Airlines ban the transport of hunting trophies

[Toko]

Minister Edna Molewa welcomes SAA cargo decision to lift the ban on its embargo on the transport of hunting trophies
23 July 2015



The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mrs. Edna Molewa has welcomed the lifting of an embargo by the cargo division of South Africa’s national carrier, SAA, on the transport of legally acquired hunting trophies of African lion, African elephant, rhinoceros and tiger.

The embargo had not included other wild animals not mentioned on a global list of endangered species.

The decision by SAA Cargo to lift the two month-long temporary embargo is the result of the national carrier being satisfied that sufficient measures are in place by the Department of Environmental Affairs to prevent the illegal transportation of illegally acquired wildlife specimens in general, and illegally acquired hunting trophies in particular.

The decision by certain airlines and cargo handlers to issue a ban on the transportation of hunting trophies incorrectly failed to distinguish between the trade in and transportation of legally acquired wildlife specimens, and the illegal trade in wildlife specimens.

The decision to lift the embargo was reached following extensive engagement between the Department and SAA since the embargo was announced on 20 April 2015.

During the past six years, the Department put in place a variety of measures to eradicate illegal exploitation and trade in endangered species and their products.

This has included the deployment of Environmental Management Inspectors (EMI’s), commonly known as the Green Scorpions, at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) since 1 April 2015.

This deployment has now been fully operationalized.

EMIs deployed at ORTIA will ensure compliance with, and will undertake enforcement action related to, the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) and its Regulations.

The EMIs are also tasked with ensuring that Regulations relating to the Convention on the International Trade in Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) are monitored and enforced.

Since the announcement of the embargo, the Green Scorpions have been working closely with other law enforcement agencies by conducting joint proactive compliance and enforcement operations at the ORTIA.

The Department has also conducted training sessions with SAA Cargo officers focusing on the illicit wildlife trade and the detection of illegal consignments.

As part of joint operations between law enforcement agencies, airlines and cargo handlers going forward, to prevent the circumstances that gave rise to the embargo being undertaken, the DEA has undertaken to, inter alia:

(i) Ensure that physical inspections at ORTIA are conducted on a daily basis to monitor compliance with NEMBA and its regulations.

(ii) Ensure that CITES export and re-export permits are endorsed only after physical inspection of consignments.

(iii) Ensure that the abovementioned CITES permits are cancelled after use.

(iv) Ensure that enforcement action is taken in cases of detected non-compliance with NEMBA and its regulations, CITES and TOPS regulations.

(v) Work in collaboration with other agencies such as Customs, SAPS, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Department of Health and the Department of Home Affairs, to proactively detect illegal consignments.

(vi) Facilitate the further training of airline officers and cargo handlers, ACSA employees and other operators in the handling of wildlife consignments and the detection of suspicious cargo.

(vii) Develop protocols for communication between the Green Scorpions, SAA Cargo and other operators to ensure the sharing of critical information and to enable quick reaction time when needed.

Importantly, the DEA will step up communications with exporters and importers, to ensure that they notify the Department timeously of their intention to freight consignments, in order to arrange for physical inspections.

The Department has endeavoured to ensure that loopholes that may have existed in the current regulations enabling the illegal transportation of wildlife through South African ports, have now been closed.

“It should be remembered that hundreds of legally acquired wildlife specimens, such as hunting trophies, pass through our main ports of entry and exit monthly without incident, penalizing an entire industry for the illegal actions of the few is not in the country’s best interests, “ says Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa.

Molewa added that the sustainable utilisation of species, including legal hunting, has historically played a significant role in the growth of populations of species, including lion, elephant and rhino.

The legal, well-regulated hunting industry in South Africa is valued at around R 6.2b a year and is a source of much needed foreign exchange, job creation, community development and social upliftment.

The Department will continue to engage other airlines and shipping companies who have put embargoes in place on the transport of legally obtained hunting trophies from Africa.

The Department commends the positive step taken by SAA Cargo to lift the embargo on hunting trophies – and encourages other airlines and shipping companies who still have embargoes in place, to reconsider their positions.

The Department values the cooperation of our airline partners and stakeholders and looks forward to a mutually beneficial future relationship of ridding the industry of unscrupulous operators and illegal activities.

