Latest news with #Cites
New Paper
27-05-2025
- New Paper
42 cases of animal smuggling at Singapore borders in 2024, highest in recent years
Indian star tortoises, live corals and an Asian arowana were among 42 cases of animal smuggling caught at Singapore's borders in 2024, the highest number of smuggling attempts in recent years. Thirty-five smuggling cases were thwarted in 2023 and 34 in 2022. And between January and April 2025, eight cases were detected at the borders. More than 240 animals were also seized from over 30 premises in Singapore in the last two years, said the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement on May 27. These cases involved people who peddled exotic animals for sale through social media platforms such as Telegram. These updates on the illegal trade were provided amid the Cites Global Youth Summit on May 27, held at Sentosa. Convened under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), the inaugural five-day summit drew more than 70 young people from around 50 countries. It serves to equip fledgling leaders with the skills and networks needed to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in their respective countries. Due to its location, Singapore has been known to be a transit country for the illegal wildlife trade, including animal parts such as pangolin scales and rhino horns. This illicit trade here is also rife in the virtual world, particularly on social media, as the market for illegal wildlife and animal parts in Singapore has generally gone underground in the last decade. In one of the larger cases of 2024, a man from India was jailed for attempting to smuggle 58 Indian star tortoises into Indonesia via Changi Airport. The animals were hidden in a luggage with no ventilation. One tortoise was found dead, and 22 others were assessed to be thin. Under the multilateral treaty Cites, the Indian Star Tortoise is listed as a species that faces a high risk of extinction if its trade is not severely restricted, and its commercial trading is generally prohibited. Other cases in 2024 included the smuggling of kittens, puppies, live birds, an Asian arowana and live corals. In February 2024, a man was jailed for eight weeks for the illegal keeping of 69 exotic animals at a farm at Neo Tiew, including the African spurred tortoises and the Argentinian black and white tegus, a large lizard. Increased demand for exotic pets and the use of technologies to detect smuggling attempts are some of the key reasons contributing to the slight increase in smuggling cases in 2024, said Ms Xie Renhui, director of wildlife trade at NParks. "There are various reasons as to why the demand for exotic wildlife as pets is on the rise here. One reason could be novelty, because we have a small list of approved pets to be kept home in Singapore. Other cases involved exotic wildlife or animals being (planned for) transit through Singapore," she said. Exotic animals peddled online in Singapore include sugar gliders (a species of possum), tarantulas, hedgehogs and leopard geckos. Individuals also attempt to smuggle in approved pets like dogs and cats because they want to evade biosecurity checks and proper permits, Ms Xie added. The authorities have also been reaching out to local e-commerce platforms to alert them if the sale of exotic animals are spotted online. "It's a continuous effort to create the awareness as well as educate the general public of not fuelling illegal wildlife trade or buying commodities that are of unknown origin," added Ms Xie. The efforts of ICA officers, who are trained to detect suspicious travellers and vehicles, coupled with the use of technology, have also contributed to the detection of more animal smuggling cases at the land checkpoints, said NParks and ICA. The officers use mobile X-ray scanning machines to identify hidden modified compartments in cargo lorries, cars, and motorcycles. In May 2024, officers found seven puppies and one kitten concealed in a modified car boot compartment of a Malaysia-registered car. Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan, who spoke at the summit on May 27, highlighted the locally created mobile app Fin Finder, which identifies the fins of sharks and rays, including Cites-listed species, within seconds. Mr Tan also said NParks' Centre for Wildlife Forensics has been using DNA and molecular studies to trace the origins of pangolin scales and ivory figurines, for example. "This supports enforcement work and prosecution, and provides insights on potential trade routes of trafficked wildlife products," he added. The summit was organised by the Cites Global Youth Network, founded by Singaporean youths. Its participants include scientists, rangers, lawyers, conservationists, and advocates. Mr Keith Ng, a member of the youth network, said: "The smugglers and the traffickers are super organised folks and they are all driven by profit, and so they will find any means to get their goods across. "That's why we also must be similarly well-organised and be willing to collaborate from a young age. That way, we can be one step ahead of them. If not, we're never going to win this."
