Author: Erica Heffner

Dong Nai pilot project by Humane Society International in Viet Nam offers hope for the conservation of Viet Nam’s wild elephants

Humane Society International

HSI Wild Asian elephants in Viet Nam. Images captured by camera traps as part of HSI Viet Nam’s project to monitor the wild population and humanely mitigate human-elephant conflict.

DONG NAI, Viet Nam—Efforts to save Viet Nam’s wild elephants—currently listed as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List are being given a boost by a new collaborative, science-based project including camera trap IDs. The unique project is a joint effort between the government of Viet Nam* and animal protection partner Humane Society International and is part of Viet Nam’s new national elephant conservation action plan to protect the country’s remaining wild elephant herds. By using camera traps to create individual photo IDs and profiles for each animal, while also monitoring human-elephant conflict incidents and conducting elephant distribution surveys, the project aims to better understand elephants, their movements and behavior to help humanely mitigate human-elephant conflict which threatens this endangered sub-population of Asia’s elephants.

Viet Nam’s once thriving population of wild forest elephants has declined from around 2,000 individuals four decades ago to now as few as 100-130. Dong Nai is home to the second largest remaining wild elephant population in the country. Due to its significance, this region has been prioritized for elephant protection, and over the past two years researchers from HSI’s Viet Nam team have used camera traps to build a unique catalogue of the resident elephants, each with their own Vietnamese name and ID card of distinguishing features, behaviors, demographics, body condition and herd grouping. Male adult elephants such as Nga Lech, Cat Tien and Dat Do have been tracked and identified throughout the Cat Tien National Park, the Dong Nai Nature Reserve and the La Nga State-owned Forestry Enterprise of three districts (Tan Phu, Vinh Cuu and Dinh Quan).

The level of detail obtained from the project’s photographs and videos has never been achieved before for Viet Nam’s wild elephants. Among other results, it has enabled researchers to nearly double their estimates for Dong Nai’s sub-population from just 14 to between 25-27 individuals. HSI hopes this extremely encouraging data for Dong Nai’s sub-population might bring good news for a nationwide increase in population estimates should the project be applied across all elephant range provinces in Viet Nam, especially Dak Lak, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Nam which hold the other largest sub-populations.

Nguyen Quoc Tri, vice minister of the Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “Unlike other efforts, this special project with HSI provides us with science-based and practical solutions. From the viewpoint of government management, I highly appreciate the diverse stakeholder engagement that the project has involved, including local communities, researchers and animal protection experts so that both human and wild animal voices are considered carefully as part of each recommendation impacting elephants.”

The joint project not only helps better track and understand this elephant sub-population, it also helps to monitor and better manage human-elephant conflict incidents. Over the past several years, researchers have gathered data on the type of locations where such conflict occurs, the level of conflict experienced, as well as the number and identities of the elephants involved in each incident. The data gathered from community questionnaires as part of an elephant distribution survey has also revealed the true size of the elephants’ home range and those areas shared between humans and elephants.

These initiatives confirm that confrontational deterrent tactics such as hitting elephants with sticks, banging cooking utensils, deploying firecrackers and homemade explosives, or even setting poison, are not only detrimental to elephant welfare but can also make elephants defensive and more aggressive in the presence of people, which further escalates conflict. With so few elephants left, even one fatality due to conflict is a disastrous outcome. Monitoring human-elephant conflict through this initiative will improve mitigation strategies by basing them on a deeper understanding of the wants, needs, habitats and habits of the elephants.

Vo Van Phi, vice chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, said: “Dong Nai Province would love to pioneer new initiatives to protect threatened species. Losing the last Javan rhino in Cat Tien National Park questions and challenges us to save other endangered species to ensure Dong Nai is one of the highest biodiversity hotspots in Viet Nam. Obtaining these promising results for our wild elephants, we sincerely thank MARD/DOF and HSI for their technical and financial support over the last several years.”

Phuong Tham, Viet Nam country director for Humane Society International, said: “Viet Nam’s elephant population is now so small that unless we act fast to protect them, they face the very real possibility of extinction. The Viet Nam government has acknowledged that conservation priority with a very welcome national protection program which HSI is helping to craft, and this Dong Nai project is a key component. With elephants and people competing for limited habitat, conflict situations can arise and even be exacerbated when violent or frightening deterrent tactics are employed. These tactics also treat elephants as perpetrators rather than as stakeholders who need to be understood. With HSI’s new research data, conflict situations can be approached knowing the characteristics, behavior, range and habits of the specific elephants involved, so that custom-designed solutions can be implemented that have a far better chance of promoting peaceful co-existence between people and pachyderms.”

