WWF - Environmental News

Cut airplane emissions, not trade ties

2012-02-22

WWF said today that countries should focus on cutting climate-changing emissions from aviation, rather than retaliating against the European Union for trying to limit emissions from aviation in its airspace. The EU has included aviation in its emissions trading scheme (ETS), which will result in small fees for airlines using European airports.

As aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions – rising 3 to 4% per year - [IPCC WG III report, 2007], WWF would like to see a global, rapid and time-bound process to reach a robust solution to address this uncontrolled source of carbon pollution. In the meantime, the EU ETS is an important first step to control pollution from planes.

Samantha Smith, leader of WWF's global climate and energy initiative, said: "WWF would like to see greenhouse gas emissions from aviation addressed on a global basis. However, as efforts to do this through the International Civil Aviation Organization have made little progress for 14 years, the EU's decision to include aviation in the ETS is an important step towards addressing one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon pollution.

"We would also like to see money from aviation emissions trading earmarked for climate change adaptation and finance in developing countries. This is consistent with the recent Durban climate conference, where UN member states agreed on both the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to provide climate finance to developing nations."

Globally, WWF is working towards solutions that will reduce emissions from international transport, including aviation. An important principle in a global approach to controlling these emissions is that there is 'no net incidence' on developing countries.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Europe’s Aviation Directive, which included aviation emissions within the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) from 1 January 2012, is a pioneering law that holds airlines accountable for their emissions associated with their commercial flights into or out of EU airports. Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, rising 3 to 4% per year. Until now, the sector has escaped regulations that would require emissions reductions.

2. In 2011, three U.S. airlines — United/Continental and American — and their trade association, Air Transport Association of America (now known as Airlines for America), challenged the legality of the Europe’s aviation emissions trading system. In December 2011, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in support of the EU’s move, saying that the EU law was fully compliant with international law: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-12/cp110139en.pdf

For further information, please contact:

George Smeeton
Tel: 01483 412 388
Mob: 07917 052 948
Email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk
T: @GSmeeton

Smart green infrastructure takes center stage at Malaysia tiger forum

2012-02-20

Kuala Lumpur – As the infrastructure growth in the “Asian Century” shows no signs of slowing down, Malaysia has taken a first bold step in addressing how this growth will affect tigers and tiger habitats by holding a leadership forum on including priority tiger habitats into land and infrastructure planning. The meeting, entitled Cross-Sectoral Executive Leadership Forum on Mainstreaming Priority Tiger Habitats, is being held in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on February 20 – 22. At the forum, the Government of Malaysia is announcing the construction of viaducts that will promote safe passage for tigers and other wildlife along a busy East-West Highway.

“Smart Green Infrastructure is a vital component of any initiative to save tigers and recover their numbers,” said Mike Baltzer, Head of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative (TAI). “As we strive towards TX2 – doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022 – we must immediately engage governments, international institutions and our partners on the ground to ensure that Asia’s rapid growth leads to opportunities, as opposed to increasing pressure, for tigers and their habitat.” At the forum, the TAI will present Designing a Conservation Landscape for Tigers in a Human Dominated Environment.

Malaysia plans to take its viaduct project one step further by integrating an ambitious forest plan, the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Master Plan, into its national spatial plan. The CFS plan will use smart green infrastructure such as viaducts to create forest linkages, which will lead to a contiguous network of forest through the country’s backbone, or spine. Malaysia’s implementation of the CFS plan and its National Tiger Conservation Action Plan will lead to further integration with plans at the state and local levels.

In addition to poaching and the illegal tiger trade, habitat loss and degradation represents the most serious threat to tigers. The pressures on the pockets of habitat where tigers are still holding on will only increase as the growth boom in Asia continues push outward, reaching formerly pristine tiger and wildlife habitat. As wildlife and park authorities look to stem the rising tide, they will need new solutions backed by robust government participation.

Northern Peninsular Malaysia’s Banjaran Titiwangsa Landscape, which includes the Belum-Temengor Priority Tiger Landscape, is one of the Tigers Alive Initiative’s 12 priority landscapes, and where some of the viaducts will be built. The area, which includes Peninsular Malaysia’s longest mountain range and largest national park, also harbors the country’s largest tiger population. Of the 3,200 wild tigers remaining in 13 countries in Asia and the Russian Far East, Malaysia contains a significant percentage of the population, currently standing at approximately 500.

The forum is hosted by Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, WWF partners the Global Tiger Initiative and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and will also include presentations from the tiger range countries of Indonesia and India.

WWF deplores elephant slaughter, urges end to open borders for poaching

2012-02-17

Gland, Switzerland: WWF has deplored the mass slaughter of elephants in northern Cameroon, and has called on governments in the region to address the issue of cross border raids by heavily armed poaching gangs.

Estimates of the number of elephants killed in Bouba Ndjida National Park by a gang crossing the border from Chad and believed to be supplying Sudan ivory markets that service ivory trafficking to Asia range commonly exceed 200.

“"WWF strongly condemns the brutal slaughter of 200 elephants in Cameroon,” said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International.

“We call on President Paul Biya to launch a full response to assure the global community that he takes this criminal act seriously and will work with Chad and Sudan to bring these criminals to justice."

"This is one of the most horrific case of wildlife slaughter that has emerged in a long while, that only goes to highlight the urgent need for local and global action to protect these vulnerable animals."

A 2008 survey showed the park to be home to an estimated 350 elephants. About 120 fresh elephant carcasses, with tusks removed have been found in just the northern section of the park.

“The large scale of elephants killed in Bouba Jdjida requires a strong intervention of the Cameroon government to avoid similar disasters in other protected areas,” said Lamine Sebogo, WWF’s African Elephant Programme Coordinator.

The park is poorly resourced to deal with the scale of the assault it experienced this year – according to its conservator “the park is 220,000 hectares with only six game rangers very poorly equipped, whereas the poachers used Kalishnikovs”.

Volvo Group and WWF expand climate partnership

2012-02-17

Sanya, China - Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Buses have joined the Volvo Group’s cooperation with WWF´s Climate Savers program, pledging to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 million tons from construction equipment, buses and trucks through 2014.

“By expanding the partnership with WWF to include our buses and construction equipment, the Volvo Group will demonstrate that it is serious about continuously raising our targets in terms of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from our products, by complying with our vision for sustainable and carbon-neutral future transportation,” said Volvo’s CEO Olof Persson.

