Category: 2016

Johannesburg –  The ongoing Asian demand for lion bones has led to an horrific wildlife poisoning in the Limpopo National Park, just over the Mozambican border from Kruger Park.

A mere two kilometres from the Machampane tourist camp, a research team came across the carcases of two nyala, a warthog and an impala laced with what they describe as a black granular poison. Lying nearby were two lions, 51 vultures, three fish eagles, a yellow-billed kite and a giant eagle owl. There was evidence of a leopard but its body was not found.

The lions had been dismembered, their bones removed, and 22 vultures had been decapitated, their heads presumably to be used for muti. Snares had also been set around the poisoned carcases. The team from the Limpopo Transfrontier Predator Project burned all the poisoned carcasses.

At the recent Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), wild lions remained listed as Appendix 11 with a ‘zero annual export quota for bones, bone pieces, products, claws, skeletons, skulls and teeth removed from the wild and traded for commercial purposes.’ However, in a shock move, captive breeders escaped the ban, with South Africa only required to submit an annual quota for bone exports from captive breeding facilities.

Will Travers, President of the Born Free Foundation, called it an appalling decision which would perpetuate captive breeding bone trade. He called a sad day for CITES. Conservationists have pointed out that it’s impossible to distinguish between the bones of captive or wild lions, leaving the door wide open for laundering of poached animal parts.

Nine African nations – Niger, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria and Togo – sought to uplist lions to Appendix I, offering full trade protection However, in a compromise move, CITES allowed the marketing of captive lion bones. According to the filmmakers of Blood Lions, this was ‘an attempt to appease the fierce opposition from lion bone and body part traders and the hunting for entertainment enthusiasts’

The Limpopo research team found the two lions had been carried 200 metres away from the epicenter of the poisoning onto a nearby ridge and butchered. The skins, a portion of the abdomens with significant layer of fat and the intestines were left.

The two male lions were both estimated to be about two years old. All their bones had been removed and meat had been cut into strips, dried and mostly removed.

This is the second poisoning event that has targeted the lion pride in this same area. The first one, in July 2014, killed three adult lions, seven white-backed vultures and a bateleur eagle. According to the team, “this poisoning is the first time that we have found evidence of lions being targeted for their bones in the park. Considering the prevalence of commercial rhino and elephant poaching in the region over the past five years we are concerned that this event could mark the beginning of large-scale poaching of lions for their bones in the Limpopo National Park”.

Erg bedreigde diere se liggaamsdele te koop

Die ietermagogskubbe en die die velle, bene en tande van leeus en luiperds wat op ‘n mark in die Johannesburgse middestad verkoop word, het ‘n groep afgevaardigdes na die COP17-beraadna hul asem laat snak.

Die groep het videomateriaal en dit aan Ian Mi chler, een van vervaardigers van Blood lions, gegee.

Michler se die mense was uiters geskok om die liggaamsdele te sien van de bedreigde en kritiek bedreigde diere waaroor daar in die konferensielokale in Sandton gepraat word.

“Hier, minder as 15 km van die konferensiesentrum, sien hulle die karkasse van die einste diere wat nie verhandel mag word nie.

“Kan jy dink hoe geskok hulle was?”

In die video, wat sowat vyf minute lank is, kan die skedel van ‘n hiena en die karkasse van aasvoels gesien word.

Die mense wat die video geneem het, wil glo anoniem bly. Michler het dit op die nie-regeringsorgansasie Blood Lions se Facebookblad geplaas.

Op die video kan gehoor en gesien word hoe mense na hul asem snak toe hulle na die karkasse van die ietermagogs, leeus en luiperds kyk.

Dit is veral die Faraday Muthi-mark in die middestad wat hul oe laat rek het.

Die ietermagog is verlede wwek in bylae 1 van die konvensie oor die internasionale handel in bedreigde spesies aangeteken. Die beteken daar is nou ‘n verbod op alle handel in die dier of liggaamsdele van die dier.

