FR

CH

Source: WCMC, January 1998.

Figure 10 

Exports of raw musk by Germany, France and Switzerland, 1985-96, as reported by countries and

territories of import

Figure 9

Exports of raw musk by Germany, France and Switzerland, 1985-96, as reported by the countries

themselves

Source: WCMC, January 1998.

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30

The role of Germany in the international musk trade is remarkable.  In only four years following the break-

up of the Soviet Union (1992-96), Germany acquired 8% of the global trade in musk from 1992-96, from

all range State sources (according to import records) and 34% (according to exporters’ records). 

Table 9

Musk exported from Germany, France and Switzerland, 1985-96

Notes:

SU = Soviet Union; RU = Russia

.

Source: WCMC, January 1998.

France reported exporting about seven kilogrammes of raw musk, 1989-92, an amount corresponding

almost exactly to that reported by countries and territories importing from France during the period.  This

indicates that France re-exported only 7% of the musk it imported (compare Tables 8 and 9 and see Figure

11).  The remaining quantity was probably processed by the French perfume industry. 

Information from the CITES Management Authorities in Germany, France and Switzerland

The Bundesamt für Naturschutz in Bonn confirmed the trade figures for Germany that are presented in

Tables 8 and 9.  Additionally, it reported, that Germany imported five kilogrammes of raw musk from

Russia in 1997.

The Ministère du Territoire et de l‘Environnement, Direction de la Nature et des Paysage in Paris provided

data to TRAFFIC Europe-Germany on France’s imports and exports of raw musk for 1996 and 1997.

According to the Ministry, France imported 2.04 kg in 1996 and 7.231 kg in 1997.  In each case, the musk

was imported from Russia and immediately re-exported to Hong Kong. 

The Office Vétérinaire Fédéral in Bern also confirmed the quantities declared imported and exported by

Switzerland, as presented in Tables 8 and 9.  According to the Office Vétérinaire Fédéral, Switzerland re-

exported an additional five kilogrammes of musk to France in 1993.  A record of this transaction appears

in WCMC’s CITES tabulations as an import by France, but not as an export from Switzerland.  Switzerland

thus appears to have exported a total of 16 kg of musk in 1989-93, although its own import figures suggest

that it received only 12.005 kg during the same period.  No imports are recorded as having taken place in

1995 and 1996, and no re-exports in 1994-96.

Period

Country 

Country/

Country of

Quantity

Country/

Country of

Quantity (kg)

of export

teritory of

origin, as 

(kg), as

territory of

origin, as

as reported

import, as

reported by

reported by

import, as

reported by

by countries/

reported by

countries of

countries

reported by

countries

territories

countries of

export

of export

countries/

of import

of import

export

territories of

import

1994-96

Germany

Hong Kong

RU

32

Hong Kong

RU

10

Singapore

RU

26

Singapore

RU

10

1985-92

France

Hong Kong

SU

7

Hong Kong

SU

7

Switzerland

SU

0.005

Switzerland

SU

0.005

Japan

SU

0.17

1989-94

Switzerland

France

SU

6

France

SU/RU

12

South Korea

RU

5

South Korea

RU

5

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Figures 11 a), b) and c)

Proportion of imported musk re-exported by a) Germany, b) France and c) Switzerland

Source: WCMC, January 1998.

In Switzerland, as in European Union (EU) Member States and in a few other countries, CITES-imple-

menting legislation requires that the Management Authority grant an import permit before particular

CITES Appendix II-listed species, or derivatives from them, such as musk, may be imported into the

country (P. Dollinger, pers. comm., March 1998).

Information from musk re-exporting companies in Germany and Switzerland

Since 1995, the export quotas for musk set by Russia have had an effect on the musk trade of middlemen

(companies importing and re-exporting musk) from Germany and Switzerland.  They obtain the musk

directly from hunting co-operatives in Russia that are allowed to kill only the number of musk deer for

which they have been granted hunting licences (middlemen, pers. comm., March 1998).  

Some middlemen in Germany and Switzerland believe that there is significant smuggling of musk in

Russia: the level cannot be quantified.  East Asian black market dealers, in particular, are said to be

involved in the smuggling (middlemen, pers. comm., March 1998).  In the early 1990s, German

middlemen reported that they supplied musk to Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea, while by the end

of the 1990s, the entire supply was sold to South Korea.  The Swiss middlemen also reported re-exporting

exclusively to East Asia and particularly to South Korea.  The demand for musk is said to be larger than

the amount legally available and certainly exceeds the supply from Russian export quotas.  In recent years,

prices of musk have therefore increased by about 35-40%.  Musk is currently purchased at about US$12-

14/g in Europe and in South Korea.  According to traders in Germany and Switzerland, East Asia is solely

supplied with whole musk glands (pods).

German and Swiss companies operate in the musk trade as middlemen since this offers greater financial

security than functioning as regionally based companies in Russia and trade connections between Russia

and Germany have been very good.  There are reportedly no contacts between these German and Swiss

middlemen, who handle a major part of the European imports and exports of musk, and the companies in

the perfume industry in Europe. 

German traders claim that the illegal trade in musk in eastern Russia, seemingly controlled by organised

groups, is now an extremely dangerous, even life-threatening, activity.  Recently, some middlemen in

Germany were requested to procure CITES permits to accompany illegally harvested musk, ostensibly for

import to East Asia.  This clearly suggests an attempt to give the appearance of legality to illegally acquired

musk. 

11a

11b

11c

Re-export: 99%

93%

Re-export: 92%

Re-export: 7%

1%

8%

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