The decisions taken are pressuring a number of countries to be held accountable over their failure to deal with rampant poaching and illegal trade, but no sanctions or punitive measures were agreed.
African countries identified as the main sources of illegal ivory in trade, plus Asian and East African transit countries and the two countries with the largest illegal ivory consumer markets—China and Thailand—were given until the end of the year by the Standing Committee to provide written reports of what progress they have made in tackling the illicit trade.
Failure to do so could ultimately result in a suspension of all trade in CITES-listed species with the country concerned, but the CITES Parties have so far avoided taking such action.
This is an EmpoweredNews.net article – Find more articles here: EmpoweredNews
Thailand, for example, had already been called upon to submit such a report, and did so at this meeting. WWF and TRAFFIC considered their report vague and non-committal, and joined others in calling for a timetable for the legislative changes needed to close a gaping loophole that allows ivory from illegal sources to be laundered into the Thai marketplace.
“With elephant poaching and illegal trade in ivory reaching new heights, we should not be shy about using CITES trade suspensions as an international tool to prevent a full-blown elephant crisis,” said Tom Milliken, who co-authored the report on the status of elephants.
The report highlighted that up to 23% of Central Africa’s elephant populations are being killed each year. This was further evidenced by the massacre of more than 30 elephants in Chad whilst the CITES meeting was taking place. Meanwhile, Central African governments revealed a new plan at the meeting to combat poaching and illegal trade in the region.
The Standing Committee also instructed CITES’ Rhino Working Group to focus on actions needed to reduce demand for rhino horn and was tasked with developing a demand reduction strategy.
For tigers, the spotlight fell on the Global Tiger Recovery Programme agreed in St Petersburg in November 2010. A number of tiger range States had failed to report to the committee, even though obliged to do so.
The illegal trade in tiger parts was also on the agenda, with TRAFFIC highlighting its work on reducing demand for tiger products, while China reaffirmed its commitment to the ban on trade in tiger parts, but made no firm statements about phasing out existing tiger farms.
Fishing cat kitten.
The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted. Over the last decade, the fishing cat population throughout much of its Asian range declined severely.
Like its closest relative, the leopard cat, the fishing cat lives along rivers, streams and mangrove swamps. It is well adapted to this habitat, being an eager and skilled swimmer.
Shembe worshipper Ziba Majola tries to spot the difference. He is wearing a leopard skin and Cebo Ngidi (right) a fake. Picture: Sibusiso Ndlovu
KwaZulu-Natal – A conservationist who is on a quest to stop Nazareth Baptist Church members from wearing leopard skins and is offering to sell them fake skins at R600 each, has been kicked out of a church meeting at Ebuhleni, Inanda.
Tristan Dickerson works for the American conservation group Panthera, which is on a worldwide drive to protect leopards, an endangered species.
The Nazareth Baptist Church, known locally as the Shembe, uses the skins as part of traditional ceremonies and many Zulus wear leopard skins around their necks.
On Sunday, church members laughed off Dickerson’s attempts to educate them about leopards, saying: “God will never allow the wild cats to vanish.”
Dickerson said the number of leopards in SA had dwindled to about 10 000. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has been reported as saying there are only 500 of the animals left in the province.
Dickerson said he wanted to sell the garments, which were made in China, for about R600 to the thousands of church members, who had gathered for their annual July prayer conference. Most of the people at the ceremony were wearing original skins.
Some liked the idea of introducing the fake skins to save leopards, although they complained they were expensive.
Others were openly hostile, giving the conservationist 15 minutes to leave the temple or be assaulted.
“This guy is undermining Zulu customs. We cannot be dictated to by a white man about what to wear during our ceremonies,” said Siphiwe Shoba, a church member.
Mzandile Gasa said: “God would not have sent a white person to tell us how to worship him.”
Members of the church’s executive committee have been discussing Dickerson’s idea for the past year.
One of them, the Reverend Mhlanubanzi Mjadu, said the committee had expressed conflicting views.
“There are those who are in favour of preserving leopards but feel the garment should be cheaper since it is fake and does not have the quality of the original skin. Then there are those who feel fake skins won’t be accepted as it would dilute our religious values.”
Dickerson said the price would enable him to import more garments from China as SA did not have the technology to produce them. Five percent of the proceeds would be donated to Panthera to use for leopard conservation.