Geen luiperds mag op die oomblik in SuidAfrika gejag word nie omdat niemand weet hoeveel van hulle nog oor is nie.

Leeus het in bylae 2 ook ‘n mate van berskermde status en mag nie sonder ‘n permit gejag word nie. As iemand ‘n leeu wil verkoop, moet hy ‘n permit daarvoor he.

 permitte nie.

Andrew Mbhalati van die Gautengse departement van landbou en landelike ontwikkeling se hy is nie seker of ampte ters van die afdeling vir biodiversiteit al op die Faraday Muthi-mark oegeslaan het nie.

Hy se die wetstoepasser wat verantwoordelik is, is tans met verlof. Sy lynbestuurder, by wie hy antwoorde moet kry, is met siekteverlof.

Hy se sy kollegas behoort Maandag weer op kantoor te inligting oor die mark kry.

Michler se dit is ironies dat SuidAfrika oenskynlik (veral in Gauteng)  nie genoeg wetstoepassers het nie, terwyl die departement van omgewingsake R132 miljoen daaraan bestee het om die Citeskonferensie in Johannesburg aan te bied.

As die departement regtig ernstig is oor die bewaring van die land se bedreigde wild, sou hy daardie geld gebruik het om nog wetstoepassers aan te stel, se hy.

Blood Lions gaan die saak beslis nie net daar laat nie. “Ons gaan na nog markte in die stad en oor die land heen soek en foto’s neem.”

Omgewingsaktiviste brul van woede en wildboere brul van plesier oor die afgelope week se besluit wat die uitvoer van leeubene toelaat.

Die konvensie oor die internasionale handel in bedreigde spesies (Cites) het Maandag op die COP17beraad in Sandton besluit om die uitvoer van leeubene goed te keur.

Boere kan so tot R35 000 per leeukarkas verdien.

“Daar is nou ongelooflike valuta op pad na ons leeuboere,” se Carla van der Vyver, uitvoerende hoof van die SuidAfrikaanse Roofdiertelersvereniging.

“Ek ondersteun dit, want dit gaan maak dat daar nou meer leeus in SuidAfrika gaan wees.”

Na verwagting sal private wildplase hul leeubevolkings drasties aanvul sodat buitelandse jagters hul leeus vir uitvoer kan kom skiet.

Volgens die departement van omgewingsake se bestuursplan vir biodiversiteit onder leeus is daar tans sowat 3 400 leeus in reservate en meer as 6 000 “ge blikte” leeus op sowat 200 plase.

Christo Gomes (52), ‘n wildhoer van BelaBela, het sowat 200 leeus wat hy gaan vermeerder aangesien hy die dooies se bene kan verkoop.

“Die hoofdoel is om die waarde van die dier te beskerm. Hoe meer waarde jy aan horn heg, hoe meer diere kan jy aanhou en teel. Ons gebruik alles wat ‘n leeu ons bied en si5 gaan daar aan die einde van die dag meer van die spesie beskikbaar wees,” se Gomes.

Die VSA het in Desember ‘n verbod geplaas op opgestopte leeutrofee wat jagters na ‘n skietvakansie hier kan terugneem.

“Ek weet van vier wildplase wat elk meer as 50 mense moes afdank omdat hul leeus nie meer in aanvraag was nie,” se Van der Vyver. “Gewoonlik gee boere die reste van ‘n jag weg, en veral sangomas vind baat daarby.”

‘n Splinternuwe probleem het sO opgeduik: moetiemoorde op “geblikte” leeus.

“Nou word leeus links en regs vergiftig en onthoof, want daar word nie meer vir die moetiemark voorsien nie,” se Van der Vyver.

Volgens Gomes ly reservate nie hieronder nie. “Stropers weet nie waar leeus snags in die wildtuin rondkruip nie,” se hy. “SO ‘n leeu sal jou opvreet nog voordat jy vir horn gifvleis kan voer. By private kampe, soos my plek, gooi hulle die gif maar net oor die draad.”

Gomes het in Mei sy beste teel mannetjie, ter waarde van sowat R300 000, so verloor.

