Latest news with #endangered species
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Airport authorities make shocking discovery during routine luggage inspection: 'The suspect was detained on the spot'
Airport authorities make shocking discovery during routine luggage inspection: 'The suspect was detained on the spot' A man was caught trying to smuggle endangered primates hidden in his suitcase through airport security. The arrest highlights a growing global crisis: wildlife trafficking through major travel hubs. What happened? According to the New Straits Times, a man attempting to board a flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Mumbai, India, was detained after it was discovered he was trying to smuggle four endangered black-handed gibbons inside his luggage. The animals, valued at around RM30,000 (roughly $6,400 USD), were discovered during a routine inspection at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). "The suspect was detained on the spot and taken to the Aeropolis police headquarters for further action," officials from Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency confirmed in a statement. The gibbons have since been handed over to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan). Authorities are pursuing charges under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008. The arrest was part of a coordinated enforcement effort launched in partnership with Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Perhilitan, aimed at cracking down on trafficking activity through high-risk aviation entry points. "AVSEC and Perhilitan will continue to tighten security controls at KLIA and will not compromise with any party involved in wildlife trafficking via air routes," the statement added. Why is wildlife trafficking concerning? Trafficking endangered species isn't just a crime; it is also a direct threat to global biodiversity and the stability of ecosystems that humans rely on. When animals are taken from their habitats and moved across borders, they can introduce disease, destabilize local ecosystems, and fuel illegal trade networks that undermine years of conservation progress. Many species are on the brink of extinction due to deforestation and poaching. When they are pulled from the wild, they leave gaps that forests can't easily fill. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Gibbons play essential roles in seed dispersal and forest regeneration. Without them, ecosystems grow weaker and become less resilient. What's being done about wildlife trafficking? In Malaysia and other countries across Southeast Asia, officials have stepped up efforts to intercept smugglers at key transit points like KLIA, which often serve as launch points for illegal animal exports. But long-term success depends on sustained coordination between wildlife agencies, customs, and law enforcement, as well as stronger international penalties. There's also a role for the public. Avoiding the purchase of exotic pets or products made from endangered species, reporting suspicious animal listings online, and supporting reputable wildlife organizations can help shrink demand and pressure traffickers' supply chains. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Science
- Malay Mail
Sniffing out extinction: Dogs help save South Africa's rarest tortoises
JOHANNESBURG, July 18 — Snout pressed to the ground, a border collie named Delta zigzagged through the shrubs on a private nature reserve near Cape Town, frantically sniffing for critically endangered tortoises. The dog stopped abruptly in front of a small bush and lay down, signalling a find as Delta's handler moved in to search the surrounding area. Hidden in the tall grass was a tiny reptile, its shell marked with yellow star-like patterns — a clear sign it was a geometric tortoise, a species found only at the southern tip of Africa. 'It's an adult female, you can tell by its flat belly,' said Esther Matthew, the dog's handler and a conservation officer for South Africa's Endangered Wildlife Trust. She explained that the organisation uses canines to sniff out the endangered species by 'building positive association with the tortoises' odour', throwing Delta a foam frisbee as a reward. Trained dogs are being used in South Africa to help locate and then track a critically endangered species of tortoise. — AFP pic Dogs are five times more effective than humans at this type of search and 'also help us find the smaller tortoises which are often overlooked, the hatchlings and the juveniles', Matthew said. 'We've seen a dramatic increase in the number of finds with the dogs.' Shrinking numbers Their help has become crucial in studying and protecting the geometric tortoise, found only in South Africa's Western Cape province and on the verge of extinction. The species' population was already as low as 1,500 individuals in the wild in the early 1990s, according to biologist Andrew Turner, who works for the conservation authority Cape Nature. It is now estimated at only several hundred animals with 'declines pretty much across the entire remaining range of this species', he told AFP. On the nature reserve, Delta and Matthew — helped by colleagues searching the bushes with sticks — found a dozen of the hardy reptiles. 'We record all the tortoises we can find, all the data, measurements and weight,' Delta's handler explained. A conservation official, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, talks about a critically endangered female Geometric tortoise, that they found with specially trained dogs on a private reserve in the Boland district of the Western Cape on June 30, 2025. — AFP pic 'Creating corridors' With the species' natural habitat shrinking due to agriculture and urban expansion, these surveys have become all the more critical, Turner said. 'There are very few places left in the Western Cape that still support these tortoises. It's really just a couple of nature reserves and pieces of good habitat left on people's private property,' he added. 'The remaining patches of vegetation are not really connected to each other anymore. There are farmlands in between, roads, towns and industries so there is limited ability for the tortoises to disperse and rescue other populations.' This fragmentation makes them all the more vulnerable to droughts, predation and fires, which scientists argue have become more frequent and intense thanks to climate change. Poaching — of the tortoises and the plants they feed on — is also a threat, Turner said. 'They are down to such small levels that they actually need as much assistance as they can get,' he said. To save the species, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has looked at building 'partnerships' with landowners and communities living in the animals' habitat. 'The biggest thing is... creating corridors where species can work through,' explained Zanne Brink, who leads the organisation's dry lands conservation programme. 'Our biggest challenge is to get enough information to prevent critical biodiversity areas from being lost to unsustainable land use.' — AFP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Confronting moment endangered manta ray is pulled from ocean for aquarium trade
Denis Richard, who was leading a tour off Florida, told Yahoo News his group was 'totally outraged' when they saw fishermen pull the manta ray aboard. Video transcript This is the confronting moment an endangered manta ray was hauled out of the ocean, right in front of a stunned tour group. Dennis Richard, who was leading a tour group off Florida, told Yahoo News his group was totally outraged when they saw the fishermen pull the manta ray aboard. Richard said it took them over a half hour to bring the manta ray to the boat. I was yelling at them, asking if they were going to release the animal, and they said, no, we have a permit. Richard believes the manta ray was being acquired for the commercial aquarium trade and is now concerned about the animals' welfare following the stressful event. However, he says there was one upside, adding, it was enlightening for the tourists. I'm glad they could witness it, so they can do something with their outrage. They can investigate, they can talk to their friends, their representatives about an injustice that allows the capture of endangered species, especially for public display.
