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

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.

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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.”

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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.

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