GENEVA—Yahoo! Japan announced last night that it will cease selling elephant ivory products on its e-commerce platforms beginning November 1, 2019. Global animal charity Humane Society International welcomed the news from Geneva where its wildlife team is attending the 18th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Yahoo! Japan’s announcement follows an intense ivory trade debate at CITES against the backdrop of the continued alarming rate of elephant poaching and transnational ivory trafficking. Countries such as Japan that still have open elephant ivory markets are required to report on their measures taken to prevent illegal trade.
Iris Ho, senior wildlife specialist at Humane Society International, said: “Yahoo! Japan’s decision spells the end of Japan’s domestic ivory market in the near future. We applaud Yahoo! Japan for recognizing the irrefutable fact that any legal market serves as a convenient cover for the sale of illegal ivory, so it is hugely significant that their online platforms will no longer contribute to this devastating trade. We now call on the government of Japan to swiftly move towards the complete closure of its domestic ivory market so that the millions of international tourists who will descend on Japan for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games can visit a Japan that is free of elephant ivory trade.”
HSI has long campaigned for the closure of Japan’s domestic ivory trade. In 2018 the charity teamed up with Yomiuri Giants baseball player and animal lover Yoh Daikan to call on the Japanese public to eschew ivory to protect elephants from the poaching and ivory trafficking epidemic. Yoh starred in a Japanese language video campaign. Download Yoh’s video here: www.hsi.org/Yoh
Japan’s ivory market facilitates transnational ivory trafficking and undermines the enforcement efforts of neighboring China as well as other nearby countries that are closing their domestic ivory markets.
The African Elephant Coalition, representing 32 African nations including elephant range states, is appealing to Japan to close its domestic ivory market.
Many countries and jurisdictions have announced or implemented measures prohibiting or restricting domestic ivory trade, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Luxemburg, Belgium, China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan.
The Great Elephant Census found that between 2007 and 2014, poachers were primarily responsible for the killing of 144,000 elephants due to supply the illegal ivory trade. African Savanna elephant populations experienced a 30 percent decline during this time, with only approximately 352,271 elephants remaining in the surveyed countries.
Video and photos: download elephant and ivory assets here and here.
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Media contact:
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423
Humane Society International / Global
Mark Simmons/HSI
This release has been corrected.
GENEVA—One hundred and thirty-five* wild animal species received protections against unsustainable international trade at the 18th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that concluded today in Geneva. Most species received protection for the first time while some received increased protection. Nations gathered as the world looks on in horror at images of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest in flames, and dire warnings earlier this year of an extinction crisis still fresh in delegates’ minds.
Teresa Telecky, vice president for wildlife at global animal protection charity Humane Society International, said from the CoP in Geneva: “With the backdrop of forest fires burning in the Amazon, it was heartening to see governments at CITES agree to vital extra protections for 135 species of wild animal, including mako sharks who fall victim to the fin trade, giraffes killed and sold for trophies, baby African elephants ripped from their families for foreign zoos, and geckos and lizards stolen from the wilderness for the pet trade. Realising that our planet’s wildlife face ever increasing threats in all corners of the globe, the mood of this conference has felt more in favour of protection from the pressures of commercial exploitation, rejecting arguments for reckless trade in animals and their body parts.”
In May, a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services warned that 1 million of the world’s estimated 8 million species are threatened with extinction, that the rate of species extinction is accelerating, that direct exploitation is one of the main culprits, and that unsustainable food production is destroying wildlife ecosystems.
Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International, said: “The world is waking up to the reality that we are at a turning point for saving our planet’s wildlife. Thankfully, the countries of the planet seem to be shifting their focus from exploiting animals to protecting them.”
Quotes from HSI experts on species voted on at CITES
Ivory trade
Iris Ho, senior wildlife specialist at Humane Society International, said: “It was a relief that the status quo for ivory was maintained. While Humane Society International would have preferred CITES to have supported the plea from the African Elephant Coalition for all elephant populations to be listed on Appendix I to send an unambiguously clear signal that the international community has zero tolerance for the ivory, we are pleased that proposals to trade elephant and rhino ivory submitted to this conference were rejected.”