The Volvo Group became the world’s first auto manufacturer to join WWF Climate Savers in November 2010 with a commitment to reduce the lifetime CO2 emissions of its trucks sold from 2009 to 2014 by 13 million tons compared to 2008 models.

Thanks to improved fuel efficiency, the goal has now been increased to 30 million tons, and will include the company’s buses and construction equipment. Thirty million tons is the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted by Sweden in its entirety in seven months.

Volvo’s joint-venture company, SDLG, will also become the first leading Chinese construction equipment company to be a member of Climate Savers family.

“Emissions in the transport sector have a major impact on the climate and must be met with vigorous initiatives. It is therefore very encouraging that the Volvo Group now wants to broaden their cooperation with WWF by expanding to new business areas” said Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General of WWF Sweden.

Climate Savers and the Volvo Group

WWF’s Climate Savers program involves multinational companies in the battle to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. The companies that are included in Climate Savers pledge to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions pursuant to an agreement between the WWF and the company. Independent technical experts review the results, and agreed targets must be more ambitious than the company originally planned. Meanwhile, it Climate Savers are also required to play a leading role in its industry in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement between Volvo and the WWF applies for AB Volvo and the Volvo Group’s brands, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses, Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Renault Trucks, UD Trucks and SDLG. SDLG manufactures construction equipment in China, and will be the leading Chinese company in handling climate change towards low carbon economy.

Black carbon initiative should not block real carbon action

2012-02-16

Gland, Switzerland: WWF has welcomed a “black carbon” initiative announced today by the US, Canada, Mexico, Ghana, Sweden and Bangladesh – but warned that the primary effort in reducing dangerous climate changing emissions has to remain on achieving rapid and deep cuts to carbon dioxide emissions.

The substances highlighted in the initiative – black carbon or soot, methane and hydrofluorocarbons – are known as short-lived climate forcers since they do not stay in the atmosphere as long as CO2. Major sources of black carbon include burning of biomass in traditional cookstoves and fires in some developing countries, as well as diesel exhaust.
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‘The fact is that the big emitters like the US and Canada that are advancing this initiative have done very little to reduce CO2 emissions, the primary cause of global warming’ said Samantha Smith, Leader of the WWF Climate and Energy Initiative.

“‘Now they have developed a plan that shifts the focus to others - developing countries in particular. While support for poorer countries is important, their primary responsibility should be to cut their own emissions and address the global challenges posed by climate change.”’

“Cutting black carbon emissions by ensuring adequate access to energy and cleaner cookstoves is in principle good, but we should not assume that this new initiative will deliver quick results”, said Smith.
“There are many practical challenges to this and the other measures in the initiative, including the very large number of sources of pollution, financing, and cultural barriers to adoption of new cooking methods. Success will depend on good mechanisms for finance, accounting and delivery.”

In short, while short-lived forcers provide a window of opportunity it should not distract us from addressing the biggest cause of climate change: CO2 emissions.

APP certifiers distance themselves from sustainability claims

2012-02-15

Pekanbaru, Sumatra – Gland, Switzerland: Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) claims of independent sustainability certification for its operations aren’t supported by the certification schemes and assessors it has nominated, a WWF survey has found.

None of these certifications cover the most controversial operations of the APP’s wood suppliers – mass clearing of native forests which are home to critically endangered tigers, elephants and orang-utans and clearing and drainage of peat areas which result in massive greenhouse gas emissions.

The certification schemes cited by APP cover some, but far from all, supplier timber plantations – but none considered whether plantation establishment involved the clearing of high conservation value forest or whether traditional forest owners had given their “free, prior and informed consent” to forest clearance or plantation establishment.

Another blow to APP global greenwash campaign

“None of the certifiers are prepared to back APP’s claim that their certifications demonstrate its sustainability. This is another blow to the credibility of APP’s massive global greenwash campaign,” said WWF International forest programme director Rod Taylor.

On a weekend APP announcement that they would implement measures to ensure US consumers did not have to choose between tigers and toilet paper, Taylor said the company had a long record of broken promises and he would wait for actual evidence of a company halt to natural forest clearing.

“No amount of public relations can change the fact that APP has bulldozed through their own 2004, 2007 and 2009 deadlines to stop feeding Sumatra’s natural forests through its pulp mills.

“Recent revelations that APP is developing the world’s biggest pulp mill in South Sumatra does not inspire any confidence of the company meeting its 2015 deadline for sustainable sourcing.”

Following a recently issued published analysis of the reality behind APP’s global greenwash campaign from Sumatra NGO coalition Eyes on the Forest, the company cited several forms of certification and assessment to back its claims of sustainability, stating that: “In fact, APP is regularly assessed and certified by many of the world’s leading authorities on sustainable forest management and environmental auditors - including Geneva-based SGS, TUV, AFNOR, the official French auditors for the European ‘ EcoLabel’, PHPL, Indonesian sustainable forest management standard, LEI, Indonesian voluntary sustainable forest management standard, and PEFC Chain-of-Custody, the world’s largest forest certification program.”

WWF asked the nominated certification schemes and assessors whether they supported the APP claim and also asked for detail of what specific APP products or operations were covered by their certifications. The survey covered the key social and environmental measures of free prior and informed consent by landowners and protection of high conservation value forests for forest operations and forest clearance for plantations.

None of the schemes or assessors endorsed the APP statement, with major certifier SGS noting that “None of the TLTV (legality) evaluations conducted by SGS and the statements issued by SGS provide the company with the right to claim that their operations are ‘sustainable forest management’ ” and “The SGS certificates/statements do not support the claim of ‘sustainability’.”

No certificate or assessment issued evaluated the sustainability of the APP group as a whole. The Indonesian voluntary certification scheme LEI said it “did not have data of all APP operations”.

Imported pulp gets certified, Sumatra forests get pulped

Limitations also apply to PEFC Chain-of-Custody certification, often mentioned in APP claims of sustainability. “ The PEFC CoC certificates they hold also do not provide any assurance of their own sustainability since these are simply chain of custody and nothing more,” said SGS which conducts the PEFC certifications. “The PEFC certified material they use in their production, thus enabling them to make PEFC certification claims, is all imported from outside Indonesia as by our understanding there are no PEFC certified forests in Indonesia.”

Key but neglected dimensions of sustainability were whether conversion to plantation involved the clearing of High Conservation Value (HCV) forest or whether those with traditional forest rights or tenure had given their “free, prior and informed consent” to the conversions. The LEI standard, for example confirmed that "The decision to establish forest plantation in certain area, either it was converting natural forest with HCV forest or deep peat and how it was conducted in relation to Free, Prior and Informed Consent is beyond LEI’s standard coverage."