Sedert Desember is 30 leeus al deur moetiestropers landwyd doodgemaak.

Ian Michler, ‘n vervaardiger van die dokumentere fliek Blood Lions, het die week die fliek aan COP17beraadgangers gewys sodat mense “weer kan dink” oor die besluit oor leeubene.

In die fliek wys Michler plase uit waar leeus nie vrylik genoeg kan rondbeweeg nie en op kort afstand doodgeskiet word.

Van sy grootste kritiek is wildboere wat hul leeus “inteel”: “Oosterlinge verkies die smaak van wilde leeus se bene en daarom sal `geblikte’ leeus nie goed genoeg daar verkoop nie.”

Gomes se die bewerings is “alles nonsens”.

“As jy nie genoeg ruimte het nie, mag jy volgens wet nie leeus aanhou nie,” se hy.

“Jy moet te voet jag (wat kortafstandskote uitkanselleer). jy mag glad nie eens van ‘n bakkie af skiet nie, tensy jy gestremd is.

“Ons sal ook nooit ingeteelde leeus kan aanhou nie. Onthou, ons skiet vir trofee hien Dit beteken ons soek groter leeus met mooier hare, groter skedels en groter struktuur. Ons voer selfs leeus van die buiteland af in om die genepoel te vergroot.”

Hy lag kliphard oor die “smaak” van wilde leeus se bene.

“Dit is so goed jy probeer vir my vertel ‘n SuidAfrikaner het nie dieselfde soort bene in sy lyf as ‘n Amerikaner nie,” se Gomes.

Chris Mercer, direkteur van Campaign against Canned Hunting (Cach) se daar is een ding waarby ‘n mens nie verby kan kyk nie: “Hierdie is nog steeds maar net ‘n sakemodel wat geskoei is op ‘n roetine van wreedheid.”

Die koning van die oerwoud is Sondagaand op die COP17beraad in Sandton tot ‘n “sak waardelose bene” gereduseer.

So het die nieregeringsorganisasie Blood Lions Official gisteroggend getwiet oor die konven sie oor die internasionale handel in bedreigde spesies (Cites) se besluit dat die liggaamsdele van SuidAfrika se geblikte leeus uitgevoer mag word.

Cites het wel bepaal dat die beendere, tande en pote van wilde leeus wat aan natuurlike oorsake dood is nie na Asie uitge voer mag word nie.

Maar hy is nie gekant daarteen dat die liggaamsdele van die sowat 8 000 geblikte leeus wat in klein kampies in SuidAfrika geteel word, gebruik word nie.

Dit was ondanks die Wereldbewaringsunie (IUCN) se beroep op SuidAfrika om die geblikteleeubedryf te staak.

Karen Trendler van Four Paws se dit is ‘n tragedie.

“Dit is ‘n ontnugterende besef dat Cites ‘n handelsorganisasie is en dit [COP171 ‘n spel is wat om politieke getalle wentel.”

Edna Molewa, minister van omgewingsake, het die IUCN se beraad bygewoon wat in September in Hawaii gehou is.

People Against Canned Hunting (Pach) het getwiet: “Dankie, Cites. Panthera leo sal teen 2030 uitsterf.”

Leeus word intensief op nagenoeg 200 SuidAfrikaanse plase, Koning van oerwoud nou ‘n ‘sal( waardelose bene’ Elize Tempelhoff veral in die Vrystaat, Noordwes en Limpopo, geteel.

Molewa se dit is nie onwettig om wild in SuidAfrika te teel nie. Sy beskou dit as “volhoubare benutting”. Sy se die welsyn van die leeus in gevangenskap bekommer haar tog en haar departement ondersoek dit.

Cape Town – This 5-minute raw footage taken at the Faraday Muthi market, in Selby, Johannesburg shows skins and animal parts of endangered species from cheetah, leopard, lion, chimp hands, hyena, pangolin, vulture.

