World Tapir Day

Some interesting facts about World Tapir Day -

World Tapir Day has been established since 2008, to raise awareness about the four species of tapir that inhabit Central and South America and South-East Asia. Each of the four species is in decline and is threatened by human activity such as mining, deforestation, farming and hunting.

Tapirs play an important role in their ecosystems and are one of the oldest surviving genera in the animal kingdom, but despite their size, history and ecological importance, tapirs remain one of the least recognised species of animals. In comparison with other animals, tapirs feature little in the collective consciousness and are frequently misidentified by zoo visitors. Even in their home ranges, tapirs receive little attention, with exotic species featuring more prominently in zoos, children's books and the media.

The plight of tapirs is symbolic for the wider threat to their habitats specifically, and the world's ecology in general. The decline of tapir populations is indicative of the general health of their ranges - their disappearance from their home ranges often marks a point of 'no return' for the natural environment. The destruction of forests into small, isolated enclaves and the encroachment of human activity into pristine forests affects all native species. However, as the largest - yet one of the most secretive - of animals in their ranges, tapirs' disappearance is often not noticed until it is too late.

All tapirs are endangered species. Saving tapirs helps to save the rainforest. Saving rainforests helps to save the planet.

Sources: tapirday.org

Did you know that 'World Tapir Day' falls on the 27th of April every year? 

Do you know what a tapir is? What does it look like?

Pangolins: ‘The New Rhinos’

The Indian Pangolin:

Seized Pangolin scales

Few of us know about this animal called the pangolin, or scaly anteater, found in the tropical forests of Africa and Asia, including India. It’s an odd creature, donning an armour – not unlike a knight of the medieval ages. It has a very narrow, long tongue that extends over 15 inches, coated with a gluey substance to enable it to probe nests, mounds and suchlike for ants, termites, etc. that make for its unique insectivorous diet. The pangolin has impressive digging powers, can live deep underground, is a capable swimmer, yet may be found up a tree, as it’s an agile climber as well. In fact, India’s pioneering naturalist and officer of the Imperial Forestry Service FW Champion said of the pangolin, “this astonishing survivor of the past ages may well be the most remarkable animal found in the Indian jungles.” Pangolins are nocturnal, shy, and when threatened they curl up into a tight ball—which offers excellent protection, even from predators like lions and tigers.

But not from man.

An ugly truth about the pangolin is that currently it is the ‘hottest’ item in the illegal wildlife market, so much so that it is now considered the ‘new rhino’ – a species traditionally in demand and slaughtered ruthlessly for its horns, pushing one species of rhino (the Javan) in Asia to virtual extinction with less than 50 remaining in the wild. The Vietnamese subspecies of the Javan rhino has been pronounced extinct after the last rhino was found dead with its horn removed. In Africa too, the Western black rhinoceros is now extinct, while other rhino species are being massacred at unprecedented scales. The slaughter of the pangolin is on similar scale, only its plight has failed to grab headlines or attention. All eight sub-species of the pangolin, across their range in Asia and Africa are in trade, and in dramatic decline, including the Indian pangolin. 

Read more:

Source: conservationindia.org

New app to build awareness and information on illegal wildlife trade in South-East Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 9th April 2014—From bear paw soup to pangolin scales, people can now report suspected illegal wildlife trade in South-East Asia using a smartphone app developed by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia in partnership with TRAFFIC.

The ‘Wildlife Witness’ app enables users to report suspected illegal wildlife in trade in the region easily and quickly by taking a photo, pinning the exact location of an incident and sending these important details to TRAFFIC.

Reports by app users will be analysed by a Wildlife Crime Data Analyst and over time, the information will help build data and enrich understanding of illegal wildlife trade across the region, help prioritise response action and highlight areas in need of increased enforcement resources.

Wildlife Witness will also feature information on species threatened by trade, how they are often traded, as well as tips for reporting wildlife crime safely.

Its current focus is the South-East Asian region which serves as source, consumer and transit hub in both the legal and illegal trade of wildlife. 

It is hoped app users will include the growing number of tourists to South-East Asia as well as the region’s own smartphone users and over time will expand on what is known about illegal trade here.

“With just a few taps on their smartphones, users can do two important things—learn how their purchasing decisions influence the illegal trade that threatens wildlife and contribute reports that will help build a more informed picture of this threat,” said Chris R. Shepherd, TRAFFIC’s Regional Director-South-East Asia.

“Being aware, and ensuring you are not supporting the illegal trade in wildlife is essential if people are to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” he added.

“Wildlife Witness is the first global community action tool to tackle illegal wildlife trade. The app makes reporting these activities simple for both tourists and locals and will help give TRAFFIC the information they need to help address this global wildlife crisis,” said Taronga Community Conservation Manager, Dr Kira Husher.

The Wildlife Witness app was developed with funds from the Vodafone Foundation’s App Aid competition. The app has been developed for both iPhone and Android devices. 

Wildlife Witness is now free to download from the App Store. It is expected to be available for Android smartphones in the near future.