Live trade in African elephants
Audrey Delsink, wildlife director for Humane Society International/Africa said: “Humane Society International was jubilant that CITES agreed to end the heinous trade in live baby elephants. No young elephant should ever suffer the trauma of being stolen from its mother for a lonely miserable life in captivity overseas. We thank all of the celebrities and supporters who joined the campaign to win this historic vote.”
Giraffes
Adam Peyman, programs and operations manager for wildlife at Humane Society International, said: “Giraffes have been quietly slipping toward extinction, in part due to poaching for international trade in their parts. Thankfully, the CITES Parties agreed to protect giraffe for the first time. Trade control measures will help to ensure that giraffe parts are legally acquired and not detrimental to the survival of the species.”
Sharks and rays
Rebecca Regnery, senior director for wildlife at Humane Society International, said: “Species in the shark and ray family will now get more help to withstand the voracious demand from the global trade in their fins. CITES agreed to list long and short fin mako sharks and species of giant guitarfish and wedgefish in Appendix II for trade to be regulated. This will put pressure on fisheries managers to stop the brutal practice of shark finning.”
Otters
Mark Simmonds, senior marine expert at Humane Society International, said: “We are very pleased to see two Asian otter species gain the protection of listing on CITES Appendix I. Both the small-clawed otter and the smooth-coated otter are being driven to extinction by a number of factors, including an explosion of interest in keeping them as pets in Japan and elsewhere. An end to their commercial international trade is now in sight.”
Reptiles and amphibians
Sumanth Bindumadhav, wildlife campaign manager for Humane Society International/India, said: “The pet trade will now face more controls on its voracious appetite for the world’s spectacular and unique reptiles. A suite of lizard species from Sri Lanka were listed in Appendix I, along with the tiny gecko endemic to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Four gecko species from China and South East Asia (Tokay, Tiger, Cave and Leopard) and another from Madagascar were listed in Appendix II. Sadly, proposals to end the trade in stunning garden lizards from Sri Lanka faced opposition from the EU and failed to gain protections despite being endangered and regularly on sale in Europe and the USA.”
Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director of Humane Society International/Latin America, said: “It was deeply frustrating that European voting bloc thwarted protection for 104 species of glass frog from Amazon rainforests. This was especially galling when only modest trade controls were requested by South and Central American countries, and when it is EU citizens who are the major customers of the tiny frogs for exotic pet collections. It was regrettably clear at the conference that the powerful pet lobby still holds much sway over the 28 nation bloc.”
Indian star tortoises
Sumanth Bindumadhav, wildlife campaign manager for Humane Society International/India, said: “The Indian star tortoise is a victim of the international pet trade that sees them illegally caught in the wild and sold in markets across the world. We are much relieved that the threat they face has been recognized by CITES Parties, and that their protection status has been increased as a result. A commercial trade ban on this species under CITES can now be a vital defence against ruthless exotic pet traders who are decimating this tortoise populations for the selfish benefit of collectors in Europe and Asia.”
Trophy hunting quotas
CITES Parties agreed to tighten oversight of export quotas for species listed on CITES Appendix I including leopard, cheetah, markhor and black rhino. The quotas will be subject to a review at least every nine years (or sooner if determined necessary) to ensure that the population of the species in the range state concerned can sustain the agreed quota. HSI is disappointed that South Africa was granted an increase to its quota for exporting rhino trophies from five to nine.
Teresa Telecky, vice president for wildlife at Humane Society International, said, “For far too long, the Conference of the Parties to CITES has set quotas for export of Appendix I species and then left them in place despite the deteriorating conservation status of the species concerned. While HSI strongly opposes trophy hunting, this time-bound review process is an overdue acknowledgment by the CITES Parties that export quotas for Appendix I species must be routinely reviewed and subject to scientific scrutiny.”
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, +1-202-360-3532
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org, +44 (0)7989 972 423
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
*An earlier version of this news release erroneously stated that 139 species received new or increased protection at CITES. The correct number is 135.
This momentous decision will save countless elephants from being snatched from their families and natural environment, says Humane Society International at CITES CoP18 in Geneva
Humane Society International / Global
GENEVA—Wildlife experts from animal protection charity Humane Society International are celebrating a momentous win for elephants at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), where delegates have just affirmed in plenary the decision to limit the controversial trade of wild-caught African elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana to zoos
The European Union presented a series of amendments to last week’s decision which would allow trade of wild-caught elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana to zoos only if approved by the CITES Animals Committee, in consultation with the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group, an expert group that has publicly stated it does not believe there to be conservation benefits to wild caught elephants being sent to captive facilities. The amended text was passed by a vote of 87 in favour, 29 opposing and 25 abstaining.
