;)
The study forms an overview to a special issue of the open-access journal onPrimate Conservation: Measuring and mitigating trade in primates.
According to the overview study by Vincent Nijman of Oxford Brookes University and co-workers, the international trade in live primates peaked to supply demand from the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries in the late 1960s and 1970s—the major exporters then included India (around 50,000 animals per year) and Peru (around 30,000).
During the 1990s, numbers of wild-caught and captive-bred primates traded were roughly equal, but subsequently there was a massive increase in captive breeding. By 2005, around 71,000 live primates were traded internationally, 53,000 of them reported as captive-bred. However, there is some concern over whether all these are truly captive-bred rather than laundered wild-caught specimens.
Since 1995, China and Mauritius have between them supplied more than half of all primates traded internationally (31% and 18% respectively), with the largest importers of live primates the USA (26%), Japan (14%) and China (13%).
“The above figures are from an analysis of legal trade reported to CITES {the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora}, but the true figures are likely to be higher, because of under-reporting and illegal trade,” says Nijman.
Examples of illicit trade quoted in the report include the supply of Long-tailed MacaquesMacaca fascicularisfrom mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Viet Nam) into China, to supply the booming biomedical trade, while a paper in the special issue by Maldonado and co-workers documents the illicit trade of over 4,000 night monkeys (Aotusspp.) each year from Peru and Brazil into Colombia to supply a biomedical research facility.
CITES figures also document the trade in dead primates and their parts, including almost 20,000 exported as hunting trophies over the past 30 years.
More than 100 primate species have also been recorded as used in traditional medicines, and the issue contains a paper by Starr and co-workers documenting the threat posed to two slow loris species in Cambodia from such trade.
However, the major trade in primates is in those traded domestically for food. A paper by Wright and Priston in the special issue examines what drives such trade in southwestern Cameroon and finds many more primates are sold there for wild meat than are captured for local consumption.
While the main threat to primate species is widely acknowledged to be habitat loss and hunting, trade is recognized as a leading threat to species like the Barbary MacaqueMacaca sylvanusand slow lorisesNycticebusspp.
As Nijmanet al. note, in 2006, trade was listed as a threat to only one of the world’s most threatened primates species, but four years later, trade for meat, medicines and pets is implicated in the decline of nine of these species.
Other papers in the special issue include one by Chris Shepherd of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia on the Illegal primate trade in Indonesia and he also contributed as a co-author to an article on gibbons in zoos and rescue centres in Indonesia.
“The illegal primate trade in Asia is decimating populations of some of the region’s most charismatic species: tacking such trade should be regarded as an urgent priority for wildlife enforcement agencies in the region,” said Shepherd.
Other topics covered include effective implementation of CITES; the use of forensics in trade; problems, pitfalls, and successes of rehabilitating and reintroducing confiscated primates; and educational and livelihood strategies to mitigate trade.
To access and download the full contents of the issue, please visithttp://www.int-res.com/journals/esr/esr-specials/primate-conservation-measuring-and-mitigating-trade-in-primates/
четверг, 24 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Trade threat to primates
среда, 23 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Wildlife law enforcers build skills to combat illegal wildlife trade
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, 21st-23rd February 2011—Law enforcers are being trained this week on how to identify threatened reptile species and familiarize themselves with international wildlife protection policies in an effort to combat illegal wildlife trade in the ASEAN region.
The workshop will be led by Vietnamese trainers who attended a“Training of Trainers” for members of the ten ASEAN nations last month in Malaysia, as part of a project funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund and Ministry of the Environment, Japan under the East and Southeast Asia Biodiversity Information Initiative (ESABII).
The project seeks to involve and enhance the capabilities of ASEAN and neighbouring countries in the understanding and application of taxonomic knowledge and wildlife trade regulations.
Viet Nam is the first country in the region to be selected to organize its own CITES and species identification course, conducted entirely by national trainers.
The three-day course will equip key staff working in land and air ports in southern Viet Nam with basic knowledge of the wildlife trade in Southeast Asia, international regulations governing the trade, such as CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and relevant national laws. Participants will also be trained to identify threatened reptile species that are commonly traded in the region during an interactive session at the Saigon Zoo.
Illegal wildlife trade has been identified as one of the greatest threats to the region’s biodiversity. In his opening speech, Dr Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Director of Viet Nam’s Directorate of Forestry, said: “This training will help equip law enforcers who are working to control international wildlife trade with the skills to more effectively protect and sustainably use our precious natural resources.”
Mr. Manop Lauprasert, Senior Officer of the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) Program Coordination Unit, which is supporting the training, added“Criminal networks are taking advantage of limited enforcement capacity at land, sea and airports across the region. Training initiatives such as this will help to close these gaps, and prevent wildlife from being smuggled across international borders. The ASEAN WEN PCU is encouraged to see countries take such important steps to end the illegal wildlife trade”.
