Pangolins: The most illegally trafficked mammals in Asia

Inside the illegal wildlife trade

Pangolins are trafficked by land and sea in Southeast Asia and China. As supplies dwindle in the region, pangolin is also being sourced from Africa, experts say. Source: Education for Nature Vietnam

Sources: TRAFFIC, South Africa and IUCN. Note: Rhino numbers are for South Africa only.

THE MOST TRAFFICKED MAMMAL YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF.. Read more

Three Chinese arrested for smuggling rhino horns

An endangered black rhino in Namibia

April 2014: Three Chinese nationals, found with 14 rhino horns and leopard skins hidden in their luggage, have been arrested as they tried to board a flight to Hong Kong from Namibia.

The horns had been wrapped in foil and plastic before being hidden in clothes. They were about to board a flight to Johannesburg with a connection onto Hong Kong as their final destination.

The three Chinese, Li Xiao Liang (30), Li Zhi Bing (53) and Pu Xu Nin (49), have been charged with possession of and export in controlled wildlife products.

“This is a very serious case and it is receiving the full attention of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism because these foreign nationals were found in illegal possession of products of animals which are protected in Namibia,” said Deputy commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi from the Namibian police.

Pu Xu Nin told the magistrate at the first hearing that he had no connection with the other two accused and had no wildlife products in his possession. The magistrate, Jermaine Muchali , told him that he would have to stay in custody while police continued with their investigations and until the future court case.

"This is shocking news and we are trying to establish the origin the rhino horn. There have been very few poaching cases reported in Namibia in the areas where we support the desert adapted black rhino so we are keen to find out more about the source," said David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation CEO, Sally Case.

Source: wildlifeextra.com

Man arrested for smuggling birds

40 White-Rumped Sharma birds which were found stuffed inside two plastic baskets. Picture: DESIREE TRESA GASPER Source: thestar 

JOHOR BARU: The state National Parks and Wildlife Department (Perhilitan) together with the enforcement team from Kuala Lumpur managed to confiscate 40 white-rumped shama birds and detained a man who trying to illegally smuggle or sell them.

State Perhilitan director Hasnan Yusop said that the man, in his 40's was nabbed at around 11.30pm along Jalan Terminal Larkin here on March 31.

"We had been following him for quite some time and finally took him in when we got concrete evidence suggesting that he was trying to smuggle the birds," he said when contacted on Tuesday.

Hasnan added that the white-rumped Shama was a favourite among bird enthusiasts as it had a beautiful singing voice and could be sold from between RM300 to RM7,000 each.

"The birds are however a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010," he said adding that during the raid, the 40 birds were found cooped up in two plastic baskets which were placed in the car's boot. Read more..

With Malaysia’s authorities, notorious ‘Lizard King’ a shocking blank (VIDEO)

Anson Wong gets physical when 101 East Presenter, Steve Chao asks him whether he continues to trade in threatened and endangered animals. — Pictures courtesy of Al Jazeera

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — His wildlife smuggling earned him the title “Lizard King” and led wildlife groups to dub him “public enemy number one”, but the name Anson Wong drew a blank with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel, according to an Al Jazeera reporter on the trail of the convicted smuggler’s comeback.

Steve Chao, a presenter on the “101 East” programme with the international news channel, alleged that Wong continues to operate openly in Penang and holds wildlife trading permits, despite authorities purportedly revoking Wong’s and his family’s permits in 2010, after he was convicted of smuggling endangered snakes.

“Despite being from Penang, he’s never heard of the ‘Lizard King’, which, to us, is quite shocking,” Chao told The Malay Mail Online yesterday in a phone interview, referring to Wong with his popular moniker.

He added that the minister appeared in the dark over sanctions supposedly imposed on Wong’s trade following his conviction.

“We spoke to the natural resources minister, Palanivel. In 2010, when Perhilitan (Department of Wildlife and National Parks) decided that Anson Wong should be stripped of all permits for wildlife, and companies related to wildlife, he said that the decision should be standing today. But according to the paper trail, it is not,” he added.

Far from being kept away from the trade, Chao alleged that the wildlife dealer instead kept exotic animals such rare tortoises, wild cats from North Africa, albino pythons, white and yellow snakes, deadly vipers, and chameleons in stash houses in Penang.

- See more at: themalaymailonline.com

Man tries to smuggle turtle onto plane by hiding it in a hamburger

Passenger said he only wanted to travel together with his 'beloved' pet

Turtles and burgers usually don't go together - except when they do. Photo: "Turtle Burger" by flickr user 'flaunted'

A man tried to smuggle his pet turtle through security in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport by hiding it in a KFC hamburger.

The incident occurred on the morning of July 29, when a man, surnamed Li, was about to board China Southern Airlines flight 345 to Beijing, Guangzhou Daily reported. As Li passed through airport security, X-ray screening machines detected a few “odd protrusions” sticking out of a KFC burger that the man had packed in his bag.

Airport staff determined that the protrusions looked suspiciously like turtle limbs, and asked to inspect Li’s luggage.

“There’s no turtle in there, just a hamburger,” Li reportedly insisted. “There’s nothing special to see inside.”

Read more ..

Source: scmp.com