Destroying the Myth that Farmed Tigers (and other animals) will Save WildOnes -Traditional Medicines, Animal Body Part Use – There has been a resistance by some countries to halt the farming of wild Tiger, Rhino etc farms as Governments and some other “conservationists” have said that farming animals will decrease the demand for the wild population. Here is the first question – Why would anyone think about promoting false medicines? There is no magic medicine inside a Rhino horn, it is Keratin like our fingernails. And drinking Tiger Penis soup is NOT going prolong your life or have better sex – its a meat soup. But here is the fact – More farms are springing up, but at the same time more wild Tigers, Rhino’s etc are being slaughtered. The farms do not stem the demand for wild animal body parts. But what angers people the most is 2 things. 1. the medicines are scientifically proven false and hold no medicinal cures, 2. These creatures are going extinct rapidly. <3100 tiger left in the wild on earth from Russia to Sumatra. This false medicines came from Asia, however this has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with no one has the right to systematic genocide of any living thing. If this is not stopped, we will loose the Tigers, the Rhino, the Pangolins and many others. Educate everyone you know and help stop this slaughter to extinction.
The department of wildlife, Warangal, and environmentalists are at loggerheads over the case of three missing tigers from Eturunagaram and Pakhal wildlife sanctuaries in Warangal, where three tigers roamed its forests as per 2009 official tiger census report.
However, the whereabouts and existence of the three majestic animals are now under a cloud after the state wildlife department reported their absence from Eturunagarm and Pakhal wildlife sanctuaries in another tiger-cum-panther census done in May-2012.
Of the three spots where tiger presence was recorded in 2009, the first two areas come under non-wildlife sanctuary while the last area falls under Pakhal wildlife sanctuary. One interesting interpretation behind the disappearance act of three tigers at the time of 2012 tiger census by Warangal wildlife officials is that they might have ventured into non-wildlife sanctuary areas (technically known as buffer zone) when census was conducted early this May.
However, environmentalist Mr K. Sandeep Reddy, a member of Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society and Mulug-based Mahasaraswati Educ-ational and Ecological Foundation (MEEF), has slammed this interpretation. “The wildlife department’s version leaves lot of doubts as the non-wildlife sanctuary areas are prone to more disturbance from human interventions than the sanctuary areas. The three tigers reported in 2009 census left the two wildlife sanctuaries in Warangal after human rights activists-backed ‘Booporatam’ was undertaken by tribals in a massive way,”
A new report co-authored by Panthera‘s President, Luke Hunter, has found that captive lion reintroduction programs in Africa operate under a ‘conservation myth.’ Read our press release to learn why lion encounter operations promoting the reintroduction of captive lions do little to further the conservation of African lions in the wild @ http://bit.ly/Qah4yQ. View a lion encounter video & photos @ http://bit.ly/N8TsGz
THIS IS AN URGENT AND DESPERATE APPEAL FOR THE 16 LIONS AT SANWILD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY. PLEASE YOU MUST HELP THEY ARE AT THE END OF THEIR ROPE! THEY NEED FUNDS URGENTLY OR THE LIONS WILL HAVE TO BE PUT DOWN! YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR POWER TO PREVENT IT, PLEASE HELP!!
“Sixteen lions on a South Africangame reserve are facing death because of a shortage of funds to feed them, it emerged today.
The SanWild sanctuary, in Limpopo province, has issued an urgent appeal for donations to save the three prides of 14 adults and two cubs.
Officials have warned that if the sanctuary cannot meet the 45,000 rand (£4,000) monthly cost of meat to keep the lions healthy it will be forced to have them put down them ‑ possibly as soon as next month.
“The situation on the ground for our lions is dire and, unless we can urgently find sponsorship, the lions will have to be put down,” Louise Joubert, founder trustee of SanWild, said. “We find ourselves in a difficult situation. We can’t allow them to start starving. We would rather euthanise them than let them end up as a trophy on some hunter’s wall.”
The eight males and eight females have lived at the sanctuary, near Tzaneen, since 2003 and 2004 after being rescued from the canned hunting industry in which animals are usually bred in captivity to be hunted in a confined space.”
The new system of patrolling was introduced by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in a bid to strengthen patrolling and surveillance of the endangered tigers. Christened M-STrIPES, it is a software-based monitoring system for tigers wherein forest guards are equipped with personal digital assistants (PDAs) and geographical positioning system (GPS) devices to capture data regarding tiger sightings, wild life crimes, deaths and ecological monitors, etc., during patrolling.
“These devices will let the forest guards mark precisely where they had spotted tigers or other animals. The data will then be brought to the office of the field director and the spots will be marked on the map of the reserve through a special software devised by WII,” officials explained.
“The data will then be uplinked to a central server, which can be accessed and analysed by officials at site, state or central levels periodically. The software system would also map the patrol routes of forest guards and monitor distribution of different animal species. It will also enable us to keep track of those forest areas that have been monitored against those that haven’t been. Besides it will also help us detect vulnerable areas in the forest and detect poaching early,” he added.
Notification for buffer zones of Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura and Sanjay Tiger Reserves have already been issued, Chavan said while addressing the State Wildlife Board here on Saturday, according to official release issued here.
