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Agencies

The regulator of global wildlife trade imposed a near-total ban on sending African elephants captured from the wild to zoos, in a decision hailed by conservationists as “momentous”.
Following a heated debate at a meeting of parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Geneva on Tuesday, the member countries approved a proposed text after a revision by the European Union included some exceptions to the ban.
The decision was met with strong opposition from Zimbabwe, which according to Pro Wildlife, sold more than 100 young elephants to Chinese zoos and circuses between 2012 and 2017.
The other three countries that are covered by the ban are Botswana, which has already stopped such shipments, as well as Namibia and South Africa, which have already limited their exports to elephant conservation projects in Africa.
The resolution passed by a vote of 87 in favour, 29 against and 25 abstaining. The US voted against it.

“This is a momentous CITES decision for Africa’s elephants,” said Audrey Delsink, the wildlife director at Humane Society International (HSI)’s Africa division.
The vote in plenary altered slightly a decision taken at the start of the 12-day conference – which was to wrap on Wednesday – prohibiting the transfer of all African elephants caught in the wild to so-called captive facilities.
The decision only affects African elephants. Asian elephants already enjoy more protection against international trade.
The initial CITES vote was to limit trade in live wild African elephants to conservation in their natural habitats, basically ending the practice of capturing elephants and sending them to zoos and entertainment venues around the world.
The EU, which for technical reasons had been unable to cast its 28 votes during the first committee vote on August 18, had hinted it might join the United States and others in flatly opposing the text.
How a ban on sale of wild African elephants to zoos could affect China
This prompted an outcry, with a number of public figures including Jane Goodall, Pamela Anderson and Brigitte Bardot sending a letter to EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker asking that the EU back the ban.
In the end, the EU drafted an amended text, adding a loophole, saying the elephants should remain in their “natural and historical range in Africa, except in exceptional circumstances where … it is considered that a transfer to ex-situ locations will provide demonstrable in-situ conservation benefits for African elephants”.
In such case decisions should only be made in consultation with the CITES Animals Committee, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) elephant specialist group.
The EU amendment also made clear that African elephants caught in the wild and already in zoos could be transferred to other facilities outside Africa.




Some African officials said the new proposal would deny them some much-needed cash and that they should be free to do what they wished with their elephants.
“The government has been pumping out a lot of money for conservation with no real return, yet our government has competing social needs,” said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
“We view our animals as an economic opportunity, so we should sell our elephants.”
Farawo said that Zimbabwe, Botswana Namibia and other southern African countries would meet for consultations following the CITES meeting.
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Namibia, angered after losing a bid to ease controls over products from its white rhino population, threatened to lead southern African nations out of the global convention.
“There are countries that hold views that are not based on science. Instead of applying science they are just politicising the whole matter,” Pohamba Shifeta, Namibia’s environment minister, told reporters in Geneva.
“As the Southern African Development Community region, the region with the largest population of the Rhinoceros species, we will reconsider our staying in CITES if it is the case. We are going to have a meeting and we are going to make a statement.”
SADC has 16 member states including Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Bloomberg


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Conservation

Conservationists hail ‘momentous’ near-total ban on sale of elephants to zoos

Wildlife experts said a resolution approved in Geneva was a ‘momentous win’ for elephants because it restricts their sale to zoos. Photo: AFP

FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015 file photo, elephants roam in the Hwange Game Reserve in Zimbabwe. Countries have agreed to limit the controversial sale of wild elephants caught in Zimbabwe and Botswana at a conference in Geneva on trade in endangered species known as CITES, to the delight of conservationists but the dismay of some of the African countries involved. Wildlife experts say it's a "momentous win" for elephants, where countries voted Tuesday to restrict the sale of wild-caught African elephants from Zimbabwe and Botswana to zoos.(AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)

How a ban on sale of wild African elephants to zoos could affect China

An elephant is hoisted into Chongqing zoo in southwestern China, on loan from another Chinese zoo. Photo: Reuters

To mark World Elephant Day, Singapore bans sale of ivory from 2021

Singapore seized its biggest haul of smuggled elephant ivory in July. Photo: AFP

This handout picture taken on July 22, 2019 and released on July 23, 2019 by the Singapore's National Parks Board shows seized ivory are seen at a holding area in Singapore. - Singapore seized its biggest haul of smuggled elephant ivory and a third illegal shipment of pangolin scales in three months all coming from Africa and destined for Vietnam, authorities said July 23. (Photo by Handout / National Parks Board / AFP) / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NATIONAL PARKS BOARD " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVE

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World

Africa

Decision was made at an international wildlife pact conference in Geneva
The ban is mainly intended to stop exports from Zimbabwe to China


Countries have agreed to limit the controversial sale of wild elephants caught in Zimbabwe and Botswana, to the delight of conservationists but the dismay of some of the African countries involved.


Conservationists hail ‘momentous’ near-total ban on sale of elephants to zoos

Decision was made at an international wildlife pact conference in Geneva The ban is mainly intended to stop exports from Zimbabwe to China

Decision was made at an international wildlife pact conference in Geneva

The ban is mainly intended to stop exports from Zimbabwe to China