tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52104221885877688112024-02-22T21:21:38.473+00:00Wildlife CrimeTotal No of Rhinos slaughtered in South Africa to End of December 2021 = 451 Official figures. Note: the number of wild rhinos in Kruger has declined from 3,500 to 2,800 in one year.
Read my blog below for Headlines from around the World concerning the Global Catastrophe that is causing the biggest mass extinction since the Permian Period, and News of the fight to stop the slaughter of the Planet's Wildlife before it is too late.Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-45801545655493111192022-05-30T10:59:00.000+01:002022-05-30T10:59:20.306+01:00East African Prosecutors to Crack Down on Wildlife Crimes<p><span style="font-size: medium;">State prosecutors from 11 East African countries have vowed to tighten their cross border cooperation and tackle money laundering crimes, to combat wildlife crimes and other emerging transnational crimes.<br /><br />The commitment was made during the closing of the East Africa Association of Prosecutors' (EAAP) technical committee meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. The partnership is expected to strip wildlife traffickers of their ill-gotten gains, disrupt networks, and send the message that wildlife crimes won't prevail.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />EAAP members include Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.</span><br /><br /></p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-20713576302898488422022-02-16T11:53:00.000+00:002022-02-16T11:53:00.852+00:00Rhino poaching in South Africa decreases but the truth is something different<p> </p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barbara Creecy, Minister of
Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, recently released the latest rhino
poaching statistics. The stats claim that poaching in South African
National Parks (SANParks) reserves has decreased. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the DA has nothing but praise
for the efforts of our brave rangers and anti-poaching teams who have
worked so hard to stem the poaching, the reality regarding rhino
poaching numbers is far bleaker than what is being alleged.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The reality is that rhino numbers in
SANParks reserves have decreased by 75% over the past 10 years. The most
likely reason that the poaching numbers in SANParks reserves appear to
be slightly lower on the raw data is simply because the overall numbers
of rhinos are continuing to drop. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If one compares the population with
the incidents of rhino poaching in SANParks reserves, there is an
average increase in poaching and not a decrease as alleged. SANParks
reported that 247 rhinos out of approximately 3,500 remaining wild
rhinos were poached in 2020, which works out to 7% of the wild rhino
population. The numbers for the middle of 2021 indicate that 209 wild
rhinos were poached out of a population of +-2,800, which is 7.5% of the
remaining wild rhino population.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">SANParks is still unable to
adequately account for the decline in wild rhino numbers from 3,500 to
2,800 in one year. If one subtracts the 247 rhinos poached that year,
there are still approximately 400 rhinos missing with no explanation
given. These rhinos cannot simply disappear.</span></p>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It is also concerning that
no estimate of rhino numbers is provided for the end of 2021. There are
unofficial estimates of fewer than 2,000 rhino in SANParks reserves at
present and the DA calls on SANParks to provide the latest estimates as
soon as possible to combat the growing concern and uncertainty. <br /></span>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-34932752916692797032021-08-11T15:09:00.004+01:002021-08-11T15:09:54.625+01:00Rwanda's lion population is increasing<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="34"> Rwanda on Tuesday,
joined the global community in celebrating the World Lion Day which is
observed every year on August 10 to raise awareness about lions and
mobilise support for their protection and conservation.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="29"></p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="39">In Rwanda,
according to Drew Bantlin, the Conservation and Research Manager at
Akagera National Park, the lion population in the park has grown five
times to 35 since 2015, when seven lions were translocated into the park
in 2015.<br /></p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="39"><i>Great news but this is still an isolated population and will need help to maintain genetic viability</i><br /></p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-26874988601400732272021-08-10T10:30:00.001+01:002021-08-11T15:10:25.779+01:00Mozambique: No elephants poached in Niassa for third consecutive year<p> </p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="ecm0bbzt hv4rvrfc e5nlhep0 dati1w0a" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_6a"><div class="j83agx80 cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b irj2b8pg"><div class="qzhwtbm6 knvmm38d"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Good news about Elephants for a change.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced on Saturday that, for the third consecutive year, no elephants have been poached in the Niassa National Reserve in the far north of the country, or in the Gorongosa National Park in the central province of Sofala.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Speaking in the Niassa Reserve, during celebrations of World Ranger Day, Nyusi attributed this success to the combined efforts of the forestry and wildlife rangers, the defence and security forces, the bodies of the administration of justice and the local communities, in the fight against environmental crimes.