APP suppliers have a record of clearing areas of HCV forest and of neglecting to recognise or do rigorous HCV assessments. There is also a persistent record of land tenure issues around APP operations.

Sumatra has lost more than half its forests

The WWF survey found that none of the certifications demonstrated the legality of the APP wood supply as a whole. Additionally, SGS noted that some plantations had been established on deep peat (more than three metres deep) but Indonesian law lacked clear definition of the conditions under which this was prohibited.

As well as being legally contentious, clearing and drainage of deep peats is a key factor in elevating Indonesia to the leading ranks of carbon emitters globally and opens coastal areas to the risk of seawater incursions.

Sumatra has lost more than half of its native forests in the last 25 years. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recently upgraded the Red List of threatened species status of the Sumatra elephant to “critically endangered”, citing habitat loss as the main reason. The island’s orang-utans and tigers are also under extreme pressure, with recent documented incursions by APP suppliers into reserves for tiger conservation designated by the company itself and featured in its international greenwashing campaign.

“APP’s claims of sustainability are not convincing to a host of major companies that have ceased to buy paper products from them,” said Taylor.

“APP should realise that performance, not promises and propaganda will get the world off its back. A key performance indicator would be for APP pulp mills to immediately halt all use of wood sourced by clearing tropical forests.”

Notes
 Analysis and details of the responses from the certifying schemes and certifying companies can be found at : http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/app_collated_certifier_responses_final_13_february_2012.pdf
 APP uses four sources of materials to manufacture their products: Indonesian wood obtained from large-scale clearance of natural forest, Indonesian wood obtained from harvesting of plantations, pulp purchased from external sources and recycled materials. The truth behind APP’s greenwash, the latest report by Eyes on the Forest (www.eyesontheforest.or.id), a coalition of Sumatra NGOs including WWF Riau, compares APP claims of sustainability and responsibility to its actual practices. See http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?202809/Massive-APP-greenwash-campaign-is-mostly-hogwash-finds-new-report
 WWF-US last week detailed retailers who had dropped and retailers still stocking APP toilet tissue in the US. To download the report and learn more about WWF’s tissue campaign, please visit www.worldwildlife.org/tp
 PHPL - Pengelolaan Hutan Produksi Lestari – was not included in the survey as it is a mandatory government regulatory tool to verify legality rather than an independent voluntary third party certification of sustainable forestry.

Snow leopard prey survey reveals ‘Noah’s Ark’ of wildlife thriving in Bhutan’s newest national park

2012-02-14

WASHINGTON, DC, February 14, 2011 –The first ever snow leopard prey survey in Bhutan’s newest national park revealed astonishing footage of snow leopards scent-marking, a sub-adult snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, threatened Himalayan serow, musk deer and a healthy population of blue sheep, the main food source for snow leopards.

This is the first pictorial evidence that snow leopards are thriving in Wangchuck Centennial Park, a vital snow leopard corridor between Jigme Dorji National Park in the West and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary in the East. Field biologists from the Government of Bhutan and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) captured over 10,000 images during the camera trap survey in Wangchuck Centennial Park.

The automatic cameras were set up to locate snow leopard “hot-spots”, but in addition to snow leopard images, they also captured images and footage of Tibetan wolf, wild dog, red fox, blue sheep, Himalayan serow, musk deer, Pika, pheasants and several birds of prey.

“The findings are phenomenal as these are the first snow leopard images recorded in Wangchuck Centennial Park,” said WWF’s Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, who led the survey team. “It suggests that the network of protected areas and corridors is helping to link local snow leopard populations, which will be invaluable to ensure long-term persistence of snow leopards in the region.”

Snow leopards are elusive and endangered, with around 4,500-7,500 in the wild. Bhutan is the only country on Earth where the habitat of snow leopards and tigers intersect. It’s unknown how many exist there, but it’s critical to find out as threats are mounting – from retaliatory killing from herders, loss of habitat to farmers and poaching for their pelts. And then there’s climate change.

Warming at high elevations in the Himalayas is causing treelines to ascend and isolating snow leopard populations. Under a high emission scenario, as much as 30 percent of their range could be lost. Their ability to move upslope is limited by oxygen availability.

The overall goal of the survey is to determine how many snow leopards there are in Wangchuck and where they exist, in order to prioritize the best areas for conservation.

“The snow leopard images from the park show the incredible richness of wildlife thriving in Wangchuck Centennial Park and prove why the park must be supported by donor agencies for conservation,” said Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Minister of Agriculture and Forests, Royal Government of Bhutan. “For snow leopard conservation in Bhutan, Wangchuck Centennial Park acts as the critical linkage between Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary and Jigme Dorji National Park, thereby ensuring the functionality of the northern Bhutan conservation complex.”

The Government of Bhutan and WWF have partnered to co-manage Wangchuck Centennial Park since it was designated as Bhutan’s tenth national park in 2008. With 244 vascular plant species, 23 mammal species and 134 bird species, the park is rich in biodiversity. It’s dedication resulted in Bhutan having more than half its land under protection. The Government of Bhutan and WWF work together on species conservation, climate change studies, monitoring, patrolling and community conservation projects.

“WWF has a special commitment to Wangchuck Centennial Park, especially because we were invited to co-manage it with the government in 2005,” said Shubash Lohani of WWF’s Eastern Himalayas program. “It was the first time Bhutan entrusted an entity other than government to manage a protected area.”

Rare mountain gorilla found dead in poacher’s snare

2012-02-12

An anti-poaching patrol in Rwanda has discovered the carcass of a young mountain gorilla caught in a poacher’s snare, according to International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP). The animal was one of only about 780 critically endangered mountain gorillas left in existence.

The male gorilla, estimated to be approximately three years old, was determined to have been dead for a few days before it was found on February 1. A post mortem exam revealed that the mountain gorilla was dehydrated and its stomach empty, pointing to the likelihood that the gorilla struggled with the snare for several days before dying. The rope snare was set to trap a small antelope for wild meat.

“It is a heart-breaking thing to see a mountain gorilla dead after struggling due to an act by a human being,” said IGCP Director Eugène Rutagarama. “This incident does, however, stimulate us to take immediate action to strengthen law enforcement in this area and to collectively strengthen our work to encourage people and communities in the Virunga landscape to reject and condemn poaching.”

According to Volcanoes National Park, one suspect has been arrested and three more are being pursued in collaboration with law enforcement authorities. In the last few months, an unusually high number of snares have been found in the area.