This while just down the road in Sandton, more than 3 500 delegates from 183 member state countries attended the 17th Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora kicks  – one of the most important wildlife conferences focused on the protection and monitoring of trade in wildlife.

Yet at this Joburg market, a rather well-known muthi market in fact, the video clearly shows rampant trade in illegal wildlife products, most of which have very specific restrictions attached to trade, if any is even allowed.

The person who took the video and shared it with Blood Lions wishes to remain anonymous, but confirmed the video’s authenticity to Traveller24 and that it was taken in this week, saying it was “alarming to see so many leopard skins available”.

In January this year the Department of Environmental Affairs set provincial leopard trophy hunting quotas at zero for 2016, effectively banning leopard trophy hunting throughout South Africa for a year.

This calls into question the origin of these products, which include Pangolin skin, just moved up to CITES Appendix I as critically endangered. Other illegal products include lion skins and bone as well as endangered vulture species.

Traveller24 spoke to Green Scorpions Environmental Management Inspector for Complaints Andrew Mbhalati who is acting head for Green Scorpions head Lawrence Badenhorst at the moment, but he could not confirm if the market was being investigated.

Mbhalati says he would only be able to follow-up on the matter on Monday, when the necessary official Eric Mbela who deals with Biodiversity issues was back in the office.

‘We rely on the public to lodge a complaint’ 

Mbhalati says, “We rely on the public to lodge a complaint, where after the issues are then registered and we send the inspectors to investigate further.” He could not confirm that the division actively investigates or patrols well-known markets such as Faraday.

But given that the film was shot in this week, it does not appear as if this particular one is being actively monitored.

Ian Michler, the investigative conservationist behind the documentary Blood Lions who has seen the video told Traveller24 that while no official complaint has been laid, Blood Lions would definitely be collecting a full body of information in order to do so.

Michler says, “The striking irony of this is that a mere 15km from where the world has been holding the most important conference on the trade of endangered species is that these products are being traded in a market.

“The video shows everything from lion and vultures and crocodiles and primate hands.”

‘Greatest irony and sadness in actual fact’ 

Michler says that while it is all good and well for the stakeholders to hold intellectual discussions on the endangered species, it highlights how little is actually being done on the ground and exactly why these species are in trouble.

“It is one thing to accord them protection in writing but it is another to enforce those laws entirely which CITES needs to be aware of,” says Michler.

“It is the greatest irony and sadness in actual fact,” says Michler.

When told that the Green Scorpions rely largely on investigating complaints made by the public or organisations who witness the illegal trader Michler says, “This is an indictment on local and national government, the fact that a country of South Africa’s stature when it comes to wildlife cannot get a rudimentary protection force together to carry out their mandate.”

Michler says, “At least give them the capabilities to patrol markets in the heart of the city – because this is what it boils down to, we are not talking about markets that are in the middle of nowhere. These are visible to everyone. It is extremely sad and a very concerning situation – that they don’t have the resources to carry out the most basic regulatory mandate.”

Michler says Blood Lions would be looking at other areas in the CBD as well as try to ascertain who the suppliers to these markets area as part of its official complaint.

NSPCA Wildlife aware of the muthi market

National Council of SPCA spokesperson Isobel Wentzel told Traveller24 that while they are aware of the market it falls out of their domain.

“We don’t have proof on how the animals are killed, it would be about the manner in how they were killed or proof of cruelty. The fact is we don’t know if they were alive when the parts were chopped off.”

However Wentzel says, “Market traders need to be in possession of a wildlife trader permit, which must be regulated as it is issued subject to specific quotas. They need permits even if it’s for traditional medicine.”

Wentzel agreed that all known muthi market across the various provinces need to be checked on, especially to establish proof of origin.

CITES regulates international and not domestic trade

“Conservation enforcement departments have to check if these guys have been issued permits. But its clear some of the species they can’t get permits to trade in”, which is the key issue here according to Wentzel.

While CITES regulates international and not domestic trade, Wentzel says these traders are still accountable as it is illegal to take animals such as pangolin out of the wild, let alone sell them.

