- Prehistoric Archaeology, Desertification, Wildlife trade, Anthropology, Archaeology, Natural Resources, and 18 moreHuman Ecology, Kenya, Hunter-Gatherers, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Socioeconomy, Ecology, Geography, Conservation Biology, Biodiversity, Environmental Sustainability, Science Communication, Environmental History, Human-wildlife conflicts, Wildlife Conservation, Endangered Species, Conservation Science, Bushmeat Hunting, and Hunter-Gatherers (Anthropology)edit
South Africa is a centre of cycad diversity. Because of illegal collecting in the wild and trafficking several species already have or are going extinct. Collectors and traders are behind it.
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South African illicit abalone (Haliotis midae) is closely linked with violent gangs, Chinese organized crime and crystal methamphetamine trafficking, facilitated by government corruption. Between 2000 and 2020 approximately US$1 billion... more
South African illicit abalone (Haliotis midae) is closely linked with violent gangs, Chinese organized crime and crystal methamphetamine trafficking, facilitated by government corruption. Between 2000 and 2020 approximately US$1 billion of abalone was exported from South Africa, exceeding the value of rhino horn and ivory combined. An estimated 90% of South African abalone is imported by Hong Kong in dried form. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown caused illicit abalone prices and sales to drop during 2020, but both rebounded after the lockdown was eased. Legal farmed abalone production is not keeping up with demand, exerting market pressure to maintain illegal wild harvest. If illegal abalone harvesting is not controlled, wild Haliotis midae will become extinct and South African coastal communities will lose a significant resource.
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Between 2002 and 2020 about 200,000 African elephants were killed and 2,000 tonnes (2,200 tons) of ivory was trafficked to eastern Asia. How could this have been achieved?
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Using historical texts and knowledge of tribal groups and natural resources in northwest India, the paper reconstructs hunter-gatherer contributions to national and international trade between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D.... more
Using historical texts and knowledge of tribal groups and natural resources in northwest India, the paper reconstructs hunter-gatherer contributions to national and international trade between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D. Hunter-gatherers were important sources of a wide variety of wild animal and plant products along with various mineral commodities found in their catchment areas. Sustainable and equitable use of natural resources can be a driver that conserves natural habitats while also preserving ethnic cultures. Without it, both can be lost.
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In 1986 the author made a 150-kilometer walking safari with camels from the Laikipia Plateau to Wamba in Samburu country. Along the way the feeding patterns of different livestock types were observed. Sheep and cattle were the most... more
In 1986 the author made a 150-kilometer walking safari with camels from the Laikipia Plateau to Wamba in Samburu country. Along the way the feeding patterns of different livestock types were observed. Sheep and cattle were the most destructive, and the land showed the results. Goats weren't too bad in small numbers. Camels were by far the best, plus they produce the most milk. Pastoralists know this and want more camels.
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Africa's great ape sanctuaries have become inundated with new arrivals, rescued from the collateral damage of the bushmeat trade and targeted trafficking to supply the exotic pet trade and the growing commercial zoo and safari park... more
Africa's great ape sanctuaries have become inundated with new arrivals, rescued from the collateral damage of the bushmeat trade and targeted trafficking to supply the exotic pet trade and the growing commercial zoo and safari park industry. Partly as a consequence of the illegal trade, several species of great ape are in decline, and those involved in managing sanctuaries or in wildlife law enforcement fear the extinction of chimpanzees and gorillas should the UN and big international NGOs not act soon.
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Traditionally, paleontological species have been defined on morphological features of preserved fossils alone. I argue here that in the case of humans, behavioral evidence as shown in the archaeological record should also be used.
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The paper describes four of the largest transnational organized crime networks that rose after the 1989 CITES ivory trade ban that poached and trafficked elephant ivory, along with rhino horn, big cat parts and pangolin scales and meat.
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BACKGROUND Martin and Stiles (2002) reported on the status and trends of ivory markets in eight South and Southeast Asian nations in late 2000-early 2001. In a review of that report, Milliken (2002) concluded that its message rang clear:... more
BACKGROUND Martin and Stiles (2002) reported on the status and trends of ivory markets in eight South and Southeast Asian nations in late 2000-early 2001. In a review of that report, Milliken (2002) concluded that its message rang clear: "Whether in Asia or Africa, illegal and unregulated domestic ivory markets are the single most destructive element in elephant conservation today". Since that study was undertaken, further research into the ivory carving industry has been carried out in the three largest ivory markets of South and Southeast Asia-Thailand, Myanmar and Viet Nam 1. The findings of this research, sponsored by the National Geographic Society, are summarized below.
