Conservation breaking news – Thai authorities confiscate over 2 tons of African ivory

THAI CUSTOMS SEIZE OVER 2 TONS OF BLOOD IVORY

Information just in confirms that customs officials in Thailand confiscated over 2 tons of blood ivory, shipped to Thailand from Eastern Africa and concealed in boxes of mackerel. Intriguingly the raid took place on a river and not one of the main ports or airports, suggesting that the shipment was already repacked and enroute to a neighbouring country in transit to its final destination. The illicit cargo, which by conservative estimate represents the lives of over 120 African elephant, was suspected to be enroute to Chinese buyers who apparently have used the Thai smuggling routes with impunity but may have to change tactics and routes now that the Thai authorities are determined to bring the blood ivory trade to an end. The catch represents the largest seizure of 2011 so far and is indicative that poaching on the African continent continues unabated and has in fact gathered speed in recent months, to satisfy the greed and hunger for ivory in China and other Far Eastern countries and where the kick started economy has left many ‘liquid’ enough to ‘buy prestige’, albeit at the expense of African wildlife.

In late 2010 a cooperation agreement was signed between several East African countries and Thailand to jointly ‘hunt’ for blood ivory consignments and other animal products and sent via Bangkok or Thai harbours to the buyers. Since the agreement was put into effect over 4 tons of ivory was detected and confiscated, but the lastest consignment only goes to show that once that happens, fresh orders for yet more ivory and elephant slaughter are being placed without delay.

China has so far not responded to requests from global conservation bodies to tighten existing laws or ban the possession of ivory and the processing of it and introduce harsh fines and long sentences, and by standing idle therefore aid and abet the cancer of poaching on the African continent.

Watch this space.

Rwanda conservation news update – Gorillas on agenda of multilateral meeting in Kigali

MEETING ON GORILLAS HELD IN KIGALI

The Rwandan capital Kigali hosted the latest round of consultative meetings aimed to improve gorilla conservation and the protection of their habitat across national borders.

It was learned though from a participant in the meetings that apparently Uganda still had not ratified the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species which came into effect in 2008 and was promptly signed by Rwanda, again providing visible leadership in regard of regional efforts towards conservation.

Other signatories are the countries where the ‘low land gorillas’ live, i.e. Gabon, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo DR and the Central African Republic, amongst others. Uganda did though attend the meeting and was to pursue ratification at home through the ministry of tourism, which however was rather pre-occupied in recent months with controversies chasing controversies.

The 10 participating delegations provided updates from their own countries on conservation efforts and location specific challenges like conflicts, population pressures and the resulting potential for negative impact on the habitats but also the need to find greater resources dedicated towards conservation.

Said Rwanda’s key participant in the meetings, RDB’s head of tourism and conservation Ms. Rica Rwigamba: ‘Through research, census, medical care to the Gorillas, and awareness campaigns among surrounding communities, we have managed to convert former poachers who now participate in the conservation programmes’ while adding that Rwanda had indeed succeeded to establish close trans-boundary cooperation with neighbouring countries which helped to uplift the conservation spirit across the East and Central African region.

By the time of going ‘to press’ this correspondent was unable to establish when and where the next round of consultative meetings was to take place and neither was a comment forthcoming from the Ugandan side what the specific hold ups were which prevented the ratification of the convention for the past three years.

Watch this space for regular conservation updates from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Aviation news update – Qatar Airways goes ’100′ and celebrates with ‘special deals’

QATAR AIRWAYS CELEBRATES 100^TH DESTINATION WITH ‘SPECIALS’

Information was received from Nairobi overnight that the addition of Aleppo in Syria has brought the number of destinations offered by Qatar Airways to overall 100, cause for a special celebration.

Added flights by the airline into East Africa, i.e. Nairobi and Dar es Salaam but sadly not Entebbe yet, give travellers from Kenya and Tanzania a wide range of connections to their final destination, and the airline is planning to put special fares into the market to give passengers flying with them the ‘best possible deals’.

