BOTSWANA: Poachers Kill Close To 100 Elephants For Ivory

Gaborone, Botswana: Ninety elephant carcasses have been discovered in Botswana with their tusks hacked off, a charity said on Tuesday, in what is believed to be one of Africa's worst mass poaching sprees.

Most of the animals killed were large bulls carrying heavy tusks, Elephants Without Borders said.

The grim discovery was made over several weeks during an aerial survey by Elephants Without Borders and Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

We started flying the survey on July 10, and we have counted 90 elephant carcasses since the survey commenced, Mike Chase, the charity director, said.

Each day we are counting dead elephants, he added.

The animals were shot with heavy calibre rifles at watering spots near a popular wildlife sanctuary in the Okavango Delta.

The scale of elephant poaching is by far the largest I have seen or read about in Africa to date, Chase said.

The poaching coincided with the disarming earlier this year of Botswana's rangers, according to Chase.

The number of African elephants has fallen by around 111,000 to 415,000 in the past decade, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The killing continues at a dizzying pace of about 30,000 elephants a year to meet demand for ivory in Asia, where tusks sell for around $1,000 (Dh3,673) a kilo.

Chase said elephants in Zambia and Angola, north of Botswana, have been poached to the verge of local extinction, and poachers have now turned to Botswana.

Botswana Tourism Minister Tshekedi Khama confirmed that dozens of elephants had been poached, but gave no further details.

The government was not immediately available to comment on rangers being apparently disarmed earlier this year.

Botswana previously had a zero-tolerance approach to poaching, with a shoot-to-kill policy against poachers.

Poachers have also targeted rhino, said Chase, after six white rhino carcasses were found in recent months.


Tourism Observer

CONSERVATION: Illegal Trade In Indian Star Tortoises Has Skyrocketed.

They’re pretty. They’re harmless. And they won’t give you salmonella, unlike the once popular pet, the red-eared slider turtle. Indian star tortoises are now the stars of the pet trade.

They used to be a species conservationists didn’t worry about. Occasionally one would show up at a Hindu temple as an object of worship, they still do—the god Vishnu is believed to have been reincarnated as a tortoise, but there just wasn’t much of a market for them.

Now, reptile experts and the broader conservation community are worried. The illegal trade in Indian star tortoises has skyrocketed.

Back in 2004, one estimate figured about 10,000 to 20,000 were being taken illegally from the wild over the tortoises’ entire range, which encompasses India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

But in just a single rural village center in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, middlemen collected at least 55,000 Indian star tortoises poached from nearby smaller settlements in 2014, according to a recent study in the journal Nature Conservation by the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.

Not only that, but the booming trade in Indian star tortoises is also likely contributing to the decline in even rarer species—the radiated tortoise and the ploughshare tortoise, of which there are fewer than 200 adults left in the wild.

What we found was pretty horrific, said Aniruddha Mookerjee, of the London-Based nonprofit World Animal Protection and one of the study’s authors. The numbers are adding up to something quite staggering.

It’s a warning about other species we think are stable, said Peter Paul van Dijk, the director of the tortoise and freshwater turtle program at Conservation International and one of the world’s leading experts on the animals.

A change in circumstances allowed something that was never a trade to develop into a robust one, van Dijk said. The possible ripple effects in this case the easier trafficking of even rarer animals too makes the warning all the more dire.

Aside from the huge numbers, there’s another problem: The animals being poached from the wild are primarily babies and juveniles.

They’re easier to smuggle because they’re smaller and lighter. That’s good in that it means there are still adults around to replenish the population, but it’s also worrisome: Once the parents die, that could lead to population collapse.

Intensive collection for export trade means that any hatchling or juvenile will be found and removed well before it can grow up and join the adult reproducing population, van Dijk said. The existing adults will eventually die of old age, leaving the area without any tortoises at all.

The Indian star tortoise isn’t now considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the international body that sets conservation statuses for species around the world.

But it’s on its way to to being listed as vulnerable, a step below endangered, said van Dijk, who is also part of the IUCN’s turtle and tortoise specialist group that is evaluating the Indian star tortoise’s conservation status.

The tortoise is protected both in India, where it’s illegal to own or trade them commercially, and internationally.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which regulates the international wildlife trade, requires a permit to export them from their home country to ensure that their trade doesn’t harm population levels.

Despite these legal protections, which experts agree are adequate on paper, the illegal trade has skyrocketed.

It began with the Asian turtle crisis. As China opened itself up to economic trade after the Tiananmen Square massacre, Chinese demand for luxury items in particular, softshell turtle meat skyrocketed.