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Beginning in 2008 the poaching rate of elephants and rhinos began to rise noticeably in eastern and southern Africa. The poaching intensified considerably 2010-2014. Along with the poaching increase, illegal exports of ivory and rhino... more
Beginning in 2008 the poaching rate of elephants and rhinos began to rise noticeably in eastern and southern Africa. The poaching intensified considerably 2010-2014. Along with the poaching increase, illegal exports of ivory and rhino horn also surged. Pangolin scales and parts of predator cats were often included with ivory and/or rhino horn exports. The great majority of these products were smuggled to Southeast Asia and China. To extract in the field or acquire illegally from government stockpiles and transport increasingly large quantities of ivory and rhino horn to exit ports in all four subregions of sub-Saharan Africa required considerable organization and logistical capabilities on the part of the traffickers. The transnational organized crime (TOC) networks became more organized and larger from about 2009 to late 2014, when significant arrests began of key actors. This review describes five of the main networks, key actors in each and their disruption. These arrests and sometimes prosecutions disrupted the operations of the networks and even caused shifts in some cases of home bases and export ports. These disruptions have resulted in significant declines in poaching rates of both elephants and rhinos and product prices in recent years from the 2011-2015 peak years, although other factors were also at play. There is evidence that some members of the networks cooperated with more than one network in supplying products and enabling export and transport to destinations in eastern Asia, indicating that the networks are fluid and adaptable. A new TOC network is emerging that operates in southern, Central and West Africa. Investigations are urgently needed to identify key members and disrupt it in order to avoid a renewed pachyderm holocaust.
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Story of how I got to East Lake Turkana and Olduvai to realize a dream
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Moazu Kromah, aka ‘Kampala Man’, ran a vast wildlife trafficking network from Uganda for a decade, during which time the ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales from tens of thousands of poached animals were smuggled to the Far East. Even... more
Moazu Kromah, aka ‘Kampala Man’, ran a vast wildlife trafficking network from Uganda for a decade, during which time the ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales from tens of thousands of poached animals were smuggled to the Far East. Even though many seizures were made and network members arrested, it proved impossible to convict anyone in African courts. This article explains why.
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co-author Gaafar Karrar [The full article is not available] The article summarizes the results of the 1984 UNEP global assessment of the status and trend of land degradation in the world's drylands. The rate of desertification due to poor... more
co-author Gaafar Karrar [The full article is not available] The article summarizes the results of the 1984 UNEP global assessment of the status and trend of land degradation in the world's drylands. The rate of desertification due to poor land management practices is alarming.
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The purpose of this study is to provide base line data on the ivory trade in the main markets of South and South East Asia in order that national governments, CITES officials and NGOs may assess the effectiveness of policies, laws and... more
The purpose of this study is to provide base line data on the ivory trade in the main markets of South and South East Asia in order that national governments, CITES officials and NGOs may assess the effectiveness of policies, laws and enforcement activities relating to the internal and international trade in ivory now and in the future. The information obtained by the investigators may also be used to infer what is happening in respect to the illegal killings of elephants in Asia. The two investigators, Esmond Martin and Daniel Stiles, carried out field-work from November 2000 to late March 2001, sponsored by Save the Elephants, in the most important towns and cities in the eight main countries dealing in ivory in South and South East Asia. Historical and
contemporary data were collected on the price of raw tusks, number of ivory workshops, number of ivory craftsmen, number of shops selling ivory items, number of ivory items seen in these shops, types of ivory objects for sale, and retail prices for ivory items. Information was also obtained on the number of wild and domesticated elephants, the international and domestic trade routes for tusks, and the nationalities of the buyers of ivory objects.
contemporary data were collected on the price of raw tusks, number of ivory workshops, number of ivory craftsmen, number of shops selling ivory items, number of ivory items seen in these shops, types of ivory objects for sale, and retail prices for ivory items. Information was also obtained on the number of wild and domesticated elephants, the international and domestic trade routes for tusks, and the nationalities of the buyers of ivory objects.
