Counter Poaching Efforts

[Mel]

It's nothing really new but I think, it's good to have a reminder sometimes
of what those guys are giving.

[Penga Ndlovu]

[Mel]

Campaign Launched to Reduce Demand for Rhino Horn
Written by Tuan Ha

A campaign to save rhinos in Africa from Asian consumers was launched on Monday in Hanoi, Vietnam. More than 580 rhinos have died at the hands of poachers in South Africa this year, the country with the world’s largest rhino population. That’s more than two rhinos killed every day. Many of the horns end up in Asia, including Vietnam.

At an event in Hanoi, the Vietnam Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Management Authority that implements CITES and Humane Society International announced a long-term public awareness campaign aimed at reducing demand for rhino horn in Vietnam.

Myths about the curative properties of rhino horn include that it is a cure for cancer or a fever reducer, and some people take it as an antidote to the ill effects of drinking too much alcohol.

Others value the substance as a high-end gift or status symbol. However, studies have shown that rhino horn has no medicinal properties and is only composed of keratin. Furthermore, in attempts to thwart poaching, some rhino horn is being treated with chemicals harmful to human health.

The campaign will work with key stakeholders such as women’s groups, business leaders, students and traditional and Western medical practitioners to develop and implement demand reduction strategies within their communities.

“International cooperation is a crucial requirement in addressing issues of international and regional importance, including the conservation of wildlife, particularly for highly endangered species such as rhinos, elephants, bears and tigers,” said Ha Cong Tuan, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chairman of the National Steering Committee for the Vietnam Wildlife Enforcement Network.

Ha added that Vietnam is committed to implementing in a responsible manner its international conservation commitments and called on international organizations to cooperate with, and assist, Vietnam and South Africa to implement our bilateral agreement signed in 2012 in an effective manner, including in the joint action plan on the conservation of rhino populations in South Africa.

Teresa Telecky, Director of the Wildlife Department of HSI, said: “We are very pleased to be working with the Vietnam CITES Management Authority on this important issue. Reducing demand for rhino horn in Vietnam will cut off a marketplace for the criminal networks that run the illegal trade, and this is an essential part of the solution to save rhino lives.”

William Fowlds, a South African wildlife veterinarian who has treated the appalling wounds of rhinos whose horns have been hacked from their faces, said: “From a distance of thousands of miles, the suffering of rhinos in my country may not register with people who use rhino horn in East and Southeast Asia. I'm here to remind people that rhino horns arriving in Vietnam have been brutally hacked from the faces of animals that are often still alive. For me, that's the day-to-day reality of rhino poaching.”

South Africa spends many millions of dollars annually trying to stop poaching. More poachers are being arrested than ever before. Still, illegal poaching intensifies, driven by demand in Asia and the high price rhino horn fetches.

In addition to South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe and India have all reported losing large numbers of rhinos to poachers. In the past three years, both Mozambique and Vietnam have seen their rhino populations go extinct. Conservationists warn that in South Africa both the black and white rhino could be extinct in the wild by 2026.

[Mel]

Work fast

[Richprins]

Nice to see people on the ground quoted..not sure the politicians follow up much...

[Flutterby]

Wonder if it will have any effect?

[Mel]

Mozambique vows to tackle wildlife crime
1st September 2013

Mozambique has drastically increased their effort in tackling wildlife crime in a response to increasing pressure from conservation organisations
Neighbouring country South Africa, the international conservation community, and CITES have all put pressure on Mozambican government officials to toughen their stance against elephant and rhino poaching. For its lack of action against the crime, Mozambique was singled out at this year's international meeting of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species.

Outlining the country's response, Marcelino Foloma, Head of Mozambique's Wildlife Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, said: “Mozambique recognises the economic and security threats from trans-boundary criminal networks undertaking these activities, and the country is committed to finding solutions to these problems.”

Between 2009 and 2012, figures indicated that more than 2,500 elephants were lost, most of them to poaching. Figures for rhino survival are equally grim, as figures suggest that over 500 have been killed in South Africa so far this year, many allegedly by Mozambican poachers.

In a step towards combating the issue, TRAFFIC and the Mozambican National Directorate of Land and Forestry hosted a three-day workshop that was attended by several of the country's ministries including Tourism, Agriculture, Customs, Home Affairs, and Environmental Co-ordination. Serious defects in the current wildlife legislation were addressed in order to amend communication and participation between governmental institutions and civil society. Ways to share information regarding law enforcement and illegal wildlife trade were also established.

A series of identification materials were also supplied by TRAFFIC in order to assist Mozambique's law enforcement community to identify contraband wildlife products. These include ivory, lion bone, rhino horn, pangolins, and several protected timber species.

Tom Milken, rhino and elephant co-ordinator at TRAFFIC, attended the workshop and said: “This is the first time Mozambique's law enforcement community is equipped with species identification materials in their own language. It's critical that these valuable tools are available to fight increasing wildlife crime."

[Mel]

Rather late than never?

[Richprins]

This will take too long!

The minister of justice should reply there!

But at least a start!

[Sprocky]

2013-09-05 12:15

Duncan Alfreds

Cape Town - Rhino in the Kruger National Park will get additional protection with the donation of a light aeroplane to spot potential poaching activities.

The massive park makes it difficult for ground-based poaching prevention activities.

"The Kruger National Park covers an area of almost 19 633km² - that's roughly the size of Israel," said Bryn Pyne-James, senior general manager for SANParks fundraising.

"Protecting an area that large against poachers with ground-based vehicles alone is impossible, but with air support we have a chance," he added.

Rhino populations are coming under increasing threat and a large percentage have been poached in the national park.

Effective

According to the department of environmental affairs (DEA), 553 rhino have been poached in SA so far this year. Of these, 345, or 62%, have been poached in the Kruger Park.

Poaching is on course to nearly double the 668 total of 2012, which was also significantly higher than the 448 poached in 2011.

Rangers in the park had access to an aircraft, and it proved to be effective in deterring poachers.

"We initially used a four-cylinder Bantam light aircraft, which we traded up for a six-cylinder Bantam," said ranger Steven Whitfield. "It proved to be a very important anti-poaching tool."

However, that plane was destroyed in an accident in 2012 and this year, a chance meeting between Vox Telecom CEO Jacques du Toit and senior general manager of San Parks Fundraising, Bryn Pyne-James, resulted the telecoms company donating an aeroplane for use in anti-poaching operations.

"Conserving our natural environment is one of the core aims of our corporate social investment programme, and this was one of the most rewarding investments we could make," said Clayton Timcke head of Marketing at Vox Telecom.

Demand

Efforts against poachers are paying off, but more needs to be done on the demand side for horn before rhino populations begin to decline.

The DEA said that 148 poachers have been arrested in 2013, compared to 267 last year, and 232 in 2011, but the WWF said that the focus should be pointed to Asia while continuing to target local poachers.

"I absolutely agree Asia is the root of the problem - obviously in South Africa we must do as much as we can to protect the rhino, but that's not going to solve the problem. I think that's a key point," Dr Jo Shaw, Rhino Co-ordinator for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) told News24.

The park is trying to raise funds to buy four additional aeroplanes to conduct anti-poaching activities.