Humane Society International and its government partners (Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee) formally announced the findings of the camera trap identification work, together with the human-elephant conflict monitoring and distribution survey, at a two-day workshop in Dong Nai on 30-31 Aug. Ten international experts joined with more than 50 Vietnamese delegates to share and discuss the best practices for elephant protection to apply within Viet Nam’s local contexts of small and fragmented elephant populations. It is hoped that the workshop will contribute significantly to assist Viet Nam’s decision makers in identifying which actions to adopt for Viet Nam’s national elephant conservation action plan, which will run from 2023 to 2032, with a vision to 2050. In the meantime, the data gathered and the methodology implemented will continue to provide the foundation for ongoing work in Dong Nai province, and the partners hope that it can be replicated in other elephant range provinces in Viet Nam to learn more about the local populations and mitigate human-elephant conflict across the country.

Download Photos/Video from the Camera Trap

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Media contacts:

  • Wendy Higgins, HSI’s director of international media, whiggins@hsi.org
  • Mai Nguyen, senior wildlife manager of HSI in Viet Nam, maitn@hsi.org,
*The government of Viet Nam is represented by the Department of Forestry under Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Dong Nai Forest Protection Department of Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development under Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee.

Humane Society International trains local authorities in Central America on forensic veterinary sciences

Humane Society International / Latin America

HSI

SAN JOSE—More than 250 government officials, veterinarians and other professionals in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala attended a series of trainings provided by the animal protection organization Humane Society International to reinforce their knowledge investigative techniques and forensic veterinary medicine to apply in cases of crimes committed against animals.

In all three countries, officials participated in a workshop that addressed topics such as crime scene inspection, evidence collection and errors that may affect the chain of custody. For veterinarians, trainings involved their role in identifying animal cruelty and crimes against wildlife and how to properly describe injuries and create expert reports and other topics.

Victor Gonzalez, veterinarian and director of the International Animal Forensic Science Working Group, carried out a simulation that allowed participants to put into practice their crime scene investigation knowledge.

“Through this training, we want to share different perspectives that must be taken into account in both civil and criminal investigation of cases where animals are involved. Today, many guidelines for crimes committed against humans are followed, but perhaps we should follow a different path, due to the context in which these types of illegal acts occur,” said Gonzalez.

“For example, understanding how to handle a crime scene—which is the starting point of any investigation—is crucial for all subsequent laboratory work and for the final interpretation, where different disciplines must participate. It is changing the paradigm of what exists until today, for a more comprehensive vision,” Gonzalez added.

“It’s important for law enforcement officials to be well versed in crimes committed against animals. Our work in Central America supporting local authorities with animal welfare is incredibly meaningful because it increases the chances that these cases will be properly investigated and prosecuted,” Andrea Borel, director of HSI/Latin America, said.

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Media Contact: Alejandra Zúñiga: (506) 7012-5598; alezuniga@outlook.com

Some of the iconic species include anteaters, kinkajous and howler monkeys

Humane Society International / Latin America

Santiago Billy/AP Images for HSI

PETEN, Guatemala—In a joint effort by non-governmental organizations Humane Society International/Latin America and Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre—which is known as  ARCAS—40 animals of 14 different species were released in the Yaxha Nakum Naranjo National Park in Peten, Guatemala, after being rescued from illegal trafficking and going through a rigorous rehabilitation process.

With the authorization of Guatemalan authorities from the National Council for Protected Areas, or CONAP, the animals were released to the Maya Biosphere Reserve following rehabilitation after falling victim to wildlife trafficking or negative interactions with humans. Some of the rehabilitation activities included learning how to fly, jump, run, hide from predators and identify food in the wild.

“Keeping wild animals as ‘pets’ is a dangerous trend that is seriously affecting our ecosystems,” said Andrea Borel, executive director of HSI/Latin America. “Together with our local partner, ARCAS, we work to give these animals—who should have never been taken from their homes—a second chance in life to grow and flourish.”

