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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
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Results for wildlife conservation
137 results foundAuthor: McDowell, Don Title: Wildlife Crime Policy and the Law: An Australian Study Summary: This is an assessment of the illegal trade in wildlife in Australia, encompassing all its attendant issues. The assessment in meant as a document that educates and provokes discussion about how the whole business of protecting native fauna and flora can be made better. Details: Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1997. 188p. Source: Year: 1997 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 118172 Keywords: PoachingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Abbott, Brant Title: The Economics of Endangered Species Poaching Summary: The poaching of endangered species is a global problem. In Africa elephants are poached for their ivory and rhinoceroses are poached to produce medicinal products from their horns (Fischer 2004). In North America grizzly bears are poached because their body parts are valuable, particularly gall bladders (Unknown 2004). In southwestern British Columbia there have been increasing occurrences of bald eagle poaching for the value of their feathers, but one poacher was only fined $1450 (Keating 2007). In a letter to the editor an outraged citizen called for greater penalties for those caught poaching as a means of deterrence (Foss 2007). This brings up an important point that has not received enough attention in the economics literature: poaching is a criminal activity and poachers make the same economic decisions as other criminals. The focus of this paper, therefore, is to examine the interaction between the economic decision making of poachers and the dynamics of endangered species. The literature regarding endangered species poaching has evolved largely in the context of the African elephant. One of the general goals of this literature has been to understand the impacts of an international trade moratorium on the survival of an endangered species. A common method by which researchers have contributed to the understanding of this subject is to examine the static impact on quantity poached that results from a policy change. For example, Fischer (2004) and Bergstrom (1990) develop static models to analyze policy changes. While such analyses provide valuable insights, a more complete approach would be to assess how policy changes would effect the population dynamics of the species. Under certain circumstances, policies will have ambiguous effects on the quantity of the resource that is poached, but this does not necessarily imply that the impact on the species population will also be ambiguous. It may still be possible to determine how the potential steady states of the species population will change. Two notable examples of work that examines changes in both the amount of poaching that occurs and the steady state resource population are Bulte and Damania (2001) and Kremer and Morcom (2000). Bulte and Damania examine the role of captive breeding in endangered species conservation in the context of imperfect competition. Kremer and Morcom investigate the possible impacts of storage on endangered species equilibria. Both studies use dynamic frameworks and provide results regarding steady state populations to give a complete account of the impact of policy on the vitality of the endangered species. Details: Victoria, BC: Resource Economics & Policy Analysis Research Group, Department of Economics, University of Victoria, 2008. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2018 at: https://web.uvic.ca/~repa/publications/REPA%20working%20papers/WorkingPaper2008-08.pdf Year: 2008 Country: International URL: https://web.uvic.ca/~repa/publications/REPA%20working%20papers/WorkingPaper2008-08.pdf Shelf Number: 117146 Keywords: Animal Poaching (Econometric Models)Endangered SpeciesIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Allais, Carol Title: Tsireledzani: Understanding the Dimensions of Human Trafficking in Southern Africa Summary: This report provides the first comprehensive assessment of human trafficking in South Africa. This research study was conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on behalf of the ‘Programme of Assistance to the South African Government to Prevent, React to Human Trafficking and Provide Support to Victims of Crime’. The programme of assistance forms part of South Africa’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking through prevention, response and support for victims, known as TSIRELEDZANI. The programme of assistance is being implemented by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and is co-funded by the South African Government and the European Union (EU). The overall objective of South Africa’s National Strategy on Human Trafficking is to ensure full compliance with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (hereafter, ‘Palermo Protocol’), which supplements the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. Compliance includes developing comprehensive legislation underpinned by a victim-centred empowerment approach, taking full account of the Victim’s Charter1 as well as relevant South African legislation. The specific purposes of the Tsireledzani Programme are to: (a) contribute to compliance with the Palermo Protocol requirements, (b) increase capacity to deal with trafficking, and (c) enhance inter-sectoral coordination and cooperation. Tsireledzani is being implemented by the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit of the NPA over a three-year period (2008-2010). The present study addresses Result 1 of the programme of assistance to the South African government: DEEPENED KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF TRAFFICKING, and presents findings on human trafficking in South Africa obtained from research undertaken from December 2008 to March 2010. The objectives of the study were to: 1. Identify trafficking trends in order to develop appropriate responses; 2. Identify national legislative measures, policy frameworks and women’s and children’s rights instruments; 3. Analyse counter-trafficking responses regarding human trafficking in the SADC region and other countries with comparative features; 4. Identify the profile of the victims and characteristics and motives of the agents in human trafficking; 5. Identify the purposes for human trafficking and the key driving factors; 6. Identify socio-economic aspects of the demand and cultural values and practices influencing human trafficking; 7. Identify the interrelation between human trafficking and migration relation issues in the context of globalization; 8. Identify the linkage between organised crime networks and corruption, and human trafficking; 9. Identify indicators for a national Trafficking Information Management System ; 10. Make recommendations on the outcome of the above results. Details: Pretoria: National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa, 2010. 206p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2010 at: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-3562.phtml Year: 2010 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/Document-3562.phtml Shelf Number: 119766 Keywords: Child ProstitutionCorruptionForced LaborHuman TraffickingIllegal TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: van Vliet, Nathalie Title: Livelihood Alternatives for the Unsustainable Use of Bushmeat Summary: The scale of current hunting is a serious threat to many forest species and ecosystems across the world. This threatens both people and the biodiversity they rely upon. The meat of wild animals has long been a part of the staple diet of forest dwelling peoples and remains a primary source of animal protein for the majority of forest families. Increasingly it can also constitute a significant source of revenue particularly where the trade is driven by increased bushmeat consumption in urban areas. In some areas bushmeat also plays a role in the cultural and spiritual identity of indigenous peoples. Acquisition of animal parts as cultural artefacts, for personal adornment or for hunting trophies is still a widespread practice throughout tropical forest regions and the rest of the world. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has identified unsustainable hunting of ‘bushmeat’, and its effect on non-target species, as a priority for action, with the development of small-scale alternatives to the unsustainable bushmeat harvest and trade of paramount importance. In June 2011, CBD and CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) held a joint workshop to recommend national and international actions to address the most pressing needs surrounding the ‘bushmeat’ crisis. CMS also attended this meeting. The publication lists possible options for small-scale alternatives to the unsustainable use of bushmeat, describes examples of success stories and lessons learned in Africa, Latin America and Asia/Pacific, and provides recommendations relevant at regional and global level. Details: Montreal: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity; London: TRAFFIC, 2011. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: CBD Technical Series No. 60: Accessed October 31, 2011 at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-60-en.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.cbd.int/doc/publications/cbd-ts-60-en.pdf Shelf Number: 123188 Keywords: BushmeatIllegal HuntingIllegal Trade, WildlifeWildlife Conservation |
Author: Arnold, John Thomas Title: Characteristics of Wildlife Law Violators in Mississippi and Their Attitudes Toward Conservation Officers Summary: With little research available addressing violator attitudes, two important research questions arise. First, does the type of violation (i.e., no hunter orange, trespassing, baiting, and hunting from a public road) committed affect violator attitudes? Second, does motivation for committing the violation influence violator attitudes? This study examined these questions by investigating violator attitudes toward Conservation Officers. I collected information from a sample of licensed violators in 2002 and 2003 using self-administered mail questionnaires. Most (90%) of the violators studied had been cited while hunting white-tailed deer. I did not detect any differences in attitudes toward Conservation Officers among the four violation types investigated. Reasons for violating also did not influence attitudes toward Conservation Officers. Thus, I conclude that Mississippi wildlife law violators can be treated as a homogenous group when looking at attitudes toward Conservation Officers. Details: Mississippi State, MS: Mississippi State University, 2005. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 23, 2012 at http://hdclel.org/PDFs/thesis/ArnoldThesis.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://hdclel.org/PDFs/thesis/ArnoldThesis.pdf Shelf Number: 123741 Keywords: Environmental CrimeLaw Enforcement OfficersOffendersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Mississippi) |
Author: Barcenas, Lai-Lynn Angelica B. Title: How Trade Facilitation Measures Impact Current Law and Policy on the Wildlife and Timber Trade: Case Study of the Greater Mekong Subregion Summary: International trade is a strong driver of economic growth, and for developing countries like those in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) there is a strong incentive to maximize its potential. Thus, efforts are being made to facilitate trade within the subregion through improvements in infrastructure, telecommunications and transportation. Among these efforts are trade facilitation measures designed to ease the export and import of goods. However, while these measures will increase the international trade of each GMS state, they may also have adverse effects on the biodiversity of the subregion. Global demand for wildlife and timber is already depleting the rich habitats of the GMS. The increased facility in the movement of goods across international borders that these trade facilitation measures would provide could further exacerbate such depletion. It is thus important for policymakers to carefully assess the emerging trade facilitation mechanisms and processes and determine potential risks and opportunities in curbing the unsustainable harvest of wildlife and timber, and their attendant trade. Details: Winnipeg, Canada: IIPD - International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. 5p. Source: Series on Trade and the Environment in ASEAN - Policy Brief 1: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2012 at http://www.iisd.org/tkn/pdf/trade_facilitation_wildlife_timber_brief.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.iisd.org/tkn/pdf/trade_facilitation_wildlife_timber_brief.pdf Shelf Number: 124021 Keywords: Law EnforcementTimberWildlifeWildlife Conservation |
Author: Piekielek, Jessica A. Title: Public Wildlands at the U.S.-Mexico: Where Conservation, Migration, and Border Enforcement Collide Summary: This dissertation examines changing relationships among natural landscapes and state agencies, as these relationships intersect in transboundary protected wildlands and in debates about natural resource protection and U.S.-Mexico border policy. Recent increases in undocumented migration, smuggling, and border enforcement along the Arizona-Sonora border impact ecology and public land management practices. In this dissertation, I analyze how natural and national spaces and boundaries are produced through institutional and individual practices and discourses in border wildlands. Further, I consider how different productions of space restrict or create opportunities for collaborative responses to ecological impacts resulting from migration, smuggling, and border enforcement. This research builds on anthropological scholarship on conservation, borders, and the production of space through an ethnography of conservation institutions as they face dramatic political and ecological changes in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Details: Arizona: University of Arizona, 2009. 264p. Source: Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 124098 Keywords: Border Security (U.S.) (Mexico)Environmental CrimeIllegal MigrationWildlife Conservation |
Author: Patel, Tricia Title: War Against Poaching in Africa: Learning from our mistakes Summary: The African elephant and rhino have long struggled to maintain their populations, which saw a devastating decline during the 1980s. With commercial poaching running rampant, the eye of the international community fell upon the lack of conservation policies implemented in African nations. Elephants and rhinos became icons of the conservation movement and more significantly, the keystones of Africa’s wildlife safari industry. As a result of declining populations, trade in both animals was regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). Despite the value they have to conservationists in the West, the reality is very different for those living next door to these animal populations. Southern African countries have fought hard against a total ban on trade in ivory, for it has the potential to generate much-needed revenue and fund conservation programs. Opponents fear resurgence in commercial poaching for ivory and vehemently resist any relaxation of the ivory ban and their concerns are well founded. Where elephant populations have stabilized, the black rhino has not been so lucky. As a result, non-governmental organizations have tried to implement conservation programs to combat tourism. However, a distinction is rarely made between subsistence poachers who hunt for food and commercial poachers who hunt for economic gain. Additionally, local communities are often misunderstood and portrayed as the enemies of wildlife, but commercial poachers pose a greater threat to wildlife. With the elephant and rhino populations continually being devastated by poaching, some governments have taken extreme anti-poaching measures, even if they come at the cost of fundamental human rights. This paper serves to analyze the differences between subsistence and commercial poaching in the context of African elephant and rhino populations, as well as evaluate previous conservation methods taken with respect to both forms of poaching. First, a history of CITES is provided, along with the relevant regulations that have governed and continue to govern both, the elephant and rhino. Then a comparison of subsistence poaching (including trade in bushmeat), and commercial poaching is discussed, as well as the motivating factors behind both. Additionally, previous conservation methods and anti-poaching strategies are evaluated against recent proposals and subsequent legal repercussions are suggested. It is important to understand the lack of international consensus regarding the elephant and rhino and CITES regulations so that the diverging interests may be better understood. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand the extreme measures that have previously been taken by governments and conservation organizations, so that the same mistakes are not made again. Details: Unpublished Paper, 2010. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://www.elizabethburleson.com/Poaching%20in%20Africa%20by%20Tricia%20Patel.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Africa URL: http://www.elizabethburleson.com/Poaching%20in%20Africa%20by%20Tricia%20Patel.pdf Shelf Number: 127017 Keywords: Animal Poaching (Africa)BushmeatElephantsIllegal IvoryRhinosWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Chardonnet, P. Title: Managing the Conflicts Between People and Lion: Review and Insights from the Literature and Field Experience Summary: Not long ago, when large mammals harmed people we talked of accidents; when they damaged people’s assets we referred to incidents. Nowadays, human/wildlife conflicts are regarded as common occurrences. It seems that what were once considered exceptional or abnormal events have become normal or usual. Whether this is a result of higher frequency and amplitude is not clear, because we do not have reliable statistics to make accurate comparisons. Similarly, human-eating and livestock-raiding lions might be seen as normal lions expressing their carnivorous nature in particular circumstances. Contemporary lions are not wilder or crueller or more dangerous than before: it is just that these particular circumstances seem to be recorded more frequently. Also, communication is now instant and universal: news of a casualty in a remote wilderness can be reported at once on the internet, spreading the information worldwide. Furthermore, a problem lion seems to have a greater psychological impact than a problem crocodile: a crocodile victim disappears, but a lion victim is more likely to be noticed; also, according to B. Soto, a lion incident might be perceived as an intrusion into the human environment, whereas a crocodile incident might be viewed as a human intrusion into the crocodile environment. The result is that the lion might be regarded as more at fault than the crocodile, even though the consequences are the same. In any case, the interface between humans and wildlife is increasing: growing human population and encroachment into lion habitat have simply augmented the incidence of contact between people and lions. Similarly, the harvesting of wildlife has increased, leaving less natural prey for lions. Obviously, the probability of clashes between people and lions now tends to be higher. Longestablished traditional ways of deterring fierce, fully-grown lions might become partly ineffective, and lethal methods are not always acceptable by modern standards. Triggers for human eaters and cattle raiders are being investigated, and knowledge of behavioural factors is improving. New methods to protect people and livestock from lions are being tested in a number of risk situations; these methods are also designed to conserve the lion itself from eradication over its natural range. Conservation of the lion is now a topical concern because our ancestors, the hunted humans (Ehrenreich, 1999) of the past who were chased by predators have become hunting humans and predators themselves. Interestingly, this study was undertaken during a period of rising general interest in conservation of the lion. Two regional strategies for the conservation of the African lion have been developed under the auspices of the Cat Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission, one for West and Central Africa, the other for Eastern and Southern Africa.1 And more and more lion-range states are developing national action plans. This provides evidence of the effort invested in tackling the diverse issues related to lion conservation. By focusing on the human/lion interactions, the present study is complementary to the work of the World Conservation Union. This study also echoes the dynamic forum facilitated by the African Lion Working Group.2 We hope that this review will contribute to the challenge of long-term conservation of the African lion. Success will be attained when the lion changes from being perceived as vermin or a pest to being regarded as a wealth or an asset. Details: Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Naitons, 2010. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Wildlife Management Working Paper 13: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/k7292e/k7292e00.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/k7292e/k7292e00.pdf Shelf Number: 127084 Keywords: Human-Animal ConflictIllegal HuntingLionsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Lindsey, P. Title: Illegal Hunting and the Bushmeat Trade in Savanna Africa: Drivers, Impacts and Solutions to Address the Problem Summary: In this report, the term ‘bushmeat’ is used to denote meat from wild animals that have been hunted illegally, which aside from being used for personal consumption, is often sold commercially. The bushmeat trade has long been recognized as a severe threat to wildlife populations in the forests of West and Central Africa and is considered a conservation crisis in that biome. Far less attention has been focused on the issue in African savannas, perhaps due to a misconception that illegal hunting for bushmeat in the biome is primarily for subsistence and is largely sustainable. However, there is a growing body of research conducted in the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania, and from sporadic studies elsewhere that contradict that perception. This report summarizes a workshop on illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade in the savanna biome organised and sponsored by Panthera, the Zoological Society of London and Wildlife Conservation Society. Growing concern over the impacts of illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade, particularly on large carnivores populations in Southern and East Africa, motivated the workshop. Large carnivores are particularly sensitive to the impacts of illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade and can act as a barometer of the severity of the problem, and also act as a basis from which to catalyze conservation action. Key experts gathered at the workshop to identify the drivers of illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade and the interventions necessary to address the issue. Hunting of wildlife is regulated in most African countries through wildlife legislation and permitting systems which specify restrictions on the times and places that hunting is permitted, the species that may be hunted and the hunting methods that may be used. The large majority of hunting for bushmeat contravenes one or more such restrictions. Snaring is the most common illegal hunting method and is particularly undesirable from a conservation perspective as it is highly effective, difficult to control, unselective in terms of the genders or species of animals captured, wasteful, and has severe animal welfare implications due to the manner of capture and confinement, and frequent incidents of severe, non-lethal wounding of wildlife. Other common bushmeat hunting methods include the use of rifles, muzzle-loaders, shotguns, dogs, fire, and in some cases, gin traps, pitfall traps and poison. Details: London and New York: Panthera, Zoological Society of London/Wildlife Conservation Society, 2012. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed January 25, 2013 at: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/bushmeat%20report%20v2%20lo_0.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Africa URL: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/bushmeat%20report%20v2%20lo_0.pdf Shelf Number: 127405 Keywords: Bushmeat TradeIllegal HuntingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Lack, Mary Title: An Overview of Shark Utilisation in the Coral Triangle Region Summary: This report, An Overview of Shark Utilization in the Coral Triangle Region, examines the catch, trade, and management of sharks in waters of the six Coral Triangle countries, plus the neighbouring countries of Vietnam and Fiji. Despite long-standing global concerns on declining shark populations due to growing evidence that many shark species are threatened, shark populations continue to decline. This is due to a general lack of even basic management, and is further exacerbated by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Some fisheries target sharks for their meat but the main driver of unsustainable fishing for sharks is currently the demand in Asia for fins, which are used in shark fin soup. Today, the vast majority of shark products come from unsustainable sources, not just fins. Sharks are also heavily traded for their meat, skin, and liver oil. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC; Jakarta, Indonesia: World Wildlife Fund, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2013 at: Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: Shelf Number: 127935 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeSharksUnregulated FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia) |
Author: Milliken, Tom Title: The Decline of the Black Rhino in Zimbabwe: Implications for Future Rhino Conservation Summary: This report presents an evaluation of Zimbabwe's Black Rhino conservation strategy in the face of continuous poaching and illegal trade in rhino horn, and an assessment of future options for rhino conservation. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 1993. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/123/1239704147.pdf Year: 1993 Country: Zimbabwe URL: http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/123/1239704147.pdf Shelf Number: 128052 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeIvoryRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Zimbabwe)Wildlife Poaching |
Author: Nijman, Vincent Title: Hanging in the Balance: An Assessment of trade in Orang-utans and Gibbons in Kalimantan, Indonesia Summary: This report presents an assessment of the trade in gibbons and orang-utans in Kalimantan, which is part of Indonesia’s territory on the island of Borneo. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and, within the Indo-Malayan region, supports the largest remaining expanse of lowland evergreen rainforest, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Most of this forest remains in the four Indonesian provinces of West, Central, South and East Kalimantan with about 50% of the land surface still under forest. However, commercial timber extraction, small-scale logging (legal and illegal), conversion, and forest fires – along with the concurrent increase in access to formerly remote areas – are increasingly threatening the integrity of the remaining forest, thus putting the survival of its inhabitants at stake. The forests of Kalimantan are home to three species of apes i.e. the Bornean Orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus, and two species of gibbon, the Bornean White-bearded Gibbon Hylobates albibarbis and Müller's Gibbon H. muelleri. All three are endemic to the island and thus are not found anywhere else in the world. The Bornean White-bearded Gibbon is confined to Kalimantan and for the other two species a disproportionately large part of their populations is found in Kalimantan, rather than other parts of Borneo. As all three ape species are classified by the IUCN Red List as Globally Threatened, primarily through loss of habitat but also through hunting and trade, Indonesia bears a great responsibility towards safeguarding the future of these primates. The Indonesian government has long recognized this responsibility and has pledged to do its best to control the problems wildlife faces and to preserve both individual species and their habitats. These pledges have been formalized in a range of laws, regulations and membership of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. A number of protected areas have been established in Kalimantan, to safeguard the habitat as well as the primate populations that reside in these areas, and all gibbons and orang-utans, be it inside or outside the protected area network, are legally protected. Indonesia is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and all gibbons and orang-utans are listed in CITES Appendix I, which prohibits all international commercial trade of these species among contracting Parties. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2005. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/kalimantanorangutan.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Indonesia URL: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/kalimantanorangutan.pdf Shelf Number: 128053 Keywords: Animal PoachingGibbonsIllegal Wildlife TradeOrangutansWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Indonesia)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Menon, Vivek Title: Under Siege: Poaching and Protection of Greater One-Horned Rhinoceroses in India Summary: The report presents information on the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros population in India. It documents the extent of poaching and trade in and use of rhinoceros horn. Details: New Delhi: TRAFFIC India, 1996. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/Traf-025.pdf Year: 1996 Country: India URL: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/Traf-025.pdf Shelf Number: 128054 Keywords: Animal PoachingIvoryRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (India)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Blanc, J.J. Title: African Elephant Status Report 2007: An Update from the African Elephant Database Summary: The AESR 2007 presents the latest information on elephant population estimates and range at the site, national, regional and continental levels. This edition presents some important new features. New tables assist in interpreting the possible reasons why estimates have changed since the previous edition; comparisons are made for methodologically comparable estimates at the regional level; and a system for prioritizing has been developed to guide governments and funding agencies in planning future surveys. Details: Gland, Switzerland: IUCN (International Union for Conservation of nature and Natural Resources, 2007. 276p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.african-elephant.org/aed/pdfs/aesr2007.pdf#nameddest=intro Year: 2007 Country: Africa URL: http://www.african-elephant.org/aed/pdfs/aesr2007.pdf#nameddest=intro Shelf Number: 128057 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Africa)Wildlife Management |
Author: Shepherd, Chris R. Title: An Overview of the Regulation of the Freshwater Turtle and Tortoise Pet Trade in Jakarta, Indonesia Summary: Trade in wildlife is extensive in Asia, including a large number of species specifically traded live to supply the demand for pets. In an attempt to gain a greater insight into the drivers behind wildlife trade and to increase our understanding of how to regulate this trade, this survey provides an overview of the management and control of wildlife harvesting in Indonesia. Within Indonesia all commercial trade in wild animals is subject to a quota system, with no harvest or (domestic or international) trade allowed in any species without an allocated quota. Wildlife trade, whether legal or not, is performed openly; in general, regulatory law enforcement regarding wildlife protection and trade management is less than optimal. Indonesia is home to some 10 per cent of the world’s tortoise and freshwater turtle species. Persistent trade is one of the main threats to their survival, and large volumes can be observed in trade in Indonesia’s domestic markets, as well as being exported from Indonesia. This makes tortoises and freshwater turtles an appropriately indicative group to evaluate the management and control of wildlife harvesting and trade in Indonesia. To this end, two discrete, yet complementary datasets, have been analysed. The first dataset focuses on the quota-setting process, the requirement for non-detriment findings under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and regulations determining the legality of the trade and identifying gaps in the current trade-regulation system. The second dataset focuses on the trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles for pets in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, quantifying this trade, analyzing how the market affects different species in trade, and assessing the effectiveness of trade regulations. Annual reported imports of CITES-listed species to Indonesia range between 0-1050 turtles per year, averaging 230 turtles per year for the 2000-2004 period. Numbers of CITES-listed exotic species observed in trade at any moment often exceed the reported import figures of these species for several years. Although for meaningful quota-setting for CITES Appendix II-listed species, non-detriment findings are required to be carried out under Article IV of the Convention, this has not been done in detail for any of the Indonesian tortoises or freshwater turtles in trade. In 2004, harvest of selected species was allowed in 17/31 provinces throughout the country, with harvest often being permitted in one province but not in the adjacent provincial jurisdiction, with no apparent justification for the demarcation. Large regions of the country do not have harvest quota allotted to them, yet species distributed in these geographic areas do show up in trade. Although there are a number of regulations and guidelines in place to regulate the trade in tortoises and turtles, few of the collectors, middlemen, and traders (especially the smaller operators), abide by these rules. All of the allotted quotas for species traded as pets are divided between members of the Indonesian Reptile and Amphibian Trade Association (IRATA), almost all of whom are in the wholesale business. Hardly any of the retail pet dealers are members of IRATA, yet throughout Indonesia there are hundreds of specialized turtle sellers to supply domestic market demand. In 2004, TRAFFIC surveyed 20 pet retailers in the greater Jakarta area, and recorded stock volumes and turnover for 48 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises. Twenty-two indigenous species that were An overview observed (1884 individuals) came from all over the country, and included all six nationally protected species. Indigenous species recorded were especially common among the high stock–high turnover species group. Asking prices by dealers for individuals in this species group were lower than those in the other species groups. A total of 26 exotic species (1439 individuals) were recorded, including species from Madagascar, West Africa, North America and Japan: 18 of these are in one of the CITES Appendices. According to the Indonesian CITES Management Authority, the majority, if not all, of these were imported into Indonesia without proper permits. Furthermore, no import was ever reported in UNEP-WCMC CITES trade database. Exotic species were more expensive than indigenous species, and tended to fall in the high stock–low turnover species group. Species that cannot be traded legally (i.e. species that are protected and species listed in one of the CITES Appendices and that were illegally imported into Indonesia) were approximately twice as expensive as the ones that could be sold legally. Species that could be sold legally were frequently in the high stock–high turnover species group. CITES-listed species (indigenous and exotic) were more expensive than non- CITES listed species, but there was no relation between stock availability / turnover and CITES-listing. Apparently, for retailers, CITES-listed species were not more difficult to obtain than non-CITES listed species, nor was it difficult to sell them. There are no significant price differences between globally threatened and non-threatened species. All species in the low stock–high turnover species group are classified as Threatened under the IUCN Red List, suggesting that although retailers had a low stock of threatened turtles and tortoises they had no difficulties in selling them. Extrapolating from the data collected, the total annual retail value of tortoises and freshwater turtles sold in the greater Jakarta area ranges between USD 135,000 and USD 350,000, of which the illegal component amounts to some USD 90,000-220,000 in value. Details: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2007. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: www.traffic.org/species-reports/traffic_species_reptiles12.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Indonesia URL: Shelf Number: 128058 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTurtles and TortoisesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Indonesia)Wildlife Management |
Author: O'Connell-Rodwell, Caitlin Title: An Assessment of China's Management of Trade in Elephants and Elephant Products Summary: The serious decline of elephants in many Asian and African range countries due to demand for ivory throughout the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in East Asia, resulted in the adoption of various international measures to reduce the threats to elephants. In 1976, the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus was included in Appendix I and the African Elephant Loxodonta africana included in Appendix II of CITES. With continuing declines in populations of the African Elephant, the species was transferred to Appendix I of CITES in 1989, thereby effecting a ban on all commercial international trade in elephants, their parts and derivatives. China took a reservation to the 1989 Appendix I-listing of the African Elephant in order to protect the ivory carving industry, the majority of whose stocks were reported to be pre-Convention stocks (legally obtained prior to China’s accession to CITES). In August of the same year, the CITES Management Authority of China (CNMA) registered a total of 110 importers, exporters and ivory carving workshops, as well as 110 tonnes of raw and worked ivory, most of which was pre-Convention stock. Effective 11 January 1991, China withdrew its reservation and the ban on international commercial trade in ivory took effect in China. Although stocks acquired before the ban were reported to be pre-Convention, analysis of CITES Annual Reports, show that from 1991 to 1999, China exported 571 tusks, 1,006,111 ivory carvings as well as 345 kg of ivory carvings (an additional 9,442,401 ivory carvings were exported in 1990). However, information on the permits and / or the Annual Reports did not record the ‘Source’ of the exports. Of the 566 tusks reported as being exported in 1992, 554 tusks were recorded by China as being from pre-Convention stocks. Japan, however, did not report the import of these tusks - and only 1,769 ivory carvings exported from China from 1991 – 1999 were reported as being pre-Convention stock. The proliferation of safari parks in China since the mid-1990s is reflected in the increasing trend of live elephants imported into China. From 1989 to 2000, China reported the import of a total of 91 live elephants, of which 82 were imported between 1996 and 2000. In addition to the import of live elephants into China, elephants from China are also used for display or performances. Smuggling of live elephants has also been reported, with between five to seven elephants illegally imported from Myanmar in 1995. Not all reported imports appear to have been conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Convention. The conservation purposes and benefits of the import, in 1996, of 16 captive bred elephants from Myanmar for ‘Breeding’ are questionable. Perhaps of greater concern is the import, in 2000, of a single shipment of 20 wild elephants from Malaysia for ‘Zoos’. This trade is difficult to justify when there are captive bred specimens which could also have been used for the stated purpose. Furthermore, at least one safari park in China, the Guangzhou Panyu Safari Park, has an animal exchange programme under which it recently exported four red pandas, Ailurus fulgens, to Malacca zoo in Malaysia. It would appear that commercial trade in CITES Appendix I-listed species is being conducted where the profit is ‘in kind’. Seizure information for any illegal products, by its very nature, can only provide an indication of levels of illegal trade. Assessing China’s full role in the illicit ivory trade is exacerbated due to serious deficiencies in China’s seizure reporting system. Data that is available often lacks details on the date, number of pieces and/or weight of the seizure. The actual scale of illicit ivory trade in China therefore is likely to be considerably larger than current data shows. Nonetheless, available data clearly shows that China is a significant consumer of illegal ivory. Based on available data for the period January 1998 to September 2001, a minimum of 30 - 45 tonnes of ivory were seized destined for or entering China. Rhinoceros horn was also intercepted in some shipments from Africa. In addition to illicit ivory in trade, elephant skin reported to be equivalent to 20 elephants, believed to have originated in Myanmar and destined for a medicine manufacturing company in Shanghai was seized in 2000. In 2001, a further 10 tonnes of elephant skin, from an original 15 tonnes purchased in 1993, were seized in a Guangzhou traditional Chinese medicine company. The 15 tonnes were believed to represent 260 elephants. Smaller quantities of elephant skin also were observed by TRAFFIC staff for sale in the border areas of Laos and Myanmar. The state-run ivory carving industry has declined since the international trade ban in 1989 and it is likely that much of the ivory-carving industry now is run through private, and illegal, family operations. The main buyers of ivory are believed to be Chinese nationals, and the prosperous cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing believed to be the main centres of ivory consumption. One vendor in a Beijing outlet visited in 2000 remarked that he could obtain as much new ivory as was required. In general, Chinese nationals mainly purchase ivory at the lower end of the price range, particularly smaller pieces such as jewellery, name chops and chopsticks. China’s emergence as an ivory consumer market, and its potential to develop even further, can be explained, in part, through the growth of China’s private retail sector, the strong and increasing purchasing power of Chinese consumers and weak enforcement of ivory trade regulations within China. Consumer expenditure has surged in recent years and retail sales for jewellery, the most relevant category for ivory for which retail sales statistics in China are available, increased from over USD 360 million (RMB 3 billion) in 1994 to over USD 1.85 billion (RMB 15.3 billion) in 2000. Strong trade links with Africa also shed light on the dynamics of the illegal ivory trade. Seizures of illegally imported ivory from expatriate Chinese returning from Africa and sent by post are common. The China-Africa link supports earlier evidence, documented by TRAFFIC, of Africa-based,Asian-run ivory processing operations which produce semi-worked and worked ivory products for illicit export to selected Asian markets including to China. The majority of ivory in China’s markets is believed to be from African elephants. Illegal ivory imports from Myanmar have been documented, but ivory vendors and carvers expressed a preference for African ivory. Corruption, although a common phenomenon throughout the world, can not be treated lightly: diplomats representing the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have been involved in a number of documented cases of ivory smuggling on a large scale. There is little evidence to suggest that North Korea has a domestic ivory carving industry within its own borders, and all seizure cases involving North Korean diplomats returning ‘home’ with consignments of raw ivory had air tickets which involved a stopover in Beijing, a routing which would make it convenient to move large volumes of ivory into China as diplomatic cargo (T. Milliken, pers. comm., June 2002). Recently an official from airport Customs and a shipping worker from China Air were implicated in a smuggling case of around 14 tonnes of ivory. The involvement of an unnamed ‘organ in China of a foreign country’ in this recent case also was alleged although further details are not available. The Wild Animal Protection Law (1989), the Enforcement Regulations for the Protection of Terrestrial Wildlife of the People’s Republic of China (1992) and the Customs Law (1987) are the principal legal instruments regulating import and export, processing and sale of Asian and African Elephant products. The State Forestry Administration also recently issued Notification 2001/234 urging relevant agencies to pay close attention to illicit ivory trade and established price standards for ivory so that illegal trade could be treated as criminal cases. Some successful enforcement actions have been carried out as reflected in the seizures made by Customs. Successful joint investigations and operations involving a range of relevant agencies also have been carried out on a number occasions. While these efforts are to be commended, so far they have been one-off exercises only and their impact would be greatly increased if carried out on a regular basis. Overall, however, enforcement of legal instruments is weak. Since registration in 1989, no further monitoring of ivory stocks in China has been conducted. Traders are not required to have a specific permit to sell ivory despite the Class I protected status of the African and Asian Elephant and despite the understanding that only vendors that registered in 1989 would be considered legal operators. It is therefore no possible to determine whether ivory seen in the markets of China is derived from stocks registered in 1989 or whether it has been more recently, and thus illegally, acquired. Implementation of legislation is hindered by a lack of inter-agency communication, overlapping responsibilities of government agencies and the consequent lack of clarity as to which agency is responsible for implementing which aspects of the law. This situation is particularly apparent with regard to the disposal of products confiscated from illegal trade. It is not clear which agency is responsible for holding confiscated stocks and whether confiscated ivory is kept in storage, destroyed or released / sold on to the domestic market. Details: TRAFFIC East Asia, 2002. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: TRAFFIC Online Report Series No.3: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: http://www.traffic.org/mammals/ Year: 2002 Country: China URL: http://www.traffic.org/mammals/ Shelf Number: 128059 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (China)Wildlife Management |
Author: Milliken, Tom Title: No Peace for Elephants: Unregulated domestic ivory markets in Angola and Mozambique Summary: Recent reports suggest that Angola is fast emerging as an important country in the illegal trade in African Elephant Loxodonta africana ivory (Milliken et al., 2004). For the most part, however, the country’s wildlife trade remains poorly understood. Owing to a prolonged civil war that only ended with the signing of a peace agreement on 4 April 2002, there have been no systematic surveys of Angola’s wildlife resources for over three decades. This study marks a first attempt to conduct a spot check and assess the ivory trade in Luanda, Angola’s bustling capital and major port city on the Atlantic Ocean. From 4 to 10 June 2005, TRAFFIC researchers visited retail outlets and craft markets in and around Luanda to collect information on the amount of ivory available for sale, ivory prices and sources, and other trade dynamics. As information relating to Angola’s legislation on the hunting of elephants and trade in ivory was not readily available, investigating the current legal status of the species and trade in elephant products was an important aspect of the survey. The following results derive from this effort: • The Government of Angola, through its National Assembly, formally approved the country’s membership in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on 17 January 2001, however, this decision has yet to be gazetted. Moreover, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has failed to file an instrument of accession with the Swiss Government, the requisite procedure for becoming a member of the Convention. Finally, it remains unclear to what extent the Angolan authorities have apprised the CITES Secretariat of these developments and sought guidance to complete the process. Consequently, with the accession of Lesotho to CITES on 30 December 2003, Angola now remains the only southern African country that is not a Party to CITES. • Current legislation relating to the hunting of elephants and the trade in elephant products in Angola dates back half a century to the colonial era with Decree 40.040 of 1955 and Decree 2:873 of 1957. The fees relating to the issuance of hunting licences and penalties for the illegal killing of animals, however, have subsequently been updated, most recently through Decree 36/99 of 1999. Regardless, there is an urgent need to review and update the substance of Angola’s legislation that relates to wildlife in general and wildlife trade and CITES in particular. • Implementation and enforcement responsibilities for the country’s wildlife laws lie principally with the Institute of Forestry Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Regardless, very little, if any, meaningful enforcement has taken place in recent years, largely as a result of the absence of political will within government and a lack of human capacity and resources. • Despite legislation stating that the possession of ivory without proper documentation is illegal, a total of 41 retail outlets were observed selling ivory products that collectively were estimated to weigh a total of 1 573.4 kg during this survey. About 90% of this ivory was found at the Mercado do Artesanato (Artists’ Market) at Benfica, south of Luanda. • Little information was gathered on the presence and operation of ivory carving workshops in Luanda, but it appears that most local craftsmen work from their homes. Further, it appears that significant quantities of ivory are being carved in neighbouring Congo Basin countries to the north and routinely imported into the Angolan market in violation of CITES. • Observations of local conservationists and long-term residents suggest that the ivory trade in Luanda has increased dramatically in recent years, possibly doubling in scale within the last year. By the same token, the majority of retail traders indicated that Luanda represented a growing market for ivory products, and that such business was generally good. • Raw ivory appears to be relatively easy to acquire for vendors in the main market, with prices ranging from USD35 per kg up to USD100 per kg. While it is likely that some of this ivory is derived from Angolan elephants, the majority of the stock is believed to originate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The high proportion of French-speaking traders in Luanda’s principal ivory market further suggests a strong link with the ivory trade in Francophone countries in Central Africa immediately to the north of Angola, particularly DRC and Congo (Brazzaville). • There is no evidence to suggest that the conditions noted in Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP12) for the control of internal trade in ivory are being met or implemented in Angola. As a non-Party to the Convention, the country is under no formal obligation to CITES in this regard. Still, the continued trade in ivory has serious implications for Angola’s remaining elephant populations, which are thought to be small and highly fragmented (Blanc et al., 2003). Further, the current trade is believed to involve a persistent illegal importation of unprocessed elephant tusks and worked ivory products from neighbouring countries that are Parties to CITES. • Angolan authorities responsible for developing policy and enforcing legislation in the wildlife sector showed a genuine enthusiasm to address ivory trade issues. The desire to better monitor and protect the country’s remaining elephant populations, however, faces two significant obstacles. Firstly, the political will of senior politicians remains very much focused on social issues and rebuilding the collapsed infrastructure of the nation in the post-war period, rather than with the environment in general and wildlife in particular. This sector remains a remote secondary concern on the national agenda of priorities. Secondly, environmental institutions in Angola remain very weak and the capacity of the wildlife authorities to carry out their duties is routinely circumscribed by a lack of human and material resources. • There is a need for a protracted programme of external support to assist Angolan wildlife authorities in their efforts to build strong environmental institutions from which to protect and manage the country’s wildlife resources. Assisting Angola to complete the interrupted process of accession to CITES would be an important first step in this regard. Reviewing and updating Angola’s antiquated wildlife legislation is called for, as well as a broad programme of capacity-building and training for law enforcement personnel, including police and Customs officers. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2006. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: TRAFFIC Online Report Series No.11: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: http://www.traffic.org/mammals/ Year: 2006 Country: Mozambique URL: http://www.traffic.org/mammals/ Shelf Number: 128060 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Mozambique)Wildlife Management |