There is increasing recognition that wildlife trade, both legal and illegal, is becoming more common at international ports, therefore capacity building for airport and land port staff plays an important role in stopping wildlife trafficking.
Regional Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Dr. William Schaedla said,“This course is not only helping to impart the necessary knowledge and skills to front line enforcement officers and other key stakeholders, but also supporting Vietnamese officials to continue to lead such capacity building initiatives.”
The training course will be conducted by the Viet Nam CITES Management Authority, Biodiversity Conservation Agency and Natural Museum with support from TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Ministry of the Environment of Japan, and ASEAN-WEN.
Notes to Editors
• Viet Nam’s CITES Management Authority, which belongs to Viet Nam’s Directorate of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is the representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and is the ASEAN-WEN focal point within the country.
• The ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) aims to address illegal exploitation and trade in CITES-listed species within the ASEAN region. It is an integrated network among law enforcement agencies in the 10 ASEAN Member States (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam), involving CITES authorities, customs, police, prosecutors, specialized governmental wildlife-law enforcement organizations and other relevant national law enforcement agencies. This ten member network also aims at facilitating cross border collaboration to fight against illegal wildlife trade in the region. For more information, visit www.asean-wen.org
• TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN and WWF. TRAFFIC works to support government agencies in law enforcement networking across Asia and globally to combat illegal wildlife trade. Technical assistance across the enforcement continuum, including facilitation of inter-governmental dialogues, engaging the judicial sector, and working with WWF to improve linkages from national level agencies to field-based rangers, is provided on demand to member countries of the ASEAN and South Asia Wildlife Enforcement networks, as well as to China and its immediate neighbours. For more information, visit www.traffic.org
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Morgan, Communications Officer, TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme, Tel. +84 4 3726 1575 Ext 204, E-mail: smorgan@traffic.netnam.vn
CITES Management Authority of Viet Nam
A3, 2 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District - Ha Noi, Viet Nam
Tel. +84 4 3733 5676; Fax: +84 4 3734 6742, Email: cites_vn.kl@mard.gov.vn; fpdvn@hn.vnn.vn
вторник, 22 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Women hold key to solving wildlife trade issues in Amazon
;)
Instead of a traditional approach targeting male hunters, TRAFFIC and project partners are instead working through existing womens’ groups in indigenous communities, such as the Huaorani, to reduce the illicit trade in wild meat that is threatening many of the region’s wildlife species.
The Yasuní Biophere Reserve (YBR) in Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The Yasuní National Park, which lies at the core of the reserve, is one of Ecuador’s largest protected areas (approximately 982,000 ha.). It contains the Napo Tropical Moist Forest, and is the headwaters of many rivers of the upper Amazon basin.
“It was clear that the women in local communities already understood the issues caused by unsustainable wildlife trade, making them natural allies in efforts to change attitudes towards over-exploitation of the rainforest’ resources,” said Ana Puyol, Programme Officer with TRAFFIC South America.;)
“Women have a strategic role to play on the sustainable use of Amazonian biodiversity and in indigenous land management, and have a wealth of traditional knowledge and practices, which are key to addressing this issue.”
“By working with local women, we are helping to empower them and strengthen opportunities for reflection and decision-making.”
“From the outset, men among the community have been consulted as part of the process too—widespread community buy-in for any solution to over-exploitation is essential for it to be successful in the long-term.”
Ecuadorian legislation prohibits the sale of wildlife while recognizing the rights of rural dwellers to engage in subsistence hunting.
However, wildlife from YBR is massively illegally exploited for commercial purposes, mainly for consumption by Amazonian urban populations.
The excessive hunting of large mammals has caused their populations to decline or be threatened with extinction both outside and on the edges of conservation and sustainable use areas.
This is progressively degrading the quality and integrity of these areas, with unpredictable consequences for the social and ecological future of such reserves, reducing the quality of their natural environments.
Another serious consequence of the unsustainable wild meat trade is its effect on the food sovereignty of local and indigenous peoples and their opportunities to maintain long-term sustainable livelihoods strategies, as rodents and wild pigs are their main sources of protein.
Led by AMWAE, a local womens group, with support from TRAFFIC and two programme partners, selected communities have been involved in dialogue both to recognize the extent of the problem and to establish commitments to reduce the scale of the external wildlife trade while securing sufficient meat for local needs.
An agreement has been signed between AMWAE and Fundación Natura (one of the programme partners) committing communities not to trade wildlife, but rather to work to ensure their families are adequately fed and their lands are sustainably protected and managed.
A commitment was also made not to hunt tapirs (highly endangered mammals in the Amazon), even for subsistence purposes.;)
There are also plans to support hunters in producing handicrafts for sale at AMWAE-run stores to generate income to compete with the illegal sale of wild meat.
