New Year, same old problems …
Your daily dose of bad news about
poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes
in the spotlight today ……………………
Zim elephant tragedy unfolds
extract: Australian Hank Jenkin, a former top official from Cites, which regulates the global trade in endangered species, was recruited as a consultant by wealthy businessmen and the Chinese government to provide elephants for Chinese zoos and safari parks.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/12/12/zim-elephant-tragedy-unfolds (NA comment: In an email to Nature Alert on 16th December 2014 Mr Jenkin had this to say: “I have no idea who is involved in the capture and handling of the elephants.”
Can you spare a minute to help save the baby elephants?
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/No_more_baby_elephants_captured_for_Chinese_zoos_1/
No 310 Wildlife Trade News 5th January 2015
Are We That Different? The Heartbreaking Truth About How Animals Mourn
EXTRACT: The most well-understood and recognized animal that displays signs of grief and mourning is the elephant. Elephants have been noted mourning both humans and other elephants. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/the-heartbreaking-truth-about-how-animals-mourn/
Yet another report you won’t find on the CITES web site, Facebook page, or Twitter. The Secretariat, makes sure China is not exposed like this, but why? Does it make you wonder, even worry?
Chinese demand for tiger wine and skins puts wild cats in perilConservationists concerned as tiger farming industry removes stigma of buying status symbols and boosts illegal trade.
EXTRACT: Today, bottles of “bone invigoration liquor”, with a picture of a tiger on the front, are openly sold on the premises, with sales staff telling visitors it is made with the bones of tigers that had died of natural causes. If true, that would be a direct contravention of China’s own law and against the spirit of a 2007 decision under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) that tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts. Presented with evidence of the tiger skin trade [PDF] at a Cites meeting in July, Chinese officials admitted for the first time that their government was indeed licensing the sale of pelts, according to participants. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/03/china-tiger-farms-wildlife-trade
Mr STEINER
IS CITES IS BEING SECRETIVE, PROTECTIVE EVEN OF CHINA? HOW ELSE CAN THE ABSENCE OF CRITICAL NEWS REPORTS AND SANCTIONS BE EXPLAINED?
Achim Steiner, Executive Director UNEP
Ivory carver fears the destruction of ‘traditional Chinese culture’ by ‘attention-seeking lawmakers’ http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1673953/ivory-carver-fears-destruction-traditional-chinese-culture-attention
Hong Kong officials refuse to publish list of commercial ivory owners despite pressure. (NA comment: CITES ISN’T WORKING – IS IT?) http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1674066/hongkongers-will-not-be-told-who-owns-ivory
CHINA: That’s some monkey business: Forestry police seize FIFTY wild apes being taken in the boot of a car to be sold for bushmeat and medicine
Horror find: Forestry police in China found almost 50 live monkeys stuffed into gauze sacks in a car boot.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2896277/That-s-monkey-business-Forestry-police-seize-FIFTY-wild-apes-taken-boot-car-sold-bushmeat-medicine.html#ixzz3NvaLhNM8
Quora Question: Should Poachers Be Shot on Sight? http://www.newsweek.com/quora-question-should-poachers-be-shot-sight-295564
S’wak CM gets tough on sawmills, Forestry Dept traitors http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=95850
Before killing a rhinoceros bull, a hunter faces anger, death threats – See more at: http://readingeagle.com/ap/article/before-killing-a-rhinoceros-bull-a-hunter-faces-anger-death-threats#sthash.aVGyfspR.dpuf
The orang utan needs our care and attention
http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Features/2015/01/05/The-orang-utan-needs-our-care-and-attention/
Orang forest guard held for murder, rhino poaching. INDIA http://www.nyoooz.com/news/guwahati/orang-forest-guard-held-for-murder-rhino-poaching/34040.html
Tourism Declaration of war in Tanzania http://www.eturbonews.com/54172/tourism-declaration-war-tanzania
Poachers exchange fire in Pabitora. INDIA http://echoofindia.com/morigaon-poachers-exchange-fire-pabitora-75227
Karachi’s mangroves threatened http://admin.samaa.tv/pakistan/04-Jan-2015/karachi-s-mangroves-threatened
After 18 Hours Cat Caught in Trap Saved by Vandalur Team
Solving the big cat problem: An expert view on the man-cat conflict in India
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2895762/Solving-big-cat-problem-expert-view-man-cat-conflict-India.html#ixzz3NphwwgHd
Why India needs a conservation act http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/open-page-why-india-needs-a-conservation-act/article6751901.ece
Is this the sickest beauty contest ever? Online outrage over Kendall Jones’ ‘Hot Hunter’ competition as men pose with rare big game they’ve killed, including lions and leopards
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2895587/Is-sickest-beauty-contest-Online-outrage-Kendall-Jones-Hot-Hunter-competition-men-pose-rare-big-game-ve-killed-including-lions-leopards.html#ixzz3NpjOOOQ4
Local teacher spends holiday helping animals in Iraq. CANADA
Read more: http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/local-teacher-spends-holiday-helping-animals-in-iraq-1.1611109#ixzz3Npk7KZ5g
Shocking jumbo death, tribal man arrested
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150105/nation-crime/article/shocking-jumbo-death-tribal-man-arrested
Pirate’s haul of ‘white gold’ reveals cost of illegal fishing http://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/pirates-haul-of-white-gold-reveals-cost-of-illegal-fishing-20150103-12h2q3.html
Gujarat forest department ropes in BSF, FSL to curb poaching http://deshgujarat.com/2015/01/04/gujarat-forest-department-ropes-in-bsf-fsl-to-curb-poaching/
Key year in fight to save the rhino http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/key-year-in-fight-to-save-the-rhino-1.1801111#.VKlCYHuTIsc
Second one-horned rhino in the space of a month butchered by poachers in Indian national park
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2896446/Second-one-horned-rhino-space-month-butchered-poachers-Indian-national-park.html#ixzz3NvXbSOeY (NA COMMENT: If Vietnam had been sanctioned years ago, would we still be seeing so many rhinos killed? CITES ISN’T WORKING – IS IT? IS THE STANDING COMMITTEE IMPOTENT, OR GUTLESS?) Take a look at the members of the committee and see for yourself those who have allowed this slaughter to go on uninhibited by CITES. http://www.cites.org/eng/com/sc/member.php
109 rhinos poached in Assam in past three years http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-01-05/109-rhinos-poached-in-Assam-in-past-three-years-124403
India lost 66 tigers in 2014 http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/india-lost-66-tigers-in-2014/1/411424.html
The unheard cry of the parakeet INDIA
Kenya: KWS Accused of Harassment http://allafrica.com/stories/201501040074.html
The silence of the birds. THAILAND http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/asia-report/laos/story/the-silence-the-birds-20150104
170 Baby Tortoises Found In The Secret Compartment Of A Crate; Seized At Airport In Paris extract: According to 9news.com.au, the tortoises were headed for Laos.
Ivory bans in the art world: will Australia follow suit? http://dailyreview.crikey.com.au/ivory-bans-in-the-art-world-will-australia-follow-suit/17038
Serengeti villagers threaten to poison wildlife and wreck tourism http://www.eturbonews.com/54187/serengeti-villagers-threaten-poison-wildlife-and-wreck-tourism