Author: Lack, M. Title: Catching On? Trade-related Measures as a Fisheries Management Tool Summary: This report examines the experience of regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) with the use of trade-related measures. There has been a marked increase in the use of trade-related measures by RFMOs over the last decade. This has been driven by: the deteriorating status of many fish stocks; uncertainty as to the actual levels of fishing mortality on these stocks; and the undermining of conservation and management measures by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Details: Cambride, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2007. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: http://www.traffic.org/fisheries-reports/traffic_pub_fisheries1.pdf Year: 2007 Country: International URL: http://www.traffic.org/fisheries-reports/traffic_pub_fisheries1.pdf Shelf Number: 128061 Keywords: Illegal FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Environmental Justice Foundation Title: Lowering the Flag: Ending the Use of Flags of Convenience by Pirate Fishing Vessels Summary: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) or ‘pirate’ fishing is plundering fish stocks, devastating marine environments and stealing from some of the poorest people of the world. IUU is the term given to any fishing activity that contravenes national or international laws, such as using banned fishing gears; targeting protected species; operating in protected or reserved areas or at times when fishing is prohibited; or operating without any form of permit or license to fish. IUU fishing vessels cut costs to maximise profits and use a variety of means, including Flags of Convenience to avoid detection and penalty for wrongdoing. • Globally, pirate fishing accounts for US$10 – 23.5 billion a year, representing between 11 and 26 million tons of fish. It is a highly profitable activity being driven by the enormous global demand for seafood, threatening the future of world fisheries. The impacts are social, economic, and environmental. Many IUU operators deliberately target poor developing countries. • While international law specifies that the country whose flag a vessel flies is responsible for controlling its activities, certain states operate ‘open registries’ that allow foreign-vessels to fly their flag for a relatively tiny fee. Known as Flags of Convenience (FoC), many of these countries lack the resources or the will to monitor and control vessels flying their flag, allowing pirate fishing operations to avoid fisheries regulations and controls. • FoC are notoriously easy, quick and cheap to acquire, obtainable over the internet for just a few hundred dollars. Vessels can re-flag and change names several times in a season, a practice known as “flag hopping”. Backed by shell companies, joint-ventures and hidden owners, FoC reduce the operating costs associated with legal fishing, and make it extremely difficult to identify and penalise the real owners of vessels that fish illegally. • Available data indicates that there are currently 1061 fishing vessels equal to or longer than 24 metres registered with FoC. Globally a further 8.5% of fishing vessels are listed as ‘flag unknown’, although it is likely that some of these are flying FoC. Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) blacklists are dominated by vessels registered to FoC or flag unknown. While some RFMO whitelists of authorized vessels do contain a number flagged to FoC, total RFMO lists added together do not approach the total number of FoC fishing vessels - leaving open the question of how and where these vessels are operating. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • As well as fishing vessels, refrigerated transport vessels (know as ‘reefers’) flying FoC have been widely implicated in IUU fishing operaons; in West African field investigations undertaken by EJF virtually all IUU reefers were documented flying FoC. Reefers allow IUU fishing vessels to tranship their catches, restock on food and bait, refuel and re-crew without having to make the lengthy (and costly) journey to port. 700 reefers are currently registered with FoC; Panama, Bahamas and Liberia account for 70%. Even those reefers whitelisted by RFMOs favour FoC; 86% of Fish Carriers on ICCAT lists are taking advantage of FoC registration • European Union(EU) and East Asian companies dominate the ownership of FoC vessels. Taiwanese, South Korean, Chinese and Japanese companies are significant, while overall EU ownership of fishing vessels flying FoC has increased by 9% since 2005. There has been a recent large shift in ownership of vessels flying FoC to Panamanian companies, however it is likely that many of these are shell companies registered in Panama by foreign, and hidden, beneficial owners. • Economically the benefits to FoC States of registering fishing vessels are minimal. Annual revenues are estimated to accrue US$3-4 million to the major FoC registries from flagging fishing vessels, a tiny amount when compared to the millions of dollars lost by individual countries and the billions lost globally to IUU fishing. • Among FoC States further economic losses are now likely as a result of trade sanctions by RFMOs, as well as the incoming EU-IUU regulation, due to be implemented in January 2010. This will target non-cooperative States, leaving FoC countries that depend on fisheries exports extremely vulnerable to losing access to the largest seafood market in the world. • In light of the current crisis facing global fisheries, failure to end the exploitation of FoC by IUU fishing operations will undermine efforts to achieve sustainable fisheries management, marine ecological security and the development of many, primarily developing, coastal States. Closing open registries to fishing vessels offers an efficient and cost-effective measure to combat IUU fishing. This report therefore calls for action to end the granting of Flags of Convenience to fishing vessels, and those vessels that support fishing activities, by individual States, RFMOs, and bodies such as the European Union, Commonwealth and United Nations. Details: London: Environmental Justice Foundation, 2009. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: http://www.illegal-fishing.info/uploads/Loweringtheflagfinal.pdf Year: 2009 Country: International URL: http://www.illegal-fishing.info/uploads/Loweringtheflagfinal.pdf Shelf Number: 128063 Keywords: Illegal FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Environmental Investigation Agency Title: Vietnam’s Illegal Rhino Horn Trade: Undermining the Effectiveness of CITES Summary: The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), along with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), filed a petition on December 21, 2012 with the U.S. Secretary of the Department of the Interior under the Pelly Amendment, which enables the U.S. President to impose trade sanctions against countries engaged in trade that diminishes the effectiveness of any international program in force with respect to the United States for the conservation of endangered or threatened species. This briefing summarizes the key points from the Petition to certify Vietnam as diminishing the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for trade in rhino products. Rhinoceros populations have been decimated in both Africa and Asia, with three subspecies already extinct and most species and subspecies now critically endangered. To curb the international trade in rhino horn and other parts and derivatives that has led to diminished rhino populations, the CITES Parties have placed all but two populations of rhinos in Appendix I to prohibit international trade for commercial purposes. Populations of the southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) in South Africa and Swaziland are included in Appendix II with an annotation limiting trade to hunting trophies and live rhinos to appropriate and acceptable destinations. These efforts helped stabilize and in some cases, increase, rhino populations. However, despite these efforts, rhino populations are again under threat, largely due to rising demand in Vietnam and the failure of Vietnam to implement its CITES obligations. Vietnam is currently the largest market for rhino horn from both legally hunted rhinos in South Africa, whose horns are then illegally traded, and poached rhinos in South Africa and elsewhere. In some cases, Vietnam has refused to implement the recommendations of the CITES Parties or even respond to requests for information from the Parties. In fact, Vietnamese CITES officials continue to deny the role of Vietnam and its nationals in the illegal rhino horn trade, statements that defy all evidence to the contrary. With Vietnamese nationals at the center of the illegal trade, Vietnam is believed to be driving the “rapacious illegal trade in rhino horn.” Details: Washington, DC: EIA, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Acccessed March 21, 2013 at: http://www.eia-global.org/PDF/SpeciesRhinoCITES.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Vietnam URL: http://www.eia-global.org/PDF/SpeciesRhinoCITES.pdf Shelf Number: 128066 Keywords: Animal PoachingEndangered SpeciesIlliegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Shepherd, Chris R. Title: The Export and Re-export of CITES-listed Birds from the Solomon Islands Summary: Large numbers of birds, including more than 68 000 wild-caught and reportedly captive-bred CITES-listed individuals, were imported from the Solomon Islands in the 2000s. The vast majority were imported by Malaysia and Singapore and often re-exported, particularly in the case of Singapore. In terms of species composition, there were a few species native to the Solomon Islands, however the majority (77%) were non-native species from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. 13 736 individuals of these non-native species were exported as “captive-bred”. However, it is unclear how the parent stock of these captive-bred birds was acquired as there is no documented export of these CITES-listed species to the Solomon Islands. In terms of the number of individual birds involved in the trade, the majority of exports were species native to the Solomon Islands (54 793). Of these native bird species, 13 692 were declared as wild-caught and 41 101 were reportedly captive-bred. These large numbers of native and non-native captive-bred birds suggest the existence of commercial breeding facilities on the Solomon Islands capable of housing thousands of breeding pairs. However, in 2006, CITES reported the Solomon Islands was “not known to have substantial bird breeding facilities” and a comprehensive State of the Environment report published by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meterology (the Solomon Islands’ CITES Scientific Authority and Management Authority) in 2008 makes no mention of captive-breeding or captive-breeding facilities for birds. Meanwhile the Environment Conservation Division (ECD) informed TRAFFIC researchers (in litt.) that although there were registered bird breeders in the islands, they were not breeding birds, only taking them from the wild. Furthermore, the ECD wrote: “There are no breeding facilities, only some confusion with storing facilities. Most of the exported birds were captured and kept in holding sites only.” Given the official confirmation of a lack of suitable bird breeding facilities in the Solomon Islands, these data lead to the inescapable conclusion that large numbers of wild-caught birds have been laundered into the global wildlife trade through being declared as captive-bred. Over the past decade, Singapore and Malaysia combined have accounted for 93% of all birds imported from the Solomon Islands, with significant amounts being re-exported elsewhere, such as Taiwan. The vast majority, if not all the birds declared as captive-bred are in fact sourced from the wild. This has grave implications for maintaining healthy populations of birds in the wild. In light of the above, TRAFFIC makes the following recommendations: • The CITES Standing Committee should evaluate the captive breeding operations of the Solomon Islands and consider recommendations that address the concerns raised in this report. In the event the Standing Committee makes recommendations and the Solomon Islands fails to comply, TRAFFIC then recommends the Standing Committee consider a trade suspension. • The CITES Management Authority of the Solomon Islands should investigate species’ origins, including whether individuals were wild-caught versus legitimately captive-bred as well as the origin and legality of non-native stock. • The CITES Management Authorities of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea—the range States of the majority of non-native bird species exported from the Solomon Islands—should contact their counterparts in the Solomon Islands as well as in Singapore and other export destinations, to investigate the potential laundering of birds. This recommendation is extended to the Management Authority of Taiwan and all other importers of birds declared as originating from the Solomon Islands. • All countries reporting data to CITES based on permits issued should take steps to provide more accurate information. Reporting should reflect the actual numbers of permits used to ensure transparency in the international wildlife trade and to enable the UNEP-WCMC CITES trade database to be used to its fullest potential. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/sb_report__final_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Solomon Islands URL: http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/sb_report__final_1.pdf Shelf Number: 128067 Keywords: BirdCITESIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Solomon Islands)Wildlife Management |
Author: Verité Title: Research on Indicators of Forced Labor in the Supply Chain of Fish in Indonesia: Platform (Jermal) Fishing, Small-Boat Anchovy Fishing, and Blast Fishing Summary: Verité carried out research on the presence of indicators of forced labor in the production of ten goods in seven countries from 2008 through 2011. Research was carried out on the production of shrimp in Bangladesh; Brazil-nuts, cattle, corn, and peanuts in Bolivia; sugar in the Dominican Republic; coffee in Guatemala; fish in Indonesia; rubber in Liberia; and tuna in the Philippines. The following report is based on research on the presence of indicators of forced labor in certain types of fishing in Indonesia. This research was not intended to determine the existence or scale of forced labor in the countries and sectors under study, but rather to identify the presence of indicators of forced labor and factors that increased workers‘ vulnerability to labor exploitation. Objectives The primary objectives of the project were to: obtain background information on certain areas of the fishing sector in Indonesia; create a methodology to study the presence of indicators of forced labor in some areas of the Indonesian fishing sector; identify and document indicators of forced labor among workers in the Indonesian fishing sector; document the broader working conditions that workers in the fishing sector experience; and determine the risk factors for vulnerability to forced labor and other forms of exploitation in the particular areas of the Indonesian fishing sector. Details: Amherst, MA: Verite, 2012(?). 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/Research%20on%20Indicators%20of%20Forced%20Labor%20in%20the%20Indonesian%20Fishing%20Sector__9.16.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Indonesia URL: http://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/Research%20on%20Indicators%20of%20Forced%20Labor%20in%20the%20Indonesian%20Fishing%20Sector__9.16.pdf Shelf Number: 128086 Keywords: Fishing Industry (Indonesia)Forced LaborIllegal FishingNatural ResourceWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Daly, B.G. Title: Perspectives on Dehorning and Legalised Trade in Rhino Horn as Tools to Combat Rhino Poaching Summary: This report presents the proceedings of a workshop held to assess the use of legal trade in rhino horn as a tool in combating poaching as well as a detailed assessment of the efficacy of dehorning as a deterrent to poaching. Details: Johannesburg: Endangered Wildlife Trust, 2011. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 22, 2013 at: http://www.ewt.org.za/programmes/LPP/20110301%20RhinoWorkshopReport[1].pdf Year: 2011 Country: Africa URL: http://www.ewt.org.za/programmes/LPP/20110301%20RhinoWorkshopReport[1].pdf Shelf Number: 128088 Keywords: Animal Poaching (Africa)Rhino DehorningRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife ManagementWildlife Trade |
Author: Born Free Foundation Title: Ivory Update. Prepared for the: 54th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee 2nd – 6th October 2006, Geneva Summary: This ivory report documents the seizure of more than 30 tonnes of ivory since CoP13 (November 2004). Since 1998, when the Species Survival Network first began collecting data on ivory seizures, more than 151 tonnes of ivory have been recorded as seized. This interim ivory report has been prepared for the 54th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee (SC54) and is intended to update the Parties on significant ivory seizure information since CoP13. It will additionally discuss elephant issues that will arise at SC54, including the one-off trade of ivory approved at CoP12, MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) baseline data, and the ivory Action Plan. Finally, it will comment on the issue of ivory stockpiles and problems relating to the harmonisation of seizure reporting. At the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (Santiago, Chile, 2002), the Parties approved a one-off sale of 60 tonnes of ivory (30 tonnes from South Africa, 20 tonnes from Botswana and 10 tonnes from Namibia). No such trade has taken place as conditions placed upon these exports have not been met to the satisfaction of the Standing Committee. These conditions are: i) only registered government-owned stocks, originating in the State (excluding seized ivory and ivory of unknown origin) and, in the case of South Africa, only ivory originating from the Kruger National Park; ii) only to trading partners that have been verified by the Secretariat, in consultation with the Standing Committee, to have sufficient national legislation and domestic trade controls to ensure that the imported ivory will not be re-exported and will be managed in accordance with all requirements of Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev CoP12) concerning domestic manufacturing and trade; iii) not before the Secretariat has verified the prospective importing countries, and the MIKE programme has reported to the Secretariat on the baseline information (e.g. elephant population numbers, incidence of illegal killing); iv) a maximum of 20,000kg (Botswana), 10,000kg (Namibia) and 30,000kg (South Africa) of ivory may be traded, and despatched in a single shipment under strict supervision of the Secretariat; v) the proceeds of the trade are used exclusively for elephant conservation and community conservation and development programmes within or adjacent to the elephant range; and vi) only after the Standing Committee has agreed that the above conditions have been met. Details: Horsham, UK: Born Free Foundation, 2006. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 23, 2013 at: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/files/reports/SCIvoryReportFINAL.pdf Year: 2006 Country: International URL: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/files/reports/SCIvoryReportFINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 128094 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Global Tiger Workshop Title: Saving Wild Tigers: Kathmandu Summary Document A Report from the Global Tiger Workshop October 27-30, 2009 Kathmandu, Nepal Summary: Tigers are symbols of all that is powerful, mystical, and beautiful in nature. But wild tigers are in crisis, having fallen in numbers from about 100,000 in 1900 to just 3,200 today as a result of adverse human activities, including habitat destruction and a huge illegal trade in tiger parts. The decline continues to this day. This decade is the last opportunity to save wild tigers and the ecological riches they and the landscapes they inhabit represent. The good news is that despite serious loss, enough habitat remains in Asia that can be restored to support as many as 20,000 wild tigers. To develop recommendations to reverse the wild tiger’s decline, more than 250 participants from 13 of the 14 tiger range countries (TRCs) and the international community met in Kathmandu from October 27-30, 2009, as part of a process designed to lead to the Vladivostok Tiger Summit in September 2010. The workshop resulted in the unanimous adoption of the Kathmandu Recommendations—actions that will help achieve the goal of doubling the population of wild tigers within the next ten years. These recommendations emerged from the national priority actions that each TRC identified in individual country sessions, after thematic sessions that offered ideas and approaches for their consideration. Each TRC’s priority transformational actions are a unique set and many of these are already under implementation. They can be summarized under the following broad themes: Make core tiger breeding areas inviolate with commitments from TRCs and financing institutions to not build infrastructure in these areas. Engage in cross-sector dialogue to integrate tiger conservation into land-use and infrastructure plans. Ensure local support in favor of tiger conservation based on participatory, community-based programs that provide social and economic incentives for conservation and pro-actively manage human-wildlife conflict through mitigation and compensation. Relocate villages from core tiger breeding area using best practices. Develop innovative sustainable financing mechanisms for tiger conservation. Determine full costs of tiger conservation activities. Pilot mechanisms to transfer resources from infrastructure activities to conservation programs. Assess carbon stocks in TCLs to make the case for funding from REDD Build institutional capacity to train the next generation of leaders in protected-area and landscape management, networked in a regional community of excellence, and develop science-based management plans for protected areas and tiger landscapes. Dramatically reduce poaching and illegal trade by enhancing national law-enforcement capacity and strengthening coordinated support from international wildlife law enforcement bodies. Implement the Pattaya Manifesto and CITES resolution Conf.12.5. Garner political will for improved law enforcement. Reduce demand for tiger parts through large-scale, targeted campaigns to change behaviors and perceptions of consumers of tiger parts and socialize opposition to tiger consumption. To guide the international community and the Global Tiger Initiative, each TCR also identified specific areas for which it requires international support. Country requirements naturally vary but converge on capacity building, knowledge sharing, financing to fill critical gaps, cross-border law enforcement and protected-area management, global campaign to change consumer attitudes, and creating and sustaining political will. Generating political will to conserve tigers—to take full advantage of the expertise that exists and transformational ideas that are emerging—is the most important step toward saving the world’s most iconic species. This effort will intensify at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in January 2010, in Thailand, which will aim to define the support needed to accelerate the implementation of national programs. At the Vladivostok Tiger Summit in September 2010, the global goals, programs, funding, and implementation and monitoring mechanisms will be launched. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Global Tiger Workshop, 2009. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/download/GTI-Kathmandu-Outcomes.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Asia URL: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/download/GTI-Kathmandu-Outcomes.pdf Shelf Number: 128096 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia)Wildlife Management |
Author: Environmental Justice Foundation Title: Illegal Driftnetting in the Mediterranean Summary: Driftnets, ostensibly banned from the Mediterranean by both the European Union and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) since 2002 and 2003, respectively, continue to be used illegally across the region to catch valuable large pelagic species, mainly swordfish and tuna. There are estimated to be up to 600 illegal driftnet vessels operating in the Mediterranean, including many from EU Member States, namely Italy (100+ vessels), and France (70-100 vessels). Major fleets are also based in Morocco (150-300 vessels), Turkey (up to 110 vessels) and Algeria. Although there is very little data available on either the catch rate or the associated bycatch of this illegal fishery, it is clear that driftnetting practices, whether legal or illegal, have had devastating environmental consequences globally, and for the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea in particular. Between 1986 and 1900, driftnets were responsible for 83% of all cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) stranded and, at the peak of driftnetting, an annual bycatch of over 8,000 cetaceans was estimated for Italian seas alone, with up to 10,000 dying annually across the whole Mediterranean. Vulnerable, slow reproducing species have suffered from high bycatch levels in driftnets, including sharks, rays, sea turtles and sea birds. According to figures supplied by the Italian Merchant Marine Ministry, in 1990-91 only 18% of the catch of the Italian driftnet fleet, which was the largest in the region at the time, was swordfish; the other 82% consisted of some different species, almost all of which were discarded. Despite the evident destructive nature of driftnets, also called ‘walls of death’, due to their propensity for catching enormous numbers of non-target species, a combination of weak enforcement and loopholes in French and Italian fisheries law have enabled sizeable driftnet fleets to flout EU and international law for more than a decade. The European authorities have openly acknowledged the Italian and French governments’ failure to enforce EU fisheries policy but have so far failed to punish these clear infractions of the Common Fisheries Policy. In France, effective action against driftnets has come not from the EU, but from three NGOs - France Nature Environnement, S.O.S Grand Bleu, and Groupe de Recherche sur les Cétacés (GREC) – who have successfully challenged the status of the “thonaille” fishery operating within the internationally protected Pelagos sanctuary for marine mammals. The thonaille is now officially recognised as a driftnet under French law and is therefore illegal. However, evidence from the 2006 season indicates that the ban is not being enforced and fishing continues with impunity. In Italy, driftnetting also continues, with 800km of nets confiscated by the Italian authorities in 2005 and 400km seized in the first half of 2006. The use of driftnets around the island of Ischia in the Tyrrhenian Sea has been monitored for a number of years by Delphis, a local cetacean research organisation. Illegally caught swordfish have been observed being landed and transferred onto vans bearing the EU logo, and numerous stranded striped dolphins and sperm whales have been found with scars indicative of being caught in driftnets. There is also compelling evidence from several sources that many vessel owners, having received up to €70,000 of EU taxpayers’ money as compensation, continue to fish illegally. The Italian authorities have spent more than €200 million compensating driftnet fishermen, with 75% of this coming from the EU. Despite the generous funding that has been allocated to phasing-out this destructive fishery, driftnets are actually getting bigger. Details: London: EJF, 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.theblackfish.org/files/Driftnets_EJF.pdf Year: 0 Country: Europe URL: http://www.theblackfish.org/files/Driftnets_EJF.pdf Shelf Number: 128098 Keywords: Illegal FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Europe)Wildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Gurung, Bhim Title: Tiger Human Conflicts: Investigating Ecological and Sociological Issues of Tiger Conservation in the Buffer Zone of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Final Report Summary: Historically, there was contiguous forest all across the terai region of Nepal and tigers were distributed in high densities. The situation changed during early 1960s because the tiger habitat in the terai was drastically reduced as a result of human resettlement program. The destruction of habitat and fragmentation lead to the sharp decline in tiger population. Sport hunting and poaching also contributed to its decline. Like other tiger range countries Government of Nepal worked to overcome this crisis since early 70s. Protected areas were established, strict protection was adopted, and stiffer wildlife laws against wildlife criminals were endorsed. To further increase the land base for tigers buffer zone community forests around the parks and reserves were promulgated and moreover, Nepal initiated an ambitious Tarai Arc Landscape project not only to increase land base for tigers but also to restore connectivity between reserves. Tiger conservation effort in Nepal has been successful. After establishment of protected areas in the early 1970s tiger numbers increased and since late 1970s numbers have been stable in protected areas. Density, based on mean female home range size, is the highest anywhere. The improvement of habitat quality in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park and elsewhere across the terai has increased the overall land base where tigers reside. Breeding has been recorded at five sites outside of protected areas. Such increase in habitat use by tigers in the multiple use buffer zone community forests resulted in conflict between tiger and human. Over the last quarter of a century 88 people have been killed by tigers in and around the park. The trend of human loss has been increased significantly from an average of 1.5 persons per year (1979 – 1998) to 8.25 per year since 1999. The increasing trend of people killed was significant in the buffer zone but not inside the park. A total of 37 tigers were involved in killing 88 people. Of these, 17 were removed because of their man-eating behavior. The number of problem tigers removed per year increased dramatically in 2004-05. Four relevant factors were associated with man-eating tigers: (1) injured or aged tigers find it difficult to kill natural prey, (2) imbalance between tiger and prey base, (3) aggressive tiger behavior and, (4) defensive or accidental killing. Management actions were not taken against if it appeared that tigers killed humans accidentally; however, if possible the tigers that turned into deliberate “man-eaters” were removed. A high percentage (38%) of humans killed by tigers occurred in the south sector of the park, i.e. Madi Valley. This study focused on the status of tigers and its prey in Chitwan National Park and in the Madi Valley buffer zone. Tiger and prey were relatively more abundant in the park than buffer zone. However, the disturbance factors, measured as encounter rate of livestock and human were significantly higher in the park than the buffer zone. Reduced human activity in the buffer zone as compared to the park is because there is a stronger incentive to local people to control local use of buffer zone forest. Support of local people is critical in tiger conservation in the human dominated landscape. To understand the perceptions of Madi population towards tigers and its conservation, a household questionnaire survey was conducted. Majority of the people in Madi valley did not like tigers in the neighboring forests because of threat to people and livestock. However, just less than half of the people liked tigers because of ecological, utilitarian, and moral values. To mitigate the conflict the study recommends establishing a system to regularly monitor tigers in cooperation with the local “Bagh Heralus” attached to each community forestry user committee. Each committee in cooperation with Park staff would supervise the “Bagh Heralu” and the overall goal of the tiger and prey monitoring program would be to understand the activity pattern of tigers living in the buffer zone, implement a tiger conservation awareness program designed to educate local people on tiger biology and research, and to create a problem tiger response team to act immediately and efficiently to assist in conflict situations. Local participation between local user groups in Madi valley and park staffs is also needed to reduce grazing along the southern border of the park. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: WWF-Nepal Program, 2006. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/STF/2005-0013-014.2.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Nepal URL: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/STF/2005-0013-014.2.pdf Shelf Number: 128099 Keywords: Forest ManagementHuman-Animal ConflictTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Management |
Author: Misra, Manoj Kumar Title: Enhancing Our Heritage: Improving Protection and Building Capacity of Staff At Kaziranga National Park Summary: The main objective of this study in Kaziranga National Park (Assam) was two fold: 1) Review of protection strategies and suggestion to enhance their effectiveness and 2) Development of a comprehensive capacity building plan for frontline staff in their efforts to prevent wildlife crime, habitat destruction, etc. Details: Paris: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 2005. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report No. 04: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-331-12.pdf Year: 2005 Country: India URL: http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-331-12.pdf Shelf Number: 128100 Keywords: Animal PoachingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Management |
Author: Yadav, N.P. Title: Forest Law Enforcement as an Underlying Driver of Forest Governance in Nepal Summary: Historically, forest of Nepal is exploited by rulers of the state for revenue generation and political interest. Although strong and protection oriented forest laws with judicial power to district forest officer has been formed but it was not enforced effectively, consequently deforestation and illegal logging continued. Since 1980 the participatory forestry emerged and restoration of forest cover in the hills and the relation of people and department of forest improved. DoF staff changed from policing to service providers. People oriented bylaws and guidelines prepared by the ministry of forest and several donors and NGOs involved in forestry sector for facilitating community based forest management. To some extent the process of community based forest management has brought positive impact considering the different dimension of forestry benefits. However over all forest governance is becoming poor due to weak forest law enforcement at different level. The annual deforestation rate and different form of illegality are increased and also foster corruption. Government mode of forest operation is command and control, hierarchical, bureaucratic and informal rules of the game is often take precedence. The outcome of this system became in favour of politically and economically powerful people. Local interests marginalised, passive forest management due to lack of specific plan, ‘timber men and politicians’ become de facto owners of the resource and state foresters become their agents–professionalism is undermined etc. The legal ownership on Nepal's forest is mainly lies communal and government authority with essence of common property that hinder good governance. The major characteristics of ‘good governance' are such as participatory decision-making process, accountability, transparency, responsive, effective and efficiency, equitable and inclusiveness which are weak in forestry institution because of vested interest of stakeholders. Over all the status of law enforcement for forest protection in Nepal is very weak; and legal instruments for penalties and punishment are largely ineffective. Weak forest law enforcement is an underlying driver of poor forest governance that causes forest degradation and corruption. The government mechanisms have been unable to control forest encroachment, illegal logging and wild-life poaching, which resulted in a substantial loss of forests cover and wild lives. The Quality of forest administration and plan based forest operations is important for good governance. To a great extent, the new concept is emerging to involve many more actors for improving forest governance. In particular there is a realization that plan based, multi-stakeholder processes and joint monitoring are key drivers to improve forest governance. The participation of multi-stakeholders in the process of decision making and implementation of forest operations is elements that support to improve forest governance and reduce corruption and crime in forestry sector. Details: Nepal: Forestry Nepal, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.forestrynepal.org/images/publications/Yadav_2012_forest_governance.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal URL: http://www.forestrynepal.org/images/publications/Yadav_2012_forest_governance.pdf Shelf Number: 128101 Keywords: DeforestationForest ManagementIllegal LoggingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Management |
Author: Wright, Belinda Title: Simlipal Tiger Reserve; Assessment of Recent Elephants Poaching and Protection Initiatives Summary: Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) is part of one of the largest contiguous tiger and elephant habitats in the world. With a Biosphere Area of over 5,000 sq km, it is one of the most promising landscapes for tigers and their prey species. After a number of elephant deaths were reported in April and May 2010, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) constituted an independent assessment team on 3rd June 2010. The two-team members proceeded immediately to Simlipal to visit the Tiger Reserve from 6 to 11 June 2010. We made the following observations. ! From the evidence, we confirmed seven elephant deaths, all of which have most likely been killed by poachers. ! In some of the cases the field staff were aware of the elephant deaths but chose not to report them; rather they deliberately attempted to conceal the elephant deaths/poaching incidents, by destroying the evidence. ! At least six of the elephant deaths might never have been exposed had it not been for the local informers and two courageous and determined conservationists from Mayurbhanj District. ! Very little animal presence was noted. We did not see a single tusker (for which Simlipal is renowned) or fresh elephant dung, even though we travelled over 100 km a day, at all hours. ! The Forest Staff appeared to be thoroughly unmotivated and demoralized. ! There have been regular incursions of tribal mass-hunting groups of 100 to 200 people entering the Park for over a year. While we were there, at least three such groups entered the Park on 7, 9, and 11 June 2010. ! Forest staff can only try and persuade the hunters to turn back with “folded hands” since they do not have armed support; all arms have been withdrawn in view of the continuing threat from the Maoists. ! After last year’s concerted attack on the forest infrastructure, many of the protection beat houses in the National Park are yet to be re-occupied. ! Due to a new system of dual jurisdiction, by creation of the post of Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF), the Field Director no longer has control over three DFOs that manage1,555 sq km of the Buffer Zone. ! The Park’s senior management has not exercised tight control and supervision over the field staff due to insufficient visits to the Parks. ! There is little interaction with local tribal communities living inside and on the periphery of the Park thereby leading to distrust and lack of support to the Department. We have detailed 25 recommendations, which we have tried to keep as practical and implementable as possible. They include a strong recommendation to implement the advice of a previous NTCA team that visited Simlipal in August 2009. Our recommendations that are considered to be of “Immediate Priority” are: 1. Action against field staff for concealment of elephant deaths and destruction of evidence; 2. An independent monitoring committee should be formed by NTCA; 3. A wildlife crime intelligence gathering system should be started; 4. Special drive to seize country-made guns; 5. Protection Funds should not be re-allocated; 6. Funds to DFOs for enforcement raids; 7. Vacant Deputy Director and 2 ACF posts to be immediately filled; 8. Park management to exercise greater supervision and control; 9. Confidentiality of wireless messages should be maintained; and 10. Enlist local community support from peripheral areas bordering the Park. Details: National Tiger Conservation Authority, 2010. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/Simlipal_Report_June_2010_FINAL2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: India URL: http://projecttiger.nic.in/whtsnew/Simlipal_Report_June_2010_FINAL2.pdf Shelf Number: 128101 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India) |
Author: Tsioumanni, Elsa Title: Wildlife Legislation and the Empowerment of the Poor in Asia and Oceania Summary: This paper ia a comparative analysis of national wildlife legislation in Asia and Oceania, with the aim of identifying strengths and weaknesses of legal frameworks in the promotion of sustainable wildlife management and in allowing disadvantaged people, particularly indigenous and local communities, to directly benefit from it. Authored by Elsa Tsioumani and Elisa Morgera, this study formulates recommendations and proposes specific legal options to improve legal frameworks in the region, with a view to supporting environmental sustainability, socioeconomic development and the empowerment of the poor. Part II presents country studies on national legislation from twelve countries in Asia and Oceania, highlighting the main legal provisions affecting wildlife management and use by local communities and aiming at highlighting specific legal tools for pro-poor sustainable wildlife management Details: Rome: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 2010. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: FAO Legal Papers Online No. 83:: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://biodiversity-l.iisd.org/news/fao-legal-paper-wildlife-legislation-and-the-empowerment-of-the-poor-in-asia-and-oceania/ Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: http://biodiversity-l.iisd.org/news/fao-legal-paper-wildlife-legislation-and-the-empowerment-of-the-poor-in-asia-and-oceania/ Shelf Number: 128103 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Asia, Oceania)Wildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Management |
Author: India. Ministry of Environment and Forests Title: Committee Constituted to Holistically Address the Issue of Poaching in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Report Summary: 1. Biodiversity of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very rich in biodiversity, harbouring unique endemic life forms. The islands have both rich terrestrial as well as marine ecosystems, such as mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass beds. The marine biodiversity includes marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, dugong; marine turtles; estuarine or salt water crocodile; fishes; prawns and lobsters; corals; sea shells including rare and endangered Trochus species and Giant Clam Shells and numerous other marine life forms including coelenterates and echinoderms etc. 2. Reasons for threat to biodiversity: Economically also, many of the above species are highly valuable and some of them such as sea cucumbers, sea-shells, sharks, marine turtles, salt water crocodiles etc. are under severe pressure of over exploitation from illegal foreign fishing boats and poachers. Historically, these species had been exploited by people from neighbouring countries, mainly due to the low protective cover and low priority accorded to conservation of the marine biodiversity in general by the enforcement agencies of the country. 3. Legal measures for protection of biodiversity in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Several legal measures have been in place for protection of the marine biodiversity of the region. The Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels Act, 1981, Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 1991 (last amended in 2011), Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, etc. coupled with establishment of 9 National Parks and 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries for a more focused conservation initiative, have all strengthened the enforcement regime in the region. Besides, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has also taken measures for protecting the flora and fauna of the islands. Some of these National Parks are exclusively for the protection of the marine species. These include Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, Rani Jhansi Marine National Park, etc. As on date, an area of 1619.786 sq. kms has been covered under the Protected Area network in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 4. Management of biodiversity in Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Forest Department-The Wildlife Wing of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, responsible for the protection of the biodiversity of the islands, is headed by the Chief Wildlife Warden, in the rank of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and has four divisions under his control. In addition to this, there are six territorial Divisions that carry out protection duties outside the designated Protected Area network. Coastal Police- Twenty Coastal Police Stations have also been established on the islands to upgrade regulatory and law enforcement regime in the coastal waters. The Coastal Police Stations are being equipped with latest infrastructural communication and patrolling equipments. Coast Guard: The Coast Guard has been assisting the Forest Department in apprehending the poachers in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as well as along the coast. 5. Issues that require attention: (a) Issue of foreign poachers: Despite the concerted efforts by various departments and agencies, the very availability of rich marine resources attracts foreign poachers to Indian territorial waters. Although, the enforcement agencies routinely apprehend several foreign poachers, it is believed that a large number of them get away undetected. Most of the poachers are habitual offenders and had been in Indian prisons several times. It has been observed that the western part of the Andaman Islands was the most vulnerable to poaching and also that the volume of the poaching has considerably increased over the years inspite of the best efforts by the Administration to contain the problem. Further, it is also believed that the problem of foreign poachers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has a long history, and there are a large number of ethnic people of Myanmar origin settled in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These people are believed to be often conniving with the poachers. (b) Issue of Trochus and Sea cucumbers: It has been observed that although there was good population of Sea Cucumbers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there were contradicting reports of the status of the species as a whole in the country’s waters. Therefore, there is need for carrying out detailed scientific study on the population status of Sea Cucumbers. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), who has the required wherewithal for carrying out such scientific studies, is being requested for undertaking the study. The report of ZSI would be dovetailed with this report, as soon as the same is received from ZSI. A similar study on Trochus niloticus, would also be taken up. (c) Issue of livelihood: The reduction in forestry operations has reduced the employment opportunities considerably for the local people of islands. It may be added that this sector was one of the biggest local employers for the last five decades. Subsequent ban on certain marine species after their inclusion in the Scheduled lists of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has also adversely affected the livelihoods of the fishers community in the last decade. Strategy and measures suggested for improvement: In order to reach the desired goal, a three pronged strategy has been suggested which, inter alia, includes tightening and improving the protection regime for conservation of marine resources, taking care of the livelihoods of local fisher folk, both qualitatively and quantitatively so as to increase their stake in conservation of marine biodiversity, and to open a diplomatic channel with the Government of Myanmar to address the issue of ingress of its illegal fishers (poachers) into the waters and shores of A&N Islands with a view to finding a solution to this problem and stop the illegal practice jointly. The report concludes with a number of recommendations to address the various issues. Details: New Delhi: Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2011. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/report-on-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-poaching-issue.pdf Year: 2011 Country: India URL: http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/report-on-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-poaching-issue.pdf Shelf Number: 128105 Keywords: Animal PoachingBiodiversityForest ManagementIllegal FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Management |
Author: Turtle Conservation Coalition Title: Turtles in Trouble: The World’s 25+ Most Endangered Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles—2011 Summary: Turtles are in serious trouble. They are among the world’s most endangered vertebrates, with about half of their more than 300 species threatened with extinction. We commonly hear about the plight of other animal groups; however, turtles are much more at risk of impending extinction than birds, mammals, amphibians, or sharks and rays, and paralleled among the larger vertebrate groups only by the primates (Turtle Taxonomy Working Group 2010, www. iucnredlist.org, Hoffmann et al. 2010). Turtles throughout the world are being impacted by a variety of major threats, to which many are gradually succumbing. They are being collected, traded, and eaten or otherwise used, in overwhelming numbers. They are used for food, pets, traditional medicine—eggs, juveniles, adults, body parts—all are exploited indiscriminately, with little regard for sustainability. On top of the targeted onslaught, their habitats are being increasingly fragmented, destroyed, developed, and polluted. Populations are shrinking nearly everywhere. Species worldwide are threatened and vulnerable, many are critically endangered, others teeter on the very brink of extinction, and a few have already been lost forever, with eight species and two subspecies having gone extinct since 1500 AD (see table, p. 5). The world’s living tortoise and freshwater turtle species are a remarkable evolutionary success story. There are about 328 currently recognized modern species (452 taxa; Turtle Taxonomy Working Group 2010). Turtles have existed for about 220 million years, since the Late Triassic Era, outlasting their early contemporaries, the dinosaurs. Turtles and tortoises have evolved a remarkable armored shell that has remained relatively unchanged through evolution, and while other vertebrate species have evolved and gone extinct, the basic body form of turtles has remained an obvious testament to their success and their ability to survive millions of years of natural selection. However, the previously successful survival adaptations of turtles, including delayed sexual maturity, high fecundity combined with high juvenile mortality, and a long adult life-span with low natural adult mortality, have left turtle populations vulnerable to new and devastating threats posed by human exploitation and habitat loss. Turtles and tortoises are major biodiversity components of the ecosystems they inhabit, often serving as keystone species from which other animals and plants benefit— Desert and Gopher Tortoises in North America, Giant River Turtles in the Amazon basin of South America, Pig-nosed Turtles in Australia and New Guinea, Giant Tortoises in the Galápagos and Seychelles islands, and large Flapshell and Softshell Turtles in Asia—all represent major components in their environments and are part of the web of interacting and co-dependent species that constitute healthy functioning ecosystems. Without turtles and tortoises, those ecosystems and the critically important human-welfare ecoservices they provide, would gradually suffer from the loss of biodiversity and degrade in ways still incompletely understood and difficult to predict. No turtle species should be lost to extinction, as none are expendable or unimportant. Increasingly, however, human activities are endangering many turtle and tortoise species while driving others into extinction. We are facing a turtle survival crisis unprecedented in its severity and risk. Humans are the problem, and must therefore also be the solution. Without concerted conservation action, many of the world’s turtles and tortoises will become extinct within the next few decades. It is now up to us to prevent the loss of these remarkable, unique jewels of evolution. Without intervention, countless species will be lost. We need to work together for the survival of turtles throughout the world, to understand the risks and threats turtles face, to define survival and conservation objectives, and to develop the successful management strategies and organizational alliances that can help us reach those goals. Details: Lunenburg, MA: IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Conservation Fund, Turtle Survival Alliance, Turtle Conservancy, Chelonian Research Foundation, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and San Diego Zoo Global, 2011. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/top_25__turtles_in_trouble_2011__2_.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/top_25__turtles_in_trouble_2011__2_.pdf Shelf Number: 128106 Keywords: TortoisesTurtlesWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Horne, Brian D. Title: Conservation of Asian Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles: Setting Priorities for the Next Ten Years Summary: The workshop entitled "Conservation of Asian Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles: Setting Priorities for the Next Ten Years ” hosted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), 21-24 February 2011. Nearly 70 delegates from 17 countries –including 14 Asian nations – attended. A primary directive and the basis of the workshop, participants were tasked with looking back at the last decade of turtle conservation since the pivotal meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1999 that first brought together the region’s turtle experts. By assessing the past eleven years, participants were able to identify what actions worked well, which ones did not work as well as hoped, and which recommendations/priorities had not been adequately addressed. Next, the participants were asked to look forward to determine emerging trends and new developments and dilemmas/challenges in the continuously changing habitat impacts and market trade in turtles and turtle products. This report presents a set of recommendations and conclusions arising from presentations, discussions, and break-out sessions at the workshop. The first set of overall recommendations represent the immediate steps necessary for staving off extinction of Asia’s most endangered turtles. These recommendations are of the highest priority. Key policy recommendations are then made, arising from an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red-Listing process that was incorporated as part of the Singapore workshop. In addition, a specific session on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was held. These recommendations dovetail into recommendations for proposed changes to the CITES listing of Asian turtles and how specific species need to be more strictly regulated and supervised in their international trade to protect wild populations. The key policy recommendations should be pivotal in encouraging participating countries to enforce existing laws and regulations and in some cases create new laws or regulations. Two genera have been identified as priority groups as they make up a large percentage of the most critically endangered turtles in Asia. This is followed by a section on emerging threats and includes recommendations for dealing with these new issues. After which a number of emerging opportunities are detailed for turtle conservation in Asia. The report then features two potential species for pilot reintroduction programs. Before the report concludes, it details species-specific recommendations for the 36 confirmed and proposed Critically Endangered Turtles and Tortoises in South and Southeast Asia, and lastly, there is a short section on the need to gather information on species’ ranked as Data Deficient in order to determine such species population status. Details: Singapore: Wildlife Conservation Society, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.turtlesurvival.org/storage/documents/Singapore_Report_complete.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Asia URL: http://www.turtlesurvival.org/storage/documents/Singapore_Report_complete.pdf Shelf Number: 128107 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTurtles and Tortoises (Asia)Wildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Bromley, Tom Title: Development AND Gorillas? Assessing fifteen years of integrated conservation and development in south-western Uganda Summary: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are two afromontane forests considered as extremely important biodiversity areas, with global significance, due to their population of highly endangered Mountain Gorilla. Threats to the two parks include uncontrolled exploitation of forest resources as well as fire damage and the indirect pressures of demand for land. In response to these threats, a range of “integrated conservation and development” strategies have been applied in and around Bwindi and Mgahinga. This report summarises the findings of a study which tested the effectiveness of these strategies in reconciling biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development interests. It confirms the validity of the assumption that linking local people to a resource and helping generate a steady stream of benefits increases willingness to manage and protect that resource, over the long term but notes inconclusive evidence that providing alternative livelihoods is an effective conservation strategy. Details: London: International Institute for Environment and Development, 2010. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://pubs.iied.org/14592IIED.html Year: 2010 Country: Uganda URL: http://pubs.iied.org/14592IIED.html Shelf Number: 128108 Keywords: BiodiversityGorillasWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: TRAFFIC-India Title: The Roar of the Tiger: A compilation of the in-session documents, information documents and interventions at the CITES CoP14 on Agenda Document CoP14 Doc 52 ‘Asian Big Cats’ Summary: Tigers and Asian big cats were at the centre stage of an important debate at the 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties of the CITES at the Hague, The Netherlands. Led by India and other range states like Nepal, China, Bhutan and Russia, the 14th CoP was able to garner strong support for conservation of tigers in the wild. After the 14th CITES CoP in The Hague, there was naturally a lot of interest in India on the tiger issue, and consequently several versions of the entire debate, unfortunately some of them inaccurate, being discussed. Given the significance of the debate and its long-term implications for tiger conservation, this compilation attempts to put together the in-session documents, information documents, interventions and other relevant documents of the debate around the Agenda Document CoP14 Doc 52 ‘Asian Big Cats’. As such, the statements made by various countries such as India, Nepal, Bhutan and China on the floor gather significance. One of the key messages to emerge on this important international forum was that “Tigers should not be bred for their parts or derivatives.” Given the significance of the debate and its long term implications for tiger conservation, this compilation attempts to put together the decisions and other relevant documents of this debate. While the summary records and the resolutions are excerpted from the official record of CITES, the interventions of various countries have been compiled from various sources including unofficial transcripts. Details: New Delhi: TRAFFIC-India, 2007. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/traffic_pub_cop14_19.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Asia URL: http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/traffic_pub_cop14_19.pdf Shelf Number: 128110 Keywords: Animal PoachingTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia)Wildlife Management |
Author: Upadhyay, Sanjay Title: Conserving Protected Areas and Wildlife: A Judicial Journey Summary: The Centre for Environment Law (CEL) – WWF India was formally launched in 1993 and soon developed into an active centre for legal action through out the country. The Bhitarkanika case to protect the Olive Ridleys against an ecologically flawed jetty construction in Kendrapara, Orissa; the Narayan Sarovar Case against the Sanghi Cements Giant to save the Chinkara in the Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary in Gujarat and then an intervention in the Delhi ridge case in the early 90s have put CEL-WWF India at the forefront of fighting legal battles on wildlife conservation. The TRAFFIC India was equally active on fighting legal battles on specific illegal wildlife trade issues. It was around this time that the M.C. Mehta cases on various aspects of environment including river pollution, coastal areas, urban development were also at the peak of its judicial activism. It was then thought1 that a piece meal approach may not be the most appropriate manner to tackle wildlife conservation from the legal perspective. A preliminary research brought out that in most of the National Parks and Sanctuaries, the implementation of provisions as envisaged in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WLPA) is incomplete and therefore, it would be prudent to approach the Apex Court to ensure that the State Governments which were nodally responsible for managing the Protected Areas (PAs), expedite the process and inform the correct position of the Protected Area management in India. It was also felt that the status quo on this integral process is not benefiting either the conservation objectives or the social objectives. It is on this premise that the Civil Writ Petition No. 337 of 1995 was filed by CEL –WWF India in May, 1995 in the Supreme Court of India for the protection and development of the National Parks and Sanctuaries in India. The main prayer was for directions to the concerned authorities (Central Government, State Governments and the District Collectors) to: a) discharge their statutory functions provided under Sections 19-25 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and b) enquire into and determine the existence, nature and extant of the rights of any persons in or over the land comprised with the limits of the National Parks and Sanctuaries In addition to the above contentions, a number of other ancillary issues pertaining to the preservation and protection of wildlife were also raised by the petitioners subsequently after more than one year later in October, 1996. Although, procedurally this seemed awkward, the additional reliefs sought by the petitioner brought to the fore the issues of Tiger Conservation2, meeting of the Indian Board of Wildlife3 which had not met since eight preceding years, constitution of Wildlife Advisory Boards and nomination of members such as Wildlife Wardens as contemplated under Section 6 of the WLPA, appointment of Honorary Wildlife Wardens in each district in accordance with Section 4 of the WLPA and to take appropriate measures to enforce the recommendations4 mentioned by the petitioner through a survey conducted on 16 Tiger Reserves in the country. It was a strategic move to broad base the petition that further covered the entire gamut of implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Whether the strategies worked or not will be clear in the subsequent sections, which analyses the impact of Court orders not only at the national level but also the trends that emerged or are emerging at the States’ level. The analysis does not question the merit of the Court’s observations but attempts to capture the trends as well as make an assessment of the raison de etre’ of the case and whether it had achieved what it set out to do or not as yet! The Court upon hearing the petition admitted the case and issued notices to various State Governments and to the Union of India in February, 1997 5 i.e. two years after the petition was filed. While carefully scrutinizing the case it can be seen how time and again the Court has used several strategies including contempt notices to the Union and the States to adhere to its orders for implementing the relevant provisions of the Act. The current analysis follows two broad patterns. The analysis of orders which have national implications and those which have State implications. The attempt is also to capture the trend that is emerging within each State and the seriousness with which each State has responded on the fast depleting wildlife in the country. Details: New Delhi: Enviro Legal Defence Firm and World Wildlife Fund For Nature, 2009. 289p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/conserving_protected_areas_and_wildlife_1.pdf Year: 2009 Country: India URL: http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/conserving_protected_areas_and_wildlife_1.pdf Shelf Number: 128111 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (India)Wildlife Management |