The Star
27-05-2025
- The Star
Singapore records 42 cases of animal smuggling in 2024, highest in recent years
SINGAPORE: Indian star tortoises, live corals and an Asian arowana were among 42 cases of animal smuggling caught at Singapore's borders in 2024, the highest number of smuggling attempts in recent years. Thirty-five smuggling cases were thwarted in 2023 and 34 in 2022. And between January and April 2025, eight cases were detected at the borders. More than 240 animals were also seized from over 30 premises in Singapore in the last two years, said the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement on May 27. These cases involved people who peddled exotic animals for sale through social media platforms such as Telegram. These updates on the illegal trade were provided amid the Cites Global Youth Summit on May 27, held at Sentosa. Convened under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), the inaugural five-day summit drew more than 70 young people from around 50 countries. It serves to equip fledgling leaders with the skills and networks needed to tackle the illegal wildlife trade in their respective countries. Due to its location, Singapore has been known to be a transit country for the illegal wildlife trade, including animal parts such as pangolin scales and rhino horns. This illicit trade here is also rife in the virtual world, particularly on social media, as the market for illegal wildlife and animal parts in Singapore has generally gone underground in the last decade. In one of the larger cases of 2024, a man from India was jailed for attempting to smuggle 58 Indian star tortoises into Indonesia via Changi Airport. The animals were hidden in a luggage with no ventilation. One tortoise was found dead, and 22 others were assessed to be thin. Under the multilateral treaty Cites, the Indian Star Tortoise is listed as a species that faces a high risk of extinction if its trade is not severely restricted, and its commercial trading is generally prohibited. Other cases in 2024 included the smuggling of kittens, puppies, live birds, an Asian arowana and live corals. In February 2024, a man was jailed for eight weeks for the illegal keeping of 69 exotic animals at a farm at Neo Tiew, including the African spurred tortoises and the Argentinian black and white tegus, a large lizard. Increased demand for exotic pets and the use of technologies to detect smuggling attempts are some of the key reasons contributing to the slight increase in smuggling cases in 2024, said Xie Renhui, director of wildlife trade at NParks. 'There are various reasons as to why the demand for exotic wildlife as pets is on the rise here. One reason could be novelty, because we have a small list of approved pets to be kept home in Singapore. Other cases involved exotic wildlife or animals being (planned for) transit through Singapore,' she said. Exotic animals peddled online in Singapore include sugar gliders (a species of possum), tarantulas, hedgehogs and leopard geckos. Individuals also attempt to smuggle in approved pets like dogs and cats because they want to evade biosecurity checks and proper permits, Xie added. The authorities have also been reaching out to local e-commerce platforms to alert them if the sale of exotic animals are spotted online. 'It's a continuous effort to create the awareness as well as educate the general public of not fuelling illegal wildlife trade or buying commodities that are of unknown origin,' added Xie. The efforts of ICA officers, who are trained to detect suspicious travellers and vehicles, coupled with the use of technology, have also contributed to the detection of more animal smuggling cases at the land checkpoints, said NParks and ICA. The officers use mobile X-ray scanning machines to identify hidden modified compartments in cargo lorries, cars, and motorcycles. In May 2024, officers found seven puppies and one kitten concealed in a modified car boot compartment of a Malaysia-registered car. Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan, who spoke at the summit on May 27, highlighted the locally created mobile app Fin Finder, which identifies the fins of sharks and rays, including Cites-listed species, within seconds. Tan also said NParks' Centre for Wildlife Forensics has been using DNA and molecular studies to trace the origins of pangolin scales and ivory figurines, for example. 'This supports enforcement work and prosecution, and provides insights on potential trade routes of trafficked wildlife products,' he added. The summit was organised by the Cites Global Youth Network, founded by Singaporean youths. Its participants include scientists, rangers, lawyers, conservationists, and advocates. Keith Ng, a member of the youth network, said: 'The smugglers and the traffickers are super organised folks and they are all driven by profit, and so they will find any means to get their goods across. 'That's why we also must be similarly well-organised and be willing to collaborate from a young age. That way, we can be one step ahead of them. If not, we're never going to win this.' - The Straits Times/ANN
