Humane Society slams 'barbaric' capture of wild baby elephants

Humane Society International/Africa has condemned the capture of 35 baby elephants, some as young as two years old, in Zimbabwe to export to foreign zoos.

According to The Times of London, the young elephants are being held in pens in Hwange National Park while travel crates are prepared and the documents finalised for their journey to China.

According to the publication, this practice dates back to the era of former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe, where wildlife was often sold to Asian and Middle East countries to settle debts.

Human Society in a statement confirmed it had received footage showing the young elephants frantically pacing around the Hwange pens, some showing signs of stress such as temporal streaming (dark streaks down the side of the face from the temporal gland) and others demonstrating wide-eyed, ear-splayed defensive postures.

The organisation said, based on the trade data of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), since 2012 Zimbabwe has exported 108 young elephants to zoos in China despite opposition from other African countries, elephant experts and non-governmental organisations including Humane Society and its subsidiaries.

Commenting on this was Humane Society International/Africa’s wildlife director and an elephant biologist Audrey Delsink, who said: “The capture of baby elephants from the wild is barbaric, and captivity will be a life sentence of suffering. Video footage shows that these young animals are already displaying stress behaviour after being ripped away from their mothers and bonded family groups, and are terrified.

"Calves normally remain closely bonded to their natal family groups; females never leave their families whilst males only leave the herd at 12 -15 years of age. With no adult females to look to for reassurance, guidance and learning, one can only imagine the youngsters’ distress.

"Zimbabwe continues to exploit its wildlife to the highest bidder with no meaningful oversight. Recognising elephants as sentient beings, South Africa has banned the capture of elephants from the wild for captivity. Zimbabwe must urgently follow suit to redeem itself.”

Delsink’s sentiments echo those expressed last week by Kenya’s cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife, Najib Balala, who was speaking at the African Elephant Coalition (AEC) Summit in Nairobi.

Balala had remarked: “Trade in live elephants should only be for the purpose of enhancing the conservation of the species in its natural habitats (in-situ) as the only appropriate and acceptable destination.”

Iris Ho, senior wildlife policy and programs specialist at Humane Society International, who attended the summit, added to this, saying: “Ripping baby elephants from their mothers is morally indefensible and ethically reprehensible.

"We cannot agree more with the Honourable Balala and the African Elephant Coalition regarding the conservation and welfare concerns related to the deliberate capture of wild elephants for the purpose of holding them in permanent captivity outside their natural range.”

The AEC’s press statement of the summit also called for an end to the export of wild elephants to zoos and other captive facilities.

These positions are reflected in the proposals and documents submitted by the AEC to the 18th meeting of the CITES Conference of Parties which will take place this May in Sri Lanka.

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Customs urged to step up prosecutions in illegal wildlife trade – with blood of 3,000 elephants, 65,000 pangolins and 51 rhinoceros on Hong Kong’s hands

Hong Kong customs is facing mounting pressure to step up prosecutions in the illegal wildlife trade, with a recent report finding the city has become a hub for such activities as cases occur almost daily on average.

The rising trend has been underestimated but it has contributed to extinction crises of species worldwide, according to ADM Capital Foundation, which co-published the study.

CEO Lisa Genasci said: “Our research indicates Hong Kong has become a hub for organised wildlife smugglers, with consequences for the international reputation of our city as well as international biodiversity.”

Are Hong Kong courts taking illegal wildlife trade seriously, despite tougher laws?

The foundation based its findings on data over five years. Between 2013 and 2017, it found that a total of HK$560 million (US$71.4 million) worth of wildlife products – including live and dead animals – with a weight of 1,456 metric tonnes, was seized.

These included illegal ivory, pangolin scales and rhino horns, potentially equal to the deaths of 3,000 elephants, 65,000 pangolins and 51 rhinoceros.

The study also noted Hong Kong recorded 2,011 seizures of species regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) during this period. This implied a threatened species being seized every 21 hours.

Scales of endangered pangolin on sale as loophole in law allows shops to cash in

The report, compiled by various groups and legal academics, recommended that the government establish a wildlife crime unit or bureau under the Customs and Excise Department, as well as develop a wildlife trade database and expand forensic capacity.

Justin Gosling, a consultant in law enforcement and criminal justice, and who was not involved in the study, said he agreed the city should ramp up its investigative capacity.

“The figures we see in the report are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s actually going through the region and which is not being detected,” Gosling said.

The figures we see in the report are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s actually going through the region

Justin Gosling, enforcement consultant

He expressed surprise at the large volumes of seized scales from the endangered pangolin revealed by the report, adding he believed organised smuggling activities were to blame.

“It is essential authorities identify the trafficking networks to call [for action], and close down the activities,” he said. “Otherwise the illegal imports will just keep coming and coming.”

“Seizures alone do not stop wildlife crime,” he added. “They do not prevent future offences.”

Among the 379 seizures from 2013 to 2017 reviewed in the report, most came from shipping containers arriving from at least 45 countries, with about 70 per cent from East Africa. However, only 1 per cent of the cases led to prosecutions.

On the other hand, air passengers accounted for 78 per cent of prosecutions.

Gosling said the numbers indicated a “fundamental lack of investigation”.

Conservationists in Hong Kong have called for wildlife offences to be included under the same laws against organised crime, for greater deterrence and investigative firepower.

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