By Chris Mercer, Campaign Against Canned Hunting Why we need a bold new conservation paradigm if lions are to avoid extinction. I refer to the article on lions published in the Nature Conservation website here: “International law and lions (Panthera leo): understanding and improving the contribution of wildlife treaties to the …
Ivory Markets in Central Africa
“Ivory Markets in Central Africa,” TRAFFIC, September 2017 The introduction this TRAFFIC report highlights some key elements in the historical persecution of elephants for their tusks (and a detailed study of Central African regions with market surveys of trade in ivory). Of particular note, is the negative aspect trade …
Rhino Horn Trade Strategy
On the 23 to 25 August 2017, an online auction was held by John Hume, for 264 lots (approximately 500kg) of rhino horn from his private stockpile of some 6 tonnes. The online auction was not a great success apparently. The next Hume led ‘physical’ rhino horn auction is due …
’Captive’ Lions – DEA Fails to Answer Questions Fully
Campaign Against Canned Hunting Voice4Lions Petition: “Stop the exploitation of captive bred lions and the export of lion bones!“ Let’s start with a working definition of ‘science:’ “Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based …
Save Our Rhino – Open Letter to Minister Molewa
Banner Image Courtesy of Save Our Rhino Save Our Rhino has issued an ‘open letter’ (dated 13 August 2017), seeking clarity from Minister Molewa, Republic of South Africa, Department: Environmental Affairs (DEA). Indeed, we all look forward to the response from Minister Molewa. Questions about controlling domestic rhino horn trade …
Fluid interfaces between flows of rhino horn
Banner image courtesy of Born Free Foundation Interesting paper by Annette Hübschle* published 26 July 2017: “Fluid interfaces between flows of rhino horn,” GLOBAL CRIME, 2017 VOL. 18, NO. 3, 198–217 To really understand the incumbent, underlying blurring of ‘legal’ and illicit flows of rhino horn (“The existence of legal, grey and …
Rhino – Living and Dying by Numbers
As soon as a wildlife species becomes a commodity to be utilised, it’s all about the numbers – farmed and wild populations, market value, death rates and projections – the nonsensical demand curve, the eagerness to supply, the species’ likelihood of survival in the wild…….these ‘numbers’ become more stark when …
Xanda – Who is not telling the truth?
Photo Credit: Bert du Plessis of Fish Eagle Safaris Petitions: “Don’t allow Xanda to leave Zimbabwe as a trophy“ “Zimbabwe: Ban Hunting of Lions Immediately“ “Cecil’s Son Shot and Killed. End Trophy Hunting Now!“ “Cecil’s Law – To stop the import of wildlife trophies into the UK“ By Andrew Van …
Auctioning Rhino Horn
So, anyone with a “permit” (Note – it’s yet to be announced how one obtains said permit – ref FAQs) can participate in John Hume’s first planned rhino horn auction (Update: note the auction site was hacked, 11 August 2017, so may be down from time to time) on-line, 21 …
Grinding Rhino – Elephant Action League Investigation
Elephant Action League (EAL) July 2017, undercover investigation report “Grinding Rhino – Operation Red Cloud” (PDF), highlights alleged, extensive authority complicity within Vietnam and China (including the Chinese Navy) to facilitate the laundering of poached rhino horns smuggled out of Africa. On the subject of any lifting of the standing, …