The defaunation bulletin Quarterly information and analysis report on animal poaching and smuggling n°21. Events from the 1th April to the 30 of June 2018 Published on July 31, 2018 Original version in French 1 On the Trail #21. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood 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/ 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, Elisabeth Lavarde and Manon Lefebvre Cover photo: Phoenicopterus roseus © Bernard Dupont Translation English edition “On the Trail “: Hayley Gambone, Emilie Courtin, collectif Robin des Bois and CPW Paris. On the Trail #21. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood 2 Judgment and sanction Contents Condemnation, acquittal, fine... Seahorses 4 Corals 4 Abalones 5 Human death Nautiluses, Clams and Date Mussels 6 Guard, ranger, policeman, poacher... by firearm or other Sea Cucumbers 7 means. Fishes 9 Marine Mammals 14 Marine Turtles 16 Poisoning By chemicals, pesticides and Various Marine Species 18 medicines: cyanide, Carbofuran, Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles 19 Diclofenac, M99 … Snakes 22 Sauria 23 Crocodilians 25 Trapping Poaching by jaw trap, snare ... Various Reptile Species 25 Amphibians 26 Arachnids 27 Birds 27 Full moon Pangolins 44 Moonlight poaching Pangolins and Elephants 48 Primates 49 Vicuñas 55 Felines 56 Felines and Elephants 70 Wolves 70 CITES Appendices Bears 71 Convention on International Trade in Endange- Hippopotamuses 72 red Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Hippopotamuses and Elephants 72 182 Member States Rhinoceroses 73 Appendix I : species threatened with extinction. Rhinos and Elephants 81 Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances and under Elephants 82 import and export permits. Mammoths 102 Other Mammals 102 Appendix II : export permit required in order to avoid utilization incompatible with the species Multi-Species 108 survival. Import permit if required by national law. Donkeys 121 Appendix III : species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties 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 #21. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood Seahorses PHILIPPINES Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are listed under June 9, 2018 CITES Appendix II. Bacolod-Silay International Airport, Province of Negros Occidental, Philippines Seizure of 58 kg of dried seahorses, or some 11 to 12,000 specimens, valued at $23,000 US or nearly $400 US/kg. The seahorses were reported to the Bu- reau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as “dried fish.” The sender is an uncertain Jerry Co from Silay City.4 Corals © Bernard Dupont © Bernard Orangutans crab on bubble-coral AMERICA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FAMILY AFFAIRS June 18, 2018 Los Angeles, State of California, United States of America ASIA Vazquez pleads guilty (cf. “On the Trail” n°18 p. 5). He admits having used his mother as a delivery CHINA woman for live corals in Mexico. He risks a year in jail and deportation. He does not have a US passport. 1 May 15, 2018 Gongbei Port of Entry, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China ASIA Seizure of 200 dried seahorses, 5 g on average.1 CHINA June 1st, 2018 April 25, 2018 Pingxiang, Jiangxi Province, China Futian Port of entry, Shenzhen, Guangdong Seizure from the trunk of a car of around 7750 dried Province, China seahorses, 31 kg, i.e. 4 g on average.2 Seizure of 30kg of “red coral”. 2 INDIA April 30, 2018 Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China April 17, 2018 Seizure by airport customs of a nice-sized hard coral Between Mandapam and Ramanathapuram, (Scleractinia spp, Appendix II) from the baggage Tamil Nadu State, India of a Chinese citizen arriving from Addis Ababa Seizure of 6kg of seahorses on board a coach going (Ethiopia). The specimen weighs around 6.1 kg, its to Mandapam. Malik, 21 years old, said to be only a length is 28 cm and its width is 24 cm. 3 carrier. He was going to deliver in Chennai. Mandapam along the Indian Ocean is at the heart of sea cucumber and seahorse trafficking to Sri EUROPE Lanka or Indian megacities. The Chennai airport and port are good hideouts for NETHERLANDS contraband. 3 May 7, 2018 Netherlands Seizure of coral in the belongings of a traveler coming from Mauritius Island.4 On the Trail #21. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood 4 Abalones May 23, 2018 Ottery, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, Haliotiss spp. South Africa Always the same scenery and the same seizures: fans, gas burners, bottles of gas, racks of abalones – 7670 specimens estimated at $280,000 US. One arrest. 5 © SAPS © Whyte Peter June 2, 2018 AFRICA Kimberley, Northern Cape Province, South Africa SOUTH AFRICA Far from Cape Town (900 km), a 34-year-old man was engaged in the trafficking of abalones and rock April 11, 2018 lobsters.6 Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa June 12, 2018 During a check carried out early in the morning at Gansbaai, Western Cape Province, South Africa the Oribi tollbooth on the N2 highway, the police The town is living up to its reputation. Suspicious came across a man transporting 655 abalones in activity near Marais Street. Police chase on foot. his car. The man was to deliver them to Durban and Four large bags abandoned in the gutter. One was traveling with a pistol loaded with 9 bullets. breathless man arrested. 208 good-sized abalones The value of the catch is estimated at 90,000 rand seized.7 ($7700 US or $128 US/kg). The man was driven to the police station; the vehicle and the abalones GANG were seized. 1 June 13, 2018 Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa Mid-April 2018 The nine crooked agents from the Department of Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) went More than 200 lobster tails (family Astacoidea) back to work in their offices after being freed on and 11 shucked abalone seized by the police. Two bail for 20,000 to 50,000 rand ($1600 to $4000 US). arrests. 2 They were arrested after a two-year investigation and an overwhelming compilation of telephone April 17, 2018 conversations giving detailed explanations on their Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province, South dealings with traffickers to whom they sold the Africa abalones seized by their own administration. See Joint operation between the K9 dog unit and Dark “On the Trail” n°20, p.9.8 Water OPS, a private security company enlisted in the fight against poaching. Seizure during the June 13, 2018 night of 890 abalones, no arrests.3 Near Gordon’s Bay, Western Cape Province, South Africa May 15, 2018 The search of the Toyota abandoned by the driver Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa following a high-speed chase with the police led Five men in police uniforms attack the strong to the count of 8330 abalones worth an estimated room where the provincial government stores $40,000 US.9 seized abalones. The gang broke in at 3:00 in the morning in a two-cabin bakkie, took possession June 22, 2018 of the security guard’s weapons and bulletproof Aliwal North, Eastern Cape Province, South vests. The massive stealing was not quantified. The Africa abalones were loaded onto three other bakkies Seizure of a Nissan X-trail and 2326 abalones found arriving in support and the gang fled in the night. 4 inside. Arrest of the 34-year-old driver. 10 5 On the Trail #21. Robin des Bois/Robin Hood OCEANIA AUSTRALIA REPEATED OFFENSE May 8, 2018 Between Bawley Point and Kioloa, State of New South Wales, Australia Would Australian abalone beds also fall prey to shameful appetites? Local sectors mainly take interest in shellfish whose “mother of pearl” is used to make earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry. But they are also found on the menus of some © Syn seafood restaurants (cf “On the Trail” n°16, p. 17). In 2017, 6000 abalones were seized in the State and authorities, faced with an increase, decided to EUROPE be more active against abalone poaching (cf “On the Trail” n°20, p.