Download at: itunes.apple.com/us/app/wildlife-witness/id738897823?mt=8

Source: http://www.traffic.org

Jakarta Store Openly Trading in Protected Species

This handout photo taken on June 9, 2013 and released by Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program on June 10 shows a slow loris in a private zoo on the outskirts of Kandang, a town in Sumatra’s Aceh province, where animals are displayed for visitors and buyers. (AFP Photo/Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program/Paul Hilton)

Jakarta. The special crimes directorate of the National Police has closed down a business trading in endangered animal parts, arresting its owner.

“The person is the owner of the ‘Golden Shop’ in Jalan Pluit Timur Raya, North Jakarta, with the initials L.W.,” Sr. Comr. Alex Mandalika, the deputy director of the economic crimes unit, said on Friday. “He has been charged under the 1990 Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Law.”

L.W. faces up to five years in jail, but only a relatively modest maximum fine of Rp 100 million ($9,000). His store allegedly sold tigers’ teeth, shark fins, turtle shells and tobacco pipes made of ivory. Police confiscated several tigers’ teeth and 27 ivory pipes.

“They were sold expensively in rupiah and dollar denominations,” National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said. “The owner also had an online store at www.jakartagoldenkong.com.” Smuggling and trade in endangered animals is rampant in Indonesia and neighboring countries.

Last month, Philippines authorities said they seized nearly 100 exotic animals smuggled into the south of the country, the second such haul in just two weeks. A total of 93 animals from Indonesia and Australia were seized by maritime police in the waters off the island of Mindanao and included vulnerable and critically endangered species.

Among the creatures confiscated were 66 wild birds including a rare Pesquet’s parrot — found only in the New Guinea highlands — as well as assorted reptiles and mammals, including a long-beaked echidna, also native to New Guinea.

The seizure came just a week after wildlife officers, also in the southern Philippines, found almost 100 similar animals from Australia and Indonesia being transported by van to Manila.

In January, Aceh Police said they confiscated specimens of protected wildlife that had been preserved to be sold to collectors. In that case police arrested two people on charges of trading in protected animals.

The stuffed animals seized included two Sumatran tigers, a honey bear, a leopard, a hornbill, a clouded leopard, a muntjac or barking deer, antelopes and two golden cats.

At the time, the Aceh Police said investigators would move to expand the case. Based on information received from the suspects, the preserved animals were meant to be sold to a specific network of buyers of preserved animals. News of further arrests has, however, not been forthcoming.

Police officers said that stuffed Sumatran tigers sell for around Rp 80 million, while a clouded leopard is worth around Rp 20 million. Twice last year Jakarta Police raided warehouses of stuffed protected wildlife, including Sumatran tigers, leopards, deer and antelopes.

Source: thejakartaglobe.com

Wildlife trafficking app launched at Sydney's Taronga Zoo

App aims to crowdsource intelligence about the illegal wildlife trade by having users report and photograph suspicious activity

Taronga’s zoo’s sun bear, Mr Hobbs, was stolen as a cub and sold to a restaurant in Cambodia. He was rescued when an Australian businessman reported the restaurant to authorities. Photograph: Madeleine Smitham

Australian travellers in south-east Asia are being encouraged to report illegal wildlife trafficking using a new app. Wildlife Witness, launched on Wednesday at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, aims to crowdsource intelligence about the illegal wildlife trade by having users report and photograph suspicious activity and pin its general location on a public map.

More specific co-ordinates and a detailed report of the incident are passed onto the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC, for further analysis. Credible reports will be referred to local law enforcement.

“The illegal wildlife trade is now estimated to be worth just under $20bn a year, so it’s up there with the illegal arms trade and the illegal drug trade,” Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr said.

“The app makes reporting these activities simple for both tourists and locals, and will help give TRAFFIC the information they need to help address this global wildlife crisis.”   Read more...

Source:  theguardian.com

Anson Wong's wife case up for mention May 8

Photo source: TRAFFIC

BALIK PULAU: The magistrate's court fixed May 8 for mention in the case involving Cheah Bing Shee, the wife of notorious wildlife trafficker Anson Wong, for allegedly keeping five protected elongated tortoises without a special permit.

Magistrate Muhammad Najib Ismail fixed the date for the case which was mentioned in his court in the absence of Sessions Court judge Caroline Bee Majanil, who was away.

Cheah, who is also the manager of Rona Wildlife, along with the company and its director K. Muthukomar, had all been charged in December last year with keeping three protected male elongated tortoises and two protected female elongated tortoises.

They had claimed trial to committing the offences on a private premises at lot 157, Mukim 1, Pantai Acheh, Balik Pulau, about 1.30pm on Nov 24 last year.

The first offence, under Section 68(1)(a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, carries a maximum RM100,000 fine, three years' jail or both. The second offence, under Section 70(1) of the same Act, carries a maximum RM300,000 fine, maximum 10 years' jail or both.