Author: Rangarajan, Mahesh Title: Gajah: Securing the Future for Elephants in India. The Report of the Elephant Task Force Summary: Securing a future for the elephant in India, its continued survival in the wild and its humane care in captivity constitute a major challenge. They call for drawing on the best in our communities of knowledge and governance. The Task Force is crystal clear on one point. India can secure the future for Gajah and its forest home. It will be a challenge but one we possess the ability to surmount, provided we have the will, demonstrate the wisdom and deploy the means necessary. It is not immediate extinction as much as attrition of living spaces and the tense conditions of the human-elephant encounter on the ground that require redress. As a long lived and sociable animal familiar to all of us since childhood, elephants may seem to require little help. But the shrinking of habitat and the selective killing off of tuskers in key populations by ivory poachers are cause for grave concern. Elephants in captivity are close to our hearts but there are times standards fall short of the humane treatment and welfare they are surely entitled to. Their care givers, Mahouts and veterinary doctors too need recognition and better amenities. Project Elephant has, since 1992, done much commendable work. But its successes notwithstanding, it needs more than an accretion of resources. Elephant habitats are under immense pressure. Rapid economic expansion and development pressures require far more attention to land use plans from an ecological perspective. New knowledge needs to be brought to bear in population and habitat assessment. Above all, systems of mitigation to alleviate human-elephant conflict need to re-energise and be made much more accountable. To accomplish this requires administrative overhaul and better machinery. The Task Force strongly favours new institutions and mechanisms to achieve these wider objectives. We need a new National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) on the lines of the structure for tiger conservation. Nestled with it will be a new Consortium of Elephant Research and Estimation (CERE) who will develop and apply the best methods for enumeration. Transparency of methods and results will uphold standards and inculcate a scientific temper. Along with similar changes at the state level, there will be a new category of Elephant Landscapes. These, ten in number will include the existing and proposed 32 Elephant Reserves. While no new reserves are proposed, there will be a consolidation of the existing reserves. Over 40 per cent of the Elephant Reserves is not under Protected Area or government forest. The Task Force favours Ecologically Sensitive Area status under the Environment Protection Act to regulate activity that may be ecologically negative. Elephant Corridors that link critical populations had already been identified prior to the Task Force by scientists, administrators and reputed voluntary organizations. We have now ranked the Elephant Corridors according to priority and feasibility for action. Our main emphasis is on innovative methods to secure habitats beyond the Protected Areas. These could include Community or Conservation Reserves, Ecosystem Services payments and conservation easements. Protected Area expansion can also be considered but so too can other measures. These will forge partnerships and reinforce alliances for conservation at ground level. It is vital to stress that elephant conservation is about combining quality of land use. While securing viable habitats, there has to be accommodation in other zones, to enable wildlife and people to be compatible. The increased financial outlay of Rs. 600 crore over the 12th Five Year Plan period has sound logic to back it up. A third of the allocation will be to secure vital habitats that serve as links between populations that may be cut off. Rather than land acquisition which is often conflict prone, we propose a range of other instruments from conservation easements to Community Reserves. Similarly, human-elephant conflict requires urgent redress, and not only for making good loss of crops or homes. It requires preventive measures that can be monitored, verified and held accountable. One sixth of resources asked for are earmarked for conflict issues. The Task Force favours a permanent and continuing mission in high conflict zones, with innovative methods to alleviate tragic loss of life of both humans and animals. Conflict Management Task Forces can commence work in known zones of high conflict. These will include experienced foresters, scientists, wildlife vets, and social scientists. Elephant human conflict is a wider phenomenon than these foci of high conflict. Mandatory taluka-level hearings at different times in the sowing and harvesting season in all conflict areas can bring together affected citizens, officials and elected representatives. Given the Elephant Reserves cover 65,000 square kilometres and that this is a vital input into larger land use planning, the proposed outlay is necessary and justifiable. The Task Force appreciates need for transparency. 50 Crores is for research, monitoring and study vital for sound policy. It has suggested specific ways to bring elected representatives and those with domain knowledge in close and continuing contact with local citizens through appropriate forum. Elephant Reserve Committees will enable redress, consultation and transparency. Bringing science, administration and applied social science together is the key. Protection in the wild with conflict management to help both humans and elephants will demand Herculean effort. So will upgrading care of elephants in captivity, with Citizens Elephant Welfare Committees. Assuring Gajah a future for tomorrow will require resources today, whether living space or funds, the application of the best of technical and scientific knowledge or the fashioning of responses that makes partners of citizens who live in proximity with the species. science with humane administration. A mobile mega herbivore, Elephas maximus is often in sharp indirect or direct conflict with our own patterns Details: Delhi: Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2010. 187p. Source: Internet Resource: Accesssed March 25, 2013 at: http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/ETF_REPORT_FINAL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: India URL: http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/ETF_REPORT_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 128112 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Management |
Author: India. Ministry of Environment and Forests (Project Tiger) Title: Evaluation Reports of Tiger Reserves in India Summary: Project Tiger was launched in 1973, covering 9 Tiger Reserves. Today there are 28 reserves spread over 17 States. The project has saved the endangered tiger from extinction by fostering a path of recovery. Over the years, the increase in biotic pressure on account of firewood, pasture, and timber along with diverse land uses in the forested landscape have adversely affected the tiger bearing forests. The illegal international demands for the body parts of tiger have increased the pressure of poaching. Despite these limitations, the ecological status of Tiger Reserves is relatively better and harbour source populations of tiger, copredators and prey animals. Project Tiger is an ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, to promote tiger conservation in the designated Tiger Reserves, considering its significance which transcend State boundaries. Traditionally, management of forests and wildlife is the responsibility of States. The field implementation of the project, protection and management in the designated reserves is done by project States, which also provide the matching grant to recurring items of expenditure, field staff / officers and their salaries. The Project Tiger Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Forests is mandated with the task of providing technical guidance, funding support and overall coordination. The achievement of physical and financial targets under the project is monitored through utilization certificates received from States, apart from supervisory visits and review. However, monitoring the “impact” of investment vis-à-vis the goals of the project necessitated a more systematic approach by independent experts, with prescribed parameters. It should be appreciated that the Project Tiger is a holistic, ecosystem project where most of the results are intangible, not falling in the category of “target driven” projects. All of the 28 Tiger Reserves were evaluated. The evaluation report of individual Tiger Reserves are presented in this report along with the 'Results at a Glance' in the form of graphics. Details: New Delhi: Ministry of Environment and Forests, 2006 244p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://projecttiger.nic.in/Report-2_EvaluationReportsofTRinIndia.pdf Year: 2006 Country: India URL: http://projecttiger.nic.in/Report-2_EvaluationReportsofTRinIndia.pdf Shelf Number: 128113 Keywords: Animal PoachingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (India)Wildlife Management |
Author: Global Tiger Initiative Secretariat Title: Global Tiger Recovery Program Implementation Report 2012 Summary: In November of 2010, leaders of the 13 Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) assembled at an unprecedented International Tiger Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. With the extinction of wild tigers looming, they unanimously adopted the St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation and endorsed its implementation mechanism, the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP). The overarching goal of the St. Petersburg Declaration and the GTRP is to double the global number of wild tigers across their range by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger, from an estimated 3,200 to more than 7,000. This Summit, the first-ever devoted to an endangered species, marked a historic milestone in tiger conservation and in biodiversity conservation more broadly. The St. Petersburg Declaration represents a commitment to go beyond governments and NGOs creating isolated impacts to working collaboratively for collective impact to achieve a shared vision. The comprehensive GTRP comprises the National Tiger Recovery Priorities (NTRP) of the 13 TRCs and Global Support Programs to be spearheaded by international and national partners to bolster country efforts. The GTRP outlines the concerted country-specific and collaborative actions required in the first five years of the program to move toward the 2022 goal. These actions fall under several broad themes: policy and institutional change; habitat protection and management; controlling tiger and prey poaching; institutional strengthening and capacity building; increasing community engagement and reducing human-tiger conflict; controlling illegal trade in tigers and reducing the demand that drives it; cooperation to manage transboundary tiger landscapes and to combat illegal trade; scientific monitoring, surveys, and research; and finding new sources of sustainable financing for tiger conservation. The emphasis on these themes varies from TRC to TRC, depending on each TRC’s unique challenges and situation. To track progress toward the shared goal, TRC governments committed to transparent mutual accountability for implementing the actions necessary for recovering tigers in their particular context. Partners are holding themselves accountable to the TRC’s for fulfilling their promised support programs. All agreed to periodic stocktaking to review progress, consider new information, and establish future program directions. The First Stocktaking Meeting of Senior Officials and Experts to Review Implementation of the GTRP took place on May 15- 17, 2012, in New Delhi, India. All 13 TRCs reported on their progress as well the challenges and obstacles each faced in implementing their Priority Implementation Activities (PIAs). Partners also reported on their progress and setbacks. At the same time, the TRCs and partners outlined priorities for 2012-2013. Progress in 2011 and the first half of 2012 was impressive and a clear sign that the political will generated at the 2010 Tiger Summit is leading to action on the ground. TRCs completed or made progress on most of their PIAs and partners did the same. TRCs are actively collaborating, sharing knowledge and experience. Some activities took longer to get going than planned, but that is to be expected in a new and highly ambitious undertaking involving 13 governments and dozens of partners in NGOs and international organizations. After some initial delay, external funding streams have begun to flow, and the outlook for developing the resources needed to fully fund the GTRP seems bright. The Global Tiger Initiative was founded just four years ago, in June 2008. It will take considerably more time for tigers to begin to recover and to determine whether we are moving toward the goal of doubling their numbers. The progress reported here gives cause for some optimism but it is imperative that the momentum be maintained. Also encouraging is news of a potential new TRC. Kazakhstan, once home to the Caspian tiger subspecies, is working toward reintroducing tigers to their former range there. Other TRCs with very low tiger numbers are also beginning to plan for restoring tigers to their priority landscapes. How this Report was Prepared and is Organized The St. Petersburg Declaration charged the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) Secretariat, based at the World Bank where the GTI was founded in 2008, with a coordinating role in implementing the GTRP and supporting and encouraging the TRCs in their efforts. Before the Tiger Summit, the GTI and the TRCs were engaged in a rigorous interactive process to develop the NTRPs and the GTRP. Since the Summit, this process has continued as TRCs developed individual lists of PIAs: these were the milestones the TRC planned to reach by the end of the first implementation period. Similarly, a Partners’ To-Do List of milestones was agreed upon. All were periodically revised and updated through mid-2012. It was agreed that progress would be assessed against the PIAs and Partners’ list. To develop this first Global Tiger Recovery Program Implementation Report 2012, each TRC provided to the GTI Secretariat a two-page summary of their progress in implementation of its PIAs, including a self-assessment of whether it completed a PIA, made significant or some progress toward completing it, or made no progress. Each TRC also contributed brief information on a best practice or success story, major challenges, and PIAs for 2012-2013. Before and after the stocktaking, TRCs had opportunities to revise their summaries. These country summaries form the bulk of this report. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank,, 2012. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/GTRP_Implementation_Report_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/GTRP_Implementation_Report_2012.pdf Shelf Number: 128117 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Global Tiger Initiative Secretariat Title: Global Tiger Recovery Program 2010–2022 Summary: Wild tigers are under threat of extinction across their entire range. Wild tigers (Panthera tigris) have for centuries occupied a very special place in the nature and culture of Asia. These magnificent big cats sit at the top of the ecological pyramid in vast Asian forest landscapes. The presence of viable populations of wild tigers is an indicator of the integrity, sustainability, and health of larger ecosystems. However, wild tigers are on the brink of extinction, with only about 3,200 to 3,500 surviving today, scattered among 13 Asian Tiger Range Countries (TRCs): Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, Thailand, and Vietnam. Diverse, rich, but undervalued tiger ecosystems are degrading and disappearing. Tiger landscapes support tigers, their prey, and a vast amount of biodiversity. They also contribute to human well being, locally and globally, through the provision of many ecosystem services such as water harvesting, carbon sequestration, plant genetic materials, food security and medicinal plants, and opportunities for community-based tourism. Most of these benefits are not currently monetized so tiger landscapes are significantly undervalued in national and global agendas. As a result, degradation, fragmentation, and loss of natural habitats, depletion of prey animals, and poaching to supply a large illegal global trade in their body parts, have pushed wild tigers and their landscapes to the brink of extinction. These threats are exacerbated by limited capacity for conservation action and, in most TRCs, by insufficient resources. The Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP) seeks to empower TRCs to address the entire spectrum of threats, domestic as well as those that are transboundary in nature, and work toward increased financial sustainability through the integration of conservation objectives into development. To solve the tiger crisis, which represents the larger Asian biodiversity crisis, the TRCs, international organizations, and civil society have come together on a collaborative platform within the framework of the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI). After a two-year process of sharing knowledge and best practices and developing a common vision, the GTRP was developed, with the shared goal of doubling the number of wild tigers globally by 2022 through actions to: (i) effectively manage, preserve, protect, and enhance tiger habitats; (ii) eradicate poaching, smuggling, and illegal trade of tigers, their parts, and derivatives; (iii) cooperate in transboundary landscape management and in combating illegal trade; (iv) engage with indigenous and local communities; (v) increase the effectiveness of tiger and habitat management; and (vi) restore tigers to their former range. The foundation of the GTRP is 13 individual National Tiger Recovery Priorities (NTRPs) that outline the urgent priority activities each TRC will take to contribute to the global goal. These NTRPs are buttressed with other actions that TRCs need to do in concert with others, such as arresting transboundary illegal trade, knowledge sharing, and establishing robust systems for monitoring populations, habitats, and overall progress. Additional actions to eliminate illicit demand for tiger parts and their derivatives and to undertake habitat valuation in order to promote payment for ecosystem services schemes are also included in the GTRP portfolio of 80 activities. The GTRP calls for incremental financing of about US$350 million over the first five years of the program, over and above the domestic financing to be provided by individual TRCs, based on their ability. TRCs have identified policy and institutional reforms to enhance the effectiveness of these proposed expenditures. TRCs have built considerable early momentum in implementing policy and institutional actions. Financial support for GTRP implementation is to be through a flexible financing mechanism that enables all potential funders—official bilateral programs, multilateral development banks, and the GEF, international NGOs, as well as private and corporate entities—to support the GTRP portfolio, which is to be kept current. Program management and coordination arrangements are built on the establishment and strengthening, as needed, of robust national implementation mechanisms, supported by TRC-wide and global processes to ensure mutual accountability and transparency through vigorous monitoring and reporting of progress. The existing Global Tiger Forum (GTF) is to be strengthened to play its mandated intergovernmental role and, until longer-term coordination arrangements are agreed upon, the TRCs asked the GTI Secretariat to support the implementation phase. Suitable collaborative platforms for those providing support to TRCs, through financing, capacity building, or arresting illegal trade, are to be created. Expected results include stabilized tiger populations in most critical habitats by year five and overall doubling by 2022; critical tiger habitats becoming inviolate and protected areas professionally managed; significant reduction in poaching and illegal trade and trafficking along with decreased illicit demand for tiger body parts and derivatives; consistent monitoring in place; and economic valuation of all tiger landscapes completed as a basis for sustainable financing. The GTRP is the last best hope for tigers. Wild tigers are at a tipping point and action, or inaction, in the coming decade will decide their fate. Action will lead to the tiger’s recovery; inaction or mere maintenance of the status quo will lead to its extinction. The GTRP represents the last best hope for the survival of the world’s most magnificent species and the conservation of the valuable landscapes in which it lives. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2011. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/download/St_Petersburg/GTRP_Nov11_Final_Version_Eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.globaltigerinitiative.org/download/St_Petersburg/GTRP_Nov11_Final_Version_Eng.pdf Shelf Number: 128118 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Blake, Stephen: Wildlife Conservation Society Title: Central african Forests: Final Report on Population Surveys (2003-2004) Summary: In 1997, at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Conv ention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Parties resolved to establish a monitoring system across the entire range of the African and Asian elephants [Resolution Conf. 10.10]. It was intended that this system would facilitate decision -making by the Parties regarding the protected status of elephants. This was also the first attempt to provide a systematic and detailed assessment of the impact of the Parties’ decisions to allow, restrict, or suspend trade in a particular species (and/or its parts and derivatives). The monitoring system, now known by its acronym MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants), was endorsed at the 41 st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in February 1999, and between 1999 and 2001 a Pilot Program, funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Conservation Society was implemented in central Africa to assess the feasibility of full scale implementation of the program in forest ecosystems (Beyers et al. 2001). During implementation of the pilot program and in the light of some lessons already being learned, the goals and structure of the MIKE program was discussed again at the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2000, which led to a revision of Resolution Conf. 10.10, and the objectives previously agreed were broadened to include ‘establishing an information base to support the making of decisions on appropriate management, protection and enforcement needs’ and ‘building capacity in range States’. The MIKE program currently has the following aim: ‘To provide information needed for elephant range States to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions, and to build institutional capacity within the range States for the lo ng-term management of their elephant populations.’ More specific objectives within this aim are: (1) ‘To measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants’, (2) ‘To determine changes in these trends over time’, and (3) ‘To determine the factors causing such changes and to assess to what extent observed trends are related to CITES changes in listings or ivory trade resumptions’ (www.cites.org/eng/prog/MIKE). The MIKE program plans to achieve these objective through a site-based system of collecting data on elephant population trends, the incidence and patterns of illegal killing, and the effort and resources employed in detecting and preventing illegal hunting and trade. The MIKE program is also charged with developing and using a standardized methodology for data collection and analysis. The pilot project, which focussed on three sites, the Lope Ituri, and Odzala protected areas in Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) demonstrated that implementation of MIKE in forests was indeed feasible, and a fullscale program involving 55 sites across Africa was initiated thereafter. The plan is to repeat surveys in each site every 2–3 years. Within the range of forest elephants in central Africa 11 sites were chosen, each based around a protected area. This document reports on progress made toward achieving forest elephant population surveys during 2003-2004 at six MIKE sites in five nations within the range of forest elephants in central Africa (Figure 2). Sites included were Salonga, Bangassou, Dzanga - Sangha, Nouabalé -Ndoki, Boumba Bek, and Minkebe. An elephant inventory was also planned for Mont Alen in Equatorial Guinea, though for funding reasons this site was eventually excluded. Details: Washington, DC: Wildlife Conservation Society, 2005. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Long Term System for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE): Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www.cites.org/common/prog/mike/survey/central_africa_survey03-04.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Africa URL: http://www.cites.org/common/prog/mike/survey/central_africa_survey03-04.pdf Shelf Number: 128125 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Africa)Wildlife Management |
Author: Altherr, Sandra Title: Canapés to Extinction: The international trade in frogs’ legs and its ecological impact Summary: In some regions of India, frogs are called “jumping chickens,” as their taste is similar to chicken. Their palatability to humans is why billions of frogs are consumed annually. In many countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America frogs are collected for subsistence or local consumption. Some of these same countries are engaged in the commercial trade of frogs and frog products— including frogs’ legs—supplying markets in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA), where native frog populations have been seriously depleted (Mohneke 2011, Lannoo et al. 1994). While frog farming plays an increasing role in meeting the global demand for frogs’ legs, in several countries millions of frogs are still taken from the wild to satisfy international demand. The exploitation of wild frogs to sustain this trade mainly focuses on larger-bodied species of the family Ranidae, such as the Asian brackish frog (Fejervarya cancrivora) and giant Javan frog (Limnonectes macrodon, formerly Rana macrodon). Some experts warn that even for common, fast-growing and fecund amphibian species, present levels of exploitation may be far from sustainable (Mohneke 2011, Bickford pers. comm. 2010, Lau et al. 2008). Within the last 20 years, Indonesia has become the world’s leading exporter of frogs’ legs, followed by China, Taiwan. The present report gives an overview of recent developments, trends, and the impacts of the frogs’ legs trade since the 1980s. The role of the EU and the USA as the main consumer markets is documented. During the last decade the EU imported an annual mean volume of 4,600 tonnes of frogs’ legs. With 84% of total imports, Indonesia is by far the leading supplier for the EU market (with the vast majority of those frogs being wild-caught). Belgium, France and the Netherlands are the main importers within the EU (see Section 3.1). In recent years, the USA has been annually importing on average 2,280 tonnes of frogs’ legs of the species Rana spp. Almost the same volume of live frogs (2,216 tonnes)—mainly American bullfrogs—is imported by the USA to supply the Asian-American market (see Section 3.2). The report recommends measures exporting and importing countries should take to reduce the extreme burden on wild frog populations as well as avoid other ecosystem risks within both range states and importing countries. Details: Munich, Germany: Pro Wildlife; Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Welfare Institute, 2011. Source: Year: 2011 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 128133 Keywords: Frog's LegsIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Thornhill, Daniel J. Title: Ecological Impacts and Practices of the Coral Reef Wildlife Trade Summary: It is estimated that 14–30 million fish, 1.5 million live stony corals, 4 million pounds of coral skeleton, 65–110 thousand pounds of red and black coral, and 9–10 million other invertebrates are removed each year from ecosystems across the world to supply the aquarium, curio/home décor, and coral jewelry industries. This trade has a collective annual value estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and involves over 45 source countries. This report examines the ecological impacts and practices associated with the ornamental trade in coral reef wildlife, including a lack of monitoring and regulation, illegal harvesting practices (including poaching and cyanide fishing), and a sizeable black market for reef-dwelling organisms. Over-collection of coral reef wildlife can potentially cause far-reaching consequences for coral reef ecosystems, disrupting trophic webs and removing creatures that play important roles in the reef. The combined effects of collection could weaken coral reefs, making them less able to respond to the larger threatsthat imperil these ecosystems globally, like climate change and ocean acidification. Details: Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife, 2012. 174p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2013 at: http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/ecological-impacts-and-practices-of-the-coral-reef-wildlife-trade.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/ecological-impacts-and-practices-of-the-coral-reef-wildlife-trade.pdf Shelf Number: 128134 Keywords: Coral ReefsIllegal Wildlife TradeNatural ResourcesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Barlow, Adam C.D. Title: The Sundarbans Tiger: Adaptation, Population Status, and Conflict Management Summary: The Sundarbans of India and Bangladesh is the only mangrove in the world where tigers still live. The Sundarbans is of relatively recent origin and has gone through substantial changes over time, driven by sea level changes, sedimentation, neotectonics, climate change, and human use. The area is of great economic value, provides essential ecosystem services, and is deeply embedded in the culture of the region. The Sundarbans has been under various forms of management for about 2,000 years, and is classified as a Tiger Conservation Landscape of Global Priority. Little is known about the Sundarbans tigers, which are threatened by habitat destruction, prey depletion, and direct tiger loss. This goal of this study was to increase understanding of tiger evolution, population status, and human-tiger conflict. Skulls and body weights of Sundarbans tigers were found to be distinct from other subspecies, indicating that they may have adapted to the unique conditions of the mangrove habitat. Female home ranges, recorded using Global Positioning System collars, were some of the smallest recorded for tigers, indicating that the Bangladesh Sundarbans could have one of the highest densities and largest populations of tigers anywhere in the world. A survey based on tiger track frequency along creek banks in the Bangladesh Sundarbans showed that tigers are still present throughout the landscape, but that abundance is variable. A monitoring program based on this technique has a reasonable power to detect future change in tiger abundance. A review of human-tiger conflict data showed that the number of tiger and human deaths has declined in recent decades. A management framework was developed to support activity selection for the mitigation of human-carnivore conflict, and was applied to human-tiger conflict in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Collaring problem tigers and creating teams to respond to tiger attacks were identified as the most cost-effective means to reducing the conflict. The monitoring program allows managers to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation strategies. The activity selection framework supports decision-making for the mitigation of human-carnivore conflict. This study highlights the Sundarbans as a high priority area for tiger conservation, and the information collected has been used to help create a national tiger action plan. Details: Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2009. 205p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 27, 2013 at: http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/thesis/barlow_2009_phd.pdf Year: 2009 Country: India URL: http://www.carnivoreconservation.org/files/thesis/barlow_2009_phd.pdf Shelf Number: 128150 Keywords: Human-Animal ConflictTigers (India, Bangladesh)Wildlife ConservationWildlife Management |
Author: Morgera, Elisa Title: Wildlife Law and the Empowerment of the Poor Summary: There is a wide variety of interests to be balanced in wildlife management. These interests range from the conservation of biodiversity and specific endangered species and their habitats, to valuable opportunities in ecotourism or hunting tourism, to the needs and traditions of the local population relating to hunting and collection of animals or their product for cultural/religious practices. Although revenues from the wildlife sector may be considered irrelevant as a contribution to the national gross domestic product, wildlife’s influence on local economies can be significant. Some rural communities see wildlife as a source of food. Some see wildlife habitat as potential timber or farmland. And some see wildlife hunting or ecotourism as a source of cash. Good laws can provide a framework for good wildlife management. An appropriate legal framework can conserve wildlife while reducing poverty and increasing food security. Enacting effective legal reforms, though, remains challenging. In 2007–2008, FAO and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) reviewed legislation on wildlife management in Western and Central Asia. This review launched a regional dialogue on international obligations and standards on wildlife management, based on current challenges at national and regional levels. This regional initiative led to a set of design principles on how to develop effective national legislation on sustainable wildlife management (available at www.fao.org/legal). These principles sought to provide tools for the analysis of existing legal frameworks, as well as provide guidance for developing new legislation based on international standards and best practices. In addition, the principles aim to help decision-makers, legal drafters and resource managers to understand wildlife legislation, engage in participatory and interdisciplinary legislative drafting, and use legislation to support sustainable wildlife management for the empowerment of the poor and environmental sustainability. In 2009, FAO undertook to further refine these principles, taking into account the challenges faced and lessons learnt by wildlife legislators in other regions of the world. To this end, a series of regional studies examined the legislation of selected countries in Africa, Latin America, South-east Asia and Oceania.1 These studies analysed laws concerning wildlife tenure (ownership and use rights and obligations, links with land and forest tenure), public participation in wildlife decision-making and planning, and community-based wildlife management. The purpose was to identify legal tools that allow disadvantaged people to directly benefit from wildlife management, thereby improving food security, alleviating poverty, enhancing rural livelihoods and ultimately contributing to the legal empowerment of the poor.2 The studies also considered the strengths and weaknesses of current legal frameworks in promoting environmental sustainability and socio-economic development. The present study synthesizes and analyses the findings of the abovementioned regional legal reviews, identifies current trends and shortcomings, and singles out innovative legal solutions. On this basis, it also refines the design principles to develop effective national legislation on sustainable wildlife management, emphasizing the legal tools that empower the poor, particularly local and indigenous communities. Details: Rome: Development Law Service, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) Legal Office, 2010. 340p. Source: Internet Resource: FAO Legislative Study 103: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1906e/i1906e00.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1906e/i1906e00.pdf Shelf Number: 128176 Keywords: BiodiversityWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Law (International)Wildlife Management |
Author: Cirelli, Maria Teresa Title: Wildlife Law in the Southern African Development Community Summary: There is a wide variety of interests to be balanced in wildlife management. These interests range from the conservation of biodiversity and specific endangered species and their habitats, to control of human-wildlife conflicts, the creation of valuable opportunities in eco-tourism or hunting tourism in response to the needs and respect of the traditions of local populations depending on hunting and other wildlife uses. As a consequence, the enactment of effective legal frameworks for sustainable wildlife management, which are able to contribute to poverty reduction and food security and at the same time protect wild animals, is a challenging task. Since 2007, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) have launched an international dialogue on obligations and standards on wildlife management, with a focus on instruments for the legal empowerment of the poor. The initiative started with a review of the relevant legislation Western and Central Asia, which led to the publication of a set of principles on how to develop effective national legislation on sustainable wildlife management (www.fao.org/Legal/prs-ol/lpo75.pdf). A series of studies on the wildlife legislation in other regions of the world, also published on the FAO website, followed (http://www.fao.org/Legal/prs-ol/paper-e.htm). Two of these studies concern altogether twenty-seven countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper draws upon the information contained in those studies, focusing on SADC countries. Some warnings must preliminarily be given regarding the analysis that has been carried out in the studies. Although efforts have been made to ensure the completeness of the legal research, some existing legal instruments may be missing, because they were not identified or not accessible. Another inherent limitation of desk reviews of legislation is that critical information which generally rests beyond the legal texts may not be available. An adequate evaluation of legal frameworks should involve consideration many factors, such as overall government objectives and their degree of implementation (e.g., decentralization), existing administrative practices at various territorial levels and their effectiveness, experience in the implementation of existing legislation (e.g., provisions which have remained dead letter, procedures which are bypassed in practice), local customs, public perception of the role of law and authority, economic and social needs, and gender issues. This type of analysis has obviously not been possible for all countries. Part I of this paper starts with an overview of the international legal instruments related to wildlife management, including those adopted at the regional level (Part I, chapter 1). The following chapter focuses on selected themes (institutions and other stakeholders, tenure arrangements, management planning, conservation and utilization), commenting on some of the legal trends identified through country studies, including good practices as well as gaps and contradictions that have emerged (Part I, chapter 2). Common trends are then analyzed, and accompanied with suggestions for the drafting of legal provisions that may help in ensuring that sustainable wildlife management benefits the most vulnerable members of society, in particular indigenous and local communities (Part I, chapter 3). An overview of the legal framework applicable to wild animals in each of the fifteen SADC countries is presented in Part II. The presentation describes the relevant provisions that are currently in place, whether they are included in legal instruments exclusively concerning wildlife or in legislation addressing related subjects, such as environment, protected areas or forestry. Details: Budapest: International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation; Rome: FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.cic-wildlife.org/fileadmin/Press/Technical_Series/EN/9.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Africa URL: http://www.cic-wildlife.org/fileadmin/Press/Technical_Series/EN/9.pdf Shelf Number: 128180 Keywords: Wildlaw LawsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management (Southern Africa)Wildlife Trade |
Author: Caillabet, Olivier S. Title: The Trade in Tokay Geckos Gekko gecko in South-East Asia: with a case study on Novel Medicinal Claims in Peninsular Malaysia Summary: South-east Asia is rich in biodiversity. It is also a global hub for wildlife trade, both as a source and as a consumer. Wildlife trade, for use in Traditional Medicine (TM), as pets and for food, poses a significant threat to the conservation of many species in the region. The Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko is one such species potentially threatened by trade. This species is found throughout South-east Asia in both urban and naturally forested environments. It has been traded for traditional medicine for hundreds of years and more recently as a pet, mainly to the EU and North America. In 2009 a novel trade emerged in Tokay Geckos Gekko gecko reportedly as a cure for HIV/AIDS. This trade spread throughout South-East Asia with a demand purportedly centred on Peninsular Malaysia. In late 2011, TRAFFIC was granted funding by WWF and Wildlife Reserves Singapore to investigate the trade related to Novel Medicinal Claims (NMCs) in late 2011 in Peninsular Malaysia and the wider trade in South-east Asia for TM. The aims of the study were to substantiate some of the claims surrounding NMCs; highlight the trade routes and trade hotspots for targeted enforcement action and; provide a regional overview of the trade through a desk top study and provide data to support a CITES Appendix II listing for this species. Informal interviews were held with private dealers and pet shops/aquaria selling Tokay Geckos throughout the peninsula. Nineteen dealers were interviewed and more than 250 Tokay Geckos were observed for sale. Several questions surrounding the recent Tokay Gecko trade spike for NMCs remain unanswered, however; following this study, some of the claims can be substantiated. There is no evidence to support the claims of an HIV/AIDS cure. Interviews with dealers in Peninsular Malaysia indicate that considerable sums of money have been paid, in particular, for large individuals weighing over 300 g. Several dealers stated that Tokay Geckos weighing over 400 g are valued above USD 1 000 000, however; TRAFFIC does not believe these claims to be true. The significance of this weight-price threshold is unclear. Price data gathered during this study are inconsistent with claims that heavier individuals are more valuable. Additionally, it is doubtful that Tokay Geckos can naturally reach 400 g. This is the likely reason why some dealers are said to have artificially augmented the weight using silicone or metal pieces. There is no evidence that such huge sums of money, as claimed by dealers in Peninsular Malaysia, have been paid for Tokay Geckos weighing over 400 g. TRAFFIC does not believe that these statements are credible. The motivations for dealers to make these claims are not known though it has previously been suggested that it could be part of an elaborate hoax. To what end, however, is not clear. Based on interviews with Tokay Gecko dealers and seizure records, the trade in Tokay Geckos for NMCs appears to have begun around late 2009 and peaked in 2010/2011. This trade now appears to be in decline. The reasons for this are unclear but could be related to a combination of improved enforcement, realisation among consumers that NMCs are unfounded or the prevalence of scams, as reported by Tokay Gecko dealers and in the media. Results of surveys and interviews with dealers suggest that the online trade in this species is populated by fake sellers. Additionally, private dealers interviewed highlighted that the trade in this species, particularly in Thailand, is dangerous and often involves robberies and hold-ups. Tokay Geckos traded in Peninsular Malaysia for NMCs appear to be originating in Thailand, as well as in Lao PDR and Myanmar. They are harvested from the wild and transported overland to Malaysia. Seizure records indicate that the Philippines is also an important origin for Tokay Geckos traded for NMCs in Peninsular Malaysia, however; no Tokay Geckos from the Philippines were encountered during field surveys. The more prominent Tokay Gecko dealers in Peninsular Malaysia appear to be concentrated close to the Thai border and also to be the source of Tokay Geckos entering the country. According to dealers interviewed during surveys, the primary consumers of Tokay Geckos for NMCs appear to be Singaporeans and local Malaysians. Some even claim use of Tokay Geckos by Europeans and North Americans for medical research. Tokay Geckos were openly sold in 11 pet shops/aquariums across the peninsula. This can be attributed to lax enforcement; however, interviews with pet shop/aquarium staff, as well as information gathered from private dealers, also suggest that there is a lack of awareness of the national law pertaining to the trade in Tokay Geckos. Several private dealers encountered during surveys had licences issued from local Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) (Malay acronym “PERHILITAN”) offices allowing them to trade in Tokay Geckos. However, according to PERHILITAN’s head of enforcement, no licences to trade in Tokay Geckos have ever been issued. Given the system in place, whereby state offices report permits issued to the PERHILITAN head office, this observation is surprising and potentially indicative of a miscommunication/lack of coordination between PERHILITAN headquarters and state offices. The trade in Tokay Geckos for NMCs is reported to have led to localised population declines of wild Tokay Geckos in Bangladesh. Regionally, however, the scale of this trade, in terms of numbers of individual Tokay Geckos removed from the wild, appears to be relatively small. This contrasts directly with the trade in Tokay Geckos for TM. The international trade in Tokay Geckos for TM is colossal. The vast majority of Tokay Geckos traded for TM originate from Thailand and Java, Indonesia. Customs import data show that Taiwan has imported ~15 000 000 Tokay Geckos since 2004, 71% of which were imported from Thailand with the remainder mostly coming from Indonesia. While this trade appears to be legal but unregulated in Thailand, the trade in Tokay Geckos from Java appears to be entirely illegal. It is important to note that Taiwan is not the sole consumer of Tokay Geckos for TM. A seizure in 2011 bound for Hong Kong from Indonesia is estimated to have consisted of 1 200 000 dried Tokay Geckos. Aside from Taiwan and Hong Kong, large quantities of Tokay Geckos are also consumed for TM in mainland China and Viet Nam. The extent of this trade is unknown but thought to be substantial. Considerable volumes of Tokay Geckos are also traded beyond Asia: between 1998 and 2004, 8.5 tonnes of dried Tokay Geckos were imported into the USA. Taking this into consideration, it is reasonable to believe that the total trade in Tokay Geckos exceed the already substantial known trade. Tokay Geckos consumed for TM in Southeast Asia are mostly harvested from the wild. In mainland China and Viet Nam, Tokay Geckos are reportedly bred in captivity to supply the local TM trade; however, the production cannot meet demand. Despite the fact that Tokay Geckos have a large geographical distribution, have high reproductive rates and can thrive in human dominated landscapes, populations are still susceptible to over-harvesting. The trade for NMCs is relatively small and does not does not appear to pose a threat to the conservation of wild Tokay Geckos. However, as mentioned, the trade for TM is substantial and could likely threaten wild populations of Tokay Geckos. This is evidenced by the reported declines of wild populations in Thailand and Java, as well as the past deterioration of populations in mainland China, Given the substantial volume of international trade in this species and the observed population declines, questions surround the legality and future sustainability of the Tokay Gecko trade, particularly for use in TM. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: Year: 2013 Country: Malaysia URL: Shelf Number: 128379 Keywords: BiodiversityGeckosIllegal Wildlife Trade (Malaysia)Wild Animal TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Lowther, Jason Title: Crime and Punishment in the Wildlife Trade Summary: The attitude of the UKs legal system towards the ever-increasing illegal wildlife trade is inconsistent. It does not adequately reflect the nature and impact of the crimes, and it is erratic in its response. The result is that the courts perceive wildlife crime as low priority, even though it is on the increase. Having said that, there are positive indications that change is taking place, thanks largely to increased political awareness of environmental issues, and increased lobbying by nongovernmental organisations. The United Kingdoms laws regulating the trade in wildlife reflect a tripartite system of control encompassing international, European Community (EC) and our own domestic legislation. Within each tier is the potential for difference in implementation, and while the EC is a strong centralising force, for the member states there remain discrepancies in implementation and practice. While the UK has a legislative framework that is generally supportive of the fight against wildlife trade crime, it lacks effectiveness in some areas because it allows the imposition of low penalties in the majority of prosecuted cases. Not only that, but there are also only limited provisions for joined-up working between the principal agencies involved in bringing such cases to court. This relative ineffectiveness does not derive from lack of effort on the part of the enforcing authorities, but rather by laws which, in theory and in practice, do not provide an appropriate deterrent to offenders. There is an apparent lack of seriousness attached to wildlife trade offences. This is surprising, given the potentially high rewards at stake for very little risk of detection and penalty, and because of the seriousness of their impact on species sustainability. Issues of seriousness and tolerance need to be examined, so that public and judicial attitudes towards such offences can be re-shaped. One response to this challenge would be to make offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES) arrestable. This change in the law would give the police increased powers and would enable enforcement agencies to take more effective action against wildlife criminals. At the same time it would rightfully acknowledge the seriousness of the illegal trade itself. This would not be out of line with offences committed under the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (CEMA) which are arrestable: indeed, it would incorporate an element of certainty into the law that is at present missing. Compared with other jurisdictions, the UK has a relatively well-developed system of laws. However, it does not compare favourably with the US, where custodial sentences are often imposed for wildlife trade offences and levels of fines are higher. The UK has the potential to impose higher penalties, but chooses not to. Now, our membership of the EU and the free market without borders offers important opportunities to frame effective law, but presents a challenge in terms of greater internal control. The illegal wildlife trade has immeasurable impacts that can potentially affect biodiversity through the loss of endangered species. These impacts are not adequately taken into account by the courts when cases are prosecuted. One way of addressing this would be to develop and issue effective sentencing guidelines. At present, no specialised guidance or awareness training is given to judges or magistrates, many of whom will rarely come across wildlife trade offences because prosecutions are so infrequent. In addition, the present system of precedent-based guidance in the UK is insufficient, given the very few cases that reach the higher courts It would therefore be useful for those who impose sentences to have guidelines at their disposal. These could be along the lines of those already developed for certain environmental offences, such as water pollution, where issues affect human quality of life. These have succeeded in raising the perception of the seriousness of environmental offences, and there is no reason why similar guidelines may not be successful in relation to wildlife trade offences. Overall, there are varying and inconsistent approaches to the law by enforcement and other agencies, as there are in terms of the imposition of penalties for illegal wildlife trade. This raises doubts about any deterrent value. Of course, the fear of a severe penalty is not a sufficient deterrent in itself the potential offender must realise at the outset that there is a certainty of detection and arrest, and that the authorities will prosecute. At present, this is unlikely. The risks that wildlife offenders take are minimal, and the rewards extremely high, when balanced against the chance of getting caught and the likely penalty that would be imposed. Details: Godalming, Surrey, UK: World Wildlife Fund - UK, The Species Programme, 2002. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2013 at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/crime_and_punishment.pdf Year: 2002 Country: International URL: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/crime_and_punishment.pdf Shelf Number: 111723 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Theile, Stephanie Title: Fading Footprints: The Killing and Trade of Snow Leopards Summary: Snow Leopards, in a genus of their own, are endangered big cats. They inhabit rugged, mountainous terrain, in 12 range States - Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There are regional differences in prey, but the cats’ natural prey includes ungulates and rodents. The global population of Snow Leopards is estimated to be between about 4000 and 7000, but sharp declines in populations have been reported over the past decade from parts of the species’s range. High levels of hunting for the animals’ skins and for live animals, for zoos, during the last century contributed to the species’s endangered status and, from the 1970s, legal measures were taken for its protection. In 1975, the species was listed in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora) and in 1985 it became an Appendix-I species of the Convention of Migratory Species. It has been accorded nation-wide legal protection in almost every range State, in some cases since the 1970s. In spite of such provision, Snow Leopards have been hunted during the 1990s in numbers as high as at any time in the past and this killing continues in the present century. Several factors are adversely affecting Snow Leopards throughout their range. These factors show regional variation and are sometimes inter-connected. The picture that emerges shows that the species is menaced primarily by direct, intentional killing and loss of wild prey, with habitat fragmentation and accidental trapping or poisoning as secondary threats. Direct killing of Snow Leopards is driven by two main objectives: the desire to protect domestic livestock from predating cats and the desire to trade in the animal or its parts, but the two objectives cannot always be separated entirely. The cost of livestock loss can be very great and herders are often driven to kill Snow Leopards, either following an attack on livestock, or to prevent future attacks. However, herders are likely to try and sell Snow Leopard parts whenever the opportunity arises, so that, even where trade was not the primary incentive for killing, it is usually the end result. Generally speaking, conflict with herders is seen as the main threat to Snow Leopards in the Himalayan region of their range and in the Karakorum and Hindu Kush mountains, while killing for trade is the prominent threat in the central Asian region and northern part of the species’s range - in the Chinese Altai and Tien Shan mountains, Mongolia and the Russian Federation. There are indications that both types of threat - that resulting from conflict with herders and that arising from the incentive to trade in Snow Leopard body parts - have increased in recent years. Loss of natural prey is a threat to the species throughout its range, sometimes caused by competition for grazing with domestic livestock or by unmanaged hunting by humans. These pressures on wild prey can drive Snow Leopards to seek alternative prey among domestic stock, and so lead to resentment and killing of the cats by herders. These threats have been the subject of extensive study and this report draws on the findings of such research. Additionally, original surveys of trade in Snow Leopards, were conducted, especially for this project, in Mongolia and Pakistan, and information was collected by consultants in India and the Russian Federation during 2002. The results clearly show that Snow Leopards and their parts are traded in all range States, with the possible exception of Bhutan. In the large majority of cases, this trade is illegal. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2003. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2013 at: http://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/report_schneeleopard_03.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United States URL: http://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/report_schneeleopard_03.pdf Shelf Number: 128390 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeSnow LeopardsWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Patten, Ryan Title: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Paradigm Shift : A Grounded Theory Analysis of Law Enforcement Officers' Receptivity Toward Collaborative Problem Solving Summary: This dissertation utilizes a grounded theory approach to understanding in the exploration of the opinions and attitudes of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) law enforcement officers regarding their agencys effort to accomplish a paradigm shift toward collaborative problem solving to gain compliance with resource-protective regulations. While a laudable and timely goal, such a paradigm shift faces numerous internal and external barriers to successful implementation by the WDFW law enforcement division. By way of general context, over a century of natural resource rule-making and regulation by the federal government has angered many citizens in the American West, and this resentment creates difficulties for the WDFW and similar natural resource regulatory agencies as they attempt to utilize collaboration in the field. Although the use of collaboration has been on the rise in the United States since the 1970s, it is generally not yet the preferred method of natural resource conflict resolution. Additionally, paradigm shifts of the sort being dealt with here in American law enforcement agencies have been historically difficult to implement. In recent history, the effort to implement community-oriented policing (COP) has been confronted by numerous internal obstacles among the most important being officer resistance to change. The 43 WDFW law enforcement officers interviewed for this research study revealed that there remains a general lack of rank-and-file commitment to make use of collaboration to resolve contentious natural resource problems on the part of the officers. This lack of commitment would seem to result from two principal sources: the current reward system does not give due recognition to officer efforts to use collaboration, and very little communication takes place between veteran and rookie officers concerning the utility of collaboration in natural resource law enforcement work. To the extent that the WDFW is typical of other natural resource regulatory agencies, the lessons learned from this research study should be of interest to the many other public agencies seeking to make the paradigm shift from feared regulator to a trustworthy collaborative problem solver. Details: Pullman, WA: Washington State University, Program in Criminal Justice, 2006. 227p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 17, 2013 at: http://clbarchive.wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2376/482/r_patten_050106.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://clbarchive.wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2376/482/r_patten_050106.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 128394 Keywords: PartnershipsProblem SolvingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (U.S.)Wildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Santos, Anna Title: Do Wildlife Trade Bans Enhance or Undermine Conservation Efforts? Summary: The billion dollar businesses of both legal and illegal wildlife trade show little decline and continue to pose major threats to global biodiversity. Despite international wildlife trade bans such as the Appendix I listing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the illegal trade of wildlife undermines conservation efforts. Evidence has shown that Appendix I listing can inadvertently increase black market prices and trade of wildlife. However, examples of national scale bans combined with CITES restrictions can decrease wildlife trade activity. More collaboration and integrative measures between global, national and local institutions are needed to combat wildlife trade issues. Details: College Station, TX: Applied Biodiversity Science NSF‐IGERT, Texas A&M University, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2013 at: http://biodiversity.tamu.edu/files/2012/08/ABS_Perspectives-1_3_Santos_etal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://biodiversity.tamu.edu/files/2012/08/ABS_Perspectives-1_3_Santos_etal.pdf Shelf Number: 128417 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Ngure, Paulo Wilfred Title: Patterns of Wildlife Exploitation in the Ugalla Ecosystem of Western Tanzania Summary: Unsustainable use of wildlife is a global conservation challenge. Understanding ecosystem specific patterns of wildlife exploitation is key to addressing this challenge. This thesis explores the nature of wildlife exploitation in and around Ugalla Game Reserve in western Tanzania. The reserve is divided into Ugalla east and Ugalla west tourist hunting blocks. First, I assessed the status of wildlife in the hunting blocks. Overall, estimates of wildlife population parameters suggested that Ugalla west was somewhat more exploited than Ugalla east. Second, I looked at the degree to which the hunting blocks experienced illegal wildlife hunting (poaching) and factors behind this. The spatial distribution of poaching signs and household interviews revealed that poaching was widespread, more so in Ugalla west than Ugalla east. Proximity to the reserve encouraged poaching, although bushmeat consumption increased with distance from the reserve. A wide range of bushmeat species was favoured, but the common species were impala Aepyceros melampus, dik-dik Madoqua kirkii and common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia. Availability of alternative sources of animal protein, agricultural production and income had significant influences on poaching. Different forms of poaching were specialist activities largely independent of each other. To address poaching, the main focus of attention has been on creating wildlife management areas (WMAs) along with allowing legal subsistence hunting by the communities around the reserve. Third, I assessed the impact of legal subsistence hunting on the wildlife species, and showed that it is not well managed and wildlife populations are contracting. This leaves WMAs as a potentially viable option for the conservation of Ugalla. Therefore, lastly, I identified and recounted some options for promoting the sustainability of WMAs. This thesis presents the first detailed assessment of wildlife exploitation in Ugalla, thus contributing to the existing body of knowledge on tackling the bushmeat crisis in Africa. Details: Nottingham, UK: University of Nottingham, 2012. 210p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://etheses.nottingham.ac.uk/2564/2/Paulo_W.N..pdf Year: 2012 Country: Tanzania URL: http://etheses.nottingham.ac.uk/2564/2/Paulo_W.N..pdf Shelf Number: 128502 Keywords: Animal PoachingBushmeatWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Tanzania)Wildlife Management |
