Customs officials seize over 7,000 tortoises at Thai-Malaysian border

---

 

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/218763.html

Don’t allow trophy seekers to hunt black bears*

Florida black bears were once forced to the brink of extinction because of
over-hunting and loss of habitat. These shy forest dwellers have recently
rebounded thanks in part to a 1974 decision to protect the species and a
1994 ban on bear hunting. The state is now considering a proposal to boot
the recovering black bear off of its list of threatened species, a move that
paves the way to reopen “trophy” bear hunts, where hunters kill the
creatures for a hide or head to display.

Though bears may have crept back into a small portion of their historic
range in Florida, some local bear populations are in serious peril and,
indeed, there are still only somewhere between 2,000 and 3,400 black bears
left in Florida — fewer black bears than there are manatees.

The bear habitat in Florida is badly fragmented, confined to isolated
pockets throughout the state. Bears need large areas of habitat that connect
to other areas of land. Unfortunately, their homes have shrunk as Florida’s
neighborhoods push farther into what was once bear territory. As a result,
bears are sometimes drawn to unsecured garbage, birdseed and pet food.

Citing the increase in public encounters with bears, trophy hunters want the
state to remove bears from the protected species list.

We can solve these conflicts without killing bears. Human-bear conflicts in
Florida are still quite low, and they can be reduced by common-sense, proven
methods.

Among other things, neighbors can be educated about the importance of not
feeding bears and using effective garbage maintenance. There are also ways
to use “aversive conditioning” to stop bears from learning that human
neighborhoods automatically mean a free meal.

At its June 8 meeting in St. Augustine, The Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission will consider if black bears meet the state’s newly
adopted threatened species criteria. Commissioners need to hear from
Floridians who oppose hunting this vulnerable species.

The FWC’s draft management plan for bears has rightly drawn controversy for
including trophy hunting as a potential management tool. After public outcry
against reopening the hunt reached a pitch last fall, the FWC abruptly
cancelled public hearings on the issue.

The majority of Floridians oppose bear hunting. The state’s own polling in
the early 1990s showed that the public opposed bear hunting. A poll this
spring by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. confirmed that Florida voters
remain strongly opposed — by a three-to-one margin — to trophy hunting
Florida’s recovering black bears.

The poll also indicated that an overwhelming majority oppose hunting black
bears with dogs, which could be part of the state’s hunting proposal. Voters
also overwhelmingly support the state prioritizing non-lethal approaches to
dealing with community black bear conflicts.

The FWC’s proposed plan for managing bears once they’re removed from the
threatened species list says Florida should protect more habitat for bears
and adopt some humane conflict prevention programs, but it’s unclear whether
funding exists for such protections.

Until Florida’s black bears have sufficient habitat protection and adequate
conflict management programs that don’t include trophy hunting, Florida’s
bears should remain on the protected species list.

If you agree, contact the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 850
488-4676 or Commissioners@MyFWC.com.

Jennifer Hobgood, Florida state director, The Humane Society of the United
States, Tallahassee


Read more:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/06/2254106/dont-allow-trophy-seekers-to-hunt.html#ixzz1Ob1nJDJZ

Venezuelan Government Bans Wildlife Hunting and Trading in Some Areas

By Minamb, AVN


The tricolored-plumage ara macaws, best known as guacamayas, are one of
the endangered species in Venezuela because they are frequently
extracted from their habitat in the Amazonas, where they mate for life.
This is the reason why they die when they are hunted and taken out of
their environment.

These birds, and other animals such as parrots, monkeys and snakes, are
exhibited by their captors in cages for days on the main road of
Amazonas state, southern Venezuela. Their buyers move them in wrapped
boxes to bypass the National Guard checkpoints. When they reach their
"new home," these animals usually die as a result of stress and sudden
habitat change.

Hence, the Bolivarian Government is taking measures in the Metropolitan
Area of ​​Caracas and the states of Anzoategui, Bolivar, Falcon,
Guarico, Lara, Monagas, Miranda, Sucre, Zulia and Yaracuy in order to
guarantee that this situation does not worsen.

The measures ban the illicit trade and possession of birds and other
wildlife species, as well as products derived from wildlife, on public
roads (roads, highways, paths, streets and avenues) and in unauthorized
shops.

In addition to these measures, the Venezuelan state is promoting a
number of environmental preservation programs.

Arrau Turtle Preservation Program

The arrau turtle, also known in Venezuela as the Orinoco turtle, is the
biggest of the Podocnemis genus and was widely abundant 200 years ago.
Nevertheless, since 1995 it is an endangered species, although it has
been legally protected since 1946.

In the first quarter of 2011, the Bolivarian government, through the
environment ministry, freed 10,000 Arrau turtles (Podocnemis expansa) in
Amazonas state, Venezuela’s south, as part of the conservation program
to protect this endangered species.

The program, which is being developed to prevent illegal hunting, aims
to transport endangered nests to zoo-farms over a one year period, in
order to subsequently return the species to their natural habitat. Over
51,000 turtles bred in captivity are expected to be freed this year.

José Zambrano, director of the environmental office in Amazonas, said
that this activity “shows the interest of the Bolivarian government in
preserving wild fauna, especially endangered species.”

So far, 12,806 Arrau turtles have been freed in the Refuge of Wild Fauna
and Protecting Areas, located in the village of Santa María del Orinoco,
in the south-western state of Apure, and 6,000 in south-western Bolívar
state. By June, 22,000 turtles are expected to be freed in Azoátegui
state, Venezuela’s northeast, and 949 in Barinas state.

National Parks under protection

For a long time, Venezuela was the victim of an activity that caused
irreparable harm to the environment. The Fun Race private organization
staged off-road car races in different national parks of the country
where its participants had to cover hundreds of kilometres in the
shortest possible time. Many of the circuits did not have the
authorization required by the Venezuelan authorities to hold these
races, which helped the company earn millions.

Venezuela's Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, imposed a ban on this
type of activity. "These races cause irreparable harm because the
vegetation cover wears out and its recovery can take up to 200 years.

The Bolivarian government took legal actions and ordered the Fun Race
company to promote, design and develop awareness-raising campaigns to
show the ecological harm caused by this activity in the country's
national parks and protected areas.

Mission Tree recovers natural ecosystems

Venezuela features a 123.5 million-acre forest area that represents 56%
of its territory. In South America, this is equivalent to 5.6% of
forests and 1.3% of the world's forest area.

Communities nationwide have organized jointly with the Ministry of
People's Power for the Environment (Minamb) to working on the
consolidation of Mission Tree (Misión Árbol in Spanish), which aims to
contribute to the restoration and maintenance of forests and local green
areas.

Currently, nearly 5,200 conservation committees, comprised of 50,000
people, have been created. Over 19 million plants have been planted
throughout the country, thus allowing for the recovery of over 56 acres.
The Venezuelan minister for the environment, Alejandro Hitcher, said
that "the government's social program strengthens the spirit of
conservation of the population, thus contributing to economic
development and environmental sustainability."

Edited by Venezuelanalysis

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/6251