Your daily dose of bad news from around the world about poaching, wildlife and
environmental crimes …
in the spotlight today ……………………
CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES
OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA
CONCERNING: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. The Secretariat therefore informs Parties that the
recommendation to suspend commercial trade in specimens of CITES listed species with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is withdrawn with immediate effect. (NA COMMENT: One of the worst CITES Convention busting countries is welcomed back into the ‘club’ by its friends in CITES. One report, which the DRC CITES MA concocted itself, therefore, is highly likely to be fictional and simply telling the Secretariat what it conveniently wants to hear to get the DRC out of trouble, and everything is okay again – despite the DRC’s horrific track record in illegal wildlife trading and illegal logging. Besides which, writing a report/plan is one thing, putting it into action is VERY different and in the case of DRC how likely is it, do you think, any plan will be implemented? Will we now see sanctions removed from Angola as well? http://cites.org/sites/default/files/notif/E-Notif-2015-021.pdf
No 384 Wildlife Trade News: 16th April
Govt hopes to avoid sanctions after ivory crackdown. THAILAND (NA comment: Seeing as the DRC and Malaysia have avoided sanctions over their ivory trade – Thailand surely has nothing to worry about. Just tell CITES what it wants to hear and – job done, isn’t it?) http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-hopes-to-avoid-sanctions-after-ivory-crackdow-30258029.html
One-fifth of Malaysia’s wildlife facing extinction
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/295286
Former Sarawak minister named in report on state’s timber corruption
Timber industry needs to ensure exports from sustainable, legal sources. MALAYSIA (NA COMMENT: This minister says one thing and then does nothing.)
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/16/timber-industry-needs-to-ensure-exports-from-sustainable-legal-sources/#ixzz3XSCNZj9r
Conflating the figures – Zimbabwe attempts to justify selling off its wild elephants. (NA comment: An article for the CITES Secretariat to ponder over and China’s CITES MA will doubtless ignore?)
2015-04-15 12:34 Zimbabwe’s elephant population is so large that it has reached double the country’s carrying capacity, claims Zimbabwe’s minister for the environment, water and climate, Saviour Kasukuwere, who believes that his country’s recent capture and selling off young wild elephants, to zoos and private collections to the middle and far-east are necessary in order to control the exploding population. Kasukuwere provided no scientific evidence to support his claims regarding carrying capcity.
However, the Annual Water-hole Count in Hwange last year by Wildlife and Environment Zimbabwe revealed that Hwange’s elephant population at 22 414 ,was less than half the figure of 54 000 touted by Minister Kasukuwere, who does not explain where his figure came from. While the water-hole figures may not be 100% accurate as elephant populations are highly mobile dependant on environmental factors, they do give a good indication of the size of the population.
As for other areas in Zimbabwe, a survey just released by Kevin Dunham at the Workshop to Develop Elephant Conservation Policy and Management Plan for Zimbabwe has revealed that the elephant population in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi River Valley, which includes Mana Pools, has declined by more than 40% over the past thirteen years. This area has until recently been renowned for its healthy elephant population. And in direct contradiction to Kasukuwere’s claims, that the country’s population is expanding the preliminary results for 2014 show a staggeringly sharp decline of 75% in the combined Matusadona and Chizarira areas.
Such is the international concern over Zimbabwe’s elephants that in April 2014, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced the suspension of all imports for sport-hunted elephant trophies from Zimbabwe. The primary reason cited for the suspension, was “ poor mangement practices by Zimbabwe’s government and wildlife services” that have ‘led to a significant decline in elephant populations’ This suspension has this week been reviewed and upheld indefinitely for the same reasons .
Yet most incriminating of all are the figures published by the Elephant Database, a joint project of the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG). Based on aerial, ground and reliable sample and dung counts Zimbabwe’s total elephant population has been pegged at 47,000 individuals in 2012, which is just over half the figure presented by the Zimbabwe government. Furthermore, the report shows that there were 80,000+ individuals in 2007 meaning there has been a drastic decline by 2012, almost 50% less in just five years.