Author: BIO Intelligence Service Title: Stocktaking of the main problems and review of national enforcement mechanisms for tackling illegal killing, trapping and trade of birds in the EU. Final Report Summary: The European Union (EU) is rich of a diversity of over 500 wild bird species. These species have been facing several threats for a long time: fragmentation and reduction of their habitat, diminution of their food supply linked to an intensification of agriculture, forestry and fisheries as well as direct threat to their population due to a massive use of pesticide, unregulated hunting and the development of illegal practices like poaching. Many species which suffer under an unfavourable population status are impacted by illegal killing (see annex 6). This is important because it increases threats to populations already threatened, but many common species with favourable status are also impacted, which may lead to an unfavourable status of these populations in the future. The Birds Directive (BD) is the legal EU text protecting birds. It has the overall goal to preserve all species of birds naturally occurring in the wild (articles 1 and 2), while allowing sustainable hunting activities for listed bird species (article 7). However, no reporting on this overall goal was found in the summary of the main findings in the report from the European Commission (EC) on the implementation of the Bird Directive (Period covered: 2005 – 2007, EC2009). Similarly to other biodiversity targets at EU and international levels, and considering the population status of several bird species, this overall goal can be considered however not (yet) achieved. The European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds, co-organised by the Council of Europe and the Game Fund of Cyprus (Ministry of Interior) in July 2011 concluded that “despite efforts by many governmental authorities, illegal taking and trading in wild birds is still a serious pan- European problem with clear regional patterns, having a considerable negative impact on biodiversity across the continent. In some European countries, the driver for such activities is mainly direct or indirect financial profit for individuals or organised crime, generating illegal (untaxed) benefits not related to basic survival needs. Considering the multiple dimensions of illegal killing, trapping and trading of birds in Europe, such as the ecological/environmental, legal, economic, social and political aspects, a combination of measures, policies and strategies is necessary to solve the problem.” Details: Paris: European Commission (DG Environment, 2011. 215p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2013 at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/BIO_BirdsIllegalKilling.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/BIO_BirdsIllegalKilling.pdf Shelf Number: 128757 Keywords: BirdsIllegal HuntingIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Europe) |
Author: Lee, K.S. Title: Wild Animal Trade Monitoring at Selected Markets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, South China, 2000-2003. Summary: Despite the booming live wild animal trade in South China, very few long-term, systematic studies have been conducted in the main markets. There is also a need to update our knowledge given the dynamic nature of the wildlife trade and the changing status of the animals concerned. The present study was initiated and conducted under the South China Biodiversity Conservation Programme of Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, with the aim to document the species composition, relative trade volume and conservation implications of the wild animal trade in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. The survey started in October 2000 and finished in March 2003. It focused on live, non-aquatic wild animals, i.e. mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, which were commonly traded for food and/ or pets in South China. Major wild animal markets and shops in Guangzhou and Shenzhen were surveyed twice a month from October to March, when food trade activity reaches its maximum. For the rest of the year, they were surveyed monthly. A wide range of animals was recorded, some in huge quantities (over 90,000 snakes and 24,000 turtles could be seen in one visit). The survey yielded 39 mammal species, 453 bird species, 154 reptile species and 31 amphibian species. A high proportion (59 species), particularly of turtles, were listed in the 2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: ten classified Critically Endangered, 19 Endangered and 30 Vulnerable. Many of them are CITES-listed (nine in Appendix I and 68 in Appendix II). Many nationally protected species in China were also traded: eight species in Category I of China's State Key Protected Wildlife List and 38 species in Category II. Besides wild-caught animals, captive-bred individuals (in particular mammals and turtles) constituted a fair proportion of the observed trade. Many of the animals traded were Chinese species or wide-ranging East Asian species. However, in the food and pet turtle trade, a large proportion of animals were imported from other countries. The species traded overlap fairly extensively with those reported in past studies with the exception of the food turtle trade. Large river turtles from Southeast Asia (such as Batagur baska, Callagur borneoensi sand Orlitia borneens)i sand Burmese species (Morenia ocellat aand Lissemys scutat)a were common in the markets whereas they were practically absent eight years ago. This supports the belief that the trade in wild-caught food turtles is unsustainable and new sources are being sought to satisfy the demand. A drastic reduction in the volume and the size of animals traded occurred in some species (e.g. the water snake Enhydris bocour tfriom Southeast Asia) during the course of the survey, again indicating that the wild population of the species concerned has crashed due to over-exploitation. In July 2001, the Guangdong Provincial Government enacted the "Guangdong Wildlife Protection and Management Regulation" and "Major Protected Wildlife of Guangdong Regulation" to prohibit the trade of certain wildlife species. This measure seemed to have only a short-term impact and the trade resumed to the original level several months later. The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is thought by some experts to be linked to the wild animal markets. In view of the serious threat posed by the commercial wildlife trade to regional biodiversity and to public health, the recent decision made by the Guangdong authority to restrict the trade to 54 successfully captive-bred species is to be welcomed. Other provinces should adopt similar measures and the cross-border wild animal trade should be banned. Greater numbers of captive-bred animals, of more species, are being sold than before. This indicates commercial-scale production of wild animals in China has been successful for certain mammals, birds and turtles. However, there is an urgent need to improve the wellbeing of the animals and the hygiene of the whole process. It is recommended that efforts be made to investigate the extent and success of these captive-breeding farms in order to come up with practical measures to make them sustainable, hygienic and safe. The pet trade in South China is insignificant (apart from cage birds) but is growing. Also many threatened Chinese species are being exported for the international pet trade. Hence, continual monitoring is needed. Also the import of known invasives should be banned. The wellbeing of the pet animals and the hygiene of the pet markets also need to be improved. The wildlife trade is dynamic and has changed substantially since records were first made. Further monitoring is essential to detect any change and/or trend in the markets so as to provide a warning system. Moreover, such monitoring would function as an independent check on the effectiveness of legislation, regulations and enforcement actions. In the longer term, a concerted effort by all the conservation groups looking at different aspects of the wildlife trade in the region would be useful to document the real extent of this trade, its impacts on wild populations and its socio-economic importance. The chances of making the trade sustainable will be much higher when this information is available. Many threatened and/or protected species are traded in South China and this exploitation is one of the main threats to the biodiversity in the region. Very good legislation and regulations on the wildlife trade are already in place but enforcement actions tend to lag behind in China. Technical support should be provided whenever appropriate. Also the State Key Protected Wildlife List should be expanded to cover all known threatened species. Details: Hong Kong: Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, 2004. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 21, 2013 at: http://www.kfbg.org/content/71/18/1/Wild%20Animals%20ENG.pdf Year: 2004 Country: China URL: http://www.kfbg.org/content/71/18/1/Wild%20Animals%20ENG.pdf Shelf Number: 128767 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Moyini, Yakobo Title: Opportunities and Strategies for Wildlife Trade Sector in Uganda Summary: Wildlife trade in Uganda was officially recognised as one of the wildlife use rights in the Wildlife Act (2000). The main institution charged with regulating wildlife trade is the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Uganda, as a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), has two other important authorities that regulate trade in wildlife. The Management Authority (MA) for CITES in Uganda is in the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry (MTTI), and the Technical Authority (TA) is the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (UNCST). Internationally, wildlife trade is booming. The major exporters are largely from the Asian continent and they include: Malaysia, Singapore, China and others, while the major importers are the United States, the European Union and Japan. The international wildlife trade was valued at US$15 billion in 2001, excluding the trade in fish and timber, which are included in the mainstream economic activities usually under the agriculture sector for many countries, certainly for Uganda. In Uganda, wildlife trade largely consists of the trade in birds, amphibians and reptiles. Even though, trade in Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) occurs at a fair scale it is largely unregulated or monitored and the actual volume or value of trade in unknown. Regulated wildlife trade brings in less than US$ 3 million per year making the wildlife sector very small indeed as compared to even small components of the agricultural sector like cotton, which fetches US$ 16 million, and much smaller than tourism, which records over US$ 160 million. In fact, the Uganda Investment Authority has not indicated the wildlife sector as one of the key sectors for investment; except the commercial rearing of crocodiles, which again is considered under skins and hides another component of the agricultural sector (livestock products). Future opportunities for wildlife trade in Uganda lie in diversification into other commodities such as ornamental fish and NWFPs, and intensification (farming) of crocodiles, tortoises, birds, chameleons and others. However, the present challenges largely include: the limited human resource capacity among regulators of the industry and the traders and business service providers and business regulators (Uganda Revenue Authority and Uganda Export promotions Board and Uganda Investment Board and others); Infrastructure in Uganda is inadequate roads and poor electricity supply in several areas where wildlife farms could be located; Poor data management and monitoring of trade in some wildlife products especially NWFPs. In addition, the costs of operation in a landlocked country, where wildlife trade depends on air transport are rather high. However, there is an even stronger need that is to ensure that whatever the motivation and profitability of wildlife trade the standard of wildlife conservation has grown over the years should not be compromised. Details: Kampala, Uganda: Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry/United Nations Conference on Trade & Development (UNCTAD) Export Development Programme, 2011. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Uganda Biotrade Programme: Accessed May 22, 2013 at: http://www.biotrade.org/ResourcesNewsAssess/Uganda_wildlife_opps_stategies.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Uganda URL: http://www.biotrade.org/ResourcesNewsAssess/Uganda_wildlife_opps_stategies.pdf Shelf Number: 128776 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Trade (Uganda) |
Author: Parkinson, Andrew M. Title: WCS 2008 Ulaanbaatar Wildlife Trade Survey: Report to the World Bank Summary: The objective of this study was to collect information about wildlife trade violations in Mongolia and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the existing wildlife trade law enforcement system. The geographic focus of this work was Ulaanbaatar city “markets” and the raw materials markets around Ulaanbaatar. The purpose of these market surveys was not just to quantify the trade or identify the most active traders, markets, and transportation routes but to give us the understanding we need to develop a long-term strategy for preventing illegal wildlife trade in Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar is the seat of Mongolia’s government, media markets, and civil society, as well as the center of the wildlife trade. Some of the country’s largest raw materials markets are located to the east and west of the city; road inspection points, the train station, and the airport are all strategic sites for enforcing trade regulation. For these reasons, Ulaanbaatar is an ideal site for launching an effort to support improved enforcement of wildlife trade regulations. Details: New York: Wildlife Conservation Society, 2008. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 22, 2013 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/WCSResources/file_20111006_162813_Ulaanbaatar+Wildlife+Trade+Survey-+Report+to+the+World+Bank_fVkhMV.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Mongolia URL: http://s3.amazonaws.com/WCSResources/file_20111006_162813_Ulaanbaatar+Wildlife+Trade+Survey-+Report+to+the+World+Bank_fVkhMV.pdf Shelf Number: 128777 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade (Mongolia)Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Wingard, James R. Title: Silent Steppe: The Illegal Wildlife Trade Crisis in Mongolia Summary: The single greatest threat facing many species of wildlife across the world today is hunting for commercial wildlife trade. This publication reveals that the problem is not confined to tropical forest ecosystems, but that harvest levels are also vast and unsustainable in the temparate steppe and forests of Mongolia. Populations of both endangered and previously widespread species have declined dramatically. The wildlife trade is not only devastating Mongolia's biodiversity, but is also threatening rural livelihoods - Mongolia has approximately 245,000 hunters, one tenth of the total population. The fur trade alone contributes an estimated US$100 million to the economy, possibly the third largest contributor behind mining and tourism. The groundbreaking research presented in this report, which arose from a study led by the Wildlife Conservation Society, in cooperation with a variety of other NGOs, makes a strong case for addressing the problems associated with the wildlife trade in and from Mongolia; seeking solutions to conserve Mongolia’s unique and diverse wildlife community; and ensuring that rural livelihoods are sustainable and not tied to a dwindling resource base. The report reviews the history of wildlife trade in Mongolia; examines the current levels of take and trade through comprehensive surveys of hunters, trade chains and markets; investigates current wildlife management practices; and makes recommendations to improve wildlife management. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2006. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Mongolia Discussion Papers, East Asia and Pacific Environment and Social Development Department; Accessed May 22, 2013 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/Resources/silent_steppe.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Mongolia URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/Resources/silent_steppe.pdf Shelf Number: 128778 Keywords: HuntingIllegal Wildlife Trade (Mongolia)Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Horne, Dylan Title: Policy Responses to Transnational Wildlife Crime in the Asia-Pacific. Part 2: Policy Responses at the National Level and Preliminary Gap Analysis Summary: Transnational Wildlife Crime (wildlife crime) involves the trading and smuggling across borders of species in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Globally, governments and international organisations have responded to the challenges of transnational environmental crime (TEC) in both operational and policy contexts. The policy context is defined as the suite of documents, plans, programs, regulatory schemes, and strategies that provide for a coordinated, coherent response to, and support for, the fight against wildlife crime. Current knowledge of this policy context, and particularly of policy responses at the national and agency levels, is poor. This paper is the first of two research papers intended to provide a preliminary analysis of the current wildlife crime policy context and its effectiveness in dealing with wildlife crime. This paper contains an overview of the high level (global and regional) policy context for the Asia-Pacific region as it applies to six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam. The high-level policy context was summarised through desktop investigation of freely-available online material. The paper goes on to determine a potential set of ‘optimal’ requirements for wildlife crime policy at the national level based on existing literature. These requirements fell into four broad categories: the optimal wildlife crime policy response at the national level must be (1) proactive and intelligence based, (2) multifaceted, addressing many aspects of the problem, (3) multilateral, involving cooperation between several actors, and (4) monitored, evaluated, and adapted as necessary. Details: Canberra: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, School of International, Political & Strategic Studies, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific Australian National University, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 2/2013: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Shelf Number: 128886 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Scharf, Katie Title: Strategies for Enforcing Wildlife Trade Regulations in Ulaanbaatar- Mongolia Summary: This report reviews and recommends strategies to regulate the trade of wildlife through Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Ulaanbaatar is an ideal site to launch an effort to support improved enforcement of wildlife trade regulations. The city is the seat of Mongolia’s government, media markets, and civil society, as well as the center of the wildlife trade. Some of the country’s largest raw materials markets are located to the east and west of the city. Ulaanbaatar’s many road inspection points, its train station, and its airport are all strategic sites for enforcing trade regulation. A comprehensive — and sometimes internally contradictory — framework of “species-oriented” regulations provides different penalties and fines based on the species hunted. “Trade-oriented” regulations assign criminal or administrative liability for a limited range of market activities, including transport, export, and advertising of wildlife products. At the risk of repeating the efforts of a legislative gap analysis of wildlife-related regulation (recently completed for by Wingard & Odgerel in 2006), this report will not propose legal reforms, but will assess enforcement strategies available under the existing laws. Responsibility for enforcement of wildlife trade regulations is distributed among half a dozen different agencies. Inspectors (state and municipal), rangers, and customs officials enforce administrative penalties for minor violations. Criminal-level violations must be referred to the Mongolian National Police, who then turn cases over to the state General Prosecutor’s Office for prosecution in any of soum or aimag-level courts. Getting these different agencies to collaborate on investigations, share information, and harmonize confiscation procedures must be a major focus of any successful enforcement support strategy. After reviewing the existing legal framework and the present state of enforcement, this report will discuss specific recommendations for improving wildlife trade regulation enforcement. These include near-term measures (market surveys and “ride-alongs” with enforcement officials) to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the existing enforcement system. Public awareness strategies targeted towards Mongolians, foreign tourists, and tour operators are discussed, as well as the need for further legal research on the adjudication of wildlife crimes, and possible collaboration with Mongolian human rights lawyers, whose approach of monitoring mining-related litigation and petitioning to have cases reopened or reinstated could be applied successfully in the wildlife context. Recommended measures for improving inter-agency coordination include: establishing a database for enforcement information collection and sharing; publicizing the Mongolian State Specialized Inspection Agency’s *SSIA+ wildlife hotline; and creating a pocket guide to wildlife trade enforcement. The recommendations in this report build on prior research, including the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Silent Steppe report (2005), and a recent training session conducted for Mongolian customs and law enforcement officials by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service [USFWS] and TRAFFIC International (2006). Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2009. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/WCSResources/file_20111006_161059_Strategies+for+enforcing+wildlife+trade+regulations+in+Ulaanbaatar-+Mongolia_BVSgF.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Mongolia URL: http://s3.amazonaws.com/WCSResources/file_20111006_161059_Strategies+for+enforcing+wildlife+trade+regulations+in+Ulaanbaatar-+Mongolia_BVSgF.pdf Shelf Number: 128906 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Raine, Andre Title: 2008 Illegal Hunting and Trapping Report Summary: This report outlines all illegal hunting and trapping incidents received by BirdLife Malta in 2008. Incidents are only included in this report if they were seen by BirdLife Malta staff members and volunteers, or individuals directly known by BirdLife Malta, and therefore should not in any way be taken to be the total number of illegal hunting and trapping incidents that occurred in the Maltese islands in 2008. A total of 106 protected birds (of 30 species) with gunshot injuries (compared to 81 in 2007) were reported to or brought into the BirdLife Malta office in 2008, with birds of prey once again being the main targets of poachers (65.1% of the total). The three most common species with gunshot injuries were Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus), in that order. These are the same top three shot protected species received in 2007. Many of the protected birds targeted by illegal hunters were of conservation concern in Europe, with a large proportion (56.7%) given additional protection under Annex 1 of the Birds Directive. The ban on spring hunting resulted in a significant decline, of 80.5% from the previous year, in the number of shot protected birds received by BirdLife Malta during the peak spring migration period of April and May (only 8 birds received in 2008 compared to 41 in 2007). This trend was reversed in the autumn with a significant increase, of 147.8% from the previous year, in the number of protected birds received (57 birds received in September and October 2008 compared to 23 in 2007). It is thought that this is due primarily to the mentality of some hunters who threatened to take their ‘revenge’ on birds in autumn because of the spring hunting ban. A total of 2,401 illegal hunting and trapping incidents were also recorded in 2008, representing a significant increase on the 741 reports in 2007. These consisted of 2,054 illegal hunting incidents (under twelve categories), 243 illegal trapping incidents and 104 illegal electronic lures (being used by either hunters or trappers). The majority of illegal reports consisted of hunters illegally shooting during the closed season in spring, with illegal incidents being concentrated in key areas and on peak migration days. Illegal hunting incidents observed by BirdLife Malta staff, volunteers or individuals known to BirdLife, involved 38 protected species, with the most common species being Marsh Harrier, European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster), Honeybuzzard, Barn Swallow (hirundo rustica) and Common Kestrel, in that order. The report also highlights how widespread illegal hunting was in 2008, with shot protected birds that were delivered to BirdLife office originating from 68 locations in Malta and Gozo and illegal hunting incidents being recorded in 128 locations (compared to 84 locations in 2007). The data shows that the three worst areas for illegal hunting incidents were the limits of Luqa International Airport, Delimara and Miieb. Illegal trapping reports were also significantly higher in 2008, with 243 illegalities recorded. The vast majority of these reports were of trappers trapping illegally in spring. It can therefore be seen that illegal hunting and trapping, particularly during closed seasons, and the shooting of protected species, was once again widespread and at a very serious level in Malta in 2008. However it is equally apparent that the fact that the spring hunting season was not opened in 2008 resulted in an immediate and significant decline in the shooting of protected species, despite the fact that some hunters ignored the ban and attempted to hunt in spring regardless. The presence of BirdLife Malta surveillance teams in spring, working in close co-ordination with the ALE, undoubtedly served to reduce the hunting pressure substantially during the peak spring migration period. Details: Ta’Xbiex, Malta: BirdLife Malta, 2009. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2013 at: http://www.birdlifemalta.org/photos/otherfiles/1294.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Malta URL: http://www.birdlifemalta.org/photos/otherfiles/1294.pdf Shelf Number: 128928 Keywords: BirdsIllegal HuntingIllegal TrappingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Malta) |
Author: Zain, Sabri Title: Behaviour Change We Can Believe In: Towards A Global Demand Reduction Strategy for Tigers Summary: With populations of Tigers continuing to plummet in the wild over the past decades, it would appear that campaigns and other public awareness initiatives to reduce consumer demand for parts and derivatives from this and other endangered species have failed to stem the tide of illegal killing. This paper discusses why conservationists need to explore new approaches to understanding and influencing the behaviours that are driving consumer demand for these products, and examines tools and models that can address the underlying drivers of these behaviours. Various principles employed in the disciplines of social psychology, economics and behavioural economics (where the first two disciplines overlap) are outlined, as well as some key factors that are important to consider for anyone developing strategies that seek to influence the behaviour of consumers of wildlife products. Some strategic guidelines and a framework for applying these factors to the development of a global demand reduction strategy for Tigers are also outlined. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2012. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2013 at: www.traffic.org Year: 2012 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 128961 Keywords: Animal PoachingTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Banks, Debbie Title: Thailand's Tiger Economy Summary: In the last ten years there have been thousands of column inches dedicated to the news that the tiger is on the brink of extinction. With a global population that has crashed by 95% over the last 100 years, millions of dollars have been spent on new and innovative approaches for tackling habitat destruction, the decline in prey population, and the continuing international illegal trade in tiger parts and derivatives. But the tiger can be saved, if people really want it to happen. Across it’s range, there are several isolated examples of tiger populations bouncing back in the face of what were once thought to be insurmountable odds. Sadly, one country where this hasn’t happened is Thailand, once the primary range of the Indo-Chinese tiger. Years of rampant illegal logging, widespread poaching of endangered species, poorly implemented conservation strategy and government indifference have decimated the tiger population and the forests that it depends on. Thailand has shown itself to be woefully inadequate in implementing domestic legislation to stamp out the tiger trade and in enforcing international agreements to which it is a signatory. EIA has learned through its investigations that Thailand has also become a conduit for illegal trade as well as a manufacturer and supplier of tiger products. A blossoming institutional belief that tigers can be saved by the breeding of captive tigers outside a scientific international studbook programme is threatening to undermine in situ conservation efforts. Instead of securing a longterm future for tigers, these activities shield a more sinister threat : the commercial trading of tigers into extinction. EIA investigations have revealed a persistent lack of interest and effort on the part of the Thai authorities to control a growing domestic and international trade that threatens not only the remaining wild tigers in Thailand, but also wild tigers across their range. Despite the widely available tiger products which publish their factory address details on the packaging, the authorities appear to have taken no action and displayed no interest in curbing this trade. The tiger, once a symbol of strength and progress, has been reduced to a symbol of apathy and disregard for a once rich biodiversity. But EIA believes that it is not too late for the new Prime Minister to take immediate and decisive action to reverse the recent trend and to reinstate the wild tiger as a symbol of a new Thailand. Details: London: Environmental Investigation Agency, 2001. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2013 at: http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/Thailands-Tiger-Economy-low-res.pdf Year: 2001 Country: Thailand URL: http://www.eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/Thailands-Tiger-Economy-low-res.pdf Shelf Number: 129010 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTigersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Thailand) |
Author: Jahrl, Jutta Title: Illegal Caviar Trade in Bulgaria and Romania - Results of a market survey on trade in caviar from sturgeons (Acipenseridae) Summary: Overfishing and unsustainable trade in caviar from wild sturgeons have been identified as the major direct threats to sturgeons in the Danube – one of the last mainstays of these globally threatened fish1. In the two key range States of Danube sturgeons, Romania and Bulgaria, both fishing and domestic trade in caviar from wild sturgeons are now illegal, due to general moratoria lasting until the end of 2015. However, there are unconfirmed reports that poaching continues there. The aim of this report is to provide research findings from a survey of caviar trade in Bulgaria and Romania, with a special focus on illegal trade as well as on illegal fishing of sturgeons. The goals of the survey were to collect reliable data and provide clear indications as to whether illegal caviar is available in Bulgaria and Romania in order to support the actions of national authorities controlling fishing and trade. The survey adds to Objective 6 of the “Action Plan for the conservation of sturgeons (Acipenseridae) in the Danube River Basin” in that it aims to investigate the trade in caviar including the chain of custody from fishermen to restaurant sellers and exporters of products (Action 6.5) and the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) universal caviar labelling system (Action 6.3)1. The project involved local surveyors visiting selected shops, restaurants, markets, street vendors and sturgeon farms in different parts of the two countries in order to buy caviar. The survey took place from April 2011 to February 2012, with a special focus on times of peak supply or demand (e.g. spring and autumn migration times for wild caviar; Christmas and New Year). Samples were obtained from vendors and then the DNA analysed to determine the species of origin. Overall, the findings of the survey suggest that illegal fishing of sturgeons and illegal trade in caviar continues in both Romania and Bulgaria in spite of the moratoria. Details: Vienna, Austria: WWF Austria & TRAFFIC, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 25, 2013 at: Year: 2013 Country: Europe URL: Shelf Number: 129159 Keywords: CaviarFishing IndustryIllegal Wildlife TradeOverfishing (Bulgaria, Romania)Wildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Poaching |
Author: Bhattarai, Babu Ram Title: Human-Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Conflict in Bardia National Park, Nepal Summary: Human-wildlife conflicts are common phenomena from the past and have become significant problems throughout the world. Big cats, which play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem balance through prey-predator interaction, are now on the verge of extinction since they require large habitats, but much of their habitats have been fragmented and degraded. Therefore, frequent encounters with humans and their livestock have caused human-carnivore conflicts which result in retaliation killings. The high rate of human population growth and the successfully restored habitat in the community forests of Nepal have accelerated the conflicts due to the dispersal of tigers into these forests where they share these resources. This study aimed at exploring the human-tiger conflict in terms of livestock depredation, human casualties, retaliation killing and poaching of tigers and their prey base. It assessed the tiger conservation perceptions and tolerance level of the local people to losses caused by tigers and the roles of different stakeholders in tiger conservation through mitigating human-tiger conflict. It explored strategies of conflict reduction for tiger conservation. The study was conducted in six Buffer Zone User Committees of The Bardia National Park, Nepal. I interviewed 273 heads of household, 10 nature guides, eight BZUC presidents, nine protected area managers and two local government representatives from March to May of 2009. The average livestock holding among the respondent households was found to be 6.70 head of animals per household and the depredation rate due to tigers was 0.25 head per household per year. The consequential result was a 6% loss of stock over the past three years. The less-prey density area was associated with a high livestock depredation rate for cows/oxen and goats/sheep. Twelve people were killed and four injured in tiger attacks between 1994 and 2007. The perception relative to tiger conservation was found to be positive and people could tolerate the loss of livestock to some extent but not human loss or casualties. Six tigers were released from the habitat due to human-tiger conflict in between 1989 and April 2009. The interview results demonstrated that the tigers were killed primarily for trade of its body parts. Half of the respondents suggested tigers should be conserved in the national parks and reserves. The livestock grazing and human intrusion into tiger habitat and poor husbandry are causes of conflict. Conservation education along with adequate and prompt compensation against damages and regular monitoring of tigers may help to reduce human-tiger conflicts. As well, functional coordination between all stakeholders is recommended to conserve tigers. Details: Greifswald, Germany: Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, 2009. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.botanik.uni-greifswald.de/msclenc/downloads/Masterarbeiten_pdf/2009_Bhattarai.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Nepal URL: http://www.botanik.uni-greifswald.de/msclenc/downloads/Masterarbeiten_pdf/2009_Bhattarai.pdf Shelf Number: 129250 Keywords: Animal PoachingHuman-Animal Conflict (Nepal)TigersWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Environmental Justice Foundation Title: What's the Catch? Reducing Bycatch in EU Distant Water Fisheries Summary: It is estimated that . million tonnes of non-target catch (bycatch) are discarded annually by the world’s fisheries (Kelleher). This has considerable economic, ecological and developmental impacts (see Impacts of bycatch right). In some cases, bycatch reduction is already technically feasible and economically advantageous (Valdemarsen & Suuronen) – what is needed now is the political will to implement and enforce solutions. In particular the European Union (EU) has clear moral, economic and environmental imperatives to address both bycatch and discard issues associated with its distant water fishing fleets, currently operating in the waters of developing countries. EU trawl, longline and purse seine fisheries operating in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans are of special concern. Bycatch reduction in these fisheries would be in direct accord with international commitments the EU has made by adopting the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and in ratifying the UN Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. Reducing bycatch would also be consistent with the recent reform of Europe’s Common Fisheries Policy. EJF has evaluated which international policy initiatives could best address bycatch globally. There is much value in taking an integrated approach to bycatch reduction, rather than focusing on specific fisheries or specific bycatch species. As such, EJF is calling for a UN FAO International Plan of Action (IPOA) on Bycatch Reduction and considers that the EU has both the ability and a responsibility to take the lead in proposing this initiative at the FAO. We believe that such action could complement and reinforce existing FAO initiatives designed to help individual species, such as the voluntary guidelines being drafted to reduce fishery-sea turtle interactions, and the International Plan of Action on Sharks and that on Seabirds. Details: London: EJF, 2005. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.imcsnet.org/imcs/docs/whats_the_catch_%20reducing_bycatch.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Europe URL: http://www.imcsnet.org/imcs/docs/whats_the_catch_%20reducing_bycatch.pdf Shelf Number: 129452 Keywords: Fishing Industry (Europe)Wildlife Conservation |
Author: Pink, Grant Title: Law Enforcement Responses to Transnational Environmental Crime: Choices, challenges, and culture Summary: This paper considers the issue of law enforcement responses to transnational environmental crime with a particular focus on the role of environmental regulatory agencies. More specifically, it identifies and analyses the various operational and policy factors which inform and shape responses to transnational environmental crime. The aim of this paper is to furnish environmental regulatory agencies with information, options, and strategies so they can more effectively detect, deter, and disrupt this form of transnational crime. The paper outlines the different roles and functions of police agencies, customs and port authorities, and environmental regulatory agencies in terms of their efforts in the fight against transnational environmental crime. It also compares the use of administrative, civil, and criminal law enforcement responses by these response agencies. Details: Canberra: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, School of International, Political & Strategic Studies, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific and Australian National University, 2013. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 4/2013: Accessed July 23, 2013 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC%20Working%20Paper%204_2013_1_Grant_Pink_Law_Enforcement_Responses.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC%20Working%20Paper%204_2013_1_Grant_Pink_Law_Enforcement_Responses.pdf Shelf Number: 129496 Keywords: Crimes Against the EnvironmentLaw EnforcementNatural ResourcesOffenses Against the EnvironmentWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes |
Author: Renner, Michael Title: The Anatomy of Resource Wars Summary: In several countries around the developing world, abundant natural resources help fuel conflict, either by attracting predatory groups seeking to control them or by financing wars that were initially caused by other factors. Prominent examples include Sierra Leone, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Afghanistan. Conflict has also erupted in several countries where the benefits of mining and logging projects—oil in Columbia and Nigeria, timber and natural gas in Indonesia, and copper in Bougainville/Papua New Guinea—accrue to a small elite while the social and environmental burdens are borne by local communities. Governments, rebels, and warloads have made billions of dollars by selling conflict commodities and have used the money to arm themselves and line their own pockets. But the cost of these conflicts has been extraordinary—more than 5 million people killed during the 1990's, as many as 20 million driven from their homes, and considerable environmental destruction. In this new publication, Senior Researcher, Michael Renner assesses the anatomy of resource wars, examines a number of specific cases, and discusses efforts to break the link between resources and conflict. Details: Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2002. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Worldwatch Paper #162: Accessed July 24, 2013 at: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/828 Year: 2002 Country: International URL: http://www.worldwatch.org/node/828 Shelf Number: 129503 Keywords: Illegal TradeNatural Resources (International)Wildlife Conservation |
Author: Mundy-Taylor Title: Into the Deep: Implementing CITES Measures for Commercially-Valuable Sharks and Manta Rays Summary: Over the past twenty years, the conservation and management of sharks has been the subject of much attention and discussion among Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). During this period, a significant amount of research and information has been generated on this issue within CITES processes, with Parties also having adopted a number of recommendations for action in the form of CITES Resolutions and Decisions, and proposals for listing of various shark species (Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus, the Whale Shark Rhincodon typus, the Great White Shark Carcharodon carcharias and Sawfish Pristidae spp.) in the CITES Appendices. A summary of CITES processes related to shark conservation and management, from 1994 to present, is provided in Appendix A. At the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16) held in Bangkok, Thailand, in March 2013, four new proposals to list a number of commercially important marine species in Appendix II of CITES were adopted as follows: Oceanic Whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus Porbeagle Lamna nasus Scalloped Hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini, Great Hammerhead shark Sphyrna mokarran, and Smooth Hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena (hereafter referred to collectively as “Hammerheads”)1 Manta rays Manta spp. The entry into effect of the above listings has been delayed by 18 months to 14 September 2014, to enable Parties to resolve related technical and administrative issues. At CoP16, the European Union (EU) announced that it was providing funding through the CITES Secretariat to support capacity building for the implementation of the CITES listings of commercially-valuable marine species, with a focus on developing Parties. In order to ensure the effective allocation of these funds, the European Commission requested that TRAFFIC carry out a rapid assessment of capacity building priorities and needs. Consequently, the aim of this Report was to compile and collate readily available information on: (i) the main Parties likely to be affected by the listings; (ii) international, regional and domestic regulations and measures that may be mutually supportive of, and complementary to, the listings; (iii) the main challenges expected in relation to implementation of the listings; and (iv) any existing or planned capacity building initiatives and tools available to support the listings, in addition to potential gaps and needs. The Report is composed of the following four main Parts: I. Key exporters, re-exporters and consumers of the shark and ray species listed in the CITES Appendices at CoP16 II. International, regional and domestic policies, regulations and measures relevant to CITES implementation III. Implementation of the CITES CoP16 shark and ray listings: challenges, available resources and capacity building initiatives IV. Overview of key gaps in capacity and priorities for future work Additional/supporting information is provided in Appendices A to P. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2013. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2013 at: www.traffic.org Year: 2013 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 129506 Keywords: CITESIllegal FishingManta RaysSharksWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare Title: Criminal Nature: The Global Security Implications of Illegal Wildlife Trade 2013 Summary: In 2008, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) embarked on an effort to fully understand the true nature of wildlife crime around the world. What we found was shocking, and we chronicled our findings in a report becoming one of the first organizations to assert that the illicit trade in wildlife could be a genuine and increasing threat to national and global security. Since that time, the international trade in endangered species has only grown, making the threat all the more real and menacing. Elephants were killed for their ivory in record numbers in 2011 and 2012, and some rhinoceros subspecies have become extinct or are on the verge of extinction. Rangers are regularly killed by poachers, and some of the world’s poorest countries continue to see their wildlife decimated for the black market in wild animals and parts. Meanwhile, the profits realized from the illegal trade in wildlife have surged to levels once reserved for legally traded precious metals. Criminal and violent groups around the world have become the main actors exploiting this global industry. Details: Yarmouth Port, MA: IFAW, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 22, 2013 at: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/IFAW-Criminal-Nature-global-security-illegal-wildlife-trade.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/IFAW-Criminal-Nature-global-security-illegal-wildlife-trade.pdf Shelf Number: 129672 Keywords: Animal PoachingEndangered SpeciesIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Lavigne, David Title: Elephants and Ivory Summary: If the international conservation community is serious about protecting and conserving the worlds remaining elephants, it needs fundamentally to change its approach. It must abandon the many myths that currently drive elephant conservation, and replace them with a more realistic and knowledge-based approach. The book begins with a review of what is currently known today about elephants, their taxonomy, distribution, population trends, conservation status, and the current threats to their continued existence in the wild. It then reviews some of the issues that continue to hinder elephant conservation today, before examining what a new, knowledge-based approach to conservation might look like. The book ends with specific suggestions as to what might be done to protect and conserve elephants if we really want to give the largest surviving land mammal reasonable prospects for survival. Nothing much will happen, however, without the public and political will to deal with the obvious problems that confront elephant conservation today. Likewise, it is only through moral judgment and political choice that we will take the steps necessary to safeguard the future, and that includes not only the future of elephants, their populations and culture, but also the future of the environment, the economy, and human society. Details: Ottawa, CAN: International Fund for Animal Welfare, 2013. 979p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: http://issuu.com/ifaw/docs/elephants_and_ivory_issuu/2 Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://issuu.com/ifaw/docs/elephants_and_ivory_issuu/2 Shelf Number: 131923 Keywords: Elephants Poaching Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Vira, Varun Title: Ivory's Curse: The Militarization and Professionalization of Poaching in Africa Summary: It has been a quarter century since Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) placed all African elephants on Appendix I, thus eliminating commercial trade in elephant ivory. This uniform global prohibition on ivory commercialization demonstrably reduced elephant poaching, helped elephant populations to stabilize, dried up some ivory markets, and essentially made it taboo to acquire elephant ivory. All elephant ivory is bloody ivory. Since then, some southern African countries, namely Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, have relentlessly pursued the reopening of the ivory trade. After exerting significant political pressure, they have succeeded in securing sales of stockpiled ivory to China and Japan. This inexplicable backpedal on the international ivory trade ban has stimulated markets, demand, and ultimately elephant poaching, to supply the trade. Download Ivory's Curse Report Download Acrobat PDF The bloody ivory trade was renewed. In recent years, however, it has been revealed that significant criminal syndicates and organized terrorist gangs have engaged in elephant poaching to acquire ivory, which they sell for arms to ply their deadly activities. Born Free USA, seeking an accurate and complete picture of the depths of this nefarious activity, commissioned C4ADS and its expert defense analysts to examine the military, national security, and localized conflict aspects of elephant poaching and the ivory trade to reveal, in detail, the threats to elephants across Africa. Ivory's Curse: The Militarization and Professionalization of Poaching in Africa was released April 21, and its findings are truly alarming. - From Sudan, government-allied militias complicit in the Darfur genocide fund their operations by poaching elephants hundreds of miles outside North Sudan's borders. - In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, state security forces patronize the very rebels they are supposed to fight, providing them with weapons and support in exchange for ivory. - Zimbabwean political elites, including those under international sanction, are seizing wildlife spaces that either are, or are likely to soon be, used as covers for poaching operations. - In East Africa, al-Shabaab and Somali criminal networks are profiting off of Kenyan elephants killed by poachers using weapons leaked from local security forces. - Mozambican organized crime has militarized and consolidated to the extent that it is willing to battle the South African army and well-trained ranger forces for rhino horn. - In Gabon and the Republic of Congo, ill-regulated forest exploitation is bringing East Asian migrant laborers, and East Asian organized crime, into contact with Central Africa's last elephants. - In Tanzania, political elites have aided the industrial-scale depletion of East Africa's largest elephant population. Born Free USA will use this significant, timely, and shocking report to encourage legislators, conservation authorities, and defense agencies to focus their attention, resources, and efforts on the elephant poaching hotspots we've identified, and exert appropriate pressure at all levels to stop the bloody ivory trade. The scourge of elephant poaching has reached crisis - historically shocking - levels, with an estimated 35,000 to 50,000 elephants poached per year. As a result, certain populations of African elephants are now vulnerable to extinction and may not withstand these poaching thresholds much longer. And, when these elephants disappear, if ivory markets are not eliminated, demand will lead poaching operations further south, attacking the southern African elephant populations, as well. Immediate, robust, and unequivocal action is required if we are to beat back the elephant murderers and ivory profiteers. The brutality of elephant poaching - entire families gunned down, individual animals' faces sawed in two to extract the coveted ivory tusks - should be enough to persuade a global crackdown on the ivory trade. But, the Born Free USA-commissioned Ivory's Curse adds substantial firepower to the argument, and should end the debate. This report should convince anyone who cares about elephants - or the people who are similarly subjected to violence and bloodshed - that the bloody ivory trade must end, once and for all. Details: Washington, DC: Born Free, 2014. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.bornfreeusa.org/downloads/pdf/Ivorys-Curse-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Africa URL: http://www.bornfreeusa.org/downloads/pdf/Ivorys-Curse-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 132183 Keywords: Animal PoachingCriminal NetworksElephantsIllegal Ivory TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Anderson, Bradley Title: Wildlife Poaching: Africa's Surging Trafficking Threat Summary: Surging demand for ivory and rhino horn, mainly in Asia, has put wild African elephants and rhinoceroses on the path to extinction. More than an environmental tragedy, however, wildlife poaching and trafficking has exacerbated other security threats and led to the co-option of certain African security units. African states need to develop a broad range of law enforcement capabilities to tackle what is effectively a transnational organized crime challenge. Asian and other international partners, meanwhile, must take action to reduce runaway demand for wildlife products. Details: Washington, DC: Africa Center for Strategic Studies, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Africa Security Brief, No. 28: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: http://africacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AfricaBriefFinal_28.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Africa URL: http://africacenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AfricaBriefFinal_28.pdf Shelf Number: 132269 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Environmental Investigation Agency Title: In Cold Blood: Combating Organised Wildlife Crime Summary: The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has been documenting and analyzing environmental crimes and abuses that impact our natural world for three decades. The objective has been to motivate governments to implement and enforce policies, laws and practices to protect species and habitats threatened by trade and unsustainable exploitation. EIA's modus operandi includes undercover investigations into the criminals perpetrating these crimes. In the 1980s, EIA documented the role of the Poon family, a sophisticated and organised transnational criminal network engaged in trafficking ivory from Africa, via the Middle East to east Asia. Over a decade later, EIA's analysis of individuals and companies implicated in the seizure of more than seven tonnes of ivory in Singapore in 2002 revealed that members of the Poon network were still involved in the illegal ivory trade. To this day, none of the key players involved in the 2002 seizure have been prosecuted. A lack of effective enforcement to disrupt the international syndicates involved in wildlife crime is a common and persistent problem. This is often due to a lack of investment and commitment from the highest levels of government to deliver a proactive, multi-agency, targeted and effective response. The current unprecedented level of political attention given to wildlife crime represents a crucial opportunity to turn previous commitments to combat organised wildlife crime into action. The international community must now ensure that the rule of law is fully applied to wildlife crime, and that enforcement techniques honed in other areas of serious crime are used to dismantle wildlife trafficking syndicates. This report features case studies that illustrate the successes and shortcomings in efforts to disrupt criminal networks, prosecute criminal masterminds and confiscate the proceeds of wildlife crime. The role of serious and organized criminal networks in wildlife crime is not an overnight phenomenon, but in the face of chronic government failure to treat it seriously, networks have persisted and prospered. Yet there are also examples where enforcement has been effective. Many frontline officers take great risks to curb wildlife poaching and smuggling. Specialised agencies and international organisations are yielding results. This dedication must be backed by political commitment to turn the tide against the current escalation of wildlife crime. Now is the time for enforcement, not extinction. Details: London: EIA, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: http://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA-In-Cold-Blood-FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA-In-Cold-Blood-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 132284 Keywords: Animal PoachingOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Agger, Kasper Title: Kony's Ivory: How Elephant Poaching in Congo Helps Support the Lord's Resistance Army Summary: Kasper Agger and Jonathan Hutson traveled to Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in January 2013. In Garamba they were hosted by African Parks, which has the jurisdiction to manage the park and its surroundings under a management agreement with the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, or ICCN. Recommendations about how to more effectively combat the Lord's Resistance Army are made in this report. All actions within Garamba and its surroundings, however, need to be approved by and in coordination with African Parks and the ICCN. Details: Washington, DC: Enough Project, 2013. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2014 at: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/KonysIvory.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Congo, Democratic Republic URL: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/KonysIvory.pdf Shelf Number: 132616 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: World Bank Title: Enforcing Environmental Laws for Strong Economies and Safe Communities Summary: This roadmap for environmental and natural resources law enforcement (ENRLE) sets forth a course of action for the World Bank's ENRLE Community of Practice for FY2013-15. It outlines for senior management a strategy to mobilize and strengthen the Bank's engagement in the fight against environmental and natural resource crime, an issue that has significant detrimental effects on the economic, social, political, and environmental stability of our client countries. The roadmap also serves as a mobilizing tool for staff and management in regional departments to demonstrate the importance of ENRLE and to outline the menu of solutions that the Community of Practice (COP) can offer to strengthen our clients' fight against environmental and natural resource crime. Recent spikes in poaching, in illegal logging, and in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing have amplified the already urgent need for action. These crimes increase poverty, shrink prosperity, and magnify social and political tensions that undermine healthy communities and strong economies. Investment returns in wise environmental and natural resource law enforcement can be high. Criminal activities that affect the environment and natural resources are on the increase and pose an increasingly serious threat to development. Data and analyses reviewed by the World Bank's Community of Practice on ENRLE begin to show the magnitude of illegal logging, poaching of wildlife, trade in endangered species, wildland arson, criminal toxic releases, and other environment and natural resource-related crimes. They also show the diversity of the criminal threat, ranging from small-scale, artisanal crime that arises from poverty and inequities to growing problems of organized transnational criminal networks and enterprises using corruption, money laundering, technology, and other sophisticated methods to exploit persistent weaknesses in resource management and law enforcement. All World Bank client countries suffer from these crimes and are underserved by existing international law enforcement institutions and available mechanisms for support, capacity building, and operational cooperation. Vulnerability to environment crimes is often deepened by overarching problems of governance, corruption, and weaknesses in accountability at the national level. Environmental and natural resource crime is common, but in many countries it is rarely prosecuted. The very elements that make these crimes possible-that natural capital is undervalued, seldom properly guarded, and often has unclear or contested ownership-also compromise prosecution. This Roadmap FY2013-15 builds on recently scaled-up support for ENRLE that includes project commitments on the order of $50-60 million per year. Along with investments, the Bank supports advisory and analytic work and leadership in regional and international processes and dialogue. While the Bank is not a law enforcement agency, its established programs to support natural resource and environmental management and to safeguard global public goods, its commitment to strengthening good governance and to fighting corruption, and its partnerships with key law enforcement agencies such as Interpol and Europol give it an opportunity and responsibility to do more. This report discusses how the World Bank Group (WBG) will mobilize to work better on ENRLE. Recognizing the evolving global context, a new and fully mobilized Community of Practice will put more emphasis on building a constituency within the WBG to work on the range of ENRLE issues, on building the capacity of WBG staff to provide investment and technical assistance on ENRLE, on strengthening analytical work to develop a pipeline of ENRLE investments, and on fostering demand among clients for Bank investment in ENRLE. Details: Washington, DC: World Bank, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Agriculture and environmental services discussion paper ; no. 5: Accessed July 25, 2014 at: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2014/02/20/000442464_20140220144545/Rendered/PDF/843960REVISED0000Enforcing0Env0Laws.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2014/02/20/000442464_20140220144545/Rendered/PDF/843960REVISED0000Enforcing0Env0Laws.pdf Shelf Number: 132778 Keywords: Crimes Against the EnvironmentCriminal NetworksNatural ResourcesOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Nadal, Alejandro Title: Leonardo's sailors: A review of the economic analysis of wildlife trade Summary: Illegal trade of wildlife has been recognised as an important driver of biodiversity loss. In many quarters the use of legal markets has been presented as the best policy option for conservation, giving way to the economic analysis of wildlife trade and markets. This paper focuses on the analytical framework used in these analyses and on its deficiencies, both at the conceptual or theoretical level, as well as from an empirical point of view. We examine the implications of using a partial equilibrium framework dominated by comparative statics in all models and the implications of ignoring market structure, strategic behaviour and multi-product operations in key segments of the supply chain. Furthermore, this review considers the way in which demand is conceptualised and the implications of ignoring the role of economic policies. Our study shows that the literature advocating trade as a conservation solution for endangered species relies on models that are based on simplistic and/or extremely restrictive assumptions. In most cases, these models also rely on conceptual tools that have been theoretically discredited. Failure to take into account the theoretical and empirical issues covered in this review undermines recommendations to adopt market-based policies in response to conservation problems. Details: Manchester, UK: University of Manchester, Leverhulme Centre for the Study of Value, 2014. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: LCSV Working Paper Series No. 6: http://thestudyofvalue.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WP5-Nadal-and-Aguayo-Leonardos-Sailors-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://thestudyofvalue.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WP5-Nadal-and-Aguayo-Leonardos-Sailors-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133023 Keywords: Economics of CrimeIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Whitcraft, Samantha Title: The Continuing Threat to Manta and Mobula Rays: 2013-14 Market Surveys, Guangzhou, China Summary: Listed by the IUCN as 'Vulnerable', the primary threat to the Manta species is unsustainable fisheries driven by a growing demand for their gills used in a medically unproven 'health tonic'. New data showing their acute biological vulnerability and the rapid escalation of threats to their populations indicate an urgent priority to conserve manta rays and their close relatives, mobula rays. Although already known to be among the slowest to reproduce of all sharks and rays, newer data on manta ray reproduction suggest that they may reproduce even more slowly than previously believed, with a maximum lifetime reproduction potential estimated at only 5 to 15 offspring. Such extremely low reproductive capacity shows that manta and mobula rays are far more vulnerable to exploitation than previously known, and that immediate investment in their conservation is necessary to avoid continued rapid declines. Research conducted by WildAid, our partners, The Manta Trust and others, has uncovered new evidence of a rapidly escalating threat to manta ray species from increased demand for their gill plates, primarily in Guangzhou, China. Fishermen in key range states (e.g. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Peru, etc.) report sharp declines in catches despite increased fishing effort. Further indication of manta population declines is evidenced by traders reporting increased difficulty in sourcing manta gill plates and prices more than doubling over the previous two years as supply has plummeted. Moving forward our goals are to: ◦Use existing methodology, networks, and contacts from our China shark fin campaign to raise awareness in China of the impacts of manta gill plate consumption and urgency of manta ray conservation, and measurably reduce demand for gill plates in China, ultimately working towards ending the gill plate trade in Guangzhou. ◦Pursue legal protection for manta and mobula rays in key range countries. ◦Support implementation of manta and mobula protections through community outreach and enforcement strategies. Details: San Francisco, CA: WildAid, 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/The%20Continuing%20Threat%20to%20Manta-Mobula%20Rays_2013-14%20Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: China URL: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/The%20Continuing%20Threat%20to%20Manta-Mobula%20Rays_2013-14%20Report_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 133032 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: WildAid Title: Ivory Demand in China Summary: Elephants are primarily poached for their ivory, which comes from the tusks of all African and male Asian elephants, and is used for carvings, jewelry, chopsticks, and other crafts. While the use of ivory dates back hundreds of years, scientists believe ivory has been processed on an industrial scale in the last century to supply markets in the U.S., Europe, and recently Asia. In 2007, African elephant populations were approximately 500,000-700,000, while the estimated global Asian elephant population was 30,000-50,000. In 1976, the African elephant was listed under Appendix II of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), designed to control and limit trade, while in 1975 the Asian elephant was listed on CITES Appendix I, prohibiting international trade. However, the CITES regulatory system was subject to widespread abuse and African elephant populations fell from more than 1.2 million to roughly 600,000 by 1989. During the 1980s, a decade referred to as the "Ivory Wars", at least 700,000 elephants were slaughtered throughout Africa as legal trade enabled large-scale laundering of ivory from poached elephants. Details: San Francisco: WildAid, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/WEBReportIvoryDemandinChina2014.pdf Year: 2017 Country: China URL: http://www.wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/WEBReportIvoryDemandinChina2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133071 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsEndangered SpeciesIllegal Wildlife TradeIvory Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (China) |
Author: Horne, Dylan Title: Policy Responses to Transnational Wildlife Crime in the Asia-Pacific: Part 1: Global and Regional Policy Context and a Potential Framework for Optimal National Policy Summary: Transnational Wildlife Crime (wildlife crime) involves the trading and smuggling across borders of species in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Globally, governments and international organisations have responded to the challenges of transnational environmental crime (TEC) in both operational and policy contexts. The policy context is defined as the suite of documents, plans, programs, regulatory schemes, and strategies that provide for a coordinated, coherent response to, and support for, the fight against wildlife crime. Current knowledge of this policy context, and particularly of policy responses at the national and agency levels, is poor. This paper is the first of two research papers intended to provide a preliminary analysis of the current wildlife crime policy context and its effectiveness in dealing with wildlife crime. This paper contains an overview of the high level (global and regional) policy context for the Asia-Pacific region as it applies to six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam. The high-level policy context was summarised through desktop investigation of freely-available online material. The paper goes on to determine a potential set of 'optimal' requirements for wildlife crime policy at the national level based on existing literature. These requirements fell into four broad categories: the optimal wildlife crime policy response at the national level must be (1) proactive and intelligence based, (2) multifaceted, addressing many aspects of the problem, (3) multilateral, involving cooperation between several actors, and (4) monitored, evaluated, and adapted as necessary. Details: Canberra: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper 1/2013: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/IPS/IR/TEC/TEC_Working_Paper_Part%201_2013_PolicyResponses_to_Transnational_Wildlife_Crime_in_the_Asia-Pacific.pdf Shelf Number: 129899 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Asia-Pacific)Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Nijman, Vincent Title: Keeping an ear to the ground: Monitoring the trade in earless monitor lizards Summary: An unusual and little-known monitor lizard from Borneo that has captured the interest of reptile collectors is emerging as the latest victim of the global illicit wildlife trade, an investigative report by TRAFFIC warns. Lanthanotus borneensis or the Earless Monitor Lizard had long remained virtually unknown to the outside world due to its subterranean habits and limited distribution in north-western Borneo. Unknown, that is, until recently gaining attention from unscrupulous reptile collectors. Earless Monitor Lizards have no external ear opening, a cylindrical lengthened body covered in scaly tubercles (due to an increased number of vertebrae), small limbs, a prehensile tail, a forked tongue, and small eyes with the lower eyelid covered by translucent "windows". As such it is placed in its own monospecific family Lanthanotidae. The small, orange-brown lizard with beaded skin was once primarily of interest to scientists because of its unique adaptations for living below ground, and there were few instances of private ownership reported during the last 30 years. However, there has been a sudden emergence in the trade of this species over the past two years. Through its research, TRAFFIC detected international trade in Earless Monitor Lizards that has largely been carried out online from 2013 onwards. Specific instances mentioning the species were documented on forums and social networking sites in Japan, the Ukraine, France, Germany and the Czech Republic. The study found specimens being offered for sale online across Europe and received intelligence about a significant off-take of the animals from the wild. This was corroborated by discussions in online forums on the availability of the animals for sale, where there were frequent references to the lizard as being the "Holy Grail" of the reptile collecting world. Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC, 2014. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: A Traffic Report: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/9/8/international-smuggling-threatens-the-holy-grail-of-the-rept.html Year: 2014 Country: Asia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/9/8/international-smuggling-threatens-the-holy-grail-of-the-rept.html Shelf Number: 133309 Keywords: Endangered AnimalsLizardsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Rose, Gregory Title: Universalizing Jurisdiction Over Marine Living Resources Crimes Summary: A growing world population, and especially coastal and island communities in the developing world, depend upon healthy oceans as a source of livelihoods and food. But the oceans are in crisis. As much as 85 percent of global fisheries are exploited to their limits or beyond. Ninety percent of large predatory fish are gone. Coastal habitats are under stress from a multitude of activities. Efforts to manage fisheries and to protect important marine habitats are stymied by illegal activity. Marine living resource crime, including the illegal catching of fish and the destruction of habitats or ecosystems, often crosses national borders and involves several nationalities, including that of crew, flag of vessel and ownership, as well as in the supply chain from boat to plate. Marine living resource crime obstructs efforts to sustainably manage marine resources. Serious violations of international rules for the conservation and management of marine living resources need an urgent response. Transnational crime cases warrant international legal cooperation. Marine living resource crime must be addressed if we are to achieve the goals agreed at Rio+20 to ensure sustainable development. WWF is working to help governments, communities and industry ensure the world's oceans are healthy and can provide food security and sustainable livelihoods into the future. This report, commissioned by WWF, and prepared by the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) sets out a range of options to combat marine living resource crime. It argues for particular international legal actions to enforce laws against marine living resources crimes. Coordinating enforcement requires harmonizing enactments against marine living resources crime, which are small, but revolutionary, steps towards universalizing jurisdiction to deliver effective governance at sea. States will then better be able to ensure the oceans can provide food security and livelihoods for generations to come. Details: New York: World Wildlife Fund, 2013. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2014 at: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2261&context=lhapapers Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2261&context=lhapapers Shelf Number: 133410 Keywords: Crimes Against NatureFisheriesMarine HabitatsWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Burgess, Elizabeth A. Title: Assessing The Trade In Pig-Nosed Turtles Carettochelys insculpta in Papua, Indonesia Summary: The Pig-nosed Turtle Carettochelys insculpta, also known as the Fly River or Pitted-Shell Turtle, is a taxonomically distinct, large freshwater chelonian restricted to the river systems of northern Australia and southern New Guinea (divided politically between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Papua Province, Indonesia). The high international demand for Pignosed Turtles in the exotic pet trade, food market and traditional medicine practices has driven the intensified exploitation of this species in Papua. Despite being afforded legal protection in Indonesia and being listed in Appendix II of CITES, the Pig-nosed Turtle is increasingly being targeted in the province of Papua, Indonesia for international wildlife trade. This study highlights an urgent need for the existing laws and regulations concerning Pig-nosed Turtle trade to be rigorously enforced to curtail the illegal harvest and trade. Surveys on the trade of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout the Indonesian province of Papua were carried out in November and December 2010 to coincide with the Pig-nosed Turtle nesting season (September to February). Pig-nosed Turtles were primarily collected by Papuan villagers who source eggs of this species by excavating nests on the banks of rivers and swamps. Predominant collection areas lie in the Asmat region of Papua, although more expansive collection areas also exist further east and north of Merauke near the PNG border. Village collectors sell the wild harvested Pig-nosed Turtle eggs directly to traders operating in villages (typically non-Papuan immigrant traders settled in the region). There was also a growing trend towards incubating the collected eggs in ex-situ hatcheries located within Papuan villages, which was favourable among local collectors and traders because live hatchling turtles can command a higher price than eggs. Pignosed Turtles from Papua are traded as live pets, for meat consumption as well as for medicinal purposes. One respondent reported a company in Jayapura that purchases hatchling Pig-nosed Turtles for drying and then grinding into a powder for export to China, and resale in the traditional medicine trade. Local Papuans realize that the natural resources around them have a high value to outsiders, and what previously was opportunistic hunting for daily needs has become a large-scale exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles. Turtle traders have also significantly influenced remote communities in Papua by bringing in and bartering with modern commodities (such as outboard boat motors) and provisions (such as useful equipment, supplies, fuel and foodstuffs). This survey found that local people were actively encouraged by immigrant traders to harvest and independently incubate eggs for trade, and that immigrant traders often organized and co-ordinated egg-collecting trips further upriver using motorboats. Improved transportation (e.g., motorboats and access to fuel) in the region have increased the accessibility of more remote river systems, and thereby expanded the harvest potential of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua. Turtle buyers offering trade in rural communities, combined with a recent shift to a cash economy (cf. subsistence economy), has created strong incentives for local Papuans to trade in Pig-nosed Turtle eggs and hatchlings. Eggs and hatchlings of Pig-nosed Turtles are smuggled from remote source villages (via boat or small aircraft) to centralized trade hubs within Papua, including the towns of Agats, Merauke, Timika and Jayapura. From Papua, turtles were typically smuggled westward into major domestic trade destinations in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Surabaya and Probolinggo in Java, Makassar (Ujung Pandang) in south Sulawesi, and Denpasar in Bali. This survey also found that Pig-nosed Turtles could be bought through a growing online marketplace, with sellers located in Indonesia as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom. Along this international trade chain, the value of Pig-nosed Turtles increased exponentially: hatchlings were generally sold in Papuan villages for USD 0.56-1.33 each; in domestic trade hubs such as Jakarta and Surabaya for USD 3.30-8.33 each; and on international markets for USD 39-56 each. Thirty-two seizures of Pig-nosed Turtles, between 2003 and 2012, were compiled in this study, including more than 81,689 individual turtles. Most seizures (75% of reported cases) occurred early in the calendar year (i.e., between January-March) towards the end of the nesting season for Pig-nosed Turtles, suggesting that traders are moving shipments as soon as the turtles are hatched. Available seizure data suggests that Pig-nosed Turtles are being traded in large quantities, with consignments averaging 2817 3701 turtles per seizure. Highlighting the enormity of this illegal trade was one seizure that rescued 12 247 Pig-nosed Turtles in Timika, Papua en route to Jakarta. Most enforcement actions and confiscations occurred at points of export from Indonesia, with little documented enforcement at the source of eggs collection. Undoubtedly, the swamps and river systems where turtles are sourced are vast and the villages involved in the trade are remote, making enforcement efforts for Pig-nosed Turtle trade geographically challenging. Nonetheless, the lack of enforcement, and potential corruption, at the source of trade means that the exploitation of wild Pig-nosed Turtles populations proceeds unhindered. All of the egg collections and ex-situ hatchery operations observed during this survey were illegal, relying on wild harvested eggs for commercial sale. An apparent problem for addressing trade issues in Papuan villages is that many local people are confused by the concept of 'captive breeding' and are freely collecting eggs without remorse. Inadequate enforcement of Indonesia's legislation to protect Pig-nosed Turtles from wild harvest in Papua is a major factor contributing to the excessive exploitation. Anecdotal information implies that while there have not been any quotas issued for taking Pig-nosed Turtles or their eggs from the wild, there are a few traders licensed to breed and export Pig-nosed Turtle in Indonesia. How they would have acquired breeding stock is not clear. Yet, according to the CITES Trade Database (WCMC), Indonesia has only ever legally exported one shipment of 57 Pig-nosed Turtles for the purpose of trade in 2006 to the US (these animals were declared as being Farmed). It is suspected that illegal smuggling is an easier and cost-cutting option, and therefore the preferred route for traders. The trade threat to Pig-nosed Turtles is further compounded by the high mortality rate reported in smuggling operations, with available data from reported seizures showing that on average 18% of turtles die in a shipment. Turtles that are found alive by authorities in confiscated shipments are held in a temporary holding facilities or rescue centres. Surviving confiscated turtles were sometimes repatriated back into the wild in Papua by Indonesian Customs and local government BKSDA officials - often with financial aid from industries within Papua. The environmental risks and financial costs associated with maintaining, translocating and reintroducing seized Pig-nosed Turtles are substantial, particularly for cases where turtles are seized outside of Papua and/or large numbers of turtles are involved. Results of this study have shown that the exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua, Indonesia has reached a level that requires immediate action. High international demand for Pig-nosed Turtles, combined with an organised and influential global wildlife trade network within Indonesia, unregulated harvesting of eggs, an increased potential to collect eggs in previously inaccessible swamp habitat in Papua (i.e., using motorboats, improved regional infrastructure), growing socio-economic incentives for rural Papuans to harvest turtles for income and a lack of enforcement at the source of wild harvests, are contributing to unprecedented levels of exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout its Papuan range. Unless actions are taken to mitigate the high demands of consumer nations and to fully enforce the legal protection of Pig-nosed Turtles within Indonesia, the current unabated harvest regimes observed in rivers throughout Papua will lead to significant population declines of Pig-nosed Turtles (see Eisemberg et al., 2011). For the effective protection of the Pignosed Turtle in Papua, Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.: TRAFFIC, 2014. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Year: 2014 Country: Indonesia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Shelf Number: 133748 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeNatural ResourcesTurtlesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Indonesia)Wildlife EnforcementWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Duffy, Rosaleen Title: Rhino Poaching: How do we respond? Summary: This report outlines the main actors in rhino conservation, the major main threats to rhinos in the 'Big 4' range states (Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa and Namibia) which together conserve almost 99% and 96% of Africa's wild white and black rhino respectively, and offers a review of a range of possible policy responses. The main conservation actors across the Big 4 can be grouped as: - Public sector conservation agencies, including government departments and parastatal boards - International organisations - Regional organisations - Locally based NGOs - Private sector - External agencies, including conservation NGOs and donors - Sub-state entities, including local communities The range of actors is slightly different in each country, and the relative importance of different actors varies across countries. The main threats to black and white rhinos are: - Poaching, driven by illegal demand for rhino horn from South East Asia - Disinvestment by some in the private sector due to the increasing costs and risks of protecting rhinos coupled with declining incentives for conserving rhino - Resources are currently insufficient to adequately protect some populations Currently poaching rates are lower than birth rates, so rhino numbers continue to rise. However, poaching at a continental level has increased significantly since 2007-8; and if this trend continues unabated the tipping point (where deaths start to exceed births and rhino numbers start declining) could be reached as early as 2014/2015. Therefore interventions to tackle poaching at this stage can be seen as a critically important preventative measure. There are 9 key findings from the review of possible policy responses: 1. Each range state requires a different menu of approaches that deal with both proximate and ultimate causes of the rises in rhino poaching. 2. Capturing the economic value of rhinos is important. 3. Even though it is illegal, there is currently a lucrative market for rhino horn products in some countries. 4. Efforts need to focus on demand reduction in end user communities, but there is insufficient knowledge of the dynamics of those markets. 5. Despite increased prison sentences in some rhino range states, poaching continues to escalate in some countries, while some states do not or did not have 'deterrence sentences' at all. 6. Dehorning can have a (limited) deterrence effect but is not a practical option for all rhino populations. 7. Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) can have a (limited) deterrence effect. 8. Each of the 4 range states faces a different combination of threats and their circumstances differ, therefore efforts need to be tailored and targeted 9. Effective Governance 'Matters'. Details: London, UK: Evidence on Demand, 2013. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2014 at: http://www.evidenceondemand.info/rhino-poaching-how-do-we-respond Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: http://www.evidenceondemand.info/rhino-poaching-how-do-we-respond Shelf Number: 133790 Keywords: Animal Poaching (Africa)Illegal Wildlife TradeIvoryRhinocerosWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Chandran, Remi Title: Bytes beyond Borders: Strengtning Transboundary Information Sharing on Wildlife Crime through the Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) Initiative, Summary: The multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade is a global crisis that not only threatens the conservation of protected species but also has deep implications for peace and security in nations across the world. As wildlife trafficking becomes more organized and illegal trade of wildlife continues to flourish on the ground and in cyberspace, there is an urgent need for a concerted international effort to gather and share wildlife crime information among law enforcement and policymakers, empowering them to stem the tide of wildlife trafficking. There are several good examples out of such efforts, primarily by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and INTERPOL, to combat wildlife poaching and transboundary illegal wildlife trade. At a policy level, the formation of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC)1 can be considered as one of the major achievements in recent times, where CITES, INTERPOL, World Bank, UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and World Customs Organization have come together as one unit to address the issue. The good work done by civil society, including WWF, TRAFFIC, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and member organizations of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Species Survival Network (SSN) including grass root NGOs, is noteworthy as well. Yet, combating wildlife crime remains a big challenge. The collective efforts of the conservation community and governments are still unable to check the behaviour of poaching syndicates and organized criminals. We remain far behind in finding an adequate response to the crisis. Details: Yokohama: United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed October 22, 2014 at: http://archive.ias.unu.edu/resource_centre/bytes_beyond_borders-strengthening_transboundary_information.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://archive.ias.unu.edu/resource_centre/bytes_beyond_borders-strengthening_transboundary_information.pdf Shelf Number: 133794 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Criminal Justice Response to wildlife and forest crime in Lao PDR Summary: Laos in a landlocked country of about 5.7 million people made up of 49 broad ethnic groups. Approximately eighty per cent of the population is located in rural areas and many depend on agriculture and natural resources for survival. The country is bordered by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. It is governed in the framework of a single socialist political party, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPPR). Laos is a land rich in biological diversity and home to unique and rare species of flora and fauna. Many of these species are listed under Appendices I, II and III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). These flora species include high value timber species such as Aquilaria crassna and Aquilaria baillonii commonly known as Argarwood (Appendix I) and Dalbergia cochinchinensis commonly known as Siamese Rosewood (Appendix III) and rare orchids such as the Paphiopedilum appletonianum commonly known as Appleton's Paphiopedilum (Appendix I). Some of the better known CITES listed fauna species found in Laos include the Tiger (Appendix I), Leopard (Appendix I), Clouded Leopard (Appendix I), Elephant (Appendix I), Sun Bear (Appendix I), Asiatic Black Bear (Appendix I), Pangolin (Appendix II) and several turtles including the Indochinese Box Turtle (Appendix I). Despite their protection under CITES and National Laws, Lao forests have undergone extensive commercial logging over the last 30 years with forest cover dropping from 75% in 1979 to 40% in 2009. In 2014 a government initiated planting program has increased forest cover to just over 50% but the country has a long way to go to reach its goal of 65% cover by 2015 and 70% by 2020. There is growing evidence that transnational organised crime groups are contributing to a significant degree to forest exploitation and the Lao government has come under harsh criticism for its failure to control the illegal logging of its forests. Many of Laos' fauna species have fared no better and continue to be subjected to illegal trafficking to feed markets in neighbouring China and Vietnam. The objective of this study therefore is to determine what role the criminal justice system in Laos is playing in the struggle against the illegal trade in timber and wildlife. It is based on a field visit to Laos, a review of the available primary and secondary data, interviews with key interlocutors and a roundtable meeting of senior officers from the key government departments, IGO's and NGO's held in Vientiane in September 2014. During the meeting in September the current version of the report was circulated to all participants both in Lao language and in English to solicit comments and feedback. The presentations of the senior officers at the September meeting were eventually incorporated into what has become the final version of the report. Interviews were mainly conducted with key players of the criminal justice systems such as prosecutors, police, customs and environment/forestry officials involved in law enforcement. Details: New York: UNODC, 2014. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific//2014/10/trade-timber/Criminal_Justice_Responses_to_the_Illegal_Trade_in_Timber_in_South_East_Asia_v7.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Laos URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/southeastasiaandpacific//2014/10/trade-timber/Criminal_Justice_Responses_to_the_Illegal_Trade_in_Timber_in_South_East_Asia_v7.pdf Shelf Number: 133831 Keywords: Forest ManagementIllegal LoggingIllegal TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crimes (Laos)Wildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Lee-Ashley, Matt Title: Oil and Gas Industry Investments in the National Rifle Association and Safari Club International. Reshaping American Energy, Land, and Wildlife Policy Summary: Two bedrock principles have guided the work and advocacy of American sportsmen for more than a century. First, under the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, wildlife in the United States is considered a public good to be conserved for everyone and accessible to everyone, not a commodity that can be bought and owned by the highest bidder. Second, since President Theodore Roosevelt's creation of the first wildlife refuges and national forests, sportsmen have fought to protect wildlife habitat from development and fragmentation to ensure healthy game supplies. These two principles, however, are coming under growing fire from an aggressive and coordinated campaign funded by the oil and gas industry. As part of a major effort since 2008 to bolster its lobbying and political power, the oil and gas industry has steadily expanded its contributions and influence over several major conservative sportsmen's organizations, including Safari Club International, or SCI, the National Rifle Association, or NRA, and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. The first two organizations have assumed an increasingly active and vocal role in advancing energy industry priorities, even when those positions are in apparent conflict with the interests of hunters and anglers who are their rank-and-file members. The third group, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, or CSF, is also heavily funded by oil and gas interests and plays a key role in providing energy companies, SCI, the NRA, gun manufacturers, and other corporate sponsors with direct access to members of Congress. The growing influence of the oil and gas industry on these powerful groups is reshaping the politics, policies, and priorities of American land and wildlife conservation. In this report, we identify three high-profile debates in which the growing influence of the oil and gas industry in SCI, CSF, the NRA and other conservative sportsmen groups could play a decisive role in achieving outcomes that are beneficial to energy companies at the expense of habitat protection, science-based management, and hunter and angler access to wildlife and public lands. These areas to watch are: - Endangered and threatened wildlife in oil- and gas-producing regions: The case of the greater sage grouse and the lesser prairie chicken - The backcountry: How the oil and gas industry and its allies are working to undo protections of roadless areas and wilderness study areas - Public access and ownership: The movement to privatize public lands and wildlife The oil and gas industry's growing investment in conservative sportsmen groups is already yielding ever-greater influence over legislation and policy decisions that benefit the industry's financial interests at the expense of hunters and anglers. Understanding and tracking this powerful lobbying alliance is of increasing importance to those who believe that American sportsmen can and should continue to be the standard-bearers for our nation's conservation tradition defend the principles that have guided North American land and wildlife stewardship for more than a century. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2014. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2015 at: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IndustryInfluenceReport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/IndustryInfluenceReport.pdf Shelf Number: 135503 Keywords: National Rifle AssociationNatural ResourcesOil IndustryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (U.S.) |
Author: Duffy, Rosaleen Title: Mapping Donors: Key Areas for Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade (Africa and Asia) Summary: The wildlife trade is rapidly becoming a major international priority for governments, NGOs and private philanthropists (for example see White House, 2014). This is evidenced in the recent increase in funding made available for wildlife trade related projects. Recent examples include: USAID has committed US$40 million, Howard G. Buffett Foundation has committed US$25 million to South Africa for rhino protection, The Clinton Global Initiative has pledged to raise US$80 million (US$10 million from US Government already) and the UK Government has identified it as a major policy, with the announcement of a L10 million fund for tackling the trade. The authors mapped the donors and projects following a review of secondary and grey literature as well as relevant websites. However, such a search can only ever be considered as indicative rather than comprehensive: the range of organisations involved in conservation initiatives is complex and extensive. Further it is difficult to disaggregate projects that deal with specific species conservation (e.g. elephant or rhino) more generally, from those that specifically tackle the illegal wildlife trade - there is some inevitable overlap. The precise figures involved are also difficult to determine because of double counting, or confidentiality regarding donations. Finally, there are a number of ongoing projects which cannot be listed; they are necessarily confidential because they are aimed at uncovering various aspects of an illegal trade. From our initial assessment it appears there are four main areas: 1. Two types of funding for demand reduction initiatives: projects and campaigns 2. Funding related to rural development/CBNRM approaches is not well recognised as an effective policy response 3. Funding related to intelligence gathering, surveillance, capacity building in crime scene management is increasing as a priority 4. Funding related to counter-insurgency/security is an increasing priority Following on from this summary of current initiatives the authors were able to identify areas of weakness or gaps. 1. Need for greater understanding of the implications for community relations of a 'crime/enforcement' approach 2. Need for greater levels of intelligence sharing across states and within states 3. Rangers often coping with poor equipment and working conditions 4. The main approach to understanding the illegal wildlife trade is as a criminal activity rather than an issue of wider forms of (under)development 5. Little or no support for communities on how to resist intimidation 6. Need for capacity building in investigation skills/crime scene management 7. Need for governance related initiatives that address corruption, especially in state agencies. 8. Little understanding of the precise dynamics of demand markets/consumer motivation 9. Lack of attention to pre-emptive efforts in demand reduction and anti-poaching 10. Patterns of funding differ substantially between and within states 11. Little attention paid to transit states/networks Details: London: UK Department for International Development, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2015 at: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/18868/1/EoD_HD151_June2014_Mapping_Donors%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/18868/1/EoD_HD151_June2014_Mapping_Donors%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135813 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trade |
Author: Ling, Lee Siow Title: Hard to Bear: An assessment of trade in bear bile and gall bladder in Malaysia Summary: A new TRAFFIC study has found that the illegal trade in bear bile and gall bladder for traditional medicine is open and widespread across Malaysia and is potentially a serious threat to wild bears. In a survey of 365 traditional medicine shops across Malaysia, 175 (48 percent ) claimed to be selling bear gall bladders and medicinal products containing bear bile, according to the study Hard to Bear: An assessment of trade in bear bile and gall bladder in Malaysia (PDF, 2MB) Every State in Malaysia had bear products for sale, especially Peninsular Malaysia, where bear bile pills were the most common item sold, with the States of Kelantan and Johor topping the list. Nearly 60 percent of 298 bear gall bladders observed for sale were claimed to be from wild Sun Bears killed locally through either opportunistic or deliberate poaching. Whole bear gall bladders were more frequently observed in Sabah and Sarawak - almost all vendors here claimed that gall bladders observed for sale were sourced locally, as have some Peninsular Malaysia traders. Staff in more than half of the shops surveyed admitted to knowing that trade in bear parts and products was illegal under the country's Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, and carries stiff penalties. The vast majority of shops selling bear products claimed to have ongoing supplies of at least some of the items; there are no known captive bear breeding facilities in Malaysia Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2015. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2015 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/5/29/survey-finds-medicines-from-bear-parts-widely-available-in-m.html Year: 2015 Country: Malaysia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/5/29/survey-finds-medicines-from-bear-parts-widely-available-in-m.html Shelf Number: 135850 Keywords: BearsWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Inskipp, Carol Title: Making a lasting impression: The impact of the UK's wildlife trade on the world's biodiversity and people Summary: Few people living in the UK are aware of how much they rely on wildlife trade. Whether we're buying bulbs from the garden centre, wood furniture from a store, or a meal from a fish and chip shop, we are not only trading in wildlife, but also making a small but lasting impression on biodiversity and communities around the world. Those who may regard this as inconsequential - there are always more fish in the sea, as the saying goes - are mistaken: many wild species used in the UK are declining, due to unsustainable harvests and trade. This threatens biodiversity, the livelihoods of those who rely on wildlife harvests as a source of income, and opportunities to use those resources in the future. This report describes the impact people in the UK have on biodiversity and livelihoods as a result of their use and trade of wild plants and animals. A general overview of the UK trade is followed by case studies on the trade in live plants used in gardening and horticulture, and in live animals for pets. The "bad news" is presented, as is the "good news" - where it exists. We also list recommendations for UK policy-makers, industry and consumers. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC International, 2003. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/lasting_impression.pdf Year: 2003 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/lasting_impression.pdf Shelf Number: 135904 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Shiraishi, Hiromi Title: Eel market dynamics: an analysis of Anguilla production, trade and consumption in East Asia Summary: Historically, farming and trade in East Asia involved the Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, native to the region. From the 1990s, with growing scarcity of A. japonica, large quantities of European Eel A. anguilla glass eels were also imported. Concerns over the impact international trade was having on A. anguilla led to trade in it being regulated through a listing in Appendix II of CITES in 2007, and in December 2010, the European Union banned all trade in A. anguilla from the EU. As a consequence the Americas and South-East Asia have become increasingly important sources of juvenile eels of other Anguilla species for farms in East Asia. Eel production has steadily increased worldwide over the last 30 years, mainly because of the expansion of eel-farming, which accounted for 95% of total production in 2013, according to FAO data. Eel farming is reliant on growing out juvenile eels ("glass eels") from wild stocks since breeding in captivity is not yet commercially viable. Most of this expansion took place in East Asian countries/territories, with mainland China alone responsible for nearly 85% of global eel production in 2013. However, global eel production and consumption appears to have peaked and may now be going into reverse because of declining availability of wild stocks, controls on trade in glass eels, steep price increases, and changes in consumer behaviour affected by various issues including prices and food safety. Global demand for eels of the genus Anguilla has traditionally been driven by consumption in East Asia, especially in Japan. There are wide differences between data from the FAO, which indicate that Japan's consumption has fallen over the last decade from 60% to 15% of global eel production, and from East Asian sources, which suggest that the Japanese still consumed 30-45% in 2012-2013. While Japan's role as an eel consumer appears to have declined, there has been a rising popularity in Japanese cuisine and a consequent increase in the number of Japanese restaurants offering eel dishes overseas. Meanwhile, combined trade and FAO production data from China indicate a significant increase in domestic eel consumption over the past decade, reaching an estimated 150,000 tonnes in both 2012 and 2013, although once again large data discrepancies are evident. Historically, farming and trade in East Asia involved the Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, native to the region. From the 1990s, with growing scarcity of A. japonica, large quantities of European Eel A. anguilla glass eels were also imported. Concerns over the impact international trade was having on A. anguilla led to trade in it being regulated through a listing in Appendix II of CITES in 2007, and in December 2010, the European Union banned all trade in A. anguilla from the EU. As a consequence the Americas and South-East Asia have become increasingly important sources of juvenile eels of other Anguilla species for farms in East Asia. Although less significant than Japan or mainland China, TRAFFIC's analysis also suggests that the domestic market for eels in South Korea has increased in the past decade, reportedly in response to a decline in meat consumption for health and food safety reasons. Customs trade data suggest that other important markets for eels produced in mainland China may be emerging, such as Russia, although data discrepancies make it difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the importance of any new/emerging markets. Possible reasons for discrepancies in data analysed for this report include the number of intermediaries through which they are passed prior to official reporting, a lack of comparability between Customs codes, incorrect application of Customs codes and under(over)-reporting of farming production. Many records of live eel fry imports into East Asia over the past decade have no corresponding records in exporter data. Customs and seizures data and other sources show that large quantities of eel fry have been exported illegally from Europe, the Philippines, Indonesia and also within East Asia over recent years, indicating that illegally-sourced glass eels are being used in East Asian farms. There are doubts over the legality not only of European Eels A. anguilla grown out in mainland China farms, which are continuing to be re-exported many years after glass eels could be legally sourced from the European Union, but also Japanese Eels A. japonica, which continue to be fished and traded illegally in the region. Changing farming, trade and demand dynamics are a conservation concern particularly for temperate eel species. European Eel is currently listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and Japanese Eel and American Eel A. rostrata are listed as Endangered. There are fewer data for tropical Anguilla species, but conservation concerns also exist for several of these, including A. bicolor (Near Threatened), which because of its similar taste and texture is a popular second choice when Japanese Eel and European eel are unavailable. TRAFFIC concludes its report with regionally collaborative recommendations for enhancing the traceability of sourcing, farming and trade of eels, and the development of appropriate management and conservation decisions. Details: Tokyo: TRAFFIC Japan Office, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2015 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/13/traffic-report-tries-to-pin-down-slippery-eel-trade.html Year: 2015 Country: Asia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2015/7/13/traffic-report-tries-to-pin-down-slippery-eel-trade.html Shelf Number: 136096 Keywords: EelsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Cantu, Juan Carlos Title: The Illegal Parrot Trade in Mexico: A Comprehensive Assessment Summary: Mexico has 22 species of parrots (psittacines) of which six are endemic. Wild parrots are widespread across the country and have a strong connection with Mexican culture. All species except two are officially listed as at risk; 6 species are classified as endangered, 10 as threatened, and 4 as under special protection. The foremost threats psittacines face in Mexico are loss of habitat and illegal trapping for the pet trade. While some research has been done in the past regarding parrot trafficking, the fundamental questions of the volume of illegal trapping, how and where it is carried out, how trapping affects particular species and how the illegal trade relates to the legal trade were poorly understood. This assessment provides, for the first time, comprehensive answers to these and related questions, as well as detailed historical information on the regulatory programs applied to parrot trapping, the enforcement of those programs, seizures by enforcement officials, mortality rates of captured parrots, and prices in the legal and illegal trades, including historical trends. Based on interviews with trappers and representatives of their unions, and analysis of other data, an estimated range of 65,000 to 78,500 parrots are captured each year. The overall mortality rate for trapped parrots exceeds 75% before reaching a purchaser, which translates to about 50,000 to 60,000 dead birds annually, making this trade terribly inhumane and wasteful. The rate of parrot seizures by the environmental police, Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente (Profepa), was assessed. The seizures by Profepa represent an average of only about 2% of the annual illegal trade. Seizure rates appear to be mostly correlated with the level of enforcement effort. It is apparent that Profepa and other agencies currently lack adequate personnel and budgets to police the trade. Through analysis of seizure data obtained from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the assessment determined that only a small percentage of the annual illegal capture is being smuggled out of the country; about 86% to 96% of all trapped Mexican parrots stay in the internal trade. This is a shift from the 1970s and 1980s when the lucrative and huge USA market was considered to drive the trafficking. Now, Mexico must solve the problem internally. This assessment finds that fewer than 150 registered trappers have focused on parrots exclusively. No parrot trapping had been authorized by wildlife officials between 2003 and late 2006. Prior to 2003, the trapping regulations had many drawbacks. Officials were unable to control the number of specimens taken, the time period or the place of capture. The existence of legal trapping authorizations provided cover for the illegal trade, through forging of documents and other illicit methods. Despite the lack of any approved trapping seasons for the last three years unsustainable capture of wild parrots has continued unabated. It takes place all year round, even inside natural protected areas, and affects almost all of the 22 species. Populations of parrots are decreasing due to this exploitation. Scientific surveys estimate a 25-30% decrease in some species; interviews with parrot trappers themselves further corroborate some of these declines. Some parrots have been extirpated from large parts of their historic range. Eventual extinction is foreseeable for whole species if illegal trapping is not reined in. This assessment shows that national and international bans have not cause increased smuggling or increased prices of the affected parrot species over the last 10 years. Prices in Mexico and the USA have, in fact, generally decreased in that time period. Mexico's imports of non-native parrots have sharply increased, but they are too expensive for the huge segment of the Mexican public that purchases low-cost, illegal wild-caught parrots. Breeding centers for native parrots are few; they can breed only a small number of the 22 species and their prices cannot compete with the prices of their wild-caught cousins. This assessment provides policy recommendations to stop the devastating impacts on Mexico's prized native parrots. First and foremost is a well-publicized complete ban on any more trapping authorizations. While authorizations were temporarily halted for three years, new information obtained at the time of printing this report, in October of 2006, indicated that government officials have issued more trapping authorizations. This could be disastrous as it will provide more cover for the illegal trade and fails to send the needed strong message to the trappers and traffickers that the government is serious about conserving viable populations of parrots for the future. Not only a permanent ban, but also dramatically increased enforcement efforts to make the ban effective are needed. This should include increased enforcement efforts by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement agents to reduce the illegal trade, especially for the orange fronted parakeet (Aratinga canicularis), white fronted parrot (Amazona albifrons), yellow cheeked parrot (Amazona autumnalis), lilac crowned parrot (Amazona finschi) and red crowned parrot (Amazona viridigenalis), for which smuggling across the border appears to be increasing, thus is a continuing threat to the species' survival. The lessons about the need for a total ban were learned over several decades in a comparable situation when Mexico attempted to cut back on sea turtle harvesting, but only after several failed harvesting programs and drastic population crashes in almost all native sea turtle populations. For parrots, the time is ripe to tackle the challenges before it is too late. Several Profepa inspectors interviewed agreed a permanent ban is needed. The recommended permanent ban on further parrot trapping should be accompanied by a well-funded bi-national education campaign to make the Mexican and USA publics fully aware that it is wrong to buy any parrot that lacks proper documentation. Encouraging the breeding of low-cost exotic parrots could provide a substitute supply of pets. A Mexican government program to train parrot trappers to pursue other work will be vital, such as breeding exotic parrots and guiding birdwatchers in the field. An important element of conserving wild populations will be to provide some subsidization of trappers, to shift them from an illegal occupation to a legal occupation. USA funding should assist in this as well, in view of the vast deleterious impact that consumer demand from the USA had on these species particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. In sum, only integrated, coherent and well-funded policy changes will succeed in solving the biological, economic and social challenges of the illegal parrot trade. Details: Washington, DC: Defenders of Wildlife, 2007. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: https://www.defenders.org/publications/the_illegal_parrot_trade_in_mexico.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.defenders.org/publications/the_illegal_parrot_trade_in_mexico.pdf Shelf Number: 110587 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeParrotsTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Smuggling |