Daily Maverick
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Project Cheetah is an ill-advised wildlife relocation that seems doomed to failure
In an ill-advised attempt to establish a population of African cheetahs in India, Project Cheetah aimed to restore India's long-extinct cheetah population. To initiate this, 20 cheetahs from southern Africa were sent to Kuno National Park in India from 2022 to 2023. Reports suggest a further 20 cheetahs are to be sent from Kenya this year, as well as potentially more cheetahs from South Africa. Despite its portrayal as a conservation and restoration success story, Project Cheetah has experienced high mortality rates, with eight adults (40%) and five cubs (29.4%) dying due to kidney failure, fighting injuries, extreme heat and humidity and fly-strike-related skin infections. In a recent research paper, co-authored with researchers from Blood Lions, we addressed how Project Cheetah exemplifies broader issues related to rewilding and restoration projects. We argue that proponents and authorities issuing Cites permits need to be cognisant of the consequences of their decisions. Project Cheetah alone is estimated to cost between $50-million and $60-million, an amount that could arguably be used more effectively for in-situ conservation and social upliftment efforts. Concerns about Project Cheetah are not new — cheetah experts have been raising alarms since the project's inception, yet South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) approved the export permits for 12 cheetahs to leave South Africa, with the other eight originating from Namibia. Scientists opposed to the project agree that Project Cheetah lacks conservation and scientific merit, especially demonstrating shortfalls in the ecological criteria that guided decision-makers. Critics have also suggested underlying political motives, including an alleged request from Namibia for India to withdraw its ban on the ivory trade. Global conservation efforts have witnessed a necessary shift towards equity and justice in protecting biodiversity. So often, conservation efforts and biodiversity loss disproportionately affect marginalised communities and indigenous people. More recently, there's a significant movement to recognise that non-human species also suffer immense injustices, not only in the illegal trade but also in the legal trade. In the case of Project Cheetah, our research shows that cheetahs translocated to India for restoration purposes have had their welfare compromised, in addition to the unjust social implications for local and indigenous communities surrounding Kuno. Further challenges exist, including differences in climate, prey species and habitat that African cheetahs need to adapt to, and the potential human-wildlife conflict for communities not accustomed to the presence of cheetahs. Why is Project Cheetah problematic? Kuno is a biodiverse region of 784km2 in the central Indian Vindhya Hills. Initially, it was earmarked as the site for the reintroduction of Asiatic lions, which was due to start in 2008. To accommodate the Asiatic lion reintroductions, 5,000 people from 24 villages were displaced between 1999 and 2001. However, the project never went ahead as the Gujarat state government was reluctant to release lions to another state. With 669 Asiatic lions dying in the last five years, the species is now listed as 'largely depleted' in the latest IUCN Listing as of 27 March 2025. A report released in 2010 on the translocation of cheetahs into Kuno shows many shortcomings. Instead of recognising diverse values, understanding potential inequitable impacts, and focusing on historically burdened groups, the surveyors made subjective judgments about community members by looking at their age, sex, clothing condition, the use of jewellery and wristwatches, and transport. The goal behind this assessment was to determine which populations would be most likely to accept once-off compensation for relocating. What the report failed to acknowledge included important social dimensions like attitudes towards relocation, exotic species introduction, project acceptance and perceived risks and benefits. Instead, it focused on identifying economically and socially disadvantaged targets for monetary incentives, further exacerbating disenfranchisement and power imbalances. Unjust conservation efforts that explicitly exclude and remove people have led to conservation refugees who were forcibly removed from their homes. Neglecting the human dimensions of conservation Project partners have stated that the cheetah translocations to India were largely justified by the tolerance displayed by those of predominantly Hindu faith. It was implied that people of Hindu faith would tolerate any risk of human-wildlife conflict. But such broad generalisations need to be challenged: communities surrounding Kuno are of many faiths