During proceedings, Ramesh Raj, who appeared for Cheah, Muthukomar and the company, requested further documents from the prosecution. Deputy public prosecutor Charanjit Singh Mahinder Singh prosecuted.

The prosecution of the trio has come on the heels of a year-long investigation by Al Jazeera's Steve Chao into the illegal wildlife trade, with a focus on Wong and Cheah.

Titled Return of the Lizard King, the documentary by Chao on the network's 101 East, infiltrated Wong's network from Madagascar to Thailand, to Indonesia and to Malaysia, uncovering the trade in Radiated tortoises, which are the second most endangered species in Madagascar.

Dubbed the "Pablo Escobar of animal trafficking", Wong has been arrested twice by authorities, and did time behind bars in the US and Malaysia, totalling eight years.

In 1998, Wong was detained by US agents who had lured him to Mexico in an investigation lasting five years. He was later convicted for smuggling endangered species and sentenced to 71 months in jail.

After being released from US prison, Wong's continued involvement in smuggling was confirmed in 2010, when his bag broke open while in transit to Jakarta, revealing 95 boa constrictors.

Wong was later freed in February 2012 without serving the full sentence.

Source: New Straits Times

Women jailed after they tried to smuggle endangered iguanas through Heathrow Airport in socks

Two women have been jailed for attempting to smuggle 13 endangered iguanas through Heathrow Airport - by concealing them inside socks.

Romanian nationals Angla-Alina Bita, 26, and Vitora-Oliva Busca, 24, were arrested after Border Force officers carried out checks at Heathrow Terminal five on February 3. Isleworth Crown Court heard the pair arrived on a flight from the Bahamas and were due to fly on to Düsseldorf, Germany.

The iguanas were wrapped in individual socks and stuffed into a suitcase. One of the reptiles died during the journey.

They were found to be extremely dehydrated and have since been given specialist care by experts in the UK, with the aim to return them to their natural habitat in the Caribbean.

The creatures were later identified as San Salvador rock iguanas – a species so rare only a few are known to be in existence.

Source: Evening Standard - News

Read more ...

Exotic Animals for Sale Price List

Wildlife Trafficking

 ** Click to view value source

1. Illegal Wildlife Trade Value:                                                $19 Billion
• African Elephants Poached per Day :                  Nearly 100 per day
• Number of Rhinos Killed in 2013 :                                             1,004
• Price of Elephant Ivory :                                     $850 per kilo in Asia

• EXOTIC ANIMALS PRICE in U.S. DOLLARS

• Abalone:$52 per kilogram
• African Grey Parrot:$2,000
• Arowana Fish:$20,000
• Australian Lizard:$7,500
• Baby Elephant in Thailand:$7,000
• Bear - Complete :$4,500 in Taiwan
• Bear Bile:$200,000 per pound
• Bear Paws:$50 for set of 4
• Black Cockatoo:$31,000 in Australia
• Butterfly (Queen Alexandra):$8,195
• Chimpanzee (Live):$50
• Clouded Leopard:$5,700 in China
• Dog Meat:$29 in Vietnam
• Elephant:$28,200
• Elephant Tusk:$1,800 in Vietnam
• Frog Legs:$11 for a dozen pairs in France
• Geckos from New Zealand:$1,300 in Europe
• Geckos in the Philippines:$2,300
• Gila Monster:$1,500
• Gorillas:$400,000
• Iguanas:$10,600
• Ivory:$850 per kilo in Asia
• Ivory with Carvings:$3,000 per kilo
• Komodo Dragon:$30,000
• Leopard:$5,000
• Leopard Tortoise:$403
• Monkey in Europe:$123
• Monkey in Thailand:$55
• Orangutan:$45,000
• Owl:$250 in India
• Pangolin:$1,000
• Pangolin - Meat:$300 per kilogram
• Pangolin - Scales:$3,000 per kilogram
• Panther:$5,000
• Ploughshare Tortoise:$4,000
• Polar Bear Skin:$7,760 to $9,930
• Puppies trafficked from Ireland:$255 to $1,275 in the UK.
• Rhino Horn Dagger:$14,000
• Rhino Horns:$97,000 per kilogram
• Rhino Horns (Crushed for medicine powder):$10 in Vietnam
• Shark Fins:$100 per kilogram
• Sloths:$30 in Colombia
• Snake Venom:$215,175 per liter
• Snakes (Banded kraits):$2,190 in India
• Snow Leopard Pelt:$1,000 in Afghanistan
• Spotted Salamander:$103 on the Internet
• Tiger (Dead):$5,000
• Tiger (Live):$50,000
• Tiger - Baby:$3,200
• Tiger Bone:$2,000
• Tiger Bone Wine:$88
• Tiger Penis:$1,300
• Tiger Remains:$70,000 in China
• Tiger Skin:$35,000
• Tortoises:$10,000 in Madagascar
• Totoaba Fish - Bladder:$200,000 in China
• Turtle - Chinese Golden Coin:$20,000
• Turtle Eggs:$1 in Costa Rica

       Source:havocscope.com

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..