CYPRUS BANS THE USE OF ALL ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES

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Last week the Cypriot parliament voted to amend their Animal Welfare Law in favour of a total ban on the use of all animals (wild and domestic) in circuses.
Roughly translated from Greek, the amendment reads: “The installation and operation of circuses that include in their programme any species of animal, whether to perform, parade, or simply appear before the public, is prohibited.”
This dramatic move by the government follows many discussions, both political and non-political, in recent years and has received widespread support from European animal welfare organisations. This measure means Cyprus joins Greece, which implemented a total ban of animal performances in April 2012, as the only two countries in Europe to have a complete ban on the use of all animals in circuses.
Born Free welcomes the news and congratulates the Cypriot Government, and the organisations that have worked tirelessly to end the use of animals in circuses in Cyprus. The use of animals in circuses misrepresents the true nature and attributes of the animals; require the animals to be subjected to an unnatural and often abusive lifestyle; and undermine public respect for the natural world.
Other amendments to the Animal Welfare Law include a stipulation that a National Committee must be established to protect animals used in experimental facilities and the prohibition of all ‘cosmetic mutilation’ of pets (except when deemed necessary by a vet). This latter point includes the removal of tails, ears, teeth, nails, and vocal cords.
This is great news for animal welfare and Cyprus becomes an example for other countries to follow. Well done Cyprus!

THE FINAL CURTAIN: UK Government Announces 2015 Ban On wild Animals In Circuses In England

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“At last, the big top is falling…but I wish it applied to all animals.  All animals in circuses are deprived of their basic needs to exercise, roam, socialize, forage, and play. Horses will still be  forced to perform confusing and physically challenging tricks. Former Ringling animal crew employees contacted PETA & reported that horses are grabbed by the throat, stabbed with pitchforks, punched in the face, given painful “lip twists,” and whipped. All animals feel pain, fear, loneliness, stress etc. So why ban one & not the other?? Or am I asking too much? I am very happy that wild animals will finally be banned; but I would have felt a lot happier had it been a ban on all animals performing in circuses!”

UK Government announces 2015 ban on wild animals in travelling circuses in England 

Today, draft legislation was announced that would see it become an offence to use wild animals in travelling circuses in England from 2015.

baby ele1touched up

The Born Free Foundation has worked consistently for an end to the use of wild animals in circuses since its inception in 1984. Foundation representatives participated in the first Circus Working Group in the mid-1990s, and the second in 2004. Over the years Born Free has seen many lows, and precious few highs. Yet, throughout, the message has been the same: a travelling circus simply cannot meet the needs of wild animals.

Virginia McKenna OBE, Founder of the Born Free Foundation, said: “It has taken a long time – too long – but at last the end is in sight. I know for many, many people this will be a reason to rejoice. I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make a ban a reality, including Parliamentarians of all Parties. Victories for common-sense and compassion are all too rare. “

It is disappointing that it has taken this long to get to this stage, given that the recent initiative to ban originated in discussions that took place prior to the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Nonetheless, the draft legislation should be welcomed as finally reflecting public, Parliamentary and expert opinion.

Born Free remains committed to supporting the enactment of similar legislation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and for an end to the use of wild animals in circuses worldwide.

Will Travers OBE, the Foundation’s CEO, commented: “I hardly dared imagine we would see such a day when, year after year, meeting after meeting, the NGOs participating in the various Circus Working Groups churned through the evidence, debated the practicalities, fought against Defra’s institutional inertia and Government opposition to a ban. Our supporters have been amazing as have our colleagues in other organisations. One more form of wild animal exploitation is on its way out.”

It would not have been possible to achieve this without the support of campaign partners the RSPCA, CAPS and the BVA, and without the help of Born Free supporters. The work of the Zoo Check team is central to the work of the Foundation, and they work tirelessly to protect animals in zoos, circuses, as pets and in the tourist trade around the world.

