Law enforcement support for gorillas

Representatives of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) attended the first meeting of the Technical Committee to the Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats, which was held on 29 and 30 March in Kigali, Rwanda. The meeting was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species.

The Technical Committee meeting brought together representatives from Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda, which are nine of the 10 countries in Africa where gorillas can still be found in the wild.

Gorillas are among the world's most endangered species and are struggling to cope with loss and degradation of their habitats. They are also sought after for their meat and for trade to illegal private exotic species collections and, on occasions, zoos. The trade in live gorillas is particularly damaging to this species, as it invariably involves the killing of several members of gorilla family groups in order to capture the sought-after juveniles. Anti-poaching staff are regularly called upon to face heavily-armed criminals and over 100 park and reserve rangers have been killed in the course of their duties in recent years.

ICCWC was represented at the meeting by the Chief of Enforcement Support from the CITES Secretariat and INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Programme Manager, who had the opportunity to visit the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo immediately before the event in Rwanda. There, he was able to meet with anti-poaching and park staff, and to see gorillas in their natural habitat.

CITES and INTERPOL briefed the Technical Committee on ICCWC activities that may assist gorilla range States in responding to crimes involving these animals, such as training the Consortium will undertake in 2011 to help Customs, the police and prosecution authorities tackle cross-border smuggling of wildlife. They also explained the range of other specialized support that ICCWC members can offer. In particular, they told the government representatives of plans to conduct technical missions to gorilla range States, to assess the enforcement situation 'on-the-ground' and to develop strategies to assist field staff and other relevant agencies.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Technical Committee called formally upon the Consortium to provide assistance to implementation of the Agreement.

Mr John Sellar, who represented the CITES Secretariat at the meeting and who chairs the ICCWC Senior Experts Group, said: "We were delighted to participate in the first-ever meeting of this Technical Committee and were very impressed by some of the work that is being conducted in gorilla range States. However, it is clear that poaching and illegal trade are very significant threats to the survival of gorillas and that such crimes are occurring in every country where they remain in the wild. This was an important opportunity for us to learn more about such threats, so that we can take these into account as the Consortium develops its work plans."

INTERPOL's representative, Mr David Higgins, added: "After visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and participating in the Technical Committee, it is evident that there is a great desire to apprehend the criminals that threaten the ongoing survival of gorillas. However, it appears that the presence of police, Customs and prosecutors in the national and regional efforts to combat the criminals can be enhanced, and INTERPOL, in cooperation with its ICCWC partners, stands ready to support this development”.

China celebrates 30 years of conserving and sustainably using biodiversity through CITES

Beijing, Geneva, 8 April 2011 – From pandas to tigers, China is home to some of the most magnificent wild species and plays a prominent role in the conservation and sustainable use of the planet’s biodiversity.

Thirty years ago today, China became the 63rd Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – the first multilateral environmental treaty that it joined. This important anniversary is being marked by a celebration involving representatives of 31 Ministries and Departments in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing. 

Commenting on the 30th anniversary, Mr John Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General, said: “Our common goal is to save species at risk of imminent extinction by making them subject to particularly strict regulation, and to ensure that international trade in biodiversity remains legal, sustainable and traceable. I would like to congratulate and thank the Chinese CITES authorities for their substantial ongoing efforts to address these universal goals, particularly in the fields of national legislation, law enforcement, scientific research, capacity building and public awareness”. 

"As the international community prepares for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in Rio in 2012, it is crucial to learn from the contribution of CITES and the Chinese CITES authorities to achieve sustainable development. By protecting wildlife through an integrated strategy, addressing social, economic and environmental elements, China is making encouraging headway in the conservation of wild fauna and flora and is generating critical lessons for advancing sustainable development”, declared Mr Sha Zukang, UNCSD Secretary-General. 

The rapid economic development experienced by China in recent years has created new challenges and opportunities for the conservation and sustainable use of wild animals and plants, such as snakes, crocodiles, ginseng, tropical timber species, turtles, seahorses and other marine species.  China has taken significant domestic measures to meet those challenges and the resources it devotes to the implementation of CITES trade regulations are significant. Its 130 full-time staff and 22 branch offices in mainland China, in addition to the offices in the Special Administrative Regions, makes China’s CITES Authority one of the largest in the world. 

“The Chinese Government has paid great attention to the conservation of wild fauna and flora. Entering into a new century, we have made a huge investment in ecological development programmes, including the Natural Forest Protection Programme and the Wildlife Protection Programme, which have effectively restored forest ecosystems and recovered protected wild fauna and flora”, declared Minister Jia Zhibang, State Forestry Administration. 

China is now going through one of the most dynamic and fast-paced changes in human history, with strong implications in terms of demand for and use of wildlife resources. The concept of a “harmonious society” is the ultimate goal of the Chinese leadership. Such a society has the clear objective of building harmony between human beings and nature, that is, working to ensure sustainable development. A balanced and harmonious approach to development will benefit not only wild fauna and flora but people as well.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: «China’s evolution into one of the world's major economies comes with opportunities and responsibilities. China has demonstrated its commitment to some of the major challenges we face today. A transition to a low carbon, resource-efficient green economy has the sustainable management of 'natural capital' as one of its overarching goals".

"CITES is among the central and key delivery systems to achieve this and China is  key partner. I am sure that over the coming years, this partnership will continue to mature and evolve to an even higher level in support of a sustainable 21st century in Asia and beyond," he added.