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"Mozambique will continue to transform itself into a natural reserve for elephants, and we shall extend our genuine love to all other animals - and, as a priority, to lions, which are now under great threat from poachers in Mozambique", declared the President.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> <i>lets hope the good news continues. Mozambique could become a great safari destination<br /></i></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-55138936563048512582021-08-10T10:26:00.000+01:002021-08-10T10:26:15.449+01:00Rhino population in Kenya on the UP<p> Nairobi — The Rhino population in Kenya has risen by 11pc due to a continuous decline in poaching incidents in the last eight years.<br /><br />In a statement, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Regional Director for East Africa, James Isiche noted that the rhino numbers rose from 1,441 in 2019 to 1,605 in 2020.<br /><br />IFAW said the pandemic elicited fears of an increase in wildlife poaching as tourist revenues used to pay wildlife rangers reduced drastically.<br /><br />However, measures put in place by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and partners like the IFAW ensured the safety of these pre-historic animals highly sought after for their horns.<br /><br />"We congratulate all wildlife security partners and agencies for this major achievement in fighting wildlife crime and keeping Kenya's rhinos safe. We are glad that the rhino population in Kenya has increased and for the first time in a long time had no rhinos die due to poaching," stated James Isiche, IFAW's East Africa Regional Director.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-6913074276934550712021-02-16T13:41:00.003+00:002021-02-16T13:41:49.515+00:00Recent rhino poaching stats in South Africa are far WORSE than they would appear<p><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">To
the JOURNALISTS: Please do not keep copying and pasting the rhetoric
press releases that the South African government spits out. The internet
is filled now with headlines that claim rhino poacing
has declined - as if we can all kick back now and celebrate - rhino
poaching figures are down because there are not many rhino left!</span></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Recent reports on rhino numbers in South Africa’s Kruger National Park reveal a far larger loss of rhino life than previously thought, dropping by 70% in the last decade. This national park in South Africa is the largest repository of rhino in the world so the implications are grim for the species. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">A lot of fingers have been pointed at Kruger staff, some of that is justified but for the vast, vast majority of Kruger’s field staff, these are people up against ridiculous odds. They are underpaid, understaffed, surrounded by dysfunction and corruption from their own as well as surrounding governments who do not prioritize this issue. They are threatened by sociopathic criminals and confronted with their own limitations on a daily basis as they confront carcass after carcass. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">They have had to watch their most effective poaching court be closed down in 2019, experts agree due to the influence of corrupt magistrates in cahoots with the very syndicates this court was successfully prosecuting. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Kruger’s most effective rangers have been targeted with smear campaigns and false charges, their families threatened. What kind of message must this send to the field personnel at Kruger? This is a heartbreaking job for most of these men and women and they deserve our support. Most signed up to be conservationists, not soldiers, policeman, lawyers or forensic pathologists. We need to be asking how we can support them, not demonize them. </div></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">That said, unless the courts are cleaned up, there is no solution in sight. rhinos will be the ultimate victims.<br /><br />Credit: Jamie Joseph of Saving the Wild for this article.<br /></div>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-27599778757668674932021-01-31T12:11:00.000+00:002021-01-31T12:11:21.080+00:00Six more rangers klilled in Virunga National Park<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="24">At least six
rangers were ambushed and killed by armed men in Virunga National Park
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="34">Famous for its
mountain gorillas, the UNESCO World Heritage site has been the site of
persistent unrest as a wide variety of armed groups battle for control
of oil and other rich mineral deposits.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="58">"Mai-Mai carried
out an ambush at Nyamitwitwi in the far end of the park. The provisional
toll is six park rangers killed along with two Mai-Mai," local
government delegate Alphonse Kambale told AFP. Another park warden from
the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) was also
seriously injured. Mai-Mai is an umbrella term for community-based
militias.</p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="5"></p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="41">With a multi-ethnic
population of over 100 million, the Democratic Republic of Congo is
Africa's second-largest territorial state after Algeria and is almost
seven times the size of Germany. It is also home to the largest
remaining rainforest areas in Africa.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="47">Virunga park itself
was created in 1925 and covers some 7,800 square kilometres (3,000
square miles). It is home to about a quarter of the world's critically
endangered population of mountain gorillas, many of whom live within a
