Elephant conservation news 16 January - 22 January 2010
Kenya is primed to use a meeting of East African nations in Brussels to force a stand-off with neighbouring countries that are calling for a resumption of ivory trading.
The country's Daily Nation reports that the meeting - which brings together member countries of the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) - is set to be a warm-up for March's major international conference in Doha; the 15th CITES Conference of the Parties.
Kenya, which is co-chairing the Brussels event, is ready to use the forum to oppose the Tanzanian and Zambian proposal to relax the 1989 CITES ban on a one-off basis, allowing those countries to sell their stockpiled ivory. The country is presenting a united front with Rwanda in opposing the sale, accusing Tanzania of acting against the 'spirit of consultation' inherent to both CITES and the East African Community.
Earlier this month the Kenyan Wildlife Service hit out at calls for a relaxation on the ivory ban, claiming that such action would inevitably lead to increasing demand.With rapidly rising demand for ivory - particularly from emerging Asian markets - Kenya has seen poaching activity increase more than four-fold over the last two years, reporting that in excess of 200 elephants were killed last year. An international operation that reached its climax at the end of 2009 saw 65 people arrested in Kenya for ivory smuggling.
Shelley Waterland, programmes manager at the Born Free Foundation, said that any legal trade would risk stimulating increased demand for ivory, and would expose elephant populations across Africa to serious risk.
She said that the UK Government should "sit up and take notice", and take an EU lead in promoting a strong stance against ivory trade.
"The UK, who made the decision to approve China as an importer of a recent one-off sale of ivory, needs to take some responsibility for what is now happening to elephants in Africa," Waterland added.
Ivory smuggling ring cracked
An ivory smuggling ring has been cracked by police, as Thailand once again comes under scrutiny as a hub for distribution to both East and West.
A man was arrested in Bangkok for trafficking following a 17-month operation, which focused on Thailand as a processing hub for ivory from Africa that is sold on to affluent consumers in the US and China.
There were a number of hauls of illegal ivory in the Far East during 2009. However, although conservation groups have hailed the recent arrest - the first of a suspected trafficker in south-east Asia - they warn that the ivory recovered is just the tip of the iceberg.
Quoted in the Guardian, Brad Coulter from Freeland - which works to end the illegal wildlife trade - said that harsher penalties and increased action against poachers were not yet reversing the trend.
"It's all about the money," he added.
Baby elephant born Down Under
The first elephant born in Australia using artificial insemination has taken its early steps at Melbourne Zoo.
Also the country's first female calf, the 110kg animal - which has yet to be named - was said to be "rambunctious" from the start.
And she is now reportedly forming a close bond with her mother, Dokkoon, before being shown to the public.
