More bad news from around the world about
poaching, wildlife and environmental crimes …
Please note this long newsletter represents news collated over the last few days. We should be back to normal tomorrow, including extensive coverage of Indonesia’s extensive and out of control wildlife markets.
in the spotlight today ……………………
South Africa reveals rhino poaching figures day after judge lifts trade ban http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/01/21/south-africa-reveals-rhino-poaching-figures-day-after-judge-lifts-ban-on-trade.html
1,175 rhinos killed by poachers in S. Africa in ’15 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/life/environment/2016/01/22/456749/1175-rhinos.htm
No, South Africa hasn’t turned the tide on its rhino poaching crisis http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/21/no-south-africa-hasnt-turned-the-tide-on-its-rhino-poaching-crisis
Minister to appeal rhino horn judgment https://www.enca.com/south-africa/minister-appeal-rhino-horn-judgement
No. 606 Wildlife Trade News: 22nd January 2016
THAILAND Exclusive: Tiger Temple Accused of Supplying Black Market
New report alleges that monks at a monastery in Thailand have been speed breeding the big cats for the illegal trade
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160121-tiger-temple-thailand-trafficking-laos0/
SABAH / MALAYSIA. End the shameful exploitation of orangutans in luxury hotel
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/01/21/end-the-shameful-exploitation-of-orang-utans-in-luxury-hotel/
SABAH / MALAYSIA: The killing of sea turtles in Semporna – James M. Alin – See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/the-killing-of-sea-turtles-in-semporna#sthash.xNQofjCl.dpuf
Sabah Wildlife department probing deaths of sun bear and turtles http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/01/20/sabah-wildlife-probing-sun-bear-turtle/
SABAH / MALAYSIA: What hope for wildlife? http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=106130
MALAYSIA: Large weaverbird seizure in northern Peninsular Malaysia
http://www.traffic.org/home/2016/1/20/large-weaverbird-seizure-in-northern-peninsular-malaysia.html
MALAYSIA: The Perak Border Security Agency and the Wildlife Department seized 1,480 protected birds from a van parked at a highway rest area on Monday. The suspects were headed to Ipoh in northern Peninsular Malaysia. Baya Weavers are famed for their hanging nests shaped from woven leaves. If you see something like this please report to Wildlife Crime Hotline . Hotline Hidupan Liar . ??????? or via the Wildlife Witness App
(Traffic south east Asia Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Trafficsea?fref=ts )
MALAYSIA: Authorities bust illegal logging scheme in Terengganu
SARAWAK / MALAYSIA: Action taken against illegal logging mastermind http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/01/21/action-taken-against-illegal-logging-mastermind/
Developing a palm oil alternative to save the orangutan (VIDEO) – See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/developing-palm-oil-alternative-to-save-the-orangutan-video#sthash.qDZgCmFs.dpuf
Malaysia is green and growing (NA comment: This is a pro-government newspaper) http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/01/22/malaysia-is-green-and-growing-new-data-from-the-un-fao-disproves-ngos-accusations-that-oil-palm-caus/
MALAYSIA: Three held for poaching, tiger carcass found. VIDEO
http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/three-held-poaching-tiger-carcass-found
SABAH / MALAYSIA: 6 sea turtles found dead in Semporna, Sabah – tied up with nylon ropes and badly decomposed; floating between Laut Silapag and Laut Sanggaban within the Priority Conservation Area (PCA). Authorities are investigating. More details in link in comment box.
Similar case on April 16, 2014 – 4 dead sea turtles were found floating between Bum-Bum Island and Kulapuan Island, also within the Semporna PCA. (Traffic south east Asia Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Trafficsea?fref=ts )
SABAH / MALAYSIA: No end to the killings http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=106075
MALAYSIA: Three U.S. zoos team up to save rare Borneo elephants http://www.theexaminer.com/stories/news/three-us-zoos-team-save-rare-borneo-elephants
INDONESIA: Severly distraught orangutan haunted from time kept as a pet http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/video/video-1245917/Kept-pet-Baby-orangutan-suffers-psychological-harm.html
INDONESIA: WATCH: Heartbreaking moment orangutan hugs herself trying to remember lost mother http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/636708/Watch-video-orangutan-lost-mother
Indonesia’s ‘high corruption risk’ may encourage terrorist activity. EXTRACT: The report also said TI found evidence of military involvement in providing “paid protection for companies operating West Papua, drug trafficking, illegal logging, as well as clashes between the military and police over an illegal fuel storage depot in Batam.” http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/asia-pacific/indonesia/bahasa/englishedition/119879-kpk-corruption-report-ranking
INDONESIA: Time-lapse animation provides a chilling overview of the fires that ravaged Borneo in late 2015. To view, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sy_LOPCkp8&feature=youtu.be
PICTURE THIS: Orangutan Rescue http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-3410864/PICTURE-Orangutan-Rescue.html