protected area at the foot of the Nyiragongo volcano.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="2"></p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="41">The park is guarded
by 689 armed rangers, at least 200 of whom have been killed in the line
of duty over the past decade. In April 2020, a dozen rangers and 4
civilians were killed by a still unidentified group.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-66017495499713743412021-01-29T11:10:00.001+00:002021-01-29T11:10:13.744+00:00Infamous ivory trafficker extradited to US to face trial<p> </p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="35">Infamous ivory,
rhinoceros horn poacher and drug trafficker Abubakar Mansur Mohammed
Surur alias Mansour was extradited from Kenya to New York over the
weekend, coming just months after he was arrested at Moi International
airport.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="31">New York District
Attorney Audrey Strauss revealed on Monday that Mansour is part of an
international syndicate engaging in the illicit trade that has been
evading law enforcement officers for years.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="30">The suspect was
arrested on July 29, 2020 by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal
Investigation (DCI) immediately when he landed at the airport after a
chartered flight from Yemen.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="27">Mansour is wanted
in the US for allegedly conspiring to sell 10 tonnes of elephant ivory
and more than 181kg of rhinoceros horn across a seven-year period.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="32">The US Attorney's
Office for the Southern District of New York has said the trafficker was
part of a transnational criminal enterprise known as the "Enterprise"
based in Uganda and surrounding countries.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-35554471170681658102021-01-29T11:06:00.004+00:002021-01-29T11:06:57.810+00:00 Namibia : What has been done to avert a wildlife 'crime'<p>Namibia cuts accidental seabird deaths by 98%<br /></p><p>Namibia's fishing fleet, working along the country's 1,500 kilometre-long coastline, was until recently considered among the most deadly in the world for seabirds. But in 2015 Namibia adopted new regulations that require all hake fishing vessels to use bird-scaring lines and other measures to protect birds from fatal encounters with fishing gear. The result? The accidental deaths of seabirds, including endangered albatrosses, has been reduced from up to 30,000 per year more than a decade ago to just 215 at the last count. <br /></p><p><br /></p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-73038098097179675982020-09-02T20:03:00.002+01:002020-09-02T20:03:50.537+01:00Zimbabwe: lions poisoned in Gonarhezu NP<p></p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="29">Three lion carcasses were recently recovered in the wildlife-rich Gonarezhou National
Park, south-east of the Lowveld amid fears that poachers from Mozambique
were using cyanide to poison animals.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="52">The recovery of the
carcasses preceded a raid by a joint team comprising members of the
army, police and rangers from ZimParks, on a makeshift camp set up by
suspected poachers in Gonarezhou, which led to the discovery of lion
skulls and canine teeth, whose carcasses have not yet been accounted
for.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="18">The raid led to the arrest of five suspected poachers who will soon be arraigned before the courts.<br /><br /><i>Feed them cyanide if convicted, I say.</i><br /></p>
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Republic of the Congo have put a notorious poacher behind bars for 30
years for the attempted murder of park rangers and ivory trafficking,
according to a wildlife conservation group.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="27">Mobanza Mobembo
Gerard, commonly known as Guyvanho, is thought to have killed more than
500 elephants since 2008 during poaching expeditions, the Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS) said.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="29">"This unprecedented
conviction in the criminal court is a major milestone in the protection
of wildlife in the Republic of Congo," said Emma Stokes, WCS director
for Central Africa.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-78600492323423124912020-08-13T21:56:00.000+01:002020-08-13T21:56:04.247+01:00Deliberate fires started at Tsavo West<p>The Kenya government is in a race to end national park fires following several cases that have put wildlife and vegetation at risk of being wiped out.<br /><br />Fires broke out at Tsavo West National Park, Mgeno and Lumo conservancies on Saturday night. Tsavo West has been a grazing ground for illegal herders who sneak in their livestock in search of water and pasture.<br /><br />Recently, KWS said the fires were caused by locals living adjacent to the park.<br /><br />Teams from government agencies and non-governmental wildlife organisations as well as residents joined Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) firefighters in putting out the fires.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-69592847360843048552020-08-13T21:50:00.000+01:002020-08-13T21:50:23.997+01:00Elephants almost extinct in Nigeria<p> </p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="19">Andrew Dunn,
Country Director of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Nigeria, says
elephants are almost becoming extinct in Nigeria.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="18">Mr Dunn made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Calabar while commemorating the World Elephant Day.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="24">The World Elephant
Day is an international annual event marked on August 12, dedicated to