Congratulating the staff of Panna National Park over successful tiger relocation, Singh directed to keep advance action plans ready for safety of tiger clubs.
There was no tiger at Panna in 2009 after which four tigresses and a tiger were translocated there. At present, there are five adult tigers and 14 cubs in the National Park, the release said. The state has also rehabilitated 50 bisons in Bandhavgarh National Park..
Gir Lion project. – Powertraveller
It is estimated that there are about 359 Asiatic lions (panthera leo persica) left … By strengthening the protectors, it is hoped that we can in turn save the little known, but critically endangered, Asiatic lion (Asiatic lion pictures courtesy Bhushan Pandya)… visit the link to find out more https://powertraveller.com/dswf/projects.php?id=000148
FACT: tigers are dissapearing. There were 40,000 in the 1970s, just 3,200 are left today.
MISSION: fight to double their number by 2022 and secure their future.
FACT: tigers are disappearing. There were 40,000 in the 1970s, just 3,200 are left today.
MISSION: fight to double their number by 2022 and secure their future.
YOU CAN: Share the Roar!
Check out this cool infograph on tiger facts and take action at http://bit.ly/MfgpgG
On his blog, Christian explained, “One cannot only hear the roar but one can feel the vehicle vibrating from the sound. The sound on this video is only a meek representation of the real thing.”
Panthera is working across Africa to protect lions like these. Learn more about our lion conservation work through Project Leonardo at bit.ly/cVwOEJ. To learn more about Panthera’s work through the Munyawana Leopard Project in South Africa’s Phinda Private Game Reserve, visit bit.ly/flEZT1
For more information on Thanda please visit thanda.com
Video produced by Christian Sperka – Specialist Photography Guide and Resident Photographer at Thanda Private Game Reserve – South Africa
The snow leopard (Panthera Uncia, Uncia uncia) is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia. The classification of this species has been subject to change and is still classified as Uncia uncia by MSW3 as of 2000 and CITES Appendix I. However with more recent genetic studies the snow leopard is now generally considered as Panthera uncia and classified as such by IUCN. Cl…assically, two subspecies have been attributed however genetic differences between the two have not been settled. The snow leopard remains on the endangered species list classified as C1.
Snow leopards occupy alpine and subalpine areas generally 3,350 and 6,700 metres (10,990 and 22,000 ft) above sea level in Central Asia.
‘Legend’ is a word that is thrown around all too often in this day and age, but the term surmises the reign of the Mapogo lions in the Sabi Sands to perfection. For the last 6 years or so, this notorious band of brothers has ruled the area with an iron paw. They are true warriors and have proved themselves time after time on the field of battle. During their prime, 6 of these magnificent specimens patrolled their territory, dispatching all competitors and striking fear into the hearts of all that found themselves in their way.
A team of wildlife experts from Argentina is visiting the Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves to study the conservation methods adopted.
The teams will take back lessons from the tiger reserves so that Argentina’s own endangered species, the Jaguar, is reintroduced and protected in that country.
Ignacio Simenez, Sofia Heinonen and Valeria Francisco of The Conservation Land Trust (CLT), who are visiting the world’s largest tiger density areas, plan to reintroduce the Jaguar in Argentina’s first naturally protected area, Poa de Corrientes (in the north of the country).
“The Jaguar was abundant in Argentina earlier, but a drastic hunting of the animal and its prey have brought down numbers. We are planning to reintroduce the big cat.
However, the problem is protection, which we need to learn from India, especially Bandipur and Nagarahole,” said Simenez, recovery co-ordinator of CLT.
Describing their visit to Bandipur and Nagarahole as significant, Simenez said, “You have been able to successfully protect and conserve tigers who are in high density, in this small patch. There are many problems here too, but you have successfully protected the big cat. In Argentina, we have less problems, but are unable to protect jaguars.”
Simenez said India’s wildlife management reputation is good worldwide. This country will be a good place to learn from.
“We too have challenges such as corruption. Despite this, India has succeeded in protecting wildlife. Reintroduction of tiger in Sariska and protection at Ranthambore are lessons for us.”
The members of CLT, which owns over 1.5 lakh hectares within the 5.5 lakh hectares of Poa de Corrientes, say they need to look at economic reasons like tapping the tourism potential of Jaguar.
“You have cultural values that help conservation. In fact, the tiger as a tourist resource has been a success story. Cultural grounding makes it easy. For us, there are indigenous people within the reserve for whom Jaguar is symbolic. They call it Yaguarete, but all over Argentina there is not much concern. To rope them all in, we need to develop economic reasons. At least one lakh people will visit the park if the Jaguar is reintroduced,” said Heinonen, president of CLT.