Author: Crosta, Andrea Title: Blending Ivory: China's Old Loopholes, New Hopes Summary: A report on an undercover investigation in mainland China and Hong Kong in an effort to expose the areas where illegal ivory opportunistically enters the legal ivory market, and where China's legal trade system and legal businesses are exploited to launder illegal ivory onto the legal market. The investigation was performed over a 10-month period in 2015. EAL investigators conducted two field missions to Hong Kong and four field missions to mainland China using various stories to garner meetings with ivory traders and other industry insiders. The team made extensive use of undercover filming and set up a series of entities to legitimize these back-stories. A few highlights from the report include: - Legitimate businesses and business people participate in and facilitate the laundering of illicit ivory through the legal ivory market by such means as 1) importing supposedly pre-ban, antique, and trophy hunting ivory, 2) the manipulation of the ivory registration system within China, 3) trading ivory privately and illegally without following the government's guidelines and restrictions, and 4) the use of the existing huge illegal raw ivory stocks (>1,000 tons) in the hands of a few traders. - Chinese traders now import ivory mainly via Hong Kong (or purchase worked ivory in Hong Kong), "legalize" it, and re-export the ivory to mainland China. - The company Beijing Mammoth Art Co LTD (ivory imports, retail sales, carving factory, trophy hunting), one of the most powerful ivory traders in China, and chosen as the main target of this investigation, confirmed to EAL investigators that they are connected to a company in Hong Kong called Tung's Carving Gallery (Tung Pit Wang), to import and work ivory in Hong Kong. The trader then re-exports the worked ivory to his business in Beijing to avoid Chinese ivory quotas and to facilitate import permitting. According to a source very familiar with the ivory industry (a maker of ivory carving machines) Beijing Mammoth Art also provides ivory to around 300 illegal small carving facilities in and around Beijing. - Among the galaxy of various connections, Beijing Mammoth Art is also linked to Beijing Tian Hao Bo Rui International Sports Exchange LTD (another importer in Beijing), Safari Taxidermy in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and another company, supposedly owned by Beijing Mammoth's "boss," that brokered the purchase and importation of live elephants to Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou from Zimbabwe. - Data shows how during the past two years Beijing Mammoth Art and Beijing Tian Hao Bo Rui have been importing ivory and trophies from all over Africa, including South Africa, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania. - According to our sources, over 1,000 metric tons of illegal ivory is being stockpiled in secret locations and warehouses in China by investors and traders who, regardless what the Chinese government decides, are still betting on future profits. - Through their trophy hunting connections in South Africa, the associates of Beijing Mammoth Art are apparently able to import rhino horns using a new method. After the rhino has been killed the whole animal is preserved by a taxidermist as a trophy. The full body mount is then sent to China and is imported legally as a hunting trophy. Once inside the country the real horn is removed and replaced with a fake one. - Rhino horn was available for sale in every facility visited by the investigative team. Rhino horn is still in high demand throughout China, with traders indicating they can sell it as quickly as they can acquire it. - EAL investigators also assessed the availability of other rare wildlife products because at the demand end of the trade chain (China), ivory traders consistently deal with multiple wildlife products. An ivory carver and trader in Beijing - also a collector of hunting trophies and rare wildlife products from around the world - also showed EAL investigators tiger teeth and tiger bone wine. Objects made of rhino horn and tiger teeth were showed to EAL investigators multiple times, often as pictures via the app WeChat. - There is evidence that the social pressure to end the ivory trade from the international community, and now the Chinese government, is mounting and having an effect on the market. Ivory traders in China were supposedly scheduled to meet in November of 2015 to discuss the future of the ivory trade, both legal and illegal. - We do want to express our appreciation to the Chinese government for its agreement to work toward closing down the domestic ivory trade, heightening efforts to reduce both the legal and illegal ivory markets, continuing efforts to reduce demand, and pledging to help solve the elephant poaching crisis. "One of the major findings of this report is an apparently growing uneasiness among illegal ivory traffickers in China to continue with their business," says Andrea Crosta, Executive Director of EAL. "There's a huge quantity of illegal ivory in China, over 1,000 tons, and it's unclear how to deal with it, but the traders are discussing, for the first time, the future of the ivory trade, both legal and illegal. There may be reason to have hope that the tide is finally turning in favor of elephants in Africa. Now it's in the hands of President Xi Jinping" he concludes. Also of significance is an alarming amount of rhino horn that is apparently readily available in China; the EAL investigation team was offered rhino horn at every facility they visited. "The traders we spoke with claim that they can sell rhino horn as quickly as they can get their hands on it," says Crosta. "Other wildlife products - tiger wine, tiger bone wine - are also readily available and easily obtainable." The undercover footage collected over the course of this investigation will be publicly shared following the premiere of the feature documentary 'Ivory' in May 2016. The documentary, produced by Terra Mater Factual Studios and Microsoft Co-Founder Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Productions, will reveal the fight against poachers and traffickers across Africa and Asia unlike any other documentary previously made. The film follows the ivory supply chain and will include EAL's investigation into the blending of China's legal and illegal ivory markets. Details: Los Angeles: Elephant Action League, 2015. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2016 at: http://elephantleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/EAL-BLENDING-IVORY-Report-Dec2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: China URL: http://elephantleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/EAL-BLENDING-IVORY-Report-Dec2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137759 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIllegal Wildlife TradeIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Duffy, Rosaleen Title: Poverty, Poaching and Trafficking: What are the links? Summary: Our rapid review of the academic and grey literature revealed that the links between poverty, poaching and trafficking are under-researched and poorly understood. Yet, the assumption that poaching occurs because of poverty is omnipresent, with little 'hard evidence' to support the claim. Despite this, we are confident that the links are there, based on the evidence that we gathered. However, our understandings are hampered by a series of factors: trafficking and poaching are overwhelmingly framed as an issue of conservation/biodiversity loss rather than of poverty and development; it is difficult to collect clear and detailed data on poaching precisely because of its illicit nature; and many of the cases we examined are also linked in with conflict zones, making research even more challenging. Nevertheless, our key findings are as follows: 1. Poaching in Sub Saharan African was produced via the historical legacy of colonialism 2. Poverty is directly and indirectly linked to poaching and trafficking of ivory and rhino horn from Sub-Saharan Africa 3. There are different types of poachers, and they require different policy responses 4. Poaching and trafficking of ivory and rhino horn are ultimately driven by wealth and not by poverty per se. 5. We need a much better understanding of the relationships between poverty and individual poacher motivation 6. The evidence base for claims around poverty as a driver of ivory and rhino poaching is thin, but that does not mean that poverty is not an important factor 7. There are direct links between conflict zones, illegal killing of wildlife, trafficking and poverty. 8. Trafficking can increase poverty We then summarise the main policy responses, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. These include: 1. Changing people's behaviour via negative incentives (e.g. monitoring compliance with rules and penalising detected rule breakers), positive incentives and distractions. 2. The development of tourism as a route to poverty reduction. 3. Legalisation of the ivory and rhino horn trade at the international level, including arguments around its potential impact on community based natural resource management schemes. Finally, we offer a series of short case studies that indicate these complex linkages via an analysis of particular examples. Details: London(?): Evidence on Demand, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/17836/1/EoD_HD059_Jun2013_Poverty_Poaching.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/17836/1/EoD_HD059_Jun2013_Poverty_Poaching.pdf Shelf Number: 138029 Keywords: Animal PoachingPovertyWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Rosero, Oswaldo R. Title: An Analysis of the Law Enforcement Chain in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape Summary: The Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape is located at the far eastern edge of the tropical Pacific Ocean, to the south of Costa Rica and Panama, and to the west of Colombia and mainland Ecuador. The Seascape is naturally demarcated by the convergence of three tectonic plates. The region extends to the west as far as the Cocos Ridge, a long submarine mountain chain running from Costa Rica in the north, to the Galapagos Islands over 1,500 km to the southwest. Another chain, the Carnegie Ridge, which runs for 1,000 km, from the Galapagos Islands to the coast of Ecuador, denotes its southern limits. Within these limits lies the Panama Bight, with depths greater than 4,000 meters. Marine currents in this region are complex, moving water from the Central American coast towards the Eastern Tropical Pacific, where it flows slowly to the west to join the North Equatorial Current. Another current affecting the region is the North Equatorial Countercurrent, which brings surface water to the east. The regional waters are warm (maximum temperatures of 28 degrees Fahrenheit), but in some areas the temperature can drop to 25 degrees Celsius during periods of upwelling. This Seascape boasts diverse endemic marine and terrestrial species, and displays a high degree of ecological connectivity. It possesses complex ecological relationships due to the dynamic convergence of marine currents that affect the migration and distribution of many species. The islands in the region are home to the most extensive coral reefs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and some of these coral species are endemic to the region. The Seascape is a migratory destination for several threatened and endangered species including the blue whale, humpback whale, and the leatherback turtle. Due to its biological productivity, the Eastern Tropical Pacific is of key importance for tuna fisheries (yellowfin, skipjack and bigeye). The region is vulnerable to degradation as a result of the following human activities: - Illegal fishing. - Overexploitation of coastal marine resources. - Inadequately regulated tourism growth. - Risk of pollution from commercial vessels (marine transport). - Habitat loss and degradation. - Introduction of exotic species. The region is periodically subjected to extreme climatic events (El Nino - Southern Oscillation), which have negative impacts on resident and migratory species (but sometimes provide new opportunities). In recognition of its high level of biodiversity, biological productivity and the ecological value of many sites in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape, each one of its four constituent nations has established marine protected areas (MPAs) within their respective waters. - In 1978, Costa Rice declared Cocos Island a National Park with 24 km2 of terrestrial area and 1,974 km2 of marine area. - In Panama, Coiba National Park, with a terrestrial area of 537 km2 and a marine area of 2,165 km2, has existed in its current form since 2004. - Colombia has two marine protected areas in the Pacific: the Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary and the Gorgona Natural National Park, designated in 1995 and 1993 respectively. Malpelo includes 3.5 km2 of terrestrial habitat and 8,572 km2 of marine area, whereas Gorgona includes 16 km2 of terrestrial habitat and 598 km2 of marine area. - The Galapagos Marine Reserve, which covers an area approximately 133,000 km2, is the largest marine protected area in the region. The origin of the Galapagos Marine Reserve is the Special Law for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Province of Galapagos of 1998. It extends 40 nautical miles from a baseline around the farthest points of the Galapagos Archipelago In recognition of their great ecological value, their value as endangered species habitats, and for their natural beauty, four of the five MPAs (with the exception of Gorgona) have been designated as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites. UNESCO first recognized Cocos Island National Park in 1997, then the Galapagos Marine Reserve in 2001, Coiba National Park in 2005, and Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary in 2006. All these islands and their surrounding ocean share certain features - their isolation from the mainland, their endemic species, and their relatively pristine state of protection and conservation. In 2004, the governments of Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia signed an agreement to create the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR). The main objective of this agreement is the conservation and sustainable development of the 211 million hectare region which contains the aforementioned MPAs. The CMAR initiative is supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), UNESCO, Conservation International (CI), the IUCN among others. With over 80 NGOs, research organizations, local community groups, and representatives from the private sector particpating, CI's Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS) initiative has promoted regional cooperation for the training, education and conservation of marine resources. Study Objectives The main objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the critical factors required for effective law enforcement in each MPA of the Seascape. The specific objectives are: 1. To determine the main strengths and weaknesses of the law enforcement chain in each MPA. 2. To prioritize a series of recommendations to improve the enforcement chain in each MPA. 3. To identify regional initiatives to strengthen cooperation between member states; in particular regarding the conservation of migratory species. Details: San Francisco, CA: WildAid, 2010. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2016 at: http://wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/Law%20Enforcement%20Chain%20ETPS_0.pdf Year: 2010 Country: South America URL: http://wildaid.org/sites/default/files/resources/Law%20Enforcement%20Chain%20ETPS_0.pdf Shelf Number: 138709 Keywords: FishingIllegal FishingWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: United States Agency for International Development Title: Measuring Impact - Measuring Efforts to Combat Wildlife Crime: A Toolkit for Improving Action and Accountability Summary: Killing protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products (hereafter wildlife crime, but see Box 1) are among the most severe threats to global biodiversity. Globally, hundreds of millions of individual animals belonging to hundreds of species are the targets of illegal harvesting and trade. Wildlife crime not only threatens the survival of focal species, but may also significantly alter ecosystem function and stability when one or more species are substantially depleted or even made locally extinct. High-value wildlife products are often trafficked by organized criminal syndicates and are known to finance violent non-state actors including terrorist groups and unsanctioned militias. Armed conflict can exacerbate wildlife killing and trafficking, and trafficking is frequently associated with other forms of crime such as money laundering (Loucks et al. 2009; UNODC 2012). Additionally, wildlife criminals generate insecurity in rural communities and are responsible for killing park rangers, which hurts morale and recruitment of park staff and reduces tourism and associated revenue needed for conservation and community development. For developing countries, loss of revenue from trade, taxes, and/or tourism can be significant and particularly damaging (Rosen & Smith 2010). The illegal trade in wildlife can also introduce and/or spread pathogens endemic to the exporting regions or transmitted during transit (Gomez & Aguirre 2008). This poses a major risk to human and livestock health, with implications for food security, commerce, and labor productivity (consider recent outbreaks of Ebola virus, SARS, and avian influenza). Despite focused efforts often lasting several decades, wildlife crime remains a global threat (Broad & Damania 2010; Sharma et al. 2014). The importance of wildlife crime as a threat to conservation and development has attracted the attention of governments, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and multilateral organizations all over the world. Strategies to combat wildlife crime depend on accurate and reliable knowledge about the status of focal species and the basic attributes of illegal wildlife supply chains. However, the clandestine nature of this activity, its geographic spread, the large number of people involved, and the size of the trade make analysis of status and trends, as well as measuring progress in combating it, a challenge (Blundell & Mascia 2005; UNODC 2012). A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report concludes that many of the available figures on wildlife crime "are the result of guesswork rather than of systematic analysis" (UNODC 2012). Global knowledge about wildlife crime remains fragmented and lacking in common standards, which hinders the design, implementation, and monitoring of strategies to combat it. USAID has a long history of investing in programs that support compliance with and enforcement of laws and regulations to protect wildlife, as well as other strategies aimed at decreasing the threats to conservation and development stemming from wildlife crime. In support of President Obama's Executive Order 13648 and the National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, as well as associated funding and directives for USAID to increase programming on these issues, the Office of Forestry and Biodiversity in USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment (E3/FAB) identified a need to adopt or develop robust indicators with which to track progress on USAID's investments in combating wildlife crime (CWC) and gauge the effectiveness of different approaches. Details: Washington, DC: USAID, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2016 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf Shelf Number: 139090 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Klaas, Katharina Title: Wildlife Crime in Germany. In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: The Ecologic Institute, together with a consortium, conducted a study on wildlife crime, which gives an overview over the state of wildlife crime in Europe. As a basis for this study, in-depth analyses were carried out for five EU member states. Ecologic Institute conducted the in-depth analysis of wildlife crime in Germany. The analysis concludes that Germany is not a main destination for illegal wildlife products from iconic species, but still an important destination for live animals like reptiles for the pet market. It is also an important transit country for ivory and other illegally traded animal parts from Western and Central Africa with East and South-East Asia as the main region of destination. Germany is quite active in promoting the fight against wildlife crime, both by cooperating closely with destination countries, sharing expertise and intelligence, and internally regarding demand reduction, e.g. regarding reptiles. The cooperation between the various German authorities and institutions as well as with NGOs is reported to function well, formally as well as informally. Problems are mainly of an organisational nature; they result from the high number of competent authorities which is due to the federal structure of the German political system. Regarding enforcement, the study points out that there is a lack of specialised knowledge on wildlife crime in administrative, enforcement and judicial bodies, ultimately attributed to a general lack of prioritisation and resources allocated to wildlife crime issues. Wildlife crime is a serious threat to biodiversity and sustainable development. The EU is both one of the most important markets for illegal wildlife products and an important actor in the fight against wildlife crime. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578958/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578958_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Germany URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578958/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578958_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138724 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Paquel, Kamila Title: Wildlife Crime in Poland. An In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: Wildlife crime is not a priority for Polish authorities involved in environmental and criminal legislation and enforcement. Despite a decreasing number of seizures of illegally handled CITES species that is ascribed to trainings provided to CITES enforcement bodies and an increased awareness of wildlife crime among the Polish society, there is no evidence that the scale of wildlife crime in Poland has been reduced. Recent findings by regional NGOs indicate that Poland is a leading country in terms of the volume of illegal on-line trade in protected fauna and flora in the Central and Eastern part of the EU. There is, however, very little information in this regard collected by the public enforcement authorities involved in wildlife protection. In terms of illegal imports and (re)exports of wildlife, Poland is mainly a destination country, but it is also a territory of transit and, to some extent, of origin. The actual scale of wildlife traffic is not certain. However, it is estimated that the Customs Service only discloses some 10-15 % of illegal traffic of protected species. Illegal markets of traditional Asian medicine, avifauna (including birds of prey), exotic wood, and wildlife suitable for aquaria and terraria are growing. In this context, wildlife crime can be considered a significant problem in Poland, and its scale is believed to grow proportionately to the increase in economic welfare of the Polish society and the demand by Asian minorities in Poland. Limited capacities of enforcement authorities, a lack of a holistic vision, and inadequate legislation further aggravate the problem. Apart from CITES-related offences, the number of illegal poaching instances reported in Poland every year is significant and increasing. While national legislation implementing EU law relevant to wildlife protection is in place, Poland is struggling to ensure adequate human resources in terms of volume and skills to counteract wildlife crime effectively. This may partly explain why wildlife crime is not among the major issues law enforcement entities are dealing with in Poland. Due to limited resources, these bodies do not have the capacity to follow all threads linked to wildlife crime and effectively counteract it. Moreover, some technical barriers are reported to hinder CITES enforcement. For example, enforcement officers in Poland often have difficulties with establishing the legal origin of captive-bred specimens originating from breeding operations across the EU. The difficulty is considered to stem, among others, from non-harmonised formats of documentation used as a proof of legality of the species' origin. In terms of judicial action, in the majority of CITES-related cases, Polish courts close the cases in an early phase or impose low penalties unlikely to deter commercial perpetrators. This is likely to stem from an overly rigid system of sanctions for CITES infringements embedded in the Polish Penal Code, which categorizes any breach in this respect as a crime and thus creates a risk of congestion of criminal cases in the already saturated Polish courts. According to stakeholders CITES implementation in Poland would be better if the law was more reflective of the wildlife crime specificity and trainings were provided to the judiciary sector. In what can still be largely considered a learning process, Poland's efforts against wildlife crime are based on education and public outreach. A number of dedicated trainings have been provided to public enforcement bodies dealing with wildlife protection. To tackle the demand side, awareness-raising is promoted in seminars organised in schools at different levels, as well as by glass displays in airports, border posts and other public places. In both, training and education, the role of conservationist NGOs (namely WWF Poland and PTOP 'Salamandra') has been prominent, often compensating for the constrained capacity of the public authorities in the area of wildlife crime prevention and control. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578960/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578960_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Poland URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578960/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578960_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138726 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Fajardo Del Castillo, Teresa Title: Wildlife Crime in Spain. In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: Spain is a relevant entry point to Europe as well as a country of origin and transit of wildlife crime with trade routes introducing illegal timber from Latin American and Barbary Macaques and elephants and rhino trophies from African countries as well as trade routes of eels, raptors and ivory to the Middle East and Asia. Recent police operations point to the existence of criminal groups, with organized crime infrastructures and their modus operandi. The internet is increasingly used for selling rare species outside the legal market. As examples of good practice, the Spanish Environmental Police, (SEPRONA), is one of the few specialized forces in Europe fighting environmental crime as well as its CITES Management Authorities which implement CITES and EU legislation. SEPRONA has developed and implemented day-to-day strategies against wildlife crime. Its agents have engaged in significant major wildlife crime operations, some of which have been perpetrated by organized criminal groups, however, the examined case law shows a limited number of convictions and lenient punishments due to difficulties in providing the required evidence and the resistance of judges to consider environmental crime as serious. Spain also has a specialized Prosecutor's Office that cooperates closely with CITES Management Authorities and SEPRONA. Both SEPRONA and the Spanish CITES Management Authorities cooperate with authorities of other Member States and third countries on a regular basis as well as in coordinated operations that show the importance of institutional contacts of the CITES Authorities as well as the institutional networks and agencies, such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL. This cooperation contributes to overcoming the limits of the CITES Convention and EU Regulation that in the opinion of the experts interviewed are fragmented and lack clarity. Moreover, the legal instruments at domestic and European level to fight against organized crime do not envisage environmental crime or wildlife crime, and can hardly be applied to fight them since they are destined to fight serious crimes. It is the opinion of the Spanish Management Authorities as well as the Prosecution Office that a specific legal instrument to fight wildlife crime would be most useful to overcome these problems. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578962/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578962_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Spain URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578962/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578962_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138727 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Illes, Andrea Title: Wildlife Crime in the United Kingdom. An In-depth Analysis for the ENVI Committee Summary: The illegal trade of wildlife is a major problem in the UK, which is a significant transit and destination country. There is a very wide range of species affected by the illegal trade, including reptiles, endangered birds and their eggs, caviars, corals, ivory from elephant and hippo and horns from rhino. The number of seizures is high; between 2009 and 2014 UK Border Forces made 2 853 seizures in total1. Nevertheless, wildlife crime covers not only illegal trade in wildlife but other illegal actions, such as poaching. Within the UK, the other most common wildlife crimes include badger persecution, bat persecution, deer and fish poaching, hare coursing and raptor persecution (NWCU, 2014). Links between wildlife crime and organised crime groups have also been identified. Organised crime and illegal wildlife trade is known to be linked to rhino horn thefts and trade, to trade in raptors and bird eggs, and to the repeated sale of traditional medicine products (Sollund and Maher, 2015, p. 24), while poaching and raptor persecution are sometimes linked to organised crime groups. At the same time, the efforts to combat wildlife crime in the UK are wide-ranging and numerous actions taken provide good practice examples that could be followed in other EU Member States. The UK government has undertaken a large number of capacity-building and cooperative actions both within the UK and with international actors. Some of the most prominent examples include the organisation of the high-level London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade where the London Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade was adopted, the establishment of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which supports projects in the developing world focusing on the reduction of demand for endangered species, and the Government's support for the Global Tiger Initiative Multi Donor Trust Fund and the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). Furthermore, numerous awareness-raising campaigns have been launched with the involvement of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). The current domestic regulation on CITES, the Control of the Trade in Endangered Species (COTES) Regulation, is under review with the aim of further strengthening enforcement. There is a well-established institutional set up with various governmental actors involved in wildlife crime related issues. The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) within the UK Police Force and the UK Border Forces specialised CITES team based at Heathrow Airport play an important role in tackling wildlife crime. Furthermore, the UK Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW UK), a multi-agency group comprising representatives of statutory bodies and NGOs involved in wildlife law enforcement in the UK, is also a key player. Finally, national and international NGOs, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and the World Society for the Protection of the Animals (WSPA) also contribute to ending wildlife crime in the UK and to raising awareness of the issue. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578963/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578963_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2016/578963/IPOL_IDA%282016%29578963_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138728 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife Trade Organized Crime Trafficking in Wildlife Wild Animal Trade Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crimes Wildlife Smuggling |
Author: Ferguson, Alan Title: Final Evaluation of the Cardamon Mountains Protected Forest and Wildlife Sanctuaries Project Summary: The Cardamom Mountains Protected Forest and Wildlife Sanctuaries Project in southwest Cambodia comprises two sub-projects: - Central Cardamom Protected Forest (CCPF) project, funded by United Nations Foundation (UNF) and Conservation International (CI) and implemented by CI and the Forestry Administration from July 2001 to September 2004; and - Cardamom Mountain Wildlife Sanctuaries (CMWS) project in Phnom Aural and Phnom Samkos sanctuaries, funded by UNF, GEF and Flora and Fauna International (FFI) and implemented by FFI and Ministry of Environment from April 2003 to April 2007. The CMWS Project had five major planned Outcomes for the wildlife sanctuaries: - Improved planning, management and regulatory frameworks - Improved governmental operational capacity - Communities engaged in the protection, management and sustainable use of natural resources - Secured international recognition and increased national and local awareness - Established a long-term financing mechanism The Final Evaluation was undertaken from February 19 - March 16, 2007. It focused on the CMWS, with only general review of the CCPF. The evaluation involved individual and group interviews, an initial workshop to discuss project design issues, and a larger wrap-up meeting to discuss preliminary findings. In total, 95 people were consulted. The study method was guided by the evaluation Terms of Reference and included identifying Indicators, preparing Evaluation Questions to guide interviews and meetings, and undertaking participatory discussions. The challenging startup conditions for this project should be duly noted: the project area is a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, settlements of indigenous people and ex-Khmer Rouge families, the wildlife sanctuary designation was unknown, traditional use of forest resources was commonplace, the area is large and difficult to monitor, and both corruption and lack of respect for the law were widespread in government and the military due to the poor salaries and lack of institutional modernization. These baseline conditions presented major impediments to introducing conservation. The two-project concept of the CCPF and CMWS has involved separate sub-projects that have different clients, approaches, methods and databases The project was structured in accordance with the mandate and boundaries of the wildlife sanctuaries under DNCP-MoE jurisdiction, and those of the Central Cardamom Protected Forest under FA jurisdiction. The original idea of synchronizing the DNCP/MoE - FFI and FA-CI projects was constrained due to differences in start-up dates, and the limited overall coordination of the projects. The different time frames adversely affected results and potential synergies. A brief review of follow-up to the CMWS Mid Term Review concluded that the project has undertaken reasonable action to address most of the MTR recommendations. The lack of action on a project Steering Committee and institutional coordination are the major outstanding issues. Details: Phnom Penh, Cambodia: UNDP Cambodia, 2007. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: https://erc.undp.org Year: 2007 Country: Cambodia URL: https://erc.undp.org Shelf Number: 138841 Keywords: ForestsIllegal LoggingOffenses Against the EnvironmentWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Weru, Sam Title: Wildlife Protection and Trafficking Assessment in Kenya. Drivers and trends of transnational wildlife crime in Kenya and Summary: This report is an assessment of the status, drivers and trends of transnational wildlife crime in Kenya and its role as a key transit point for wildlife species illegally traded from East Africa. The assessment has been carried out under the auspices of the USAID-funded five year Wildlife Trafficking Response, Assessment, and Priority Setting (Wildlife-TRAPS) Project implemented by TRAFFIC and IUCN. The Wildlife-TRAPS initiative aims to increase understanding of the true character and scale of the international response required, identify intervention points, test non-traditional approaches, and develop and deliver a suite of ground-breaking partnerships and pioneering approaches to tackle wildlife crime between Africa and Eastern Asia. The project therefore strengthens the knowledge base, resolve and co-operation of governments, inter-governmental organizations, the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in tackling wildlife trafficking between Africa and Eastern Asia. This report examines wildlife crime in Kenya and its linkages to illegal wildlife trade dynamics in the East African region. It is informed by a review of available literature, internet sources and intelligence from and interviews with knowledgeable individuals and agencies. It is also greatly informed by discussions and outcomes of the "Kenya Wildlife Poaching and Trafficking Stakeholder Workshop" held in Nairobi on April 14 and 15, 2015. This workshop was organized and hosted by TRAFFIC in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), USAID and IUCN and brought together relevant stakeholders from UN agencies, donors, NGOs, regional wildlife enforcement networks and the private sector to discuss a range of anti-trafficking issues, culminating in the identification of priority actions for future high-value interventions. Discussions and presentations at the workshop focused on key thematic areas: the biological status of key species involved in illegal wildlife trade; poaching and trafficking in Kenya; community wildlife policing; wildlife policy and law enforcement; and an overview of the role of development partners in securing Kenya's wildlife. The main results of the Assessment Report are contained in chapter three, starting with the biological status of key species involved in trade. This is followed by an assessment of the extent of poaching and trafficking in Kenya, including trends and key drivers of the trade, the structure of poaching syndicates, consumer hotspots, and key trafficking routes. The Assessment also documents arrests and seizures of wildlife contraband in Kenya, and the linkages between the illegal wildlife trade and organized crime. Kenya's policy and legal environment on combating wildlife trafficking is analysed, including the effectiveness of prosecution and the strengths and weaknesses of the Wildlife Law. The Assessment also discusses regional and international co-ordination efforts in the fight against poaching and trafficking. Kenya is home to some of the richest biodiversity and most iconic landscapes in Africa, characterized by high levels of habitat and species diversity, endemism, ecological interconnectedness, and globally recognized conservation hotspots. Landscapes range from coastal/marine to freshwater and saline lakes, from tropical montane forests to savannah plains and arid and semi-arid lands. Kenya is home to 9152 documented species of higher order wild flora and fauna, out of which 2148 are animals. Kenya's savannah ecosystems play host to dramatic wildlife spectacles like the world famous Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus migration and are inhabited by iconic species such as the African Elephant Loxodonta africana and the Critically Endangered Eastern Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis michaeli. The marine waters and contiguous coastal forests are inhabited by a variety of endangered species, including the Green Turtle Chelonia mydas and the Sokoke Pipit Anthus sokokensis, respectively. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2016 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27010478/1462446890040/Kenya-report.pdf?token=NwhziN9IRuNnc9zow37leGMcHuQ%3D Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27010478/1462446890040/Kenya-report.pdf?token=NwhziN9IRuNnc9zow37leGMcHuQ%3D Shelf Number: 139130 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife ManagementWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Raxter, Patricia Anne Title: Wildlife Crime and Other Challenges to Resource System Resilience Summary: Although wildlife crime has exploded in Africa over the past decade - "commercial poaching" now kills an estimated eight percent of the continent's elephant population each year - some governments have proven more successful than others at protecting wildlife and preserving habitats. To explain this variation, this study examines how the policies of three states (Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana) have enhanced or undermined the resilience of the continent's elephant ecosystem. Using the social-ecological system framework, the study illustrates how each state's changing practices have either exacerbated the stresses wrought by wildlife crime or successfully protected local populations from poaching. The study finds that monocausal explanations cannot explain social-ecological systems outcomes. Cross-level and cross-scale dynamics, including temporal, geospatial, epistemological, and institutional linkages, explain variation in system functionality. These dynamics include colonial policies, governance practices, the international conservation community, and resource use decisions. Details: Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University, 2015. 387p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 23, 2016 at: http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=gpis_etds Year: 2015 Country: Africa URL: http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=gpis_etds Shelf Number: 139135 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Waterland, Shelley Title: Illegal Wildlife Trade Review, Malawi Summary: An exponential increase in the scale and nature of the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) globally has left governments, policy makers and conservationists lagging far behind the perpetrators of the crime. In many countries, criminals are shipping enormous quantities of high value products such as ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales largely untouched by ineffective enforcement efforts. Given significant black market prices for wildlife products, and woeful detection and prosecution rates for wildlife offences, it is not surprising that organised crime networks have turned their attention to IWT. The rewards for wildlife crime, in most cases, far exceed the risks. This situation is true in Malawi, as with several other countries. However, Malawi for a long time has remained largely under the radar of those trying to combat IWT, due to its small size and relatively small numbers of wildlife. This Review of Illegal Wildlife Trade in Malawi used the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit to analyse wildlife crime data, wildlife legislation, enforcement capacity and agencies, judiciary and prosecution services and the drivers of wildlife crime. The findings are comprehensive and show that although Malawi is setting some excellent examples and making some crucial progressive steps - e.g. being signatory to several wildlife conservation Agreements and Declarations and establishing an Inter-Agency Committee on Combating Wildlife Crime (IACCWC) - there is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done if Malawi is to effectively combat IWT and rid itself of wildlife criminals. Details: Lilongwe, Malawi: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, 2015. 251p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: http://www.lilongwewildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/IWT-Review-Malawi.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Malawi URL: http://www.lilongwewildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/IWT-Review-Malawi.pdf Shelf Number: 139271 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal Wildlife TradeOrganized CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Maguranyanga, Brian Title: "Our Battles Also Changed": Transformation and Black Empowerment in South African National Park, 1991-2008 Summary: The dissertation explores transformation of South African National Parks (SANParks), from 1991 to 2008. SANParks organizational "battles also changed" with transition to democracy, which resulted in major political and institutional changes in South Africa. Based on a single case study, with a longitudinal dimension (study period, 1991-2008), the dissertation examines SANParks transformation through multi-disciplinary lens, and analyzes transformation strategies and initiatives related to de-racialization, black empowerment, social justice, and people-oriented conservation. Key informant interviews, archival research (documents), observational methods, and official SANParks' organizational climate survey data set provide the data. Confronted with increasing pressure to address the apartheid legacy, SANParks responded by reforming and advancing broader objectives of "transformation" in an effort to be legitimate and survive in the new South Africa. The dissertation argues that in the context of broader transformations, political and major policy changes, SANParks' initiatives were predicated on "enlightened pragmatism" and recognition that its organizational interests are secured through local socio-economic development and advancement of black empowerment. SANParks executives acknowledged that populist demands and societal expectations of the role and functions of national parks had to be tempered by moderation and pragmatism while transcending narrow conservation interests. In the process, SANParks was compelled by pragmatic reasons and "enlightened self-interests" to advance socio-economic initiatives that focus on historically disadvantaged communities living adjacent to national parks. It therefore focused its attention on aligning organizational interests with broader goals of transformation, black empowerment, and local socio-economic development in South Africa while keeping a big part of its conservation agenda and structure more or less intact. SANParks leaders' transcended the impasse between the narrow conservation mandate and social issues by balancing strategic objectives against situational contingencies. Such "enlightened pragmatism" enabled SANParks to mobilize resources and socio-political support for transformation initiatives. The dissertation highlights pragmatism and relativity of transformational choices, strategic policies and approaches that influenced the trajectory of SANParks transformation, which was informed by conditions on the ground - powerful ideational, political, institutional, and economic forces. Details: Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 2009. 222p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 2, 2016 at: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/62352 Year: 2009 Country: South Africa URL: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/62352 Shelf Number: 139273 Keywords: Natural ResourcesWildlife Conservation |
