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Source: T-shirt Time! | Fight for Rhinos
Two whale sharks destined for an ocean theme park in China were rescued after an 18-month investigation by Wildlife Conservation Society, covered by investigative photojournalist Paul Hilton. The operation, supported by Indonesia’s marine police, revealed where the protected species were being illegally caught and kept in sea pens by a major supplier of large marine megafauna to the international wildlife tradePaul HiltonMonday 6 June 2016 06.29 EDT. More: Rescued whale sharks released back into the ocean – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian
A young bear killed by a vehicle on a California road this week was found by highway maintenance workers to have been mutilated, possibly so that parts of it could be sold on the black market, according to officials.
The bear had injuries consistent with being hit by a car in the early hours of Thursday morning, not shot or poisoned, according to Andrew Hughan, an information officer for the California department of fish and wildlife, who said the black bear, the only species in California, was a “yearling” at two years old and 150 pounds – “something like a teenager”.
However, Hughan said that when the game warden arrived on the scene to retrieve the carcass he discovered that “the paws had been cut off and the gall bladder had been removed, which is pretty disheartening”. Read more: Young bear killed in California may have been mutilated for its body parts | US news | The Guardian
This sounds like an accident; let’s hope Asian bear-bile poachers don’t open shop in North America.
Paula Kahumbu: A global alliance to end wildlife crime is within reach. Let’s start talking about how it can be made to work
Source: Together we can end wildlife crime | Environment | The Guardian
We are living in the Anthropocene age, in which human influence on the planet is so profound – and terrifying – it will leave its legacy for millennia. Politicians and scientists have had their say, but how are writers and artists responding to this crisis?
From: www.theguardian.com
This post includes summary statements on several popular species. I’ve included grey parrots here as an example.
“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently the range State with the largest volume of exports of wild-sourced grey parrots. According to trade records reported by importing countries, DRC has exceeded the annual export quota for various consecutive years. There are no recent scientific studies on the status of the DRC populations of grey parrot, which can provide a science base for the establishment of quotas. There are however suggestions that the populations are declining. Furthermore, there exists an alarmingly high rate of mortality (50% or higher) in domestic transport before the export takes place.
“In the light of the current situation, the Standing Committee is asked to consider a recommendation for all Parties to suspend commercial trade in grey parrots from DRC until all the concerns and recommendations have been sufficiently addressed.” From: cites.org
GR: CITES appears to have no ability to reduce poaching or illegal trafficking in endangered species. The organization follows ponderously behind as popular species are captured or killed for fun, food, and profit. Of course, there have been valuable contributions by CITES, but Earth’s animals and plants are dying so rapidly now that the contributions have little meaning. One might argue that the damage caused by a gathering of 500 participants from across the globe exceeds the value of the organization’s continued existence.
So, what can we do to protect wildlife?
Most people might say that they appreciate wild animals and plants and want them to survive. People have paid for wildlife refuges, landscape linkages, inventories, ecological research, and interventions on behalf of endangered species. However, these conservation efforts have not offset the harm caused by air pollution, construction, invasive species, farming, livestock production, and trafficking. Will we act to increase spending for conservation? Will we act to begin reducing our population? Perhaps both answers are yes, but if we ask if our acts will be sufficient to protect wildlife, the answer is probably no.
Today is World Wildlife Day – a day created by the United Nations to celebrate the beautiful and varied wild creatures valued by people worldwide. But this day also reminds us of the global threat the illegal wildlife trade poses to these animals.
Source: www.defendersblog.org
GR: Birds, butterflies, lizards, turtles, and more: They’re all victims of capture for body parts or for exhibition. Lizards and turtles, for instance, are easily captured and rarely survive the experience.
Target: Juliana Machada Ferreira, Wildlife Conservationist
Goal: Thank Ms. Machada Ferreira for working to stop the illegal poaching and trafficking of wild animals.
In Brazil, wildlife trafficking is a two-million-dollar industry. Every year one hundred and eighty million animals are taken from the ecosystems of Brazil to satisfy the demand for exotic pets both in Brazil and around the world. Most of the animals that are poached are birds like wild songbirds, macaws, and parrots. Yet, conservationists face a serious challenge in that keeping an exotic bird as a pet in Brazil and many places in the world is a deeply rooted cultural norm. Thankfully, conservationist Juliana Machada Ferreira is working to educate consumers on the ecological impact of their choices and bring wildlife trafficking to an end Source: animalpetitions.org
GR: People must come to understand that many of the animals for sale in pet stores and on display in circuses and zoos were stolen from their native homes. Some of the most beautiful and most trusting species have been devastated for human entertainment. Please help.
GarryRogers Nature Conservation 