During their two-week stay, the team will study the problems involved and discuss with people working for the conservation of tigers and elephants. New problems like roads passing through sanctuaries and deaths of animals will also be discussed.
The team will study various conservation approaches like joint efforts of the forest department and NGOs.
The need to hold awareness programmes by the forest department to protect animals and measures to handle conflict will be deliberated upon.
Jaguar, an endemic animal to South America, appears like a leopard.
But, it is huge like the Indian tiger and preys on Capybara, a large rodent and another endemic species of South America.
WASHINGTON – There are only a few thousand tigers left in the wild – one step away from extinction.
The animals are on the critically endangered list, which is why the National Zoo was celebrating Global Tiger Day on Saturday.
This global effort to save the majestic animals is celebrated worldwide. The goal is to raise awareness about the tiger crisis and to gain support for tiger conservation.
Devin Murphy, a communications specialist with the Smithsonian National Zoo, says there are two major reasons for the tiger’s decline: loss of habitat and poaching.
“If we don’t do anything soon, it might be too late,” Murphy says.
Kavi, an 11-year-old Sumatran tiger, is one of the zoo’s new additions to their great cat family. He has only been at the National Zoo for about two months.
Kavi was one of the headliners for Global Tiger Day. He spent Saturday morning hanging out in his new yard at the zoo. He was checking out visitors as they struggled to spot him, since he was tucked away and blended into the brush.
The big cat has two jobs at the zoo.
“He is an animal ambassador for his species with the public here in Washington,” says Marie Magnuson, a great cat keeper at the National Zoo who helps care for Kavi. “He’s also here to be part of a breeding program, so we can keep the sub- species alive here at the National Zoo.”
She says there are only 500 to 600 Sumatran tigers left in the world, so they hope to breed Kavi with one of the zoo’s youngest females. The zoo only has three Sumatran tigers right now.
Kavi came from Zoo Atlanta as part of a breeding program. Magnuson says if all goes well with the female tiger, Damai, there could be cubs as soon as May of next year.
The World is losing its Great Cats at a Vicious Speed. If we lose our Apex Predators, then we Lose a Vital Part of this Earth. This page was Created to help Bring Awareness and to be a Voice for Our Great-Big Cat Species. We must Come Together to help put a Stop to this “Out of Control War” to Kill our Great Cats, before it is too late. Once they are Gone- There is no Coming Back……
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A conservation group ranked Vietnam the worst country for wildlife crime Monday in its first-ever report on how well 23 Asian and African countries protect rhinos, tigers and elephants.
WWF said Vietnam’s tiger farms and its citizens’ voracious appetite for rhino horn as a supposed cure-all helped put it at the top of the list. Neighboring China, widely viewed as the world’s largest market for illegal wildlife products, finished a close second, and Laos was third.
The Switzerland-based WWF focused its report on countries where the threatened animals live in the wild or are traded or consumed.
Many consumers in Asia demand illegal wildlife products for their purported, if unproven, medicinal properties. The Washington D.C.-based Brookings Institution has said the illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated $8 billion to $10 billion per year in Southeast Asia alone.
The WWF report said Vietnam is “the major destination” for rhino horns trafficked from South Africa, where 448 rhinos were poached last year. Rhino horn can fetch the U.S. street value of cocaine in Asia, where it is crushed and consumed by people who believe — wrongly, doctors say — that it can cure diseases.
It also said Vietnam’s 2007 decision to legalize tiger farms on a pilot basis has “undermined” the country’s efforts to police illegal trade in tiger products. Vietnam has 11 registered tiger farms.
The 35-page report comes on the heels of a controversy that erupted in May, when international wildlife experts learned that Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had in March proposed allowing parts of tigers that die in captivity to be made into traditional medicine on a pilot basis.
Wildlife advocacy groups later said the proposal was designed to effectively legalize trade in tiger products — an accusation Vietnam denied. An official at Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung‘s office told the Associated Press earlier this month that Dung had rejected the proposal.
‘Took this a few years ago (2009) at Victoria falls, Zimbabwe at “ALERT” African Lion and Environmental Research Trust. First founded in 2005 at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe, ALERT is a non-profit organization dedicated to the facilitation and promotion of sound conservation and management plans for the African lion in consultation with governments, wildlife authorities and communities.
The Trust aims to support the four-stage African Lion Rehabilitation and Release into the Wild Program developed by Andrew & Wendy Conolly in 1999. The aim of this program is to provide a solution to augmenting the sharply decreasing numbers of African lions through the release of wild-borne offspring from rehabilitated captive bred lions by raising awareness and funds to source, secure and prepare suitable release sites for the lions.
