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Category: Wildlife Trade

Conservation Organizations, Wildlife Under Threat as Tourism Collapses During Worldwide Lockdowns

gorilla

Conservation organizations protecting critically endangered species face closure worldwide. This follows the collapse of the tourist industry with lockdowns in place globally to control the spread of COVID-19. Many organizations who work to protect threatened ecosystems and species depend on revenues from ecotourism to fund their conservation activities. Most of them work in resource-rich countries whose ecosystems and biodiversity are under assault from mining, deforestation, industrial agriculture and urbanization. But their work is becoming even more important. People in rural, biodiverse-rich areas are expected to be driven to rely on game meats and activities like illegal deforestation and mining since their source of income from tourism has disappeared. Already, the black rhinos of the Okavango Delta, in Botswana, have been evacuated after six were poached in March. Meanwhile, the largest ever hauls of pangolin scales were seized in Singapore last month just as the Chinese government outlawed the consumption of wildlife because it is believed that the coronavirus epidemic is a consequence of humans eating wild animals. These conservation organizations and their employees – like the endangered animals they protect – are also under threat. Twelve rangers caring for mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, were murdered last month while they were trying to protect the giant primates from poachers. In a parliamentary briefing on the wildlife trade and COVID-19 in South Africa, Nick King, an international climate change and biodiversity expert, argued that if we want to reduce the future spreading of diseases from humans to animals, ecosystems that these wild animals occupy need to be nurtured and taken care of. “While we are locked down in our homes, and our attention is fixed on the coronavirus, we must not forget about the animals,” says Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby) spokesperson Elizabeth Kruger. “Now more than ever, the work of conservation organizations to protect critically endangered species is crucial. Not only is the wildlife trade implicated in the spread of the coronavirus, but precious species are facing threats in the wake of the virus’s spread across the globe. ASI urges our readers to support conservation and animal welfare organizations during the coronavirus lockdowns, and beyond.”

Widespread Opposition to Wet Markets Across Asia

widespread

Last week, the Australian government described wildlife wet markets as a “biosecurity and human health risk” and urged G20 countries to take action against them. Even though nobody knows exactly how COVID-19 originated, it is thought that the coronavirus was spread through exotic animals at the Huanan wet market in Wuhan in China. Last week, the World Health Organization also called for stricter safety and hygiene standards in wet markets, particularly those selling exotic wildlife. Generally, wet markets are common across the Middle East and Africa where people depend on them as an important food source. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, opinions regarding wildlife wet markets across Asia in particular have turned negative. The World Wildlife Fund published polling earlier this month showing opinions about the markets in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Japan. It found that worries are high regarding the possibility of another coronavirus outbreak. 88 percent of those polled in Vietnam were either extremely or very worried about that occurring, along with 86 percent in Thailand, 79 percent in Myanmar, 78 percent in Hong Kong and 76 percent in Japan. In all countries except Japan, 90 percent or more of respondents would support government efforts to close wildlife wet markets. The report states that Japan’s low figure of 54 percent is due to a large share of those polled saying that there are no wildlife wet markets in the country. Indeed, open wildlife markets are not thought to be particularly prevalent in Japan. Originally posted my statista.com – the original post can be found here

Cartoon Illustrated by Matt Pritchett – Telegraph Cartoonist

Matt Pritchett’s cartoons delight readers each day. Matt is a Telegraph institution, and his witty sketches are a vital part of the newspaper. In his newsletter, the enormously popular cartoonist explains just what inspires him each day, and shares an extra, unseen cartoon, which will not have been published anywhere else. For more cartoons from Mat you can subscribe to The Telegraph

South African Government Plans to Make It Legal to Use Endangered Species For Human Meat