SUMATRA / INDONESIA: Aceh group files class
action suit to save Leuser – See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/21/aceh-group-files-class-action-suit-save-leuser.html#sthash.KaUpoyb9.2eieG8Ik.dpuf
Thai Officials Seize Smuggled Turtles Under Health Law Violation
http://freeland.org/press-releases/thai-officials-seize-smuggled-turtles-under-health-law-violation/
Will Hong Kong ivory ban reduce poaching in Kenya? http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/01/22/will-hong-kong-ivory-ban-reduce-poaching-in-kenya_c1276373
US interior secretary to visit Kenya over poaching
Read more at: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/lifestyle/article/2000188808/us-interior-secretary-to-visit-kenya-over-poaching
Houston Zoo joins partnership to help rare Borneo elephants http://abc13.com/news/houston-zoo-joins-partnership-to-help-rare-borneo-elephants/1168358/
Pheap timber under scrutiny http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pheap-timber-under-scrutiny
CAMBODIA: New Gov’t Task Force Continues Illegal-Logging Raids https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/new-govt-task-force-continues-illegal-logging-raids-105901/
CAMBODIA: Cambodia Top Supplier of Timber to Vietnam https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-top-supplier-of-timber-to-vietnam-106085/
Winners of Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge announced http://www.traffic.org/home/2016/1/20/winners-of-wildlife-crime-tech-challenge-announced.html
Zimbabwe: Rangers in Shootout With Elephant Poachers http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/zimbabwe-rangers-shootout-elephant-poachers-36393235
‘Drought could kill more rhinos than poaching’ http://oxpeckers.org/2016/01/drought-could-kill-more-rhinos-than-poaching/
On the trail of Colombia’s bushmeat trade
http://blog.cifor.org/39264/on-the-trail-of-colombias-bushmeat-trade?fnl=en
Global fishing catch significantly under-reported, says study http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35347446
US Interior Secretary to Help Fight African Wildlife Trafficking http://www.voanews.com/content/us-interior-secretary-to-help-fight-african-wildlife-trafficking/3152978.html
Two poachers held with skin and bones of tigers http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Two-poachers-held-with-skin-and-bones-of-tigers/articleshow/50645646.cms
South Africa: Four Alleged Rhino Poachers Denied Bail http://allafrica.com/stories/201601200847.html
ZAWA nabs suspected poachers http://www.znbc.co.zm/?p=29752
Africa Losses 34,000 Elephants Annually – http://allafrica.com/stories/201601211510.html
Shocking hidden camera footage shows circus trainer brutally beating elephants with a metal bar and hook after keeping them chained for up to 11 hours a day.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3408731/Shocking-hidden-camera-footage-shows-circus-trainer-brutally-beating-elephants-metal-bar-hook-keeping-chained-11-hours-day.html#ixzz3xutwpXVq
Hun Sen creates committee to tackle illegal timber trade in Cambodia
Gabon to deploy more rangers to counter ivory poachers http://www.africanews.com/2016/01/21/gabon-to-deploy-more-rangers-to-counter-ivory-poachers/
Forest dept opposes bail to two tiger poachers http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Forest-dept-opposes-bail-to-two-tiger-poachers/articleshow/50661313.cms
Jallikattu, Circus, Poaching, Caging: No End to Animal Cruelty http://www.thequint.com/india/2016/01/21/jallikattu-circus-poaching-caging-no-end-to-animal-cruelty
Namibia Makes Big Strides in Combating Poaching – Shifeta http://allafrica.com/stories/201601210603.html
Conservationist slams Zim wildlife exports (to CHINA) http://www.theindependent.co.zw/2016/01/22/conservationist-slams-zim-wildlife-exports/
Finland approves wolf hunt in trial cull. Authorised hunt of nearly 50 of the country’s 250 grey wolves, beginning this weekend, aims to curb illegal poaching http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/21/finland-approves-wolf-hunt-trial-cull-illegal-poaching
INDIA: 17 smuggled parakeets: Rescued, not yet saved http://www.bangaloremirror.com/bangalore/cover-story/17-smuggled-parakeets-Rescued-not-yet-saved/articleshow/50675285.cms
PERU: Two suspects sentenced to 3 years of prison for wildlife trafficking
Photos: Can helping local people save an embattled Nigerian park? http://news.mongabay.com/2016/01/photos-can-helping-local-people-save-an-embattled-nigerian-park/
Quantifying the aquarium trade to help it become more sustainable http://news.mongabay.com/2016/01/quantifying-the-aquarium-trade-to-help-it-become-more-sustainable/
Alarming proof of underreported bushmeat crisis in heart of Amazonia http://news.mongabay.com/2016/01/alarming-proof-of-underreported-bushmeat-crisis-in-heart-of-amazonia/
China’s new wildlife law falling short of ‘Ecological Civilisation’
https://eia-international.org/chinas-new-wildlife-law-falling-short-of-ecological-civilisation
CITES committee deploys trade bans, eyes September meet. EXTRACT. Nigeria, Angola, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) will each be the target of commercial trade bans in CITES-listed species until the submission of individual progress reports on National Ivory Action Plans (NIAPs) geared towards helping to tackle the escalating levels of illegal ivory trade and elephant poaching in recent years.