Endangered species are highly valued in the wildlife trade because of their rarity, leading to overexploitation and black-market trade, and pushing these species further toward extinction. The rehabilitation of these animals is essential in strengthening the populations of endemic and endangered species in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, which have been considerably depleted and diminished in their natural habitats by human action. Release and rehabilitation of these animals is necessary to ensure that there are healthy populations capable of adapting and reproducing in their natural habitat.

ARCAS carries out the physical, medical and behavioral rehabilitation of victims of wildlife trafficking under strict scientific management standards and later releases animals into their natural habitat. HSI/Latin America and ARCAS have been working together in wildlife protection and conservation in Guatemala since 2004.

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Humane Society International / South Korea

Bliznetsov/iStock.com

SEOUL—South Korea’s annual statistics on scientific use of animals reveal a record-high 4,995,680 in 2022, continuing an alarming upward trend. This is the highest number of animal use since the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs started publishing the statistics in 2012.

The animal protection group Humane Society International/Korea condemns the steady increase in animal testing and calls for substantial and immediate action to position human-relevant approaches as the gold standard in Korean regulatory and bio-science testing. Nearly half of animals used in 2022 were subjected to the most severe category of experiment in which they are denied anesthetic or tranquilizing drugs while being exposed to massive doses of chemicals or used for cancer or infectious disease studies that will result in their deaths.

The 2022 statistical information also shows that animals are used most frequently in areas such as regulatory testing, basic research and translational research. For all these areas, there are immediately available alternatives to animal methods or non-animal methodologies that can be applied, such as human cell-based skin testing methods. Despite available approaches without using animals, the number of newly opened animal testing facilities also increased from 2021 to 2022.

HSI/Korea’s director of government affairs, Borami Seo, said: “This report shows that Korean bio-science is stuck in the past, heavily relying on animal testing despite new human mimetic methodologies emerging without animal use. We urge lawmakers to pass legislation that will support science without animal suffering. This will be critical in placing South Korea in the center of the rising global trend to advance human health studies and treatment.”

Globally, studies such as organ-on-a-chip or organoid are receiving increasing attention because they have been shown to sometimes real-world predict human-biology based outcomes more accurately than the results that are obtained from animal models. While there are sporadic funding opportunities by central governments to study these non-animal approaches, HSI/Korea argues that a legislative system is necessary to support not only such research efforts, but also to ensure  adaptation by regulatory authorities and use at the industrial level. Currently there are two bills introduced at the National Assembly, the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination, and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods, sponsored by Assembly member In-soon Nam and the Act on the Vitalization of Development, Dissemination, and Use of Alternatives to Animal Testing Methods, sponsored by Assembly member Jeoung-Ae Han.

Read the Official 2022 Lab Animal Statistics (In Korean)

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Media Contact: Borami Seo: bseo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Mexico

HSI

MEXICO CITY—This month, experts in animal cruelty prevention and response from Humane Society International trained officials, veterinarians and non-profit organizations in Mexico City, Yucatán, Aguascalientes and Quintana Roo. The trainings included topics from shelter management to animal handling and forensic investigations of animal abuse.

The Mexican public is strongly against animal cruelty. According to Parametria, a national polling agency, 95% of Mexicans believe animal abusers should be punished. All Mexican states—except one—penalize animal cruelty in their state criminal codes and Mexico City recognizes animals as “sentient beings” in their constitution.

These trainings arose as part of an agreement with the Citizen Security Secretariat in Mexico City, as well as this year’s renewal of cooperation agreements with authorities in Quintana Roo and Aguascalientes and the preparation of a new agreement in Yucatan. In the context of cruelty cases that have raised the visibility of animal abuse nationwide, these trainings provided skills and tools to officials responsible for responding to cruelty complaints.

The Mexican Association of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Mexico City Environment Attorney, the Mexico City Police, the Aguascalientes State Attorney for Environmental Protection, the Institute of Biodiversity of Quintana Roo, and the Merida City Council, among others, participated in the training. HSI/Mexico has agreements in place with most of these entities to support anti-cruelty efforts through trainings and assist with large scale animal abuse cases.

“Mexicans care deeply for their animals and we’re pleased to see enthusiasm from officials to gain new skills to investigate and intervene in instances of animal cruelty,” said Felipe Márquez Muñoz, program manager of animal cruelty for Humane Society International/Mexico.