In a devastating blow to its wildlife, South Africa plans to declare its wild animals as meat for human consumption and to allow unrestricted farming of everything from lions, giraffes and rhinoceros to tiny antelopes.  Under the proposal, no animal is taboo. The proposal specifically lists 104 wild animals that can be farmed, but stresses that the law will apply to all other species of animals including birds, fish and reptiles. Their genetic material, embryos and body parts can be harvested and traded. Even worse, amendment specifically includes “animals that may be listed as threatened species.”  The regulations are to be changed so that any wild animal can be exported, smoothing the way for exporting dead lions and their bones. If this isn’t Machiavellian enough, the government has put a ridiculous time limit on when submissions can be made – April 30. But, because of the corona crisis, South Africa remains in strict lockdown with no end in sight, making meaningful comment very difficult. The Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby)’s Nicolette Peters points out that the government seems to be following China’s laws on wildlife, where until recently commercial farming of wild species has been commonplace. “Well, we know how that turned out,” she said. “The corona crisis is killing hundreds of thousands of people as a direct result of Chinese wet markets.” – “China’s ‘wet markets’, where wild and domestic animals are held in close proximity to humans in unhygienic conditions.” The outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus is believed to have originated in a wet market, from a wild animal – potentially a pangolin. Peters says that ASI is shocked that, in the midst of a global pandemic that is believed to have originated from contact between humans and wild animals, the South African government is proposing to allow unfettered consumption of any animals whatsoever, wild or tame. It is well-established that lion bones can carry diseases and toxic sedative residues that can be harmful to human health. Even more commonly-eaten game meats are increasingly prone to disease, and the need for antibiotics to treat them. “Opening up the entire South African biota to global consumption is blatantly irresponsible and retrogressive when it is well-established that 70% of new infectious diseases originate from human contact with animals,” said Peters.  “Epidemiologists and climate change experts warn more pandemics are coming as humans disrupt the last remaining wild habitats and come into closer contact with wild animals. What the South African government is about to do, places its entire human population at greater risk, along with tourists who visit the country. “Not only does the South African government propose to put the entire globe at risk of future pandemics, but also the survival of already endangered wild species. Making the parts of endangered animals available for medicine, fetishes or meat increases demand for animals caught in the wild.” Reclassifying wild animals as livestock and legalizing the slaughter and consumption of all species without any off limits is, as far as ASI can make out, an unprecedented law. “The South African government’s proposals are disgraceful and we urge people to speak out strongly against it,” said Peters. The deadline is April 30 to oppose these inhumane and extremely disturbing law changes. ASI urges our supporters and all people concerned about biodiversity and animal welfare to make their voices heard before it is too late. Comments can be sent to: Dr M. Molefe Director: Veterinary Public Health Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Email: VPH@daff.gov.za Tel: +27 12 319 7699 Some of the animals allowed to be killed include: African Buffalo Bushpig Cape Grysbok Crocodile Donkey Duiker Dwarf Antelope Elephant Gemsbuck Giraffe Grey Rhebuck Hippopotamus Horse ImASIa Klipspringer Lechwe Mule Oribi Porcupine Rhinoceros Roan Antelope Royal Antelope Sable Antelope Scimitar Oryx Sharpe’s Grysbok Steenbuck Suni Warthog White Antelope Zebra

