Your daily dose of bad news from around the world, covering poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes

in the spotlight today ……………………

Prioritise action over perfection: RSPO chief (NA comment:: If only the CITES Secretariat and Standing Committee would say such a thing – and then do it, instead of holding more and more meetings and conferences. In other words we need less reports and more action, don’t we? i.e. Walking your talk. http://www.eco-business.com/news/prioritise-action-over-perfection-rspo-chief/

CITES calendar

· 24-28 November: 4th meeting of the Steering Committee of the African Elephant Fund, West Tsavo, Kenya.(NA comment. Another opportunity for CITES officials to obtain more free air miles, free lodging/food and time for a safari? How many meetings etc have there been to discuss elephants – while the situation has gone from bad to disastrous – on the CITES Secretary General’s ‘watch’?)

No 275 Wildlife Trade News 24th November 2014

Peru investigates deaths of 500 sea lions on north coast http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-30172690

Philippine court convicts Chinese fishermen of poaching giant sea turtles.. http://www.newswalk.info/philippine-court-convicts-chinese-fishermen-of-poaching-giant-sea-turtles-551167.html

Tibetan Authorities Claim Recent Poaching Pictures Not from Region

http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/11/24/3781s853619.htm

Sarawak chief calls state’s logging industry ‘corrupt’ http://www.eco-business.com/news/sarawak-chief-calls-states-logging-industry-corrupt/

Tanzania: The Chopping Down of Trees Is Strangling Our Wildlife http://allafrica.com/stories/201411240249.html

‘Unforgettable’ campaign to protect wild elephants. SRI LANKA http://www.lbt.lk/news/business/8018-unforgettable-campaign-to-protect-wild-elephants

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141124/jsp/northeast/story_19079432.jsp#.VHLOl8m6j4c

Tusker found dead in Tarikere taluk. INDIA

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/tusker-found-dead-in-tarikere-taluk/article6627718.ece

Lens Eye on Tigers in Satkosia Reserve

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2014/11/24/Lens-Eye-on-Tigers-in-Satkosia-Reserve/article2538373.ece

New report finds that 83 percent of recent murders of environmental activists in Peru linked to police, military, or private security guards

http://news.mongabay.com/2014/1118-hance-peru-murders.html#sthash.bJwdJi5S.dpuf

How to catch a rhino: Kruger’s rangers show the lengths they go to when moving the huge beasts as they attempt to combat scourge of poaching
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2844475/How-catch-rhino-Kruger-s-rangers-lengths-moving-huge-beasts-attempt-combat-scourge-poaching.html#ixzz3JxzQ8dIH

Zambian mine threatens world heritage site

http://mg.co.za/article/2014-11-23-zambian-mine-threatens-world-heritage-site

‘Stop anti-palm oil move in Belgium’ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/11/24/Stop-antipalm-oil-move-in-Belgium-Affected-farmers-call-for-intervention/

300,000 palm oil owners rally against Belgian anti-palm oil movement http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/300000-palm-oil-owners-rally-against-belgian-anti-palm-oil-movement

WCS-IP Seeking Wildlife Trade Policy Program Manager

Bogor Office
Background

Indonesia is the largest supplier of wildlife products in Asia, and a critical hub for the global illegal wildlife trade (worth an estimated USD$7-23 billion dollars annually ), much of which is highly organized, and benefits a relatively small criminal fraternity.

Across the archipelago, key species including tiger, rhino, elephant, orangutan, birds, bears, orchids, marine and freshwater fish, turtles, fragrant timber, pangolins, coral, snakes, bats, sharks, and rodents are being hunted and traded in industrial volumes for pharmaceuticals, food, pets, and ornamental or traditional medicinal purposes. Indonesia is also an important transit point for the illegal trade in wildlife/wildlife products from Africa to East Asia, including African Ivory. The trade in these animals and animal products is a massive threat to globally important wildlife, and also has enormous economic repercussions – the value of the illegal trade in Indonesia alone is estimated at up to USD$1 billion per year, but accurate data is lacking. Factoring in the unsustainable legal trade, the value rockets, translating into an enormous economic, environmental, and social loss to the Indonesian economy.

Since 2003, WCS has pioneered an innovative approach to working with law enforcement agencies across local, regional and national scales to combat illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia, called the “Wildlife Crime Unit” (WCU). This brings together key government agencies, including MoF and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Indonesian National Police, Attorney General, Customs, and a network of local civil society and media organisations. Over 250 test cases have been prosecuted by government law enforcement agencies based upon information provided by the WCU, with a successful prosecution rate of >90% and including the 10 largest wildlife crime cases ever prosecuted in Indonesia.

Wildlife Trade Policy Program

To increase the effectiveness of our interventions on wildlife trade, and to build upon the success of the WCU, and is seeking a Wildlife Trade Policy Program Manager to lead the establishment and development of the Wildlife Trade Policy Program.