One more tigress died in the Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR) in Mandla district, the third wild cat to die in Madhya Pradesh in the last six days. During patrolling, a team of forest officials found the tigress in a serious condition in KTR’s Kisli range on Saturday, but could not save it.
Circumstantial evidence did not suggest that the wild cat was poached by poisoning, the sources said, adding the exact cause of the death would be known after the autopsy report.
On July 24, a 10-year-old tigress was found dead in KTR’s Kisli range while carcass of another feline was spotted two days ago near Talgaon village under Panna Tiger Reserve in the state.
The Sunderbanstiger which was brought to Alipore zoo for treatment on Thursday is doing well now. Zoo officials said the big cat, aged about 7 to 8 years, is responding to the treatment and has a good appetite.
“We had given it a full chicken on Saturday morning and 3 kg meat at night. He ate the food, which shows it has a healthy appetite. We are planning to raise the quantity of meat from Sunday,” said Dr D N Banerjee, who is attending to the tiger at the zoo.
Zoo director Neeraj Singhal said the tiger’s condition is better, but the hind portion is still weak. “We had done its stool test and found presence of worms. De-worming will be done soon. We also have plans to collect its blood samples in a couple of days for further tests so that we get to know whether it has any internal ailment,” Singhal added.
It may be noted that the big cat was spotted in Pirkhali VI by forest department officials on Wednesday. They had observed the tiger for 24 hours and as there was very less movement in it, the foresters decided to bring it to the zoo for treatment.
Lynx inhabit high altitude forests with dense cover of shrubs, reeds, and tall grass. Although the cats hunt on the ground, they can climb trees and can swim swiftly, catching fish.
Earlier in the day, at a state wildlife advisory board meeting, Bahuguna said the compensation paid to villagers for their cattle killed by wild animals is insufficient and directed the officials to increase it to a respectable amount, an official statement said. Bahuguna also approved rehabilitation of two pairs of tigers at western part of Rajaji Park from Corbett park.
Slow and steady wins the race…..things started Moving !!
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna today emphasised on tiger conservation and directed officials concerned to constitute a panel for rehabilitation of villagers of Sunderkhal in Jim Corbett park. “Tigers are assets of the hill state…we should ensure people’s participation in protection of the wildlife,” he said at a meeting of the governing body of Corbett Tiger Conservation Foundation at the secretariat.
Stressing on encouraging research programs related to Corbett Tiger Reserve and imparting environmental education to students, the chief minister directed the officials to “set up a separate committee for rehabilitation of villagers living in Sunderkhal Village of Corbett park”.
Earlier in the day, at a state wildlife advisory board meeting, Bahuguna said the compensation paid to villagers for their cattle killed by wild animals is insufficient and directed the officials to increase it to a respectable amount, an official statement said. Bahuguna also approved rehabilitation of two pairs of tigers at western part of Rajaji Park from Corbett park.
Jambi (ANTARA News) – The Sumatran tiger conservation program coordinator of the Great Hall of the National Park Kerinci Seblat (PHS-TNKS) claimed to have brought down to 100 Sumatran tigers unit meshes in Forest Sweep Ramadan operation in July 2012. “At least it has 100 units of tiger snares in pairs poachers in the forest we disable TNKS, we seized and subsequently destroyed, the operation of this 2012 Forest Sweep Ramadan has started since June 30, “said program coordinator TNKS PHS, Dian Risdianto in Edinburgh on Saturday. He said the routine operation, held every month fasting is entering the fifth year operation, carried out by a team of PHS-five units in four blocks TNKS territorial TNKS Sumatran tigers in the region. “There are four operating regions are territorial blocs such as the Sumatran tiger Muko-Muko in Bengkulu province, South Coast and Solok in West Sumatra, Sipirok Merangin district, Kerinci, Jambi province and Bunge, “ said Risdi. Each region, he added on a broomstick by a team of five people from PHS-TNKS and team members of the media that this year is the first time directly involved. He further explained the operation was held every week with ketetuan 4 days in the field and 3 day re-evaluation and coordination for the next stage. “Operation Ramadan is routinely performed because it was customary when the fasting month is the installation of meshes tiger by poachers in the forests bloom TNKS, hunters may expect during the fast officers would not perform surgery because of fatigue fasting, “said Risdi. According to him, the first phase of operation has been held since June 30 to July 15, the current in the second stage, and on 3-6 August was the field operations for the third phase of operations in Bungo and Merangin. In the later stages of the third he said, will again be followed by two mass media that will expose the LKBN Between the operation and Jambi Tribune , but it also will participate to a representative of the Sumatran tiger lovers group on face book social network that is active enough of Generation Trail Sumatran tiger (Tigra). “We expect from our operations to a degree of concern by the government and society, we are serious against the threat of extinction of the Sumatran tiger is one of the big cat species remaining after the extinction of tigers in Indonesia Java and Bali tigers, “said Risdi. existence of the Sumatran tiger, he said, continues to struggle following the continuation of logging, land conversion, wildlife poaching, trade Tiger organs, and the traditional conventional threats such as conflicts between tigers with tigers, with other animals and conflict with humans. “We could be calculated in the region TNKS spread across four provinces namely Jambi, Bengkulu, West Sumatra and South Sumatra only 144 tigers left course, “he added. (ANT-144)
100 perangkap Harimau Sumatera akan dimusnahkan – AntaraNews.com
ANTARAnews.com – Koordinator program Pelestarian Harimau Sumatera Balai Besar Taman Nasional Kerinci Seblat (PHS-TNKS) menyatakan telah berhasil melumpuhkan sampai 100 unit jerat harimau sumatera dalam operasi Ramadan Sapu Hutan Juli 2012
This Canada lynx has earned celebrity status in Aroostook County as this photo, taken by Leslie Jackson of Washburn, has been a social media hit. Jackson spotted the cat on July 15 near the Washburn/Caribou line on Route 164.