South African Wildlife Under Government Assault, Humans Under Threat

In a devastating blow to its wildlife, South Africa plans to declare its wild animals as meat for human consumption and allow unrestricted farming of everything from lions, giraffes and rhinoceros to tiny antelopes. Under the proposal, any wild animal may be used – no distinction is made between domestic animals and wild creatures. No animal is taboo. The proposed Act of Parliament specifically lists 104 wild animals that can be farmed, but also stresses that the law will apply to all other species of animals including birds, fish and reptiles. Their genetic material, embryos and body parts can be harvested and traded. The mighty lion is already treated just like a cow: lions can be bred and slaughtered for their bones to be sold on international markets as a substitute in tiger bone wine and used in jewellery. Lion cubs can be taken away too early from their mothers, who will give birth to many more offspring in their lifetimes in captivity than they would in the wild. The proposed amendment to the Meat Act (2000) will worsen the conditions of lions and all wildlife in South Africa. There will be no more wildlife, only livestock and meat. The South African Meat Safety Act of 2000 regulates the safety of meat and animal products, abattoir standards, and the import and export of meat. This February, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural put forward motions to include in the act an inexhaustive list of creatures that “may be slaughtered as food for human and animal consumption”. Even worse, the amendment is to include “animals that may be listed as threatened species in accordance with conservation provisions”. This could be an important development for game farmers, according to the Farmer’s Weekly, and would allow them to legally slaughter their game populations, and distribute the meat in a sanitary and safe manner. According to WWF, the wildlife game meat economy can contribute to rural development, job creation and security through the establishment of abattoirs in private and state-owned conservation areas. Why the law should extend to cover animals such as lions is a troubling mystery, since South Africans do not customarily eat lion meat. EMS Foundation sheds some light on the matter. They report that a challenge to the lion bone export trade in South Africa has been that, until now, the bones have been exported as “trophies”, but because they are used for human consumption, they need to be exported under a food export permit – and therefore regulated under the Meat Safety Act. The same would apply for any species being exported for human consumption – be that food or medicine. Until now, lions have not been included on the list of meats suitable for human consumption in the Food Safety Act, nor in the Meat and Animal Export Procedures of South Africa, according to EMS. The same applies for rhinoceros. The new Meat Safety Act amendments change all of this. Now, any animal can be exported under the new food safety and export laws, and the way for trading in the prized lions and their bones has been smoothed. The Meat Safety Act amendments argue that the new rules might benefit land owners seeking to slaughter their excess animals, but in combination with the recently passed Animal Improvement Act, the scenario becomes more sinister. The new laws leave many grey areas for an already murky and poorly-regulated captive game industry, and there are no guarantees that wildlife would be kept under the same free-ranging conditions as the WWF might suggest. The proposed laws raise other questions, such as why endangered species like the rhinoceros, oribi – or any other species for that matter – should be included on a list of species deemed appropriate for human consumption and export. As Italian magazine, La Stampa, points out, the export market is highly profitable, and the “meat” is not limited to what people will eat. Effectively, the combination of these acts promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development together with the Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries, allows for the export of any of South Africa’s endangered wild animals, not just those on the list. The government can simply introduce the new regulations based on advice from ‘experts’. In practice, that largely means people sympathetic to the government’s wishes, with animal welfare organizations mostly excluded from the process. If this isn’t Machiavellian enough, the government has put a time limit on when submissions can be made – April 30 is the deadline and South Africa is in total lockdown until then because of the corona crisis. Insult is piled on to injury because the legislation is being driven by South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development which is charged with ensuring the well-being of numerous endangered species. Minister Thoko Didiza seems to be following China’s laws on wildlife, where until recently stock farming of wild species has been commonplace. “Well, we know how that turned out,” said the Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby)’s Nicolette Peters. “China’s so called wet markets, where wild and domestic animals are held in close proximity in unhygienic conditions and in close contact with humans.” The outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus, is believed to have originated in a wet market, from a wild animal – potentially a pangolin. ASI is outraged that, in the midst of a global pandemic that is believed to have originated from contact between humans and wild animals, the South African government is proposing a law that will allow unfettered consumption of any animals whatsoever, wild or tame. It is well-established that lion bones can carry diseases and toxic sedative residues that can be harmful to human health. Even more commonly-eaten game meats are increasingly prone to disease, and the need for antibiotics to treat them. Opening up the entire South African biota to global consumption is blatantly irresponsible and retrogressive when it is well-established that 70% of new infectious

Coronavirus

URGENT! Animal cruelty caused Coronavirus, now is the time to stop China’s live market trade FOREVER.

Philippines Court Cases

ASI has been fighting for decades to end the illegal dog meat trade in the Philippines. We work closely with law enforcement agencies to track down the evil people who kidnap dogs for slaughter. During a police raid on a dog meat trader’s secret “stash,” officers discovered kidnapped dogs being held for slaughter in a cruel, concrete pit. We rescued them all. It felt so good for our team to lift those suffering souls from that sweltering hellhole in the Philippines, and supporters like you made it happen. But what if our work stopped there, with the rescue? What if there was no prosecuting, convicting, or imprisoning of these brutal dog meat criminals? It would be the saddest kind of dust in the wind, and the killing and the kidnapping of defenceless dogs would continue. This must never be! That’s why we are asking for your help today to fuel a battle against the Philippines dog meat trade that is as critical as our raids and rescues. The battle in the courtroom. Rush your donation now to help us serve up justice to dog meat traders and traffickers in the Philippines, and end their ugly reign of terror. Let us tell you about what has unfolded since we rescued those five poor dogs (they are all safe and in loving homes today). THIRTEEN traders convicted! THREE now locked in prison! OVER ONE MILLION pesos in fines to the government! My team appears at trial after trial, no matter how slowly the judicial process takes. One recent case stretched 24 months but ended in the conviction of two traders. Another took nearly NINE years! Just imagine the grim fates of untold numbers of dogs if we’d run out of funds to pursue each case. Justice is deeply worthwhile, but costly. Sadly, all fines go to the government. My team receives no help for their heroic work and determination. So, I turn now, to you. I know a court hearing isn’t as dramatic as a rescue or a raid. But they are transporting poor, dead dogs by the truckload! Can you imagine stopping even one of these heartless criminals in their tracks? It’s dangerous but VITAL work. Your support now WILL SAVE MORE DOGS, so please be as generous as you can. Thank you so much for being a true friend to dogs in the Philippines.

