No 302 Wildlife Trade News 23rd December 2014

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

in the spotlight, again, today ……………………the plot thickens while CITES celebrates Christmas and the New Year. There now appears to be a stark contrast between what CITES has said, and what the government of Zimbabwe is saying………………

Elephants for Sale as Zimbabwe’s Parks Left Without Funds. extract: “Zimbabwe is considering the sale of as many as 62 live elephants to China, France and the United Arab Emirates because Hwange National Park, the country’s biggest game reserve, isn’t receiving adequate state funding. Prior to shipment the elephants would be rounded up and kept in an enclosure for three weeks before being shipped by cargo plane to their destination.

Buyers from the UAE are seeking 15 elephants, China 27 and France 15 to 20, Matipano said. Some could be sent to private zoos after their ability to keep the animals is assessed by the Zimbabwean wildlife authorities.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-22/elephants-for-sale-as-zimbabwe-s-biggest-park-left-without-funds.html (NA comment: Do you find almost all of this story contrasts with the statement made by the Secretary General of CITES? http://cites.org/eng/zw_elephants And does anyone believe, for a second, the money from the sale of the baby elephants will go towards conservation? Zimbabwe, notorious as it is, for corruption.

SHAME ON THE UAE, FRANCE, CHINA,

and ZIMBABWE.

and: Who are the animal dealers who profit from this abuse and misery? They need to read this …..

“There is no greater bond however, than that of a mother and her calves. A mother suckles her youngest calf right through until the birth of the next baby, which in Hwange – based on my own personal observations over more than a decade – is on average 3.8 years later. But even with the birth of the next calf, the bonds remain extreme, with the two youngest calves rarely away from their mother’s side for long. I have witnessed first-hand not just the profound grief of a mother who has lost her calf (killed by a wire snare for example), but also the intense grief of an elder sibling to this same death (or disappearance). Death and despair tears elephant families apart. Sometimes, the family splits forever, unable to cope with this grief. And just like in humans, grief can turn to anger. And grieving, angry, and frightened elephants is a distressing and awfully sad sight, as I also know first-hand.” Sharon Pincott, who worked with wild elephants in Zimbabwe, on a full-time voluntary and primarily self-funded basis, for the past 13 years from March 2001 to April 2014

Zim moves to generate more revenue from wildlife extract: ZPWMA acting director conservation Geoffreys Matipano said the authority was considering the requests from France, China, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Matipano said South Africa wants sables and buffaloes, China, UAE and France are interested in elephants while the DRC wants to buy ostriches.

No 302 Wildlife Trade News 23rd December 2014

‘Trade in wild cat parts thriving on Chinese border’ http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2014/12/22/trade-in-wild-cat-parts-thriving-on-chinese-border

Chinese Demand For Illegal Wild Cat Parts From Myanmar Grows http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/228784773

Tiger and wild cat trade from Myanmar to China growing http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30556409

NA comment: The wildlife trade on the Myanmar/Chinese border has been well documented and known to CITES for many years. Neither country has been punished by CITES, which explains why, today, you could visit the market yourself and find all manner of protected species on sale. Why would either country stop this trade if they have nothing to fear from CITES? Doing nothing seems to be the lazy option for all concerned.

CITES ISN’T WORKING – IS IT?

All 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.

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Achim Steiner UNEP John Scanlon CITES Oystein Steiner CITES

Executive Director Secretary General Chairman: Standing Committee

When it comes to CITES and its leadership

the biggest mistake you can make is to judge

either by its intentions, not its results.

Study: Burgeoning Trade in Wild-Cat Products From Burma to China http://time.com/3645148/tiger-wild-cats-burma-myanmar-china/

Wildlife poaching has a huge impact on Africa, but our leaders are silent http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/dec/23/wildlife-poaching-africa-elephants-illegal-ivory

Africa’s wild animals belong in Africa. – NOT MALAYSIA

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/284270

Dear Prime Minister, please help save Katarina! MALAYSIA

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/letters/2014/12/23/dear-prime-minister-please-help-save-katarina/

How you can help save the UAE’s endangered http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/community-reports/how-you-can-help-save-the-uae-s-endangered-1.1430372 (NA comment: UAE unable or unwilling to save its native wildlife, but they still want baby elephants from Africa to stick in their zoos. SHAME ON THE UAE.

Africa: The Critical Link Between Resource Plunder and Illegal Trade in Wildlife http://allafrica.com/stories/201412222859.html

Now THAT’s how you deal with poachers! Indonesian navy blows up illegal foreign fishing vessels in spectacular fashion after confiscating ships and arresting crew

‘Trade in wild cat parts thriving on Chinese border’ http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2014/12/22/trade-in-wild-cat-parts-thriving-on-chinese-border

Setback for Phuket Dolphinarium: Venue Ruled Too Warm for Dolphins and Audience http://phuketwan.com/tourism/setback-phuket-dolphinarium-venue-ruled-warm-dolphins-audience-21582/

Greed and Resistance in Sarawak’s Rainforest Greed and Resistance in Sarawak’s Rainforest

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-bosshard/greed-and-resistance-in-s_b_6350036.html

We’ve made incredible progress, but there’s still more to do to make sure we save the elephant The number of elephants being killed has been reduced by 80 per cent this year, but the future of the species still hangs in the balance

Monkey Rescues Unconscious Friend At Train Station (RECOMMENDED VIEWING) Read more at http://www.business2community.com/social-buzz/monkey-rescues-unconscious-friend-train-station-01106192#uSYLXsO5rERqz9EY.99

Million-rupee insurance cover for wildlife staff on the cards. NEPAL http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Million-rupee+insurance+cover+for+wildlife+staff+on+the+cards&NewsID=438081&a=3

934,000 hectares of forest in Jambi in critical condition. INDONESIAhttp://www.antaranews.com/en/news/97000/934000-hectares-of-forest-in-jambi-in-critical-condition