A very special daily dose of bad news … as Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge,
minces no words about whom he holds
responsible and liable for the elephant and
rhino slaughter in Africa … CHINA …

in the spotlight today ……………………

William attacks China over ivory trade: Prince risks diplomatic row on US trip

• Prince William to deliver speech on illegal wildlife trade at conference
• Expected to slam countries where sale of ivory and rhino horn is legal
• Half of 40,000 elephants killed annually believed to be exported to China
• Impassioned speech to be delivered following meeting with Barack Obama

NA comment: If only some CITES/UNEP officials and also NGOs had the courage to speak out like Prince William does, it would make a hell of a difference. He doesn’t make excuses not to – do you? After all, excuses are only that – excuses. You can easily begin helping by Tweeting these news reports or posting them on your Facebook page – that’s easy to do, isn’t it? WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2864801/William-attacks-China-ivory-trade-Prince-risks-diplomatic-row-trip.html#ixzz3LIXwqQZZ

Prince William: Wildlife Trafficking is ‘One of the Most Insidious Forms of Corruption’ http://annamiticus.com/2014/12/08/prince-william-wildlife-trafficking-one-insidious-forms-corruption/

No 289 Wildlife Trade News 9th December 2014

China plunders Zim baby elephants EXTRACT: “Apparently, China has ordered a certain number of animals, among which are 30 lions. So far, 34 baby elephants, seven lions and about 10 sable have been captured and are being held at Mtshibi Capture Unit, 7km from Main Camp,” Rodrigues said.

“The elephants are between two-and-a-half and five year old. Our investigators have seen the animals and tried to take photos but were not allowed. The security there is very tight. They were told that the animals will be sent by container trucks to Maputo in Mozambique where they will be transferred to a livestock sea freighter and sent on to China.”

Rodrigues said the baby elephants will likely not survive the long trip to far-flung China. “They are now being sentenced to a life of inhuman treatment. This is very traumatic, not only for the baby elephants but also for their families. Elephants don’t forget and this is very dangerous for future visitors to Hwange. We have to try and stop this export from taking place,” he said. http://www.theindependent.co.zw/2014/12/08/china-plunders-zim-baby-elephants/

THE FATE AWAITING FIFTY ELEPHANTS SOLD

BY ZIMBABWE TO CHINA

Why would a zoo want 50? Could it be they want only a few and the rest they intend to sell at massive profit to

other zoos? Or, could the Chinese be wanting to ‘farm’ elephants for their ivory in future? Whatever

the answer, the deal and the trade stinks.

CRUEL AND SICKENING SHAME ON CHINA AND ZIMBABWE

Update on elephants captured for export: (NA comment: YOUR personal opportunity to help save these elephants www.avaaz.org/en/petition)

http://www.thezimbabwean.co/travel/74284/update-on-elephants-captured-for.html

Free 34 Baby Elephants Trapped At Gunpoint In Zimbabwe For Export (YOU can help save them. The question is: Will YOU? http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action )

Allen Grane: Combating the African Wildlife Trade in China http://blogs.cfr.org/asia/2014/12/08/allen-grane-combating-the-african-wildlife-trade-in-china/

What do elephants going to China have to do with great ape trafficking? https://freetheapes.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/what-do-elephants-going-to-china-have-to-do-with-great-ape-trafficking/

Poaching for Chinese Markets Pushes Tigers to the Brink http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sharon-guynup/poaching-for-chinese-mark_b_6276984.html

Chinese coral poachers rife in western Japan; international rules urged http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sci_tech/environment/AJ201412080056

The elephants dying to feed China’s ivory addiction http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/545113/Prince-William-condemn-China-trade-ivory-and-the-threat-elephants

CITES ISN’T WORKING – IS IT?

CAN YOU FIND ANY NEWS OF CHINESE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADING

ON THE CITES WEB SITE? http://www.cites.org/

IF NOT, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY.

Philippines detains 18 Chinese trawlers, poachers http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20141208021703

Indigenous leader murdered before he could attend Climate Summit. extract: Known for his opposition to Chinese mine project, indigenous leader found bound and buried in Ecuador – See more at: http://news.mongabay.com/2014/1208-gfrn-hance-antun.html#sthash.EaG9y5wj.Pmm2wPUe.dpuf

Ivory Chopsticks Beijing will bridle when the Duke of Cambridge takes aim at those who turn a blind eye to the ivory trade, but his target is right

Why We Need a Truly International Approach to Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade by Prince William.

On U.S. Visit, Prince William Takes Aim at Wildlife Trafficking http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141208-elephants-illegal-wildlife-trade-royals-prince-william-world/

Key facts about the illegal wildlife trade extract ……………..

Here are some more facts about the illegal wildlife trade:

• 95% of the world’s rhinos have been lost in the last 40 years with an estimated three rhinos poached each day.
• Over 4,000 rhino horns were illegally exported from Africa in the last four years.
• 22,000 African elephants were estimated to have been killed by poachers for their ivory in 2012.
• Between 2000 and 2013, the parts of at least 1,537 tigers were seized in Asia – there are believed to be just 3,200 wild tigers left in the world.
• In Garamba National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, poachers have been known to use AK-47s and grenades to target elephants.
• In China the wholesale price of ivory has reportedly risen from $5 (£3) to $2,100 (£1,346) per kg in the past 25 years.

