Latest news with #endangered species
Irish Times
a day ago
- General
- Irish Times
Rare and endangered okapi ‘forest giraffe' is born at Dublin Zoo
A rare and endangered 'forest giraffe' born on Good Friday has been thriving, Dublin Zoo has said. This is the third calf of its kind – one of the few members of the okapi species – to be born in Ireland. The yet-to-be-named calf has two siblings in Dublin Zoo, Dalia and Leki, all born to mother Lumara and father Kitabu. Their names reflect the species' origins in the dense forests of the northeast Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where they are listed as endangered due to 'habitat loss, hunting, deforestation and civil unrest' in the region, Dublin Zoo said. READ MORE Historically, deforestation in the region was relatively low, with 3,100sq km (1,200sq miles) of forest being lost annually, but from 2015 to 2019 the rate of tree-felling in the DRC doubled, meaning a major loss in vegetation for the species. The DRC has suffered from political instability for years, with rebel groups often igniting conflicts across the region. Since her birth, the calf 'has been growing steadily and showing all the signs of good health', zoo officials said. She has spent her first months in the family's nest and has been 'under the attentive care of her mother', they said. This is typical for the infant calves of the okapi species, their handlers said. Zoo goers exploring the African Plains area of the Phoenix Park attraction 'may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her in the coming days, and see just how much she has grown', Dublin Zoo team leader Helen Clarke said. The family's habitat is near the northeastern African cheetahs and not far from the Asian elephants in Dublin Zoo. The zoo has supported conservation efforts of the species since 2012 with financial support to rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are about 15,000 to 50,000 okapi in the world.
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Independent Singapore
Man caught smuggling over 2,500 red-eared slider turtles from SG to Bengaluru
SINGAPORE: A man was apprehended at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru with 2,547 red-eared slider turtles from Singapore in his possession on July 12. Unfortunately, 517 of the animals were already dead when they were found in his check-in baggage. The man was identified in an article in The Hindu as 26-year-old Adiakkalasamy Vadivel from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. He is said to be involved in global animal smuggling operations. Vadivel was caught by customs department officials at the airport as soon as his plane landed in Bengaluru. When questioned, he claimed that he had been instructed to hand over the bag to someone else outside the airport. The Hindu reported the Indian authorities were looking into how Vadivel got the animals past customs officers in Singapore. Importing live animals into India is against the country's Export-Import (EXIM) Policy and punishable under India's Customs Act. According to The Hindu, the Indian authorities said the dead animals would be disposed of according to standard procedures and the rest of the animals were being sent back to Singapore. See also Actor Rui En punished for careless driving Later reports said, however, that when the turtles were sent back to Singapore, the National Park Board's (NParks) Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation found them to be infected with salmonella. The remaining turtles were then put down. In a July 22 (Wednesday) report, Mothership quoted NParks — the lead agency responsible for greenery, biodiversity conservation, and wildlife and animal welfare in Singapore — as saying that while Vadivel possessed an export permit for the turtles, he did not meet the requirements to import them to India. The report also quoted NParks as saying that because salmonella is 'a bacterium of public health and biosecurity concern', the animals were 'humanely put down and disposed of to prevent the potential spread of disease.' In a related incident in April, a Singapore permanent resident was said to have exported red-eared slider turtles to India without a licence. Forty-one-year-old Rafique Syed Hariza Ali Hussain reportedly placed thousands of turtles in his baggage, getting paid S$500 for each successful delivery in India of the animals. Mothership reported at the time that red-eared slider turtles are considered an invasive species in India, and therefore their importation is restricted. It added that they were sold in India for around S$7.75 to S$12.40 per turtle. /TISG Read also: 'Heartbreaking goodbye' — Turtle Museum closing its doors by March 1 due to nearby construction projects
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Airport authorities make shocking discovery during routine luggage inspection: 'The suspect was detained on the spot'
Airport authorities make shocking discovery during routine luggage inspection: 'The suspect was detained on the spot' A man was caught trying to smuggle endangered primates hidden in his suitcase through airport security. The arrest highlights a growing global crisis: wildlife trafficking through major travel hubs. What happened? According to the New Straits Times, a man attempting to board a flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Mumbai, India, was detained after it was discovered he was trying to smuggle four endangered black-handed gibbons inside his luggage. The animals, valued at around RM30,000 (roughly $6,400 USD), were discovered during a routine inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). "The suspect was detained on the spot and taken to the Aeropolis police headquarters for further action," officials from Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency confirmed in a statement. The gibbons have since been handed over to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan). Authorities are pursuing charges under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008. The arrest was part of a coordinated enforcement effort launched in partnership with Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Perhilitan, aimed at cracking down on trafficking activity through high-risk aviation entry points. "AVSEC and Perhilitan will continue to tighten security controls at KLIA and will not compromise with any party involved in wildlife trafficking via air routes," the statement added. Why is wildlife trafficking concerning? Trafficking endangered species isn't just a crime; it is also a direct threat to global biodiversity and the stability of ecosystems that humans rely on. When animals are taken from their habitats and moved across borders, they can introduce disease, destabilize local ecosystems, and fuel illegal trade networks that undermine years of conservation progress. Many species are on the brink of extinction due to deforestation and poaching. When they are pulled from the wild, they leave gaps that forests can't easily fill. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Gibbons play essential roles in seed dispersal and forest regeneration. Without them, ecosystems grow weaker and become less resilient. What's being done about wildlife trafficking? In Malaysia and other countries across Southeast Asia, officials have stepped up efforts to intercept smugglers at key transit points like KLIA, which often serve as launch points for illegal animal exports. But long-term success depends on sustained coordination between wildlife agencies, customs, and law enforcement, as well as stronger international penalties. There's also a role for the public. Avoiding the purchase of exotic pets or products made from endangered species, reporting suspicious animal listings online, and supporting reputable wildlife organizations can help shrink demand and pressure traffickers' supply chains. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Science
- Malay Mail
Sniffing out extinction: Dogs help save South Africa's rarest tortoises
JOHANNESBURG, July 18 — Snout pressed to the ground, a border collie named Delta zigzagged through the shrubs on a private nature reserve near Cape Town, frantically sniffing for critically endangered tortoises. The dog stopped abruptly in front of a small bush and lay down, signalling a find as Delta's handler moved in to search the surrounding area. Hidden in the tall grass was a tiny reptile, its shell marked with yellow star-like patterns — a clear sign it was a geometric tortoise, a species found only at the southern tip of Africa. 'It's an adult female, you can tell by its flat belly,' said Esther Matthew, the dog's handler and a conservation officer for South Africa's Endangered Wildlife Trust. She explained that the organisation uses canines to sniff out the endangered species by 'building positive association with the tortoises' odour', throwing Delta a foam frisbee as a reward. Trained dogs are being used in South Africa to help locate and then track a critically endangered species of tortoise. — AFP pic Dogs are five times more effective than humans at this type of search and 'also help us find the smaller tortoises which are often overlooked, the hatchlings and the juveniles', Matthew said. 'We've seen a dramatic increase in the number of finds with the dogs.' Shrinking numbers Their help has become crucial in studying and protecting the geometric tortoise, found only in South Africa's Western Cape province and on the verge of extinction. The species' population was already as low as 1,500 individuals in the wild in the early 1990s, according to biologist Andrew Turner, who works for the conservation authority Cape Nature. It is now estimated at only several hundred animals with 'declines pretty much across the entire remaining range of this species', he told AFP. On the nature reserve, Delta and Matthew — helped by colleagues searching the bushes with sticks — found a dozen of the hardy reptiles. 'We record all the tortoises we can find, all the data, measurements and weight,' Delta's handler explained. A conservation official, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, talks about a critically endangered female Geometric tortoise, that they found with specially trained dogs on a private reserve in the Boland district of the Western Cape on June 30, 2025. — AFP pic 'Creating corridors' With the species' natural habitat shrinking due to agriculture and urban expansion, these surveys have become all the more critical, Turner said. 'There are very few places left in the Western Cape that still support these tortoises. It's really just a couple of nature reserves and pieces of good habitat left on people's private property,' he added. 'The remaining patches of vegetation are not really connected to each other anymore. There are farmlands in between, roads, towns and industries so there is limited ability for the tortoises to disperse and rescue other populations.' This fragmentation makes them all the more vulnerable to droughts, predation and fires, which scientists argue have become more frequent and intense thanks to climate change. Poaching — of the tortoises and the plants they feed on — is also a threat, Turner said. 'They are down to such small levels that they actually need as much assistance as they can get,' he said. To save the species, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has looked at building 'partnerships' with landowners and communities living in the animals' habitat. 'The biggest thing is... creating corridors where species can work through,' explained Zanne Brink, who leads the organisation's dry lands conservation programme. 'Our biggest challenge is to get enough information to prevent critical biodiversity areas from being lost to unsustainable land use.' — AFP
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Confronting moment endangered manta ray is pulled from ocean for aquarium trade
Denis Richard, who was leading a tour off Florida, told Yahoo News his group was 'totally outraged' when they saw fishermen pull the manta ray aboard. Video transcript This is the confronting moment an endangered manta ray was hauled out of the ocean, right in front of a stunned tour group. Dennis Richard, who was leading a tour group off Florida, told Yahoo News his group was totally outraged when they saw the fishermen pull the manta ray aboard. Richard said it took them over a half hour to bring the manta ray to the boat. I was yelling at them, asking if they were going to release the animal, and they said, no, we have a permit. Richard believes the manta ray was being acquired for the commercial aquarium trade and is now concerned about the animals' welfare following the stressful event. However, he says there was one upside, adding, it was enlightening for the tourists. I'm glad they could witness it, so they can do something with their outrage. They can investigate, they can talk to their friends, their representatives about an injustice that allows the capture of endangered species, especially for public display.