and may experience human-wildlife conflict, and even within Hindu communities, attributing tolerance exclusively to religion is simplistic. Such statements demonstrate severe neglect in accounting for the complex web of socio-ecological systems and the challenges of co-existing with wildlife. Relying on generalisations to justify translocations demonstrates little appreciation of the human dimension of conservation, often overlooking diverse knowledge systems and values, and the complex relationships people have with nature, how they perceive wildlife, and consent to bear the consequences of such conservation work. Unethical and unjustifiable threats to cheetahs As part of Project Cheetah, all cheetahs were initially released into nine bomas designed for 'soft release'. The bomas range in size from 0.5-1.5km2 (compared to the 4.3km2 in which cheetahs can roam daily in Kuno's range of 5,441km2). Some pregnant females have never left these bomas, whereas others have been moved from free-roaming in Kuno back to their bomas on a regular basis. Some have escaped Kuno and have been seen roaming neighbouring villages and towns. According to the most recent publicly available information, all surviving cheetahs have been returned to the bomas. Even more worrying, initial projections have suggested that establishing a viable population in India could take 30-40 years, necessitating that at least 12 cheetahs are imported annually to account for these unacceptable mortality rates. With the adult cheetah mortality at 40%, nearly half of all cheetahs imported for Project Cheetah are likely to die prematurely. Project Cheetah presents serious threats to cheetah welfare, including stress, trauma and adaptation failures, especially considering cheetahs are a stress-prone species. The cheetahs translocated to Kuno have not only undergone intercontinental transportation, but they are also regularly subjected to veterinarian interventions, with more than 90 medical immobilisations conducted so far. It's vital to consider how this can affect their long-term physical and mental welfare, in addition to being kept in captive conditions in bomas for long periods. As a result, the project has seen low survival rates of 60% in adult cheetahs, which is far below the average survival rate of 85% for reintroductions in South Africa's fenced private reserves. The survival rate for Kuno's newly introduced cheetahs is likely to fall even further when all the animals are released from the bomas and encounter other large and unfamiliar predators indigenous to India. On social media, anecdotal reports of cheetahs being stoned by villagers and being harassed during sedation reveal further risks faced by cheetahs struggling to adapt and thrive following their release, highlighting once again the complex interplay of welfare concerns, human-wildlife conflict, and conservation priorities marring Project Cheetah. More recently, cheetahs that appear to be in poor health have been seen hunting cattle in the villages while people attempt to scare them off by throwing stones at them. Senior wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Dr Ravi Chellam says that 'unlike leopards and tigers, these cheetahs, due to their long-term captivity and constant following, are very used to human presence. I expect such interactions to be more common in the future. 'Having said that, it is still very unusual for the cheetahs to attack a prey animal when surrounded by such a boisterous crowd of people. This seems to suggest that the cats are desperately hungry. It has, of course, been very clear right from the start that India does not have the required extent of habitat of suitable quality and the space for the cheetahs to range free in the wild.' How can translocations be improved? Wildlife relocation projects that fail to acknowledge environmental and social issues highlight an urgent need for conservationists to engage in scientifically grounded and locally accepted conservation strategies. Poorly planned community relocations disrupt social structures, similar to forced land reform, and may cause severed cultural connections to land and animals. Our beliefs and traditions intertwine with our experiences in nature, and forced removals can affect the mental health of local and indigenous communities who so closely identify with their culture and the surrounding land and animals. While we agree that community relocations may sometimes be necessary for medical, educational, law enforcement or conservation reasons, our research shows just how important it is to consider residents' preferences and needs to prevent unjust consequences. Given the age-old shaping of nature by local and indigenous communities, relocations may not even be desired where co-existence is preferred. It's vital to acknowledge people's profound connections to land and non-human species and to embrace diverse values of nature. The cheetah translocations to Kuno have shown serious ethical concerns by experimenting with an IUCN-listed 'vulnerable ' species and knowingly subjecting these animals to substantial stress, risks and mortality. We need to challenge and critically think about how we measure conservation successes to go beyond measuring ecological processes of births and deaths, but also to understand the impacts on an animal's physical and mental welfare. When 40-50% of the animals die in a relocation project, we need to reconsider what an ethically acceptable mortality rate should be. Can this really be considered a 'successful reintroduction'? If conservation practices prioritise respect, inclusivity and justice, we are more likely to see positive outcomes for people and nature. DM