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
World's oldest climate fund targets wildlife bonds for every country in Africa
The world's oldest multilateral climate fund, the Global Environment Facility, is planning a new wave of wildlife conservation bonds in a bid to help African countries save endangered species and ecosystems. Wildlife bonds, which provide low cost funding in return for cutting poaching or other measures, were pioneered in 2022 with a World Bank-backed rhino bond and have seen a number of other examples since. Recommended For You There was an issue targeting chimpanzee protection in Rwanda last year, and last month the GEF approved one for lemur conservation in Madagascar. Fred Boltz, head of programming at GEF, which is linked to the World Bank, told Reuters on the sidelines of a meeting of African environment ministers that it aims to do one for every one of the 54 countries in Africa. He said such a move would require an investment of $150 million from GEF, which would then be leveraged 10 times to provide a total of $1.5 billion for conservation efforts through other borrowing. Money borrowed using wildlife bonds does not typically go onto the books of beneficiary governments, meaning they can offer much-needed financing to poorer countries, climate finance experts say. They usually target emblematic species in order to appeal to specialist investors and wealthy philanthropists and their payouts are directly linked to conservation - the better the result the less the governments are usually required to pay out. But GEF now hopes they can be expanded to include entire ecosystems such as wetlands, Boltz said. The push by the fund, which was formed after the landmark Rio Earth Summit of 1992, comes as aid and development funding cuts by the United States and other major economies threatens some conservation projects. "Many countries are asking, are suggesting, that in this tough official development assistance environment, that maintaining the last level of replenishment may be difficult," Boltz said, "and that we might need to try to do more with less". The GEF has in total invested $7.7 billion in Africa in various projects, such as an $85 million effort to fight desertification in the Sahel region. It is currently urging donors to replenish its cash for its next four-year cycle of programmes, starting next year. Its last fundraising for its current cycle raised $5.3 billion - an increase of more than 30% from its last operating period amid a surge of support for international efforts to meet nature and climate targets. That funding round got money from 29 countries, with the U.S. among the biggest donors, contributing $700 million.
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
World's oldest climate fund targets wildlife bonds for every country in Africa
The world's oldest multilateral climate fund, the Global Environment Facility, is planning a new wave of wildlife conservation bonds in a bid to help African countries save endangered species and ecosystems. Wildlife bonds, which provide low cost funding in return for cutting poaching or other measures, were pioneered in 2022 with a World Bank-backed rhino bond and have seen a number of other examples since. There was an issue targeting chimpanzee protection in Rwanda last year, and last month the GEF approved one for lemur conservation in Madagascar. Fred Boltz, head of programming at GEF, which is linked to the World Bank, told Reuters on the sidelines of a meeting of African environment ministers that it aims to do one for every one of the 54 countries in Africa. He said such a move would require an investment of $150 million from GEF, which would then be leveraged 10 times to provide a total of $1.5 billion for conservation efforts through other borrowing. Money borrowed using wildlife bonds does not typically go onto the books of beneficiary governments, meaning they can offer much-needed financing to poorer countries, climate finance experts say. They usually target emblematic species in order to appeal to specialist investors and wealthy philanthropists and their payouts are directly linked to conservation - the better the result the less the governments are usually required to pay out. But GEF now hopes they can be expanded to include entire ecosystems such as wetlands, Boltz said. The push by the fund, which was formed after the landmark Rio Earth Summit of 1992, comes as aid and development funding cuts by the United States and other major economies threatens some conservation projects. "Many countries are asking, are suggesting, that in this tough official development assistance environment, that maintaining the last level of (species) replenishment may be difficult," Boltz said, "and that we might need to try to do more with less". The GEF has in total invested $7.7 billion in Africa in various projects, such as an $85 million effort to fight desertification in the Sahel region. It is currently urging donors to replenish its cash for its next four-year cycle of programmes, starting next year. Its last fundraising for its current cycle raised $5.3 billion - an increase of more than 30% from its last operating period amid a surge of support for international efforts to meet nature and climate targets. That funding round got money from 29 countries, with the U.S. among the biggest donors, contributing $700 million.
