The defaunation bulletin Quarterly information and analysis report on animal poaching and smuggling n°27. Events from the 1st October to the 31th December, 2019 Published on July 7, 2020 Original version in French 1 On the Trail n°27. Robin des Bois Carried out by Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) with the support of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, the Franz Weber Foundation and of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, France reconnue d’utilité publique 28, rue Vineuse - 75116 Paris Tél : 01 45 05 14 60 “On the Trail“, the defaunationwww.fondationbrigittebardot.fr magazine, aims to get out of the drip of daily news to draw up every three months an organized and analyzed survey of poaching, smuggling and worldwide market of animal species protected by national laws and international conventions. “ On the Trail “ highlights the new weapons of plunderers, the new modus operandi of smugglers, rumours intended to attract humans consumers of animals and their by-products.“ On the Trail “ gathers and disseminates feedback from institutions, individuals and NGOs that fight against poaching and smuggling. End to end, the “ On the Trail “ are the biological, social, ethnological, police, customs, legal and financial chronicle of poaching and other conflicts between humanity and animality. Previous issues in English http://www.robindesbois.org/en/a-la-trace-bulletin-dinformation-et-danalyses-sur-le-braconnage-et-la-contrebande/ Previous issues in French http://www.robindesbois.org/a-la-trace-bulletin-dinformation-et-danalyses-sur-le-braconnage-et-la-contrebande/ Covid-19 Special Edition Pangolin trafficking ante Covid-19 from the 1st October to the 31st December, 2019 and post Covid-19 from the 1st January to the 31st March, 2020. Published on April 30, 2020, available at : http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_COVID19.pdf Non Governmental Organization for the Protection of Man and the Environment Since 1985 14 rue de l’Atlas 75019 Paris, France tel : 33 (1) 48.04.09.36 - fax : 33 (1) 48.04.56.41 www.robindesbois.org [email protected] Publication Director : Jacky Bonnemains Editor-in-Chief: Charlotte Nithart Art Directors : Charlotte Nithart and Jacky Bonnemains Coordination : Elodie Crépeau Writing: Jacky Bonnemains and Jean-Pierre Edin Research and assistant editor: Elodie Crépeau, Irene Torres Márquez, Léna Mons and Dylan Blandel Cartography: Dylan Blandel Cover : Serval (Leptailurus serval) © Bernard Dupont English Translation : Robin des Bois and Acolad. The English version of this n°27 of “A la Trace“/ “On the Trail“ was supported by the Séché Environnement group. On the Trail n°27. Robin des Bois 2 Contents On the Front Lines 4 Judgment and sanction Condemnation, acquittal, fine... Seahorses and Pipefishes 5 Corals 7 Abalones 7 Conches, Clams, Chanks and Nautilus 11 Human death Sea Cucumbers 14 Guard, ranger, policeman, Marine and Freshwater Fish 16 poacher... by firearm or other means. Marine Mammals 23 Various Marine and Freshwater Species 24 Marine Turtles 25 Poisoning By chemicals, pesticides and Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles 27 medicines: cyanide, Carbofuran, Snakes 32 Diclofenac, M99 … Sauria 34 Crocodilians 37 Trapping Various Reptile Species 38 Poaching by jaw trap, snare ... Amphibians 39 Otters 40 Butterflies and Arachnids 41 Full moon Birds 41 Moonlight poaching Pangolins 58 Pangolins and Elephants 63 Primates 64 Saiga Antelopes 69 CITES Appendices Guanacos and Vicunas 69 Convention on International Trade in Endange- Felines 70 red Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 182 Member States. Wolves and Jackals 81 Bears 82 Appendix I : species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted Giraffes 84 only in exceptional circumstances and under Rhinoceroses 86 import and export permits. Rhinoceroses and Elephants 91 Appendix II : export permit required in order to Elephants 92 avoid utilization incompatible with the species survival. Import permit if required by national law. Mammoths 111 Appendix III : species that are protected in at least Other Mammals 112 one country, which has asked other CITES Parties Multi-Species 116 for assistance in controlling the trade. In the case of trade from a State that included the species in Appendix III, an export permit of that State is required. 