Elephant Poaching in Asia

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Mel
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Elephant Poaching in Asia

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Killings of endangered elephants are rising in Indonesia as authorities fail to stop poaching
Endangered elephant killings rising in Indonesia

Associated Press | Jun 4, 2013 9:34 PM CDT

Poisoning or shooting killed many of the 129 critically endangered elephants that have died on Indonesia's Sumatra island in less than a decade, highlighting weak enforcement of laws against poaching, an environmental group says.

WWF Indonesia said killings of Sumatran elephants are on the rise, with 29 either shot or poisoned last year, including 14 in Aceh province. The group said Tuesday that no one has been convicted or jailed in the deaths that were counted in Riau province since 2004.

The report came three days after two dead Sumatran elephants were found near a paper plantation in Riau, allegedly poisoned by poachers. Another elephant was killed last month near Tesso Nilo national park and its tusks were hacked off. An autopsy found a plastic detergent wrapper in its belly filled with poison.

The group said 59 percent of the dead elephants were definitely poisoned, 13 percent were suspected to have been poisoned, and 5 percent were killed by gunshots. Others died from illness or other causes, or the reason for their death was unknown.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the animals as "critically endangered" after their numbers dropped to between 2,400 and 2,800 from an estimated 5,000 in 1985. Environmentalists say the elephants could be extinct within three decades unless they are protected.

The decline is largely due to destruction of their habitat. Forests across Sumatra are being logged for timber, palm oil, and pulp and paper.

Sumatra has some of the most significant populations of Asian elephants outside of India and Sri Lanka and is also home to tigers, orangutans and rhinos.

"Effective action on the ground should be taken immediately to protect Sumatran elephants from extinction, especially in Riau," the report said. There are about 300 elephants left in Riau, which is part of Sumatra island.

Achmad Saeroji, head of the government conservation agency in Riau, denied the allegation of lax law enforcement, saying at least eight cases have been handled by authorities recently.

"We always investigate every case of elephants found dead," he said. "But it is hard to capture the perpetrators, either because of late reports or the fear of people to report the poachers, who work in a network."

Indonesia's elephants sometimes venture into populated areas searching for food. They destroy crops or attack humans, making them unpopular with villagers. Some are shot or poisoned with cyanide-laced fruit, while others are killed by poachers for their ivory.


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$10 million worth of tusks to be destroyed in Philippines

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By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
9 June 2013

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to crush and burn some P420 million (US$10 million) worth of seized elephant tusks to show the country’s support for the global campaign to end the illegal trade of wildlife species.
The five tons of ivory are part of the total cargo of elephant tusks intercepted by customs officials since 2009 in separate operations nationwide. These are stored in the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB).
The ivory will be crushed by a steam roller before they are burned in June 21 rites at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, according to Environment secretary Ramon Paje. Foreign experts and anti-ivory trade advocates are anticipated to witness the event, one of the highlights of the environment month celebration.
In a statement, Paje said, “Our decision to destroy these ivory tusks that entered the country illegally is to show to the whole world that the Philippines will not tolerate illegal wildlife trade.”
The country is a signatory to the 1989 Geneva-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of flora and fauna, which bans the ivory trade as a cause of the massive decline in elephant populations in Africa, according to Paje. PAWB is designated as the management authority under the Wildlife Resource Conservation and Protection Act.
Under the CITES, elephants are highly endangered and their international trade declared illegal. The demand for ivory on elephant tusks have caused the slaughter of the animals.
In 1997, the Philippines was included among nine countries of priority concern as a trade route and transit site of the illegal ivory trade along with Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam. The other countries are the sources of elephant tusks: Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa; and countries of destination China and Thailand.
Top executives of the justice department, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Customs Bureau, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Philippine National Police are also anticipated to participate in the event.
National Geographic investigative journalist and former Washington-based international lawyer Bryan Christy, who wrote a report in 2012 on the ivory trade in the country, is expected to give a presentation on the global trade on elephant tusks.


Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/77083/ ... z2VuaDzSXr


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Re: $10 million worth of tusks to be destroyed in Philippine

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Well done the Philippines \O


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Re: Elephant Poaching in Asia

Post by Lisbeth »

Thailand is warning tourists

The Thai government, together with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, issued this warning to tourists to Thailand:

Do Not Buy Ivory!

No elephant ivory and its products allowed to export from Thailand. Bringing even one ivory item out of the country is illegal.

Ivory allowed to be trade in Thailand must originate from domesticated Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) Iegally registered by law.

Ivory trade is regulated with comprehensive controls and only for domestic consumption.

Thailand does not allow to import and export of ivory and products thereof. DON’T BUY IVORY.

Import and export of ivory and ivory products are illegal.

Punishment

Imprisonment not exceeding 4 years or a fine up to 40,000 baht or both (Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act 1992)

Imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine up to 20,000 baht or both (Export and Import of Goods Act 1979)

Imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine equivalent to 4 times the amount of the price of the goods, including duty, or both (Customs Act 1926)

Contact Information

Division of Wild Fauna and Flora Protection
Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Tel/Fax: (66) 2 940 6449
Hotline: 1362


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