The World’s Most Trafficked Animal Is on the Verge of Extinction

Pangolins are under threat. Their extinction is imminent and once again it’s all thanks to mankind. More than one million pangolins have been poached or trafficked in the last decade alone and this lucrative business is thriving. In some parts of the world pangolins are beaten and suffocated with smoke, then boiled alive. Some restaurants in Vietnam even go a step further and slaughter live pangolins at the dinner table. The Animal Survival International’s (ASI) is actively involved in global campaigns to get governments to pass stricter laws and mitigate this catastrophe. “We cannot allow this horrendous slaughter to continue, something has to be done. These solitary and peaceful creatures are one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade,” said ASI’s Andrea Matthee. Pangolins are mainly traded for their scales, which Chinese medicine incorrectly states can be used to treat several illnesses. The plight of the poor pangolin dates as far back as 1820, where King George III was presented with a coat and helmet made with their scales. “This trade is still thriving today, 200 years down the line and it has always been driven by money. The scales from a single pangolin can fetch up to $100,000 (£81,000) on the black market,” explained Matthee. All eight pangolin species are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being threatened or vulnerable. Two of these species are critically endangered. International trade in pangolins is prohibited in terms of the global Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreement and yet the trafficking continues unabated. In April, 2019, Malaysian authorities uncovered 27 tonnes of animals and scales – a record breaking bust to the value of over $2 million (£1.6 million). Moreover, in Singapore 26 tonnes were intercepted and in Vietnam five tonnes were confiscated after being found hidden under a container of cashew nuts. Beyond unfounded medicinal ignorance, pangolin meat is also treated as a delicacy and forms a big part of the multibillion-dollar bush meat trade. “It’s time for us to rise up and fight for these voiceless creatures. Authorities around the world continue to turn a blind eye to this scourge but we will continue to fight for the survival of these creatures because if we don’t do it, who will?” said Matthee. Pangolins, or scaly anteaters as they are otherwise known, are solitary and secretive mammals that live in underground burrows or tree hollows. They are found in parts of Asia and across the African continent and are the only mammals in the world to be covered in scales. They’ve got small heads, long snouts and even longer tongues for slurping up ants from inside ant nests.

