For two decades, TRAFFIC’s Tom Milliken has tracked the illicit ivory trade that has led to the continued slaughter of Africa’s elephants. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Milliken talks about the recent increase in ivory seizures and the criminal gangs that supply Asia’s black market for ivory.

 

PHETCHABURI: Police have issued warrants for the arrest of five national park officials suspected of being involved in elephant poaching in Kaeng Krachan National Park in the province.

Five elephants were recently found shot dead and their carcasses burnt in the   park.   Police   are   investigating whether some state officials are involved in the killings of the elephants.

PHUKET: Two thousand butterflies are to be released on November 26 at Bang Pae Waterfall and Khao Pra Teaw Wildlife Reserve, with activities starting at 9:30 am.

Five hundred of the butterflies, all raised at the Phuket Butterfly Garden & Insect World in Phuket Town, will be auctioned to raise funds for the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and the Banya Nukul School for Handicapped Children.

ABU DHABI // The illegal trade in endangered and exotic animals is so lucrative that traffickers use smuggling methods that risk the animals' lives, experts said yesterday.

Smugglers commonly sedate young animals and carry them on board planes in hand luggage, said Dr Elsayyed Mohamed, the programme manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

"Usually, the animals die, but because of the large profits, smugglers will take a chance in case one of them survives," said Dr Mohamed, whose organisation runs training seminars on how to combat wildlife smuggling.

TRADE in endangered or rare animals is on the increase despite stronger enforcement of Myanmar’s anti-trafficking laws in recent years, the Ministry of Forestry’s top anti-trafficking official said last week.