Anne Elephant in England Abused By Groom. Owners were charged

Anne The Elephant, Abused in Great British Circus By Groom. Owners were charged

If you would like to help support the Foundation’s work on captive animal welfare, please consider becoming a member of the Born Free Foundation or making a donation: www.bornfree.org.uk/give

News Link:http://www.bornfree.org.uk/index.php?id=34&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1294&cHash=65344dfb5e3eb3050faa966a39c7b845&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BornFreeNews+%28Born+Free%3A+Latest+News%29

CITES Partner Spotlight: INTERPOL’s Project WEB combats online wildlife crime

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“As the CITIES conference comes to the end of its first week, I thought I would just add the video in along with this post. Born Free’s CEO Will Travis, talks about some of the issues raised. Although I can’t believe the bid to halt the polar bear trade, was just swept under the table…WTF… Russia, Canada & the US…really have left the polar bears out in the cold…literally! I’m disgusted with their decision; same goes for the poor manatee!! I can’t wait to see what rubbish they come up with next week, for protecting species round the world; who are just about hanging on with their teeth!! Do the delegates from their respective country, actually know the danger some species are in?? I have my doubts given the first weeks bungles, honestly some of them are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard. Take about 30 of us animal advocates from face book, stick us round a table; & I’m sure we could come up with plans to help those in need!!”

Today saw the launch of the first ever internationally coordinated enforcement investigation into the online ivory trade.

Following the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s (IFAW’s) recommendation and with our support INTERPOL undertook Project WEB, an investigation into the online ivory trade within the EU.

Summing up week one at the CITES meeting in Bangkok

Published on 8 Mar 2013

Will Travers, CEO of Born Free, sums up week one at CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) meeting, covering secret ballots, elephants, rhino, polar bears, manatees and turtles.

The report revealed that there were hundreds of ivory items conservatively valued at approximately EUR 1,450,000 for sale during a two-week period on Internet auction sites in nine European countries.

During this survey of sites by enforcers, more than 660 advertisements for ivory on 61 different auction sites were analysed and as a result of the surveillance, six national and three international investigations were launched in cases where ivory was described as new or where ivory was being traded from abroad.

Project WEB by the numbers:

Estimated €1.45 million worth of ivory

Found in 9 Countries

Across 61 auction websites

In 660 online advertisements

Containing 100s of items made from ivory

Over a 2 week period

Leading to 6 national investigations

And 3 international investigations

This week sees the 16th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

The 177 countries that are Party to CITES have already agreed, thanks in part to IFAW’s lobbying efforts, to investigate and prosecute wildlife criminals trading online as well as evaluate or develop their domestic measures to ensure they are sufficient to fight online wildlife crime.

While at least one country has strengthened their legislation to specifically target online wildlife crime and a small number of countries have started to develop strategies for tackling illegal wildlife sales on the internet, many more countries need to deliver on their promise and stamp out online wildlife crime.

Since 2004 IFAW has been highlighting the growing global threat posed by online wildlife crime to endangered wildlife.  A series of IFAW investigations have repeatedly shown that there are thousands of wild animals and wildlife ‘products’, such as ivory, available for sale on the internet all over the world.

Stop The Ivory trade

IFAW has found live primates, big cats, birds and reptiles advertised online while animal parts from rhino’s, elephants, sharks, Tibetan antelopes and sturgeon have also been available to purchase on the internet.

In January 2012, IFAW’s online monitoring found 17,847 ivory products listed on 13 Chinese websites, even though none of these products had the necessary Government approval.

Meanwhile, a four-week investigation in the United Arab Emirates and some neighbouring Arab countries in the same year found 796 adverts featuring live wildlife over 11 websites. None of the adverts had any documentary proof to demonstrate that the sales complied with the law.

In Europe an IFAW investigation in 2011 found a thriving trade in ivory items. The investigation tracked 43 sites in the UK, France, Portugal, Spain and Germany for a two-week period and found 669 advertisements for ivory.

The statistics are disturbing but can be hard to comprehend so let me give you one example that shows the horrors of this illegal trade.

