Wiped out and it’s all our fault
Humans have wiped out so many animals that the planet is on the verge of the first ‘mass extinction’ since the age of the dinosaurs, conservationists have warned.
By the end of the decade, seven out of every ten of the world’s mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds will have been wiped out, according to the biggest ever report into extinction.
Some of the most threatened species include African elephants, tigers, mountain gorillas and giant pandas, said the report by the WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
Its grim findings were described as a wake-up call to help save Earth’s remaining animals – before it is too late.
The study assessed 14,152 populations of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
Numbers fell by 58 per cent between 1970 and 2012 – and are dropping by around 2 per cent every year, with no sign of any slowdown.
By 2020, populations of vertebrate species could have fallen by 67 per cent over the 50-year period unless action is taken to reverse the damaging impacts of mankind, the Living Planet report found.
These include poaching, farming, over-fishing, deforestation, climate change, the ditching of waste plastic, chemical and air pollution – behaviours that are affecting humans too.
Mike Barrett, director of science and policy at WWF-UK, said: ‘For the first time since the demise of the dinosaurs … we face a global mass extinction of wildlife.
‘We ignore the decline of other species at our peril – for they are the barometer that reveals our impact on the world that sustains us.
‘Humanity’s misuse of natural resources is threatening habitats, pushing irreplaceable species to the brink and threatening the stability of our climate.’
But he added: ‘We know how to stop this. It requires governments, businesses and citizens to rethink how we produce, consume, measure success and value the natural environment.’
The African elephant population has fallen by 111,000 in the past decade, mainly down to poaching, with just 415,000 left.
Other animals are even more rare. There are now just 3,900 tigers in the world and 1,864 giant pandas.
Shockingly the numbers of one of the most at risk species, the Amur leopard, are down to just 70.
Overall, terrestrial species have seen populations drop by 38 per cent between 1970 and 2012. Freshwater species fared even worse, falling by 81 per cent.
For marine creatures – based on 6,170 populations of 1,353 species of fish, birds, mammals and reptiles – the report found a 36 per cent decline.
The worst years were between 1970 and 1980, however the decline has been stabilised thanks to efforts to stop overfishing.
On a positive note, animal species living in African grasslands have increased slightly since 2004, thanks to conservation efforts.
The report also highlights the success of habitat protection and strict hunting controls in Europe.
Professor Ken Norris, director of science at ZSL, said: ‘Human behaviour continues to drive the decline of wildlife populations globally, with particular impact on freshwater habitats.
‘However, these are declines – they are not yet extinctions – and this should be a wake-up call to marshal efforts to promote the recovery of these populations.’
Source : 26/10/2016 Daily Mirror http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Wiped-out-and-it-s-all-our-fault-118191.html
Former Customs official charges delay in CITES listing of endangered reptiles
A delay by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) to submit a proposal to include newly discovered endangered reptiles to the CITES list (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is preventing international action against those smuggling reptile species out the country, a former Customs Deputy Director claimed.
Mr. Samantha Gunasekara, the founder of the Customs’ Biodiversity Protection Unit (BPU) told the Sunday Times that he provided the DWC a Scholarly Document requesting rare engendered reptile species be added to CITES ensuring that action could be taken internationally against those smuggling these species.
However, he said though he provided the document well ahead of time, the DWC provided the document to the Foreign Ministry only two days before the closing date.
Therefore the proposal could not be included before the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES held at Johannesburg from September 24 to October 5. A delegation from Sri Lanka too participated in the convention and proposed the inclusion of Thresher Shark in the CITES list.
However, DWC Acting Director General W.S.K.Pathiratna said though he was unaware of any document being provided on proposing endangered Sri Lankan lizard species to be included in CITES, yet support for anyone who submits such a document would be given.
However, Mr. Gunasekara said the document was submitted through the Ministry to the Department, but the officials had taken up the position that there was no necessity to submit the document.
Mr. Gunasekara claimed at first a foreign scientist had provided the document to the DWC but due to lack of response it was forwarded to him.
Thereafter he had informed the minister in-charge of Wildlife Conservation and appointed a committee of foreign and local scientists who were willing to send a proposal to CITES free of charge.
“Meanwhile I investigated and learned that several organised groups were engaged in smuggling Sri Lankan endangered reptile species” he said.
He explained that he was unable to identify individuals but was able trace how the highly organised smugglers operated their multi-billion rupee business of capturing and exporting endangered and newly found rare species avoiding international detection by exporting reptiles not included in the CITES.
Mr. Gunasekara explained that many Sri Lankan gecko species, lizards and snakes are endemic and make rare exotic pets for which there is a high demand.
The trade is carried out in a process where experts pinpoint where the reptiles are found and inform a separate capture team to go to the selected region of the forest. Then they provide the transport to fly the animals abroad.
The CITES is an international document which covers endangered species in captivity and therefore is stronger than the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance which does not cover animals bred in captivity.
“The CITES protected species is an animal which has to be exported with a CITES document from the DWC and when the animal is internationally recognised as an endangered specimen Interpol, Customs and foreign countries can ban or place restrictions, or take legal action against the smugglers,” he said .
Fined for keeping endangered lizards
A businessman who was arrested during a raid by Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) officials for keeping 18 endangered Horned and Leaf-nosed Lizards was released on bail of Rs. 200,000 after being produced before the Negombo Additional Magistrate Kapila Dushayantha Epitawela.
He pleaded guilty to four offences including removing an animal from its natural environment and keeping animals illegally. The man was fined Rs. 50,000 for each offence
The man identified as Suren Cooray (41) was arrested at Kanuwana in the Ja Ela area by the DWC flying squad on a tip-off.
DWC Acting Director General W.S.K.Pathiratna said the man was engaged in the reptile smuggling racket and providing reptiles to foreign dealers.
“According the Wild Life Act it is illegal to capture, exhibit or rear wild life specimens mentioned in the Protected List. Even the remains of a dead specimen cannot be kept in custody,” he said.
Source : Sunday Times http://www.sundaytimes.lk/161009/news/former-customs-official-charges-delay-in-cites-listing-of-endangered-reptiles-211920.html