Latest news with #CITES
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Latest rhino count a mixed bag for world's five species
The latest global rhino count shows a mixed bag for the world's five rhino species in Africa and Asia. The numbers of Black rhinos, found only in the wild in eastern and southern Africa, grew from 6,195 to 6,788. That's according to a report published Thursday by rhino specialist groups and commissioned by the CITES secretariat. The increase of 593 animals is "a win for this critically imperiled species," the International Rhino Foundation said in reaction to the report. The global population estimates don't include rhinos in zoos but rather only those in the wild or in national parks. The number of greater one-horned rhinos, native to northern India and southern Nepal, also nudged upwards slightly from 4,014 to 4,075. The greater one-horned rhino is a conservation success story — only around 200 of them remained in India at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, the largest rhino species on earth is considered to be in recovery, the report finds. Indonesia's rhino species on critically endangered But there is bad news for other rhino species. Southeast Asia's rhino species, which are only found in Indonesia, "remain on the edge of extinction," according to the report. The population of the Sumatran rhinos is virtually unchanged from 2022 estimates, with just 34-47 animals remaining. The smallest and only hairy rhino species in found mostly in the dense tropical forest and lowland swamps of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Poaching and habitat loss from palm oil plantations seriously threatens their survival. And the number of Javan rhinos has dropped significantly from an estimated 76 to just around 50, due entirely to poaching. There is only one known population of Javan rhinos left, at a national park on the Indonesian island of Java. White rhinos at risk from poaching In Africa, the number of white rhinos fell from 15,942 to 15,752. That's a drop of 190 animals since the last count in 2021, primarily due to increased poaching pressure, extended droughts and management limitations, the report says. Globally, the illegal trade in rhino horn has decreased in recent years. South Africa sees marked rise in rhino poaching But the rhino report stressed that poaching was taking on a worrying new trend in South Africa, which has more rhinos than anywhere else. At least 91 rhinos killed in South Africa in the first quarter of 2025 alone. South Africa currently accounts for two-thirds of illegal rhino horns seized around the word, with most headed for Malaysia and Vietnam. It is often looking for new ways to deter poachers and one group of scientists launched a project last week to inject radioactive material into the horns of rhinos. The scientists say it's harmless for the animals but allows horns to be detected by border authorities when they are being smuggled. Edited by: Wesley Dockery
DW
5 hours ago
- General
- DW
Latest rhino count a mixed bag for world's five species – DW – 08/08/2025
While Black rhino numbers have grown, other rhino populations face an existential threat, a new report finds. Poaching is on the rise in South Africa, which has more rhinos than anywhere else. The latest global rhino count shows a mixed bag for the world's five rhino species in Africa and Asia. The numbers of Black rhinos, found only in the wild in eastern and southern Africa, grew from 6,195 to 6,788. That's according to a report published Thursday by rhino specialist groups and commissioned by the CITES secretariat. The increase of 593 animals is "a win for this critically imperiled species," the International Rhino Foundation said in reaction to the report. The global population estimates don't include rhinos in zoos but rather only those in the wild or in national parks. The number of greater one-horned rhinos, native to northern India and southern Nepal, also nudged upwards slightly from 4,014 to 4,075. The greater one-horned rhino is a conservation success story — only around 200 of them remained in India at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, the largest rhino species on earth is considered to be in recovery, the report finds. But there is bad news for other rhino species. Southeast Asia's rhino species, which are only found in Indonesia, "remain on the edge of extinction," according to the report. The population of the Sumatran rhinos is virtually unchanged from 2022 estimates, with just 34-47 animals remaining. The smallest and only hairy rhino species in found mostly in the dense tropical forest and lowland swamps of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Poaching and habitat loss from palm oil plantations seriously threatens their survival. And the number of Javan rhinos has dropped significantly from an estimated 76 to just around 50, due entirely to poaching. There is only one known population of Javan rhinos left, at a national park on the Indonesian island of Java. In Africa, the number of white rhinos fell from 15,942 to 15,752. That's a drop of 190 animals since the last count in 2021, primarily due to increased poaching pressure, extended droughts and management limitations, the report says. Globally, the illegal trade in rhino horn has decreased in recent years. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But the rhino report stressed that poaching was taking on a worrying new trend in South Africa, which has more rhinos than anywhere else. At least 91 rhinos killed in South Africa in the first quarter of 2025 alone. South Africa currently accounts for two-thirds of illegal rhino horns seized around the word, with most headed for Malaysia and Vietnam. It is often looking for new ways to deter poachers and one group of scientists launched a project last week to inject radioactive material into the horns of rhinos. The scientists say it's harmless for the animals but allows horns to be detected by border authorities when they are being smuggled. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Deccan Herald
Nigeria seizes 1,600 birds at Lagos airport bound for Kuwait
Customs officials at Nigeria's Lagos international airport said they had seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported to Kuwait without a permit, in one of the biggest such seizures in years. The cargo of live birds, which included ring-necked parakeets and yellow-fronted canaries, was intercepted by customs officials at the airport on July 31, the agency said in a statement late on Monday. Nigeria, which has become a transit hub for trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products, is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Parrots, songbirds and birds of prey are among the most trafficked birds for the exotic pet trade, private collections and for feathers or trophies, according to the United Nations 2024 World Wildlife Report. Michael Awe, a customs controller at Lagos airport, said the birds were not accompanied by a CITES permit and other documents required to prove they were legally obtained. "No illegal shipment will slip through the cracks under my watch at the airport, because the eagle eyes of my command officers are everywhere to detect and intercept," he said in the statement. Awe said customs were investigating those responsible for the illicit cargo, adding that the birds would be handed over to the National Parks Service.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Nigeria seizes 1,600 birds at Lagos airport bound for Kuwait
Customs officials at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria said they had seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported to Kuwait without a permit, in one of the biggest such seizures in years. The cargo of live birds, which included ring-necked parakeets and yellow-fronted canaries, was intercepted by customs officials at the airport on July 31, the agency said in a statement late on Monday. Nigeria, which has become a transit hub for trafficking in wildlife and wildlife products, is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Parrots, songbirds and birds of prey are among the most trafficked birds for the exotic pet trade, private collections and for feathers or trophies, according to the United Nations 2024 World Wildlife Report.
3 days ago
Nigerian customs seize over 1,600 parrots and canaries in major wildlife trafficking bust
LAGOS, Nigeria -- Nigerian customs said they seized more than 1,600 parrots and canaries that were being transported from Lagos international airport to Kuwait without a permit, in one the biggest wildlife trafficking seizures in years. The seizure is a sign of positive change in the fight against illegal wildlife trade, as Nigeria is a major hub in the global trade in protected species, Mark Ofua, West Africa spokesperson for the international non-governmental organization Wild Africa, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Customs agents seized ring-necked parakeets and green and yellow fronted canaries, two protected species, at the airport on July 31, the agency said in a statement late Monday. Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. The statement by the customs agency said the shipment were not accompanied by a CITES permit and other documents required to prove the birds were legally obtained. Nigerian customs said an investigation to find those responsible for the illicit cargo is ongoing, and that the birds will be handed to the National Parks Service for rehabilitation and release into the wild. Ofua said Nigeria's porous borders, widespread corruption, and weak enforcement make it a key transit point for ivory, pangolin scales and other wildlife products destined for Asia. Global illegal wildlife trafficking is valued at $8–10 billion annually, he added.