the preservation and protection of the world's elephant population.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="22">He said that the
number of elephants in the country had continued to dwindle at a
frightening pace following negative human activities.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="37">He further appealed
that all hands should be on deck to prevent the total extinction of
elephants, adding that it was worrisome that Nigeria was a leading
source of elephant tusks sale worldwide up till last year.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="22">"The international
ivory trade which is a major cause of the extinction of elephants is
still booming in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="19">"Poachers are daily going after the tusks of the elephants to enrich the sale of ivory in foreign markets.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="19">"There are less than 500 elephants remaining in Nigeria, so we should not allow our elephants to go extinct.</p>
"We need many more
people to supports elephant conservation by regularly visiting the Cross
River National Park, Yankari Games Reserve and other parks in the
country where some of these animals are," he said.Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-28747967468640372952020-08-12T12:52:00.000+01:002020-08-12T12:52:09.430+01:00Tanzania hands out 100 year+ prison sentences to poachers<p> </p><p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="33">Manyoni District
Court has sentenced five poachers to jail terms ranging between 60 and
180 years for their role in poaching activities within Chamwino
District, Dodoma City and Manyoni District in Singida Region.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="43">They are Jonathan
Joseph, alias Baraka Mlungushi, who was jailed 180 years, Noah Sajilo,
Shukran Nyang'a alias Patrick and Hassan Juma, alias Mpembee Mjendwa,
who were each sentenced to 100 years imprisonment and Gabriel Akyoo, who
was jailed a total of 60 years.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="22">Resident Magistrate
Stella Kiama imposed the sentences last week against the poachers after
convicting them of the offences they were charged with.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="22">She ruled that the
prosecution, led by State Attorneys Salim Msemo, Patrida Muta and
Tulumanywa Majigo, proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.</p>
<p class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="37">The charges
preferred by the prosecution against them included unlawful possession
and dealing in government trophies, unlawful hunting of a scheduled
animal, unlawful possession of weapons in certain circumstances and
failure to keep safe custody of firearms.</p>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-3028976780789905062020-07-05T19:27:00.000+01:002020-07-05T19:27:13.111+01:00Elephant and rhino populations on the UP in Tanzania<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="20">
During the past few
decades elephants and rhinos populations have been enlisted as the most
vulnerable and endangered animal species.<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="21">
However, in
Tanzania, both animals' populations have recently begun to tremendously
bounce back, thanks to robust anti-poaching measures by the government.<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="35">
Moving a speech to
dissolve the Parliament in Dodoma last Tuesday, President John Magufuli
said the number of Jumbos roaming national parks and other conservancies
had risen from 43,000 in 2015 to 51,000 last year.<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="29">
The rhino
population, which in the recent past, decimated from over 10,000
individuals to just about 100 rhinos, rebounded from 162 in 2015 to 190
in 2019, he revealed.<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="31">
The President, who
was giving an overview of the tourism sector performance, attributed the
resurfacing of the otherwise endangered species to the government's
crackdown on criminal networks involved in industrial-scale poaching.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="31">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="24">
He said the
establishment of the paramilitary force was the government's strong
commitment of controlling poaching and depletion of natural resources in
the country.<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="51">
The departure from
civilian to paramilitary system by the Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa),
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), Tanzania Wildlife
Management (Tawa) and Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) not only
seeks to protect natural resources, but also instill discipline in the
institutions which fall under the Tourism and Natural Resources
Ministry.</div>
<br />Interestingly, in Botswana, the new government did away with the paramilitary force, and poaching of rhinos, has skyrocketed.<br /><div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="31">
<br /></div>
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-25694975163788177872020-04-03T11:55:00.001+01:002020-04-03T11:55:29.160+01:00Who is responsible for Coronavirus: CHINA and the international trade in wildlifeMake no mistake about it. The reason that around a third of the
world's population are currently in a coronavirus lockdown and 87% of
the world's children are m<span class="text_exposed_show">issing out on a proper education is because of the illegal international trade in wildlife.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
The reason that the world economy is crashing, that international and
local travel is forbidden is because of the illegal international trade
in wildlife.<br />
<br />
The reason that you cannot walk in the mountains,