Speakers in the trainings included local and international experts such as Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director for HSI/Latin America and program manager of wildlife at HSI/Latin America; Alba Michelle González, forensic veterinarian; Janette Reever, program manager of animal crimes investigations for HSI, and Shalimar Oliver, case manager for animal crimes for HSI. A total of 298 officials and people from NGOs were trained in this series; in addition, due to the demand and interests of other states of the Mexican Republic, one training was transmitted by the video conferencing channel of the Veterinary Faculty of Mexico´s Nacional Autonomous University reaching 780 replays.

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Media Contact: Magaly Garibay: (+52 55) 5211 873, ext. 104; mgaribay@idee.agencia  

Humane Society International / Mexico

Meredith Lee/HSI

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico―The first survey of dogs and cats in Mexico, implemented in the city of Aguascalientes and developed by the animal welfare organization Humane Society International/Mexico, reveals the need for more accessible and affordable sterilization services. Only 32% of the city’s roughly 310,000 dogs and 40% of 77,000 cats have been sterilized, raising the chances of unwanted puppies and kittens being abandoned on the streets.

Felipe Márquez, HSI/Mexico Animal Cruelty Program Manager, said: “This survey of cats and dogs, the first of its kind in the state of Aguascalientes, will help local stakeholders better understand the issues facing animals, as well as solutions to improve welfare and help both animals and communities”.

The survey also revealed a clear pet-gift culture in the city, with many respondents indicating that they had given or received a pet as a gift. Giving away pets can result in unwanted animals being turned over to animal control centers and shelters, and perhaps not surprisingly, the survey also found that dogs from low-income and rural communities were more likely to be turned over to local animal control facilities, which have an estimated 90% euthanasia rate.

Claudia Edwards, Director of Campaigns for Humane Society International/Mexico, said: “Based on the results of our survey, we can better target our community education efforts to help people understand the care and basic needs of cats and dogs, and to guide initiatives that can increase the percentage of pets receiving veterinary care. It is clear that affordable and accessible veterinary services are needed to help keep pets healthy and in their homes.”

The survey in Aguascalientes was conducted by a team of HSI/Mexico specialists trained in monitoring, evaluation and impact analysis, and was conducted using HSI’s specially developed mobile phone app to accurately record the location of each dog and cat and calculate the total number of animals roaming the streets.

Given the considerable population of dogs and cats in Aguascalientes, interventions must effectively target populations of animals most at risk of being turned over to shelters or animal control centers, abandoned, or that may contribute to the birth of unwanted litters.

Download a Summary of the Report

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Media contact: Magaly Garibay:(+52 55) 5211 8731ext. 104; mgaribay@idee.agencia

UK Government must ban fur imports and sales to protect animals and the environment, says Humane Society International/UK

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Fur farm
Claire Bass/HSI

LONDON—The environmental impacts of mink, fox and raccoon dog fur production significantly exceed those of other materials used in fashion, including cotton and even polyester and acrylic used to make faux fur, according to a new report by carbon footprint experts at Foodsteps, commissioned by Humane Society International/UK, and reviewed by renowned sustainability expert Dr Isaac Emery. The report shows that the fur industry’s PR claim that fur is ‘the most environmentally friendly material available’, is inaccurate greenwashing and misleading to both consumers and retailers.

When compared to other materials in the report, per kilogram fur has the highest greenhouse gas emissions, which can include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, with the carbon footprint of 1kg of mink fur found to be 31 times higher than that of cotton and 25 times higher than polyester. The three animal furs also scored worst for water consumption amongst all materials analysed―104 times higher than acrylic, 91 times higher than polyester and five times higher than cotton. Fur accessories such as fur trim on jacket hoods, and poms on hats and shoes, also come with a higher environmental price tag than their acrylic counterparts. For example, the study estimates that a raccoon dog fur bobble on a hat has a carbon footprint nearly 20 times higher than its acrylic faux fur bobble counterpart.

Around 100 million animals a year are used for fur globally, with around 10 million mink, foxes and raccoon dogs reared and killed on fur farms across Europe alone in 2021. HSI/UK’s report shows that if fur farming were banned across Europe, it would save nearly 300,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent, the same as the annual carbon dioxide emissions of roughly 58,000 citizens in the UK. It would also save approximately 3,700 tonnes of water pollution and 11,800 tonnes of air emissions. Animals on fur farms also produce huge amounts of polluting excrement, and their fur pelts require large amounts of water, salt and a cocktail of chemicals like chromium and formaldehyde—listed as toxic carcinogens—to process into fashion items and stop them decomposing like dead skin and hair naturally would.

