Increase in lion poaching in South Africa?

Pheroze

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I came across this article today. It seems to give the government the last word but sounds like things are getting worse

http://m.timeslive.co.za/?articleId=2227068


Lions are being killed in South Africa for their body parts, and pleas have been directed to the government to stop the legal lion-bone trade.

On Thursday, three lions were found poisoned and mutilated at Turffontein Farm near Polokwane.

Police spokesman Motlafela Mojapelo said two male lions had their heads and paws cut off. The third, a female, was not cut.

"The motive for the latest incident is not known," he said.

Kelly Marnewick, manager of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's carnivore conservation programme, said: "We are very concerned about the increase in poaching incidents of lions.

"These incidents appear to be linked to the trade in their body parts. We do not have a good understanding of the trade in lion parts and what drives it.

"However, it is clear that poaching is an increasing threat to lions and needs to be urgently addressed."

Similar killings have been reported on privately owned properties at Marble Hall, Tzaneen, and Thabazimbi.

In June last year, two white lions were killed in their shelter at the Tzaneen Lion and Predator Park at the Letaba River Lodge. Three men were arrested near Phalaborwa with the remains of one of the white lions.

Two weeks ago, the park's owner, Andre de Lange, reported a grisly scenario that greeted workers when they reported for duty. Three male lions had been killed at the park. Their legs and heads had been hacked off.

De Lange said he believed it had been an inside job because the poachers had to cut through three wire fences and bypass an advanced alarm system.

In a newsletter this week, the private Environmental Investigation Agency said any proposed legal trade would have disastrous consequences for the protection of the last remaining tigers in the wild, as well as the conservation of Africa's lions and other big cats.

"EIA is appalled that South Africa has made a proposal known that it intends to export the skeletons of 800 African lions a year into a trade that stimulates consumer demand for the bones of more endangered big cats," the newsletter said.

The Department of Environmental Affairs, in conjunction with the South African National Biodiversity Institute, held a meeting in Pretoria last week with executives of the South African Predator Association, nature conservation officials and other concerned parties to discuss the problem.

This week the IFP said it was "extremely concerned" by the government's export plan.

One of the three lions that were found poisoned near Polokwane this week. The heads and paws of two males were cut off.

The party's spokesman on environmental affairs, Narend Singh, said: "Many species in South Africa are under threat due to the insatiable demand by Asian markets for pseudo-medical-magical commercial products which have no scientific or rational basis and are nothing but quackery.

"Yet our government continues to legitimise and assist in developing such markets for the profit and benefit of a few wealthy local farmers, at the expense of the welfare of our animals, and the people of South Africa."

Department spokesman Albi Modise told Bloomberg: "An export permit will only be granted when a scientific authority has advised that it won't be detrimental to the survival of the species."

He said the export quota for captive lions might help prevent the poaching of wild lions as demand surged. There were also similar initiatives by countries like India and Russia to better protect tigers.

"Well-regulated trade will enable the department to monitor a number of issues, including the possible impact on the wild populations," said Modise.

In a report published last year, Panthera, WildAid and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit said there were only 20,000 lions left in Africa, 43% fewer than two decades ago.

Between 2008 and 2014, the bones of more than 4900 African lions, both wild and captive, were sent from South Africa to Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and China.
 
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The government seems to be trying to do a proper job despite the shrill voices of the anti lobby groups. How much money do those lobby groups spend?? Can't be cheap.
 
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Two oldest Muti markets in South Africa. Durban and Joburg.
So long established they are listed in Fodors Travel directory....


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Is animal skin gang linked to church group?

A major wildlife poaching ring, allegedly connected to the Shembe church and tribal chiefs, has been exposed in KwaZulu-Natal after the chance arrest of a Mozambican leopard-skin smuggler.

Early on Thursday, police and conservation officers raided a house near the town of Ubombo and recovered millions of rands worth of animal remains, including the skins from nearly 60 leopards, a lion, several hyena and dozens from specially-protected smaller species.

"We found more than 150 skins, these guys had wiped out enough wild animals to stock their own game reserve," according to a detective in the joint South African Police Services and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife investigation unit.

Nature conservation officials are hoping to trace the exact origin of the dead animals and suspect that several may have came from the Mkhuze area.

This is what they found: Skins from 58 leopards, one lion, five hyenas, 10 impalas, 14 samango monkeys, seven nyala antelopes, one zebra, 11 suni antelopes, two striped polecats, 11 grey or red duikers, 23 mongoose from various species, three thick-tailed bushbabies, a honey-badgers, three caracals, 10 servals, a porcupine pelt with quills and a 30kg bale of loose leopard skin pieces.

A 58-year-old man from the Manfene district will be taken to court in Ubombo on Friday morning to face numerous charges.

The investigators also seized an unlicensed firearm, a container of poison as well several head-dresses for traditional chiefs and items of church regalia fashioned from animal skins.

The wildlife poaching ring came unstuck after a routine roadblock near the town of Manguzi in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

According to Superintendent Deven Naicker of the South African Police Service Organised Crime Unit, a Mozambican national was deported recently after the discovery of five leopard skins at the roadblock.

The confiscated skins, thought to have been destined for a wildlife merchant in the Jozini area, were given to nature conservation staff for safe-keeping.

Soon afterwards, a R5 000 bribe was offered to conservation officers to secure the "return" of the skins.

Naicker said members of his unit were called in to spring a trap resulting in the early morning raid near Ubombo.

Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife co-ordinator Andy Davies said they would focus on tracking down the poachers who supplied the skins, as well as pin-pointing the conservation areas where the animals died.

Police Detective Inspector JP Roux said the financial value of the haul was still being calculated, but the leopard skins alone were believed to sell for almost R50 000 each on the black market, while a single lion skin could fetch about R250 000.

Other sources connected to the investigation said some of the items of religious regalia were thought to be destined for senior members of the Shembe church, while the animal skin head-dresses were of the type worn by traditional chiefs.

M-Net's Carte Blanche screened a programme recently blaming poaching for the high number of wildlife deaths in Mkhuze game reserve.

KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife has acknowledged that poaching was part of the problem, but suggested drought was also an important factor.

An audit is currently underway in the park to work out the current animal population levels.

In recent years game audits at Mkhuze have been limited to counting every two years, but ecologists have decided to revert to an annual census to build up a more accurate picture.

South Africa / 30 July 2004, 09:44am
Tony Carnie
 
A failed bribery attempt and a successful sting operation, gives one hope. Way to go!
 

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