surf at the beach, go to football matches, ski down the slopes or cycle
through the woods is because of the illegal international trade in
wildlife.<br />
The reason that millions of us will likely lose our
jobs and some will lose their houses and families is because of the
illegal international trade in wildlife.<br />
<br />
Pangolins, the world's
most trafficked animal and a likely cause of coronavirus, live baby
chimps and other apes for the illegal pet trade, elephant ivory, rhino
horn or lion claws and any host of other creatures used as 'bush meat'
or in traditional medicine are all examples of this illegal trade. Many
of these products are smuggled around the world destined for one
country: China.<br />
<br />
Coronavirus originated in the wildlife markets of
China and no other country on Earth shows such blatant disregard to
international law on the wildlife trade than China. It’s China’s
attitude to wildlife, and the environment in general, that has directly
led to coronavirus and the catastrophe the world currently finds itself
in. This is not even the first time China's insatiable desire for
illegal wildlife products has led to major health emergencies (remember
SARS and bird flu among others?) and if they are allowed to continue
unchallenged then it won't be the last time. After the SARS outbreak
China said they would ban the trade in wildlife, but as soon as the
world eased off the pressure they went back to old ways. Last month
China again announced that they would ban this wildlife trade, but even
before the coronavirus disaster has even peaked they are reverting on
that commitment and actually suggesting that bear bile can be used to
counter coronavirus! Yes, you read that correctly (see link here: <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalgeographic.com%2Fanimals%2F2020%2F03%2Fchinese-government-promotes-bear-bile-as-coronavirus-covid19-treatment%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2B0AQFHMe0S2sBL3tpX9bhOkPazOtycbTEMq800PkJeqc03i_Zo1zF9eE&h=AT0gWiKUmypq11xEOYAgJ121QW2Fz3ZlqKo4DeRCpvZY1GXAx7Q5PBErd2F-Wzn2WzIDEMKknWc1I_Lv8Ma2-74e3ag0JZqFeBvlvCa2vPNK06vysOlbRjL1v_HlcBhRx9MDCXXEqH0QxsAzZktvzecJzWFbTSF2" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/chinese-government-promotes-bear-bile-as-coronavirus-covid19-treatment/?fbclid=IwAR2B0AQFHMe0S2sBL3tpX9bhOkPazOtycbTEMq800PkJeqc03i_Zo1zF9eE" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nationalgeographic.com/…/chinese-government-p…/…</a>).<br />
<br />
The Chinese authorities are perfectly aware of this trade yet do little
to really prevent it because the world does not really put enough
pressure on them. For many of us across the world right now our
governments are insisting that we stay indoors. Most countries have
drafted in very strict rules on what we can and cannot do and the
authorities are fining us for small infringements. We have in many ways
had our freedoms removed. But, are any of our governments demanding
compensation from China? Are any of our governments insisting that China
change its ways? Are any of our governments asking China to apologise?
No, in general, they are not. China is wholly responsible for this
current mess (they even suppressed news of the outbreak when it first
started) and China should be shamed and made to pay for their crimes
until they crackdown on the illegal trade in wildlife forever.<br />
<br />
Our governments will not stand up and point the figure at China for this
unless their own citizens demand it, That means you and I. But if China
is not shamed into cracking down on this trade and changing their
environmental outlook then it’s only going to be a matter of time until
another virus explodes out of the exotic wildlife markets of China and
sweeps around the world. And the next time it might not be something as
‘tame’ as coronavirus with its 1-2% mortality rate. Next time it could
be something along the lines of Ebola with its 60%+ mortality rate.</div>
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-53774162872209629842020-03-27T15:19:00.001+00:002020-03-27T15:19:15.433+00:00Coronavirus and friends<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-testid="post_message" id="js_6m0">
Been saying for long enough that if we don't stop destroying nature then mother nature will have us, most likely with a virus.<br />
<br />
Well coronavirus is just a gentle warning folks. The next one could be
50-60-70+ % deadly and then its game over for civilization.<br />
<br />
We are one Far Eastern live animal market away from complete Armaggedon.<br />
<br />
We should act as a global voice to stop the animal markets. It'd be cheaper to send thousands of tons of beef to pooer people in the far east and Africa to eat for free.<br />
<br />
Seriously - if we don't stamp bushmeat out completely we are fucked.</div>
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-19012667502148943852020-03-18T15:07:00.003+00:002020-03-18T15:08:44.956+00:00Rare white giraffes killed in KenyaA rare white giraffe and her calf were killed by poachers near a Kenyan wildlife sanctuary, conservationists said earlier this month<br /><br />The bodies of the two giraffes were found "in a skeletal state after being killed by armed poachers" in Garissa in eastern Kenya, the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy said in a statement.<br /><br />White giraffes are very rare; only a few have been sighted in Kenya. They are not albinos, but instead have a condition called leucism, which means an animal's skin does not contain pigment-producing cells.Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-4307539061139954712020-02-13T10:19:00.003+00:002020-02-13T10:35:31.550+00:00Game numbers up and down in Selous-MikumiTanzania recorded a
slight increase of elephants and a considerable surge in zebra and
hippopotamus populations in the Selous-Mikumi ecosystem between 2014 and
2018, a new report shows.
