The daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes …
in the spotlight today ……………………
Malaysia-bound Illegal Ivory Shipment Seized in Australia
More proof someone in Malaysia continues to import ivory? Presumably in the knowledge he/she will not be caught and prosecuted. If MALAYSIAN authorities arrested such people, the trade would stop – wouldn’t it? i.e. the risks for the criminals would outweigh the benefits. So, why no arrests and prosecutions? Are ivory trade criminals above the law or, paying off someone in government? Either way, it all leaves a nasty smell in your nostrils, doesn’t it?
AND: Still no independent body has been allowed to inspect the ivory that has been confiscated in Malaysia. If, that is, the ivory has not been sold off illegally by government people. AND: Malaysia still refuses to destroy its ivory stocks. Does this all look VERY suspicious to you?
MALAYSIA THOROUGHLY DESERVES CITES SANCTIONS – DOESN’T IT? There were those illegal gorillas, then orangutans, now ivory, and in between them countless other species traded illegally in Malaysia, and CITES allows this; What a scandal, isn’t it?
All the more embarrassing for the CITES Secretariat as their Enforcement Officer was in Malaysia only a week ago ‘talking’ (that’s what CITES officials do for a living – talk) about the illegal wildlife trade. It’s a bit like a police force talking about crime but never getting around to actually enforcing the law because they are instead filing reports and attending overseas meetings.
No 381 Wildlife Trade News: 11th April
Fighting to desperately escape its tiny cage with one paw already lopped off: MailOnline goes inside the cruel Vietnamese bile ‘farms’ where moon bears are brutally butchered for Chinese medicine
- Two moon bears on Vietnamese bile farms are brutally slaughtered a day
- Bears are kept in tiny 2ft by 4ft metal ‘crush cages’ with no room to move
- Their body parts are sold on the black market for just £625 per bear
- MailOnline probes resort where 30 bears have been killed in three months
- Dame Judi Dench signs petition calling for end to cruel bear bile trade
CITES IS WORKING – FOR POACHERS AND DEALERS INVOLVED IN THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE – ISN’T IT?
Deforestation in Vietnam is condoned by authorities: official
What remains of a forest in Vietnam. Photo credit: Lao Dong http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/deforestation-in-vietnam-is-condoned-by-authorities-official-40984.html
8 Laos trucks caught with suspected smuggled timber in Vietnam
Timber-laden trucks travel from Laos to Vietnam through the Nam Can Border Gate in Nghe An Province. Photo credit: Kien Thuc http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/8-laos-trucks-caught-with-suspected-smuggled-timber-in-vietnam-40978.html
The illegal wildlife trade is thriving while bureaucrats get on with their cosy, well paid lives. WITH CITES REFUSING TO SANCTION VIETNAM, CHINA etc etc etc, what else do you expect?
Maggie Q says Vietnam can help save rhinos. EXTRACT “It’s almost impossible to believe Vietnam is [the world’s] number one consumer of rhino horns. (NA COMMENT: Known dealers remain free due to official apathy and/or corruption. CITES could save the rhinos if it sanctioned Vietnam.) http://tuoitrenews.vn/lifestyle/27406/maggie-q-says-vietnam-can-help-save-rhinos
CITES STANDING COMMITTEE?
CHECK OUT THOSE WHO, AS A COMMITTEE, WON’T PUNISH THE COUNTRIES WHO BREAK THE CONVENTION – REPEATEDLY. http://www.cites.org/eng/com/sc/member.php
Ivory from Malawi seized in Australia
http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/ivory-from-malawi-seized-in-australia-1.1843108#.VSeQdZMXEsc
Aussies seize 110kg ivory shipment to M’sia
Bitter chocolate: Primates wiped out in many Côte d’Ivoire areas – where illegal cocoa farming is on the rise by Rachel Arthur+, 10-Apr-2015 Illegal cocoa farming is an increasing threat on primate populations in Côte d’Ivoire’s protected areas, say researchers in the journal Tropical Conservation Science. http://www.confectionerynews.com/Commodities/Bitter-chocolate-Primates-wiped-out-in-many-Cote-d-Ivoire-areas-where-illegal-cocoa-farming-is-on-the-rise (NA comment: No 10 year plan is ever going to save these primates, is it?)
‘Sin City’ wildlife raids a start but what about the long-term? LAOS (NA comment: We are reliably informed by a contact on the ground that what the authorities did was nothing more than ‘window dressing’ designed to appeal to gullible CITES etc officials.) EXTRACT: with the source of those tigers possibly India, Thailand and Malaysia. It is also not clear if the Laos authorities are investigating associations between the Chinese business individuals engaged in illegal wildlife trade at the GT SEZ and their contacts in China and Myanmar, or whether any financial investigations are under way to help map those connections.