For further information contact:

Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871

https://www.environment.gov.za/mediarel ... godecision

[Lisbeth]

If not all the carriers keeps the embargo, it will not have the desired effect

[Flutterby]

United joins Delta banning big-game trophies after Cecil killing

August 4, 2015 by Mary Schlangenstein

United Airlines joined Delta Air Lines in banning big-game trophies as freight after the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe triggered mounting global outrage.
"We felt it made sense to do so," Charles Hobart, a United spokesman, said on Monday in disclosing the carrier's decision to prohibit transportation of elephants, rhinoceroses, leopards and water buffalo as well as lions. Hours earlier, Delta announced its new policy covering the same five animals.
The carriers spotlighted the mundane logistics that follow a visiting hunter's bagging of African wildlife: getting the head, horns or hide back home.
Airlines already faced animal-rights groups' pressure to reject such cargo even before last month's killing of Cecil, 13, a star attraction for tourists at Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park.

Neither United nor Delta referred to Cecil, who allegedly was lured out of the Hwange park. Zimbabwe wildlife authorities suspended hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in some areas near the park this weekend amid conflicting reports on whether poachers had killed another lion, possibly Cecil's brother.
"Prior to this ban, Delta's strict acceptance policy called for absolute compliance with all government regulations regarding protected species," the Atlanta-based airline said. "Delta will also review acceptance policies of other hunting trophies with appropriate government agencies and other organisations supporting legal shipments."

Africa routes
Morgan Durrant, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Delta, declined to comment beyond the statement, and United's Hobart had no comment beyond confirming the new policy.
Delta is the biggest US carrier to Africa, while United, a unit of United Continental Holdings, serves only one destination on the continent - Lagos, Nigeria. American Airlines Group, which doesn't fly to Africa, had no immediate comment regarding its trophies-as-freight stance.

South African Airways moved in April to halt the carriage of legally acquired hunting trophies of lions, elephants, rhinoceros and tigers, then ended its embargo in July once it concluded that it had safeguards to stop illegal shipments, the country's Department of Environmental Affairs said.

Weeks after South African Airways' initial action, Emirates airline agreed in May to stop carrying any wildlife trophies, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. A message left for comment with the airline's US offices wasn't immediately returned.

"No airline should provide a get-away vehicle for the theft of Africa's wildlife," Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the US, said in a statement.

Zimbabwe has requested the extradition of Walter Palmer, the Minnesota dentist who shot Cecil. Professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst, who assisted in stalking the animal, has appeared in court in the country.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service said it's investigating the incident. Animal-rights groups have called for a ban on trophy hunting, and Palmer has received death threats through social media and has closed his dental practice, at least temporarily. Palmer told the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper in a statement that he thought the hunt was legal.

[Lisbeth]

"No airline should provide a get-away vehicle for the theft of Africa's wildlife," Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer of the Humane Society of the US, said in a statement.

Especially an African Company

[Lisbeth]

262 kilos of tusks were confiscated at the airport of Zurich. The ivory was in 8 suitcases belonging to 3 Chinese citizens.

[Richprins]

The US airlines are simply getting onto the Social Media bandwagon regarding this endless Cecil story. PR.

I'm going to look for some pics of Old Male Lions dying a "peaceful natural death"...which is what the bunnyhuggers seem to imagine what happens.

And some pics of starving families resulting from the closure of hunting concerns as these legitimate enterprises get caught up in this bored PC keyboard warrior witchunt.

[nan]

262 kilos of tusks were confiscated at the airport of Zurich. The ivory was in 8 suitcases belonging to 3 Chinese citizens.

well done

[Flutterby]

I'm going to look for some pics of Old Male Lions dying a "peaceful natural death"...which is what the bunnyhuggers seem to imagine what happens.

RP, someone on FB made this same argument. According to this logic we should allow hunters into all our parks and let them shoot all the lions nearing the end of their lives to save them from an inhumane death!!

[Flutterby]

Air Canada bans shipment of animal trophies worldwide

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Tuesday, August 4, 2015 12:47PM EDT

Air Canada airlines has banned the shipment of animal trophies on worldwide flights.