“Although the more numerous western gorilla species are dying daily at the hands of humans in Central Africa, the handful of remaining mountain gorillas will simply be unable to endure further significant losses from poachers and their indiscriminate snares,” said David Greer, WWF’s African ape expert. “We strongly urge the Rwandan and DRC governments to take swift, appropriate action to ensure that those individuals responsible are held accountable, creating the deterrent necessary to discourage future illegal activities within the park boundaries.’

Habituated gorillas, accustomed to the regular presence of people for tourism or research, are monitored on a daily basis and given on-site veterinary treatment in the case of a life-threatening injury or illness. This gorilla, however was part of an unhabituated group that does not receive these direct protection benefits. Unhabituated gorillas are protected through law enforcement, like anti-poaching patrols within the parks, as well as incentivizing conservation in communities living around the park, two important efforts supported by IGCP.

The Virunga Massif is a transboundary protected area incorporating parts of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Mountain gorillas move between the three countries making collaboration between the three parks is crucial for the long-term survival of the species.

IGCP is a coalition of WWF, African Wildlife Foundation, Fauna & Flora International.

Heart of Borneo beating strong on fifth anniversary

2012-02-11

Jakarta, Indonesia - A new report released by WWF to commemorate the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Declaration’s 5th anniversary shines a positive light on the environmental status of this iconic 220,000 km2 landscape.

The Heart of Borneo Declaration, signed five years ago on February 12, 2007, committed the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to the conserve and sustainably develop the 22 million hectare ‘Heart of Borneo’.

However until now, there was no baseline data from which to assess the environmental status of the region or monitor changes over time. That is about to change with a new report produced in consultation with a wide range of specialists and scientists who have been working on Borneo ecology for many years.

The new report: The Environmental Status of the Heart of Borneo, analyses the environmental health of the area via 13 key targets and more than 50 indicators. The targets include endangered animal species, such as the orang-utans, rhino and pygmy elephant and a selection of ecosystems such as lowland, heath and montane forests and river systems. Each key target has been given a rating of very good, good, fair or poor – depending on its current quality within the Heart of Borneo (HoB).

The good news
The good news overall, is that most forest types in the HoB are currently rated as good or very good. This is particularly important for lowland forest which is under severe threat across the rest of the island of Borneo. In fact, given that lowland forest is prime habitat for Pygmy elephant, orang-utan and Rhino, the HoB may be the last stronghold for the preservation of this type of forest on Borneo.

The bad news
The bad news is that the HoB still remains under serious threat from industrial conversion of natural forest to palm oil and other agricultural crops, as well as illegal logging and unsustainable rates of legal timber extraction. Forest fire, mining and over hunting of wildlife are also major threats which future versions of this report will serve to monitor.

The report was released by WWF’s Heart of Borneo Initiative. Its team leader, Adam Tomasek, highlighted the significance of the report.

“For the first time the environmental health of the HoB has been assessed using a series of scientifically derived biological and ecosystem indicators and the results have indicated the HoB is currently in good health,” he said.

“Just as importantly, now for the first time, the three HoB governments and key stakeholders will have a credible and easy to use tool to monitor progress in terms of improvements or degradation in key natural health measures for the HoB. It is a management tool which can be used to improve decision making on the sustainable use and conservation of this globally iconic landscape,” he said.

WWF encourages the three governments of Borneo to use the report to raise awareness of the high conservation values of the HoB and the major threats to its continued survival as an area of globally significant biodiversity.

The report was written by WWF Indonesia’s field biologist, Stephen Wulffraat with funding from the Sall Family Foundation via WWF US.

Our Far South voyage to highlight pristine ocean under threat

2012-02-09

Wellington, New Zealand - Our Far South, a voyage to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic Islands, will set sail tomorrow (Fri 10 Feb) to highlight the global importance of this last great unspoiled wilderness and the urgent need to protect it from growing human-made threats.

WWF-New Zealand’s marine advocate Bob Zuur will be joining scientists and other Antarctic experts for the month-long voyage organised by philanthropist Gareth Morgan, seeking to raise awareness of the area and inspire people to speak out to protect this vital marine ecosystem.

Bob Zuur will blog regularly on the expedition’s progress throughout the month-long voyage, and can be followed here. Regular web updates will also appear on WWF New Zealand’s website and via Facebook and Twitter (hashtag #ourfarsouth).

Bob Zuur said: “Antarctica’s Southern Ocean is famed for its majestic isolation and magnificent wildlife including Emperor penguins, Albatross, Ross Sea Killer whales and colossal squid. It is also of global importance to humanity.

“Antarctica is a critical laboratory for the study of climate change, and in a rapidly warming world it is vital we paid heed to the story it tells.”

Far away, so close

The Southern Ocean’s Ross Sea, which lies about 3500 km from New Zealand at the edge of the Antarctic continent, is renowned by scientists as one of the most significant remaining large marine ecosystems with its top predators still intact.

WWF will be using the voyage to highlight the growing threats facing this important polar region, which include overfishing, tourism, shipping and climate change. Mining and oil exploration also pose potential future threats to the region.

“This almost pristine marine environment will not stay this way for long unless there is a coordinated international effort to protect it. Current measures are not enough to stem the tide of human activities that threaten this great southern wilderness,” said WWF’s Marine Programme Manager Rebecca Bird.

“By creating a network of Southern Ocean marine protected areas we can help fish stocks and other species – from sea bed crabs through krill to giant whales – recover. The Ross Sea shelf, slope and wider region should be designated a marine reserve, and we urge the New Zealand Government to play a central role in international negotiations around Antarctica later this year.”

The New Zealand Government is a signatory to the Commission to the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which will meet in Hobart in October. WWF will be advocating for a strong international commitment to protecting most, if not all, of the Ross Sea.

Roses & Rhinos

2012-02-09

In Naivasha, Kenya, one flower company’s commitment to “conservation through trade” demonstrates how to marry business and environmental interests.

Dashing through the supermarket on the way to a dinner party, you grab a bottle of wine and a bunch of roses for the hostess. In that moment, the image of white rhinos grazing in central Kenya probably does not cross your mind. What’s the connection? The flowers.

Kenya is one of the world’s leading flower exporters. The shores of Lake Naivasha in the central Rift Valley are home to massive farms that produce tens of millions of stems a day destined primarily for shops in Europe. These operations support well over half a million people, and make a major contribution to Kenya’s economy.