Currently the project is working with nine strategically selected communities in two areas of the YBR, with more than 70 Huaorani families and an impact on approximately 200,000 ha of tropical forests.
“The project has demonstrated how strengthening womens’ political leadership on illegal hunting issues substantially improves governance at the organizational and community levels,” said Puyol.
“These have laid the foundation for participatory work with a vision for change.”
TRAFFIC’s work in YBR is carried out through a project on“Diminishing Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve (YBR)” funded by the Spanish Development Cooperation Agency, AECID, led by IUCN/TRAFFIC, and implemented jointly by two strategic members of IUCN: Fundación Natura and the Randi Randi Group Corporation.
суббота, 19 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Rare birds and other wildlife seized at Jakarta Airport during busy month
;)
With fewer than 50 mature individuals estimated to now survive in the wild, the seizure of a pair of Bali Mynas in the luggage of a Singaporean man is a significant find.
The Bali MynaLeucopsar rothschildiis listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and all commercial trade in this species is prohibited as it is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Endemic to the island of Bali and once common across the north-west of the island, this Myna’s wild population has plummeted due to illegal poaching for the cagebird trade.
The seizure was made at Jakarta airport by Quarantine and Airport Security officers on 31st January. They also found four slow lorisesNycticebusspp. and eight Pig-nosed TurtlesCarettochelys insculptahidden in the suspect’s bag when it was x-rayed. Slow lorises are listed in Appendix I of CITES, while Pig-nosed Turtles are in Appendix II.
Chief of Division of control measures at the airport’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Office, Dr Wawan Sutian, confirmed the seizure saying all the animals were found alive at the time and are still in quarantine at the present time.
He said the suspect has been released on bail while the case is being investigated. He faces a maximum three years in jail and a maximum fine of 150 million rupiah if found to have wilfully violated Indonesian law.
All the species seized are protected under Indonesian law.
On 13th January, a passenger bound for Saudi Arabia was detained in Soekarno-Hatta Airport’s Terminal 2 when officers discovered two Hill MynasGracula religiosa(Appendix II) and other birds concealed in his luggage.
The birds were stuffed into 10 by 20 cm cylinders, which were then hidden underneath grapes, pears and apples in a carry-on paper bag. The suspect had purchased the birds in the Pramuka Bird Market. The species is protected under Indonesian law.
On 7th January, the same Quarantine Office also foiled an attempt to smuggle an Orang UtanPongospp. skull and Helmeted HornbillRhinoplax vigilcasks to the Netherlands. Both species are listed in CITES Appendix I.
On 1st January, Quarantine officers and Forestry Police found 14 birds including six Black-Throated LaughingthrushesGarrulax chinensishidden in 12 boxes in the luggage of a passenger bound for Bahrain. The smuggled birds were discovered after the bag underwent scanning.
“The number of recent seizures in the Soekarno-Hatta Airport illustrates the role Jakarta plays in the illicit global wildlife trade, as a major hub”, says Chris R. Shepherd, Deputy Regional Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
“The authorities are to be congratulated for intercepting these smuggling attempts. It is efforts such as these that are needed in order to ensure unscrupulous smugglers will do not continue their trade from Indonesia’s capital”.
“We hope these activities are viewed as serious crimes, and the culprits are sufficiently penalized so as to deter further such activities”.
среда, 16 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - TRAFFIC Japan hosts online fisheries seminar
;)
The aim of the seminar was to challenge people to answer the question as to whether the fish on their dinner table has been caught legally or not.
“Here in Japan, there is growing awareness of the problems caused by IUU {illegal unreported and unregulated} fishing of salmon, tuna, sharks and other marines resources, and consumers are increasingly demanding greater traceability in the source of the fish they eat, to ensure it comes from legal and sustainable sources,” says Soyo Takahashi, Fisheries Officer with TRAFFIC Japan.
“This seminar provides an opportunity for those interested in this issue to hear how the experts are ensuring greater transparency in the fisheries supply chain.”
Speakers included Mr Melcom Pohl Block, Namibian Ministry of Fisheries Marine Resources on“Namibia and the challenge of sustainable fisheries”; Mr Richard Parsons from the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on“The EU’s IUU fisheries regulations and enforcement, with particular reference to the UK”; Mr Nakamura Nobuyuki, Senior Managing Director of an eel retailing company on“Traceability and eel farming: Production and public certification”; plus TRAFFIC’s Ms Joyce Wu and Ms Soyo Takahashi and Ms Aiko Yamauchi of WWF Japan.
пятница, 11 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Would-be wildlife smuggler gets three bags full
;)
The Indonesian man was stopped after the regular luggage scanning process at the airport showed images of an array of animals stuffed inside his three black bags.
The Airports of Thailand officer who noticed the suspicious items alerted a National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department officer who checked the bags and detained the suspect.
