Home & Latest Newshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008-05-01T14:36:39ZSquarespaceReport launchSmuggling to EuropeMammals - apeshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/5/1/monkey-business-threatens-macaques.htmlTRAFFIC2008-05-01T14:03:55Z2008-05-01T14:03:55Z

Immediate action is required to stop the poaching of Barbary Macaques in North Africa for the illegal pet trade to Europe Click photo to enlarge  ©Michel Gunther / WWF-CanonCambridge, UK, 1 May 2008—The Barbary Macaque Macaca sylvanus is declining because of habitat loss and demand for the illegal pet trade, according to a paper published in the latest issue of the TRAFFIC Bulletin, the only scientific journal to focus on wildlife trade issues.

The illegal macaque trade became apparent in the late 1990s, after zoological parks and sanctuaries in Europe noticed a significant increase in numbers of Barbary Macaques offered to zoos by ex-owners or seized by law enforcement authorities, mainly in France, Belgium, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. The trade in Barbary Macaques is illegal in Morocco without a permit, although the laws are poorly enforced. The EU has suspended imports of wild macaques since 2000.]]>

Conservation awarenessCITEShttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/4/28/brunei-darussalam-hosts-wildlife-trade-workshop.htmlTRAFFIC2008-04-28T23:01:00Z2008-04-28T23:01:00Z

A wildlife trade workshop takes place in Brunei Darussalam this week, home to commercially important wildlife species, like the Hill Mynah. © Gernof Baurle  Click photo to enlargeBandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, 29 April 2008—The Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry & Primary Resources, this week hosts Brunei Darussalam’s first Wildlife Trade Regulation training workshop as part of the country’s commitment to tackle organized poaching and trafficking of wild animals and plants in Southeast Asia.

Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Hamid bin Haji Mohd Jaafar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, during his opening address, said that the workshop was relevant to the policies of the Government of Brunei Darussalam relating to the conservation of biodiversity, industry and sustainable use.]]>

EnforcementSmuggling in AsiaReport launchHerpetologicalSmuggling to Asiahttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/4/24/bangkok-market-a-hub-for-illegal-international-trade-in-fres.htmlTRAFFIC2008-04-24T23:01:00Z2008-04-24T23:01:00Z

Radiated Tortoise Astrochelys radiata was the most numerous species observed during TRAFFIC's surveys in Chatuchak Market. The species is listed in Appendix I of CITES, yet is readily available and openly sold in Thailand. © Chris R. Shepherd TRAFFIC Southeast Asia  Click photo to enlargeKuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 25 April 2008—Thailand is a major hub for the international trade in illegal freshwater turtles and tortoises, finds a new report, Pet freshwater turtle and tortoise trade in Chatuchak Market, Bangkok, Thailand, launched today by TRAFFIC, the wildlife monitoring network, a joint programme of WWF and IUCN.

Surveys of Chatuchak Market (also known as the JJ or Weekend Market) by TRAFFIC investigators found that 25 out of 27 freshwater turtle and tortoise species for sale were non-native, the vast majority of them illegally imported into the country.

“Dealers stated openly that many specimens were smuggled into and out of Thailand,” said Chris R. Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. “They even offered potential buyers advice on how to smuggle reptiles through customs and onto aeroplanes.”]]>

Forestry - timber tradeConservation awarenesshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/4/10/ngo-alliance-to-tackle-illegal-logging.htmlTRAFFIC2008-04-10T13:16:33Z2008-04-10T13:16:33Z

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai is presented with TRAFFIC's Tanzanian logging report at the launch of the anti-corruption Mama Misitu campaign. (Left) Blandina Nyoni, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism Click photo to enlarge  © Mwanzo MillingaDar es Salaam, Tanzania, 10 April 2008—Seventeen non-governmental organisations today signed a milestone agreement to launch the Mama Misitu campaign, aimed at tackling corruption and mismanagement in Tanzania’s forestry sector.

Professor Wangari Maathai, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace, formally launched the campaign in Dar es Salaam.

Mama Misitu was initiated following the release of TRAFFIC’s seminal report into the forestry sector in Tanzania last May, which provided evidence that illegal logging and weak forest governance was costing Tanzania billions of shillings in lost revenue each year as well as threatening some of the nation’s unique biodiversity.

Losses of up to USD58 million were estimated in 2005 alone—the equivalent of building 1,933 primary schools—and a culture of corruption has plagued the natural resources sector made worse by low awareness at many levels of the relevant legal and policy tools.]]>

Conservation awarenessPlants - medicinal and aromatichttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/4/7/traffic-india-promotes-issc-map-at-international-summit.htmlTRAFFIC2008-04-07T15:29:29Z2008-04-07T15:29:29Z

TRAFFIC India staff met visitors and provided detailed information about ISSC-MAP and its implementation in India and elsewhere Click photo to enlarge  New Delhi, India—TRAFFIC India, supported by WWF-India, helped promote the International Standard for Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP) at an International Summit on Medicinal and Aromatic Products and Spices organized by ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) in New Delhi, India, from 4–6 April 2008.