The capture of wild elephants for permanent captivity is illegal in South Africa where their sentient nature and the importance of maintainng their family groups is recognised by statute, and also flies in the face of world wide moves to remove elephants from circuses and zoos and place them in sanctuaries.
Adam Cruise *Submitted by Conservation Action Trust
Scientists urge three nations to preserve Borneo wildlife http://phys.org/news/2015-04-scientists-urge-nations-borneo-wildlife.html
Sarawak has most excellent marine police force http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/15/sarawak-has-most-excellent-marine-police-force/
Gov’t accused of buying illegal timber. GHANA http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/artikel.php?ID=354509
Central Hulu Sungai keeps protect Meratus’ Flora Fauna. INDONESIA
Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/15/central-hulu-sungai-keeps-protect-meratus-flora-fauna/#ixzz3XNdMU1WV
Orphaned baby rhinos inseparable after their mothers are killed by poachers. A rhino known as ‘Little G’ is helping the rehabilitation of a fellow orphan, Matimba, at an endangered species centre in South Africa.
Government again acknowledges rhino poaching is a priority crime http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38796&catid=87&Itemid=188
Police trained to combat wildlife crime in Odisha http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/4/15/police-trained-to-combat-wildlife-crime-in-odisha.html
New all-terrain vehicle gives Addo park a boost to fight poachers http://www.timeslive.co.za/scitech/2015/04/15/new-all-terrain-vehicle-gives-addo-park-a-boost-to-fight-poachers
Experts reject Japan’s new whaling plan. International Whaling Committee say proposal to resume hunt in Southern Ocean offers no scientific evidence that it is necessary http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/14/experts-reject-japans-new-whaling-plan
China: Customs seized 18 ivory tusks sent by courier from Japan
https://twitter.com/citesconvention
Neotropical Primate Conservation . PERU
Excellent news! This weekend the wildlife authorities of Arequipa, in southern Peru, rescued 211 critically endangered frogs from 5 different shops in the San Camilo market. These frogs are placed in a blender while still alive and used in the preparation of an aphrodisiac to be drunk. This great confiscation action is in answer to our official complaint to the environmental prosecutor office, resulting from a tip off received by our "denunciafauna" campaign.
Photos: Karina Espinoza – SERFOR – Arequipa
https://www.facebook.com/neoprimate/posts/1075291632486012?pnref=story
and further reports on Facebook may be found below:
https://www.facebook.com/neoprimate/posts/1075969642418211?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/neoprimate/posts/1072946172720558?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/neoprimate/posts/1056014777747031?pnref=story
https://www.facebook.com/neoprimate/posts/1043706992311143?pnref=story
Man arrested for illegally hunting in Gilgit-Baltistan. PAKISTAN http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/04/15/uncategorized/man-arrested-for-illegally-hunting-in-gilgit-baltistan/
Body of African anti-poaching pilot found nearly a year after he mysteriously disappeared http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/body-of-african-an-anti-poaching-pilot-found-nearly-a-year-after-he-mysteriously-disappeared
Wildlife awareness hoardings
http://www.assamtimes.org/node/13422
Illegal fishing costs Ghana millions of dollars annually http://www.theafricareport.com/West-Africa/illegal-fishing-costs-ghana-millions-of-dollars-annually.html
Fishermen’s ire over trawler ban pushes Indonesia to form special task force http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0415-jacobson-trawler-ban-task-force.html
Cameroon: Elephant Poaching – New Tracking System in Place http://allafrica.com/stories/201504151181.html
India mulls ban on captive elephants
An elephant loaded with fodder pillaged from the city’s trees navigates a busy Delhi road in monsoon rain. http://www.thenational.ae/world/south-asia/india-mulls-ban-on-captive-elephants