Humane Society International/UK leads the #FurFreeBritain campaign for a UK ban on the import and sale of fur. Claire Bass, HSI/UK’s senior director of campaigns and public affairs, says: “This analysis clearly shows that fur is one of the most environmentally damaging industries in the fashion world, its production creating a larger footprint than any of the other materials reviewed, including cotton and acrylic. Just like factory farming of animals for food, factory farming for fur places a heavy burden on the climate and environment, and keeping and feeding millions of carnivorous animals further amplifies the problem. Producing one kilogram of mink fur results in greenhouse gas emission seven times higher than one kilogram of beef and has 34 times the carbon footprint of chicken. In addition to the appalling suffering inflicted on animals on fur farms, this is a shockingly wasteful and damaging industry that is entirely out of synch with global sustainability goals. This report provides another compelling reason why the UK Government must ban the import and sale of fur, and all governments globally must act to end the fur trade.”

The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 2-8% of global carbon emissions and is a major polluter of water. Limiting fashion’s environmental footprint is therefore vital for meeting international climate change commitments, and HSI/UK believes its new report provides compelling evidence that the disproportionately large carbon and environmental footprint of the global fur trade should be eliminated, including by banning the import and sale of fur to the UK.

Fast facts from the report:

  • The carbon footprint of 1kg of mink fur (309.91 kg CO2-eq) is 31 times higher than cotton, 26 times higher than acrylic, and 25 times higher than polyester. Raccoon dog fur and fox fur also have high carbon footprints, approximately 23 times worse for the climate than cotton, and 18 times worse for the climate than polyester.
  • Mink fur produces air emissions 271 times higher than acrylic, 215 times higher than cotton and 150 times higher than polyester. Fox and raccoon dog fur produce air emissions roughly 104 times higher than that of acrylic, 83 times that of cotton and 57 times that of polyester.
  • Almost 30,000 litres of water is required per kilogram of fur produced. The average water consumption of the three furs is 104 times higher than acrylic, 91 times higher than polyester and five times higher than cotton.
  • The production of all three fur types has a staggering impact on water pollution; mink fur produces nearly 400 times the water pollution per kilogram of polyester, and on average all three furs are 100 times more water-polluting than cotton and 75 times more than acrylic.

With the increasing availability of innovative, bio-based, next generation materials, including faux fur made using plant-based ingredients, HSI predicts that non-animal fabrics will continue to become ever more environmentally friendly. The Faux Fur Institute in Paris has launched a roadmap for innovative ways to create faux fur, called SMARTFUR, based on the principles of the circular economy. In September 2019, Stella McCartney joined forces with DuPont in partnership with ECOPEL to launch KOBA® Fur Free Fur, the world’s first fully recyclable faux fur made using plant-based ingredients and recycled polyester. This was followed by the launch of BioFluff by founders Ashwariya Lahariya and Martin Stübler, the world’s first fully plant-based fur.

The HSI report uses data published by luxury (and now fur-free) French fashion group, Kering, as part of its Environment Profit & Loss data published to encourage a greater movement towards sustainability in the fashion industry. It looks at the impact of materials across the supply chain, including raw material production, processing, manufacturing, assembly and operations to retail. Although this fashion industry standard lifecycle analysis does not include end of life disposal, HSI/UK adds that all clothing in the fashion industry can ultimately end up in landfill, with items including animal fur being no exception.

HSI/UK’s Claire Bass adds: “A significant amount of animal fur used today appears as trim on disposable fashion items such as collars and hoods for parkas as well as poms on hats, gloves and shoes, all of which are made using a variety of synthetics and other materials and are just as likely to be landfilled as their faux fur equivalent. While all materials have a carbon footprint to some degree, our report shows just how large an environmental impact fur production has and dispels any myths about its green credentials. This analysis puts beyond doubt that the intensive farming of millions of fur-bearing animals each year, and the factory processing of their pelts, cannot reasonably be described as natural or sustainable, and is far more environmentally destructive than the fur trade wants consumers to believe. That’s simply too high a price to pay for a frivolous fur fashion item no-one needs.”