The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between $5bn-$20bn (£3.2bn-£12.8bn) a year and is considered the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, human trafficking and arms deals, according to charitable group United for Wildlife. http://www.itv.com/news/2014-12-08/key-facts-about-the-illegal-wildlife-trade/

S’wak losing rainforests FASTER than anywhere else in the world due to institutionalized CORRUPTION -global anti-graft group extract: Today, Global Witness slammed Samling and Shin Yang – two of the country’s biggest timber companies which supply timber to Japan – over their "unsustainable and illegal operations" in the Heart of Borneo, which are some of Sarawak’s last areas of intact rainforest.

"Within the Heart of Borneo, Shin Yang is decimating more than 40 football pitches of virgin rainforest a day, in an area the Sarawak government has proposed as a national park," the report said.

"Nearby, Samling is rapidly expanding its destructive logging in forests claimed by the Penan, and appears to have made recent inroads into an existing national park." Full article: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=416021:swak-losing-rainforests-faster-than-anywhere-else-in-the-world-due-to-institutionalized-corruption-global-anti-graft-group&Itemid=2#ixzz3LKeKCGoK

Minister warns Namibians against harbouring poachers http://en.starafrica.com/news/minister-warns-namibians-against-harbouring-poachers.html

These three men are very influential over which countries are punished, or not, by CITES.

No one, least of all us, is asking these men to do more than enforce the CITES Convention – which is what they are paid very well to do.

Achim Steiner UNEP John Scanlon CITES Oystein Steiner CITES

Executive Director Secretary General Chairman: Standing Committee

You might want to hold these three men accountable for those countries who have

been breaking the CITES convention over many years – and gone unpunished.

Especially CHINA.

Wildlife and forests the world over are being decimated by China,

and CITES still carries on as if nothing is wrong.

At the very least an emergency meeting of the

Standing Committee must be held – do you agree?

Do you think Prince William has more guts

and motivation than all of CITES/UNEP added together?

Why won’t these bureaucrats do something?

Five poachers held from Valmiki Tiger Reserve http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/five-poachers-held-from-valmiki-tiger-reserve-114120800748_1.html

South Africa: Major Environmental Projects Launched http://allafrica.com/stories/201412080637.html

Three held with leopard skin. INDIAhttp://www.tribuneindia.com/news/uttarakhand/three-held-with-leopard-skin/15654.html

Sicily: Black Fish Moves on Illegal Fishing http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/Sicily-Black-Fish-Moves-on-Illegal-Fishing-2014-12-08

another MALAYSIAN tragedy.

Giraffes are silently disappearing http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/2014/12/08/giraffes-are-silently-disappearing/20081125/

Tanzania: Rufiji Illegal Logging At Alarming Proportions http://allafrica.com/stories/201412081098.html

Zimbabwe: 14 (FISH) Poachers Arrested in Kariba http://allafrica.com/stories/201412081318.html

VACANCY: United for Wildlife Project Director – London Based Salary from £50,000 to £56,000 per annum http://www.totaljobs.com/JobSeeking/United-for-Wildlife-Project-Director_job61202073

Dog’s army set to lead the fight against rhino poachers in South Africa http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/dogs-army-set-to-lead-the-fight-against-rhino-poachers-in-south-africa-9910635.html

Poacher hunted after posting images of his illegal activity online. RUSSIA http://siberiantimes.com/ecology/casestudy/features/f0024-poacher-hunted-after-posing-sick-images-of-his-illegal-activity-online/

The Laundering Machine: How U.S. Corporations Threaten Peru’s Forests Through Illegal Logging http://www.democracynow.org/2014/12/8/the_laundering_machine_how_us_corporations

Two Florida Reptile Dealers Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring and Trafficking in Protected Reptiles http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/law-and-order/federal-and-international/57421-two-florida-reptile-dealers-sentenced-to-prison-for-conspiring-and-trafficking-in-protected-reptiles.html

Will China Save The Giant Panda? http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/12/08/will-china-save-the-giant-panda/

African Parks takes on the Chinko Project in the Central African Republic http://wildlifenews.co.uk/2014/12/african-parks-takes-on-the-chinko-project-in-the-central-african-republic/

Peru – a tough place for environmentalists According to a report of Global Witness, Peru is one of the most dangerous countries for environmentalists. Chris Moye explains to DW why they are murdered and what that may mean for the climate talks in Lima.

Business as usual for Peru illegal logging

Rain forest destruction continues at unprecedented rates despite preparations for hosting climate change conference. (NA comment: Do you want to guess which country most of these illegal logs are sent to? ) http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2014/12/business-as-usual-peru-illegal-logging-2014127152947140947.html

Palm Oil and Extreme Violence in Honduras: The Inexorable Rise and Dubious Reform of Grupo Dinant http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/27864-palm-oil-and-extreme-violence-in-honduras-the-inexorable-rise-and-dubious-reform-of-grupo-dinant

Rhino horn case sent to Regional Court; NAMIBIA http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=21195&page_type=story_detail&category_id=1

Biruté Mary Galdikas: ‘If Orangutans Go Extinct, It Will Be Because of Palm Oil’http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tadzio-mac-gregor/birute-galdikas-if-orangu_b_6055924.html?utm_hp_ref=green

New Doubts About Whether Elephants Can Survive South Sudan’s Civil War http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141208-south-sudan-elephant-census-conservation-animals/

Amazon Indians say they are being sent death threats over their opposition to illegal logging http://www.christiantoday.com/article/amazon.indians.say.they.are.being.sent.death.threats.over.their.opposition.to.illegal.logging/44108.htm

Bail to tiger skin traders Chacha, Lala opposed http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Bail-to-tiger-skin-traders-Chacha-Lala-opposed/articleshow/45421507.cms

MALAYSIA