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This pilot study was instigated by the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and is being implemented by the IUCN African Elephant Specialist... more
This pilot study was instigated by the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and is being implemented by the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG). It seeks to explore the many causes and motivations driving the illegal killing of elephants, particularly the trade and commerce of elephant meat and ivory. This pilot study aims to lay the groundwork for a long-term study that will explore the meat and ivory trade around the Dzanga Sangha Complex (DSC) in the Central African Republic (CAR).
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The Gabbra are camel pastoralists in northern Kenya, the most nomadic ethnic group in East Africa. This article shows how a settlement packs up and moves in photographs.
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Key points ■ More than 4 000 wild cheetahs have been recorded in illegal trade incidents since 2010, leaving the wild population at less than 7 000. Of these incidents, 87% were of live animals, while 13% involved parts or derivatives of... more
Key points
■ More than 4 000 wild cheetahs have been recorded in illegal trade
incidents since 2010, leaving the wild population at less than 7 000.
Of these incidents, 87% were of live animals, while 13% involved parts
or derivatives of cheetahs.
■ The main supply area of wild cheetahs is East Africa and the Horn.
■ South Africa supplies primarily zoos and safari parks from captive cheetah
facilities, but irregularities have been found.
■ The principal uses of cheetahs are as exotic pets in the Middle East and
as zoo/wildlife park attractions around the world, particularly in East and
South East Asia.
■ Between March 2020 and February 2021, cheetah trafficking out of the
Horn to Yemen increased 58% over the previous 12 months given the
relative ease to transport them by boat during the pandemic, while other
species usually transported by air were grounded during COVID-19
lockdowns.
■ Prices for cheetahs remain stable in spite of bans on live animal imports
in key demand markets such as China.
■ More than 4 000 wild cheetahs have been recorded in illegal trade
incidents since 2010, leaving the wild population at less than 7 000.
Of these incidents, 87% were of live animals, while 13% involved parts
or derivatives of cheetahs.
■ The main supply area of wild cheetahs is East Africa and the Horn.
■ South Africa supplies primarily zoos and safari parks from captive cheetah
facilities, but irregularities have been found.
■ The principal uses of cheetahs are as exotic pets in the Middle East and
as zoo/wildlife park attractions around the world, particularly in East and
South East Asia.
■ Between March 2020 and February 2021, cheetah trafficking out of the
Horn to Yemen increased 58% over the previous 12 months given the
relative ease to transport them by boat during the pandemic, while other
species usually transported by air were grounded during COVID-19
lockdowns.
■ Prices for cheetahs remain stable in spite of bans on live animal imports
in key demand markets such as China.
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Key points ■ Elephant poaching rate hits lowest level since 2003, when systematic records began. ■ Raw ivory prices far below their peak in 2014, but rising again. ■ The total weight of 500+ kilogram ivory seizures in 2019 highest since... more
Key points
■ Elephant poaching rate hits lowest level since 2003, when systematic
records began.
■ Raw ivory prices far below their peak in 2014, but rising again.
■ The total weight of 500+ kilogram ivory seizures in 2019 highest since
the peak of 2013, but plummet in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
■ Chinese interest in ivory as an investment wanes.
■ Breakup of transnational organized criminal networks involved in ivory
poaching and trafficking in East and southern Africa lead to shift to
West and central Africa.
■ Stockpile ivory released into the market as fall in poaching reduces supply.
■ Elephant poaching rate hits lowest level since 2003, when systematic
records began.
■ Raw ivory prices far below their peak in 2014, but rising again.
■ The total weight of 500+ kilogram ivory seizures in 2019 highest since
the peak of 2013, but plummet in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
■ Chinese interest in ivory as an investment wanes.
■ Breakup of transnational organized criminal networks involved in ivory
poaching and trafficking in East and southern Africa lead to shift to
West and central Africa.
■ Stockpile ivory released into the market as fall in poaching reduces supply.