In 2010 a British couple admitted 12 counts of illegally exporting, three of illegally importing, seven of illegally selling and two of illegally possessing specimens under the Customs and Excise Management Act.

The couple in question had been selling animal body parts from owls, a baboon, macaque monkeys, a python, an African penguin, an African lion cub and a Malaysian flying fox.

These items were kept in a store room full of skulls and other animal body parts which, when I saw the pictures, made me think it as a room of death for wildlife.

Highlighting the problem of this trade is an important first step but IFAW has been going one stage further and engaging website companies, law enforcers and Governments in our campaign to stamp out online wildlife crime.

After our 2008 Killing with Keystrokes investigation, where we found ivory was the number one wildlife product being traded online, we encouraged eBay to ban the sale of ivory on their websites and IFAW was very pleased to see them announce this ban in January 2009.

Meanwhile other websites have since followed suit including Alibaba (www.taobao.com) in China, the world’s largest business-to-business and outsource portal site for traders.

However, while banning the sale of wildlife products on websites does restrict unscrupulous traders’ ability to easily profit from these products, there is clearly a need for enforcers to ramp up their efforts.

We have seen traders time and again attempting to disguise their wildlife products to avoid detection by police, customs or website companies such as eBay.

In addition to working with INTERPOL IFAW is working with enforcement agencies across the world to catch online wildlife criminals by sharing the findings of our online investigations, facilitating international enforcement operations and by bringing together website companies and enforcement agencies in order that they can work in partnership in their fight against illegal wildlife sales on the internet.

–TM

Please sign petition:- Take action to help end the trafficking of wildlife online now, click here. 

News Link:-http://www.ifaw.org/united-kingdom/news/cites-partner-spotlight-interpol%E2%80%99s-project-web-combats-online-wildlife-crime

INTRODUCING A MOBILE PREDATOR-PROOF BOMA TO SAMBURU

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Born Free recently partnered with Ewaso Lions to help secure a future for lions in the Samburu region of Northern Kenya (link to previous article). This partnership aims to help minimize conflict between people and predators, while engaging Samburu warriors (‘morans’) in conservation through the Warrior Watch project.

Traditionally, Samburu morans do not attend school and spend most of their time in the bush, alongside wildlife. The Born Free / Ewaso Lions partnership aims to supplement morans’ traditional knowledge with conservation awareness by means of informal education.

Demostrating how to fix the door

Since morans are best placed to act as an ‘eye’ for the community, observing and reporting carnivores’ movements, they can help people to avoid grazing their livestock in areas with lions and hyenas, and thus greatly reduce conflict with these predators.

In August, the Born Free team visited the Warrior Watchgroup in Samburu and trained them in the construction of lion-proof bomas which will also help to avoid conflict with hyenas.

Over four days, the team, morans and rangers discussed lion conservation in Kenya, how Born Free and its partners are addressing this issue and how the warriors could help to save the remaining lions in the country. The concept of a model mobile lion-proof boma was examined and the participants watched a very informative film Living with Lions. The film explains in Maasai/Samburu how to construct a lion-proof boma and its benefits to the community.

Outside a completed hyena-proof boma

A practical session was then conducted, with participants constructing a mock mobile lion-proof boma.  The morans then had an opportunity to share what they had learned and have their questions answered.

Following this preparation, the morans put what they had learned into practice under the guidance of the Born Free team – an existing traditional boma was selected by the community and the morans upgraded this to a boma which prevents hyenas, as the main threat to livestock in the area, from gaining entry. In some cases the lions are killed even though the hyenas are the culprits of attacks on livestock, so that adapting the boma design to repel hyena attacks means that lions in the area will also be protected.

To test if the constructed boma was appropriate for the nomadic lifestyle of the Samburu community, the boma was then dismantled and the materials were transported to a different area. So far, they seem to have worked well, and the Samburu morans (in collaboration with Born Free) will monitor and evaluate them as they are distributed to the communities.

