WILDLIFE POACHING AND TRAFFICKING:

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Beverley Hodges
7 years ago
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1 WILDLIFE POACHING AND TRAFFICKING: Challenges and strategies for Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities Sector Review Workshop

2 Definitions Wildlife Poaching Traditionally defined as the illegal hunting, killing or capturing of wild animals in violation of the law. Poaching is different from hunting as hunting refers to harvesting of wildlife within the law. Wildlife trafficking The illegal trade in wildlife (dead or alive) and wildlife products.

3 Background Poaching is one of the historical challenges in protected area management all over the world. The origin of poaching can be traced to stone age where man was living a hunter-gatherer life On the other hand, wildlife trafficking is not as historical as poaching but is a recent development in protected area management. Before 1973 when CITES was born, wildlife trafficking was not a serious concern in PA mgt.

4 Factors facilitating poaching and trafficking period of civil war & no revenue No operational funds and salary low staff morale Lots of wildlife were killed by the Tanzanians during the liberation war The actions of the Tanzanians catalyzed poaching in Uganda

5 Comparison 1960s and 2012 Species 1960s 2012 Buffalo 60,000 22,000 Burchell's Zebra 10,000 12,000 Elephant 30,000 5,000 Rothschild s giraffe 2, Hartebeest 25,000 4,000 Hippo 26,000 7,000 Impala 12,000 34,000 Topi 15, Uganda kob 70,000 54,000 Lion?? 400 Species 1960s 2012 Waterbuck 10,000 13,000 Common Eland 4,500 1,450 Bright's gazelle 1, Roan Oryx 2,000 0 Black Rhino Derby s eland Northern White Rhino Southern White Rhino 0 14

6 Factors cont 14 th CITES Conference of Parties decision 1989, CITES banned trade in Ivory 1997 CITES downgraded elephants for South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana from App. I to II 2008 CITES allowed the 4 countries a one-off sale of its stocks of ivory which were legally acquired This triggered illegal killing of elephants on the Continent The increased demand for ivory in Eastern Asia has resurrected the illegal killing of elephants for ivory in Africa.

7 elephant poaching (carcasses without ivory in brackets) Year QEPA MFPA KVNP KNP/ TSWR (0) (1) 11 (10) (3) 2 (1) (0) 6 (0) (2) 4 (2) (4) 2 (1) (2) 3 (1) (3) 5 (2) 6 (4) (4) 7 (2) 2 (2) 4 (4) (16) 26 (25) 5 5 (5) (10) 12 (10) 2 (1) 6 (5) TOTAL 78 (45) 86 (54) 10 (3) 21 (18)

8 More drivers of poaching The security deployments along or within Park boundaries have provided easy source of guns for poaching Insecurity in DRC and Sudan is major cause for increased elephant kills in those areas Porous borders Uninformed border officials Increased human-wildlife conflicts as a result of crop raiding has aided poaching. Need for more cultivable land Population increase

9 Poaching drivers cont. Weak laws. Many poaching suspects are given light sentences that are not deterrent enough. Inadequate manpower (rangers). UWA only has 1300 rangers to man over 28,000km 2 of protected areas giving each ranger an average of 22Km 2 to cover compared to the IUCN recommended standard of 1 ranger per 6km 2. This force is too thin to adequately protect wildlife from poachers in PAs. This excludes areas outside PAs. Inadequate equipment for rangers (vehicles, motorcycles etc). Lack of intelligence Unit (previously but now addressed). Corruption by staff, police, customs, judiciary etc

10 Current efforts to address poaching & wildlife trafficking An independent intelligence unit of 80 staff has been established and trained to provide information to curb poaching and other wildlife crimes. Need to equip the unit with necessary tools and logistics. The ongoing process for revision of the law will help address gaps and impose punitive measures against offenders. Intelligence led operations have resulted in several confiscations of wildlife contraband and arrest & prosecution of culprits.

11 EFFORTS BEING EMPLOYED TO CONTROL POACHING AND TRAFFICKING OF WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE PRODUCTS

12 Drawing and implementation of an action plan on control of illegal trade Uganda - National Ivory Action Plan.doc Coordination and collaboration with other security agencies Police, Interpol, UPDF, Customs, Judiciary has improved resulting in more arrests and convictions of wildlife crime suspects.

13 Confiscations of July 2012 at Entebbe Airport

14 What is being done cont. Inter agency awareness workshops particularly with Judiciary, Police and customs has been done in all regions and will continue. Routine ground, aerial & marine patrols continue to be undertaken in all protected areas and areas outside PAs. Sensitization of security forces deployed near and within protected areas being done through the UPDF Liaison Officers attached to UWA Deployment of Tourism Police to aid in investigations and prosecutions of wildlife crime cases. Community sensitization and awareness as a continuous process

15 More actions by UWA Strategic deployment of UWA personnel at major border posts and international airport. These will be reinforced by the new Intelligence unit staff. Punitive measures on staff that engage in poaching or abetting poaching. Many have been dismissed, others demoted and/or transferred to less sensitive positions Engagement of political leaders to support wildlife conservation and enhance positive political intervention as opposed to negative interventions. Supporting groups of reformed poachers to engage in income generating projects and report others still poaching.

16 Key challenges Pressure for degazettement of protected areas from the political leaders. This requires concerted efforts of all stakeholders as UWA is always vindicated. Continued civil strife in DRC Maintained positions of CITES in wildlife trade Population pressure that is yearning for more cultivable land

18 Community Hostilities from land conflicts

19 Challenges cont Changing face of poaching

SAFETY AND SECURITY OF RHINOCEROS POPULATIONS

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF RHINOCEROS POPULATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Part A: Introduction and Background 2 1. Introduction 2 2. Application 4 3. Purpose 5 4. Objectives