Guinea Bissau, Venezuela, and Liberia face trade suspensions in CITES-listed species for failing to put in place national measures needed to effectively implement the range of obligations required under the Convention. Furthermore, according to a document prepared by the CITES secretariat for last week’s meeting, a total of 88 parties and 13 dependent territories need to work towards bringing relevant legislation up to scratch with a particular focus on addressing illegal wildlife trade.
Similarly, trade in African grey parrots with the Democratic Republic of Congo was suspended due to a flouting of approved export quotas, alongside a lack of scientific data on the bird’s population status in the country. Further trade bans were imposed Lao PDR in monkeys and pythons, with Benin, Cameroon, and Ghana for chameleons, with the Solomon Islands on giant clams, with Guinea and Senegal in seahorses, and with Fiji for corals, according to a CITES secretariat press release.
Another 14 CITES parties could be subject to wildlife trade sanctions failing the submission of national annual reports within the next 60 days. http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/biores/news/cites-committee-deploys-trade-bans-eyes-september-meet
ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE
Only after the last tree has been cut down.
Only after the last river has been poisoned.
Only after the last fish has been caught.
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy
20th January 2016
CYANIDE POISONING
In the past couple of months, we have lost over 100 elephants to cyanide poisoning. The authorities have arrested a few people in connection with this but we believe they are just scape goats. Many different species have died such as vultures, hyena, buck, lion etc. This is because they have been drinking from poisoned water holes. The people doing the investigations are under threat from the authorities. Most of the perpetrators of the cyanide poisoning since 2013 have not yet been arrested but investigations are on-going.
ANTI-POACHING BY THE CHINESE
The Chinese have donated 2,3 million dollars worth of vehicles and equipment to play a part in conservation. This is strange as the biggest market for poached animals is USA and China. The Chinese are sending their own people to do the anti-poaching but we should be using our own people to do this. The Chinese could help by banning the importation of animals into China.
THEO BRONKHORST
Theo Bronkhorst went to court in connection with the shooting of Cecil the Lion but the High Court stepped in and stopped the proceedings. They have put in an application to the constitutional court until their argument has been heard.
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT
We are not surprised to hear that the Minister of the Environment went to China and fed carrots to the elephants there. Out of the 24 that were exported to China, one has died so there are 23 left. The food for the elephants consists of carrots, water melon and various other fruits. This is not suitable for the elephants but the minister claims that they are being well looked after and she will fulfill all the Chinese requests to import animals from Zimbabwe. She claims that Zimbabwe is over-populated with animals and we haven’t got the money to do anti-poaching. We have never seen an audit of the population of the wildlife. Nobody seems to know how many we have. The minister claims there is an over-population but how many do we actually have? We need to kick-start solar energy in the villages surrounding the wildlife areas, for example:
1. Boreholes
2. Fencing
3. Electricity in their houses
4. Bee keeping
5. Market gardening
6. Art and sculptures
7. Chicken and rabbit farming
8. Fish farming
9. Chillie growing
10. Making paper out of elephant dung.
11. Making organic compost.
We heard recently that 22 elephant tusks were recovered and it is claimed that the perpetrators were 11 Zambians. It is strange that a gun fight broke out but not one of the perpetrators was shot or injured. How did they know there were 11 Zambians? Did they count them?
ECOTOURISM
Ecotourism will generate more money to run the parks but at the moment, it is not. Removing the animals from Zimbabwe and sending them to China is inhumane. We know there is a drought every 4 years and we should be prepared for this. We were hoping that 2016 would change for the better but at the moment, it doesn’t look that way.
Since the death of Cecil, who didn’t die for a reason but for a cause, a lot of activists around the world are changing the laws and we hope people will abide by them. When CITES have their next meeting in South Africa, we hope that most of the animals facing extinction will be placed on Appendix I and all trade in live animals will be banned. If the authorities look at the scientific data, the results are quite frightening. A lot of animals will become extinct.
A lot of conflicts in Africa are being fuelled by natural resources such as timber, minerals, birds and animals. These animals are becoming endangered – African Grey Parrot, vultures (poisoning), lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, elephant and pangolin etc. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the conservation groups and TV stations for their support. To all the government officials and passionate people in different countries who have taken part in demonstrations, we say thank you but the battle is not yet won.
Our programmes are that we have to try and go to the grassroots (all the people who live around the wildlife areas) to alleviate poverty by kick-starting solar energy in their villages. Where there is human and animal conflict, we need solar energy for boreholes and fencing. We need to show them that they can make money out of wildlife without killing it. This will alleviate poverty and it will work. If they export animals to China, they will discourage tourists from coming here to see the animals in their natural habitat. The tourists will rather go to China to see the animals in Chimelong. Animals in captivity have a much shorter life span than those in the wild. Elephants for example live for about 35 years in captivity but in the wild, they live up to 75 years. If an elephant is sold to China, it is sold for about $20 000 which is a one-off. If it is left in its natural habitat, it can earn up to 2 million dollars through tourism.
Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Landline: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 712 603 213
Email: galorand
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ZCTF-Zimbabwe-Conservation-Task-Force/246013052094585
Website: www.zctfofficialsite.org.
The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force relies soley on public donations. Your donation can help to preserve the wildlife in Zimbabwe. If you would like to assist, please contact us.