Please keep following us here to get the latest news on what Born Free and its partners are doing to secure the future of lions in Kenya.

News Link:http://www.bornfree.org.uk/index.php?id=34&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1116&cHash=cfb4f829d8&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BornFreeNews+%28Born+Free%3A+Latest+News%29

 

‘Game hunting necessary’ – OK guys I want Your comments on this, does hunting actually protect wildlife??

8 Comments

“WOAH…Ok guy’s COMMENTS ARE OPEN for this article…I want to hear what you have to say about WWF being a party to hunting etc. I heard before that WWF agree’s with hunting, which is why I stopped sending them money…but I can’t find anything that literally say’s they support hunting…What do YOU think about hunting; are they the true conservationist, is it necessary?? are we greenies out of touch with ourselves… or are hunters talking a load of crap?? 

LAST month The Morning Bulletin published an article about a Rockhampton resident shocked by one stall at the Hunting, Fishing and 4WD show.

World Wide Hunts offers a range of trips where one can hunt animals ranging from wild pigs to lions to elephants.

Upon returning from an African hunting safari, Greg Coyne felt compelled to share his thoughts. He said in two weeks of hunting in Zimbabwe he took only three animals, while bowhuntingfor trophy elephant. In the end he was outsmarted, but said for him hunting was more about the journey than the kill.

Greg Coyne shot this lion in Mozambique in 2008. He said the lion had killed and eaten a number of villagers as it had been injured by a snare and while injured, humans are easier game than other animals. “Although he’d almost fully recovered, it’s said that once a man-eater, always a man-eater,” Mr Coyne said.

A commercial fisherman in St Lawrence, Mr Coyne has been hunting and fishing since he was four, following his grandfather as he checked traps and snares in the bush.

He operates his fishing business off his 1214-hectare property where he has also been hosting both Australians and foreigners to hunt wild game for the last two years.

He has been to Africa on five separate hunting trips – “nowhere else in the world can you find such a diverse range of animals to admire and hunt at very reasonable rates,” he said.

“Hunters in Africa are also generally admired, respected and above all welcomed by almost everyone in the entire country.” “Probably because your white with loads of cash & guns!!!”

Greg Coyne shares his thoughts on hunting:

WELL, I’ve only just seen the article in the July 21 Weekend Bulletin titled ‘Hunting Stall Upsets Patron’ which happened at the recent fishing expo held in Rockhampton.

I’m a little late in responding to this as I have only recently returned from a hunting safari in Africa. I feel that as a hunter and a true conservationist it’s my duty to try to properly inform this fellow along with all others that may agree with him.

Now, if it wasn’t for hunters like myself there actually wouldn’t be any elephants or hippos or any other large game left in the world for that matter, period.

Because we actually put a value on an animal’s life, this is why conservation is working in a lot of areas.

If it wasn’t for some governments along with a large number of other folk with a vested interest in the hunting industry doing their very best to protect the large majority of species from the poaching activities that are running rife in the world, then most of our larger animals would had been extinct long ago.

It is mostly only from fees earned by governments and outfitters through hunting that allows anti-poaching operations to be carried out.

‘Greenies’, and most other so-called ‘wildlife conservation organisations’ mostly don’t know what they are on about and are by the majority not even in touch with themselves let alone nature.

They are not capable of taking care of our wildlife no matter how much money they throw at their so-called cause.

It’s only hunters and people like us with deep feelings and a good sense of well-being for the land and the animals that live here, that place any real value on this resource.

I do say “most other organisations” because, actually, unbeknown to most people in the big wide world, the largest conservation organisation in the world, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) actually works hand in hand with the Safari Club International (SCI) which is also the largest hunting organisation in the world.

Yes, that’s right, “hunting organisation”.

Together they have been directly responsible for saving a great number of our animal species from the very brink of extinction.

You won’t hear about this from anyone else in your community and most probably you will never ever hear it repeated again because this is very serious business and it is kept very low-key by parties concerned for fear that the WWF would lose vital funding from individuals that are willing to donate huge sums of money to the cause.