WASHBURN, Maine — One of the challenges of wildlife photography is that subjects rarely stay still — but Director of Aroostook County Tourism Leslie Jackson didn’t have that problem at all when she came across an easy-going Canada lynx on July 15.
While taking a Sunday drive, Jackson spotted the normally elusive cat near the Washburn/Caribou line on Route 164, lounging in the shade about 30 to 40 feet off the road.
“We stopped and luckily I had my camera with me; I took seven or eight shots and we watched it for about five minutes — it had no concerns at all that we were there,” Jackson said.
To confirm the species, Jackson sent the photo along to Richard Hoppe, regional biologist at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife office in Ashland.
“Definitely a lynx, nice picture with the cat seemingly not having a care in the world on this hot day,” Hoppe wrote to Jackson.
He told Jackson that the sighting would be documented to the site record and added that they had noted lynx tracks around the Carson Road.
According to the DIF&W website, adult males average about 33.5 inches long and weigh between 26 and 30 pounds; females are about 32 inches long and average 19 pounds.
Additional information regarding the Canada lynx can be found by visiting www.maine.gov/ifw/
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will from July 26-27, 2012 host the Annual Carnivore Research and Conservation Conference at the Nairobi Safari Walk at its headquarters in Nairobi.
The conference will seek to address the diverse range of challenges and concerns currently facing carnivore conservation in the country.
Various research scientists and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) representatives from across Kenya and its neighbouring Eastern African countries will present their research findings and reports aimed at enhancing effective conservation and management of carnivores in the region.
The platform will also provide an opportunity to discuss approaches on mitigating human-wildlife conflict aimed at promoting co-existence between communities and wildlife in Kenya.
In 2010, Kenya launched the National Large Carnivore Conservation and Management strategies. These were Africa’s first ever such strategies aimed at providing a clear roadmap for the conservation of cheetahs, lions, leopards, stripped and spotted hyenas and the African wild dogs.
They prescribe actions that need to be taken by various stakeholders coordinated by KWS to reverse the carnivores’ declining population.
Despite their reduced populations, large carnivores still cause problems for pastoralists and farmers and communities living next to protected areas. Attacks on livestock by large carnivores still remain a serious problem since it has a major impact upon livelihoods of pastoralists and farmers.
This also leads to the killing of large carnivores, many of which are species of local or international conservation concern. Conflict between people and carnivores has been cited as a major cause of the rapid decline in carnivore populations in the country. Other factors include destruction of habitats, loss of food, climate change, and increase on human population.
KWS has established a Species Conservation and Management Department that coordinates all conservation issues related to endangered species. The department has since spearheaded the formulation of national conservation strategies for black rhinos, Hirolas, lions, hyenas, cheetahs, wild dogs and the Grevy’s zebra.
To the World, Tiger Temple On the “OUTSIDE” appears to be a Wonderful Temple that Worships its Tigers. A Place where as a Tourist you can sit and get close to a Real Live Tiger and actually have your Picture Taken with one. Have you ever Stopped and Wondered how it is Possible that A Human can get this close to a Tiger without being seriously hurt or killed?? Take a Closer LOOK at Tiger Temple , and what the World does not see. Let us Take you on a tour INSIDE “TIGER TEMPLE“.
This Blog is Dedicated to the Tiger that was Abused, Neglected and Beaten. To the Tiger that was Poached, Stolen or Robbed from it’s Home Land. To the Tiger that was Killed , Traded or Farmed. To the Tiger held in Captivity, and held Prisoner. To all the “Forgotten Tigers”, who were Silenced without the World ever Hearing or Knowing ~ This Blog is for you. dwf
A series of deaths involving African hunting Cheetah cubs in Mysore Zoo has made the authorities send an SOS to a US zoo to find answers to their mysterious deaths. Experts at the Smithsonian Zoo in New York had sent a questionnaire asking their eating habits, physiological features, biochemistry reports, other clinical signs and few other tests.