Notably, the United States opposed both the original and amended proposal.
Audrey Delsink, wildlife director at Humane Society International/Africa says: “This is a momentous CITES decision for Africa’s elephants and despite compromised language being introduced by the EU, we are relieved by its passing. While it is disappointing that it is not an outright ban on trade in live elephants, the new language adds vital independent oversight and scrutiny. Speaking personally as an elephant field biologist I am jubilant that we have secured this victory for all the elephants who will now be spared the ordeal of being ripped away from their families. The capture of wild African elephants for export to zoos and other captive facilities is incredibly traumatizing for individual elephants as well as their social groups. Public sentiment is shifting, and people are increasingly outraged at the senseless and cruel practice of snatching baby elephants from the wild to live a life as a zoo exhibit.
“Countless elephant experts, animal lovers and celebrities from around the world urged countries to end this injustice by affirming the CITES ban, and we are so glad that our collective voices were heard. The definition of what is an appropriate destination is key, and the independent oversight by elephant specialists is critical, and so we will remain vigilant as that discussion develops, and fight against any attempts to justify or prolong trade in live baby elephants for captive purposes. We are extremely grateful to Kenya and the African Elephant Coalition for their efforts to protect wild African elephants.”
African elephants in Zimbabwe and Botswana are currently listed on Appendix II of CITES with an annotation that allows live elephants to be exported to “appropriate and acceptable” destinations. Under this definition, Zimbabwe has been capturing live baby African elephants in the wild and exporting them to zoos in China and elsewhere.
The practice has been highly controversial, drawing the condemnation of animal protection and conservation groups as well as elephant scientists who note that elephants are complex creatures who suffer both physically and psychologically as a result of captivity.
During the CITES conference, conservationist Dr Jane Goodall issued a statement of concern, and a host of celebrities such as Joanna Lumley, Ricky Gervais, Judi Dench, Pamela Anders and others submitted an open letter to European Union officials, calling on them not to oppose the CITES ban on trade in wild-caught baby African elephants ripped from their families and shipped off to foreign zoos.
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Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, [+1-202-360-3532]
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Bid for the extinct mammoth to provide a life-line for elephants from beyond the grave withdrawn, but study is a first step but does not go far enough, says Humane Society International at CITES CoP18 in Geneva
Humane Society International / Global
iStock.com (Not a mammoth)
GENEVA—A proposal to list the extinct woolly mammoth on Appendix II was withdrawn at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva.
Instead, the Parties agreed that the CITES Secretariat will commission a study on the trade in mammoth ivory and its contribution to the illegal trade of elephant ivory. The amendment was brought to the floor by proponent country Israel after countries expressed division on the original proposal. Humane Society International/Africa’s wildlife director and elephant expert had hailed the original proposal as a “proactive step to stop the mammoth’s genetic cousin from following in its giant footsteps by slipping into extinction.” Mrs Delsink today expressed her regret that the proposal has been withdrawn, but welcomed the study as an important first step.”
The original proposal sought to regulate the trade in mammoth ivory in order to address elephant ivory trafficking. Although mammoths have long been extinct, wildlife traffickers often launder elephant ivory by claiming it is mammoth ivory. An Appendix II listing would not end the trade in mammoth ivory but would regulate the trade to ensure that mammoth ivory entering the wildlife trade is truly from mammoths and not elephants. It is predicted that increasing amounts of mammoth ivory will be exhumed as climate change thaws permafrost environments.
Audrey Delsink, Humane Society International/Africa’s wildlife director, says: “There is a growing trade in mammoth ivory which can be used to launder illegal elephant ivory. Although international trade in elephant ivory has been banned since 1990, traffickers often try to pass off elephant ivory as legal mammoth ivory to circumvent the ban, because of its near identical appearance. Traders sometimes mix the two ivories together, and in the absence of an immediate, reliable and cost-effective test to distinguish between the two, the market in mammoth ivory is providing a dangerous cover for poached elephant ivory. While we would have been pleased to see CITES nations taking more proactive steps to stop the mammoth’s genetic cousin from following in its giant footsteps by slipping into extinction, we nonetheless welcome the study as an important first step in addressing this issue and urge them to go further to truly counteract this threat to elephants.”