Although well-intended, these donors are more often than not uninformed and misguided and just wouldn’t be able to understand the complexity of the situation.

So WWF figures it best to just keep them in the dark.

What they don’t know can’t hurt them. You would have to travel to the farthest reaches of the world, perhaps to some remote hunting camp in deepest darkest Africa.

There you may be lucky enough to meet up with some WWF representative that is visiting the area to observe how some species was recovering under the watchful eye of “the hunters” the only true “wildlife warriors”.

Environmental and habitat management is probably the biggest major concern in any wildlife area.

Far too big an issue for myself to go much into here but folk may be interested to know that the Green movement has been successful in all but ending all forms of hunting in Botswana.

This breeds disaster either to all the animals in that country or perhaps to the land first, followed then by the wildlife.

Without proper management, if the population isn’t poached and slaughtered as recently seen in Zimbabwe, then the herds will breed up out of control and eventually denude the whole countryside.

This is already the case in large parts of Botswana because the country is currently carrying over 100,000 elephants where the carrying capacity in reality is less than one-third of this number.

Because of over grazing in areas, particularly along rivers, the bush has been almost totally denuded for up to 20 miles back from either side of both river banks.

I have been told by reliable sources that the countryside has the appearance of a lunar landscape.

This has already displaced many species especially those creatures that require thickly vegetated habitat as normally found alongside river banks.

Zimbabwe was once the number one hunting destination in the world, earning untold millions of dollars in revenue for its people.

However, since Mugabe gained power a little over a decade ago, the wildlife has been decimated.

The whole country has literally gone to ruin. I know because I was there a little over two weeks ago.

It’s now only a shell of its former self and even if it immediately came under proper management, it would take perhaps 30 years to return to what it once was.

However, sadly this is not likely to happen. On another note, all animals are not lovable furry things.

In India alone something like 50,000 natives get killed by various critters each year. Surprised? Well don’t be because it’s the reality.

Misguided folk see the African hippo, which is portrayed on TV as the lovable happy, jovial beast, as just that.

In reality the hippo alone attacks and kills hundreds of people each year in Africa.

Not to even mention what the other big six dangerous game animals over there kill.

Now, I’m not saying that because these beasts need to be slaughtered.

Quite the opposite in fact. They have the right to be where they are and they need to be protected the same as all other species, and the best way to protect any animal is to have regulated hunting

News Link:-http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2012/08/21/game-hunting-necessary-greg-coyne-africa/

ELEPHANT TROPHY HUNTING

Growing numbers of British hunters pay £15,000 or more to shoot an elephant.  Trophy hunting is easy to organise via the internet and elephants, lions, leopards and hippo can be legally shot in cold blood in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tanzania.  The dead animal’s head is usually then stuffed, mounted and exported as a grotesque ‘trophy’.  Born Free believes trophy hunting may be contributing to species’ decline and fights to end this glorified ‘sport’.

News Link:http://www.bornfree.org.uk/animals/african-elephants/projects/trophy-hunting/

The Truth About WWF
 The WWF Endorses the Killing of Wild Animals, Too!!!

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) gives special meaning to the word “conservation. .” The organization, founded in 1961 by a group of wealthy trophy hunters, apparently believes that conserving animals means keeping them around long enough for well-heeled “sportsmen” to blast them out of the woods, oceans, skies, plains of Africa, and jungles of Asia.. Past WWF chapter presidents include C..R.. “Pink” Gutermuth, who also served as president of the National Rifle Association, and trophy hunter Francis L.. Kellogg, who is legendary for his massive kills.. In its early days, the WWF even used fur auctions to raise funds…

Since then, the WWF has learned that most people are appalled by hunting and trapping, so today, the organization veils its true stance under phrases like “sustainable development, ” arguing that killing is acceptable under some circumstances. . When answering difficult questions about its policy on hunting, trapping, and whaling, the WWF is careful never to state outright that it approves of all these activities.. But don’t be fooled, the WWF’s intentions are all too clear and deadly!!