The answers that the Mysore zoo authorities sent to the New York experts have shed light on the health of the cubs. One of them had E.coli, which was shown in the blood culture taken from the heart of the dead cub.
The zoo authorities have also asked for the parameters to carry out the blood tests in addition to the haematological and biochemical analysis. They have also sought data regarding temperature, hygiene and other facilities that need to be created for the three surviving Cheetah cubs.
They have also contacted Dr Scott Citino of White Oak Conservation Center, who is an authority on Cheetah cubs.
Remember the story of Ngoye, a female leopard rescued & rehabilitated by Panthera‘s Munyawana Leopard Project staff after losing her 2 cubs & part of a paw to a poacher’s snare? Panthera’s scientists were thrilled to recently spot Ngoye w/ 2 new cubs & no sign of a limp! This incredible recovery is rare & our staff will continue to monitor the activities of Ngoye & her cubs. Read Ngoye’s story @ http://bit.ly/IiTBUA
As the state stares at a rain deficit, the staff at Gir Sanctuary have been performing havan to please the rain gods. Some of them have also been keeping fast to ensure timely and adequate rain.
The rain deficit in the state may also leave the King of the jungle and Gujarat’s pride parched. Ever since the rainy season began, Gir has received just 60 mm of rainfall.
The jungle wears a green look these days, say officials but the situation may not be so green if rains fail.
“The rains have been very erratic. So far the monsoon has been able to wet just 6 to 10 cm of the top soil. This has ensured that there is greenery in the forest but all this could take a turn for the worse if the monsoon fails,” said a forest department official.
The official also said that this could lead to a scarcity of water in the forest. “Usually by mid-July, the small streams and rivulets inside Gir are in full flow but, this year, this is yet to happen,” said the official.
Another expert who has seen the terrain from close quarters said a good rain means water will be available in natural water sources like ponds and rivulets for a long time, thus negating the need for forest department officials to refill manmade watering holes. Even the water levels in the four dams in Gir are at the minimum mark.
“If the rains fail, the water level in the dams will fall leading to scarcity of water for irrigation and for animals as well,” said an official. Chief conservator of forest, wildlife, Jungadh, RL Meena, when contacted said that at present the sanctuary had enough water to meet its needs.“If rains fail, the effect will be seen everywhere and it will not be any different for Gir. But at this point in time there is no need to worry. “
“The water level is adequate and so far there has not been a need to manually fill the watering holes,” said Meena. He said some of the staff at the sanctuary had also been holding havan to propitiate the rain gods. On the water-level in dams, he said as of now there was nothing to worry about. It should be noted that Junagadh, where the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is located, has so far received scanty rainfall.
Cape Town, South Africa, December 21, 2011 — I have just returned from a 9-day trip through the remote North West Province and the Karoo in the Eastern Cape. It is my day off and I fully intend to do nothing other than stroll around beautiful Cape Town without purpose.
In famous Greenmarket Square, while buying some gifts for friends back home, I notice a seller has something that looks like a spotted skin. I can’t believe the sight; it lies under a pile of springbok skins, but in full view. I ask the seller what it is and he replies with a big grin, “It’s a leopard!”
“No, this isn’t a leopard it’s a cheetah.” “No it’s a LEOPARD.”
The seller tried to convince me this is a leopard, but after some discussion he admitted it is indeed a cheetah.
We go back and forth like this for a minute and I finally ask him to unfold the skin so I can see it better. He places it on the cobblestones and I pick up the face and show him the tear-marks. “You know this is a cheetah”. “How do you know it’s a cheetah?” He is starting to get irate, but he is still smiling. I ask him where it’s from. “It’s a secret,” he says, and then he tries to sell it to me for 6000 rand (U.S.$740). The shoulders are ripped and I ask who would buy such a thing in bad condition. He tells me that traditional medicine men will come to the market and buy it from him. “For what?” “I’m not a bush doctor, I do not know.”
The selling without a permit of any spotted cat skin is illegal in South Africa
At this point I decide to leave and figure out what I should do. I flirt and smile with the seller a little more and wave goodbye. After walking a few blocks I find two officers from CCID who are greatly concerned but unsure of what steps to take. We talk to two police officers sitting at a table in the Wimpy’s fast food restaurant. One of the officers laughs at me, the other looks with a blank stare and nothing to say on the matter. The CCID officers realize they don’t know what to do either and decide to radio more police that could possibly help. After more waiting, the police radio them back, refuse to show up and state that the seller is allowed to have the skin.