Supply increased with demand, and by 2009, up to three-quarters of Asia’s 90 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises were threatened, according to an IUCN estimate.

The Indian star tortoise was not part of this crisis.

But with trade routes well established from the food trade, it was only a matter of time before these routes began supplying the exotic pet trade as well—and only a matter of time before traffickers began trading Indian star tortoises to meet that demand.

We’ve been noticing this going on for at least a decade now, said Mookerjee of the growing Indian star tortoise trade. But we weren’t really sure what the size of the business was.

Still, the collection 55,000 Indian star tortoises that the researchers and their team observed in a single community was unexpected. We were just shocked at the pure volume of animals that was being shifted, said Neil D’Cruze, another of the study’s authors.

The traits that helped tortoises outlast dinosaurs their shells and slow metabolisms are now being exploited by traffickers.

Part of the reason for the increase in trade may be that Indian star tortoises are more resilient than other types of exotic pets. The traits that helped tortoises outlast dinosaurs their shells and slow metabolisms are now being exploited by traffickers.

That’s not to say that these animals don’t suffer, taped up and stuffed into suitcases, D’Cruze said. Their shells crack, they get stressed, and diseases spread quickly since they’re packed into close quarters.

Many don’t survive the smuggling process. However, criminal actors are simply building this cruelty and mortality rates into their business model and are still able to make money.

Indian star tortoises are collected from the wild by rural villagers, who then sell them to middlemen.

Then the tortoises get passed to highly organized, professional traffickers who get them out of the country and into Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and other wildlife trade hubs. That’s where they become legal.

Thailand, for example, has laws protecting native turtles and tortoises, but it has no laws against trade in nonnative species, such as the Indian star tortoise that were taken illegally in another country.

So if a trafficker can smuggle the illegally taken tortoises out of India and through Thai customs, they’re safe. And legal.

Along the way, the shipments of tortoises sometimes acquire falsified paperwork indicating that they were captive bred. That makes it easier to trade to Americans and Europeans, who are also big customers of the species, where enforcement of wildlife laws is stricter.

No one ever expected these loopholes to be exploited so blatantly, van Dijk said.

The trade in Indian star tortoises now provides cover for trade in species that are even more at risk: Madagascar’s radiated tortoise and ploughshare tortoise, both critically endangered.

The radiated tortoise has a starry pattern on its shell, very similar to the Indian star tortoise, and the ploughshare has a protective neck plate below its chin shaped like the blade of a plow.

In a shipment of baby Indian star tortoises out of Thailand, which is legal even if the tortoises themselves were poached from India, who’s going to notice one or two almost identical radiated tortoises tucked among them?

Or a tan ploughshare, of which there are fewer than 200 mature adults left in the wild? It’s not easy for an overworked, undertrained customs agent to pick the critically endangered smuggled individual from the mass of legal ones.

In a shipment of baby Indian star tortoises, who’s going to notice one or two almost identical, but critically endangered, radiated tortoises tucked among them?

The identification of these reptiles can be extremely difficult for enforcement authorities, who effectively must also be able to identify any species at any time, be they fish or fowl, D’Cruze said.

Without knowing where a species came from, even trained scientists who have dedicated themselves to understanding the different characteristics of various species can have a hard time identifying animals, he said.

This does present the perfect opportunity for criminal actors to pass protected species off as unprotected species.

In 2013, Thai customs agents caught a pair of smugglers at the airport with 300 Indian star tortoises, 21 radiated tortoises, and 54, ploughsharesan estimated 10-plus percent of the entire remaining population of ploughshares.

Mixing in similar-looking animals of different, rarer species in legal trade shipments, van Dijk said, is a trick as old as there have been animal trade regulations.


Tourism Observer

WEST AFRICA: Gorillas And Chimpanzees Under Threat

Gorillas and chimpanzees may be twice as numerous in West Africa as previously thought, but the apes are still endangered, declining fast and in dire need of protection, an international study found Wednesday.

Prior estimates were based on nest counts taken from isolated areas across the great apes’ habitat range, said the report in the journal Science Advances.

The new count uses mathematical modelling to project likely ape numbers in areas where their nests haven’t been directly surveyed by people.

The estimates are based on other factors known to influence ape numbers, such as proximity to roads and people, and recent outbreaks of Ebola virus which can be deadly.

Spanning 59 sites in five countries surveyed over 11 years, it is the most comprehensive and accurate dataset ever compiled on these apes, said one of the lead authors, Fiona Maisels, conservation scientist for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

The results show that western lowland gorillas in western equatorial Africa number nearly 362,000, up from prior estimates of 150,000-250,000 individuals.