Pangolins

Pangolins are on the verge of extinction. Most people don’t even know what a pangolin is – nor that this shy, nocturnal creature is the most trafficked and hunted animal in the world. Their situation is so serious we really need your help to stop them being wiped out. Pangolins, also known as scaly anteaters, are solitary and secretive, living in underground burrows or tree hollows in parts of Asia, and throughout Africa. Global warming and deforestation threaten their habitat – but there’s a more dire, existential threat: human ignorance and greed. They are slaughtered for their skin and scales and hunted for a fake medicine or status meal. More than ONE MILLION pangolins have been poached or trafficked in just the past decade! The shy, reclusive, almost unknown creatures are being wiped out because of criminal activities that are out of control. The trade is driven by money: the scales from a single pangolin can fetch up to £80,000 ($100,000). In China and Vietnam, they are boiled to make potions falsely believed to cure cancer and skin conditions, and boost virility. To make it worse, pangolin meat is prized as a delicacy in these countries. These meals are routinely accompanied by unspeakable cruelty. The Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) has documented live creatures beaten and suffocated with smoke, then boiled alive. Waiters in upmarket Vietnamese restaurants offer to procure live pangolins and slaughter them at the table. The pressure for horrific poaching and trafficking is as strong as ever. Pangolins range in size from really small, at just 12 inches (30cm) long, to the giant pangolin, at around five feet (1.5m). All eight pangolin species are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being threatened or vulnerable, and two are critically endangered. International trade in pangolins is prohibited in terms of the global Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) agreement. Yet, the trafficking continues unabated. In April, Malaysian authorities seized a 27-ton consignment of animals and scales, the highest ever in that country, with an estimated black-market value of £1.6m ($2-million). Police in Singapore intercepted shipments of scales totalling 26 tons, and in Vietnam, authorities confiscated five tons hidden in a container of cashew nuts transported from Nigeria. In separate recent discoveries, a further ten tons of scales were seized in Uganda, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. With numbers like that, it is only a matter of time before all the pangolins have gone. Pangolins need better law enforcement if they are to be saved from extinction. ASI needs your help to spread awareness about an impending global disaster. Please, if you possibly can, donate today so that we can make sure these precious creatures don’t slide unnoticed into extinction. Soon, the expression will no longer be: dead as a dodo, but dead as a pangolin, another creature that the world failed to save.

Looming Brexit Could Be a Disaster for Animals

The Animal Survival International is deeply concerned that the chaos surrounding Brexit is very bad indeed for animals. 80 percent of current animal welfare legislation comes from EU law. If the UK leaves Europe on October 31, as planned by the Conservative government, UK animal welfare may well suffer enormous setbacks. A raft of new legislation will be needed to protect animals at a time when the country will be wrestling with an array of serious legislative issues. There is no indication from the government that animal welfare will be on any priority list. As just one example of the scope of the problem is that a million pets have travelled with their owners from the UK to Europe on Eurostar since 2013. The UK government’s response to this is to state that pet travel requirements will change on the day Brexit happens, and that it is possible from then on – and we quote: “You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and vaccinated against rabies before it can travel. You must wait three months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you can travel.” The hardship for pets and owners, should this happen, is hard to overstate. The tests will be expensive and the paperwork time consuming, holidays will become more difficult to arrange and finance, and pets more likely to be abandoned. There are massive concerns about the welfare of farm animals. Britain will have to urgently negotiate new trade agreements, which will almost certainly be made with countries with lower animal welfare standards. Britons could be faced with a flood of beef from the USA where cattle are given growth hormones, and pork which is produced from pigs raised in sow stalls, where the sow is barely able to move and unable to turn around and is without proper bedding. Sow stalls have been banned in the EU since January 2013. Then, there is the problem of chickens as many countries still allow battery cages that are inherently cruel to the fowls. Animal lovers may well have no way of knowing under what conditions animals are raised. Abusing animals is cheaper than raising them under reasonable conditions which means that meat produced by cruel treatment will be cheaper than that produced domestically where rules are stricter. Economists predict financial hard times for the UK after Brexit, and people will naturally lean towards cheaper products. The consequences are obvious: poorer animal welfare and poorer UK farmers. The UK has always been a key player in the EU on international animal welfare matters to ensure the EU has a block vote in international bodies like the International Whaling Committee, and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has animal welfare and protection at its heart, from elephants to whales. Any change brought about by Brexit must ensure that the UK’s commitment remains unwavering, using its influence to protect endangered animals and their habitats. ASI is working to support MPs and prospective MPs from any party, who are animal friendly and prepared to fight for laws and regulations that protect animals. In these uncertain times, we urgently need your help to ensure that animals are not casualties in post Brexit times. Please donate today to ensure that ASI will be in a position to ensure that animal welfare does not become a forgotten issue.

Botswana’s Elephants: Myths vs Facts

Botswana

In the final analysis, the southern African countries represented at the Kasane Conference appear intent on moving against science and cogent argument.

UK Introduces Strict Ban on Sale of Ivory

Ivory Sales

The number of elephants living in the wild has declined by almost a third in the last decade and around 20,000 elephants a year are being slaughtered due to the global demand for ivory.

Singapore Seeks a Ban on Ivory Sales

Ivory Sales

If the ban is passed, it means individuals and local businesses will no longer be able to sell or buy any form of elephant ivory in Singapore.