<br />
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="35">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="35">
The report of the
aerial wildlife census that was conducted between October and November
2018 covering 27 wildlife species indicates that elephants have
increased by 284, zebra 6,190 while number of hippopotamus rose by
7,843.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="35">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="24">
It covered a total
area of 104,143 km² that embrace Mikumi National Park, Selous Game
Reserve, Kilombero Game Controlled Area and Selous-Niassa wildlife
corridor.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="24">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="27">
Current statistics
from the report have it that, the surveyed area has 15,501 elephants, up
from 15,217 that were recorded in the previous study conducted in 2014.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="27">
<br /></div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="40">
This means that
there is no further decline in the elephant population in the
Selous-Mikumi ecosystem, and that the stabilising of the number of
elephants combined with few incidences of fresh carcasses indicates that
poaching has been brought under control.<br />
<br />
Wildebeeste numbers, however have fallen by 72 percent over the last 22 years, and 'lesser' antelope by a whopping 97% in the same period. The very high carcass ratios suggest a lot of bushmeant hunting is taking place. However the carcass ratio has dropped significantly by the time this last survey was conducted.</div>
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-4033654526180672742019-10-18T15:54:00.000+01:002019-10-18T15:54:09.104+01:00Criminal elephant sales in Zimbabwe<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="36">
Zimbabwean wildlife
activists are in a race against time to stop the government from
selling 35 baby elephants to China and Pakistan after it emerged that
the state was planning to secretly trade the young jumbos.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="49">
Lenin Chisaira,
Director of Advocacy4Earth, an environmental lobby group which is suing
the government over the sale, alleging that government has been trying,
since last year, to nicodemusly sell the baby elephants to China but
were delayed by a High Court application which they filed in May this
year.</div>
<div class="story-body-text" data-para-word-count="29">
"The ongoing case
has been that the state wants to sell the elephants through the backdoor
and we have reliable information that they can fly out tomorrow and
Thursday.</div>
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-68418640877887614882019-09-24T20:06:00.000+01:002019-09-24T20:06:29.406+01:00Rhino poaching upsurge in BotswanaPoachers have raided the pristine Mombo Concession in the Okavango Delta, killing three rhinos and stealing their highly sought after horns within a period of one month. On Tuesday security agents discovered two carcasses of rhinos, one fresh and the other seven months old.<br />
<br />
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a team was dispatched from Mombo camp
on Thursday to check three other suspected rhino carcasses. Should they
be confirmed the total number of rhinos killed in Mombo will increase to
six in a space of a month. Two weeks ago, the Botswana Defence Force
(BDF) anti-poaching unit shot and killed two suspected poachers they
encountered while tracking a wounded female rhino. The suspects, who had
shot the rhino, were ambushed and killed on sight. Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-45145976936649058542019-08-15T15:23:00.000+01:002019-08-15T15:23:23.730+01:00Green Mile Safaris has hunting permit revoked in TanzaniaTanzania has revoked a hunting permit for Abu Dhabi-based Green Mile Safari, which runs safari hunting operations around Lake Natron, for alleged violation of game hunting rules.<br /><br />The firm is linked to the United Arab Emirates' ruling family.<br /><br />Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Dr Hamisi Kigwangallah announced the ban, citing violations of wildlife hunting regulations, including killing of wild animals not specified in its hunting licence.<br /><br />The ministry further accused the UAE firm of failing to pay the local communities concession fees amounting to Tsh329 million ($144,000) in the past two years.<br /><br />The company is further accused of employing minors.<br /><br />n 2014, the Tanzanian government suspended the Green Mile operations in key wildlife reserves before restoring the permit in 2016.