Fashion United
02-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
PETA attends Hermès meeting, calls for vegan bags; Dumas speaks of ‘ethical farms'
'When will Hermès ban wild animal skins and embrace ethical luxury by launching vegan Birkin and Kelly bags?' This was the question that PETA, which owns shares in the French company, put to chief executive officer Axel Dumas on April 30, during Hermès's general meeting. 'The action follows PETA's new DIY video on YouTube, which has garnered over one million views across all platforms and shows a fashion blogger teaching her audience how to make an 'Hermès Birkin bag' from scratch, starting with a live three-year-old crocodile,' explained PETA, an acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, in a statement. 'Numerous designer brands are ditching deadly, destructive wild animal skins, but Hermès is still clinging to the same old cruelty,' said Tracy Reiman, executive vice president of PETA, urging the French company 'to use only luxury vegan materials, which do not involve the torture and killing of sentient beings'. Dumas told shareholders he was 'open to world' while rejecting PETA's request to visit an Australian intensive farm supplying Hermès together Dumas's response during the meeting, according to PETA, was an empty and shameful attempt to avoid all responsibility. Dumas told shareholders he was 'open to world' while rejecting PETA's request to join him on a visit to an Australian intensive farm supplying Hermès, where it claims crocodiles languish in tiny, dirty cages before workers electrocute them, cut their throats and stab them in the brain with screwdrivers, sometimes while they are still conscious. FashionUnited contacted Hermès for an official statement on PETA's intervention at the meeting, but has not yet received any comment. Full text of question to Hermès president Axel Dumas Here is the full text of the question to Dumas: 'My name is James Fraser and I have a question for chief executive officer Axel Dumas on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. An investigation into Australian farms owned by Hermès and its suppliers shows that crocodiles are confined to cramped cages or small concrete pens filled with dirty water before being electrocuted, dragged and mutilated with blades and screwdrivers, some while still conscious. On farms in South Africa that supply Hermès with ostrich skins, young animals spend their short lives in barren pens. At a slaughterhouse, workers force ostriches into stun boxes, causing many to slip and fall before slitting their throats. In response to the investigation, Hermès continues to mislead the public and shareholders by referring to Cites, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, knowing full well that this regulation concerns the number of animals traded, not the horrific way they are raised and killed.' 'Monsieur Dumas, selling macabre accessories made from the body parts of wild animals is tarnishing our company's reputation and alienating the conscious consumers who represent the future of luxury fashion. When will Hermès ban wild animal skins and embrace ethical luxury by launching vegan Birkin and Kelly bags?' Fraser concluded. Following Dumas's response, the animal rights association reiterated in a statement that it would not be possible to speak of 'ethical farming' as the chief executive officer of Hermès had done when, 'obviously, there is nothing moral about cramming animals into overcrowded cages and brutally slaughtering them for their skin. From Texas to Zimbabwe to South Africa, PETA has denounced the appalling conditions in which animals are raised and killed for Hermès accessories, and the fashion house will continue to be pressured by PETA until it stops selling products made from the skin of tormented animals and switches to luxury vegan materials'. PETA finally noted that many other fashion houses such as Chanel, Balenciaga, Burberry, Mulberry, Victoria Beckham, Diane von Furstenberg and Vivienne Westwood have banned the use of reptile or other wild animal skins from their collections. Hermès, AW25. Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
The Star
27-04-2025
- General
- The Star
Big Smile, No Teeth: Trotting out some good news on turtles