“You cannot take animals out of the wild; it must be legally bred in captivity in order to trade some of them.”

Wentzel also suggests that it is unlikely these parts came from animals that died of natural causes.

“If animals die of natural causes a permit needs to be obtained just to keep the horn of rhino for example. Leopard or cheetah skins cannot leave that property unless they have a registered wildlife permit. Curios all have permits for their wildlife items.

“Even if they call it traditional medicine or muthi markets they are not exempted from the law.”

Die geblikte leeubedryf in SuidAfrika mag voortgaan.

Edna Molewa, minister van omgewingsake, het Dinsdagmiddag op die laaste mediakonferensie van Cites se COP17beraad gese leeuboere sal hul teelgeriewe nou by Cites moet registreer as hulle leeubeendere na die Ooste wil uitvoer. Leeubeendere sal net met Citespermitte uitgevoer mag word.

Carla van der Vyver, uitvoerende hoof van die SuidAfrikaanse Roofdiertelersvereniging, het gese die leeubedryf is “baie verlig en bly” dat hulle nie gesluit gaan word nie en dat hulle met hul sake kan voortgaan.

Ian Michler van Invent Africa, wat hom sedert 1997 daarvoor beywer dat die bedryf gesluit moet word, het gese dit is skokkend dat Cites SuidAfrika toelaat om met leeus en ander wild te teel.

Dit is veral “onbegryplik” dat Cites Saterdag besluit het genie we waar tiers in China geteel word, moet gesluit word.

Die Environmental Investigating Agency (EIA) het op die beraad gese navorsing wat hulle gedoen het, het gewys dat die teel van tiers in aanhouding en die verhandeling van hul beendere, tande en pote stropery van wilde tiers laat toeneem het.

Volgens Molewa het “wetenskaplike navorsing” in SuidAfrika gewys die teel en verhandeling van leeus se beendere, tande en pote is ‘n “bewaringsinstrument” vir die land se sowat 4 000 wilde leeus.

Sy meen dat die tussen 6 000 en 8 000 halfmak leeus in die vraag na die dier se skelet in die Ooste kan voorsien.

Molewa het voorts gese haar departement en die departement van landbou, bosbou en visserye wat tans die bedryf “reguleer”, is besig om gesamentlik wetgewing op te stel wat ten doel het om na die welsyn van die geblikte leeus om te sien.

Die welsynsaspekte wat betref die wyse waarop leeus geteel, in hokke aangehou en doodgemaak word, is egter vir haar ‘n bron van kommer.

Sy meen steeds dat die diere as trofee gejag mag word, maar dat streng regulasies moet geld.

Volgens haar doen elke provinsie nou “net wat hy wil” wanneer leeujagtogte onderneem word. Die departement van omgewingsake bepaal dat ‘n halfmak leeu net in ‘n plek van 1 000 ha vrygelaat moet word voordat hy gejag mag word. Die dier mag ook nie van ‘n bakkie gejag word, met aas gelok word of bedwelmd wees nie.

Die departement onderhandel nou met die departement van landbou, bosbou en visserye dat leeus wat in aanhouding geteel is, tyd gegun word om “weer wild te raak” sodat hulle ‘n regverdige wegkomkans het wanneer hulle gejag word. Sodanige tydperk kan enigiets van een tot twee jaar wees. “Die tydperk sal met ons susterdepartement onderhandel word,” het sy gese.

Van der Vyver het gese ‘n leeuskelet (met die kop aan) is sowat R25 000 werd.

Michler, een van die vervaardigers van die opspraakwekkende dokumentere rolprent Blood Lions, het gese hul veldtog teen die onetiese bedryf gaan verskerp word.

Die koning van die oerwoud is eergisteraand op die COP17beraad in Sandton tot ‘n “sak waardelose bene” gereduseer.

So het die nieregeringsorganisasie Blood Lions Official getwiet oor die konvensie oor die internasionale handel in bedreigde spesies (Cites) se besluit dat die liggaamsdele van SuidAfrika se geblikte leeus uitgevoer mag word.