Conservation is war: Inside the battle to save Africa’s elephants. CHAD. (NA COMMENT: Park rangers prepared to die while trying to save elephants while CITES officials and others hold meetings/conferences in 5* locations and make, presumably, conscious decisions NOT to sanction CHINA, VIETNAM, USA, MALAYSIA, etc. What are you thinking about these officials – many of whom will be reading this as well?) http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/10/africa/chad-elephant-conservation/
Malawi takes to the screen to say no to wildlife crime
Something we never see happing in China or Vietnam. http://africageographic.com/blog/malawi-takes-to-the-screen-to-say-no-to-wildlife-crime /
(Typos corrected from yesterday) Big Business May Be Our Best Hope for Sustainability (NA COMMENT: Conservation International has certainly profited well from big business. $96MILLION annual income y/e June 2013. The author of this article is paid a positively whopping salary of $515,702.00 by Conservation International.) http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3562#.VSaPiZMXEsc and http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/09/big-business-may-be-our-best-hope/
Traffic Southeast AsiaBREAKING NEWS! MALAYSIA Second time offender caught with 105 white rumped shama, 2 blue rumped parrots and the frozen carcass of a barking deer in Bentong, Pahang in Malaysia. Wildlife authorities say the suspect faces 6 charges under the law. Don’t buy these if you see them for sale. Report wildlife crime.
https://www.facebook.com/Trafficsea
"Strong nations don’t fear active citizens—strong nations embrace and support and empower active citizens." —Obama
Kenyan Government must act to prevent alarming forests destruction
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000157797&story_title=Kenya-government-must-act-to-prevent-forests-destruction
Rhino killed in Kazirangahttp://www.ptinews.com/news/5902599_Rhino-killed-in-Kaziranga.html
European Union urged to ban ivory exports immediately (NA comment: Astonishing isn’t it, having to ask EU bureaucrats, many of whom see this newsletter, to ban ivory when if they had an ounce of concern they would have done so years ago. THE USA is much the same. Apathy is contagious – maybe it has spread from CITES.) http://www.eturbonews.com/57478/european-union-urged-ban-ivory-exports-immediately
Rougier enters three-year collaboration with WWF France – See more at: http://www.lesprom.com/en/news/Rougier_enters_three-year_collaboration_with_WWF_France_67146/#sthash.TymDoufm.dpuf
Trapped Orangutan With Gunshot Wound Is Rescued Just In Time
photo: Paul Hilton https://www.thedodo.com/marooned-and-shot-in-the-chest-orangutan-rescued-just-in-time-1083569458.html
Kiprono says wildlife is threatened by climate and invasive species http://www.coastweek.com/3815-Kiprono-says-wildlife-is-threatened-by-climate-and-invasive-species.htm
This Young Elephant’s Emotional Reunion With Mom Is The Uplifting Story You Need Today http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/10/elephant-reunites-mom-years-apart-thailand-video_n_7037020.html
An elephant never forgets: Mother is overcome with emotion when reunited with her daughter after three years apart
NGP transforms life timber poacher to forest defender – See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1701428656432/ngp-transforms-life-timber-poacher-to-forest-defender#sthash.zblH6iY3.dpuf
Market for alligator meat way up in state. USA http://flcourier.com/2015/04/market-for-alligator-meat-way-up-in-state/
Study finds roads in Southeast Asia may be devastating forests, wildlife http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0320-gfrn-mark-southeast-asia-roads-devastating-wildlife.html
Japan’s whaling fleet heads for Pacific despite anti-whaling laws, falling demand http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/10/c_134141000.htm
One Singaporean jailed, another fined for smuggling birds, reptiles
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/one-singaporean-jailed/1772738.html
More illegal loggers caught in Leuser National Park – See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/08/more-illegal-loggers-caught-leuser-national-park.html#sthash.jgwbTtap.dpuf
Namibian elephant poached in Bwabwata National Park http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Namibian-elephant-poached-in-Bwabwata-National-Park-20150410
Inquiry ordered into tigress poaching case http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Inquiry-ordered-into-tigress-poaching-case/articleshow/46883384.cms
Wildlife crimes on rise for lenient punishment. INDIA http://www.thedailystar.net/city/wildlife-crimes-rise-lenient-punishment-76753
Four Kruger Park poachers found guilty http://www.news24.com/Green/News/Four-Kruger-Park-poachers-found-guilty-20150410
Tiger skin seized, four held http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-skin-seized-four-held/articleshow/46883248.cms
Which CHINESE zoos and what kind of people want to
do business with the corrupt Zimbabwe government?
What do you call such zoos and people?
Will you write and ask this CITES official?
And while you are at it you could also ask why he approved the import of so many chimpanzees and gorillas he should have known were illegally traded? Remember this: He is a CITES official – ideally placed to approve such ‘dodgy’ deals.
| Dr. Meng Xianlin The CITES Management Authority of China The State Forestry Administration 18E. Street, Hepingli, Beijing(100714). P.R of China Tel: 0086-10-84239003 Fax: 0086-10-84238893 |
mengxianlin |
Meng Xianlin or one of his staff caused these baby elephants to be torn from their mothers and incarcerated like this. Wrong, isn’t it?
Photos courtesy Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. https://www.facebook.com/pages/ZCTF-Zimbabwe-Conservation-Task-Force/246013052094585
You, hopefully, see baby elephants stolen from their mothers and incarcerated before shipping to CHINA. It’s all about money and has nothing to do with conservation – does it?
