#onekilledevery15mins

[wildeles]

Illegal elephant ivory worth $2 million seized in New York

(1) Seized illegal ivory elephant charms are displayed as New York's District Attorney Cyrus Vance speaks during a news conference to announce the guilty pleas of two ivory dealers and their business for selling illegal elephant ivory, in New York on Thursday. Over $2 million worth of illegal elephant ivory was seized in the course of the investigation.

(2) Members of the media photograph seized illegal ivory items during New York's District Attorney Cyrus Vance's news conference.

Images (c). 2012, Keith Bedford / Reuters.

[wildeles]

Some good news about the ivory trade!

February 2014: More than 30 business leaders in China have taken a public stand against the ivory trade by signing a pledge to never purchase, possess, or give ivory as a gift.

The group includes Charles Chao, CEO of Sina Corp., China’s largest Internet portal, Liu Chuanzhi, Chair of Lenovo, and 10 individuals from the Forbes 2013 China Rich List including Jack Ma, founder of the Alibaba Group. "As China grows up, Chinese companies should do the same and take on more social responsibility,” said WildAid China Chair, Huang Nubo who spearheaded the campaign. “This is why we are joining efforts to protect our planet's wildlife. We hope this ethic becomes engrained in us and is passed down to future generations."   

[wildeles]

Tanzania’s elephant population has continued to plummet in recent years and in Selous Game reserve which boasted the world second largest elephant population at 70,000 elephants in 2006, the numbers have fallen to an estimated 39,000 in elephants in 2009 and currently stand at 13,084 elephants. "Moreover, the elephant population in Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park has declined by 44 per cent since 2006 and now numbers approximately 20,090,” the reports further adds.

Tanzania the leading source of illegal ivory in East Africa - Interpol

[wildeles]

 Over 40 nations agreed to the "London Declaration" at the Illegal Wildlife Conference in London on February 14, which opened a new chapter in the battle to save iconic species from the brink of extinction. Key states have signed up to actions that will help eradicate the demand for wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement, and support the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by wildlife crimes. Dr Richard Thomas, Global Communications Coordinator with international wildlife trade-monitoring network TRAFFIC, told the Global Times, "It was an important event that could mark the turning point in global efforts to address the current poaching crisis."  Heather Sohl, chief species advisor at WWF-UK, told the Global Times, "The conference generated a high level of attention globally to the problems, impacts and solutions for illegal wildlife trade and the unanimous call for action is unprecedented." "The challenge now is to keep up the political momentum and help translate this attention into concerted action by governments to deliver the declaration's bold commitments," she added.

[wildeles]

The Ivory Highway – MensJournal.com

Inside one of the world's largest, most shadowy criminal trafficking networks from the jungles of Cameroon to the black-market bazaars of Beijing.

[Via Kristin Davis.]

[wildeles]

Elephant Crisis

In 2011, more African elephants were killed than any other year in history. The figures for 2012 and 2013 are not yet known, but are likely to be even higher. At current rates, in twelve years, there will be none left.

It is a familiar cause, but it has never been more urgent. Poaching has turned industrial. Armed militia fly in helicopters over jungle clearings, machine gunning down entire herds. Their tusks are then sold to fund war and terrorism throughout the continent and the wider world. Ivory is still illegal, but as China booms, it is more popular than ever.

This campaign will raise money to support rangers on the ground to protect Kenya’s elephants from armed poachers, together with Space for Giants’ longer term work to create new wildlife sanctuaries where elephants will be safe, forever. More can be found about the charity at Space for Giants

[wildeles]

London Declaration signed on Illegal wildlife trade - 13 Feb 2014

The London Declaration could be a pivotal moment for wildlife.

With four African presidents - as well as delegates from China and Vietnam - among the signatories, the illegal animal trade has been pushed from the conservation agenda to the political one.

But now the hard work begins.

The commitments agreed will need to be put into action - fast. Conservationists urge that there's no time to spare because the survival of these key species is on the line.

But has the declaration gone far enough - especially when it comes to the ivory trade?

Some NGOs have called for a total ban of all ivory sales and the destruction of stockpiles around the world.

Without this, they say, poaching is unlikely to stop.

[wildeles]

One man's war on the ivory poachers of Gabon - Telegraph

As a frenzy of ivory poaching in central Africa brings forest elephants to the brink of extinction, in Gabon a British-born zoologist has joined forces with the president to declare war on the hunters. Photographs by James Morgan