Widely sought for its scales and flesh, which are channeled into the illegal trade to buyers in Asia, pangolins are said to be the world’s most trafficked animal. They face an uncertain future despite acomplete ban on trade in any of the eight pangolin species, agreed to in 2017 under the Convention on International Trade […]
Tag: wildlife trafficking
Demand for North American bear parts fuels black market activity in Canada: expert
Black market demand for bear parts like gallbladders and paws has led to poaching of these animals in Saskatchewan and Canada, according to one man who’s dedicated to cracking down on wildlife trafficking. “Imagine that you have somethingthat has gone extinct just about everywhere else in the world but there’s only one place that it’s […]
International trade in hippo teeth sparks new alarm
An international trade in hippopotamus teeth and tusks is fast becoming a legal substitute for elephant ivory, a leading conservationist warned. Azzedine Downes, chief executive of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the practice was concerning. Speaking during a visit to Dubai to discuss unlawful online sales of animal products, he said an increase […]
Thousands of wild animals seized in smuggling crackdown
Police across the globe have seized thousands of wild animals, including primates and big cats, and arrested nearly 600 suspects in a crackdown on illegal wildlife smuggling, Interpol has said. Covering 109 countries, the operation was carried out in coordination with the World Customs Organization (WCO), with investigators homing in on trafficking routes and crime […]
Indonesia arrests 7 for allegedly selling Komodo dragons over Facebook
JAKARTA — Indonesian authorities have arrested seven suspected members of a trafficking ring believed to have used Facebook and other social media to sell at least 40 Komodo dragons and other protected species. Police are holding five of the suspects in Surabaya, in East Java province, and two in Jakarta, the capital, according to Wiratno, […]
POLL: Should big cats be protected from the exotic pet trade?
Animal advocates are applauding members of Congress for reintroducing legislation that would protect both us and big cats by banning private ownership. It’s currently estimated that there are more than 10,000 big cats being kept as pets or in roadside zoos in the U.S., but no one knows exactly where they are or who owns […]
Shocking Investigation Shows How We’re Pushing Giraffes to the Brink
While conservationists are continuing to raise awareness about the “silent extinction” giraffes are facing in the wild with little fanfare, an undercover investigation has just exposed how the trade in trophies and parts in the U.S. is contributing to their decline. The investigation, which was conducted by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) […]
The appeal acquittal of Feisal Mohamed Ali: A victory for rule of law, a process corrupted, or both?
Could it have come at a worse time for Kenya’s Tourism and Wildlife Ministry? With Kenya still stinging from the humiliation and embarrassment over the translocation-related deaths of 11 rhinos, a Kenyan court declared on August 3 that convicted ivory trafficker Feisal Mohamed Ali was to be set free. Lady Justice Dora Chepkwony ruled that […]
