The daily dose of bad news about poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes …
in the spotlight today ……………………
In Vietnam, rampant wildlife smuggling thrives. EXTRACT: The country is a major thoroughfare for wildlife goods bound for China, which arrive overland from Cambodia, Thailand and Laos; by ship from Malaysia and Indonesia. “After China, Vietnam is the next port of call in terms of where to look to figure out what’s going on with wildlife trade,”; those caught trafficking wildlife in Vietnam or other transit countries almost always escape punishment. Dealing in protected species is a criminal offence under Vietnamese law, as is selling wild-caught animals of any kind. But even when trafficking kingpins are taken into custody, prosecution often depends on finding unrelated charges that are taken more seriously than wildlife crime, such as car smuggling.
The United States is the second-largest market for illegal wildlife products, but only an estimated 10 per cent of traffickers are caught because of inadequate resources supporting enforcement, as well as legal loopholes pertaining to certain products, such as ivory. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/471439/in-vietnam-rampant-wildlife-smuggling.html
WHY IS VIETNAM ALLOWED TO REMAIN A UNREPENTANT CONVENTION-BUSTING
MEMBER OF CITES?
CITES ISN’T BEING MADE TO WORK – IS IT? WHY?
No 383 Wildlife Trade News: 14th April
Animals on the brink of extinction: World maps reveal the countries with the most endangered mammals
· Maps were created by the Eco Experts based on data from the World Bank
· Indonesia topped the list with a total of 184 endangered mammals
· Second was Madagascar with 114 and third was Mexico with 101
· Species include lemurs, Sumatra tigers, blue whale and the red wolf
Traffic Southeast Asia Police arrested 3 Thais with two Ploughshare tortoises in their shop in the Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok. The tortoise is among the rarest in the world – found only in Madagascar and listed as Critically Endangered no thanks to the demand for rare pets. (NA comment: This is excellent news coming as it does soon after a NA report on a shop openly selling illegal tortoises in this market. But, only two confiscated?)
The Elephant’s No Longer in the Room: Four Lessons Animal Rights Groups, Zoos and Circuses can Learn From the Shift at Ringling Brothers. EXTRACT; Smart operators of animal venues know that, in the future, amusement-only forms of entertainment will offend an increasing share of the marketplace, and trigger risks to reputation that will ultimately make them uneconomic. Successful operators will learn from the changes made by Ringling and others, and adapt their offerings to blend enrichment and entertainment in ways that enjoy the support of almost everyone.
So whether you are an animal rights activist or an executive of an institution in which animals are exhibited, the questions to ask are:
- Does each experience create a sense of awe, respect, reverence, and wonder for animals and nature – or does it merely excite and amuse?
- Does each experience reveal the animal’s deeper nature, and create a sense of empathy that connects us – or does it diminish their nature in order to amuse us?
- Is each experience safe, healthy, respectful, and enjoyable for the animals, trainers, and visitors? Does each engagement between people and animals provide benefits to both?
- Does the venue, in its operations, research, and philanthropy, systematically advance the state of research, knowledge, and protection of animals and natural systems? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-shireman/ringling-brothers-elephants_b_7055662.html
Malaysian mammals face extinction http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/04/14/Malaysian-mammals-face-extinction-World-Bank-Fifth-of-species-threatened/
Islands in focus: 26 orangutans to be released into wild – See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/04/14/islands-focus-26-orangutans-be-released-wild.html#sthash.ARCO1Owq.dpuf
Ethiopia ups war against foreign wildlife traffickers http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/183343/ethiopia-ups-war-against-foreign-wildlife-traffickers.html
Beijing police cracks down tiger-bone smuggling http://www.ecns.cn/2015/04-14/161637.shtml
Deforestation: Nigeria loses 400,000ha of forest, targets 25% cover
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/deforestation-nigeria-loses-400000ha-of-forest-targets-25-cover/
Green Scorpions crack down on wildlife crime at OR Tambo. SOUTH Africa http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Green-Scorpions-crack-down-on-wildlife-crime-at-OR-Tambo-20150413
US Fishermen Urge Action Against Illegal Mexican Fishing http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/25452/us-fishermen-urge-action-against-illegal-mexican-fishing/
‘Depressing comment on humanity’ – Bill Oddie on Malta (bird) hunt
Five Vietnamese charged with poaching rare primates
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/04/13/406089/Five-Vietnamese-charged-with-killing-primates
Angola: Authorities Concerned About Flora Exploitation http://allafrica.com/stories/201504131886.html
Malaysian palm oil industry denies deforestation claims (NA comment: If pushed, this industry would probably claim the world is flat. It keeps digging an ever deeper hole for itself while attempting to deny the undeniable.), 13-Apr-2015 The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has denied claims of corruption and widespread export of palm oil from illegally deforested land. http://www.foodnavigator.com/Policy/Malaysian-palm-oil-industry-denies-deforestation-claims
Illegal (red sanders) Consignment Re-Exported: SRI LANKAhttp://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/04/12/illegal-consignment-re-exported/
Gov’t to reinforce regulations on online domestic ivory trading. JAPAN http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150405p2a00m0na006000c.html
Bahrain vows clamp on illegal animal trade http://www.tradearabia.com/news/MISC_279444.html
Andhra’s U-turn: Lift ban on red sander trees felling. INDIA extract: Forsaking an environmental cause for monetary gain, the Andhra Pradesh government wants the Centre to lift the ban on felling the endangered and precious red sander trees. The state government has written to the Union forests ministry for removing red sanders from the endangered list, a move that has attracted protests from environmentalists. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Andhras-U-turn-Lift-ban-on-red-sander-trees-felling/articleshow/46884097.cms
Texas man sentenced to 4 years probation for trafficking in dead hummingbirds http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Texas-man-sentenced-to-4-years-probation-for-6192164.php
Endangered animals rescued in Vietnam
VietNamNet Bridge – Rare animals such as leopards, golden-cheeked gibbons, gray-shanked douc langur, Indochinese lutung and Asian black bear have been rescued by the Wildlife at Risk Organization (WAR)
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Pet Reptiles Linked to Serious Infections in Children Children who contracted salmonella infections from reptiles were more likely to develop serious bacterial diseases such meningitis http://www.wsj.com/articles/pet-reptiles-linked-to-serious-infections-in-children-1428942565
TRAFFIC and Malaysian enforcement agencies gathered to talk about current threats facing wildlife in the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex (northern Peninsular Malaysia) and draw up future plans for action.
http://www.facebook.com/Trafficsea