And chimpanzees in the area are expected to number almost 129,000, up from earlier counts of 70,000 to 117,000.

But despite the larger numbers, researchers still found a speedy drop in the population in recent years, which means the apes are still in danger of going extinct.

Some 19.4 percent of the gorilla population was lost between 2005 and 2013, said the report.

At this rate, the gorilla population is expected to plunge 80 percent in just three generations.

Maisels said researchers are pleased to have a more accurate number, but cautioned that it does not change the gorillas’ status as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Nor does it change the characterization of chimpanzees as endangered.

What we are worried about is the gorillas are going down to a tune of 2.7 percent per year, Maisels said.

The other kind of worrying thing is that the majority of gorillas and chimps do not live in protected areas, she said.

As many as 80 percent of the great apes live outside protected areas, according to the study.

About 60 percent of all known gorillas and 43 percent of chimpanzees live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Gabon is home to 27 percent of the gorilla population and 34 percent of chimpanzees.

High densities of both apes also live in southern Cameroon.

Even though killing gorillas is illegal worldwide, hunting remains the top threat to survival, followed by disease and habitat loss.

More anti-poaching efforts are needed, both inside and outside protected areas, said the report.

Better land planning could help preserve the apes’ high-quality habitat.

Given that gorillas are more numerous and chimpanzees are more ecologically resilient than expected, and that large areas of ecologically functional great ape habitat remain, we are hopeful that robust conservation policies.

Well-managed parks, and responsible industrial practices can stop their declines and provide for secure and thriving populations, the study concluded.


Tourism Observer

MALAYSIA: Thai And Malaysian Turtle Smugglers Arrested

Two Thais and a Malaysian man have been arrested for trying to smuggle eight rare sulcata tortoises, also known as African spurred tortoises (Centrochelys sulcata), through Malaysia's border with Thailand.

The trio of smugglers, who were between 24 and 28, tried to cross the border with the reptiles hidden in their car via Perlis.

The three men are facing a prison term of up to two years and a fine of up to RM50,000, or both, for violating anti-trafficking laws.

Most likely, the African tortoises were destined for Malaysia's booming exotic pet trade where the animals are prized by many turtle enthusiasts.

Numerous exotic turtles are smuggled into the country and out of it with depressing regularity.

Often trafficked turtles don't survive their ordeals, suffocating or starving to death in boxes where they're bound up in duct tape to stop them from moving around.

There's also a thriving market in them within Malaysia, where turtles and other exotic animals are often traded online.

Small and juvenile turtles are especially prized,just as all other trades, legal or illegal, wildlife trafficking, too, responds to demand.

We can all reduce or even eliminate that demand by refusing to buy or sell endangered animals and by reporting those people who continue to traffic in them.

Turtle species are seriously threatened,nowhere more so than in Asia with 17 of the 25 most critically endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles on the IUCN Red List found in the region, James Tallant, a senior program officer for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, recently pointed out.

All illegal trade in exotic turtles and other vulnerable species of wildlife,be they reptiles, mammals, fish or birds must stop.


Tourism Observer
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210 More Birds Species At Risk Of Extinction

New research on endangered species shows that many more bird species than previously thought face extinction.

The findings, published early November in the journal Advanced Science, show that close to 210 forest bird species face an immediate risk of extinction. The study calls for a reclassification of the birds from previous ratings by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

IUCN had classified them as non-threatened in its Red List.

The new study examined 586 bird species, placing the 210 in a higher-threat category. It also found that 189 species should be classified as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered in the IUCN Red List, that are currently deemed as non-threatened.

The 25-year-old IUCN Red List is the world’s most widely used database of endangered species. It uses various criteria to assess the extinction risk of a species. Species are then classified as threatened, vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.

“The Red List employs rigorously objective criteria, is transparent and democratic in soliciting comments on species decisions,” study co-author Stuart Pimm and professor of conservation ecology at the US-based Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, Doris Duke said in a statement. “That said, its methods are seriously outdated.”

Part of the criteria the scientists are using to calculate the threat level to a given species is the rate at which its habitat is depleting.

The November 2016 study refined the original ranges for species using geospatial data on the range preferences of the birds, and then added data on the forest cover remaining for the birds, in order to calculate the amount of suitable habitat remaining within their distributions. It was conducted in six of the world’s most biodiverse places — the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Central America and Western Andes of Colombia, Madagascar, Sumatra and South East Asia.

“Habitat loss and degradation are the biggest threat to most of the species in the world’s most biodiverse places,” says the study report.