The Summit brought together cultivators, traders and manufacturers of medicinal and aromatic plants and spices to showcase continental, regional and local competence in this field and to promote worldwide the upcoming business of herbals and spices. Principal guest was Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi, Honourable Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.]]>

EnforcementConservation awarenessSmuggling in AsiaWild meathttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/4/4/hotline-tip-leads-to-bust-by-wildlife-crime-unit.htmlTRAFFIC2008-04-04T07:31:32Z2008-04-04T07:31:32Z

Porcupine and other animal parts were seized after a raid following a tip-off to a new telephone Tiger Crime Hotline in Malaysia   Click photo to enlargeKuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 31 March 2008—Acting on a tip-off to the Tiger Crime Hotline, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks’ (DWNP) Wildlife Crime Unit raided a house in Gombak, Selangor, on 28 March, and seized frozen meat and skins of species including Barking Deer, Mousedeer and Malayan Porcupine.

A man was arrested on suspicion of violating the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972 and possible firearm-related laws after the wildlife products and an apparent homemade shotgun, ammunition and a whistling device to attract deer were also found during the raid. He was handed over to Police.]]>

EnforcementSmuggling in AsiaHerpetologicalhttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/3/30/royal-thai-police-raid-bangkok-wildlife-market.htmlTRAFFIC2008-03-30T17:31:59Z2008-03-30T17:31:59Z

Ploughshare Tortoises are severely threatened by illegal trade, but appear to be increasingly available in the Southeast Asian pet trade, like this individual seized in Malaysia. Authorities are urged to take serious action against anyone trading in this species. © Chris R. Shepherd/TRAFFIC Southeast Asia  Click photo to enlargeKuala Lumpur, Malaysia—The Royal Thai Police have seized 14 Slow Loris, an otter, 96 birds (including 24 owls), several tortoises and marine products (including 480 hard corals, 187 soft corals, 22 sea fans and 22 Giant Clams) during a raid on  Chatuchak market, popularly known as JJ Market, the largest wildlife market in Bangkok.

The raid on 22 March targeted dealers selling wildlife in contravention of Thailand's Wild Animals Reservation and Protection Act 1992, or in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  

The seized tortoises included 18 Radiated and 3 Ploughshare Tortoises from Madagascar (both listed in CITES Appendix I, meaning international trade in these species is banned).]]>

EnforcementConservation awarenesshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/3/20/police-on-course-to-tackle-wildlife-crime.htmlTRAFFIC2008-03-20T00:01:00Z2008-03-20T00:01:00Z

Police officers across Asia have received practical training in tackling wildlife crime Click photo to enlargeCambridge, UK—Indonesian National Police (INP) have undertaken special training in how to detect and arrest the organized criminal syndicates looting Indonesia’s forests.

Police officers joined Forestry and Customs officers on intensive Wildlife Crime Investigation and Wildlife Trade Regulation Courses to learn about topics including surveillance, criminal profiling and interviewing suspects, effective raid and arrest procedures, wildlife smuggling routes, and regulations relating to wildlife trade.]]>

EnforcementSmuggling in AsiaMammals - pangolinshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/3/17/23-tonnes-of-pangolins-seized-in-a-week.htmlTRAFFIC2008-03-17T10:26:57Z2008-03-17T10:26:57Z

The seizure of 23 tonnes of pangolins in a week by enforcement officers in Viet Nam highlights the scale of the illegal trade in these animals between Southeast Asia and China © Viet Nam Customs  Click photo to enlarge  Cambridge, UK, 17 March 2008—On 6 March, Customs inspectors and enforcement officers seized more than 16 tonnes of pangolins at the port of Hai Phong, 100 km east of Hanoi, Viet Nam. It is the largest seizure of pangolins, or scaly anteaters, ever in Viet Nam.

According to the Deutsche Press Agency, the pangolins were hidden in two shipping containers en route from Indonesia to China.

One week earlier, on 29 February, around 7 tonnes of pangolin carcases and scales were seized by customs at Hai Phong. On that occasion, at least 2,460 pangolin carcases and 900 kg of scales were recovered.

Both shipments originated in Indonesia, where pangolins are completely protected by Indonesia’s national law. ]]>

Conservation awarenessMammals - rhinoshttp://www.traffic.org/home/2008/3/14/call-for-rhino-programme-to-be-extended.htmlTRAFFIC2008-03-14T09:19:44Z2008-03-14T09:19:44Z

CITES has been key to the recovery of rhino populations in parts of Africa, but increased organized poaching is an ongoing concern © WWF-Canon / Martin Harvey  Click photo to enlarge  Cambridge, UK—Numbers of African rhinos have recovered spectacularly in parts of Africa, and there are calls for the successes to be repeated elsewhere.

The calls come as government, wildlife, eco-tourism and community representatives from across southern Africa meet on the tenth anniversary of WWF’s African Rhino Programme.

At the time of its formation, there were 8,466 White Rhinos and 2,599 Black Rhinos in the wild. Today, the figures are 14,500 and 4,000 respectively.

The Programme currently operates in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, but is seeking to extend its operations to more of Africa. Work on rhino trade issues conducted by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, forms part of the WWF African Rhino Programme.]]>