Alongside the promotion the airline is also pushing their frequent flyer programme and is offering co-branded credit cards for their loyal customers.

Want to try the ‘5 Star Airline’ – here is your chance and for a bargain. GO FLY!

Kenya conservation news update – The upside and downside of fencing elephants in

MORE FENCES PLANNED FOR LAIKIPIA ELEPHANTS

It was learned, courtesy of Melissa Groo of Save the Elephant News, that another fence is being planned to keep elephant out of farms and ‘shambas’ and to protect the ever growing population around forests, parks, reserves and conservancies. The Marmanet forest has been targeted for this exercise but it was not certain if provisions have been made or will be made to ensure ongoing migration of elephant along the Northern migration corridor, of key importance to keep the gene pool varied and allow an ‘escape’ when drought and other natural calamities strike, denying the jumbos their regular food sources. It is understood that some of the elephant under observation had already been moved to this location by KWS in the past, demonstration the fast shrinking habitat for free roaming elephant.

In a related development it was also learned that as a result of the ongoing drought in parts of Kenya the wildlife service was forced to purchase hundreds of thousands of litres of water to sustain a herd of elephant in coast province, where water holes were said to have dried up or been turned into mud wallows. Here the contradiction comes to light to the earlier part of the story as the forest in question has also been fenced off to protect neighbouring farms but also denying the elephant to move to a nearby river in their search of water, as they have been ‘cut off’ from their age long migration patterns.

No easy answers here sadly, but do watch this space for future updates.

Tanzania conservation news update – More mixed signals from President Kikwete

STUNG BY CRITICISM KIKWETE NOW LAYS INTO TOURISM MINISTRY

During the customary post election visit to all the government ministries, President Kikwete on Wednesday visited the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. According to reports the ministry was then promptly subjected to several broad sides by the president, as he accused them of not doing enough to stop poaching and safeguard the country’s wildlife. The president went on to say if the ministry and subordinate organs are no capable of carrying out such duties, other security bodies including the army may have to be drafted in to ‘support’ TANAPA’s ranger force. He was quoted as saying: ‘Gangsters are killing wild animals’ before continuing ‘the gravity of criminal acts in our game reserves is quite alarming’. He went on to say ‘we have to stop the massive poaching, otherwise we will spoil out reputation in wildlife conservation.
A source in Dar es Salaam reported that the president appeared quite unsettled over the issue and rejected explanations given by the tourism minister, under whose responsibility anti poaching and conservation ultimately falls, demanding the use of latest technology in combating poachers and stiffer laws with higher fines and longer prison terms for offenders.
Notably, no mention was made over the presidents directive to cancel an application made by the ministry to UNESCO for recognition of a new World Heritage Site, nor was mention made – or probably allowed – over the hugely controversial plans to build a highway across the Serengeti’s migration routes or ‘tap into hydro power’ at Stiegler’s Gorge in the Selous Game Reserve. The third WHS controversy over the planned development of a major hotel in the protected ‘Stone Town’ in Zanzibar too was apparently ‘off limits’ for public discussions.
The contradictions are becoming clearer still, when it was learned that Tanzania is reportedly preparing another application to the CITES Secretariat in Lusaka to be tabled at the next CITES General Assembly to allow the country to sell stored ivory stocks including confiscated ‘blood ivory’ from within and outside Tanzania.
It is clear that conservation cannot succeed or take place in isolation but this type of piecemeal and ‘when it suits us’ approach is clearly not helpful in the medium and long term to protect Tanzania’s biodiversity and natural resources, and the country’s reputation abroad, while it seems for pet projects conservation is pushed aside as a nuisance only to be revisited when funding is at stake, the pressure from conservation groups becomes too strong or when politically convenient while addressing a specific audience. So while the president’s sentiments are appreciated and should be fully supported, the circumstances and wider context under which his comments were made, does make one more than a little suspicious about the timing, location and background prompting the comments in the first place.

Watch this space.