The grey-winged cotinga (Tijuca condita), for example, is a bird found in Brazil that is currently listed as vulnerable in the Red List. But its refined range size, according to the study, is smaller than 100 square kilometres, which should shift its threat category to critically endangered. Other species are Marvelous Spatuletatail, Cerulean Paradise Fly-Catcher, Madagascar Fish Eagle and Spix Macaw.

Although the study did not focus on Africa, human activities similar to those in the study areas are common on the continent. They include clearing of wetlands for agriculture and other land uses, deforestation and destruction of habitats.

In 2013, BirdLife International, IUCN’s Red List Authority for birds, added white-winged fluff tail and yellow-breasted bunting to the list of critically endangered species from Africa. Other listed species are the Crested Crane and Shoe Bill, as well as the African Grey Parot.

In May, IUCN and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced a five-year partnership to provide funding to broaden the scope of the Red List of Threatened Species.

It is expected that this will significantly increase knowledge on the extinction risk of more than 28,000 species, including many that are key food sources for a significant portion of the global population.

KENYA: African Wildlife Foundation Picks Ugandan Kaddu Sebunya As President

Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) (www.AWF.org) announced today it has elected Ugandan native Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya to serve as its new President. Sebunya will focus on advancing a clear policy agenda for wildlife as part of Africa’s future, ensuring the continent’s blueprint for development and growth includes space and protections for Africa’s natural heritage.

“I am excited to be stepping into the role of president at a time when Africa’s economies are surging, and when important decisions are being made as to how Africa should manage its natural resources responsibly and with accountability,” said Sebunya. “The continent is undergoing a profound change, and we must help to guide this change so it benefits Africa’s people and wildlife.”

Sebunya began his career serving as a project manager with WaterAid and as a relief program officer with Oxfam UK. Beginning with his post as the Associate Director for the United States Peace Corps in Uganda, Sebunya’s career began to focus more on conservation. He later served as a country program coordinator with the World Conservation Union—now the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN—and as a senior policy and planning advisor for Conservation International.

In 2006, Sebunya moved to Washington, DC and became AWF’s Director of Programs. He developed and implemented a legislative program to engage U.S. lawmakers on issues affecting conservation and development in Africa. In 2013, he became Chief of Party for the USAID/Uganda Biodiversity Program before transitioning to AWF’s president.

Sebunya received his Bachelor’s degree in Social and Political Science from Uganda’s Makerere University and a Masters of Science degree in Sustainable Resource Management and Policy from London’s Imperial College. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Law, Policy and Diplomacy from Tufts University’s The Fletcher School

MALAWI: Find Blue Zebras In Malawi

It’s true, Malawi really is home to Blue Zebras, not quite like the one in the (retouched) picture above. You might have to look a little closer for these zebras, as they tend to be quite small. Nor do they have legs but gills instead, as they’re stunning little fish that live within the sparkling waters of Lake Malawi.

The Blue Zebra originated in deep rocky waters of Lake Malawi in Africa and is one of the cichlid species. It is also known as the Mbuna Cichlid. The word “Mbuna” means “rock fish”, which refers to its habitat. Blue Zebras can be as small as 2.5cm in length, with larger species approaching nearly 15cm in length.

Blue Zebra are endemic to Lake Malawi, where they are most commonly found living in the north and north- eastern areas of the lake, in rocky formations along the shoreline, and around rock caves and crevices. Many cichlids are primarily herbivores, (at least they have something in common with typical Zebras!), feeding on algae and plants.

More than a thousand species of African cichlid live in Lake Malawi, and of these, several hundred are endemic. In 2010, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified 184 species of cichlid as vulnerable, 52 as endangered, and 106 as critically endangered. At present, six species are listed as entirely extinct, but it is acknowledged that many more possibly belong in these categories.

Lake Malawi is one of the largest in Africa, boasting a unique aquatic ecosystem that contributes to such a diverse palette of fish life.


Although a lake of crystal clear fresh water, Lake Malawi’s size and depth gives it a sea- like appearance, with one side barely visible from the other, and long stretches of totally uninhabited golden sandy lakeshore. The lake is a real life aquarium, and home to more species of fish than in all the lakes and Rivers of Europe and North America put together!

Lake Malawi provides the opportunity for almost any water sport you care to think of. The lakes size, its warm freshwater and its beautiful surrounding beaches make it a magnet for those seeking an all-year round location to swim, scuba dive, snorkel, water ski, sail, kayak parasail or simply potter about in boats.

For a traditional experience of the lake, take a trip on the famous mv Ilala, the local waterbus.