News Link:http://www.animalliberationfront.com/AR_Orgs/TruthaboutWWF.htm

WILL TRAVERS OBE

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We are delighted to announce that Born Free‘s CEO, Will Travers, has been honoured for his work to protect endangered and suffering animals around the world with an OBE.

“If I could share this recognition with all of my wildlife heroes, who have fought, and are still fighting, for a more compassionate world, where individual wild animals do not suffer for our entertainment, our vanity or our ‘sport’, and where wild species and wild places are protected, respected and treasured – then I would.

In particular, I want to thank those who have inspired, encouraged and sustained my efforts, especially my mother, father and my entire family, my colleagues at Born Free – in the UK and throughout the world – and all our wonderful supporters and friends.

To be honoured in this way, in this very special Jubilee year, has left me, temporarily, almost speechless.”

Will Travers OBE

News Link:-http://www.bornfree.org.uk/index.php?id=34&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=1054&cHash=4f910699b7&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BornFreeNews+%28Born+Free%3A+Latest+News%29

Abused monkey finds a loving home at South Texas sanctuary

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DILLEY — A pet monkey that endured years of heartbreaking cruelty has finally found a loving home at a primate sanctuary in Dilley, Texas

Officials at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary said the long-tailed macaque was never let out of his small cage to exercise in the 10 years he lived with his former owner in Michigan. The former owners even allegedly got JR high on marijuana and drunk off booze.

Last week, JR made the 28-hour drive to the sanctuary in South Texas, where he was renamed Freeman. Officials said the monkey will be in quarantine for the next two weeks while he received grooming and is introduced to a proper diet.

Born Free USA Director Tim Ajax said in a press release, “This monkey was living a life of horror and we are doing everything we can to help him acclimate. Private ownership of exotic animals, especially primates, is a cruel business that starts with a baby being stolen from his or her mother for profit and often ends in a psychologically damaged animal forced to endure a life of isolation and misery.”

Freeman’s former owner was convinced to release the primate to a sanctuary after years a coaxing from a concerned citizen.

News Link:http://www.kens5.com/news/Abused-monkey-finds-a-loving-home-at-South-Texas-sanctuary-157472915.html

April 2012 Illegal Ivory Trade News Round-up

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April 2012 Illegal Ivory Trade News Round-up

Posted: 02 May 2012 01:12 AM PDT

A monthly update on press coverage of the international illegal ivory trade.

This month’s seizure figures represent at least 19 dead elephants, bringing the total since this time last year to at least 3,228…*

? April – Kenya
A British business man is arrested and on 12th April charged with possession of an undisclosed amount of ivory while attempting to leave the country. Full report 

19th April – Kubisera area, Isiolo County, Kenya
Two elephant tusks are recovered along with weapons and ammunition when four suspected paochers are arrested following engagement with wildlife rangers. Full report

19th April – Rumuruti, Laikipia County, Kenya
3kg of ivory, eland meat, a rifle and ammunition are seized and two suspected poachers arrested. Full report

21st April – Kapenguria-Ortum Road, West Pokot County, Kenya
In a shoot-out with wildlife rangers, one of whom is injured, five poachers are killed and 50kg of ivory, three rifles and ammunition recovered. Full report

25th April – Suvarnabhumi Int’l Airport, Bangkok, Thailand
In boxes sent from Nigeria and labeled as containing gemstones, customs officials locate 22 whole and 44 pieces of tusks. Full report

29th April – OR Tambo Int’l Airport, Cape Town, South Africa
Two bags bound for Hong Kong are found to contain two tusks. Full report

African elephant poaching news this month includes reports of continued poaching in Tanzania’s protected areas, with the latest casualties of 8 poisoned elephantsbringing the official death toll to 87 so far this year.