The decision needs to be ratified at the plenary session of the CITES conference on August 27/28th.
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Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, [+1-202-360-3532]
United Kingdom: Wendy Higgins, whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0)7989 972 423
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Goodall sends plea to EU; follows open letter from Ricky Gervais, Simon Pegg, Leona Lewis, Dame Judi Dench, Alesha Dixon, Brigitte Bardot, Pamela Anderson, Thandie Newton, Evanna Lynch, Virginia McKenna, Joanna Lumley and Bryan Adams
Humane Society International / Europe
JGI
GENEVA–World-renowned conservationist Jane Goodall Ph.D., DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace, has issued a heart-felt plea to the European Union not to overturn a ban passed this week at the CITES wildlife trade conference in Geneva that would end the capture of baby African elephants from the wild for export to zoos and circuses in China, the USA and elsewhere.
The ban was voted on and passed by the required 2/3 majority vote in Committee I of CITES largely because the EU was unable to vote due to a procedural issue (it had not yet filed its credentials). However a representative for the European Commission took to the floor to speak against the ban, and with its credentials now in order, the voting bloc of 28 looks set to oppose the decision in the plenary next week.
Dr. Goodall said: “This is to say that I am absolutely shocked at the thought of capturing young elephants, taking them from their families, and sending them off to a future which will inevitably involve a great deal of trauma and suffering. The bonds between infant elephants and their mothers are as strong and enduring – in some cases more so – as those between human children and their mothers. To break that bond is cruel and inhumane. I cannot imagine any caring person agreeing to such an unethical proposal and I hope with all my heart that the EU will not vote against the provisional decision taken in CITES with a two thirds majority.”
Dr. Goodall’s message to the EU follows an open letter signed by a host of stars such as Ricky Gervais, Simon Pegg, Leona Lewis, Dame Judi Dench, Alesha Dixon, Evanna Lynch, Bryan Adams, Virginia McKenna, Thandie Newton, Pamela Anderson, Peter Egan and Jenny Seagrove. The letter was co-ordinated by Humane Society International, the Born Free Foundation, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, World Animal Protection, and David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
Jeffrey Flocken, President of Humane Society International said: “The capture of African elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana to captive facilities is highly controversial. These highly social and emotional creatures can suffer physically and psychologically in captivity. There is no excuse for allowing this heartless trade to continue. As a 28-country voting bloc, the European Union’s vote is substantial and could easily overturn the decision if it chooses to oppose the ban. We hope EU leaders take heed of Dr. Goodall’s wise words and won’t condemn more elephant families to being ripped apart.”
Ian Redmond, tropical field biologist and conservationist who is renowned for his work with great apes and elephants, also expressed his opposition to the live elephant trade, saying: “Having studied elephants, I know how important an elephant’s childhood is – every elephant child learns how to thrive in their family’s habitat and that habitat benefits from the elephants. To separate a young elephant from his or her family for a life of social and sensory deprivation in captivity is bad for the captive, bad for the grieving family left behind, and bad for the habitat.”
At present, African elephants in Zimbabwe and Botswana are allowed to be captured and exported to so-called “appropriate and acceptable” destinations based on the annotation to the Appendix II listing of their elephant populations. However, it is under these conditions that Zimbabwe has captured more than 100 live baby African elephants in the wild and exported them to zoos in China since 2012. If the EU supports the ban and it is voted through, such international trade in live wild African elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana will cease and be limited to only “in situ conservation programmes or secure areas in the wild within the species’ natural range, except in the case of temporary transfers in emergency situations.”
Photos, video and interviews
Wildlife experts from HSI attending CITES are available for interview on request. Photos and video of the baby elephant captures are also available here.
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Media contacts:
Humane Society International – Wendy Higgins, director of international media, whiggins@hsi.org, tel. +44 (0) 7989 972 423
Jane Goodall Institute – Shawn Sweeney, senior director of community engagement, ssweeney@janegoodall.org, tel. 703.682.9283
Humane Society International / Global
Vanessa Mignon
GENEVA—In a great relief to conservationists, governments at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) have shown no appetite for lifting bans on trade in rhinos and their horns.