And they depend on the availability of clean water. Of course, they are not alone. Resident fishermen and farmers also depend on the lake for their livelihoods, and the native wildlife – including a wide array of water birds, as well as hippos and iconic African species like giraffes, zebras and antelope – depend on a healthy lake as the foundation of a functioning ecosystem.

With business investment, community well-being and biodiversity at stake, it is essential to manage the lake effectively.

“The health of Lake Naivasha isn’t just one sector’s concern, and it isn’t just one sector’s responsibility,” says Robert Ndetei, Manager of WWF’s Lake Naivasha programme. “Businesses, communities and local authorities all have a role to play. And we are seeing that there’s so much to be gained through cooperation.”

Responding to risk

Oserian began as a vegetable farm on the shore of Lake Naivasha in the late 1960s. It has since grown into one of the largest flower farms in the region, with 220 hectares under production. A business of this size – even one committed to sustainability – leaves a significant footprint on the landscape. But this enterprise has emphasized respect for the unique environment of Lake Naivasha from the beginning, says Production Director Hamish Ker.

Yet, in 2009, even a water-efficient operation like Oserian got a scare when a significant drought gripped the Naivasha catchment.

“The drought of 2009 strengthened people’s resolve to manage the precious resource of Lake Naivasha collectively. This is when farms started implementing efficiencies, like stopping overhead irrigation,” says Ker. “This is also when WWF and the government really got active. Everyone realized you can’t win alone. Oserian and a few other responsible water users might be doing well on efficiency, but we didn’t know what all water users were doing. The 2009 drought got everyone concerned. It catalyzed cooperation.”

One example of this new cooperation is a “payment for environmental services” scheme, or PES. Under the plan, the 21 members of the Lake Naivasha Growers’ Group, including Oserian, reward subsistence farmers in the surrounding hills for their efforts to improve the quality and quantity of water reaching the lake.

The growers provide farmers with vouchers for agriculture inputs such as improved seeds and supplements for their livestock. Many also donate tree seedlings to participating farmers to reduce erosion on the hillside properties. “Now we aren’t waiting for crisis. We’re alert and we’re taking action,” says Ker.

Business case for sustainability

Oserian supports a number of philanthropic efforts to improve the quality of life in Naivasha – but the PES scheme isn’t the only one of them, says Linda Munyao, the company’s Environmental & Audit Manager.

“This is business. It’s not charity; it’s an investment. We need Lake Naivasha, so if we ensure the lake is there and healthy tomorrow, we are investing in the future of our business,” says Munyao.

“We see a market advantage to being a sustainable company. First, when buyers know we are environmentally friendly, they give preference to Oserian products. Obviously, then we are able to sell more and do better business. Then, we see other companies wanting to emulate what we are doing, and that’s good for Lake Naivasha and for Kenya. Because it’s no good having just one or two businesses be sustainable – we can’t conserve small areas while the rest is crumbling. So we want others to join with us and engage in eco-friendly business.”

Munyao says Oserian is open to having other growers learn from their experience, whether that’s improving irrigation efficiency, creating wetlands on site to treat wastewater, switching to organic fertilizers, using geothermal energy or breeding predator insects to handle pest bugs.

“If you marry yourself closer to nature, it’s a win-win. Nature has been honing its system for millennia. So, it’s going forward by going back to the past. We’re more efficient and cost effective, the plants are healthier and it’s a better working environment,” says Ker.

The Lake Naivasha Growers’ Group is a forum for sharing best practices, promoting conservation and – because it is a business group – ensuring the commercial viability of the region.

“The growers have been effective in advocating for better management of the lake in a way that WWF alone could never be,” says Ndetei. “They make a compelling economic argument, and WWF offers the conservation science. Together, we have gained the attention of the government. But more than their attention, we have gained their trust. The Kenyan government has created a local coordination unit, and is now funding and implementing policies to manage Lake Naivasha sustainably.”

What about the rhinos?

Oserian’s management is aware that the company’s mere presence in the Rift Valley landscape presents responsibilities and opportunities that extend beyond roses and carnations. The 18,000-acre Oserian Wildlife Sanctuary is home to 15 white rhinos, alongside healthy populations of buffalos, zebrass – including the threatened Grevy’s zebra – giraffes, antelope, gazelles, warthogs and leopards.

For Ker, the sanctuary embodies the company’s mantra, “conservation through trade.”

“We’ve got to where we are through trade. Without successful trade, we would not be able to develop better farming practices and we could not support wildlife conservation – you could say we are natural champions in safeguarding nature for future generations,” he says.

WWF finds US grocery retailers stocking toilet paper linked to rainforest destruction

2012-02-08

WASHINGTON, DC: American companies and consumers are inadvertently contributing to Indonesian rain forest and tiger habitat destruction by buying toilet paper and other tissue products made with fiber from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), according to a World Wildlife Fund report released today.

Don’t Flush Tiger Forests: Toilet Paper, U.S. Supermarkets, and the Destruction of Indonesia’s Last Tiger Habitats finds that APP, the fifth-largest tissue producer in the world, is rapidly expanding into the U.S. market with paper linked to rain forest destruction, originating from areas that are the last home for critically endangered species such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, and orangutans.

Products made with APP fiber, such as toilet paper, paper towels and tissue, are increasingly landing in grocery stores, restaurants, schools and hotels across the country under the Paseo and Livi brand names.

Eight large retailers – BI-LO, Brookshire Grocery Company, Delhaize Group (owner of Food Lion chain), Harris Teeter, Kmart, Kroger, SUPERVALU, and Weis Markets – have decided to stop carrying tissue products made with APP fiber during the last several months.

“We applaud the decision by these companies to remove these products from their stores,” said Jan Vertefeuille, head of WWF’s Tiger Campaign.

Since it began operating in Indonesia in 1984, WWF estimates that APP and its affiliates have pulped nearly 5 million acres of tropical forest on the island of Sumatra, which equals an area roughly the size of 4 million football fields or larger than the state of Massachusetts.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to choose between tigers and toilet paper,” said Linda Kramme, a WWF forest expert. “We’re asking retailers, wholesalers and consumers not to buy Paseo or Livi products until APP stops clearing rain forests in Sumatra.”

Fastest-growing toilet paper brand in the U.S.

APP distributes its tissue, paper and paper-based packaging products through a number of North American-based subsidiaries and affiliates, including Solaris Paper, Mercury Paper, Paper Excellence, Global Paper Solutions, and Eagle Ridge Paper.