* Customs authorities and police agencies can only do so much – seized tusks, carvings, chopsticks and jewellery represent a small percentage of all the illegal ivory in trade at any point in time. It has been estimated that in order to supply this total amount, 38,000 elephants – at least 8% of the entire African elephant population – are being killed annually.

Help fund anti-poaching efforts to stop African elephants from being killed for their ivory

Sign the petition to ensure elephants are safeguarded throughout their range 

THE WORST YEAR FOR ELEPHANTS FOR TWO DECADES

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The worst year for elephants for two decades. That’s how some wildlife trade specialists described 2011. 

Pre-publicity about a Panorama special Ivory Wars: Out of Africa (Thursday 12th April, BBC1 9pm), would seem confirm what Born Free has been saying for years.  Soaring raw ivory prices, crushing levels of poaching and the biggest seizures of the illegal ivory since the international ivory trade ban was introduced in 1990, mean that elephants across much of Africa are facing a bleak future.  Foolhardy decisions by well-meaning countries such as the UK have undermined the integrity of the ban and meant that legalised sales to China and Japan, far from ‘satisfying’ demand and reducing poaching, have fuelled the demand for ‘white gold’.

Elephant strongholds such as Kenya, and parts of east and southern Africa, may be able to withstand the onslaught – although rangers regularly and tragically lose their lives – but less well-resourced wildlife law enforcement operations in other parts of Africa are, literally, under the gun, and so are the elephants. 

Watch Panorama’s Ivory Wars: Out of Africa

 

News Link:-Born Free

Dolphins set to be freed back into the wild after regaining their strength with Free Willy’s trainers

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These bottlenose dolphins look ready to leap back into the wild as they prepare for a new life in the open ocean after years of captivity.

Flying high: Jeff Foster works with Misha and Tom to build up their muscle and fitness ready for their return to the wild.

The dolphins Tom and Misha lost the instinct to fish after being kept cooped up for six years in poor conditions, but they could be released back into the wild soon after being retrained to hunt.

Their remarkable recovery is in part thanks to U.S. cetacean expert Jeff Foster, who rehabilitated star of the film Free Willy killer whale Keiko

Mr Foster recalls: We ‘cut our teeth’ on Keiko, which was a hugely expensive and ambitious project.  We learned from that experience and this enabled us to go on and successfully release Springer, another orca.

Tom and Misha were rescued two years ago by a British wildlife charity Born Free, when it received complaints about a newly-constructed pool in the centre of a Turkishholiday resort, which was rumoured to become a swim with dolphins attraction.

Happier times: Tom and Misha keeping active in rehabilitation to prepare them for life back in the wild

The charity found the dolphins being kept in an inadequate, polluted and distressing conditions, after having been transported in the back of a truck without support for over two hours.

‘Tom and Misha are different again, not only because they are a different species but because they have spent years in captivity and have lost a lot of their natural instincts, which is what makes this project so unique and pioneering.’

Preparing for the wild: The rescued dolphins are learning to fish again and recovering from the trauma they have endured.

He added that building up their fitness and stamina has been crucial to preparing Tom and Misha for the wild. They were underweight and lethargic when they were first rescued, due to the poor living conditions they had endured.

‘If we can get Tom and Misha back to the wild it will be one of the great release projects of all time,’ he said.

It was discovered the two dolphins had been captured from the eastern coastal area of the Aegean Seaand are thought to be between 12 and 20 years old.

Poor conditions: Tom and Misha in the dilapidated swimming pool from which they were rescued

They have been living in a rescue centre and preparing to return to the wild.The centre has set up a system of releasing live fish into the dolphins tank and installed underwater cameras to make sure both Tom and Misha are capable of hunting unaided.

Ahead of their release, Misha and Tom will be fitted with single pin satellite tags so their health and welfare in the wild can be monitored

To make a donation and help support returning Tom and Misha back to the wild visit www.bornfree.org.uk/dolphins or contact Born Free on 01403 240170.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2120365/Born-wild-Two-dolphins-kept-captivity-freed-retrained-hunt.html#ixzz1rYWwWJgV

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