China: Wildlife poacher arrested in North China
Forest police in north China's Shanxi Province said on Tuesday that they have arrested a suspect for illegal hunting and trading of wild animals. The police seized more than 200 wild animals from the suspect, including a Eurasian eagle owl, which is a second-class national protected animal. Earlier this month, police found the suspect, surnamed Cheng, trading wild animals online. [EN]
South Africa: Two rhino poachers sentenced to 58 years, Lephalale
In Lephalale two rhino poachers were each sentenced to 58 years imprisonment by the Lephalale Regional Court on several charges ranging from hunting of protected species, theft, trespassing, possession of unlicensed firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition to possession of unlicensed firearms. Kenny Mthethi (35) and Sam None (34) were sentenced following an incident which took place on the 10 February 2014 in a farm outside Lephalale. [EN]
India: Elephant carcass found near Corbett with tusk missing
An elephant carcass, slit to pieces, was found in Uttar Pradesh’s Badpur area, a km from Corbett Tiger Reserve boundary, two days ago. Its tusks were missing. The reserve management has stepped up vigilance across the boundary after recovery of the carcass. [EN]
India: Pelts, antlers burnt in a message to traffickers
In a matter of hours, animal pelts and antlers, perhaps from enough animals to fill a small forest, ranging from animals as diverse as sand boa snakes to leopards, spotted deer to smooth-coated otters — were burnt at the Jarakabande Kaval Reserve Forest on Tuesdaymorning, to cinders in a clear message to those trafficking the prohibited the products or in possession of them: these items have no worth, and cannot be affixed with a monetary value. [EN]
Trump’s elephant, lion trophy hunting policy hit with double lawsuits
In policymaking, the Interior Dept. announced it was allowing U.S. citizens to import elephant and lion body parts to the United States last November. President Trump immediately put that decision on hold. Then in 2018, the USFWS said trophy hunting decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis. International Wildlife Conservation Council (IWCC) held its first meeting this month. A critic who attended said she was shocked that a council meant to advise the government on conservation seemed to know very little about the poaching crisis in Africa. A renowned trophy hunter was appointed to head the group’s conservation subcommittee. [EN]
Chinese customs strengthen overseas ties against illegal ivory trade
Chinese border customs have strengthened cooperation with other countries and wildlife protection organizations to crack down on ivory trafficking, after China implemented an ivory ban at the end of last year. Customs authorities in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, seized around 200 grams of ivory products from a Chinese traveler who recently returned from Myanmar, the customs press office told the Global Times on Tuesday. [EN]
China-based internet alliance trained on combating wildlife cybercrime
Representatives of the alliance of Chinese internet companies committed to combatting wildlife cybercrime were trained by experts in Beijing last week. Hosted by Baidu, China’s leading internet search engine, and facilitated by TRAFFIC, the workshop brought together more than 30 internet security staff from Baidu, Tencent, 58, Baixing Wang, Wen Wan Tian Xia, Zhuan Zhuan, and Kuaishou. [EN]
South Africa: Five arrested over possession of elephant tusks valued at R600k
Five people were arrested for the unlawful possession of ivory in Lefaragatlha near Rustenburg, North West police said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani said they were arrested on Tuesday, after the police responded to a tip-off on the alleged illegal sale of ivory. [EN]
Malawi: Man jailed over elephant bones
The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has sentenced Jafali Gunde, 41, to 18 months in jail for being found in possession of two elephant bones. According to Central Region Police spokesperson Nolliettie Chihana Chimala, the court heard that on 10th March police received information from well-wishers that the convict was offering for sale two raw bones of an elephant at Area 23 in the city. [EN]
Grace Mugabe's ivory crimes: How an Aussie photographer blew open a smuggling ring
It was a February afternoon a little over a month ago, humid and unseasonably rainy and Australian photojournalist Adrian Steirn was sitting by the pool at the rundown Holiday Inn in downtown Harare playing the part of a Russian mobster arranging to buy $US100,000 worth of elephant tusks to take out of the country. [EN]