Dom Phillips’ legacy: exposing the perils of protecting the Amazon
Also this week: fishing in protected Pacific waters, otter poaching linked to Japan’s cafes, and a UK antiques dealer caught selling ivory
A book by Dom Phillips, the Guardian journalist killed in the Amazon in 2022 alongside indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, has been published in the UK.
The pair had embarked on a research trip deep into the western Amazon when they disappeared. Their bodies were found 10 days later. Two men are due to be tried for the crime later this year.
Pereira had received death threats before the incident related to his work with indigenous communities to combat illegal fishing and hunting in the rainforest.
Wildlife crime is rife in the Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world which spans several countries. Illegal mining pollutes waterways, illegal fishing depletes fish populations, while endangered species are poached. Authorities often struggle to deal with these issues due to the remoteness and inhospitable nature of the regions involved. Sometimes an unwillingness to act is to blame.
The killing of Phillips and Pereira highlight the dangers that environmental defenders face on a daily basis. According to Global Witness, 39 activists were killed in the Amazon in 2023 – accounting for 22 per cent of such killings globally.
The Guardian has published an excerpt of Phillips’ book, which you can read here. It will be published in North America on June 10.
Pacific Islands: Environmentalists have filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s order to allow commercial fishing in protected seas. The Heritage Marine National Monument area was created in 2009 and covers about 500,000 square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean. Despite a long standing ban on fishing, the US National Marine Fisheries Service has allegedly given companies the green light to drop their nets. At least one vessel has begun fishing the area, according to Earthjustice which filed the lawsuit. (AP)
UK: The owner of an antiques shop in the Midlands has been convicted of selling stuffed endangered animals and ivory products. The 71-year-old was fined and given a suspended prison sentence. He claimed he did not know it was illegal to sell the items, which included a tiger tooth, an ivory ornament and taxidermied pine martens and a barn owl. (BBC)
Japan: Japan’s social-media friendly otter cafes have been linked to poaching hotspots in Thailand by a scientific study into their genetics. Exotic animal cafes have grown in popularity in Japan, and environmentalists worry that they could spread elsewhere. Researchers found a surprising number of Thai otters in Japan. More than 90% of the cafe otters analysed shared genetics with wild populations in parts of Thailand where otter poaching is known to be common. (Mongabay)
India: Two men are being held on suspicion of trading pangolin skins in the Indian state of Assam. Officials said the pair poached the pangolin from a forest in bordering Arunachal Pradesh, dried it and were attempting to sell it. Pangolins are sometimes called the most trafficked animals in the world and it is illegal to sell them. (Arunachal Times)
Zimbabwe: A man was caught red handed trying to sell 6kg of ivory at a garage in Zimbabwe. The incident took place in January but the individual has now been accused of illegal trading. Detectives posed as potential buyers to confirm the man was trying to sell the ivory. (Bulawayo 24)
Asia: A new UN taskforce will attempt to tackle the poaching of migratory birds in South West Asia. The initiative brings together 10 states in the region to tackle the taking of “millions” of birds each year. Species such as the steppe eagle, sociable plovers and several types of falcon have been pushed towards extinction. The initiative is being spearheaded by Saudi Arabia. (Manila Times)
Taiwan: The Taiwanese Fisheries Agency has come under fire from Greenpeace for allegedly allowing shark finning to take place in the Pacific Sea. The area is supposed to be used for scientific data collection, but Greenpeace claims to have hours of footage showing four Taiwanese fishing boats catching sharks in the area. The Agency said Greenpeace had misunderstood the purpose of the area. Shark fins are widely available to purchase in Taiwan. (New Bloom)
UK: The Environment Agency has launched a heatmap showing the hotspots for illegal waste across the country. In just two years – from the start of 2023 to the end of 2024 – there were nearly 17,000 reports of suspected waste crime. The new heatmaps show that the hotspots were the West Midlands and Yorkshire. The government recently announced tougher sentences for those found guilty of illegal waste dumping. (UK Gov)
Thailand: Police seized 20 iguanas and two tortoises found in the luggage of an Indian national about to board a plane to India. Later on the same day a Sri Lankan man was stopped with two cockatoos, two meerkats and a prairie dog. In total 27 exotic animals were hidden in luggage on two flights. Two suspects were arrested. (Thaiger)
Indonesia: A translator who facilitated transactions of poached rhino horns internationally has been sentenced to a year in prison in Indonesia. The 72-year-old was initially acquitted but the country’s highest court overturned the decision. Javan rhinos only exist in the Ujung Kulon National Park and since the discovery of an organised poaching ring in the area last year, authorities have cracked down. (Mongabay)
Mexico: A “known wildlife trafficker” caught with 300 reptiles in his luggage was arrested trying to board a flight from Mexico City to Japan. Authorities said that the individual has been linked to wildlife trafficking in Ecuador and New Zealand. Fourteen of the 299 reptiles found in his luggage were dead. (Riviera Maya News)
Costa Rica: A capybara rescued from poachers in Costa Rica has died after suffering from mistreatment and malnutrition. Another four capybaras seized in the same operation are recovering. Sadly many of the animals rescued from trafficking networks die due to the conditions they have been kept in. Others are also euthanised because authorities lack the resources to keep them and it is not possible to release them back into the wild. (Tico Times)
English Channel: France has accused a British vessel of illegally fishing in its waters and impounded it. It was seized in the English Channel and is being held in France while prosecutors decide whether to press charges. The incident is the latest salvo in a long-running fishing dispute between the two nations. British fisherman have criticised Prime Minister Starmer’s decision to allow EU vessels access to UK waters for another 12 years. (BBC)