TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature

Latest News from the TRAFFIC Network  en Français

Thursday
07Jan2010

India launches Tigernet

The Tigernet website will collate information on Tiger mortalities across India Click on image or caption to visit Tigernet   Delhi, India, 7 January 2009—A website launched this week by Mr Jairam Ramesh, Hon. Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Environment and Forests will give Tiger reserve directors and chief wildlife wardens in India the ability to key-in crucial information about Tiger deaths, poaching and seizures.

The Tigernet website, at www.tigernet.nic.in, will be the first consolidated database on mortality and poaching related to Tigers and other protected species within Tiger reserves.

Click to read more ...

DateThursday, January 7, 2010 at 18:40 |
Tuesday
05Jan2010

Pangolins still high on the wanted list

Enforcement officers in Malaysia with seized Pangolins; the noughties saw rising illicit trade in pangolins across Asia Click photo to enlarge © TRAFFIC   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 5 January 2010—Illegal harvesting and trade in pangolins (scaly anteaters) escalated over the past decade, and the end of 2009 saw no reprieve, with a series of pangolin seizures in Southeast Asia, including the discovery of a 700 kg consignment of pangolin meat in Indonesia.

On 18 December, Malaysian Police arrested two men as they were loading 130 pangolins into modified compartments of two cars in a cemetery on the east coast town of Kuantan. News reports quoted Pahang State Wildlife Department director Khairiah Mohd Shariff saying that the smugglers had planned to take the pangolins to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, to be skinned, before being transported to Peninsular Malaysia’s southernmost State of Johor, for export. She said the two men arrested would be charged.

Click to read more ...

DateTuesday, January 5, 2010 at 10:55 |
Wednesday
23Dec2009

Red Sanders Red Alert

Tricks carrying Red Sanders seized in Nepal: smugglers are getting increasingly sophisticated at smuggling the valuable timber out of India Click photo to enlarge © Samir Sinha / TRAFFIC India   New Delhi, India, 23 December 2009—A series of seizures of Red Sanders, a valuable timber species native to southern India have taken place in the past 48 hours, and indications are that smugglers are getting increasingly more sophisticated in transporting the valuable timber out of India.

According to media reports, more than 50 tonnes of Red Sanders logs were seized on 22 December in Leh, in the far northern State of Jammu and Kashmir, where it was en route to China. One person has been arrested with more arrests expected.

Click to read more ...

DateWednesday, December 23, 2009 at 14:20 |
Wednesday
23Dec2009

New study highlights scale of international wildlife trade in Southeast Asia

More than 17 million CITES-listed reptiles, like these Southeast Asian Box Turtles and Black Marsh Turtles were exported from Southeast Asia over a ten year period, according to a paper to be published in Biodiversity and Conservation Click photo to enlarge © Sabine Schoppe/TRAFFIC   Oxford, UK 23 December 2009—More than 35 million animals listed in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) were exported from Southeast Asia between 1998 and 2007, according to a study published this week in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation.

The top animal groups traded were reptiles (17.4 million), seahorses (16 million), birds (1 million), mammals (0.4 million), butterflies (0.3 million) and fish (0.1 million). There were also more than 18 million pieces and 2 million kg of live corals exported.

More than 85% (30 million) of animals were wild-caught, with Malaysia, Viet Nam, Indonesia and China the major exporters of such animals (of around 300 species), and the European Union and Japan the most significant importers.

Click to read more ...

DateWednesday, December 23, 2009 at 9:48 |
Wednesday
16Dec2009

Call for tougher wildlife law gets the support of 56,000

A Tiger trapped in a poacher's snare in Belum-Temengor forest, northern Malaysia in October 2009; the animal later died of its injuries. A petition calls on the Government to strengthen measures to protect Malaysia's wildlife against poaching Click photo to enlarge © WWF Malaysia   Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 16 December 2009—The Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and WWF-Malaysia, urgently call for the tabling and adoption of amendments to the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972 (Act 76) at the next session of Parliament.

The campaign, which was carried out over one and a half years, calling for a stronger and more comprehensive wildlife law, has received the support of 56,062 people from 161 countries.

However, the legislation that is meant to defend wildlife against domestic threats like poaching fails to be a deterrent and continues to allow wildlife criminals to escape justice.

Click to read more ...

DateWednesday, December 16, 2009 at 9:48 |
Page 1 2 3 4 5 ... 49 Next 5 Entries ยป