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The elephants you see in an elephant trekking camp, zoo or circus are zombies, the spiritless shells of elephants."-Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Camp Are these spiritless elephant zombies? (Photo:... more
The elephants you see in an elephant trekking camp, zoo or circus are zombies, the spiritless shells of elephants."-Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Camp Are these spiritless elephant zombies? (Photo: Patara Elephant Farm)
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This editorial argues that only legal ivory trade can offer long-term, sustainable conservation for African elephants.
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Recent elephant poaching levels are a serious concern for conservationists. Opinions differ over how to deal with the upsurge and associated illegal ivory trade. Following the CITES-imposed international trade ban in 1989, limited legal... more
Recent elephant poaching levels are a serious concern for conservationists. Opinions differ over how to deal with the upsurge and associated illegal ivory trade. Following the CITES-imposed international trade ban in 1989, limited legal trade has been permitted in two one-off sales. Opinions are divided on what effect this has had on poaching. Opinions are now also divided over whether trade in ivory products should be outlawed worldwide, both between and within countries. In the midst of this debate is the question of what ¬¬government agencies should do with existing stockpiles of collected legal and confiscated illegal ivory. Governments of some countries have destroyed their stockpiles with the claimed intention of reducing poaching, and there are calls for others to follow suit. We review the academic literature and find that, under current circumstances, stockpile destruction violates the precautionary principle and is therefore not recommended. Credible evidence suggests that speculation may drive the current high poaching rates more than consumer demand for carvings. Legal stockpiles provide an option to curtail speculative behaviour of criminals. We recommend that governments move closer towards consensus on a long-term vision for elephant and ivory management before undertaking measures such as large-scale stockpile destruction. In
the meantime they should continue to retain existing ivory stockpiles securely to reduce incentives for criminal speculation with illegally accumulated stockpiles. We recommend that research be carried out to understand better the dynamics of the current legal and illegal ivory trade systems in order to formulate evidence-based policy.
the meantime they should continue to retain existing ivory stockpiles securely to reduce incentives for criminal speculation with illegally accumulated stockpiles. We recommend that research be carried out to understand better the dynamics of the current legal and illegal ivory trade systems in order to formulate evidence-based policy.
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Northern Kenya is a region that is presently experiencing environmental deterioration. It is a semi-arid and arid land made up of volcanic plateaux, dessicated lake flats, highland grasslands, lowland acacia bush and shrublands, and a few... more
Northern Kenya is a region that is presently experiencing environmental deterioration. It is a semi-arid and arid land made up of volcanic plateaux, dessicated lake flats, highland grasslands, lowland acacia bush and shrublands, and a few isolated mountain islands topped by receding forests. Except for the mountain areas and along some of the river valleys, little or no cultivation is practised. The region is considered to be environmentally marginal, and it is occupied by nomadic pastoral ists.
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Research Interests: Economics, Poverty, Food Policy, Africa, Developing Countries, and 15 moreAgriculture, International Cooperation, Desertification, Medicine, Food Security, Starvation, Land Use Planning, Food supply, Social Planning, Desertification and Land degradation, Food Sciences, Conservation of Natural Resources, Environment, Public Policy, and Socioeconomic Factors
Hawkes (CA 34: 34i-6i) tries to demonstrate that paternal family provisioning is not the main goal of male foraging strategy in past and present hunter-gatherer societies. She also challenges the widely accepted idea that, even if the... more
Hawkes (CA 34: 34i-6i) tries to demonstrate that paternal family provisioning is not the main goal of male foraging strategy in past and present hunter-gatherer societies. She also challenges the widely accepted idea that, even if the consumption returns to a hunter and ...
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Are there any untouched, pristine hunter-gatherers left in the world? This article examines the question and answer.
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Anthropological and behavioral ecological studies of living hunter-gatherers have flourished since the 1960's. Researchers have developed and followed a variety of paradigms, each with its own assumptions and objectives, based on the... more
Anthropological and behavioral ecological studies of living hunter-gatherers have flourished since the 1960's. Researchers have developed and followed a variety of paradigms, each with its own assumptions and objectives, based on the behavior of hunter- gatherer communities. I argue here that in order to evaluate the validity of the use of a specific hunter-gatherer group for particular paradigmatic purposes, details of the histor- ical and social context of the group are needed. The use of an inappropriate group, as determined by its context, can call into question the conclusions of a study. A method for classifying hunter-gatherer groups according to progressive stages of his- torical contact and interrelations with agricultural neighbors is proposed. The use of this classification system can aid in analyzing and answering important questions concerning the hunter-gatherer adaptation: what explains immediate return and delayed return sys- tems? Why do hunter-gatherers persist...