Cites het wel bepaal dat die beendere, tande en pote van wilde leeus wat aan natuurlike oorsake dood is, nie na Asie uitgevoer mag word nie. Maar hy is nie gekant daarteen dat die liggaamsdele van die sowat 8 000 geblikte leeus wat in klein kampies in SuidAfrika geteel word, gebruik word nie.

Dit was ondanks die Wereldbewaringsunie (IUCN) se beroep op SuidAfrika om die geblikteleeubedryf te staak.

Edna Molewa, minister van omgewingsake, het die IUCN se beraad bygewoon wat in September in Hawaii gehou is.

Karen Trendler van Four Paws se Cites se besluit is ‘n tragedie.

“Dit is ‘n ontnugterende besef dat Cites ‘n handelsorganisasie is en dit (COP17) ‘n spel is wat om politieke getalle wentel.”

People Against Canned Hunting (Pach) het getwiet: “Dankie, Cites. Panthera leo sal teen 2030 uitsterf.”

Leeus word intensief op nagenoeg 200 SuidAfrikaanse phase, veral in die Vrystaat, Noordwes en Limpopo, geteel.

Molewa se dit is nie onwettig om wild in SuidAfrika te teel nie. Sy beskou dit as “volhoubare benutting”. Sy se die welsyn van die leeus in gevangenskap bekommer haar tog en haar departement ondersoek dit.

On Saturday supporters of the GMFER were urging the 183 Parties signatory to the CITES treaty to vote for the strictest possible protection of endangered species by listing all species of elephant and rhinos on CITES Appendix 1.

Sandton, Johannesburg – Hundreds of marchers gathered for the annual Global March for Rhinos and Elephants (GMFER) in Johannesburg on Saturday to show their support for the protection of South Africa’s endangered species. The march coincided with the launch of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) reported Taryn Arnott van Jaarsveld.

“By marching to the conference, we are hoping to keep pressure on political leaders to protect the world’s most vulnerable species” said Dex Kotze, GMFER core strategist.

Supporters of the GMFER were urging the 183 Parties signatory to the CITES treaty to vote for the strictest possible protection of endangered species by listing all species of elephant and rhinos on CITES Appendix 1.

“Appendix 1 gives these species the highest level of protection in international law,” said GMFER president Rosemary Alles, addressing supporters at the march. “Like all social justice issues, the solution to the problem of poaching and wildlife trafficking will not be resolved in boardrooms and conference halls. It will be resolved by the collective goodness of our human community.”

The GMFER is calling upon delegates to vote against trade in ivory and rhino horn. “Killing the demand for both Ivory and rhino horn is the key to their absolution,” said Kotze. GMFER is also calling for a total ban on pangolin trade and on canned lion hunting.

“We will send a message that will not be ignored. Our heritage will not be stolen from us. This is why we march,” said 17-year-old Rhino SA ambassador Kirsten Anne Everett, addressing the crowd gathered for the march. “It is my generation that has everything at stake. It is our future jobs that could be thrown away by decisions made in the next fortnight. It is our inheritance that could be destroyed by greed. We cannot allow this to happen.”

Another 147 cities around the world, including Hong Kong, New York and Paris, are also participating in the GMFER campaign. Marches in Hoedspruit, Cape Town, Durban and East London, amongst others, also expressed their support for the cause.

The movement is supported by Humane Society International, Captured in Africa Foundation, Blood Lions, Nkombe Rhino, Rhino Africa, Rhino SA, Outraged SA Citizens Against Poaching, Save our Rhinos and the Conservation Action Trust, among others.

All eyes are on South Africa this week as delegates gather to debate and vote at the 17th major meeting of the world’s wildlife trade regulating treaty.

The conference, opened by President Jacob Zuma on Saturday is taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg until 5 October. The treaty aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. South Africa became a signatory to CITES in 1975.

Elephant poaching, threats to rosewood species and sharks, and illegal trade in rhino horn and pangolin will be high on the agenda.