The aim of the Wildlife Trade Policy Program is to support the Government of Indonesia to understand and strengthen the national policy and regulatory framework for species conservation and wildlife trade, including regulations governing enforcement of wildlife crimes. A particular focus will be on globally important charismatic species, such as trade in manta rays, tigers and ivory from elephants (African and Asian), and supporting the Government of Indonesia with implementation on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in environmental, forestry or marine policy in Indonesia, and have the leadership qualities required to advance the policy agenda in Indonesia. Candidates with legal degrees or experience are particularly encouraged to apply. The Wildlife Trade Policy Program Manager will be required to lead and expand, plan, manage and monitor all policy initiatives by WCS relating to species conservation and wildlife trade, and to coordinate with other policy initiatives within the WCS Indonesia program.

The position will be based in WCS’s head office in Bogor, with frequent trips to Jakarta, and will report to the Deputy Director. The position will be available for a period of three years from November 2014, with possibility of extension depending on available funding.

Position Responsibilities:

Overall leadership of the development of a Wildlife Trade Policy Program

• Developing strategies and approaches to understanding wildlife trade and species conservation policies in Indonesia, and identify ways to enhance policies, laws and regulations to incentivize sustainable use and combat illegal wildlife trade.
• Building relationships with the key government agencies, including MoEF, MMAF, Indonesian National Police, PPATK, LIPI and the Attorney General’s Office, and non-government think-tanks and organizations, in order to support government to implement policy and to advocate for changes in policy.
• Establishing and managing a team of legal and policy experts and researchers, both consultants and full-time staff, who will be responsible for delivering the wildlife trade policy program.

Wildlife Trade Policy Designing and leading assessments of:

• The current institutional framework relating to species conservation and wildlife trade in Indonesia, including an analysis of applicable policies, laws and regulations and the government agencies responsible.
• The legal and illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia, including an analysis of the types of wildlife trade, information on trade volumes and prices.
• The costs and incentives relating to wildlife trade in Indonesia, including understanding current penalties, tax regimes and money-laundering regulations, and investigating the potential to use innovative cost recovery mechanisms, tax changes and other regulations to incentivize sustainable use. The assessment would include quantifying lost tax revenue from both legal and illegal wildlife trade.
• Strategies and approaches to support government agencies to change policies, laws and regulations.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Liaising and establishing good working relationships and/or strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as government, academia, NGOs, private sector, donors and others to ensure the successful coordination, implementation and follow-up of project activities, as well as the mobilization of additional resources to the projects.
• provide technical and facilitating support to meetings, seminars, workshops and public outreach activities as required and formally represent WCS as necessary in such meetings, workshops and conferences.
• Writing regular updates on the project activities, including news flashes and updates for WCS website and other social media postings, and articles for brochures, leaflets, and printing media.
• Writing and publishing policy research findings in close coordination with line supervisor on a regular basis through policy papers and technical reports.

Program Development and Program Management

• Leading and coordinating the implementation and administration of all projects under this program, ensuring that approved workplans and activities are undertaken in a timey manner in line with budgetary means, as well as adapt the objectives, strategies, workplans and budgets as circumstances dictate, ensuring that annual, mid-term and end-of-project targets will be met.
• Providing inputs regarding the vision and strategy for WCS Indonesia.
• Developing project proposals and future strategies.
• Preparing activity reports and assisting in preparing financial reports as required by WCS, donors and/or stakeholders, in Indonesian or English.
• Providing capacity building and technical support to Program team and partners to ensure that the projects are effective and achieve targets;

Others

· Undertake any other duties, as assigned by the Deputy Director and Director of WCS.

Job Requirements
Qualifications
The post-holder should have a post-graduate qualification in law, ecological, social sciences and/or a related discipline.
Experience

• Strong background in environmental, forestry or marine policy and law. Experience of species conservation policy and initiatives in Indonesia is desirable.
• Excellent networks within relevant Government ministries and departments.
• At least 8 years working experience with several years in managerial level.
• Proven track record of program management, including project development, implementation and backstopping, staff supervision and budget oversight.

Competencies

• Strong managerial capacities, as well as strategic technical and intellectual skills in conservation and protected area management;
• Leadership, results-orientation, team-building
• Strong facilitation, coordination, networking and negotiation skills;
• Good analytical and planning skills; ability to set forecasts and refine/review them in the light of experience and further analysis
• Strong sense for innovation and new approaches to conservation.
• Decisiveness and independence,
• Good judgement, ability to work under pressure
• Ability to maintain financial and technical control of projects in the field
• Good report writing and presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills in both English and Indonesian.