<br /><br />Former natural resources and tourism minister Lazaro Nyalandu revoked the licence, accusing the company of haphazard killing of wildlife in hunting expeditions based on a video circulated on the Internet.<br /><br />The video, which angered conservation groups, showed hunters, including minors, using automatic weapons from moving vehicles, capture of young animals and torture of dying ones, and using baits and lights at night to attract animals.<br /><br />Mr Nyalandu said the company violated the Wildlife Conservation Act (No. 5 of 2009), which prohibits safari and amateur hunters from chasing and shooting wild animals, and killing young ones.Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-8141687941185117382019-08-02T12:20:00.000+01:002019-08-02T12:20:52.210+01:00Horrifying video of big cats being bred for their bones in South AfricaCredit: Conservation Action Trust<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS<br />
National Council of SPCAs made yet another deeply shocking discovery. No words can aptly describe this cruelty.<br />
<br />
Breeding big cats for their bones to make wine. Department of Environmental Affirs it is high time to shut this industry down.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/YouthForLions/videos/705091593245844/?t=0">https://www.facebook.com/YouthForLions/videos/705091593245844/?t=0</a><br />
<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: NSPCA
did a follow-up visit to the same farm in the North West Province, only
to find more lion cubs in a devastating physical condition.<br />
On
further investigation, the NSPCA found a chest freezer with
approximately 20 carcasses of lion and tiger at varying ages. The NSPCA
removed a further five carcasses for post mortem examinations to
determine the cause of death, and will be laying further charges in
terms of the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962.<br />
This comes
after 108 lions, caracal, tigers and leopards were found in filthy and
parasitic conditions in April this year and charges were laid against
the owner, which also happens to be a South African Predator Association
member.<br />
This video was taken of a cub on site.<br />
<a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"type":104,"tn":"*N"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/bloodlions?source=feed_text&epa=HASHTAG"><span class="_5afx"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz">#</span><span class="_58cm">BLOODLIONS</span></span></a> comments on this news:<br />
"It appears the extent of cruelty and neglect has no boundaries within
the predator breeding industry in South Africa. We strongly urge the
public, tourism and government bodies to put a stop to this industry.<br />
Read the full Blood Lions statement here: <br />
And let the government hear your voice by emailing: <br /> # Hon.Minister Creecy of Environment - bcreecy@environment.gov.za<br /> # Head of Communications for Environment - Mr Albi Modise: amodise@environment.gov.za<br /> # SA Predators Association - sapaceo@sapredators.co.za<br />
<br />
<br />
Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-70212847290490284362019-07-23T10:54:00.001+01:002019-07-23T10:54:40.255+01:00Plight of the Lions: Always worth listening to Dereck and Beverly Joubert<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NoeuK7pf_9k" width="480"></iframe>Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5210422188587768811.post-80609862463113364072019-07-23T10:40:00.001+01:002019-07-23T10:40:49.584+01:00Twenty nine cheetah cubs confiscated in SomalilandIn Somaliland on the horn of Africa 29 cheetah cubs have been rescued from the wildlife smuggling trade. They were destined for the illegal pet trade in the middle east. <br /><br />The orphaned cubs were confiscated in Somaliland, which is known to be the main transit route for cheetahs trafficked out of East Africa .<br /><br />The cheetah pet trade is thriving due to the high demand of wild animals as status symbol pets, particularly in the Gulf States. Many of them die on the way, or of malnourishment once in the hands of their new owners.<br /><br />About 300 cheetahs are poached and smuggled into the Arabian Peninsula each year, for sale in the illegal pet trade. There are fewer than 7 500 cheetahs in the wild today, although there was a population of 100 000 a century ago. <br /><br />Lack of space is one of the biggest problems for them, along with persecution by livestock farmers in Southern Africa.Chris Dunfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054698142283738254noreply@blogger.com0