In recent years, APP has greatly expanded into the U.S. tissue market, including through Paseo and Livi tissue products. Oasis Brands, which markets Paseo, announced in 2011 that Paseo had become the fastest-growing brand of toilet paper in the U.S. Paseo and Livi are also marketed as "away-from-home" products used in public restrooms in restaurants, office buildings, schools and hotels.

“More than 50 percent of shoppers say they consider sustainability when they shop, but Americans may not be aware that products used every day, like paper and tissue, can be linked to devastating impacts on forests in faraway places,” the report states.

To produce the report, WWF researched Paseo sales to U.S. grocery chains and found Paseo products being carried in grocery chains across the country in 2011. WWF contacted 20 grocers sourcing the largest amounts of Paseo to make them aware of Paseo's link to rain forest destruction.

The 12 companies identified and contacted, but that did not respond or commit to stopping Paseo sales, are:

• Albertsons LLC
• Giant Eagle
• Hy-Vee
• IGA
• Ingles
• K-VA-T (sold at Food City)

• Lowes Food Stores
• Marsh
• Price Chopper
• Roundy’s (sold at Roundy's, Pick'n Save, Rainbow and Copps)
• Save Mart
• Spartan

“We urge companies to be responsible stewards of the planet and stop carrying Paseo products until APP stops clearing rain forest,” Kramme said.

Trying to improve the pulp and paper sector

Paseo is produced with pulp from APP, a subsidiary of China-based Sinar Mas Group and one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies. APP owns two pulp mills on the Indonesian island of Sumatra – one of them among the world’s largest – and is responsible for more deforestation in Sumatra than any other company, according to field investigations, government data and satellite imagery.

The research into APP and its Paseo and Livi tissue paper brands is part of efforts by WWF to encourage a more responsible pulp and paper sector, specifically by addressing the increase in the United States of pulp and paper products produced with rain forest fiber or from plantation fiber from converted rain forest.

WWF is working to ensure that North American paper sourcing no longer negatively impacts Indonesian natural forests and instead drives demand for paper from responsibly developed and managed Indonesian plantations. WWF also is working with other Indonesian pulp and paper producers willing to adopt better practices to bring more options to the marketplace.

Many responsible companies are already showing leadership. One of the easiest ways that companies and consumers can help is by buying tissue products made with fiber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or 100 percent recycled fiber to ensure they aren’t contributing to forest destruction, and urging retailers to stop selling brands linked to destructive practices.

To download the report and learn more about WWF’s tissue campaign, please visit www.worldwildlife.org/tp.

Rare Irrawaddy dolphins found in Indonesian waters

2012-02-07

Jakarta, Indonesia - Vulnerable Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) have been discovered for the first time in West Kalimantan, a part of Indonesian Borneo that best known for its dense tropical forests and rich wildlife.

WWF-Indonesia and the Regional Office for Marine, Coastal & Resources Management Pontianak (BPSPL) found the rare dolphins while conduicting a study in the narrow straits and coastal waters of the Kubu Raya and Kayong Utara regencies in the western part of Borneo.

“The presence of Irrawaddy dolphins in West Kalimantan waters was previously unknown, so we are excited with the results of this preliminary study and hope this will help reveal information on the population and distribution of this unique species,” said Albertus Tjiu, WWF-Indonesia’s Conservation Biologist, and one of the study’s lead scientists.

The team also encountered a group of Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) in the area, showing strong scientific evidence of the rich biodiversity in Kalimantan waters, which originate in the highlands of the Heart of Borneo.

Conservation challenges
“The results of this study indicate the importance of protecting the dolphins’ habitat, from the origins of the rivers in the Heart of Borneo, to the lower rivers of the island, including waterways of Batu Ampar mangroves and nypah forests, the narrow straits and the coastal areas of Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan,” Albertus Tjiu said.

But he also cautions that the continued growth of charcoal production in West Kalimantan is threatening the area’s mangrove forests, one of the dolphins key habitats. Over one hundred small and medium-sized charcoal producers are now operating in Kubu Raya, and additional threats from increased boat traffic in waterways and forest conversion are posing further challenges to the growth of the species.

“WWF calls on all companies that operate in West Kalimantan waters to apply sustainable practices in their business, and with regards to this dolphin study, to carefully look at their wood supply to help avoid the destruction of mangrove forests,” said Albertus Tjiu.

How many dolphins?
With a global population of around 6000 individuals, Irrawaddy dolphins are found in many of Southeast Asia’s estuaries and mangrove areas. Close to 5,800 of the vulnerable dolphins live in the costal waters of Bangladesh along the Bay of Bengal, and the nearby Sunderbarns mangove forests. The remaining population is scattered throughout Southeast Asia and can be found in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and the northeastern coast of Australia.

Irrawaddy dolphins are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN, but in some areas - including the Mekong River, the Ayeyawardi River and the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan - the species is listed as critically endangered.

“Kubu Raya and Kayong Utara waters are located downstream from the Heart of Borneo in West Kalimantan. Conservation of forests in the Heart of Borneo is considered critical to ensure the proper protection of the Irrawaddy dolphins fresh water habitat in the lower reaches of the river,” said Tri Agung Rooswiadji, WWF-Indonesia’s Fresh Water Conservation Program Coordinator. “As a unique species that live in fresh, salt and brackish waters, this mammal serves as an indicator of the healthiness of the water ecosystem in the area,” Tri Agung added.

“The dolphin survey we conducted in Kubu Raya and Kayong Utara waters is only a preliminary survey, and we are hoping to continue studying the species in other rivers in the upper parts such as in Kapuas, Sejenuh and Mendawa river, “ said Tri Agung. “With comprehensive information on the population and habitat of the dolphin, it is expected that the future policy on the protection of the species can be identified and implemented,” he added.

Kris Handoko, Head of Conservation at the Regional Office for Marine, Coastal & Resources Management Pontianak (BPSPL) said, “We are very supportive of this study. We will continue working with WWF-Indonesia and other relevant partners on monitoring the dolphins as well as identify other actions to enhance the species protection.”

WWF captures first known tiger images in northern India forest

2012-02-06

New Delhi, India - As it nears the end of its journey inside the northern Indian State of Uttarakhand, the Kosi River flows down the Himalayan foothills that separate the Corbett Tiger Reserve from the Ramnagar Forest Division to its east. The rustic forests that blanket this area are an important tiger habitat and form part of a crucial natural link – known as a corridor – that allows the endangered big cats and other important species to thrive.