Air Canada representative Peter Fitzpatrick said Tuesday that the decision is effective immediately. He added that any shipments of lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and water buffalo trophies would be refused.
Fitzpatrick said it should be noted that the "shipment of such trophies has been extremely rare as Air Canada does not operate flights to Africa."

Fitzpatrick said Air Canada has a long-standing policy to protect endangered wildlife in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Air Canada's statement came after three major U.S. airlines announced they were also banning the shipment of hunting trophies.
Delta Air Lines was the first to announce it would be banning the shipment of animal trophies on Monday, followed by American Airlines and United Airlines soon after.
The move happened after an American dentist killed a famous African lion named Cecil last month. The allegedly illegal killing prompted outrage from animal conservationists and drew international attention.
Zimbabwean authorities are seeking the extradition of Walter James Palmer, stating the Minnesota dentist lured the lion off a protective area and shot it with a crossbow.
Other airlines that brought in a similar ban earlier this year include Emirates, Lufthansa and British Airways.

[Flutterby]

British Airways and Virgin pledge NEVER to carry big game trophies in wake of Cecil

By TOM BATCHELOR
PUBLISHED: 10:00, Tue, Aug 4, 2015

BRITISH AIRWAYS and Virgin Atlantic have joined American Airlines, Delta and United in pledging not to carry big-game trophies on flights, in the wake of the killing of the famous Zimbabwean lion Cecil.

The UK-based airline giants said they had never carried hunting kills despite operating flights to destinations across Africa and the Far East.

National flag carrier BA said it operated a "total ban on any form of hunting trophy" while Sir Richard Branson's airline insisted it had never carried slaughtered big game in its cargo.

Both airlines spoke out as three US airlines vowed to end the shipment of lion, rhinoceros, leopard, elephant or buffalo remains.

Without giving official reasons for the newly imposed ban, Delta said the decision to stop carrying trophies was "effective immediately".

The company said in a brief statement: "Effective immediately, Delta will officially ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies worldwide as freight."

As recently as May, the company said it would continue to allow such shipments.

At the time, it released a statement saying the firm accepted hunting trophies "in accordance with all US domestic and international regulations, which prohibits the possession of trophies or other items associated with protected species".

But, after tens of thousands of people signed an online petition aimed at the airline, which flies direct to a number of African cities, it said it was ending the transportation of slaughtered animal cargo altogether.

The firm joins a growing number of international airlines ruling out carrying the controversial cargo.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, BA said it had never carried hunting trophies from endangered species.

A spokeswoman said: "We have always adhered to the rules set out by the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) treaty which puts in place safeguards for hundreds of species.

"In addition we have a total ban on any form of hunting trophy."


And Virgin Atlantic called for an "industry-wide agreement" to prevent such shipments.

A spokesperson added: "As part of our ethical cargo policy we adopted a number of years ago, we do not carry certain cargoes including hunting trophies, endangered species, shark fins and any animals for research purposes."

Budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair do not carry cargo on their flights.

The announcement came as a group of airlines including Air France, KLM, Iberia, IAG Cargo, Singapore Airlines and Qantas signalled last week they would ban the transport of trophy-hunting kills.

In May, South African Airways, Africa's largest airline, decided to ban rhino, elephant, lion, and tiger trophies from its flights.

It was joined shortly afterwards by Lufthansa and Emirates.

The move by three of America's largest airlines sends a clear signal to its customers - despite around 15,000 American tourists visiting Africa on hunting safaris every year, making up the bulk of non-African hunters.

The killing of Cecil by American dentist Walter Palmer last month sparked international outrage.

The lion was famous in Zimbabwe and had allegedly been lured out of a protected zone when he was shot and killed.

Zimbabwe has called for the extradition of Mr Palmer, who is accused of not having a license when he slaughtered the rare black-maned lion that was a familiar sight at Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park.

The 13-year-old lion was fitted with a GPS collar as part of an Oxford University study.

Mr Palmer's whereabouts remain unknown - although he has contacted the US Fish and Wildlife Service after their launched an invesitgation into his actions.

He claims not to have known that Cecil was a famous line and says he did not realise Cecil was off reservation at the time of the killing.