Author: Mwedde, Geoffrey Title: Cutting the Roots of Wildlife Crime: Local People's Preferences for Wildlife Crime Reduction Policies Summary: Several studies have cited people living in the neighbourhood of protected areas as the perpetrators of illegal use of wildlife resources. As a result, several interventions led by State and non-State actors to address these negative practices have targeted this category of people. However, the success of these interventions is not straightforwardly determinable, if not limited, because interventions fail to take into consideration the factors that cause people to engage in illegal practices. In the presence of multiple policy options, it is critical that the often scarce resources are invested in policies and interventions that give the greatest satisfaction to those likely to engage in wildlife crime in order to attain the desired behavioural change. This research, conducted in villages around Murchison Fall and Queen Elizabeth protected areas in Uganda, evaluated people's preferences for policies aimed at reducing wildlife crime using the Stated Choice Experiment method. Results show that people strongly preferred and generated more perceived benefits from (i) allocating 50% of revenue sharing funds (which hitherto have largely been used for development activities) to human wildlife conflict mitigation, (ii) establishment of eco-friendly enterprises and (iii) employing of eco-guards. Preference for the first two options was most probably driven by the devastation that park adjacent communities suffer as a result of negative wildlife related effects such as crop raiding as well as need to improve livelihoods. Increasing probability of detecting offenders was surprisingly strongly preferred compared to the status quo, implying people's support for wildlife conservation. Unexpectedly, respondents had no significant preference for allowing of hunting in national parks compared to the current situation where no hunting is allowed. Whilst this research identified the most preferred options for the reduction of wildlife crime, complementarity between the different options and interventions needs to be considered during implementation. A more thorough assessment the implementation contexts is recommended before a chosen option is carried out and, more crucially, long-term engagement and commitment of resources by implementers is necessary for sustained impacts to be realized. Details: London: Imperial College London, 2015. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://www.iccs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Mwedde_Geoffrey_Consci_2015_.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Uganda URL: http://www.iccs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Mwedde_Geoffrey_Consci_2015_.pdf Shelf Number: 139310 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Nijman, Vincent Title: In Full Swing: Assessment of Trade in Orangutans and Gibbons on Java and Bali, Indonesia Summary: This report presents an assessment of the trade in seven species of gibbon and two species of orang-utan on the islands of Java and Bali. Java and Bali are the economic, industrial and political centres of the Republic of Indonesia. Both islands are densely populated, with an average population density of around 900 people / km2, and although small in area compared to many other islands in the republic, half of the nation's human population resides on Java and Bali. Several species of gibbon in Indonesia, for instance Kloss' Gibbon Hylobates klossi of the Mentawai Islands or the Javan Gibbon H. moloch, are threatened by habitat loss, hunting and capturing, as are both the Sumatran Orang-utan Pongo abelii and Bornean Orang-utan P. pygmaeus. Since Indonesia's transition from the autocracy of Soeharto to a democracy, illegal logging has accelerated and in large parts of the country, forest is being lost at an alarming rate. This puts the survival of those species that fully depend on forest at risk, including all species of gibbon and both species of orang-utan. Trade in these species, and the associated loss of individuals in the process of capturing and trade, may exacerbate these risks. On Java, and to a lesser extent Bali, protected species are widely kept as pets, and, despite being legally protected since 1931, gibbons and orang-utans are no exceptions. Given the precarious situation of gibbons and orang-utans in Indonesia, and the economic importance of Java and Bali, it was considered imperative to gain a greater insight into the severity of the trade in these primates, as well as how the Indonesian conservation authorities and local Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), try to curb this trade. To this end, data was collected from a variety of sources: bird markets (where despite the name, a large range of wildlife species other than birds are traded, including gibbons and orang-utans); from the regional offices for the conservation of natural resources (data on confiscations, prosecutions, and pets that are registered); wildlife rescue centres, rehabilitation centres and zoological gardens (as the facilitator for confiscated and donated gibbons and orang-utans); and local NGOs (as monitors of the trade). In all, data was collected on 559 individuals from at least nine species (249 Hylobates gibbons, 142 Siamangs Symphalangus syndactylus and 168 orang-utans). Details: Selangor, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2005. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://wildlifetraderesearch.org/files/r9_nijman_infullswing_traffic_2005.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Indonesia URL: http://wildlifetraderesearch.org/files/r9_nijman_infullswing_traffic_2005.pdf Shelf Number: 139319 Keywords: Illegal LoggingOrangutansWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Sina, Stephan Title: Wildlife Crime Summary: This study on wildlife crime was commissioned by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. It gives an overview of the state of wildlife crime in Europe based on available documents, EU-TWIX data and empirical research including interviews. The study identifies main routes and species linked to illegal wildlife trade, as well as enforcement deficits. It also develops policy recommendations in view of the upcoming EU Action Plan. EU is both a destination and a transit region for wildlife products. Although European countries seem to have become less important consumers in the trade with African mammals, many countries still seem to have a very important role as a trading hub in that trade. This trade is conducted via the major trade hubs (airports and ports) but new trade hubs (e.g. smaller European airports with direct connections to Africa and Asia) are also emerging. On the other hand, European countries still seem to be very important consumers and importers of pets, especially of reptiles and birds. As this trade is often not conducted via the main trade hubs, but via the Eastern European land borders and the Mediterranean and Black Sea, enforcement is even more challenging. Moreover, the demand for alternative medicinal products very often produced in Asia from endangered wildlife appears to have increased in Europe. The available information on trade routes is not very detailed, but the following four important trade routes could be identified: - Large mammals like elephants, rhinos and big cats from Africa and South America to major trade hubs and for further transit to Asia - Coastal smuggling of leeches, caviar, fish, as well as reptiles and parrots for the pet trade in Europe - Endangered birds from South Eastern Europe to Southern Europe - Russian wildlife and Asian exports via Eastern European land routes. The overall trend in wildlife crime measured in the number of seizures has been roughly constant in recent years. Seizures are concentrated in countries with large overall trading volumes like Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and France. Overall the UK, Germany and Netherlands are responsible for more than 70% of seizures in 2007-2014. The high number of seizures may also be attributable to well developed enforcement in these countries. The most frequently seized species are reptiles, mammals, flowers and corals. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, Environment, Public Health, Food Safety (ENVI), 2016. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/570008/IPOL_STU(2016)570008_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 139528 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeOrganized CrimeTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Henson, David W. Title: Wildlife Law Enforcement in Sub-Saharan African Protected Areas A Review of Best Practices Summary: Unprecedented levels of poaching of elephants, rhinos and other high value charismatic species across Africa is severely threatening the future of these species and the ecosystems they inhabit. As poaching groups increase in size, number and sophistication, it is more important than ever that law enforcement responses in protected areas are robust, reliable, and effective. A strategy to combat this crisis must address root causes, such as international demand for ivory and rhino horn, as well as drivers and enabling conditions, such as poverty and the lack of livelihood options for rural communities, corruption and weak governance. Further, in addition to direct poaching threats, the loss of habitat to agriculture and natural resource extraction and a growing human population, particularly around protected areas, will increasingly threaten the survival of elephant and rhino populations. Therefore, conservation of these species must take a holistic, long-term approach. While improved law enforcement in protected areas is just one element of this approach, it is an essential component and can achieve significant results in the short to medium-term. This report aims to contribute to the international effort to combat wildlife crime in Sub-Saharan African protected areas by providing a systematic and evidence-based review of law enforcement practices that have proved to be effective in different situations, and by identifying emerging best practice. Details: Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2016 at: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/SSC-OP-058.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/SSC-OP-058.pdf Shelf Number: 147853 Keywords: Animal PoachingIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Gupta, Saloni Title: Contesting conservation: shahtoosh trade and forest management in Jammu and Kashmir, India Summary: This thesis examines the recent politics of wildlife and forest conservation with reference to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) state in India. It analyses two processes initiated in 2002, and their effects on conservation and livelihoods: a) the international ban on the trade of shahtoosh (wool derived from the Tibetan antelope), resulting in the loss of the traditional occupation of a large number of shawl workers in the Kashmir valley; and b) the implementation of joint forest management projects under the 'National Afforestation Programme' in Jammu region, resulting in new spaces for cooperation and conflict between forest bureaucracy and local communities. The thesis explains how global environmental policies permeate different layers of politics from macro- to microlevels in the process of implementation. The following four questions are addressed in the thesis: first, how does power determine access to and control over natural resources? Second, how are global conservation interventions understood, accepted and reshaped by various actors? Third, what has been the impact of these recent interventions on different categories of resource users? Fourth, in what ways do these conservation processes converge with the attempts of historically powerful actors (state and local elites) to dominate the poor and marginalised populations, specifically shawl workers and forest dependent communities? On the basis of a detailed examination of the two processes, I argue that nature conservation policies do not go unchallenged but are contested and coloured by the power, agendas and interests of different stakeholders. I demonstrate that in the pursuit of conservation measures, powerful actors are able to secure their respective interests while directing the cost of nature conservation to the poor who are traditionally dependent on wildlife and forest resources for sustenance. This is not to deny the seriousness of environmental concerns, but to point out the repercussions of a blanket ban on the livelihoods of the shahtoosh workers, and of limiting the access to forest resources for local communities, who are trying to survive in an already fragile economy amidst militant separatist movement in J&K. Details: London: University of London, Development Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, 2011. 324p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 1, 2016 at: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/12759/1/Gupta_3264.pdf Year: 2011 Country: India URL: http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/12759/1/Gupta_3264.pdf Shelf Number: 145782 Keywords: AntelopeForestsWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Kabete, Nancy M. Title: International Animal Trophy Trafficking: A Case of Kenya Summary: Globally, survival of wildlife in many range states is threatened by animal trophy trafficking. The trafficking has reached unprecedented levels with large volumes of animal trophies being intercepted in various parts of the world many of which originate from the African range states including Kenya. The study seeks to investigate why international animal trophy trafficking continues despite an established state agency responsible for the protection and conservation of wildlife in Kenya. Specifically, this study seeks to examine the nature and status of international animal trophy trafficking in the world; assess the efficacy of existing global, regional and national legal and institutional frameworks in addressing trophy trafficking; examine the factors that influence the rise of international animal trophy trafficking in Kenya; and analyse the impact of international trophy trafficking on national security. This study utilizes liberalism and rational choice theories. The liberalism theory guides this study in studying the cooperation among the multiple actors in international trophy trafficking. Moreover, with sustained motivation for animal trophy trafficking despite known penalties, the rational theory guides this study in finding out the reasons motivating involvement in this trade despite the enacted laws and creation on institutions in the fight against animal trophy trafficking. This study hypothesizes that animal trophy trafficking is rampant internationally; securing wildlife is dependent upon effectiveness of the international community, institutional frameworks and other actors discharging their mandates; and that a relationship exists between international trophy trafficking and national security. This study adopted a descriptive whose target population are employees of Kenya Wildlife Service and selected conservation NGOs with the data being captured through a semi structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics are used in analyzing the data. Findings indicates that drivers of trophy trafficking are similar to those that drive other crimes including globalization, improved communication, underdevelopment and government laxity. Findings show that challenges that prevent deterrence to trophy trafficking originate from societal and cultural situations, national government law orientations and enforcement. Findings indicate that international animal trophy trafficking is rampant globally and ineffectiveness by the government in managing the crime is the greatest factor that influence the rising trends in trophy trafficking. From the findings, legal and institutional frameworks existing at global, regional and national levels have varying degree of effectiveness in the execution of the enacted laws and legislations which result into gaps that are exploited by the criminal syndicates regardless of the commitment and cooperation between countries towards the promotion of preventive intervention. These findings are in tandem with the liberalism and neoliberal theories because even for those states with adequate laws, governance is marred with self- interests perpetrated by anarchy due to absence of political authority and cooperation. This study further established that animal trophy trafficking has effects on national security. This study recommends that animal trophy trafficking be framed as a national security issue that needs global response through well interlinked governance systems in both source and consumer states. The existing loopholes in collaborative arrangements between the respective global, regional, and national agencies be streamlined so as to effectively execute provisions in various legislations deterring animal trophy trafficking. Considering that this study was conducted at the Kenya Wildlife Service and selected conservation NGOs, responses adopted may be biased due to contextual differences. This study recommends that a similar study is done cutting across other wildlife range states to allow for broader generalization and comparison of findings. Details: Nairobi, Kenya: University of Nairobi, Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, 2016. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2017 at: http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/98748/Kabete%20_International%20Animal%20Trophy%20Trafficking%20A%20Case%20Of%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: Kenya URL: http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/98748/Kabete%20_International%20Animal%20Trophy%20Trafficking%20A%20Case%20Of%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 144389 Keywords: Animal Trophies Trafficking in Wildlife Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime Wildlife Trafficking |
Author: Travers, Henry Title: Taking action against wildlife crime in Uganda Summary: In recent years, wildlife crime has come under increasing international scrutiny. A multitude of policy responses has emphasised strengthening law enforcement in order to protect wildlife. In contrast, developing community-based responses to wildlife crime has been given very little attention. The immediate threat escalating wildlife crime poses has been used as a justification, but this one-sided approach risks missing opportunities: both to find long-term solutions by addressing the underlying drivers of crime, and also to alleviate the disproportionate impact living close to conservation areas has on local livelihoods. This report presents the key findings and outputs of the 'Building capacity for pro-poor responses to wildlife crime in Uganda' project, a collaborative initiative aiming to: 1. Understand the current state of wildlife crime in Uganda, and investigate the underlying drivers of this crime 2. Investigate the preferences of local people and conservation staff for different types of interventions aimed at addressing wildlife crime, and assess the likely impact of these interventions on local people's attitudes and behaviour, and 3. Develop new or improved approaches to increase the capacity of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to tackle wildlife crime more efficiently and effectively. To understand the current state and drivers of wildlife crime, we started by conducting a review of existing evidence (from journal articles, press coverage and so on), to get a picture of the overall situation within Uganda. We then conducted a large scale socioeconomic household survey in villages bordering Uganda's two largest protected areas, Queen Elizabeth Protected Area (QEPA) and Murchison Falls Protected Area (MFPA). The survey showed that involvement in wildlife crime was widespread. Indirect questioning estimated that 42 per cent of interviewed households had been involved in illegal hunting, and 29 per cent in illegal fishing or grazing of livestock inside one of the two parks. Households most likely to be involved in wildlife crime included those that were better off, those that reported crop raiding or livestock predation by wildlife, and those that reported no benefit from the parks' revenue-sharing schemes. At both parks, activities put in place to combat wildlife crime focus heavily on law enforcement, with ranger patrols receiving a significant proportion of annual budgets. However, interviews with known hunters cast doubt on patrols' effectiveness, suggesting only one or two in a thousand illegal incursions resulted in an arrest. Households told us that patrols did not deter hunters from entering the parks. UWA does run activities to address some of the drivers of wildlife crime - such as human-wildlife conflict mitigation and livelihood support. However, these types of interventions receive far less support than would be required to influence prevalent wildlife crime. Our study investigated a number of alternative approaches to combating wildlife crime using two empirical predictive methods: choice experiments and scenario-based interviews. Both methods allow participants to pick the types of interventions that would be most likely to deter them from wildlife crime. The interventions explored were: - Improved mitigation of human-wildlife conflict - Appointment of local wildlife scouts - Establishment of, and support for, 'wildlife-friendly' enterprises - Increased ranger patrols - Removal of resource access arrangements (around each park, UWA allows for a limited number of certified individuals to access certain resources at certain times of the year) - Regulated hunting. Local people preferred different interventions at the two parks. At QEPA, people preferred increased funding for activities that reduce human-wildlife conflict, whereas people living around MFPA preferred support for creating 'wildlife-friendly' enterprises (ie small enterprises that do not damage wildlife conservation). At both parks there was support for appointing 'wildlife scouts from the community to respond to human-wildlife conflict. When UWA staff were consulted separately and asked which interventions they thought would be most effective, their priorities aligned strongly with the local communities - although they also emphasised continued and improved law enforcement. As well as potentially being more effective, local people thought the three community-focused interventions (wildlife-friendly enterprises, wildlife scouts and human-wildlife conflict mitigation) were fairer than the enforcement-focused approach to tackling wildlife crime. These interventions were also predicted to increase the time local people spend on legal livelihood activities and make them more likely to inform UWA about illegal activities. The findings suggest that greater support for community engagement is likely to significantly improve UWA's ability to combat wildlife crime. The project team then worked with UWA staff at each of the two parks to develop park-specific strategic action plans to combat wildlife crime. The aims were to prioritise addressing offences with the greatest impact on wildlife, identify where these wildlife crimes are most prevalent (and the communities involved), and specify the actions required to combat these offences. Details: London: International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), 2017. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2017 at: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17604IIED.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Uganda URL: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17604IIED.pdf Shelf Number: 145236 Keywords: Illegal FishingIllegal HuntingWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Protection |
Author: Booker, Francesca Title: First line of defence? A review of evidence on the effectiveness of engaging communities to tackle illegal wildlife trade Summary: Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) in wild species and products is at the top of the international conservation agenda. But it is not just a concern for conservationists - it also has implications for economic and social development, and security. The level of international concern about IWT is reflected by the level of investment that has been made in tackling it - more than US$1.3 billion since 2010 (Wright et al. 2016). It is well recognised that tackling IWT requires a multi-pronged approach and that, beyond reducing demand for illegal products and increasing anti IWT law enforcement along the entire wildlife value chain, a third critical strategy is engaging local communities in conservation. By virtue of their proximity to and knowledge of wildlife, local people are well placed to participate in or support poaching and IWT. The same characteristics mean, however, that they are equally well placed to detect, report on, and help prevent it - if the appropriate incentives are in place. But community engagement has received far less attention and investment than law enforcement or demand reduction to date. Only about 15 per cent of the US$1.3 billion has been allocated to initiatives intended to support sustainable use and alternative livelihoods. Part of the problem is that there is no blueprint approach. While global and regional policy commitments to engaging communities abound, details of how these should be implemented and how they impact IWT remain vague. This report attempts to take a first step in addressing that vagueness. It does so by reviewing existing evidence on the effectiveness of different approaches to engaging communities in efforts to tackle IWT. Through a literature review and through submissions to IIED's Conservation, Crime and Communities (CCC) database (www.communitiesforwildlife.iied.org), we identified 49 different examples of community-based initiatives for tackling illegal wildlife trade from Africa (25 initiatives), Asia (18 initiatives) and Latin America (6 initiatives). The most common approach to community engagement in the 49 initiatives was direct involvement in anti-poaching activities - as guards/rangers or informants. Another common approach was the introduction of alternative livelihoods (both wildlife and non-wildlife based). Wildlife tourism development was the most common form of livelihood support activities deployed specifically to engage poachers in one case, but more commonly used to generate conservation incentives for the broader community. Human wildlife conflict mitigation was also employed in over 20 per cent of the initiatives. Very few (four) initiatives involved community members benefiting from sustainable harvesting and legal trade as a conservation incentive. Of the 49 initiatives identified, only 26 (53 per cent) reported on their effectiveness (either in terms of reducing poaching or maintaining or increasing wildlife populations), although a further six noted that the initiatives were at too early a stage in their development to report on effectiveness. For the 26 that reported on effectiveness, 19 (73 per cent) reported that they were effective - although in four cases effectiveness was partial (it varied over time or was site specific); two were not effective; and five were unclear (either they did not provide an assessment of the community engagement component of a broader anti-IWT initiative, or they showed contradictory results). Of the 26 initiatives with a reported impact on poaching/wildlife numbers, only seven (8 per cent of the total dataset) provided details of how this impact had been assessed - including through interviews with local community members, through analysis of records on reported poaching incidents, and through visual assessments. Of these seven, four found that illegal activities (poaching, logging, illegal plant collection) had declined and one found no change; one found that target populations had increased and one found no change. Details: London: IIED, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2017 at: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17591IIED.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17591IIED.pdf Shelf Number: 145348 Keywords: Community EngagementCrime PreventionIllegal Wildlife TradeNatural Resource ManagementNatural ResourcesWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Management |
Author: Muchapondwa, Edwin Title: Abalone Conservation in the Presence of Drug Use and Corruption: Implications for Its Management in South Africa Summary: The illegal exploitation of wild abalone in South Africa has been escalating since 1994, despite increased enforcement, leading to collapse in some sections of its range. South Africa banned all wild abalone fishing in 2008 but controversially reopened it in 2010. This paper formulates a poacher's model, taking into account the realities of the abalone terrain in South Africa-the prevalence of bribery, corruption, use of recreational drugs, and the high value of abalone-to explore why poaching has not subsided. The paper suggests two additional measures that might help ameliorate the situation: eliminating the demand side through enforcement targeted on organized crime, and ceding the resource to the local coastal communities. However, local communities need to be empowered to deal with organised crime groups. Complementary measures to bring back community patriotism will also be needed given the tattered social fabric of the local coastal communities. Details: s.l.: Environment for Development, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper Series 12-15: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: http://www.rff.org/files/sharepoint/WorkImages/Download/EfD-DP-12-15.pdf Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.rff.org/files/sharepoint/WorkImages/Download/EfD-DP-12-15.pdf Shelf Number: 145632 Keywords: AbaloneBriberyOrganized CrimePoachingWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Critchlow, R. Title: Analysing trends of illegal activities from ranger-collected data in the Queen Elizabeth National Park Summary: In this report we provide a draft manuscript of how our method can be applied to analyse illegal activities using Management Information System (MIST) data from a single national park: the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), Uganda. In addition, we detail: how we have gone about this process, any problems encountered, the key results from the initial analysis, and finally the immediate plans and future steps. The aims of this primary analysis were to develop a method to use ranger-based monitoring data (1) map the spatial distribution of illegal activities, (2) identify the influential drivers of these activities, and (3) assess the spatial and temporal trends of illegal activities. Our current approach can be applied across multiple protected areas, and importantly accounts for observation effort. With accurate knowledge of the locations and processes that drive different types of illegal activities, rangers can more effectively target problems. Existing methods to assess patterns of illegal activities from ranger based monitoring include analysis of raw patterns or use of encounter rates. However, these simple methods give highly biased results as the statistics used are developed for situations where survey data is random or evenly spread across a protected area, and ranger-based monitoring is focussed on areas where illegal activities are expected to be highest. Encounter rates or catch per unit effort (CPUE) are an improvement on analysis of raw or uncorrected data, but have their own additional biases. For example, CPUE may not reflect the underlying trends of illegal resource use if the efficiency of ranger patrols improves over time. Additional pitfalls of the CPUE method are that it assumes reporting of illegal activity is proportional to patrol effort and that observing illegal activities is constant across space and time. This is unlikely because ranger patrols will rarely perfectly cover a survey area, and proportionally more effort will be needed to detect remaining illegal activity (Keane, Jones & Milner-Gulland 2011). Depending on the particular assumptions made, the consequences of these biases may lead to systematic over- or under-estimate of illegal activities with little information on the scale of the bias, and always lead to uncertain trends. Recognising this problem, we have taken an analysis approach that accounts for surveillance effort by estimating the probability of reporting an illegal activity independently from assessing the biotic and abiotic drivers of illegal activities. This type of analysis is based on an approach used to analyse volunteer-based records of bird distributions and change in regions with highly variable observer effort in space and time (Beale et al. 2013) and is fully described in a recent paper describing species distribution modelling (Beale, Brewer & Lennon 2014). Details: New York: Wildlife Conservation Society, 2014. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: https://library.wcs.org/doi/ctl/view/mid/33065/pubid/DMX2721700000.aspx Year: 2014 Country: Uganda URL: https://library.wcs.org/doi/ctl/view/mid/33065/pubid/DMX2721700000.aspx Shelf Number: 145927 Keywords: Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Torgersen, Jonas Sorflaten Title: Crime, Culture and Collecting: The Illicit Cycad market in South Africa Summary: It is widely accepted that illicit markets are driven by specific contextual factors that determine their nature and scope. Two points in particular have not been explored in the literature on wildlife crime. First, while illicit markets around commodities such as drugs and weapons are fuelled by consumers arguably in need of, or addicted to, the product, the desires of buyers that shape wildlife markets are often shaped by cultural norms which may seem irrational to outsiders. Second, given that wildlife markets are seldom as stringently regulated as those in respect of drugs, weapons or other commodities, the nature of the criminal enterprises that source, move and sell the products are possibly very different. The study examines these two factors - the culture of markets and the degree of criminal enterprise or organisation within them - through a case study of a largely unexamined environmental crime market in South Africa, that of rare cycad plants. Cycads are widely exploited, moved and sold in the country by a network of increasingly criminalised operations. State action against these markets is not a priority and has had only few successes in limiting the trade of an increasingly scarce plant. A detailed examination of the market and its consumers suggests that it is strongly shaped by a particular South African culture which draws on (often mythical) connections to the land, including its fauna and flora. Ironically, those active in the market argue that their objective for doing so is conservation, even if illicit collections are the prime threat to the species. Although the academic and conservation community have attempted to develop and implement conservation tools and strategies, limited law enforcement and regulatory mechanisms have produced a flexible illicit market where a set of intermediaries play the key role. While the market shows signs of internal competition, it operates relatively openly, and does not display the levels of violence of other criminal markets in similar stages of development. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: University of Cape Town, 2017. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 16, 2017 at: https://open.uct.ac.za/handle/11427/25048 Year: 2017 Country: South Africa URL: https://open.uct.ac.za/handle/11427/25048 Shelf Number: 147361 Keywords: Cycads Illicit Markets Illicit Wildlife Trade Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Johnson, Arlyne Title: Using systematic monitoring to evaluate and adapt management of a tiger reserve in northern Lao PDR. Summary: Although considerable effort and resources have been dedicated to biodiversity conservation over the last three decades, the effectiveness of these conservation actions is still frequently unclear. Thus, practitioners are being called on to be ever more strategic in their use of often limited resources available for the scale of the work required. To address this problem, several frameworks have been developed to guide the practice of conservation and facilitate adaptive management. Although these frameworks now exist and monitoring is key to adaptive management, there are still relatively few detailed examples of projects that have successfully implemented monitoring plans and then analyzed the data to generate results that were in turn used to adapt management. Reasons cited for this include insufficient funding for monitoring and evaluation, inappropriate monitoring designs that are unable to generate results to answer management questions, ineffectively managed monitoring information, and institutional arrangements that do not facilitate the feedback of monitoring results (should they exist) to management. Given these challenges, there is a need for case studies that illustrate how monitoring and evaluation can be done in the context of the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation to support learning and provide evidence for the effectiveness of a conservation action. This paper provides a detailed case study of adaptive management in practice. In this case the Wildlife Conservation Society's Landscape Species Approach was used over a seven-year period to plan, execute, evaluate and adapt a project to recover wild tigers Panthera tigris and their ungulate prey (Gaur Bos gaurus, Southwest China serow Capricornis milneedwards, Sambar deer Cervus unicolor, wild pig Sus spp., and muntjacs Muntiacus spp.) in Lao PDR. After several iterations of the project management cycle, we assess to what degree the framework supported rigorous monitoring and evaluation that was used to inform and adapt management and what conditions were present and/or needed to overcome the constraints that commonly impede the practice of adaptive management in conservation. Details: New York: Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR Program, 2012. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: WCS Working Paper no. 42: Accessed January 22, 2018 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235923139_Using_systematic_monitoring_to_evaluate_and_adapt_management_of_a_tiger_reserve_in_northern_Lao_PDR Year: 2012 Country: Laos URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235923139_Using_systematic_monitoring_to_evaluate_and_adapt_management_of_a_tiger_reserve_in_northern_Lao_PDR Shelf Number: 148905 Keywords: Tigers Wildlife ConservationWildlife Management |
Author: Ayari, Ines Title: The Human Cost of Conservation in Republic of Congo Summary: This report is based on investigations in Republic of Congo by our local civil society partners, mainly within six forest communities living in or on the periphery of Conkouati-Douli National Park (CDNP) and Nouabale-Ndoki National Park (NNNP). Both of these protected areas have largely been shaped by the intervention of the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The aim of our investigations was to understand the impact of the protected areas on those communities and the evolution of the relationships between them. If not conceived in a participatory manner, protected areas can dramatically affect communities' livelihoods and infringe upon their most basic rights; and may not even enhance biodiversity protection1. Although the Congolese legal framework offers some consideration of forest communities' land and resources rights, this report highlights outstanding issues which need be addressed in order to avoid further infringements of forest peoples' rights and foster an inclusive approach to conservation in the country. The main findings of the report are as follows: - Both protected areas have outdated management plans and inappropriate zoning, failing to include communities or to understand their land use dynamics. Local inhabitants generally aren't aware of the laws related to protected areas. When they are aware, there is confusion about which laws apply to them (such as in relation to the prohibition of species to be hunted) and about the geographical areas within which any laws may apply. Physical demarcation of park boundaries is neglected, which adds to the confusion. - Conservation-related restrictions prevent communities from accessing their traditional lands and resources, hampering villagers' subsistence activities - such as hunting and gathering - and affecting their social identities. Difficulties encountered by communities to readjust their livelihoods to the imposed restrictions are often overlooked or ignored by conservation programmes. Livelihoods are further compromised by wildlife-human conflict, which is amplified by conservation programmes and often disregarded by the authorities. No defensive measures can be taken by farmers - often women - who suffer material damage and sometimes face physical danger due to the presence of elephants in proximity to their fields. They have to carry the costs of protecting their cultivated lands and crops; and they often have no other choice than relocating or giving up on gathering and farming activities. - Economic displacement is a significant and detrimental issue, especially as it is almost never accompanied by adequate reparation of the damage and losses endured by local people. Despite some local employment related to anti-poaching monitoring and/or ecotourism and some housing improvements for certain villages (mostly in NNNP), the lack of economic benefits accruing to communities from conservation areas is stark. Existing benefit-sharing plans are often inefficient, leaky and non-transparent. Overall, flows of funding into the two national parks fail to compensate communities for the loss of livelihoods and rights. Such compensation could be done, for example, through the enhancement of basic infrastructure (schools, hospitals and decent transportation networks). The few attempts at 'economic alternative' measures have failed, particularly bushmeat substitution programmes, which neglect the cultural importance of wild game to forest communities and have not proven to decently and adequately provide dwellers with culturally-appropriate and affordable meat substitutes. - 'Consultation' processes - however poor - did take place in the initial phases of the two national parks' establishment, but were undertaken with only a limited number of concerned communities and often involved only a certain segment of each of them. Although inaugural steps in CDNP's creation seemed promisingly inclusive, the measures did not last. The intervention of WCS in the process undermined rather than enhanced a challenging but ongoing participatory process. - Indigenous hunter-gatherers appear to have suffered the biggest impacts related to conservation programmes taking place on their customary lands. They find themselves not only discriminated against by their Bantu neighbours and authorities, but they also carry the biggest burden of conservation-related restrictions and limitations. - Conservation actors tend to favour agreements with the private sector - including logging and mining interests - over constructive and strong partnerships with communities. This strategic approach to generate technical and financial support for protected areas' management and anti-poaching monitoring activities tends to increase communities' land tenure insecurity, as well as their sense of grievance towards park managers. - One of the most significant and detrimental consequences of imposed conservation models in the areas investigated are the tensions between communities and park management authorities - ultimately embodied by eco-guards - leading sometimes to serious conflicts. In some reported cases, these tensions have resulted in fatalities among villagers. Such conflicts are often the direct consequence of recurring abuses of power, intimidating and harassing behaviour (including physical violence), application of arbitrary sanctions, and unfair treatment of forest dwellers by eco-guards. This seriously problematic situation is exacerbated by a lack of access to justice for communities, as well as the impunity from which eco-guards often seem to benefit. The present report also stresses the current state of the Congolese legal framework, which is often incomplete and/or unenforced. Urgent measures need to be taken to ensure participatory management is developed and that it includes communities in projects affecting them. Legal loopholes need to be addressed, and the laws and rights of communities must be made clear and available to them. Based on the numerous observations and findings of this report, we propose a number of recommendations. These include the integration of indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights to lands, livelihoods, participation and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) into protected areas planning and management. In order for this to become a reality, a number of practical steps need to be taken: - The principles of participation and the obligation to satisfy local populations' needs within the frame of protected areas management does exist in Congolese law (Law No. 37-2008 on Wildlife and Protected Areas). It is crucial to build the conditions and define terms under which local communities and indigenous peoples are to be fully involved in the elaboration and implementation of protected area's management plans. It is of utmost importance that this is done through a participatory approach and by including obligations in terms of stakeholders' involvement in mapping and planning. In that sense, conservation organisations also need to make proactive efforts to ensure effective representation of local people in decision-making processes and strengthen partnerships with them. This entails that communities have access to adequate information about all current or future conservation measures, as well as information about park zoning and eco-guards' scope of intervention. - Ensuring the effectiveness and accessibility of mechanisms aimed at making individual and collective customary land recognition easier, as foreseen by law (Decrees No. 2006-255 and No. 2006-256 and Law No. 10 2004). - Ensuring the recognition of land rights prior to the creation of protected areas and the enactment of legislation to guarantee redress and compensation in cases of restricted rights to customary land and usage rights, such as for damage caused by wildlife to community assets, including in buffer zones. - The national land use plan - the elaboration of which is currently ongoing - needs to help prevent land allocations for different uses from overlapping; something that is all the more important with regards to customary lands. - Negotiations and agreements between conservation organisations and industrial interests need to include local communities from the outset; land use planning processes should be undertaken only with their full consent and in total transparency. - Communities' livelihoods are at stake and often threatened when protected areas are established without consideration for local populations' rights, traditions and socio-economic dynamics. While this issue is common to most protected areas across the country (including the two under investigation in this report), it could be addressed by taking several steps, such as: making benefitsharing schemes mandatory and effective, as per law; extending such schemes to peripheral zones and conservation areas under public-private partnerships; and designing culturally-appropriate development alternatives that promote and respect traditional knowledge and dynamics. 10 The Rainforest Foundation UK: The Human Cost of Conservation in Republic of Congo - December 2017 - The Congolese legal framework lacks a clear and adequate definition of usage rights in protected areas and their buffer zones, and this needs be addressed with full participation and consent of local and indigenous communities. These usage rights then need to be respected by external stakeholders. - The specific needs of indigenous communities have to be taken into consideration in conservation initiatives and measures. Indigenous communities' rights lag far behind despite the existence of Law No. 5-2011 on the Promotion and Protection of Rights of Indigenous Populations, which is considered as pioneering in the region but is not yet enforced. Measures need to be taken to ensure that indigenous peoples are consulted (via application of FPIC) prior to any project on their lands, including for conservation purposes, and that they are involved in land and resource management, according to the law. Conservation organisations and donors need to ensure indigenous people benefit equally from employment opportunities or alternative subsistence schemes and to consider them as equal stakeholders in discussions. - There is an urgent need for the country to respect its obligations with regards to international human rights standards, including in the context of nature conservation policies and programmes. This goes along with improving access to justice for communities and providing remedy for previous violations. Eco-guards should be held accountable for their repressive behaviour, and should be subject to effective sanctions. The government of Republic of Congo would gain from collaborating with national and local human rights organisations - including indigenous peoples' organisations - in the interest of both forest communities and conservation objectives. Conservation NGOs should proactively ensure that their projects do not undermine local rights, by integrating human rights in their plans, fostering participatory approaches, and giving more credit to (and promoting) local peoples' traditional knowledge and governance schemes. Special attention must be placed on indigenous peoples' special needs and situations, to avoid further discrimination and violations affecting them in particular. Institutional and private donors also have a role to play in a more proactive approach to this situation, such as through monitoring conservation projects' compliance with relevant laws and human rights standards. Donors can provide more specific support to both governments and conservation bodies for better application of human rights standards in conservation. They could also provide more support for community-based conservation programmes and make sure local communities benefit adequately from conservation initiatives. Above all, this requires a better understanding of customary land tenure, livelihoods and social dynamics Details: London: Rainforest Foundation UK, 2017. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed January 31, 2018 at: http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/media.ashx/the-human-impact-of-conservation-republic-of-congo-2017-english.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Congo, Republic of the URL: http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/media.ashx/the-human-impact-of-conservation-republic-of-congo-2017-english.pdf Shelf Number: 148939 Keywords: EconomicsForestsWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Ondoua, Gervais Ondoua Title: An Assessment of Poaching and Wildlife Trafficking in the Garamba-Bili-Chinko Transboundary Landscape Summary: An assessment of poaching and wildlife trafficking in parts of southeast Central African Republic (CAR) and northeast Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was carried out on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID's Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) seeks to understand better and address the poaching and trafficking of wildlife in the Garamba-Bili-Chinko landscape of CAR and DRC. This landscape includes the Garamba complex (Garamba National Park and three hunting reserves), the Bili complex (Bili-Uere and Bomu reserves) and the Chinko reserve, and is henceforth referred to as Garamba-Bili-Chinko or GBC. This remote and underdeveloped region is inhabited by agricultural communities and transhumant pastoralists, and lacks income generating opportunities, infrastructure and government services. It is characterized by weak governance and insecurity, the latter perpetuated by the activities of foreign armed groups, notably the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The objectives of this study were to present analyses of: 1) local communities living around the protected areas of the GBC landscape, 2) wildlife trafficking networks operating in the landscape, 3) the Mbororo pastoralists in the landscape, and 4) to make recommendations to USAID for interventions to reduce poaching and wildlife trafficking in this landscape Hunting and poaching were considered at three levels: a) small-scale legal hunting by local people, b) small-scale illegal hunting by relatively local individuals, and c) large-scale illegal hunting by armed non-State and State actors. The latter is organized poaching, and the subsequent trafficking of wildlife is often facilitated by political and administrative authorities as well as criminal networks. Wildlife is taken primarily from protected areas in the region, which are the Garamba complex (Garamba National Park, and Azande, Gangala-na-Bodio and Mondo-Missa hunting domains), the Bili complex (Bili-Uere Hunting Domain, Bomu Wildlife Reserve and Bomu Hunting Domain) and the Chinko Project Area. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2017. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27772586/1512724398197/Garamba-Bili-Chinko.pdf?token=qmrlSf%2BtC8AJLMNcuKP6%2FN%2F8kBc%3D Year: 2017 Country: Afghanistan URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27772586/1512724398197/Garamba-Bili-Chinko.pdf?token=qmrlSf%2BtC8AJLMNcuKP6%2FN%2F8kBc%3D Shelf Number: 148959 Keywords: Animal PoachingHuntingTrafficking of WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Meijer, Wander Title: Demand under the ban - China Ivory Consumption Research Summary: Following the announcement of the ban on commercial processing and trade in elephant ivory by China's State Council on 30 December 2016. TRAFFIC and WWF then commissioned GlobeScan to conduct this largest-ever ivory consumer research in China. This research seeks to discover the nature of ivory consumption in 15 surveyed cities in China, to understand consumers' perception towards the ivory ban and to assess effective messaging and mechanisms for demand reduction. Details: London: TRAFFIC, 2017. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 2, 2018 at: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27777182/1513160428827/Globescan-China-ivory-consumption-research-2017.pdf?token=myTigEymtSMJkUW7rKS5zOf%2Fa60%3D Year: 2017 Country: China URL: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27777182/1513160428827/Globescan-China-ivory-consumption-research-2017.pdf?token=myTigEymtSMJkUW7rKS5zOf%2Fa60%3D Shelf Number: 148972 Keywords: Elephants Ivory Wildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Lau, W. Title: Closing Strategy: Ending Ivory Trade in Hong Kong Summary: Elephant poaching and illegal ivory trade have increased considerably in the past decade. This has occurred despite international control measures through the listing of the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus and African Elephant Loxodonta africana in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricted the international commercial trade of ivory from 1990. It has resulted in calls for urgent deterrent actions that go beyond CITES requirements, including domestic measures to address the illegal trade. CITES is given effect in Hong Kong through the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) which controls the import, (re-)export and local trade of ivory. Hong Kong was once a prominent trading centre for ivory in the 1970s and 1980s, but the industry contracted considerably following the implementation of CITES trade restrictions in 1990, and waning demand from traditional overseas consumers. However, resurgence in international ivory trade activity in the past decade, both legal and illegal, have also reinvigorated Hong Kong's local ivory market. This has led many conservation advocates to campaign for a ban on ivory trade in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Government's proposal to phase out local ivory trade, which was first announced in January 2016 and developed in June 2016, as well as additional enforcement and licensing measures, would be a significant commitment if passed through Hong Kong's Legislative Council, in line with ambitions in China, the USA and elsewhere to take drastic actions against illegal ivory. This report presents an assessment of commercial ivory trade in Hong Kong. Market surveys of ivory outlets were conducted during two periods-August and December 2015-with a rapid survey in November 2016 revisiting most of the same shops. These surveys occurred during a period when denouncements of the local ivory trade were at their most vocal, with new government measures and the possible cessation of local ivory trade bringing about significant uncertainties for local ivory traders. In this respect, this report captures the market conditions and sentiments at a critical moment in Hong Kong's ivory trading history. In addition, CITES trade data on import and re-export of preConvention ivory from Hong Kong between 2000 and 2015, as well as government seizure reports, were analysed to examine the extent to which Hong Kong plays the role of a trading hub for the international ivory trade, and discrepancies with local sentiments about the state of Hong Kong's ivory industry. Physical market surveys in the two main survey periods in 2015 found that while ivory is still readily available in Hong Kong, the vast majority of ivory retail outlets have to supplement their operations by selling a range of other goods, whether it is mammoth ivory, stone and timber carvings, other precious jewellery or antiques. Dealers generally spoke of a sluggish ivory market at the time of the surveys. When these ivory outlets were revisited in 2016, seven outlets appeared to have closed down for business, and two dealers spoke of plans to downsize by closing branch stores and to focus on the wholesale side of their ivory business. Overall, a consolidation of the market appears to be occurring. Larger specialist outlets were still making sales, but smaller outlets with a few ivory items displayed had fewer active transactions. Local ivory trade is controlled through a licensing system whereby premises have to be licensed before they can commercially trade in pre-ban ivory (pre-1990), and the licence must be displayed on their premises. Market surveys found that only 38% of outlets had licences displayed or had claimed to possess one. When questioned about whether ivory items can be taken out of Hong Kong, 36% of local ivory dealers were willing to sell ivory to buyers intending to depart from Hong Kong, encouraging the smuggling of small ivory items as personal effects without going through the due process of acquiring a CITES permit. 42% of traders accurately mentioned the need to have adequate CITES documentation with their purchase. Outlets that had licences displayed were only slightly less likely to suggest that smaller pieces of ivory might go unnoticed by enforcement authorities if taken across Hong Kong's borders. These findings present the shortcomings in the existing regulatory system, both in terms of compliance with existing regulations, as well as current perceptions of any law enforcement deterrent. According to CITES trade data, a considerable quantity of pre-Convention ivory has been imported into Hong Kong between 2010 and 2014, totalling 6,056 ivory pieces plus 4,554 kg. The majority of these imports were sourced from European countries. More than half of the ivory imported was raw ivory. Meanwhile, declared re-exports of pre-Convention ivory amounted to 323 ivory pieces plus 3,264 kg during the same period. Data from the CITES trade database show that raw ivory re-exports during this time were all destined for mainland China, indicating that the market in China is probably a driver for Hong Kong's raw ivory imports. It is puzzling, however, that part of the inflows of raw ivory into Hong Kong remained in the city, according to CITES data, even though there are no more ivory carving factories in Hong Kong and most carvers only operate on a part-time basis undertaking repair and bespoke work. The current proposal to phase out the local ivory trade, which as of the report's publication has still to be passed by the Hong Kong Legislative Council, will be a monumental step towards ending Hong Kong's once prominent role in the global ivory trade. However, a potential scenario that may develop even before a local trade ban is in place is that it could cause a surge in ivory trade out of Hong Kong. It is pertinent that law enforcement agencies remain vigilant that it does not lead to an increase of illegal trade activities. Several major ivory markets around the world have already imposed restrictions on the import of pre-Convention ivory, which would make Hong Kong's re-exports of ivory to those countries illegal, especially that of mainland China, which has had a blanket import ivory ban in place since 2016. Online ivory trade could be one method by which ivory dealers attempt to liquidate their stock, and much greater effort is required of Hong Kong's enforcement agencies to work with social media and e-commerce platforms to prevent illegal ivory transactions from taking place. Current plans to maintain an antique ivory trade, which would restrict trade to only a small pool of ivory items in Hong Kong, should also be monitored closely in future to prevent the laundering of non-antique ivory, or inadvertently encourage consumer demand for that ivory. The report recommends that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) take the following actions immediately to improve management of local ivory trade in Hong Kong while the trade is being phased out: - Assess the status, use and possible re-export of pre-Convention raw ivory that has been legally imported into Hong Kong in recent years, through follow up with licensed traders that had imported the items; - Ensure that aggregate figures and trends in Hong Kong's ivory stockpiles are published in the public domain not more than two months after year end, with a high degree of data resolution that includes quantities of raw/worked ivory, quantities by weight class, and types of ivory products; - Develop information circulars on recent legislative changes and domestic measures in key trading markets such as China, Europe and the USA, to make certain that licensed ivory dealers in Hong Kong are aware of the rapidly evolving changes to international and domestic trade measures, particularly new restrictions that are either now in place or being planned; - Require ivory traders to display an AFCD notice and poster in all licensed premises, and increase enforcement of this requirement so that potential customers have the means to identify lawful practices prior to the implementation of the proposed phase out plan; - Clarify with licensed ivory dealers the conditions for selling through online platforms. In addition, the Hong Kong SAR Government is encouraged to implement the following measures to tackle illegal ivory trade: - Following the example of China's implementation of its ivory ban, Hong Kong should hasten the local ivory trade phase out process, starting with the cessation of ivory possession licences being issued or renewed, in order to lessen the opportunity for laundering of illegal ivory from other markets into Hong Kong if a long grace period was provided; - Require regular monthly reporting of transactions by licensed ivory dealers to AFCD, which would enable ivory stock movements to be closely tracked; - Expand the current hologram system forlabelling registered ivory to allregistered stockpiles, for all commercial pre-ban ivory over 100 g, to minimise confusion about product legality for consumers; - Regulate the trade in antique ivory with a product marking and record keeping system so that future antique ivory trade can be managed and overseen by government authorities; - Review Hong Kong's stockpile management system for confiscated ivory, ensuring that there is a system in place for electronic record-keeping, safe storage and periodic audit of stockpiles. - Enhance co-operation of law enforcement agencies on wildlife crimes, including working with overseas counterparts and taking advantage of innovative communication and information sharing models that exist in other regions of the world, as well as local co-operation between AFCD, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Customs and Excise Department through joint operations and skills training; - Review maximum penalties for wildlife crimes to levels that reflect the seriousness of organized criminal involvement; - In line with the CITES Resolution on Demand Reduction (Resolution Conf. 17.4), develop supportive policies to encourage evidence-based strategies and campaigns targeting specific consumer groups to change behaviours about the consumption of ivory. Details: Hong Kong: Traffic, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 20, 2018 at: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/17_Closing_Strategy_HK.