Fast facts about ending fur:

  • Most of the world’s leading designers have introduced fur-free policies including all Kering’s six fashion brands—Saint Laurent, Brioni, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta—as well as names including Valentino, Prada, Armani, Versace, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, DKNY, Burberry and Chanel.
  • Despite banning fur farming in 2003 on moral grounds, the UK still imports and sells fur from countries including Finland and China, a double standard HSI/UK wants to see end. HMRC data shows that in 2022 the UK imported £41,970,308 of fur.
  • A YouGov poll shows that 93% of Brits don’t wear fur and 77% support a sales ban.
  • In addition to the UK, fur farming is also banned in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Lithuania, Poland and Romania are currently considering fur farming bans.
  • In the United States, the state of California banned fur sales in 2019. In total, 13 U.S. towns and cities have banned fur sales, Israel became the first country in the world to ban fur sales in 2021.
  • Mink on more than 480 mink fur farms across 12 countries have been found infected with COVID-19, and the potential for zoonotic disease spread on fur farms has been acknowledged by the World Health Organisation. In October 2022, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) on a mink fur farm in Spain led influential virologists to call it “a warning bell” for the practice to be ended immediately.

Download the Full Report

Watch HSI’s New Animation About the Fur Trade’s Environmental Footprint

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Media contact: Sally Ivens: sivens@hsi.org

Notes: British Fur Trade Tweet (March 31, 2021) 

Groundbreaking regulations would also ban imports of certain hunting trophies

Humane Society International / Canada

Waldo Swiegers/AP Images for HSI

MONTREAL—Humane Society International/Canada applauds Environment Canada for moving another step forward in closing the Canadian market to elephant ivory and rhino horn trade. Proposed regulations which would prohibit elephant ivory and rhino horn trade in Canada, along with imports of hunting trophies made from these parts, have been published in Gazette I. HSI/Canada encourages all Canadians to sign our letter in support of the measures, which will be submitted to government during the 30-day public consultation.  

Kelly Butler, wildlife campaign manager, Humane Society International/Canada, stated: 

“Elephants and rhinoceros could be extinct within our lifetimes if urgent action is not taken to save them. We commend the Canadian government for showing global leadership in protecting these iconic species for future generations. Canadians have made it clear that there is no place for elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, nor hunting trophies from these species, in our country. HSI/Canada strongly supports the regulations as they are published in Gazette I, which would become the global standard for elephant and rhino protection in non-range states.” 

The proposed regulations follow years of campaigning by HSI/Canada and our coalition partners, along with the support of scientists, public figures and hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals. In its 2021 mandate letter, the federal government responded with a commitment to “curb illegal wildlife trade and end elephant and rhinoceros tusk trade in Canada.” 

Critically, the regulation aligns with the directives of the foremost elephant and rhino conservation experts and stakeholders: The African Elephant Coalition (representing 78% of African countries holding elephants), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature have all called for the closure of domestic ivory markets. 

According to a 2020 poll by Insights West, 94% of Canadians support an elephant ivory trade ban. A public petition calling for a Canadian ban on elephant ivory trade has amassed over 700,000 signatures.  

Publication in Gazette I, the government of Canada’s newspaper, is one of the final stages in creating new regulations. Once proposed regulations are published in Gazette I, they are subject to a consultation and amended based on feedback, if necessary, then published in Gazette II as official regulations. 

Quick Facts:  

  • As many as 25,000 elephants and 1,300 rhinos die at the hands of poachers in Africa every year. 
  • In March 2021, the IUCN updated its Red List of Threatened Species and declared the African forest elephant to be Critically Endangered and the African savanna elephant to be Endangered. Black rhinos, found in Africa, are classified as Critically Endangered.  
  • Canada’s top trading partners, including the United States, China and the United Kingdom have closed their elephant ivory markets in response to declining elephant populations.
  • In addition to elephant ivory trade, Canada allows the import of elephant tusks, rhino horns, and parts from trophy hunts. According to CITES data, over 450 African elephant tusks, 16 rhino horns, and an additional 81 elephant trophies and 44 rhino trophies were legally imported into Canada from 2010-2021. 
  • In June of 2021, an open letter calling for an end to elephant ivory trade in Canada was signed by notable Canadians including Bryan Adams, Robert Bateman and David Suzuki.
  • The proposed regulations follow a public opinion consultation conducted by Environment Climate Change Canada in the summer of 2021, in which Canadians and people from around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for federal action to end Canada’s role in the elephant ivory trade.  

