When is a wildlife crime justifiable?
Activists in the UK this week said they are doing 'God's work' by illegally releasing beavers into the wild. But so-called guerrilla rewilding comes with a complex mix of ethics.
When is a wildlife crime justifiable?
That’s the question I’ve been asking this week after reading about “guerilla rewilding”, an illicit version of rewilding whereby animals are released into the wild without permission.
An activist, part of an underground network acting after dark, in the UK told the BBC this week he is “doing God’s work” by releasing beavers without a proper licence.
Beavers were once common in the UK but were hunted to extinction in the 16th century, largely for their fur. Now they are making a comeback, in no small way thanks to the actions of activists like the one who spoke to the BBC.
Rewilding aims to restore ecosystems to past, healthier states in a bid to boost biodiversity. The rough theory is that the loss of top predators has thrown ecosystems out of balance and that reintroducing them can restore that loss. Traditional rewilders act after carrying out full assessments and with robust plans in place. But this can take years – and can struggle in the face of government bureaucracy and red tape.
Guerilla rewilders prefer to act first and ask questions later. The National Farmers Union in the UK has called the beaver activists’ actions “irresponsible” and “really worrying”. There have been tragic cases too. In January a lynx, which was one of four illegally released in Scotland, was found dead. Without proper assessments it is possible that the released animals are not well adapted to life in the wild. It isn’t clear whether the lynx release was a case of guerilla rewilding – or a more straightforward illegal release, perhaps by an overwhelmed pet owner.
Despite the controversy, many environmentalists point out that the beaver would not be back in the UK if it wasn’t for the illegal releases. And where they have been released, they are very popular with locals.
So to answer the question I started with: it’s complicated.
Senegal: Illegal fishing has indirectly caused an increase in irregular migration according to a report from the Environmental Justice Foundation. Depleting marine resources have undermined the fishing industry in Saint-Louis, a fisheries hub in Senegal. This has caused an uplift in the number of young people attempting to leave the area, sometimes boarding boats bound for the Canary Islands. (Mongabay)
UK: Illegally placed fishing equipment has caused damage to an historic shipwreck off the coast of Cornwall, in southern England. Six hundred sailors perished when the HMS Coronation sank in 1691 during a storm and its remains are protected under British law. A police investigation found fishing pots at the site and a nearby diving trail. Access to the wreck is only permissible via a licence. (Cornwall Live)
Spain: Police intercepted 20 tiny turtles in an illegal shipment from China. The black-breasted leaf turtle is considered to be one of the smallest turtles in the world and is protected under the CITES convention. Several of the animals had died as they had been shipped in appalling conditions, placed inside socks and hidden among soft toys. THe surviving turtles have been transferred to a specialist centre in Benidorm. (Euro Weekly)
Philippines: Live spiders are being sold on Facebook in the Philippines, with at least 14,662 listed for sale as well as 1,387 scorpions. A report by TRAFFIC highlighted the trend, analysing nearly 7,000 posts in two three month spells in 2020 and 2022. The report highlights a case from 2019 when a parcel from Poland was found to contain 757 live tarantulas packed in plastic tubes. (Mongabay)
Brazil: Sixteen people alleged to be part of an international wildlife smuggling network were arrested across Brazil. The scheme police, which say has been “dismantled”, had links to Argentina and Uruguay. As well as falsified documentation and evidence of animal abuse, officers seized 18 birds and seven turtles. (Noticias Ambientales)
Indonesia: Orangutans smuggled from Indonesia to Thailand by speedboat were being sold for 250,000 baht (£5,600) each. Police arrested three people in Thailand last week in connection with the case. The suspects are believed to have carried out “three or four” such operations on behalf of a group of investors. (Bangkok Post)
Australia: Australian farmers have called for stronger punishments for the breach of environmental controls after a woman went free despite illegally importing more than 62,000kg of meat from Thailand. The meat, which included raw pork, frozen frogs and edible insects, were sold on the black market in Sydney. The products were not properly declared. The woman was sentenced to 150 hours of community service. (ABC Australia)
Netherlands: Illegal drug labs in the Netherlands are leaving behind severe environmental waste and pollution, a documentary by France24 found. Barrels of hazardous substances have been dumped in forests and protected nature reserves. Last year 217 illegal dumping sites were discovered across the country. (Watch on France 24)
Global: Leopards are being quietly pushed to extinction according to a report in Mongabay. The Environmental Investigation Agency told the publication that for every tiger killed, at least three to five leopards die. Their body parts are in demand in China as a symbol of wealth and their skin is also used by some African communities as part of traditional wear. (Mongabay)
Namibia: Fishermen in Namibia have accused foreign fleets of “raping” local fish stocks through illegal and unregulated fishing. The chairman of the Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associates called for urgent action in a letter to the African country’s fisheries ministry. “We cannot rely on other countries’ governments to stop the pilferage of our resources,” Matti Amukwa wrote. China is frequently identified as a major player in illegal fishing practices. (African Defence Forum)
India: A plane passenger was caught with 16 live snakes in his luggage. The snakes were largely non-venomous or not dangerous to humans. The passenger had arrived in India from Thailand and was arrested. TRAFFIC identified this as a major route for wildlife smuggling, with 7,000 animals seized along the Thailand-India air route in the past three and a half years. (CBS)