A WWF team working in Kaladhungi, which forms part of the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), has documented a Bengal tiger traversing the Kosi River, the first time the endangered species is known to have been captured on camera in the area.
Northern india tigers

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Debmalya Roy Chowdhury, a Project Officer working in the area, shares an eyewitness account of this rare sighting:

“It was almost 11 in the mroning on 31 October, 2011. I was with two colleagues, Chandar Singh Neg and Tara Thaplial, [and we were] all very tired after a six kilometre walk on the bed of River Kosi under a scorching sun. We were about to reach one of the camera trap points along River, where WWF-India has been conducting the Kosi Corridor Monitoring Study for past two months. Just after crossing the river bed, Tara screamed out “Sir, tiger-tiger!” I looked up. How I felt at the moment is very hard to describe in words. There was a huge, mature male tiger walking along the river bed in that broad daylight attempting to move into the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The big cat was few hundred metres away from us. After a few seconds of being perplexed, I started clicking off photographs. The tiger spotted us and tried to take cover, but realising there being none it turned back towards our camera point and disappeared into the jungle. This sighting made us get over our tiredness and we followed its tracks up to our camera point. This was the most memorable on-foot sighting of a tiger I have ever had in my life - and it is probably the best direct evidence we have to document how well the River Kosi corridor is working.”

Amazing findings in the Kosi River corridor

Adding substance to the above documentation are findings from a WWF-India study conducted in 2011. As part of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India’s all India tiger estimation exercise, WWF was involved in camera trapping and the subsequent estimation of tigers in the Ramnagar Forest Division, which includes the Kosi River corridor. The results were astonishing – both the positive findings as well as the challenges faced by the tigers.

“Our study lead by tiger biologist Meraj Anwar revealed that Ramanagar Forest Division has the highest density of tigers outside a Protected Area anywhere in India and perhaps the world. We obtained a high tiger density of over 15 tigers per 100 sq. km. In fact, this density is higher than that of many well known Tiger Reserves in India,” said Joseph Vattakaven, a Tiger Coordinator with WWF India. The detailed findings were published in Status of tigers, co-predators and prey in India, 2010.*

Adds Joseph, “We have initiated a detailed study on the pressures the River Kosi corridor is currently facing. Our intensive camera trapping study that is ongoing shows that tigers are dispersing via the River Kosi corridor but the unchecked mushrooming of resorts in the corridor is the single biggest cause for concern. Also, the fact that these tigers are in a non-protected area increases the urgency for measures to protect them. The protection they currently get is far less than the adjoining Corbett Tiger Reserve.”

The urgency of protecting this tiger population comes as WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative launches a Zero Poaching action to stop tiger poaching in its tracks in tiger heartlands – the core areas where the big cat lives and breeds. WWF and its partners increasing their engagement in the Kosi River Corridor will be a key aspect to building a future for the tiger there. The Tigers Alive Initiative is calling on tiger country governments to secure the heartlands through renewed dedication and support for the well trained and managed field staff working every day on the tiger conservation frontlines.

Fascinating ancient Sahara site celebrated for World Wetlands Day

2012-02-01

Tunis, Tunisia: A remote seasonal salt lake on the edge of the Sahara leads a list of 15 new Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance being declared in the country on World Wetlands Day, February 2.

Chott Elguetar, a 7,400 ha site with an intermittent lake, is vital to the survival of the threatened Scimitar Oryx, Addax and Dama Gazelle. It also contains traces of human religious and industrial activity that have been dated back 40,000 years.

WWF has welcomed the announcement, noting that Tunisia’s designation of 15 new Ramsar Sites nearly doubles the country’s total, to 35.

“These designations are the result of a long process that requires effort and time from the government and conservation groups,” said Faouzi Maamouri, Coordinator of the WWF office in Tunisia.

“But even with everything this country has been through recently, there is a strong commitment to protecting wetlands and the services they provide for both people and nature.”

The Ramsar Convention, so named for its signing in the Iranian city of the same name, is an intergovernmental treaty to maintain and conserve Wetlands of International Importance – or Ramsar Sites. These include rivers, lakes, marshes, mangroves, coral reefs and other natural or human-made wetlands.

The new sites in Tunisia include natural wetlands, oases and coastal lagoons, as well as structures such as dams and reservoirs. Many of them contribute directly to human well-being by supporting agriculture or fisheries. Others provide habitat for vulnerable or endangered birds and mammals.

Highlights in addition to Chott Elguetar include:
Marais d’eau douce Garaet Douza – 1,400 ha; a seasonal freshwater marsh surrounded by a circle of mountains, which give it a wonderful landscape. It is a good site for the promotion of Saharan ecotourism, as it is a natural wetland that has not been adversely affected by agriculture and harbours a wealth of biodiversity.

Barrage Oued Ermal – 620 ha; a dam and reservoir that provides a vital habitat for several waterfowl at various critical stages of their life cycle. It is a nesting place for Cattle Egret, Spoonbill, Eurasian Coot, Shoveler Ducks, Plover, Gadwall, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Marbled Duck, Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, Water Pipit, Skylark and Chiffchaff.

Barrage de Sidi El Barrak – 2,734 ha; one of the most important dams and reservoirs in Tunisia for irrigation and supplying drinking water to the cities of Tunis and Sfax.

Tunisia isn’t the only country expanding its list of Ramsar Sites. Since the beginning of 2012, Indonesia, Estonia, Romania, France and Kazakhstan have added new sites.

“World Wetlands Day is a moment to reflect on the freshwater ecosystems that we all depend on,” said Denis Landenbergue, WWF International Freshwater Manager. “But the recent additions to the Ramsar List – and others to come in the near future – show that the work to conserve wetlands happens all year. As one of five international organization partners that have been with the convention since the beginning, WWF is proud to support Ramsar.”

Fascinating ancient Sahara site celebrated for World Wetlands Day

2012-02-01

Fascinating ancient Sahara site celebrated for World Wetlands Day

2012-02-01

Riverwatchers to protect the “Amazon of Europe”

2012-02-01

Zagreb, Croatia - A long blue band waved by six men wearing uniforms on Zagreb’s central square today marked the start of WWF’s Riverwatch campaign aimed at halting destruction of Croatia’s unique natural rivers: the Danube, Drava and Mura - Europe’s Amazon. All three rivers are under threat from channelling works as well as from gravel and sand extraction. This poses a severe threat to unique wetlands and to Europe’s largest and best preserved floodplain forests.

The Riverwatchers are volunteers who – on canoe and on foot – will patrol a total of 470 km of the rivers for at least the next two years. Riverwatchers will keep an eye not only on the Croatian stretches of the rivers, but also on Hungarian and Serbian shores as these rivers are natural borders between the three countries.

