Information and analysis bulletin on animal poaching and smuggling n°17 / Events from the 1st April to the 30 of June 2017 Published on July 31, 2017 Original version in French Contents Seahorses 4 Pangolins 40 Corals 4 Pangolins and Elephants 43 Abalones, Queen Conches, Primates 44 Horse’s Hoof Clams and Trochus 4 Guanacos and Vicuñas 53 Sea Cucumbers 6 Felines 54 Fishes 8 Leopards and Elephants 67 Requiem for the Vaquitas 11 Wolves 69 Marine Mammals 13 Bears 70 Marine Turtles 16 Hippopotamuses 71 Various Marine Species 18 Hippopotamuses and Elephants 71 Rhinoceroses 72 Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles 19 Laikipia County, Kenya 85 Snakes 23 Rhinos and Elephants 87 Sauria 24 Elephants 88 Crocodilians 25 It’s moving 106 Various Reptile Species 27 Elephants and Mammoths 108 Amphibians 28 Other Mammals 108 Insects and Arachnids 28 Multi-Species 112 Birds 29 Donkeys 124 1 On the Trail #17. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood Carried out by Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) with the support of : reconnue d’utilité publique 28, rue Vineuse - 75116 Paris Tél : 01 45 05 14 60 www.fondationbrigittebardot.fr and of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition, France Previous issues n°16 / 1st January - 31th March 2017 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_16.pdf (pdf - 116 p. 5.1 Mo) n°15 / 1st October - 31th December 2016 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_15.pdf (pdf - 112 p. 6 Mo) n°14 / 1st July - 30th September 2016 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_14.pdf (pdf - 112 p. 6.7 Mo) Special Edition – 66th IWC - October 2016 (pdf 10 p. 2 Mo) http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/On_The_Trail_Special-issue-IWC66.pdf Special Edition – 17th meeting of the CITES - September 2016 (pdf - 6 pages. 1,1 Mo) http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/On_The_Trail_Special-issue-EN_BD.pdf n°13 / 1st April - 30th June 2016 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_13.pdf (pdf - 116 p. 8,2 Mo) n°12 / 1st January - 31th March 2016 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_12.pdf (pdf - 114 p. 6,5 Mo) n°11 / 1st October - 31st December 2016 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_11.pdf (pdf -100 p. 6.8 Mo) n°10 / 1st July - 30th September 2015 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_10.pdf (pdf - 80 p. 5.7 Mo) n°9 / 1st April - 30th June 2015 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_9.pdf (pdf - 106 p. 5.7 Mo) n°8 / 1st January - 31th March 2015 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_8.pdf (pdf 108 p. 5 Mo) n°7 / 1st October - 31st December 2014 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_7.pdf (pdf 132 p. 7.1 Mo) n°6 / 1st July- 30st September 2014 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_6.pdf (pdf 134 p. 5.8 Mo) n°5/ 1st April - 30th June 2014 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_5.pdf (pdf 132 p. 7.2 Mo) n°4/ 1st January - 31th March 2014 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_4.pdf (pdf 112 p. 6.4 Mo) n°3/ 1st October - 31th December 2013 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_3.pdf (pdf 80 p. 4.5 Mo) n°2/ 1st July - 30th September 2013 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON_THE_TRAIL_2.pdf (pdf 80 p. 4 Mo) n°1/ 1st April - 30th June 2013 http://www.robindesbois.org/wp-content/uploads/ON-THE-TRAIL-1.pdf (pdf 42 pages 3,2 Mo) French version available on http://www.robindesbois.org/ On the Trail #17. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood 2 CITES APPENDICES Convention on International Trade n°17 in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 182 Member States ROBIN DES BOIS Non Governmental Organization for the Protection of Man and the Environment Appendix I : species threatened with Depuis 1985 / Since 1985 extinction. Trade in specimens of these 14 rue de l’Atlas 75019 Paris, France species is permitted only in exceptional tel : 33 (1) 48.04.09.36 - fax : 33 (1) 48.04.56.41 circumstances and under import and export www.robindesbois.org permits. [email protected] Appendix II : export permit required in Publication Director : order to avoid utilization incompatible with Jacky Bonnemains the species survival. Import permit if required Editor-in-Chief: by national law. Charlotte Nithart Art Directors and coordination : Appendix III : species that are protected in Charlotte Nithart, Jacky Bonnemains at least one country, which has asked other and Elodie Crépeau CITES Parties for assistance in controlling Writing: the trade. In the case of trade from a State Jacky Bonnemains and Jean-Pierre Edin that included the species in Appendix III, an Research and assistant editor: export permit of that State is required. Elodie Crépeau, Charlotte Nithart, Tamara Vilarins, Dana Trumpower, Amutha Rock, Catherine Leng and Odile Malassis Pictos: Judgment and sanction Julien Perreaut Condemnation, acquittal, Cover photo: fine... Bernard Dupont Human death Guard, ranger, policeman, poacher... by firearm or other means. Poisoning By chemicals, pesticides and medicines: cyanide, Translation English edition “On the Trail “: Carbofuran, Diclofenac, Dana Trumpower, Emilie Courtin, M99 … Laurence de Bodinat, and collective work by Robin des Bois. The English translation of this issue of Trapping «A la Trace» / “On the Trail” was produced with the Poaching by jaw trap, snare support of ... Full moon Moonlight poaching 3 On the Trail #17. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood Seahorses Abalones, Queen Conches, Horse’s Hoof Clams and Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are listed under CITES Appendix II. Trochus AMERICA Continuing sustained massive traffic between South Africa and China. A morgue and fake car- goes of plastic pellets testify of the creativity MEXICO and nerve of the contraband industry. Penal and financial sanctions are heavy. The seizures April 17, 2017 value exceeds one million US$. Sniffer dogs do Mexico city, Mexico their job. Seizure in the Primera logistics area of 2 packages departing for China containing 16,000 dried AFRICA seahorses, 3 totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi, Appendix I) and other acoupas’ swim bladders. The two parcels came from Mazatlán, State of Sinaloa, SOUTH AFRICA on the Pacific coast.1 May 18, 2017 Philippi, Cape Town, Western Cape EUROPE Province, South Africa A 42-year-old man whose identity was BELGIUM not revealed was unloading a truck and filling the cold rooms of a funeral April 20 and June 8, 2017 home with 260 bags of 20 kg filled Brussels, Belgium with abalones (Haliotis spp.). The total Three Chinese traffickers were value is R7.8 million ($ 590,000 US). The sentenced by the correctional court truck is said to be stolen.1 in Brussels to 15 months in prison, half of which as a suspended jail FAMILY AFFAIRS sentence, for having attempted May 30, 2017 on April 20th to fraudulently pass through the Khayelitsha, Western Cape Brussels Zaventem airport with a cargo of 2063 Province, South Africa seahorses, an ivory bracelet and a dragon carved The Abalone Gang in ivory. The three men, aged 30, 48, and 52, came The Krugers, father and son, and from Freetown, Sierra Leone and were in transit to Abri Felipe Bucchianeri were Beijing. A sum of $6350 US was found on them, also sentenced to 38 years in prison with a mandatory taken by the court who considered it a profit from term of 18 to 23 years. Sentencing of Busonbenkosi illegal commerce.2 Matera to 13 years in prison with a mandatory term of 10 years. Three Chinese accomplices are already serving a 3-year prison term. The Virdon Trading Company, the exporter, was fined 400,000 Corals rands ($30,400 US). All were found guilty of swindling, fraud, contraband, money laundering, “On the subject of cor- and the capture, processing, and exportation of an als, he had a bizarre per- endangered species. sonal theory. In his view, Close to 100,000 abalones (Haliotis spp.) were they were, as we said, sea seized from clandestine facilities. Fiscal services creatures who, through a Warner Minton © Tam estimate the value of the seizure at 20 million rands sort of judicious humility, ($ 1,521,000 US). pass for trees or plants so A few days after the seizure, 2 containers, officially as to not be attacked or labeled as containing “plastic pellets”, were called devoured by sharks.“ Jo- back while heading to Hong Kong full with seph Roth (1894-1939). abalones. The maritime company had received Leviathan. Sillage Edi- orders to retrieve the shipment of 3 containers in tions, 1991. the Durban port. One container was “lost” en route. Probably not lost for everyone. ASIA Hawks spokesman Captain Lloyd Ramovha said the sentencing was a boost to the unit’s endeavors to CHINA get rid of syndicates that continue to plunder the country’s precious living marine resources. 2 April 21, 2017 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China According to customs, during a crew changeover, there was a seizure of 5.6 kg of jewelry made from a coral species protected by CITES. 1 On the Trail #17. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood 4 May 31, 2017 ASIA Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa CHINA Seizure of 500 abalones (Haliotis spp.) and diving gear. Three arrests. 3 June 10 2017 Province of Jiangsu, China While controlling the crew corridor of the airport, Customs seize the shell of a horse’s hoof clam (Hippopus hippopus, Appendix II). The species is endemic to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It owes its Latin name to the byssus in the form of a horseshoe with which it clings to sandy bottoms.