A smuggled turtle skull, rescued bear cubs and an NGO suing Trump
Updates from the week in the world of wildlife trafficking and environmental crime.
Be careful what you say on the plane. Particularly if you’re travelling with the skull of an endangered species.
The Guardian reported this week on the case of a couple from California who were talking about hunting on a plane, prompting some fellow passengers to strike up a conversation. The couple told them they were carrying the skull of a sea turtle, which is illegal to own, in their hand luggage. After the flight, they checked for TSA agents and then showed their new friends the skull, wrapped inside a jacket.
Unfortunately for them, the fellow passengers were officers from the California department of fish and wildlife, dressed in plain clothes. Two days later the couple’s home was raided where they found them handling a deer which had been illegally killed. Officers also found various trophies including mountain lion claws and a taxidermized wolverine.
The couple were fined and placed on probation.
China: China is proposing a huge overhaul of its fisheries legislation. It has been welcomed by some for placing greater emphasis on sustainability and traceability. However, some campaigners have pointed out that fishing vessels will be “encouraged” to implement parts of it rather than mandated. China has around half a million fishing vessels, which is likely to make enforcement a challenge. Unregulated boats remain an issue. (Dialogue Earth)
USA: An American NGO has sent the Trump administration notice of its intent to sue it for cutting funding to fight poaching. Under the auspices of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US government funding supports anti-poaching patrols for rhinos and fights turtle trafficking, among other things. There have been reports that the service has cut tens of millions of dollars in funding, leaving non-profits across the world in “disarray”. (Center for Biological Diversity)
Solomon Islands: Pacific leaders have called for urgent action on overfishing at a fisheries summit in the Solomon Islands. Concerns over a lack of transparency have prompted calls for other nations to align with international agreements. Overfishing is a threat to marine life in the Pacific and elsewhere. (Pacific Beat podcast from ABC)
Thailand: A television adventurer was arrested in Thailand on suspicion of illegally possessing protected species. Frank Cuesta, a Youtuber who has appeared on Spanish TV, was bailed after his arrest. Cuesta, an animal rights activist who runs a sanctuary, has said the situation is “really upsetting” and that he is scared for the animals. (Infobae)
India: A man in northern India has been jailed for six years for his involvement in wildlife trafficking. The man was arrested by officers in Jaldapara Forest and caught with the skin of an adult leopard. Investigations linked him to a poacher who was involved in the killing of a rhino. (Millennium Post)
Malaysia: Environmental polluters will be prosecuted using money laundering laws in Malaysia after changes to the classification of the crime. The measure is being introduced to address the illegal import of electronic waste – an issue for the region. Environment minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said southeast Asia should not be a “global dumping ground for toxic, problematic and hard-to-recycle waste”. A recent operation saw 47 waste disposal premises inspected, of which 30 were found to be operating illegally. (New Straits Times)
USA: A commercial fishing captain used a shotgun to shoot and kill a dolphin which surfaced near his boat. Frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from his fishing lines he also placed poison inside bait fish to kill dolphins that approached. The captain, Zachary Brandon Barfield, pleaded guilty to three counts of killing dolphins and will be sentenced in May. (US Government)
Argentina: Naval patrols have been dispatched amid concerns over unregulated fishing by China’s distant-water fleet. The Chinese fishing fleet has been highly criticised for flouting regulations and the so-called Blue Hole, a wild west area in between Argentina and the Falklands, is a magnet for illegal fishing. I wrote for the Guardian last year about how the diplomatic dispute over the islands is fuelling overfishing. The Argentines say they are monitoring 380 fishing vessels operating near their waters. (Straight Arrow News)
Worldwide: Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo arm of Emirates, has lent its support to a project aiming to introduce integrated automated detection systems for wildlife products in airports across Africa. The company has a blanket ban on transporting hunting trophies from the “Big Four”, even when hunting them is legal. It also prohibits illicit animal products like shark finds, rhino horns and leopard skins. (STAT Trade Times)
Indonesia: Two bear cubs were rescued from poachers in Indonesia. Three-month-old Mano was found in a vehicle while seven-month-old Henri was found locked in a cage. The pair are sun bears which, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, are the smallest and most vulnerable bear species in the world. Mano and Henri are now being rehabilitated with the intention of returning them to the wild. (The Cool Down)
USA: A pond turtle and 35 abalone were found during a routine traffic stop in California, alongside an amount of methamphetamine. The harvesting of red abalone, a type of mollusc, has been banned in California since 2017. There is an extensive black market for them, although the suspect told police he had caught them for personal consumption. Sadly, they could not be returned to the wild and were killed. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Papua New Guinea: The fight against illegal fishing in Papua New Guinea will be boosted with the support of the US, the country’s president James Marape has said. Fishing is vital to the country’s economy and its fisheries produce some 55 percent of the world’s tuna. Under the Defence Cooperation Agreement, the country will be able to draw on US military capabilities to patrol its waters. Marape also called on countries including China to remain vigilant to illegal fishing. (RNZ)