Application Details

Please submit your job application consisting of updated curriculum vitae, expected salary, three professional references and a cover letter explaining your interest towards this work and/or this organization to recruitment@wcsip.org marked with “Wildlife Trade Policy Program Manager" by November 24th, 2014. No correspondence, only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Please note that the above TOR constitutes only the main responsibilities and duties of this position. As WCSIP is a flexible organization, staff members are expected to undertake any other tasks that are allocated to them but which are not part of their regular TOR.

WCS-IP Seeking Senior Researcher (Wildlife Trade)

Background

Indonesia is the largest supplier of wildlife products in Asia, and a critical hub for the global illegal wildlife trade(worth an estimated USD$7-23 billion dollars annually ), much of which is highly organized, and benefits a relatively small criminal fraternity. Key species are being hunted and traded in industrial volumes for pharmaceuticals, food, pets, and ornamental or traditional medicinal purposes. Indonesia is also an important transit point for the illegal trade in wildlife

Wildlife products from Africa to East Asia, including African Ivory. The trade in these animals and animal products creates a massive threat to globally important wildlife, and also has enormous social, environmental and economic repercussions – representing a multi-billion dollar loss to the Indonesian economy annually.

Since 2003, WCS has pioneered an innovative approach to combat illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia, called the “Wildlife Crime Unit” (WCU). This brings together key government agencies, including MoF and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Indonesian National Police, Attorney General, Customs, and a network of local civil society and media organisations. Over 250 test cases have been prosecuted by government law enforcement agencies based upon information provided by the WCU, with a successful prosecution rate of >90% and including the 10 largest wildlife crime cases ever prosecuted in Indonesia.

To increase the effectiveness of our interventions on wildlife trade, and to build upon the success of the WCU, WCS is seeking a Wildlife Trade Senior Researcher to support the Wildlife Trade Policy Program.

The Wildlife Trade Senior Researcher will undertake research into wildlife trade in Indonesia, focusing on existing published research and initiating additional research activities as needed. The work will focus on important charismatic species, such as tigers and manta rays, in particular those listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This work is intended to support relevant ministries (e.g. Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF)) to understand and tackle wildlife trade.

The successful candidate will have a good track record of environmental policy research in Indonesia, ideally with strong connections to forestry or marine policy.The Wildlife Trade Senior Researchermay also be required to work on other research topics in WCS relating to species conservation, environmental policy, and wildlife trade. The position will be based in WCS’s head office in Bogor, with occasional trips to Jakarta, and will report to the Policy Program Manager. The position will be available for a period of one yearfrom November 2014, with possibility of extension depending on available funding.

Position Responsibilities:

Policy Analyses and Research

• Designing and leading innovative research on wildlife trade in Indonesia, including a focus on the types of wildlife trade, information on trade volumes and prices.
• Research on existing costs and incentives relating to wildlife trade in Indonesia, including penalties,taxregimes and money-laundering regulations, and options to enhance or develop new penaltiesand cost recovery mechanisms.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Establishing good working relationships and/or strategic partnerships with key stakeholders such as government, academia, NGOs, private sector, donors etc.
• Providing technical and facilitating support to meetings, seminars, workshops and public outreach activities as required. Representing WCS as necessary.
• Writing, publishing and presenting policy research findings on a regular basis through briefing papers, policy papers, technical reports and presentations, and communicating key findings through website, social and print media.

Program Support and Management

• Leading the implementation of research activities or analyses assigned by the WCS Policy Program Manager, ensuring that approved work-plans and activities are undertaken in a timely manner in line within budgetary means.
• Providing inputs to the vision and strategy for WCS Indonesia, and support the development of project proposals.
• Preparing activity reports as required by WCS, donors and/or stakeholders, in Indonesian or English.
• Undertake any other duties, as assigned by the WCS Policy Program Manager.

Job Requirements
Qualifications and Experience

• The post-holder should hold a degree in law, ecological or social sciences and/or a related discipline.
• Strong background in environment, conservation, forestry or marine issues. Experience of species conservation policy and initiatives in Indonesia is highly desirable.
• Experience of writing policy, legal analyses or conducting policy-orientated research is highly desirable.

Competencies

• Demonstrable facilitation, networking, coordination, and negotiation skills.
• Strong sense for innovation and new approaches to conservation.
• Good analytical and planning skills.
• Decisiveness and independence, with good judgement and ability to work under pressure
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills in both English and Indonesian.

Application Details

Please submit your job application consisting of updated curriculum vitae, expected salary, three professional references and a cover letter explaining your interest towards this work and/or this organization to recruitment with “Wildlife TradeSeniorResearcher" by November 24th, 2014. No correspondence, only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Please note that the above TOR constitutes only the main responsibilities and duties of this position. As WCS is a flexible organization, staff members are expected to undertake any other tasks that are allocated to them but which are not part of their regular TOR.

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