Clearly nothing is going to be done and my contacts with conservation will have a better idea. I thank the officers for their genuine concern and attempt to assist, and return to my office to write some emails.
Within minutes of sending a concerned email to every person I could think to help, including the Cape Town Mayor’s office, a friend in Johannesburg messaged back to call Annie Beckhelling, the founder of Cheetah Outreach, immediately. By 10:30 pm, Annie has a plan. We will meet at the hotel on Greenmarket Square in the morning, she will bring her film crew from The Cheetah Diaries and alert Cape Nature as well as the proper police department for rapid response.
“Cheetahs and leopards are both protected under our National legislation the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA) and the Threatened or Protected Species Regulations of 2007 (ToPS). In accordance with this legislation permits are required to possess and sell any product or live specimen of any listed species which therefore includes cheetahs and leopard. Unfortunately this legislation is currently not implemented in the Western Cape Province.”
Morning, December 22, 2011 : Annie is a presence, arriving with a security guard, and decked head to toe in leopard print, elegant jewelry and not a hair out of place. I feel instantly frumpy in my bush clothes and ponytail. She sits down and takes charge, strategizes how the day will go down, what laws have been broken, where the skin most likely came from and how our on-camera interview will proceed.
Annie Beckhelling and The Cheetah Diaries film crew observe as Cape Nature reps confiscate and gather information.
After our interview, Annie and her security guard take a stroll through the market to the stall I pointed out and discover the skin is still there, out in the open. I stay behind, to give information but not show my face so the sellers do not catch on to what is about to happen. They find the skin right where it was yesterday and return to the hotel café where we call Cape Nature to confirm and await their arrival.
With the skin in full view, Cape Nature’s Biodiversity Crime Unit talks with the stall keeper
True to African time, 4 hours roll by as we wait for Cape Nature, “30 minutes away”. At last they arrive and thankfully the skin is still there. The two reps approach, confiscate the skin and start taking information. The police step in to assist in gathering information on the seller. The owner of the stall is not there, only a shop worker. This is the last man in the long chain of the sad journey of this cheetah’s life. What happens now? The stall owner’s information, home address, phone number and stall number is taken and a court hearing is expected to occur.
The latest update from Cape Nature’s Biodiversity Crime Unit as of January 11, 2012, is the stall owner claims the skin is not hers and she was selling it for someone else. Cape Nature is in the early stages of investigating charges, continuing this investigation, and there will be regular follow up as new evidence develops.
How does one work backwards in the chain of poaching? Is this a dangerous endeavor? I myself do not know, and am saddened this even occurred, but proud of the hard work of a dedicated group of people to act within 36 hours during the hectic holiday season in South Africa.
Feel free to express in the comments should you like to let these government agencies know the global community is watching, concerned and taking notes on the effectiveness of implementing these existing laws.
The Cheetah Diaries will also be posting a clip from the bust on their website as well as featuring the story in Season Three. My next post will link to their follow-ups.
The cheetah skin is confiscated and removed from the stall
“In January 1997, founder Annie Beckhelling, launched the project with a hectare of land provided by Spier Wine Estates located in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Cheetah Outreach then set out to introduce cheetah to the South African community.”
Cheetah Outreach is continually evolving and taking on new challenges. In addition to partnering with ambassador cats to inform the public about the problems the cheetah faces, Cheetah Outreach:
Continues to be involved in environmental education, offering curriculum-linked school presentations and resources as well as workshops and fellowships for teachers.
Breeds Turkish Anatolian Shepherd dogs and places them on South African farms to guard livestock in an effort to reduce conflict between farmers and predators.
Hand-rears cubs from the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre and raises them to be ambassadors for the species.
Partners with other cheetah conservation organizations worldwide.
The views expressed in this guest blog post are those of Marcy Mendelson, a freelance photographer working with NGOs involved with the conservation of cheetahs, and not necessarily the views of the National Geographic Society.
A global ban on tiger bone sales has traders hunting a new prize — the
majestic lions. Lions are farmed under appalling conditions in South Africa for “canned hunting“, where rich tourists pay thousands to shoot them through fences. Now experts say lion bones from these killing farms are being exported to phony ‘medicine’ makers in Asia for record profits. Trade is exploding and experts fear that as prices rise, even wild lions — with only 20,000 left in Africa — will come under poaching attack.
Please Sign and Share this Very Important Petition. Help Save the African Lions xo
South African lions are being slaughtered for their bones to make sex potions and other bogus remedies. President Zuma could ban the trade if he’s shown it is hurting South Africa’s image as a tourist destination. Join the global call to expose this cruelty now!
INLSA
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