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Media contact: Michael Bernard: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org

Donation includes kennels and night cameras that will contribute to law enforcement agencies’ investigative work

Humane Society International / Latin America

HSI

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica— As wildlife trafficking has become a threat to hundreds of species, Humane Society International/Latin America is supporting Costa Rican authorities in their fight against it by donating equipment needed in wildlife trafficking investigations

The equipment, which includes animal carriers, herpetological bags, animal handling gloves and cameras, is valued at more than USD $100,000.

The donated equipment will support work done by three parts of the government: the Judicial Investigation , the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Ministry of Public Security.

Andrea Borel, HSI/Latin America executive director, explained that this donation is part of a project funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and administered by HSI with the goal of improving Costa Rica’s capacity to combat wildlife trafficking.

“Wildlife trafficking is a major threat to species around the world, including endangered ones. These animals suffer greatly and end their days as pets, decorations or souvenirs, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, we are pleased to support authorities in their investigation and prosecution efforts to reduce wildlife trafficking that originates or transits through Costa Rica,” said Borel.

Shirley Ramirez, member of the National Commission for Biodiversity, said: “In recent years, we have detected an increase in cases of wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica, both aimed at national and international markets. The complexity and organization of these criminals evolves every day; hence, the importance of equipment, such as the one donated, that allows us to achieve successful investigations and subsequent legal processes.”

Wildlife trafficking is also one of the most lucrative illegal trades in the world. According to INTERPOL data, wildlife trafficking has an annual value of up to USD $20 billion. In Costa Rica, animals such as glass frogs, butterflies, beetles, birds and sea turtles are victims of the wildlife trade.

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Media Contact: Andrea Borel: +506 7300 5706; aborel@hsi.org

Humane Society International/Canada applauds the passage of historic measures in Bill S-5 to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Humane Society International / Canada

Leila Coker/iStock.com

OTTAWA—Humane Society International/Canada is celebrating the passage of amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, aimed at phasing out the use of animals for chemical toxicity testing in Canada. The measures were included in Bill S-5, to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which passed third and final reading in the Senate today and will now receive Royal Assent.

Shaarika Sarasija, senior strategist, research and regulatory science for HSI/Canada, stated: “We are happy to see the passage of Bill S-5 with provisions to phase out chemical testing using animals. A concerted move away from animal-based toxicity tests could spare tens of thousands of animals each year and advance public health and environmental protection with more advanced and relevant tests for the benefit of all Canadians.”

Conventional toxicity testing involves poisoning rats, mice, rabbits, fish, birds and other animals with chemicals via force-feeding, inhalation or skin absorption for days, months or even years without pain relief, to see the extent to which it disrupts normal bodily functions. According to the Canadian Council on Animal Care, half of the more than 150,000 animals used for regulatory testing in Canada in 2021 experienced anywhere from “moderate to severe distress” to “severe pain near, at or beyond the pain tolerance threshold.” Many of these tests were developed decades ago and represent outdated science that provides incomplete or inconclusive data at best, while inflicting needless animal suffering.

Today’s toolbox of non-animal methods includes an array of sophisticated molecular biology tests that are more time and cost efficient and human relevant. The amendments in Bill S-5 promote their use, paving the way to reducing and ultimately eliminating animal suffering in chemical toxicity testing through technological progress. The new measures include:

  • Requiring new approach testing methods that do not use animals where scientifically justified and “practicable.”
  • Encouraging the timely development and implementation of alternative methods to animal testing.
  • Requiring the government to publish a plan, within two years, detailing steps to achieve these goals.

HSI/Canada is committed to working alongside the Government of Canada and other stakeholders to ensure that all use of animals in toxicity testing—including for pesticides, food and other regulated products—is ultimately relegated to the history books. Furthermore, HSI/Canada will work with these stakeholders to ensure that faster, more effective and relevant new approach methods that do not involve animals are developed and implemented within the Liberal government’s stated timeline of ending all toxicity animal testing by 2035.

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Media contact: Michael Bernard, deputy director for HSI/Canada: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org

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