The 34-year old had stuffed 88 Indian Star Tortoises, 33 Elongated Tortoises, seven Radiated Tortoises, six Mata Mata Turtles, four Southeast Asian Narrow-headed Softshell Turtle, three Aldabra Tortoises, one Pig-nosed Turtle and even one Ploughshare Tortoise—the worlds’ rarest tortoise.
Alongside these, he packed 34 Ball Pythons, two Boa Constrictors, several Milk Snakes, Corn Snakes and King Snakes as well as a Hog-nosed Snake.;)
He also managed to fit in 18 Baboon Spiders, each in its own plastic container, 22 Common Squirrels and one African Grey Parrot into his luggage.
The suspect, from Surabaya in Indonesia, admitted to authorities that he had purchased the animals from Chatuchak Market. He was scheduled to board an Air Asia flight home when his illegal loot was discovered.
He is in police custody and is expected to face charges under Sections 19, 23 and 24 of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B.E. 2535. He could also be charged under the Animal Epidemics Act B.E. 2499 and the Customs Act B.E. 2469.
Commenting on the interdiction, TRAFFIC Regional Director, William Schaedla was appreciative of Thailand’s Airport Authorities for their diligence, but also expressed outrage about the open availability of so many protected animals.
“It speaks well of a few alert enforcement authorities when such seizures happen. The Airport Authority is to be commended. However, one really has to question how Chatuchak Market, which is located just down the street from both Wildlife Protection and Nature Crime Police Offices, can continue these illegal mass sales.
“Frankly, the situation is totally unacceptable in a country that claims to be effectively addressing illegal wildlife trade,” he said.
Chatuchak is a major hub for some of the world’s rarest species in trade. Despite numerous reports to the authorities, illegal trade continues every weekend on an open basis.;)
The illicit trade in rare tortoises from Thailand came under the spotlight earlier this week, when authorities in the UK reported the seizure of eight Indian Star Tortoises in aparcel flown from Thailand to a sorting office in Coventry.
The list of seized animals:
Ploughshare tortoise 1
Ceratophrys ornate (Argentine horned frog) 6
Radiated tortoise 7
Indian Star Tortoise 88
Common squirrel 22
Mata Mata Turtle 6
Bearded Dragon 19
Aldabra Tortoise 3
Theraphosidae (baboon spider) 18
Pig-nosed Turtle 1
Elongated Tortoise 33
African Grey Parrot 1
Ball Python 34
Boa Constrictor 2
Milk Snake 1
Corn Snake 2
King Snake 2
Lampropeltis zonata (kingsnake) 1
Lampropeltis calligasta (kingsnake) 1
Hog nosed snake 1
Spiny-tailed Lizard (Uromastyx) 4
Sudan Plated Lizard 2
Chitra 4
среда, 9 февраля 2011 г.
TRAFFIC - Wildlife Trade News - Customs seize tonnes of reptiles in Malaysia
;)
Working on a tip-off, the Customs officials confiscated a haul comprising over 1,800 monitor lizards, snakes and freshwater turtles and tortoises which were concealed amongst empty fruit boxes and timber on 20th December.
All of the specimens are listed in Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) meaning that any international trade in them requires the appropriate permits.
“TRAFFIC highly commends the Customs officers responsible for this seizure. However, the scale of this haul underlines the fact that the illegal trade of protected wildlife in Malaysia remains a serious problem”, said Chris R. Shepherd, Deputy Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
“Without the commitment of Customs and enforcement bodies alike across the network of ASEAN countries the illegal trade in endangered species will continue, threatening the future survival of wild animals and plants.”
Among the animals seized were 18 Brown TortoisesManouria emysand 10 Yellow-headed Temple TurtlesHieremys annandalii, both of which are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as well as over 400 Giant Asian Pond TurtlesHeosemys grandis, which are listed as Vulnerable.
Globally, many turtle populations are under siege as they are being removed from the wild at an unsustainable rate, threatening the future survival of many taxa within this enigmatic group.
These three species, as well the Bengal MonitorVaranus (nebulosa) bengalensis, which was also seized, are protected in Malaysia according to the Wildlife Protection Act (1972).
Under Malaysia’s newly passed Wildlife Conservation Act (2010), which is yet to be implemented, all species in this seizure are protected and individuals caught hunting or trading them could face hefty punishment.
With the increase in wealth and concomitant spending power of many Asian nations in recent decades the demand for wild meat—the likely fate awaiting these animals in this seizure—has increased substantially.
Malaysia along with its ASEAN neighbours is a major source area for illegally traded wildlife in international trade. Given that wild animals are internationally trafficked by land, air and sea, this seizure highlights the important role that Customs authorities play in the war on illegal wildlife trade.
Following this seizure the majority of animals were auctioned off to wildlife dealers while the remainder, those protected in Malaysia, were handed over to the Wildlife and National Parks Department.