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

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

Malaysia to restrict trade in big-eyed sugar gliders

Sugar Glider courtesy of Pxleyes.com

Malaysia will tighten controls on the trade in sugar gliders, a big-eyed gliding possum increasingly popular in the pet trade in Southeast Asia and the United States, according to the country's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

As reported by TRAFFIC, Perhilitan’s Deputy Director Zaaba Zainol Abidin said his agency will move to protect sugar gliders under Malaysia's Wildlife Conservation Act. Currently sugar gliders are subject to quotas in Malaysia, but the 225 annual harvest limit appears to be grossly exceeded.

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, applauded the announcement.

"TRAFFIC welcomes this proactive move by Perhilitan to control the trade in Sugar Gliders," said Chris R. Shepherd, Deputy Regional Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, in a statement.

"We support these efforts to provide better protection against illegal wildlife trade, which in many countries appears to continue with little interruption from the authorities. Current levels of trade in wild-caught Sugar Gliders not only indicate that quotas are being ignored, but also suggest trade may potentially be a serious threat to this species."

Sugar gliders, a type of marsupial, live in the rainforests of eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Most animals available in the pet trade in Malaysia are trafficked from Indonesia. Only a small number are believed to originate from captive breeding facilities in Indonesia.

Source: mongabay.com