“If we find something inappropriate we will inform the Croatian government as well as the European Commission who like to know if there are activities going on which are not in line with EU law”, said Tibor Mikuska from partner organization Croatian Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature, coordinator of the Riverwatch campaign.

“For the first time in Croatia and in Eastern Europe, a network of people who care about their rivers is taking action”, said Arno Mohl, WWF International Freshwater Expert. “To protect successfully our rivers from destruction, it is key to monitor the situation on the ground regularly and to take action when necessary”, Mohl said.

Devastating actions taken by the water authorities in Croatia as well as in Hungary and Serbia severely harm the three natural rivers and their inhabitants. The area is home to the highest density in Europe of breeding pairs of White-tailed eagle and endangered species such as the Little tern, Black stork and Ship sturgeon. It is also an important stepping stone for more than 250,000 migratory waterfowls every year. The survival of these vulnerable species depends on preserving intact the “Amazon of Europe”.

In December 2011 Croatia signed the EU Accession treaty to become an EU member in 2013. This obliges Croatia to comply with EU law and to protect its unique natural rivers. In September 2011, the Danube, Drava and Mura riverine area was nominated to become part of a 5-country Transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve together with Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

The Riverwatch campaign is being implemented in partnership with a wide range of local NGOs.

Maui’s death in set net takes species one step closer to extinction

2012-02-01

Auckland, New Zealand - Reports that an endangered Maui’s dolphin has been killed in a fishing net off the coast of Taranaki should serve as a wake up call that current protection measures are insufficient and a total ban on set nets is needed throughout their current and historical range to save the species, warns WWF.

WWF-New Zealand’s Executive Director Chris Howe says: “This death of a Maui’s dolphin is a tragedy for a species that is down to only about 100 individuals. Set nets in Maui’s habitat continue to pose an unacceptable risk to these dolphins. Until we get set nets out of the shallow coastal waters where they live, more Maui’s will needlessly get entangled and drown. The species could be extinct within our generation without urgent action.”

Maui’s dolphins, a subspecies of the South Island’s Hector’s dolphins, are found only off the west coast of the North Island. They are the world’s rarest marine dolphin, classified internationally as critically endangered.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) yesterday released a statement saying they believe that the dead animal was a Maui’s, not a Hector’s dolphin as originally reported, because of the location of its death. The dead dolphin was returned to the sea by the fisher. MAF claimed the death “occurred outside of the current known range of Maui’s dolphins, as well as outside the current restrictions.”

However there have been independent verified sightings of Maui’s dolphins in the coastal waters off Taranaki in recent years, and WWF-New Zealand is urging MAF and the government to extend protection measures throughout the Maui’s historical range to give the species the best chance of survival and recovery.

Despite fishing restrictions announced in 2008, Maui’s are not currently protected throughout their entire range. WWF is calling on the government to extend protection measures into harbours and the southern extent of their current range, along with better monitoring and policing of regulations.

WWF- New Zealand is urging all members of the public who see a Maui’s dolphin – noted for their rounded dorsal fin - to report it to a special sightings hotline, 0800 4 MAUIS. Mr Howe says: “Every sighting of one of these rare and precious dolphins matters. The more we know about where Maui’s range and their movements, the better we can protect them.

“WWF will continue to speak out on behalf of all those New Zealanders who want to stop the extinction of Maui’s dolphins, and urge the government to extend the current protection measures before it is too late.”

Illegal ivory trade booms during Egypt's Arab Spring

2012-01-30

The illegal trade in elephant ivory is flourishing in Egypt due to a lack of law enforcement, combined with the entrance into the market of a major new consumer—the Chinese buyer, according to a new TRAFFIC investigation.

The new report, Illegal ivory sales in Egypt, published in the latest issue of the TRAFFIC Bulletin states “Egypt remains one of Africa’s largest markets for illegal ivory items,” adding “No ivory items—old or new—can be sold legally in Egypt without a special permit, and none has ever been issued.”

According to senior government officials interviewed by the report’s authors, Esmond Martin and Lucy Vigne, since 2009, only two ivory seizures had taken place in Egypt, both at Cairo airport, while there had been no confiscations of ivory items from retail outlets since 2003.

During the latest survey carried out in March and April 2011, the authors counted 8343 ivory items openly for sale in Cairo, a city described as the “carving centre of the country”.

Despite the recent political unrest almost all outlets and workshops were open in the old market—Khan al-Khalili—Cairo’s main centre for the manufacture and retail sale of ivory products. A further 918 ivory items were seen in Luxor.

3000 of the ivory pieces were estimated to have been produced in the last five years, the rest mostly carved in Egypt in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Previous TRAFFIC surveys of Cairo and Luxor, the two main Egyptian ivory markets, in 1998 and 2005 found an overall 43% reduction in the combined number of ivory objects for sale, but this figure had only dropped by a further 10% in the 2011 survey, mostly in Luxor.

“The encouraging demise of Egypt’s illegal ivory markets between 1998 and 2005 has now lost all momentum. Government regulators have faltered and Egypt retains its unenviable position as a leading ivory retailing offender,” said Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC’s ivory trade expert, who commissioned the study.

“Tourists buying ivory are potentiating this illegal trade, making a mockery of CITES and fuelling the poaching of Africa’s elephants.”

The report found that while Spanish, Italians and Americans were the main buyers in 2005, more Egyptians and Gulf Arabs were now buying ivory rosaries and walking sticks, but the Chinese have become the principal buyers, reportedly purchasing over half of all worked ivory sold.

One ivory vendor told the investigators that Chinese buyers would sometimes spend USD50,000 on ivory during one bargaining session.

Others claimed there was no problem in bringing ivory out of Egypt, with some even offering to write a receipt indicating that a piece was an antique or made of camel bone.

The Egyptian Wildlife Service is mandated to prevent illegal wildlife products from coming into and out of the country and from being displayed in shops, but there have been few ivory seizures since 2005, while inspections of retail outlets have failed to find ivory.

Meanwhile, ivory continues to be openly carved and displayed in Cairo’s markets without any prosecution ensuing.

In May 2010, the Egyptian Management Authority for CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) held seven training courses involving wildlife officers, Customs, police officers and tourist workers, to identify products from endangered species, and produced posters to help officials identify elephant tusks.

“It is time these newly learned skills were employed to confiscate raw and worked ivory, in order to bring this flagrant trade to an end,” said Esmond Martin, the lead author on the report.

TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN.