More bad than good news though Karl Ammann’s report
makes very interesting reading.
in the spotlight today……………
KARL AMMANN, WILDLIFE TRADE INVESTIGATOR, SENDS THIS ON-THE-SPOT REPORT. HOW CHINESE IVORY BUYERS ARE EASILY BUYING IVORY WHILE INCREASINGLY PUSHING THE BLAME ONTO THE VIETNAMESE.
“Based on very recent research of developing demand characteristics in Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam it again very clear that 90% of the ivory buyers in Vietnam and other neighboring countries are Chinese. And more new markets are still opening up in the region catering specifically to Chinese ivory and rhino horn shopping tourism. It is the Chinese policy makers have no problem with this development where all consumers can get what they want but the blame falls on third parties. This is manifested with the lack of effective border controls where most of these tourists return back to China.” (NA comment: So, again, we see China, CITES most favoured country, carrying on in the ivory and horn trade as usual while pretending to the public they are concerned etc. Tens of thousands of elephants and rhinos slaughtered to order by Chinese and CITES still refuses to sanction that country. Which makes CITES officials complicit in the trade, doesn’t it?)
and: China and the Hunting of Elephants. by John Sellar, former CITES Secretariat Enforcement Officer. EXTRACT: People may be welcoming the announcement that China has apparently banned, for one year, the import of ‘African ivory hunting trophies’[i]. I have to be honest and admit that my immediate, cynical old cop reaction, was that this was just a political gesture, with little meaningful impact. The Chinese CITES Trade Data does not reflect what one might expect at all.
CITES ISN’T WORKING. IS IT?
WHO CAN WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE?
WHO’S IN CHARGE?
No 538 Wildlife Trade News: 18th October 2015
SUMATRA /INDONESIA
WHAT DO YOU CALL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND NGO’S WHO HAVE STOOD BY AND WATCHED THIS AND ANOTHER TIGER INCARCERATED, IN AGONY AND TORTURED FOR 224 days? Look at the size of the cage this large tiger has been and still is kept in. WWF, WCS. FFI, and others, have all known about this shameful abuse of tigers.
Giring wounded in the back, legs and body because of the small size cage which is only 3 meters x 1.5 meters.
photo: SCORPION
INDONESIA: Scorpion : Perdagangan Satwa Liar di Jakarta Tidak Terkendali
http://kabarjakarta.com/scorpion-perdagangan-satwa-liar-di-jakarta-tidak-terkendali/ And http://www.beritalingkungan.com/2015/10/perdagangan-satwa-liar-di-jakarta-tidak.html
Sad but true: animals ‘grieve’ for lost relatives http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Environment/article1620870.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_10_17
Thousands of rhinos, 500 poachers; grim toll in the hunt for prized horns. Hundreds of illegal hunters of the rhinoceros in South Africa’s Kruger national park have been shot dead by rangers in the past five years, but the temptation of a rich reward to end an impoverished life in Mozambique keeps them coming http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/18/rhino-horn-boom-impoverished-african-poachers
INDONESIA: Govt, breeders join forces to save endangered Bali starlings – See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/10/17/govt-breeders-join-forces-save-endangered-bali-starlings.html#sthash.0oI17OFm.dpuf
Indonesia set to be world’s No. 3 air polluter http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-set-to-be-worlds-no-3-air-polluter
Why it’s crucial to curb deforestation http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/why-its-crucial-to-curb-deforestation
Satpura radio-collared tiger killed for witchcraft http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Satpura-radio-collared-tiger-killed-for-witchcraft/articleshow/49428874.cms
TRINIDAD: Kill ‘em all—our wildlife policy https://www.guardian.co.tt/columnist/2015-10-17/kill-%E2%80%98em-all%E2%80%94our-wildlife-policy
INDONESIA: This huge fire is along the Sabangau River, (CHECK OUT THE 2-MINUTE VIDEO) close to the research camp where OuTrop – The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project and CIMTROP have been working for nearly 20 years. Fire has already burnt the Patrol Post on the river and damaged the railway, and camp and the whole forest are at risk. You can help to support the brave efforts of the TSA fire-fighting team here https://www.facebook.com/marta.bina.98/videos/182801292053850/
Popular prince to speak out against wildlife trade to an audience of 100m. Duke of Cambridge will speak to his biggest ever audience to highlight the threat to endangered species posed by the trade in illegal wildlife products
Mozambique seizes nine elephant tusks http://en.starafrica.com/news/mozambique-seizes-nine-elephant-tusks.html
Environmental activists become endangered species in Brazil. In Brazil, at least 477 environmentalists were killed between 2002 and 2014, most defending the rainforest http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/10/18/environmental-activists-become-endangered-species-in-brazil.html
THAILAND: Ex-official an illegal logging suspect http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/ex-official-an-illegal-logging-suspect/117807/
THAILAND: Two forest poachers surrender http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/733660/two-forest-poachers-surrender
Elephant Killings: Thefts from Humanity http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bernie-shine/elephant-killings-thefts_b_8323846.html
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: Why Killing a Bull Elephant With Big Tusks Hurts the Herd. Scientists say the loss of a mature bull elephant has a profound impact on the herd. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151017-zimbabwe-elephant-tusker-trophy-hunting-poaching-conservation-africa-ivory-trade/
Who is killing Zim elephants? http://www.thestandard.co.zw/2015/10/18/who-is-killing-zim-elephants/
Big game hunting in Africa is economically useless – IUCN http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/big-game-hunting#cr
https://www.discountafricanhunts.com/hunts/namibia-desert-elephant-hunt.html
SABAH/MALAYSIA has its own methods of torturing wild animals. It now appears the self-declared ‘owner’ (law-breaker) of these two bears is above the law. Either that or the Sabah Wildlife Department can’t be bothered to do their duty and confiscate these bears. Which do you think it is?
THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE LAW NOT BEING ENFORCED
WILL Minister Masidi Manjun ENSURE THE LAW IS ENFORCED – AND WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY?The Minister IS ultimately responsible for Sabah’s wildlife law enforcement – or absence of. He gets to choose whether these ILLEGALLY HELD bears are confiscated from their horrifically cruel lives, or, will the ‘owner’ will be permitted to continue to break the law? The minister will be held publicly accountable, daily, – until the bears are confiscated and handed over to the nearby sun bear rescue centre. That’s only fair, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, if you don’t want to see cruelty to wild animals, it is best to stay away from Sabah.
‘Trapped in solitary confinement and immensely stressed’: Borneo’s sad sun bears caged for tourists’ entertainment
- Sun bears being kept in tiny cages at Tawau Hot Springs Recreational Park
- Lonely bears spend day after day pacing back and forth their metal prisons
- Dehydrated, they have no water and have drink from a hose from warden
- Now rescuers want the ‘stressed’ bears moved to a conservation centre
