Elephant conservation news 13-19 March 2010
Proposals for the sale of stockpiled ivory are facing mounting opposition at a major international wildlife conference, according to Born Free.
The wildlife charity has hailed the negative reaction to proposals by Tanzania in the first week of the Conference of the Parties in Doha, organised by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The proposals, which would allow Tanzania to offload its near-90 tonnes of ivory, have sparked intense passions in the build-up to the event among the majority of East African nations, which broadly oppose the move.
However, Born Free has highlighted the concerns shown by the CITES secretariat, which it says has issued a statement labelling anti-poaching efforts in Tanzania "inadequate" and dismissing the country's control of the illegal trade in raw ivory as "unsatisfactory".
In addition, a panel of CITES-appointed experts recently found that the country's elephant population had fallen by almost a quarter between 2006 and 2009.
A similar proposal from Zambia, which seeks to sell 22 tonnes, has reportedly been recommended.
The conference coincides with a report from wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic, which called for "urgent" action from governments in Central and West Africa and in South-East Asia, citing law enforcement failures that it said were allowing the illicit ivory trade to go unchecked.
Shelley Waterland, programmes manager of the Born Free Foundation and chair of the Species Survival Network's Elephant Working Group, blasted Tanzania's "foolhardy" attempt to resume trading in ivory.
"Institutional corruption, the loss of more than 30,000 elephants in just 3 years, inadequate security measures, and the impact that ivory trade would have on the security of elephants across the continent all justify rejection of the Tanzania proposal," she added.
Earlier this week the charity's CEO, Will Travers, again publicly harangued the UK for what he termed its "weak and illogical position" in not openly condemning the proposals.
The outburst follows Travers' January upbraiding of Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Hilary Benn for refusing to "plunge in" to the issue and lead EU opposition.
'Miracle' baby makes first appearance
A 'miracle' baby elephant who was feared dead in the womb has made his first appearance at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.
Named 'Mr Shuffles', the pint-sized pachyderm stayed in the protective shadow of mother Porntip, as he explored his new surroundings.
And experts at the zoo are apparently amazed by his progress, after he had spent three days in a coma while still inside the womb, the Sydney Morning Herald said. The paper had previously reported that the animal had died, following news from the zoo that staff had given up on his being born alive.
Although the diminutive Asian elephant was born the wrong way round - and upside-down - he has seemingly taken to his new surroundings. Joining in with the excitement of the occasion, the paper said that his trunk "danced like a conductor's baton as he sampled smells and textures of his world".
Gary Miller, the zoo's elephant supervisor said that Mr Shuffles had already demonstrated "amazing recuperative powers" and was getting on track developmentally.
"I'd say he's going to be 100%," he added.