The government of Eswatini had put forward a dangerous proposal to downgrade protection for its tiny southern white rhino population from Appendix I to Appendix II in order to allow commercial trade in rhino parts included its horn.
Namibia had proposed downgrading its rhino population to Appendix II in order to allow commercial trade in live animals and hunting trophies. The populations of both countries are highly vulnerable to poaching.
Adam Peyman, HSI’s Wildlife Programs and Operations Manager, says “The international trade in rhino horn has been banned since 1977, and to reopen it would be a disaster for the survival and welfare of this magnificent species. So seeing Eswatini’s dangerous proposal defeated at CITES is a huge relief for all of us dedicated to preserving the rhino for future generations. There are only 66 southern white rhinos left in the wild in Eswatini, so opening up trade internationally in their horn would not only almost certainly be the final nail in the coffin for this species nationally, but it would very likely result in increased poaching in other rhino range states in Asia and Africa, as well as increased demand for horn in Asia. Law enforcement officers are struggling enough as it is to hold back the tide of rhino poaching and trafficking. To have a hope of saving rhinos from extinction, the ban on global commercial trade needs to hold firm.”
“There are only 1,037 southern white rhino left in the wild in Namibia, and across Africa they are considered Near Threatened, so defeating Namibia’s attempt to reduce CITES protections was an important victory for the survival of this species. Namibia’s conviction rate for poaching is already woefully inadequate so any reduction in protections would have been highly dangerous and irresponsible,” said Mr. Peyman.
The decisions will need to be approved in a plenary session at the CITES meeting on August 27/28.
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Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, [+1-202-360-3532]
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Australia: Ben Vozzo +61 450 258 057, ben@hsi.org.au
Commercial trade in ivory is the biggest threat to the survival of African elephants, says Humane Society International
Humane Society International / Global
Iris Ho/HSISeized elephant ivory in Kenya waiting to be destroyed, 2016
GENEVA—Elephant advocates are celebrating in Geneva as the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has today roundly rejected proposals to open up international commercial trade in elephant ivory.
Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe had proposed they be allowed to lift restrictions on their Appendix II CITES listings to allow trade in registered government-owned ivory stock piles. They offered a floor amendment to allow a one-off sale followed by a six-year moratorium. The amended proposal was defeated with only 23 countries in support, 101 opposing and 18 abstentions. Zambia proposed that its elephant population be down listed from Appendix I to Appendix II, also so that it could trade in its registered raw ivory and other elephant specimens. Its proposal was overwhelmingly defeated as well with 22 in support, 102 opposed and 13 abstentions.
Iris Ho, Humane Society International’s senior wildlife specialist: “Commercial trade in ivory is the biggest threat to the survival of African elephants. So it was incredibly important to see so many African nations show their unwavering opposition to this destructive trade at today’s vote. While it is unfortunate that a handful of southern African countries showed themselves to be out of touch with reality, supporting ivory trade despite an increase in poaching and alarming transnational ivory trafficking in certain areas, at the end of the day common sense prevailed. We are thrilled that the CITES Parties overwhelmingly rejected the reopening of the international commercial trade in ivory.”
Humane Society International strongly commends the 32 countries in the African Elephant Coalition for opposing the commercial ivory trade and all of the CITES parties that stood with them today.
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Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, [+1-202-360-3532]
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Ricky Gervais, Simon Pegg, Leona Lewis, Dame Judi Dench, Alesha Dixon, Brigitte Bardot, Pamela Anderson, Thandie Newton, Evanna Lynch, Virginia McKenna, Joanna Lumley and Bryan Adams call on EU leaders at CITES wildlife conference not to overturn ban on trade in wild-caught baby African elephants for zoos and circuses
Humane Society International / Europe
Carole Deschuymere/Alamy
GENEVA–Ricky Gervais, Simon Pegg, Leona Lewis, Dame Judi Dench, Alesha Dixon, Evanna Lynch, Bryan Adams, Virginia McKenna OBE, Thandie Newton, Pamela Anderson, Peter Egan, and Jenny Seagrove are among a host of compassionate personalities who have joined forces with animal protection and conservation groups including Humane Society International, Brigitte Bardot Foundation, The Born Free Foundation, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, World Animal Protection and the Species Survival Network, in signing an urgent Open Letter to EU officials calling on them to support, not oppose, a ban on trade in wild-caught baby African elephants, ripped from their families and shipped off to foreign zoos.