3 On the Trail n°27. Robin des Bois On the Front Lines December 12, 2019 Pretoriuskop, Kruger National AFRICA Park, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa SOUTH AFRICA The rangers in the Pretoriuskop sector were on a routine patrol November 10, 2019 around midnight when they came Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Reserve, across a group of at least 3 suspects KwaZulu-Natal Province, South who could not be mistaken for Africa tourists. The skirmish led to the “Being arrested for rhino poaching death of 2 poachers. A 3rd man is like a perpetual debt trap for managed to flee. On the scene, poachers. These criminals find the rangers found a loaded large- themselves indebted to their caliber rifle, ammunition and all of syndicate bosses, and upon bail the paraphernalia necessary for removing horns; and release, they are forced to the items were collected as evidence. The night immediately go out and kill more before, around dusk, the Pretoriuskop rangers had rhinos for horns. It literally becomes managed to handcuff a suspect without using their a vicious cycle for poachers who weapons, while at least 2 other men disappeared owe their bosses for bail amounts, attorney fees, into the bush. The identity of the outlaws is as well as the losses of confiscated vehicles and unknown for the moment and the SAPS do not confiscated weapons.” That is how a well-informed know whether the 2 incidents are related.2 source familiar with what happens behind the poaching scene described the situation, under the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO condition that he remains anonymous. Rangers in South Africa and other southern African During the night of November 13 countries feel betrayed when poachers are released to 14, 2019 on bail. The case of Siphiwe Shezi, 38 years old, Virunga National Park, North provides new arguments for those who criticize Kivu Province, Democratic the principle. He was arrested with 5 accomplices Republic of the Congo at the end of May 2019 on the road from Melmoth Night ambush laid by an unknown to Vryheid. In their 2 vehicles, the police found 4 outlaws band on national road 2. rhinoceros horns. They appeared before the Vryheid Death of eco-guard Kambale Kasuki court immediately and were placed in remand Jean Aimé. “He was escorting a for 2 months before being released on bail. On civilian food supply convoy. “ “He November 10, 2019, Siphiwe Shezi was poaching had just been trained for support once again, this time in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi missions in dangerous terrain,” Reserve with 2 accomplices. Around 6:30 in the according to the official statement morning, the trio came across a ranger patrol. The issued by the park’s management. 2 camps exchanged fire. The poachers refused to The driver of the escort vehicle was also murdered. comply with the rangers’ demands. Shezi was killed. The park has been reopened since February 2019, One of his assistants tried to attack a ranger with a after in series deaths of 9 guards and a reassuring knife. He was also killed. Siphiwe Shezi had been reassessment of the safety conditions.3 subpoenaed to appear in court on December 5 to be tried for the May 2019 horns trafficking. If he TANZANIA had remained alive, he may not have answered the summons.1 Octobre 2019 Tanzania 18 people (11 are presented as businessmen and businesswomen, 3 have a Burundi passport, one a Somali passport) are suspected of having participated directly or indirectly in the ambush in which Wayne Lotter, co-founder and director of PAMS (Protected Area Management Solutions) lost his life. It was on August 16, 2017 at the exit of the Dar es Salaam airport (see “On the Trail” n°18 p. 87).4 On the Trail n°27. Robin des Bois 4 ASIA Seahorses and Pipefishes CAMBODIA Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are listed under CITES Appendix II. October 9, 2019 Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh AMERICA Province, Cambodia The convictions of Phal Penh, Kert MEXICO Vaha and Chheang Vannith to prison sentences (cf. “On the Trail” Early November 2019 n°26 p. 4) are accompanied by a Mexico City, Mexico fine of 40 million riels or about 10,000 US$ to be Seizure by the Guardia Nacional on a courier paid to each shot to death ranger’s family.5 platform of a parcel bound for California, United States of America. It contained 541 seahorses.1 PERU October 2, 2019 Port of Callao, Province of Callao, Peru Seizure in the hold of the fishing boat Adonay, of 55 cardboard boxes containing dried seahorses © Mai Vireak (1,043 kg). The Adonay was boarded and searched by the Río Cañete, 197 miles off the coast. She was then escorted to the military base adjacent to the nearest Peruvian fishing harbor. Seahorses are caught by divers or caught from the Mother and daugher of Tern Soknai shore. Given the position of the Adonay when she was intercepted, there was clearly going to be a transshipment at sea, like in narcotics trafficking. The EUROPE Chinese high-water fishing fleet has now infiltrated Peru and seizures of shark fins and seahorses are ROMANIA frequent. The Chinese love to eat seahorses. They believe it fights against hair loss and reduced October 16, 2019 sexual activity. Three Peruvian fishermen and one Maramures County, Transylvania Venezuelan were arrested. The bad news is that the Region, Romania Ministry of Commerce decided to divide the load The body of Liviu Pop, a forest of seahorses, estimated to be worth 6 million US$, ranger, is found by his colleagues in and send them to research centers and universities, a ravine in the middle of the night.