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This paper provides an overview of the habitat, natural resources, history, and socioeconomy of a small group of foragers called the Mikea who live in a semiarid forest environment of southwestern Madagascar. The flora and fauna of this... more
This paper provides an overview of the habitat, natural resources, history, and socioeconomy of a small group of foragers called the Mikea who live in a semiarid forest environment of southwestern Madagascar. The flora and fauna of this forest are made up largely of rare, endemic species to Madagascar and the fragile environment is at risk of destruction by the process of desertification, particularly slash-and-burn agriculture and over-grazing by livestock. It is hypothesized that the Mikea persist as hunter-gatherers as an eco-logical and socioeconomic adaptation employing resource partitioning and mutualistic specialization with neighboring agropastoralists. Suggestions are proposed how to mitigate the detrimental affects of slash-and-burn cultivation.
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CITES banned the international sale of most types of African elephant ivory in 1989 by listing the African elephant in Appendix I. The ban came into effect in most CITES countries in 1990. The Asian elephant had been listed in Appendix I... more
CITES banned the international sale of most types of African elephant ivory in 1989 by listing the African elephant in Appendix I. The ban came into effect in most CITES countries in 1990. The Asian elephant had been listed in Appendix I by CITES at its inception in 1976. Ever since the African ivory trade ban, there has been a heated debate on whether CITES should permit limited sales of legal ivory stocks held by selected countries that have demonstrated effective elephant conservation and which have growing elephant populations. The countries that meet these criteria and have requested permission from CITES to sell are all in southern Africa. CITES has therefore downgraded the elephants of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to Appendix II to allow for the ‘one-off’ ivory sales. Most animal welfare organizations have lobbied hard against these sales, arguing that the sales result in increased demand by the public for ivory, which—it is claimed—leads to a rise in elephant...
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Recent elephant poaching levels are a serious concern for conservationists. Opinions differ over how to deal with the upsurge and associated illegal ivory trade. Following the CITES-imposed international trade ban voted in 1989, limited... more
Recent elephant poaching levels are a serious concern for conservationists. Opinions differ over how to deal with the upsurge and associated illegal ivory trade. Following the CITES-imposed international trade ban voted in 1989, limited legal trade has been permitted in two one-off sales. Opinions are divided on what effect this has had on poaching. Opinions are now also divided over whether trade in ivory products should be outlawed worldwide, both between and within countries. In the midst of this debate is the question of what government agencies should do with existing stockpiles of collected legal and confiscated illegal ivory. Governments of some countries have destroyed their stockpiles with the claimed intent of reducing poaching, and there are calls for others to follow suit. We review the academic literature and available relevant data and find that under current circumstances, stockpile destruction violates the precautionary principle because the outcome is unknown; it is...
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The objective of the study is to enhance knowledge of contemporary elephant bushmeat market dynamics, patterns and trends in north-eastern DRC and determine the impact of elephant meat trade on the Okapi Faunal Reserve (OFR) population.
The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the TRAFFIC Network, WWF or IUCN. The designations of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply... more
The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the TRAFFIC Network, WWF or IUCN. The designations of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
Eighty per cent of Kenya's land is arid or semi-arid, unsuitable for most rain-fed agriculture. Irrigation projects to date have proved expensive and, with the crops cultivated, not always cost-effective in the long term. In addition,... more
Eighty per cent of Kenya's land is arid or semi-arid, unsuitable for most rain-fed agriculture. Irrigation projects to date have proved expensive and, with the crops cultivated, not always cost-effective in the long term. In addition, crops such as cotton require high inputs-pesticides and chemical fertilizers-that result in poisoning the soil and groundwater. Cattle, sheep, goats and camels are the main economic resource in Kenya's drylands. Livestock is managed in these areas generally along traditional lines, except for a few privately owned ranches. Land is usually communally 'owned', This Commiphora ho/tziana produces opoponax, a resin similar to myrrh.
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The Jilla is a Gabbra ceremony in principle held every 7 years, but in practice is a much rarer event, held only five times in the 20th century. The ceremony marks the transition of male age sets from one class to the next.
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Bua Noi, meaning 'Little Lotus' in Thai, is the only gorilla in Thailand. She has been residing since 1987 in the privately owned Pata Zoo in Bangkok, called 'the saddest zoo in the world'. Activists have been campaigning for years to... more
Bua Noi, meaning 'Little Lotus' in Thai, is the only gorilla in Thailand. She has been residing since 1987 in the privately owned Pata Zoo in Bangkok, called 'the saddest zoo in the world'. Activists have been campaigning for years to free her, but the owner and Thai government maintain she was acquired legally. This article provides proof she was captured in the wild and smuggled to Thailand from Central Africa.
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Two notorious elephant poachers, each running several poaching gangs in Tanzania and Mozambique, supplying ivory to Yang 'Ivory Queen' Fenglan, the Shuidong Syndicate and the Kromah Network, were arrested, prosecuted and convicted by... more
Two notorious elephant poachers, each running several poaching gangs in Tanzania and Mozambique, supplying ivory to Yang 'Ivory Queen' Fenglan, the Shuidong Syndicate and the Kromah Network, were arrested, prosecuted and convicted by Tanzanian courts, but let off on appeal.
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Gabbra camel pastoralists live in harsh arid lands in northern Kenya. To survive they have developed a complex social system that employs political and religious authority to enforce customs of cooperative behavior and sharing that... more
Gabbra camel pastoralists live in harsh arid lands in northern Kenya. To survive they have developed a complex social system that employs political and religious authority to enforce customs of cooperative behavior and sharing that distributes food and labor where it is needed.
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Recent increases in ivory poaching have depressed African elephant populations. Successful enforcement has led to ivory being stockpiled. Stockpile destruction is becoming increasingly popular, and most destruction has occurred in the... more
Recent increases in ivory poaching have depressed African elephant populations. Successful enforcement has led to ivory being stockpiled. Stockpile destruction is becoming increasingly popular, and most destruction has occurred in the last five years. Ivory destruction is intended to send a strong message against ivory consumption, both in promoting a taboo on ivory use and catalyzing policy change. However, there has been no effort to establish the distribution and extent of media reporting on ivory destruction events globally. We analyze media coverage across eleven important nation states of the largest ivory destruction event in history (Kenya, 30 April 2016). We used a well-accepted online media crawling tool and key language translations to search online and print newspapers. We found most online news on the ivory burn came from the US (81% of articles), while print news was dominated by Kenya (61% of articles). We subjected online articles from five key countries and territor...
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This 2021 IWMC consultancy report reviews African elephant population number trends from antiquity to hypothesized 2020 numbers. It also makes a preliminary analysis of how country elephant population number trends correlate with wildlife... more
This 2021 IWMC consultancy report reviews African elephant population number trends from antiquity to hypothesized 2020 numbers. It also makes a preliminary analysis of how country elephant population number trends correlate with wildlife sustainable use, such as allowing sport hunting, and legislation permitting community sustainable use. In addition, the report indicates which elephant range state countries belong to either the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) or the African Elephant Coalition (AEC). Most of those countries allowing sustainable use and that do not belong to the EPI and/or the AEC show significantly higher rates of elephant population growth and current numbers, although a few have mixed results as a result of poor governance and deficient elephant management.
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The 2020 IWMC consultancy Terms of Reference specified three tasks: 1) Review the historical trend of the elephant population in southern Africa. 2) To clarify the background and reasons why local communities need to be involved in... more
The 2020 IWMC consultancy Terms of Reference specified three tasks:
1) Review the historical trend of the elephant population in southern Africa.
2) To clarify the background and reasons why local communities need to be involved in natural resource management and reasons why local communities need to be involved in natural resource management.
3) Review of the outcome of elephant/ivory debate at the CITES CoP18.
1) Review the historical trend of the elephant population in southern Africa.
2) To clarify the background and reasons why local communities need to be involved in natural resource management and reasons why local communities need to be involved in natural resource management.
3) Review of the outcome of elephant/ivory debate at the CITES CoP18.
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This paper was prepared for the Bioresources ’94 conference held in Bangalore, India in October, 1994. The paper was a contribution from UNEP’s Desertification Control Programme Activity Centre to the session on ‘Desertification and... more
This paper was prepared for the Bioresources ’94 conference held in Bangalore, India in October, 1994. The paper was a contribution from UNEP’s Desertification Control Programme Activity Centre to the session on ‘Desertification and Vegetation’. Several academics in the 1980s and 1990s were challenging the UN’s definition of the term ‘desertification’ and were questioning whether land degradation was even occurring in drylands. The paper refutes the methodology and evidence that the critics were using and argues that a few years of observations are inadequate to assess whether degradation is occurring, a long term view is needed.
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Al-Shabaab, the Lord's Resistance Army and the Janjaweed have all been accused of poaching elephants and trafficking ivory to fund their operations. What does the evidence show?
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The China office of a major conservation organization commissioned this study to examine the possible demand drivers of the current elephant poaching crisis. It has been widely assumed that consumer demand for worked ivory, particularly... more
The China office of a major conservation organization commissioned this study to examine the possible demand drivers of the current elephant poaching crisis. It has been widely assumed that consumer demand for worked ivory, particularly in East Asia, has been the primary demand driver of increased elephant poaching. However, the sustained high level of elephant killing over the past decade suggests that the amount of raw ivory produced could greatly exceed the quantity that has been processed and put on sale for consumers. If this is indeed the case, explanation must be sought of why much more ivory is being imported than is needed to meet consumer demand. Suggestions have been made that speculators have been purchasing large quantities of poached ivory to store for future sale at expected great profit. Demand reduction strategies and tactics have been aimed at consumers. If speculators rather than consumers are driving demand and thus poaching, the demand reduction campaigns to date have been misdirected. The findings of this study could influence the formulation of future strategies to reduce demand drivers.
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This wildlife trade and tourism IFF study is the first of its kind and the methodologies involved a combination of population modelling, estimated product offtakes and open source trade data. The trade research is limited to eight species... more
This wildlife trade and tourism IFF study is the first of its kind and the methodologies involved a combination of population modelling, estimated product offtakes and open source trade data. The trade research is limited to eight species groups – elephants, rhinos, lions, pangolins, crocodiles, abalone, sharks and rays, and cycads. The study concluded that for the period 2006-2014, Southern Africa lost almost US$ 1.5 billion in illicit transfers of funds or products overseas, or close to 50% of all wildlife commodity exports. Surprisingly, illegal exports of abalone meat made up almost half of this amount.
The IFFs in the wildlife tourism sector were much larger, estimated at over US$ 22 billion in the ten years 2006-2015, and deriving mainly from tax evasion and trade misinvoicing, sometimes involving offshore shell companies. We predicted that more than US$3 billion could have been lost in 2016 in the eight countries covered in this study.
This study on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) in the Wildlife and Tourism sectors in Southern Africa emanated from the TrustAfrica (TA) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) project “Assessing the extent and impact of illicit financial flows in key economic sectors in Southern Africa”. The three components of the project are mining, agriculture and wildlife.
The IFFs in the wildlife tourism sector were much larger, estimated at over US$ 22 billion in the ten years 2006-2015, and deriving mainly from tax evasion and trade misinvoicing, sometimes involving offshore shell companies. We predicted that more than US$3 billion could have been lost in 2016 in the eight countries covered in this study.
This study on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) in the Wildlife and Tourism sectors in Southern Africa emanated from the TrustAfrica (TA) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) project “Assessing the extent and impact of illicit financial flows in key economic sectors in Southern Africa”. The three components of the project are mining, agriculture and wildlife.
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The under-reporting of great apes seized in illegal trade incidents, both nationally and internationally, is flagged as a serious problem in bringing a true appreciation of the great ape trafficking situation to the attention of... more
The under-reporting of great apes seized in illegal trade incidents, both nationally and internationally, is flagged as a serious problem in bringing a true appreciation of the great ape trafficking situation to the attention of governments, international organizations, and the media. Relevant institutions in the UN system and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are singled out as needing improvement in their approaches concerning the illegal trade in great apes.
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This United Nations report, the first of its kind, presents data on the numbers of great apes left in the world, their distribution and describes in detail how up to 3,000 a year lose their lives in incidents related to illegal trade.