The ban was first voted on and approved earlier this week by a majority of countries attending the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) in Geneva, but the EU voting bloc of 28 is expected to attempt to overturn it at the plenary vote next week.
The full letter and list of celebrity signers and the organizations be read here.
Forty-six countries attending CITES voted to end the highly-controversial trade in wild-caught African elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana to captive facilities such as zoos in China and elsewhere. This represents an historic, landmark decision for elephants, who are social and emotional creatures and can suffer physically and psychologically in captivity. However, there is concern that the vote could be reopened at next week’s plenary meeting on August 27th and 28th and that the ban will be opposed by the European Union.
The ‘ban’ was passed by the required 2/3 majority vote in Committee I of CITES largely because the EU was unable to vote due to a procedural issue (it had not yet filed its credentials). The European Union – which spoke against the ban before the vote, and now has its credentials in order – looks set to vote against. As a 28-country voting bloc, the European Union’s vote is substantial and could overturn the decision if it opposes the ban. In that case, elephant families would continue to be ripped apart, and baby elephants condemned to a lifetime of suffering in captivity.
The letter reads: “Elephants are social and emotional creatures who form strong family bonds and suffer tremendously in captivity. Captured elephants can face horrific abuse during the capture process. Footage of wild-caught baby elephants awaiting export from Zimbabwe shows calves being beaten and kicked during capture. Some elephants have died during transit or shortly after arrival. Elephants who survive the long journey into captivity have been observed living in dark, barren cells in the holding facilities and zoos, in stark and heart-breaking contrast to the vast wilderness in which they naturally roam with family groups and larger clans.”
We call on all EU Environment ministers and the Finnish Presidency, representing the EU as a 28 voting bloc at the CITES meeting, to reflect the position of the majority of African elephant range States, the great majority of EU citizens, and leading elephant experts, and support the proposal to end the export of wild-caught elephants for captive use.”
Speaking from the CITES meeting, Audrey Delsink, Humane Society International/Africa Wildlife Director and elephant biologist, said, “Elephants are highly sentient and social beings, and the loss of captured individuals causes sustained psychological trauma for both the captured elephant and the remaining family. Public opinion is shifting and people throughout the world are appalled by the capture of baby elephants from the wild for export to zoos. The EU must not turn its back on elephants.”
Will Travers OBE, President of the Born Free Foundation said, “The public are increasingly distressed at the plight of elephants in captivity and sanctuaries in the US, Brazil, Europe and elsewhere are now doing their best to care for numerous elephants that are being increasingly shed by traditional captive facilities in the West. If the EU scuppers this progressive and positive CITES measure next week it will demonstrate just how massively out of step EU leaders are with the compassionate views of its citizens.”
“France is supportive of this measure but most of the EU countries oppose the proposal although it would be an historic step forward for the conservation of the African elephant,” said Elodie Gérôme-Delgado, Programme Leader Wildlife Worldwide at the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. “We’re urging EU Member States to follow France’s lead as they have a unique chance today to put an end to a cruel and useless practice.”
Cassandra Koenen, Global Head of Wildlife not Pets at World Animal Protection said, “We urge the EU to protect these majestic animals. The world has been shocked to see distressing video and photos of terrified baby African elephants being rounded up and snatched from their families in the wild, to be shipped to zoos and circuses around the world. Elephants have suffered enough, and the absolute last thing we should subject them to is long, stressful transportation across the world, and unsuitable new homes in the name of entertainment.”
“This historic step could turn the tide on the brutal and torturous reality of the live trade in elephants. Elephants are sentient beings that belong in the wild, they are not a commodity to be traded to the highest bidder. The sooner we put the emotional wellbeing of the species before our own short-sighted financial gain, the sooner we will regain a small slice of our humanity,” said Karen Botha, Chief Executive of David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
If the ban is not passed next week, African elephants in Zimbabwe and Botswana will continue to be allowed to capture and export live elephants to so-called “appropriate and acceptable” destinations based on the annotation to the Appendix II listing of their elephant populations. Under these conditions, Zimbabwe has captured more than 100 live baby African elephants in the wild and exported them to zoos in China since 2012.
If the EU supports the ban and it is voted through, such international trade in wild African elephant exported from Zimbabwe and Botswana will be limited to only “in situ conservation programmes or secure areas in the wild within the species’ natural range, except in the case of temporary transfers in emergency situations”.
Photos, video and interviews
Wildlife experts from supporting NGOs are available for interview on request. Photos and video of the baby elephant captures are also available here.
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Media contacts:
Humane Society International – Wendy Higgins whiggins@hsi.org +44 (0) 7989 972 423
Born Free Foundation – Gemma Hook hook@pmwcom.co.uk+44 (0)7920 820 018
Alan Carr, Alesha Dixon, Bella Lack, Bill Bailey, Bonnie Wright, Brigitte Bardot, Bryan Adams, Dan Richardson, Deborah Meaden, Dougie Poynter, Evanna Lynch, Gordon Buchanan, Jenny Seagrove, Joanna Lumley, John Challis, Judi Dench, Kate Humble, Lauren St John, Leona Lewis, Lily Travers, Brendan Courtney, Marc Abrahams, Mollie King, Nicky Campbell, Pamela Anderson, Paul O’Grady, Peter Egan, Ricky Gervais, Robert Lindsay, Rula Lenska, Simon Pegg, Susie Dent, Thandie Newton, Virginia McKenna.
List of the animal and wildlife conservation organizations that support this sign-on letter:
Animal Welfare Institute
Born Free Foundation
Born Free USA
Brigitte Bardot Foundation
Eurogroup for Animals
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Fondation Franz Weber
Humane Society International
Pro Wildlife
Robin des Bois
Species Survival Network
The People and Earth Solidarity Law Network
World Animal Protection
Content of the Letter:
For the attention of Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, incoming EU Commission President, and Antti Juhani Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland and President of the EU Council of Ministers
PLEASE DON’T OVERTURN THE CITES BAN ON SENDING BABY AFRICAN ELEPHANTS TO FOREIGN ZOOS AND CIRCUSES
The world has been shocked to see distressing video and photos of terrified baby African elephants being rounded up and snatched from their families in the wild, to be shipped to zoos and circuses around the world.
This week, 46 governments attending the triennual Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in a landmark decision voted in committee to end the barbaric practice of capturing live wild-caught baby and juvenile elephants for this heartless trade. In doing so they voiced their overwhelming support for the 32 African nations who advocated for a ban on all such transports of live elephants, and restrict these transports exclusively to in situ conservation programmes or secure areas in the wild within the African elephant’s natural range. An open letter by 55 elephant experts this week agrees entirely with this position.
Shamefully, the European Union wants to overturn this historic victory. The CITES Parties will still need to take a final vote next week and the EU intends to vote against the ban. If it does so the EU’s vote will condemn wild-caught elephants to a lifetime in unnatural captivity just so that zoos and circuses in the EU and elsewhere can continue to have a steady flow of live elephants from the wild.
Elephants are social and emotional creatures who form strong family bonds and suffer tremendously in captivity. Captured elephants can face horrific abuse during the capture process. Footage of wild-caught baby elephants awaiting export from Zimbabwe shows calves being beaten and kicked during capture. Some elephants have died during transit or shortly after arrival. Elephants who survive the long journey have been observed living in dark, barren cells in the holding facilities and zoos, in stark and heartbreaking contrast to the vast wilderness in which they naturally roam with family groups and larger clans.
We call on all EU Environment ministers and the Finnish presidency, representing the EU as a 28 voting bloc at the CITES meeting, to reflect the position of the majority of African elephant range states, the great majority of EU citizens, and leading elephant experts and support the proposal to end the export of wild-caught elephants for captive use.
It would be obscene for the EU to endorse snatching wild baby elephants and condemning these beautiful leviathans to a life of captive misery.
Humane Society International / Global
Adam Peyman/HSIAfrican elephant ivory products for sale in Tokyo, Japan
GENEVA—The Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) today confirmed its commitment to closure of domestic ivory markets agreeing by consensus to focus scrutiny on remaining legal markets like Japan and the EU. The discussions focused attention on markets that remain open with obvious concern regarding their contribution to illegal trade and poaching. In a positive step forward, Israel noted its recent announcement on closure of its domestic markets in elephant and mammoth ivory, and Australia announced its intent to close its market. The European Union stated that they will tighten regulations.
The previous meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2016 called on countries to close domestic ivory markets that are “contributing to poaching or illegal trade.” Some countries, notably Japan and the EU, have claimed that their markets were not known to be contributing to elephant poaching or illegal trade and have held out on taking action. Under today’s agreement, countries whose ivory markets remain open will now be requested to report on the measures they are taking to ensure that their domestic ivory markets are not contributing to poaching or illegal trade. Japan – which has a significant domestic ivory market and has been implicated in ivory trafficking to China – will be bound by this agreed decision, if affirmed by plenary next week.
A number of Parties, including several African elephant range States such as Gabon, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Nigeria Angola and Liberia, reiterated that all legal domestic ivory markets create opportunities to launder illegal ivory contributing to poaching and illegal trade.
Iris Ho, Humane Society International’s senior wildlife specialist says: “It is a welcome reassurance that the CITES Parties recognize the necessity of and urgency for any remaining significant ivory markets, such as Japan and the European Union, to shut down their ivory trade. No country should be off the hook when a growing number of countries including China, the United States, Singapore and the United Kingdom have adopted measures to restrict or ban their domestic ivory trade. We call on Japan to heed the recommendation of the CoP and close its domestic or intra-EU commercial ivory trade as soon as possible.”
Humane Society International warmly congratulates the governments of Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria and the Syrian Arab Republic for championing this proposal, as well as all 32 countries African Elephant Coalition for advocating for closure of domestic ivory markets worldwide. The agreement reached today will now go forward to the plenary of the conference for ratification on 27/28th August.
ENDS
Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, +1-202-360-3532 (cell/WhatsApp)
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
Humane Society International / Global
Anagramm/iStock.com
This release has been corrected.
GENEVA—The first vote at the 18th meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties has delivered a historic win for African elephants to end the cruel practice of removing live elephants from the wild for export to captive facilities. CITES is the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Iris Ho, senior wildlife specialist for wildlife programs and policy for Humane Society International, said: “This decision will save countless elephants from being ripped away from their families in the wild and forced to spend their lifetimes imprisoned in substandard conditions at zoos. HSI applauds this decision and calls on all Parties to affirm this decision at the plenary session next week.”
CITES Parties voted to limit trade in live wild African elephants to ‘in situ’ conservation in their natural habitats, which will end the trade in live wild elephants to captivity in zoos and entertainment venues, effectively ruling them unacceptable and inappropriate destinations. (CoP18 Document 44.2)
Forty-six countries voted in favour, 18 voted against and 19 countries abstained. This achieved the 2/3 majority for the proposal to pass in committee.
Audrey Delsink, director of wildlife for Humane Society International/Africa and an elephant biologist, said, “The export of live wild elephants serves no credible conservation purpose and is opposed by numerous elephant biologists. Elephants are highly intelligent, social animals with strong family bonds. The capture of baby elephants is horribly cruel and traumatic to both the mothers, their calves and their herds that are left behind. Calves suffer psychological and physical harm when taken from their mothers. Zoos and other captive facilities force these calves to live in an unnatural, unhealthy environment that does not meet their complex needs.”
The decision applies to the elephants in Botswana and Zimbabwe* with elephant populations on Appendix II of CITES, which has an annotation that permits this trade to “appropriate and acceptable destinations.”
Zimbabwe has captured and exported more than 100 baby elephants to Chinese zoos since 2012. These calves, severely traumatized by being torn from their mothers, were subsequently abused through violent handling that included being kicked and beaten, and several have consequently died.
HSI warmly congratulates Burkina Faso, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan and Syria for putting forward this important proposal, which was backed by the 32 member countries of the African Elephant Coalition.
END
Media contacts:
At CITES: Brianna Grant, bgrant@hsi.org, +1 518-487-0975 (cell and WhatsApp)
United States: Nancy Hwa, 202-596-0808 (cell), nhwa@hsi.org
*An earlier version of this news release erroneously stated that the proposal affects elephants in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The proposal applies only to Botswana and Zimbabwe.