Here's something different for a change: some good news! Endangered sea turtle populations are showing signs of growing a little. That's right. The animal that launched an assault on plastic straws – when video of a turtle getting a plastic straw removed from its nose went viral – is seeing a rebound in its numbers. Did the banning of plastic straws in a lot of places help? I mean, it couldn't have hurt, but straws aren't what's endangering turtles to begin with. A quick recap: Turtles were facing extinction – and still remain threatened – for a variety of reasons. One of the big ones is hunting. Which is no surprise, humans' approach to wildlife for centuries has been exactly like that Arnold Schwarzenegger quote from Predator , 'If it bleeds, we can kill it'. Yes, humans, you certainly can. And we kill turtles for food, medicine, and of course luxury items. Nothing says you're rich like using a tortoise shell comb on your salon-quality hair. But human hunting isn't the only issue. Other human actions also play a big part. Habitat loss, for example, is a big problem with any endangered species. And turtles are losing their habitat to tourism because humans love hanging out at a fun beach, and beaches are where turtles nest. When it comes to nesting turtles or us chilling in the sun drinking a RM20 drink, guess who wins? We do. Usually. And fishing is also a problem: Even if we don't actively hunt the shell-backed creatures, they get caught up and injured accidentally and die in fishing nets; they also get stuck and die in abandoned nets left to drift in our seas – they're called, appropriately, 'ghost nets'. But some of this is turning around. Do people still want to eat turtles and use their shells for medicine? Probably, but international trade bans like the Cites (Convention on Inter-national Trade in Endangered Species) listings have made it illegal to export or import turtle products in most countries. Laws have been implemented to protect turtles and their eggs, with heavy fines for poaching. Also, attitudes towards turtles are changing. Traditional Chinese medicine once used turtle shells to help with organ health but, thanks in part to awareness campaigns, more and more practitioners are now questioning animal-based remedies, especially those linked to endangered species. And in places where turtles are considered a delicacy, a shift is happening as younger generations look at turtles as animals to protect, not to eat, and have even stopped buying turtle eggs following bans on their sale. As for nesting beaches, many are now protected. In fact, many beach resorts exist close to turtle nesting beaches, proof that you can enjoy your expensive beach drinks and not drive a species to extinction. Win, win. To address fishing and catching turtles accidentally in nets, turtle excluder devices (TEDs) are now mandatory in many countries. These help turtles escape the nets. Raising awareness and implementing smart laws are turning the tide in favour of the turtles. But it is a slow process. It has taken decades but some turtle populations are on the rise again. Green sea turtles were less than 300 in 1989 in Florida but now number 61,000 on monitored beaches, according to the Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission in the United States. Kemps's ridley turtles were nearly extinct in the 1980s but have been slowly increasing in numbers thanks to international conservation efforts. Florida, for one, proudly announced that nesting sites on its coast increased from 10 in 2023 to 24 in 2024. But it's not all great news. Leatherback turtles are still critically endangered. It seems this is because leatherbacks are picky where they nest and a lot of their nesting sites have been taken over by humans or eroded. They're not as easy to lure to new sites as other species have been. The other issue is leatherbacks migrate across entire oceans, so they are vulnerable to fishing that doesn't employ TEDs. And one of the more tragic factors is leatherbacks are hit harder by plastic pollution than other turtles. Why? Leatherbacks eat jellyfish. What looks like a jellyfish in water? Plastic bags. Poor leatherbacks are thinking they're eating dinner and instead are chowing down on a plastic bag that can block their digestive system, lead to malnutrition, or just kill them outright. Postmortems of many leatherbacks have revealed their stomachs are full of trash. Sorry, this has sort of descended into bad news when I promised nothing but good news at the start of this column. I suppose the good news here is given time, nature can and will heal itself. We humans just need to figure out how to get out of the way. Big Smile, No Teeth columnist Jason Godfrey – a model who once was told to give the camera a 'big smile, no teeth' – has worked internationally for two decades in fashion and continues to work in dramas, documentaries, and lifestyle programming. Write to him at lifestyle@ and follow him on Instagram @bigsmilenoteeth and The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.
