Counter Poaching: African Elephants

Discussion on Elephant Management and poaching topics
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Richprins
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Re: Counter Poaching: African Elephants

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On 23 December, 5.2kg of ivory valued at over R16 000 was found concealed in the engine compartment of a bus crossing into South Africa from Zimbabwe.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... r-20141229


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Re: Counter Poaching: African Elephants

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PRESS RELEASE CITES: China and CITES Secretariat to tackle the demand for illegal ivory

Groundbreaking expert workshop being held in Hangzhou to address the speculative nature of the demand for illegal ivory in China

Hangzhou, China, 28 January 2015 – Some 80 representatives from national wildlife and other relevant authorities from China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Commission, and international organizations, including UNDP, UNEP, UNODC and the World Bank, as well as the private sector and non-governmental organizations, experts and specialists from many disciplines, including from the collection and art investment circles, gathered together today for a two-day workshop to discuss demand-side strategies for curbing illegal ivory trade in China. The workshop is co-organized by the Chinese Government and the CITES Secretariat.

Rio+20 – the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development – held in 2012 called for strengthened actions to be taken on both the supply and demand sides to combat international trafficking in wildlife. Addressing the issue of demand for illegally traded ivory requires a better understanding of the nature of the demand, the main economic and social factors driving the demand, and an action-oriented approach that focuses on concrete solutions.

The workshop in Hangzhou aims at better understanding the markets, the motivations and the economics of the demand for illegal ivory, identifying the main stakeholders and investors and raising their awareness of the negative consequences of ivory speculation, including the financial loss and penalties ivory smugglers, sellers and buyers are exposing themselves to, and the devastating impacts these investments are having on elephants and people.

Commenting on the workshop, Mr John E. Scanlon, the CITES Secretary-General who is attending the workshop, said: “Well-targeted demand-based interventions are needed to complement the significant enforcement efforts underway across source, transit and destination States. Awareness campaigns to reduce the size of the illegal markets have not yet specifically targeted the speculative nature of the demand for high volumes of illegal ivory in black markets. This groundbreaking workshop addresses targeted demand side strategies as is part of the strong ongoing efforts by the Government of China to curb illegal trade in ivory.”

Elephant populations across Africa are continuing to be seriously affected by poaching and in some places they have declined dramatically due to poaching, which is currently the most immediate human impact on this iconic species. The illegal trade in elephant ivory is putting illicitly gained profits into the hands of poachers, illegal traders and speculators at the expense of ecosystems and the services they provide, while also undermining the rule of law, local and national economies and in some cases national and regional security.

"The Government of China welcomes the opportunity to co-organize this very important event with the CITES Secretariat and we believe it is a major step forward in addressing the demand for illegal ivory. The Government of China has zero tolerance in illegal trade in ivory and has put great efforts in cracking down on smuggling as well as illegal trade within China. China has played a leading role in cross-continent wildlife enforcement including Operation Cobra. We are also determined to reduce the demand for illegal ivory through well targeted campaigns in cooperation with the CITES Secretariat and other partners", stated Vice Administrator Liu Dongsheng of the State Forestry Administration of China.

“Buying illegal ivory has become a highly risky and unwise investment, that will inevitably lead to great financial and personal grief for those involved. At the very beginning of a new year, we hope that the messages being conveyed through this workshop in Hangzhou are heard loud and clear by anyone who is investing or planning to invest in illegally sourced elephant ivory”, said the CITES Secretary-General in his opening remarks at the workshop.

See also CITES Secretary-General's opening remarks at the workshop.

Note to Editors: For more information, contact Juan Carlos Vasquez at +4179-552 27 32 (mobile), or juan.vasquez@cites.org
About CITES

With 180 Member States, CITES remains one of the world's most powerful tools for biodiversity conservation through the regulation of trade in wild fauna and flora.

CITES regulates international trade in over 35,000 species of plants and animals, including their parts and products, ensuring their survival in the wild, with benefits for the livelihoods of local people and the global environment. The CITES permit system seeks to ensure that international trade in listed species is sustainable, legal and traceable.

CITES was signed in Washington D.C. on 3 March 1973. The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 3 March as World Wildlife Day. CITES was adopted in Washington D.C. on 3 March 1973. The 40th anniversary of the Convention will be celebrated in March 2013 which coincides with the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 to 14 March 2013.


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Re: Counter Poaching: African Elephants

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Hong Kong bans import and export of ivory in 'historic' move against elephant poachers

By Paul Wright
January 13, 2016 18:25 GMT 4

Hong Kong has been a major hub for the world's ivory tradeThomas Mukoya/Reuters file photo

Hong Kong is to ban the import and export of ivory in a move hailed by animal welfare activists as "historic". The city's leader, Leung Chun-ying, told lawmakers of his determination to crack down on the ivory trade "as soon as possible".

The Chinese city has the world's largest retail market for elephant ivory, with tusks used in traditional medicine and to make ornaments. Mainland Chinese visitors are the main purchasers with ivory smuggled across the Hong Kong border.
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In his annual policy address on 13 January, chief executive Chun-ying said: "The government is very concerned about the illegal poaching of elephants in Africa. It will kickstart legislative procedures as soon as possible to ban the import and export of elephant hunting trophies." He added the government would also look to impose "heavier penalties" on illegal trading of endangered species.

The announcement was welcomed by animal rights groups who urged Hong Kong lawmakers to set a deadline for the new policy pledge. Alex Hofford, from conservation group WildAid, told AFP: "We are delighted that the Hong Kong government has finally announced that they will start to phase out the local ivory trade. We're now urging the chief executive to set a timeline and follow through with concrete action as soon as possible."
Prince William calls for end to 'barbaric' hunting of elephants and rhino in AfricaIBTimes UK

Gavin Edwards, conservation director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Hong Kong, added: "The chief executive's decision represents a significant step toward the end of Hong Kong's ivory trade and a major milestone for elephant conservation. It is no longer a question of if a ban is needed – we can focus on when and how to end Hong Kong's ivory trade."

It comes after repeated condemnation by animal welfare groups of the poaching of elephants and rhino in Africa for ivory, culminating in a call by Prince William for the world to end the "barbaric" practice in 2015.

President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama recently agreed to end commercial ivory sales in China and the United States. The announcement, in September 2015, marked the first public commitment by President Xi to end ivory sales in his country.

A 2015 report by Kenya-based conservation group Save the Elephants said the Hong Kong ivory market had encouraged the killing of elephant herds, with jewellery the most common type of end product.

Peter Knights, of WildAid, described today's announcement as a "historic step", adding: "History has shown that legal ivory sales only serve to provide a cover for illegal trade, which fuels the rampant poaching we see across Africa. Hong Kong has always been the epicentre of that trade."

Knights added the end of the trade "may be in sight" with prices falling in China. According to figures quoted by AFP, 242 tonnes of ivory were sold in Hong Kong between 1990 and 2008, an average of around 13 tonnes a year. Since 2010, recorded sales have dropped to just one tonne a year.

Numbering three to five million in the last century, African elephant populations have been severely reduced to its current level of 470,000 due to hunting. In the 1980s, an estimated 100,000 elephants were killed each year and up to 80% of herds were lost in some regions, according to the WWF.
ivory
The ivory trade has been fueled by demand from Chinese marketsReuters

China accounts for 70% of world demand for ivory, according to wildlife NGOs. Every year around 30,000 elephants are killed in Africa for their tusks, primarily to satisfy the demand for ivory products in Asia. The international trade in elephant ivory, with some exceptions, was outlawed in 1989.


http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/hong-kong-bans ... rs-1537793


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