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/17_Closing_Strategy_HK.pdf Shelf Number: 149541 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIllegal TradeIvoryIvory TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Morgan, John Title: Slow and Steady: The Global Footprint of Jakarta's Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Trade Summary: TRAFFIC has been monitoring the trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles in Jakarta's markets, exotic pet shops and at wild animal exhibitions (expos) for more than a decade. The two resulting TRAFFIC reports in 2007 and 2011 revealed that trade in Jakarta was widespread and that a large proportion consisted of illegal trade. Subsequently, TRAFFIC carried out additional surveys of tortoises and freshwater turtles in Jakarta in 2015. This four-month study, aimed to document the trade in Jakarta's markets and pet shops to re-assess the situation in terms of illegal and unsustainable trade. These data were compared to previous TRAFFIC surveys to assess fluctuations and trends over the past decade. During weekly visits to seven locations (comprising three pet stores, two animal markets and two tropical fish markets), and single visits to three reptile expos, all known to be dealing in reptiles, a total of 4985 individuals of 65 different species of tortoise and freshwater turtles were recorded. As time spent in the shops was limited to avoid arousing suspicion, the identification of individual tortoise and freshwater turtle specimens over the survey period was not possible, and therefore the total number of individuals on sale could potentially be an overestimate. Nevertheless, numbers of individuals provided for any given week and the total number of species identified are accurate. Numbers of tortoises and freshwater turtles observed per week ranged from 92 to 983, with a mean of 383 individuals. Only 15 of the species observed were native to Indonesia, of which three were nationally protected. Non-native species made up 7% of individuals on sale, with species originating from Africa (6 species), Asia (), Europe (4), Madagascar (3), North America (16) and South America (7). Almost half (32 of 65) of the species observed on sale were categorized in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as being threatened with extinction. Nine species recorded (one of which was native) are currently listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I, where commercial international trade is prohibited, meaning at least eight of these species were likely to have been illegally imported. A further 27 species were listed in Appendix II and five in Appendix III. With 41 CITES-listed species observed during the surveys, 10 of which were native species and therefore may not appear in the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) CITES Trade database because records there are restricted to international trade transactions, and ten of which do appear in the database, 21 species (involving 1758 animals) still remain unaccounted for, suggesting they were brought into the country through illegal means. However, as the UNEP-WCMC database requires a minimum of two years to be updated it is possible that the records are still incomplete. A retrospective analysis of discrepancies between CITES trade records and trade observations from the two previous TRAFFIC surveys in 2004 and 2010, reveal that at least 15 of these CITES-listed nonnative species, involving a minimum of 727 animals, are suspected to have been imported illegally. The findings from the 2015 survey show that more species were found on sale than in the previous two TRAFFIC surveys, as well as more non-native, CITES-listed and threatened species. Numbers of native Indonesian species, both protected and non-protected, have stayed fairly constant since the 2010 survey (14 in 2010 and 15 in 2015). While this does not directly indicate larger volumes of species are being traded compared to previous years, the fact that more species were on display reveals either a change in preference among buyers for more novel species or better trade connections between Indonesian traders and a wider variety of suppliers worldwide. Clearly, efforts to curb the unsustainable and at traders and a wider variety of suppliers worldwide. Clearly, efforts to curb the unsustainable and at times illegal trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles are either insufficient or ineffective. The high number of non-native species offered for sale is facilitated by a long-standing legislative problem in Indonesia, namely, Indonesian law does not regulate domestic trade in any non-native species, including those listed by CITES, once they have crossed the Custom's boundary into Indonesian territory. This legal loophole hampers any law enforcement to counter illegal trade in these non-native species. Furthermore, existing laws covering native protected species are seldom enforced effectively, and traders are rarely prosecuted to the full extent possible under the law: thus illegal trade continues largely uninhibited given the lack of regulation and deterrence. The conservation of many tortoise and freshwater turtle species recorded in these surveys depends in part on the effectiveness of Indonesia's approach to tackling trafficking and market availability; this applies equally to native and non-native species. Details: Southeast Asia Regional Office, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2018 at: https://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27865373/1521988425807/Jakartas-Tortoise-and-Freshwater-turtle-trade-web.pdf?token=pcanRKCjUQWp67U%2FakdZK5EB%2BzA%3D Year: 2018 Country: Indonesia URL: https://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/157301/27865373/1521988425807/Jakartas-Tortoise-and-Freshwater-turtle-trade-web.pdf?token=pcanRKCjUQWp67U%2FakdZK5EB%2BzA%3D Shelf Number: 149654 Keywords: Endangered SpeciesTortoisesTrafficking in WildlifeTurtlesWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Bronkhorst, Kevin R. van Title: Waging War for Wildlife: Green Militarization in Sub-Saharan Anti-Poaching Strategies Summary: Poaching as a criminal act has existed since the beginnings of landownership. During the 17th and 18th centuries, poaching was committed as an act of desperation by starving peasantry and even became a venerated facet of the civil disobedience depicted in early English ballads (Gregory, 2010: 53,338). An inability to curb the act of poaching in Britain led to the erection of many statutes, laws and regulations. The Waltham Black Act of 1723 made illegal hunting a capital crime, and spurred several small-scale conflicts resulting in the deaths of gamekeepers and many more poachers (Moore & Banham, 2014). Though bloody clashes occurred, the act of counter-poaching was strictly a matter of policing, and those captured would be prosecuted and imprisoned or hanged (Kirby, 1933:242). At this point in history, hunting was reserved for the upper echelons of society and the motivation for illegal hunting was traditionally borne out of necessity. The later international commodification of rare pelts, horns, tusks and furs generated a new breed of poacher, and those seeking to preserve heritage, maintain sovereignty, and conserve endangered species have found themselves at the forefront of a steadily escalating conflict. Legislation and conservation efforts in the United States in the 19th century saw the policing of poaching escalate into armed conflict reaching an apex in 1891, when Canadian poachers caused the near extinction of seals near the Aleutian Islands (Ellsworth, 1974:14). At the behest of the U.S. Naturalist society, President William Henry Harrison commanded naval and marine intervention in an incident known as The Bering Sea Anti-Poaching Operations (15). This event marked the first instance of the utilization of military forces to ensure the preservation of an endangered species. The incredibly lucrative nature of the exotic animal market had effectively raised the stakes for both poacher and park ranger, leading to an all-out arms race on both sides of the fence. Today in many regions of Africa, this same violence has reached a fever pitch. The Garamba National Park (GNP) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one such example, having become the scene of increasing violence as a result of highly-organized and heavily-armed gangs of poachers. Over 78 elephants were killed in a two-month period in 2014, several of which poachers gunned down by helicopter with marksman precision (Christy, 2014). Tusks, tails, brains and genitals were removed using chainsaws, and the rest of the carcasses were abandoned, dispelling ideas of subsistence poaching (FFI, 2014). Park rangers reported being overwhelmed in organized assaults with fully automatic weaponry and fragmentation grenades. In June 2015, three rangers were killed in an ambush while attempting to track poachers (African Parks, 2015). A few months later, GNP rangers suffered four more fatalities while attempting to intercept a gang of poachers. The rescue helicopter dispatched to evacuate the remaining rangers took heavy fire and was nearly shot down in the process (Walley, 2015). High ivory demand has created an illicit market where opportunity to gain from poaching is higher than ever, and as a result, counter-poaching has become even more deadly (Christy, 2015). Today, GNP rangers report military style engagements with members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), South Sudanese rebel gangs, and even Congolese military deserters (Walley, 2015). Combined, these gangs of commercial poachers have become a lethal and overwhelming threat not only to the park rangers and wildlife of GNP, but to the security of the entire region. Escalating violence and rapidly declining elephant populations have raised alarms throughout the international community. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), European Union (EU), USAID and countless other bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental organizations and institutions contribute to the anti-poaching cause by donating millions of dollars worth of tools and equipment, and providing military training for park rangers (NGOPulse, 2015). Still, despite all funding and efforts, the rate of poaching in many countries has only accelerated. For several organizations, provided aid functions more as a desperate attempt to 'do something' rather than as part of a coherent policy strategy (Duffy, 1999:106). Other organizations look to technology for solutions. Google, in conjunction with the WWF, has invested millions of dollars in search of high tech solutions (Boyle, 2012), which some refer to as the quest for a 'silver bullet' (IAPF, 2015). While some technology has shown limited promise (i.e. Hart, et al. 2015), the most effective counter-poaching efforts are often low-tech, involving tedious patrols, long hours, good field-craft, and exceptional discipline (Henk, 2007). As one experienced ranger put it: "nothing beats a real dog" (Wall, 2014). Rapid militarization and ever dwindling populations of endangered species in many regions have driven conflict to a military scale. To the international community, poachers threaten beloved megafauna (large mammals); an increasingly scarce natural resource (Padgett, 1995). To those living in the DRC however, poachers threaten the sovereignty, economic prosperity and future of the nation (DRC, 2015). The proliferation of cheap military grade hardware and ammunition has allowed ringleaders to furnish and deploy large commercial poaching gangs willing to engage in combat with park rangers. The use of militarized forces for conservation is referred to by Elizabeth Lunstrum (2014) as green militarization. The concept of green militarization forms the foundation of this thesis, exploring the link between militarized responses and counter-poaching effectiveness. By researching the training, tactics, and technology of counter-poaching units across six Sub-Saharan nations, it is possible to determine which aspects of militarization have been successful, and whether increased green militarization is a potential solution to the problem of poaching. Details: Leiden, NETH: Leiden University, 2016. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 11, 2018 at: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/53648 Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/53648 Shelf Number: 149624 Keywords: Animal PoachingEndangered SpeciesEnvironmental CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Anderson, Angela J. Title: Modern Intelligence Measures to Combat Animal Poaching: A Conservation & Counterterrorism Strategy Summary: This thesis explores nuanced intelligence techniques and technologies currently implemented by analysts, rangers, anti-poaching units, and governments to combat the growing problem of animal poaching. It explores how these new intelligence methods can be incorporated into anti-poaching operations and in what environments they are most effective. The study finds that terrain, cultural factors, and specific, customizable, anti-poaching intelligence techniques play a large role in terms of devising the best possible intelligence strategy to combat animal poaching. The study views these possible solutions through the lens of the INT's including HUMINT, SIGINT, MASINT, IMINT, GEOINT, and OSINT. It further highlights terrorist groups' increasing use of poaching to fund their operations. This thesis takes a case study methodological approach in order to describe a wide variety of cases in various national parks, reserves, conservatories, anti-poaching organizations, and countries across the African continent. Due to a lack of data and only recent implementation of these methods, this approach provided the best possible means to display and analyze the current available data applicable to intelligence in anti-poaching operations. Details: Erie, PA: Mercyhurst University, 2014. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 19, 2018 at: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/799478-anderson-thesis-final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Africa URL: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/799478-anderson-thesis-final.pdf Shelf Number: 149859 Keywords: Animal PoachingTerroristsWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Niskanen, Leo Title: Strengthening Local Community Engagement in Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade: Case studies from Kenya Summary: The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and associated poaching - particularly of iconic species such as African elephants and rhinos - is one of the highest profile conservation challenges today. A recent analysis by the World Bank (Wright et al., 2016) estimated that donors have contributed over $1.3 billion to tackling IWT since 2010. There is growing recognition among practitioners and policy makers of the need to engage and invest in rural communities that neighbour or live with wildlife as key partners in tackling IWT, particularly as they form a "first line of defence". However, to date, this strategy has received far less attention than other approaches including law enforcement and demand reduction. This is partly because there is no "one size fits all" solution to community engagement and a framework to guide such interventions on the ground has been lacking. In response, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and partners developed a dynamic Theory of Change (ToC) that seeks to better understand the different incentives and disincentives that influence whether local people engage in IWT or help to prevent it. An initial draft of the ToC was developed for a workshop led by the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi) held in the run up to the Kasane Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in 2015 (IUCN SULi et al 2015) and was subsequently refined through expert consultation. The ToC identifies four causal pathways for community-level actions, each underpinned by a series of key assumptions. The four pathways are: (a) strengthening disincentives for illegal behaviour; b) increasing incentives for wildlife stewardship; c) decreasing costs of living with wildlife; and d) supporting non-wildlife related livelihoods. Underlying all four pathways are a number of "enabling actions" to strengthen governance from the local to national to regional and to international scale including supporting the institutional framework to enforce against IWT; increasing the perceived fairness of wildlife laws; strengthening laws for community management of and benefit from wildlife; and fighting corruption. In addition, underlying all the actions in the ToC is the need for enhancing community capacity - to both manage and benefit from wildlife. The ToC is informed by situational crime prevention (SCP) theory. SCP recognises that any individual is capable of committing an offence at any time if the opportunity arises, and that the likelihood of the opportunity arising is completely context specific. SCP is based on five key principles: increase the effort, increase the risks, reduce the rewards, reduce provocation, and remove excuses (Clark 2009). While the four pathways in our ToC do not directly mirror these principles, many of the strategies that underlie the SCP principles are reflected in the pathways, particularly Pathway A on increasing the disincentives for illegal activities and Pathway C on reducing the costs of living with wildlife. Our ToC however goes beyond SCP to also explicitly focus on increasing positive incentives for "good behaviour" - wildlife stewardship and alternative livelihoods. The SCP framework was developed in a context of general, non-wildlife related, crime prevention where such incentives are generally not relevant. In a wildlife management context, however, decades of experience of community based wildlife management point to their importance. It should also be noted that our ToC focuses explicitly on community based interventions to tackle IWT and does not take account of efforts to reduce IWT through other means. Our ToC is just one part of the bigger puzzle. If evidence shows that IWT is declining or increasing in a particular location - be it at the local, regional or national scale - our ToC can help explain how community based approaches may have contributed to those observed outcomes. It is not intended to explore how other types of intervention such as conventional top-down law enforcement might also have contributed. It also cannot show causal linkages between community actions and IWT outcomes. The Strengthening Local Community Engagement in Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade project (2016-2018) intends to test the ToC with the aim of further refining it and then providing practical guidance to conservation programme designers, implementers, donors and policymakers who have an interest in engaging communities to tackle IWT. Funded by UKaid through the UK government's Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund (IWTCF), the project is implemented by IUCN (IUCN East and Southern Africa Regional Office, Conservation Areas & Species programme; the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG); and the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi)) in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); Royal Roads University; Big Life Foundation (BLF); the Cottar's Wildlife Conservation Trust (CWCT); and the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA). The project is also sharing lessons and methodologies with the South Rift Association of Land Owners (SORALO), which works with Maasai communities in a large swathe of southern Kenya to help develop and enhance a network of conservancies and to strengthen its community-based approaches to reducing IWT. The project's long term goal is "More effective and widespread community engagement in tackling IWT resulting in reduction in pressure on African elephant populations and increased benefits from improved wildlife stewardship." The anticipated outcome of the project is "The conditions for stronger engagement of local communities to combat - rather than participate in - IWT while positively contributing to local livelihoods is better understood and forms the basis of practical guidance for anti-IWT policy and programme development in Kenya (and beyond)." Details: Nairobi: IUCN, International Institute for Environment and Development, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2018 at: https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/content/documents/olderkesi_kilitome_case_study_final_press_ver.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Kenya URL: https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/content/documents/olderkesi_kilitome_case_study_final_press_ver.pdf Shelf Number: 150325 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimesWildlife Management |
Author: Jayanathan, Shamini Title: Stopping poaching and wildlife trafficking through strengthened laws and improved application: Phase 1: An analysis of Criminal Justice Interventions across African Range States and Proposals for Action Summary: This report sets out the findings of Phase 1 of a project to further Sustainable Development Goal 15 and in particular, 15.7 "Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products" The project supports the Elephant Protection Initiative's (EPI) primary objective to enable full and timely implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan (AEAP). It is focused on the AEAP's Priority Objective 1: REDUCE ILLEGAL KILLING OF ELEPHANTS AND ILLEGAL TRADE IN ELEPHANT PRODUCTS and its key strategies: Harmonize national policies and laws relevant to conservation and management of African elephants within and across range States where possible. Strengthen the laws relevant to conservation and management of African elephants. Strengthen the enforcement of laws relevant to conservation and management of African elephants. The project focuses on the passage of wildlife crime along the 'criminal justice pathway': beginning with the legislative framework for prosecuting wildlife crime; turning to the investigator to prosecution 'handover'; prosecution capability, judicial handling of such cases at trial, sentencing and mutual legal assistance (MLA). It does not consider intelligence handling initiatives, policing per se or frontline protection projects. This report aims to: present a snapshot of the status of the criminal justice pathway; and past, current and planned interventions by various stakeholders including government and non-government organisations and development partners; and propose a scope of work for Phase 2: identifying existing and new cross-cutting tools and initiatives, including best practice laws and standard operating procedures, that are of general application across jurisdictions; cross-overs and opportunities for better partnerships and collaborations; and some country-specific observations and recommendations for action within the context of global, regional and national strategies (where they exist). The aim of Phase 2 will be to enable more effective government and non-government collaborations to deliver change in the criminal justice pathway, measurable by increased rates of conviction and stronger deterrent penalties. Details: Stop Ivory and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) Group , 2016. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 30, 2018 at: http://www.internationalconservation.org/publications/ICCF_StopIvory_Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Africa URL: http://www.internationalconservation.org/publications/ICCF_StopIvory_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 150379 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law EnforcementWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Aucoin, Ciara Title: Tackling supply and demand in the rhino horn trade Summary: The majority of responses to the growing illegal trade in rhino horn aim to curb supply through frontline enforcement and security in parks and reserves in Southern Africa, particularly South Africa. They include recent advances in legalising the trade. Far less effort has been made to involve local communities in anti-poaching efforts or reduce the appetite for rhino horn in East Asia. This policy brief reviews available information on supply and demand in rhino horn markets, analysing the main responses and their impacts. It advocates greater policy coherence in supply-side measures and more regional and international cooperation in demand-side campaigns. Key points - Responses to the illicit trade in rhino horn have mainly focused on the supply side. The burden of implementing security measures cannot only fall on the under-resourced departments responsible for maintaining national parks. - Improving the protection of rhinos is necessary, but not sufficient. Community-led activities that are well coordinated and funded are needed to ensure local people become key stakeholders in rhino conservation. - Policy focus on curbing the demand for rhino horn must be increased to balance supply-side policy interventions. This requires more support and resources for research and public awareness campaigns in demand countries. Details: Pretoria: ENACT Project, 2018. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2018 at: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2018_03_28_PolicyBrief_Wildlife.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South Africa URL: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2018_03_28_PolicyBrief_Wildlife.pdf Shelf Number: 150470 Keywords: Animal PoachingIllegal TradeIvoryRhinoswildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Law Enforcement |
Author: Endangered Wildlife Trust Title: Fair Game? Improving the well-being of South African Wildlife. Review of the legal and practical regulation of the welfare of wild animals in South Africa, 2018 Summary: The report, entitled Fair Game? Improving the Regulation of the Well-being of South African Wildlife finds that there are major gaps in both legislation and the implementation of those laws, leaving the well-being of wild animals without adequate protection. The organisations recommend the clarification of the legal mandate for wildlife welfare, and the updating of legislation. They also call for greater investment in compliance monitoring and enforcement, and a standardised and transparent permitting system for activities involving and affecting wildlife. Historically, our regulatory system has distinguished between animal welfare on one hand, and biodiversity conservation on the other - and regulate those separately in different laws. This means that conservation laws applicable to wild animals under the physical control of humans, whether held temporarily or permanently - are often unsuited to addressing the issue of welfare of those wild animals. Welfare laws, on the other hand, do not necessarily consider conservation objectives. To make matters worse, both sectors suffer from very limited resources for compliance and enforcement. In practice, the current legal regime ultimately provides little protection for wild animals. South Africa has, in recent years, seen a proliferation of facilities that involve the captive management of wildlife for commercial purposes. The legislation that governs the welfare of these wild animals has not kept pace with the rapid changes in the wildlife industry. As a result, the welfare of many species of wildlife has often become compromised. Welfare standards that may be suited to domestic animals cannot be considered suitable to the full spectrum of species of wildlife. Media reports of the practical state of welfare protection for wild animals in South Africa demonstrate the need for urgent reform in laws and practices. For example, an incident in 2014 involving the death of a giraffe while being transported in an open-air truck on a national highway drew great public concern when the driver drove under a bridge that was not tall enough for the giraffe to safely pass under. No prosecutions for this grave incident have been reported to date. More recent examples include dozens of neglected and starving captive lions on a Limpopo farm and a lion "abattoir" in the Free State housing over 200 lions awaiting slaughter for lion bone exports, currently in limbo as both the Departments of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) say that the welfare situation is not their responsibility. In addition to this, the increase in reported incidents of captive carnivore attacks on people, many resulting in fatalities, are not being legally addressed. Each of these incidents, a small fraction of those going on country-wide, represents a failure of the system in protecting the animals. Whilst regulations may exist for the captive management of some selected species, and laws may be in place to regulate the numbers being traded, the welfare of captive wildlife, and the mandate of the authorities to monitor compliance, is currently insufficiently protected. The joint report was prompted by growing concern amongst civil society and NGOs, including the EWT and the CER, about the absence of welfare considerations in conservation laws and practices, and the fact that existing welfare laws do not adequately cater for wild animals, which are increasingly the subjects of breeding farms and other forms of intensive management. CER Wildlife Attorney Aadila Agjee says that: "The combination of government agencies regulating wildlife and welfare, outdated and at times inadequate laws, inconsistent application and enforcement of those laws - and the strong focus on the commercial exploitation of wildlife - make clear that the welfare of wild animals is not currently a priority in South Africa. A set mandate, adequate budget for staffing, training and resources, updating of laws and practices, and consistency in the treatment of the wild animals to prioritise their well-being are critical." The report examines the legal and practical regulation of the welfare of wild animals in South Africa with a view to constructive engagement with the national and provincial departments charged with implementing both conservation and welfare laws, and other relevant stakeholders, with the aim of reform. "In order constructively to address the gaps and shortcomings in the legal framework that governs the well-being of wild animals, the EWT and the CER embarked on a process of identifying where and how the laws should be changed. Broad consultation with a large number of stakeholders in the commercial wildlife industry, welfare sector and government has strengthened the findings and recommendations. The report thus provides a positive platform from which the relevant government authorities can now address the dire need for vastly improved welfare governance for our wildlife," said Yolan Friedmann, EWT CEO. Importantly, the report also places the issue of wildlife welfare in a Constitutional context.[ The report argues that the improvement of welfare laws, as recently confirmed by the courts, and their consistent implementation, compliance, monitoring and enforcement is an urgent Constitutional imperative. The report concludes by providing legal and practical recommendations for the improvement and proper regulation, compliance with and enforcement of good minimum welfare standards for wild animals under the control of humans. These recommendations serve as a catalyst to open discussions with and tender assistance to the relevant government and legislative bodies for the improvement of wildlife welfare laws and practices. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: Endangered Wildlife Trust, 2018. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2018 at: https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CER-EWT-Regulation-of-Wildlife-Welfare-Report-25-June-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South Africa URL: https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CER-EWT-Regulation-of-Wildlife-Welfare-Report-25-June-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 150725 Keywords: Animal PoachingEndangered SpeciesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: EMS Foundation Title: The Extinction Business: South Africa's 'Lion' Bone Trade Summary: For more than a decade, South Africa has been actively supporting and growing the international trade in big cat bones, despite local and international outrage and condemnation from conservation and protection organisations, lion scientists, and experts. In 2017, South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, controversially, and in the face of vociferous opposition and robust arguments against this trade, set the annual export quota at 800 lion skeletons. Even more alarmingly, Molewa, without stakeholder participation, took the incomprehensible decision to almost double the quota in 2018 to 1,500 skeletons. On July 11th 2018, the person in charge of the quota at the DEA told us categorically that no quota had been set for 2018. A few days later the DEA was forced to make a public announcement about the 2018 lion bone quota following a public outcry when a letter from Molewa, dated June 7th 2018, informing the provinces of the new quota allocation, was leaked. The undeclared reasons behind government's decision to conceal this information from interested and affected parties needs to be brought to light and interrogated. The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) justified its decision to dramatically increase the quota on a single government commissioned interim study which, from the get-go guaranteed a skewed outcome, particularly because of the inclusion of outspoken pro-trade economist, Michael 't Sas-Rolfes, in the small research team. The report itself admitted that the findings were based on insufficient data and that "further avenues need to be explored". By no stretch of the imagination can this interim study translate into a conclusive scientific justification for a lion bone quota, and even less, an increase of the quota. Notably, some of the researchers involved in this study have distanced themselves from the decision-making process around the 2018 quota, stating that all the decisions were made by the Scientific Authority and the DEA, and that the researchers provided no input on what the quota should, or should not, be. They specifically added that "The wording of that quota letter via NW [NorthWest] is a bit unclear concerning our involvement...we provided no input on what the quota should, or should not, be. We correctly excluded ourselves from this process." In the last 18 months, the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading have been gathering extensive information and investigating South Africa's international 'lion' bone trade. This data has provided the basis of our Report, The Extinction Business: South Africa's 'Lion' Bone Trade. The South African captive big cat industry is a pariah and it is under severe local and international scrutiny. Hunting associations that support the trophy killing of captive bred lions have been sidelined by international hunting associations and organisations. Instead of working with all the stakeholders to limit and close down the industry, South Africa is steadfastly supporting it. It is facilitating its conversion into an even crueler industry: captive breeding and farming lions so they can be slaughtered solely to feed the problematic big cat bone trade in Southeast Asia. This is evidenced by the emergence of lion slaughterhouses in South Africa as well as the fact that we have clear evidence that 91% of the 'lion' skeletons exported from South Africa in 2017 included skulls. Thus showing that South Africa's lion bone trade is not a by-product of an existing industry (i.e. trophy hunting) but an entirely separate industry. Consequently, a trade in wild animal body parts, with links to international criminal networks, in countries where they are attempting to lower demand for big cat body parts, is being stimulated. Alarmingly, the Minister is unpersuasively attempting to argue that this abhorrent and destructive industry is a sustainable, and ethical alternative to trophy hunting. By doing so, true conservation efforts that should benefit wild animals in this country, as well as its citizens, are being undermined. A ban on the captive breeding of lions and tigers will bring an end to this unacceptable and brutal South African industry. The DEA, however, refuses to recognise this and instead, for inexplicable reasons, chooses to intensify its support for an industry that is tarnishing Brand South Africa's image. South Africa's tourism industry is suffering reputational damage, and this will, in turn, have a negative impact on South Africa's economy and job creation. A vast number of individuals rely on continued employment in the tourism sector, and their livelihoods are in the firing line in order to benefit only the few predatory elite in the 'lion' bone trade. When it comes to the economics of the 'lion' bone trade on the South African side - after all, this is what is driving the trade - there is almost nothing in the public domain about the modalities of the industry and/or the processes and mechanisms of how the money flows along the entire supply chain. Access to this information and transparency is crucial, not only to understanding the nature of the trade, but in gaining insights into the illegal trafficking links. The South African government urgently needs to open up this industry, and its participants, to public scrutiny so that it can be fully and accurately interrogated, understood, and the money trail monitored. The illegal trade in wild animals, which is not only devastating animal communities and consuming huge financial resources, cannot be adequately tackled without addressing the significant loopholes in the existing legal trade multilateral agreements, i.e. CITES. Drawing upon hundreds of CITES export permits, issued by South Africa's conservation agencies, this Report examines and investigates substantial problems and endemic loopholes in the CITES permitting, enforcement and oversight system. It further demonstrates the failings of South Africa's national policies and procedures, all of which translate into a convergence of the legal and illegal trade in wild animal. Systemic weakness in the international wild animal trade permitting regimen, particularly in South Africa and Asia as illustrated in this Report, not only add to wild animal trafficking, but also undermine any efforts to address the illegal trade. It is also clear that transnational wild animal trafficking networks and crimes perpetrated against wild animals cannot be disrupted without examining the legal and regulated trade, and the supply and demand chain thereof. Indeed, the critical mechanism to disrupt transnational organised wildlife crime is to critique and amend the legal trade. Our findings reveal that: - There are substantial loopholes in the CITES permitting system itself; Merely complying with the CITES Treaty is insufficient and is a threat to wild animals and biodiversity. Countries need to do more in the context of their own national legal frameworks to protect wild animals caught up in the international trade; - There is a lack of verification, one example of this is that more than the 2017 set quota of 800 skeletons went out of South Africa with legal CITES permits; - There is a lack of required due diligence by the CITES Management authorities on both the exporting and importing side, in profiling and authenticating exporters, importers, addresses and destinations; - There are major oversight problems in South Africa and in the countries of import. This has created a situation where the legal trade in 'lion' bones is fueling the illegal trade in lion and tiger bones and providing laundering opportunities for tiger bones in Asian markets. This is brewing into a toxic mix, particularly when it is placed in the context of the widespread overlap between those involved in international lion trade, trade in tigers and other CITES-listed species, and the routine leakage of imported lion products into illegal international trade. Details: Honeydew, South Africa: EMS Foundation, 2018. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2018 at: http://emsfoundation.org.za/wp-content/uploads/THE-EXTINCTION-BUSINESS-South-Africas-lion-bone-trade.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South Africa URL: http://emsfoundation.org.za/wp-content/uploads/THE-EXTINCTION-BUSINESS-South-Africas-lion-bone-trade.pdf Shelf Number: 150918 Keywords: Animal ExtinctionIllegal Wildlife TradeLionsTigersTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife TradeWildlife Trafficking |
Author: Meijer, Wander Title: Demand under the Ban: China Ivory Consumption Research Post-Ban 2018 Summary: The research for this report conducted between May and July 2018 reveals Chinese citizens claim to have purchased significantly less ivory since the ban was implemented. But the incidence of ivory purchase among regular outbound travelers stands out compared to the other buyers' segments. While the results of this research show that the ivory ban in China is generating positive changes, more efforts like strengthening market supervision, law enforcement and public education are recommended for to ensure the long-term success of ivory trade ban. Details: Beijing, China: TRAFFIC and World Wildlife Fund, 2018. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://c402277.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/publications/1179/files/original/Demand_under_the_Ban_-_China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_Post-Ban_2018.pdf?1537976366 Year: 2018 Country: China URL: https://c402277.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/publications/1179/files/original/Demand_under_the_Ban_-_China_Ivory_Consumption_Research_Post-Ban_2018.pdf?1537976366 Shelf Number: 152910 Keywords: Animal PoachingElephantsIvoryWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Ortiz-von Halle, Bernardo Title: Bird's-Eye View: Lessons from 50 years of bird trade regulation & conservation in Amazon countries Summary: In 2014, TRAFFIC's South America office discussed with WWF the importance of assessing the status of trade in wild birds in Amazon countries in the lead up to the fiftieth "anniversary" of policy and legal changes that were urgently implemented to regulate the trade that seriously depleted many of the most sought-after species in demand by booming post-war economies. Six Amazon countries were visited by the author, although Venezuela and Bolivia were omitted due to budget constraints, consideration of the role of these two countries in the wider conservation context, and in relation to the trade dynamics of their neighbors is covered here. The author interviewed key stakeholders, including national and subnational governments, police forces, NGOs, zoos and rescue centers, bird experts, traders and breeders. These interviews and some field visits offered different perspectives about bird trade issues, mechanisms in place and the solutions needed to reduce any threats from the poaching of birds on their conservation status. During the 1970s, trade prohibition spread to most Amazon countries, and by the mid-1980s, every one had developed its own institutions and laws to manage and contain the problems generated by demand for illegal wildlife under the framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which entered into force in 1975. This report is constructed from the institutional experience of TRAFFIC's South America office, which operated from Quito, Ecuador, from 1999 to 2015, and the personal experience of the author, dealing with species and habitat conservation in the region during the last 30 years. This culmination of wildlife conservation experience related to wildlife trade, its dynamics, socioeconomic linkages, institutional and legal elements, CITES included, helped structure the design of this research examining the reality and outlook for bird trade in the Amazon countries. The personal interviews in different countries, bibliography and web searches offer an updated insight into the bird trade status in each country, its linkages to other environmental and socioeconomic dynamics, and the way forward not only to resolve bird trade issues, but more importantly, to guarantee the conservation of birds and their habitats throughout Latin America. The conclusions presented are a compilation of issues the author considers worth highlighting to understand better where things are and in what direction they are going regarding bird trade and conservation beyond protected areas. This document presents country chapters for Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and combines in a single chapter Guyana and Suriname, as there are enough commonalities between these two countries to consider a joint analysis. One initial chapter compiles an overview of the birds of South America in relation to trade-legal or illegal, and another chapter dedicated to the USA as the former main market of Amazon country birds for more than two decades until it banned the import of CITES-listed species in 1992. The USA then turned into a major commercial breeder of South American bird species after this process was "exported' to the rest of the world-South American countries banned the trade while others legally profited from breeding and trading in the species. Banning the bird trade surely saved millions of birds, but it did not bring any incentives to conserve habitats or species as a whole. This exludes Guyana and Suriname, whose economic interest in conservation is left for non-consumptive uses like bird tourism, which is also an important economic activity in some rural portions of most Amazon countries. The reduction of the bird trade to current (2017) levels, which are a fraction of what they were just five or ten years ago, offers hope for a better future for birds and nature, other threats and pressures appear or increase as human populations grow, encroaching into pristine regions of the continent. Local conservation efforts have made enormous differences in many areas, even reversing the destruction of nature and the extinction process of species. Stakeholders still need to design and install the appropriate tools to contain deforestation and the impacts of climate change as we move further into the 21st century. The urgency of the situation requires the revision of currently failing conservation strategies, and above all, giving local stakeholders the economic conditions and motivations to appreciate, value and respect the invaluable avian treasures that enrich each South American country. Birds have been treated over the last 150 years as sources of money for whatever international business demanded them for their feathers, meat as pets or for sport. Attitudes towards their conservation have certainly changed, but there still needs to be a stronger boost to prevent further destruction and irreplaceable loss. Details: Cambridge, UK: TRAFFIC, 2018. 198p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/11517/birds-eye-view.pdf Year: 2018 Country: South America URL: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/11517/birds-eye-view.pdf Shelf Number: 154452 Keywords: BirdsEnvironmental CriminologyIllegal Wildlife TradeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: ADM Capital Foundation Title: Trading in Extinction: the Dark Side of Hong Kong's Wildlife Trade Summary: The report 'Trading in Extinction - the Dark Side of Hong Kong's Wildlife Trade', consolidates a large body of pre-existing work and reconciles this with a snapshot of Hong Kong's seizure data. It aims to update and, for the first time, illustrate the extent and nature of the wildlife trade and wildlife crime in Hong Kong. It demonstrates that not only is the trade in legal and illegal wildlife at a significant and unsustainable scale, it is likely to get worse. Further, while Hong Kong plays a primary role in connecting trafficked products with their illegal markets, the Administration should and could do more to disrupt the associated criminal activity. Details: Hong Kong: ADMCF, 2019. 240p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2019 at: https://www.admcf.org/wildlife-trade-in-hong-kong/ Year: 2019 Country: Hong Kong URL: https://www.admcf.org/wildlife-trade-in-hong-kong/ Shelf Number: 154459 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTrafficking in WildlifeWildlife ConservationWildlife CrimeWildlife Trade |
Author: Greenpeace International Title: 3030: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection. How we can protect 30% of our oceans by 2030 Summary: This ocean sanctuaries scientific study maps out how to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, a target that scientists say is crucial in order to safeguard wildlife and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. 3030: A Blueprint For Ocean Protection is the result of a year-long collaboration between leading academics at the University of York, University of Oxford and Greenpeace. Download our report 30x30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection From climate change to ocean acidification, overfishing and pollution, our oceans are under threat like never before. We urgently need to protect at least a third of our oceans by 2030 and this research shows what a robust, planet-wide network of ocean sanctuaries could look like. The research represents a new approach to designing and creating a network of ocean sanctuaries (or 'fully protected marine protected areas'). In one of the largest ever studies of its kind, the researchers broke down the oceans that are classed as 'international waters' - which cover almost half the planet - into 25,000 squares of 100km x 100km, and then mapped the distribution of 458 different conservation features, including wildlife, habitats and key oceanographic features, generating hundreds of scenarios for what a planet-wide network of ocean sanctuaries, free from harmful human activity, could look like. Governments are negotiating towards a Global Ocean Treaty at the UN that could pave the way for this network of ocean sanctuaries. Details: Amsterdam: Author, 2019. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2019 at: https://storage.googleapis.com/planet4-international-stateless/2019/03/5db0f88b-greenpeace-30x30-blueprint-report.pdf Year: 2019 Country: International URL: https://storage.googleapis.com/planet4-international-stateless/2019/03/5db0f88b-greenpeace-30x30-blueprint-report.pdf Shelf Number: 155348 Keywords: Environmental Crimes Oceans Offenses Against the Environmental Pollution Wildlife Conservation |
Author: Brochet, Anne-Laure Title: Illegal killing and taking of birds in Europe outside the Mediterranean: assessing the scope and scale of a complex issue Summary: The illegal killing and taking of wild birds remains a major threat on a global scale. However, there are few quantitative data on the species affected and countries involved. We quantified the scale and scope of this issue in Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus, using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. The issue was reported to be widespread across the region and affects almost all countries/territories assessed. We estimated that 0.4-2.1 million birds per year may be killed/taken illegally in the region. The highest estimate of illegal killing in the region was for Azerbaijan (0.2-1.0 million birds per year). Out of the 20 worst locations identified, 13 were located in the Caucasus. Birds were reported to be illegally killed/taken primarily for sport and food in the Caucasus and for sport and predator/pest control in both Northern and Central Europe. All of the 28 countries assessed are parties to the Bern Convention and 19 are also European Union Member States. There are specific initiatives under both these policy instruments to tackle this threat, yet our data showed that illegal killing and taking is still occurring and is not restricted to Mediterranean European countries. Markedly increased effort is required to ensure that existing legislation is adequately implemented and complied with/enforced on the ground. Our study also highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing and taking of birds in the region. It is a priority, identified by relevant initiatives under the Bern Convention and the European Union, to implement systematic monitoring of illegal killing and taking and to collate robust data, allowing stakeholders to set priorities, track trends and monitor the effectiveness of responses. Details: Cambridge, UK: Bird Conservation International, Volume 29, Issue 1 March 2019 , pp. 10-40 (open access) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DE4D06F3BD4273B94FD3C9621C615A0A/S0959270917000533a.pdf/illegal_killing_and_taking_of_birds_in_europe_outside_the_mediterranean_assessing_the_scope_and_scale_of_a_complex_issue.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/DE4D06F3BD4273B94FD3C9621C615A0A/S0959270917000533a.pdf/illegal_killing_and_taking_of_birds_in_europe_outside_the_mediterranean_assessing_the_scope_and_s Shelf Number: 156241 Keywords: BirdsEnvironmental CrimeWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |
Author: Birdlife International Title: Assessing the scope and scale of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean, and establishing a basis for systematic monitoring Summary: Overexploitation, in particular illegal killing and taking, is one of the main threats driving birds towards extinction globally and is known to be a particular and growing issue of concern, especially across the Mediterranean. The first report to review the killing of migratory birds in the Mediterranean as a whole was published in 1979 by ICBP (now BirdLife International). It estimated that hundreds of millions of migratory birds were killed annually in the Mediterranean region. Illegal killing of birds in the Mediterranean is known to remain an issue, but there is little quantitative information available. As this threat may be having a negative impact on the populations of some bird species, a quantitative assessment is needed to estimate how many individuals may be killed illegally each year, which species may be the most impacted and where the worst locations may be. In 2014/15 BirdLife International led a 1.5-year project aiming to review all aspects of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean. National legislation of the 27 assessed Mediterranean and peri-Mediterranean countries/territories was reviewed to define what was illegal at national level. Information on the species affected and the number of individuals illegally killed/taken each year, the worst locations and the illegal practices used in these countries/territories were then compiled using a diverse range of data sources and incorporating expert knowledge. These data were analysed to quantitatively assess the approximate scale and scope of illegal killing and taking of birds in the region and identify some of the species of greatest concern, and the highest priority locations at which urgent remedial action is required to tackle this threat. We estimated that 11-36 million individual birds per year may be killed/taken illegally in the region, many of them on migration. At the 20 worst locations with the highest reported numbers, 7.9 million individuals may be illegally killed/taken per year, representing 34% of the mean estimated annual regional total number of birds illegally killed/taken for all species combined. For species such as Blackcap, Common Quail, Eurasian Chaffinch, House Sparrow and Song Thrush, more than one million individuals of each species are estimated to be killed/taken illegally on average in the region every year. This assessment also highlighted the paucity of data on illegal killing and taking of birds in the region and the need to establish standardised monitoring. Best-practice guidelines for systematic monitoring of illegal killing of birds were developed to generate more reliable quantitative national-scale estimates of the number of birds illegally killed/taken per year. A road-map was developed to guide subsequent efforts by the BirdLife partnership, engaging with other stakeholders, to tackle the illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean region and beyond. Future steps will include (a) a programme of investment in and support to relevant stakeholders to strengthen and expand actions on the ground to reduce the illegal killing and taking of birds, targeting the worst locations, and involving enforcement of legislation, awareness-raising, education, advocacy, communications and publicity activities and (b) establishing, expanding or strengthening coordinated and systematic monitoring of illegal killing and taking of birds in the worst affected countries and locations where such monitoring is currently lacking, or incomplete. Results of this project would help relevant stakeholders, including government departments and agencies, hunting groups, international policy instruments and NGOs to strengthen efforts and coordination to tackle this pressing issue for bird conservation. Details: Cambridge, UK: Author, 2014. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2019 at: http://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/project_report_final_version.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/project_report_final_version.pdf Shelf Number: 156241 Keywords: Birds Environmental Crimes Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Crime |
Author: Musing, Louisa Title: Corruption and Wildlife Crime: A Focus on Caviar Trade Summary: Corruption is a severe threat to wildlife conservation globally. While conservation practitioner anecdotes and existing empirical research all point to corruption as a main facilitator enabling wildlife crime, there is still limited knowledge about what can change this situation and help reverse the pernicious impact of corruption on conservation outcomes in practice. Corruption has a negative impact on conservation by reducing the effectiveness of conservation programmes, reducing law enforcement and political support, as well as establishing incentives for the over-exploitation of resources. It undermines the effectiveness and legitimacy of laws and regulations and can be an indicator of the presence of organised crime groups. Corruption needs to be addressed as a central part of the approach to tackling wildlife crime. As part of a wider project by TRAFFIC in collaboration with WWF to understand global caviar markets and to identify hotspots for illegal trade (Harris and Shiraishi, 2018), funding was provided by WWF to incorporate an anti-corruption component, working in partnership with and under the guidance of the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre. The objectives of this component were to deepen understanding of how corruption may be facilitating the flow of illegal caviar along the value chain, to identify possible intervention strategies, and to inform further studies concerning environmental / wildlife crime and corruption. A typology of corruption for the illegal caviar trade was developed through the review of information gathered by TRAFFIC from academic literature and media reports, interviews with stakeholders who had some knowledge of illegal caviar trade, and the rapid market assessments in Beijing, Berlin, Chicago, Moscow, Paris and Tokyo that were conducted as part of the global caviar markets study (Harris and Shiraishi, 2018). Furthermore, a discussion group with anti-corruption, wildlife trade and sturgeon conservation experts (Table 1) was organised in April 2018 to discuss initial findings from TRAFFIC's rapid assessments, to refine the typology (Figure 3), to develop recommendations for policy and practice, and to build working relationships to support possible future studies (see Annex 1 for discussion group agenda). This report summarises key themes of corruption and wildlife crime as drawn from the literature reviews and interviews, and salient points arising from the discussion group in April 2018. Details: Cambridge, UK: A TRAFFIC, WWF, U4 ACRC, Utrecht University, and Northumbria University report , 2019. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 12, 2019 at: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/11818/corruption-and-caviar-final.pdf Year: 2019 Country: International URL: https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/11818/corruption-and-caviar-final.pdf Shelf Number: 156400 Keywords: CaviarEnvironmental CrimeIllegal TradeOrganized CrimePolitical CorruptionSturgeonWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime |