Latest news with #ConventiononInternationalTradeinEndangeredSpeciesofWildFaunaandFlora
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Flyer Smuggles In 2 Monkeys, 7 Tortoises From Bangkok, Caught In Chennai
Chennai: An Indian man returning from Bangkok was caught carrying two live monkeys of different species in ventilated carry bags and seven tortoises in a cloth bag at the Chennai airport. The passenger was arrested on Wednesday night and later sent to judicial custody by a court. The animals have been sent back to Thailand. The import of such wildlife without authorisation is prohibited under the Customs Act, 1962, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations governing international trade in endangered species. The arrest reflects a worrying trend as the Chennai airport has been seeing several cases of exotic animals being smuggled in, mainly from Southeast Asian countries. In August 2024, Customs officers caught a passenger from Bangkok trying to bring in 22 rare animals, including snakes, turtles, and flying monkeys. A few weeks before that, another passenger was found with 14 pythons, 30 blue iguanas, and four squirrels hidden in bags. In 2022, there were 11 cases at the airport and the animals whose smuggling was attempted included albino porcupines, sugar gliders, tamarin monkeys and tortoises. Experts say the cases indicate that Chennai is being used as a key transit point for wildlife smuggling. Most of the species are brought from countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and then make their way to the illegal pet trade. Chennai Customs authorities said they have boosted surveillance and increased the number of quick action teams.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
S'pore app using AI to combat illegal wildlife trade acquired by US start-up
The app was born from a collaboration between NParks, Microsoft Singapore and non-profit group Conservation International. PHOTO: ST FILE S'pore app using AI to combat illegal wildlife trade acquired by US start-up SINGAPORE - A mobile application launched in Singapore in 2022 to combat illegal w ildlife trade has been acquired by a US-based biodiversity technology firm. The app, called Fin Finder, is the first-of-its-kind in Asia which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help border enforcement officers identify illegally traded shark and ray fins. Users are able to upload a photo of a fin on the app and its algorithm will analyse its shapes and patterns to identify the species of origin. Born from a collaboration between Singapore's National Park Board (NParks), Microsoft Singapore and non-profit group Conservation International, the app was acquired by Washington-based Conservation X Labs in April 2025. Since its launch, the app has been adopted by law enforcement agencies in 32 countries, and has an accuracy level of 89.4 per cent, NParks said in response to The Straits Times' queries. Over the years, it has also been regularly updated with the appendix status of each species in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which outlines its level of protection under international trade laws, the agency added. While Conservation X Labs will manage the app, moving forward, NParks said that it remains an implementing partner and user. Dr Anna Wong, NParks' senior director of wildlife trade, said: 'Using technology like Fin Finder can strengthen enforcement against the illegal trade of shark and ray species, and enhance Singapore's capabilities in conserving biodiversity.' She added that the app' s creation has highlighted the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors in fighting illegal wildlife trade. In an April 2025 statement to app users, Conservation X Labs, which helped to build Fin Finder's machine learning models, said that the acquisition may enable further development in its image analysis technology, and the expansion of the app's reach. A free, rapid identification tool Fin Finder's biggest strengths, said its founders, is that it is a free-to-use, rapid identification tool. In the shark's fin trade, fins are often imported in containers with mixed shipments, said Dr Andrew Rhyne, a professor of marine biology at the Roger Williams University and one of the app's founders. As a result, a percentage of the shipment are often fins of Cites-protected species, which are nestled among those that are not. Dr Rhyne said: 'High-quality, rapid identification tools that are inexpensive and accurate would be very useful for customs and border agents.' Fin Finder is part of a two-step process, he explained, where enforcement officers first use the app to identify species that have been illegally traded before confirming this through DNA testing. This is crucial given the sheer volume and diversity of wildlife products that pass through country borders, said Dr Michael Tlusty, a professor of sustainability and food solutions at the University of Massachusetts Boston and another of the app's founders. Citing a recently published paper which found that nearly 30,000 species of animals were imported into America over two decades, he said: 'Nobody's going to know 30,000 species, so these automated tools make the job of customs agents much easier.' The app's usage over the past years has also resulted in over 4,000 photos of shark fins, which Dr Rhyne said is valuable information that can help its developers fortify its AI model. Scaling up for global use Looking ahead, Fin Finder's founders said possibilities for the app are limitless. Mr Eric Fegraus, a former senior director of technology at Conservation International who led efforts to develop the app, said: 'It could scale to other species – certainly, more sharks – and be implemented in other areas in the world where it's needed.' Dr Tlusty, likewise, believes that the app's technology can be modified to identify other animal derivative products. He said: 'As we build more identification algorithms, such as edge detection and spot recognition, we can even start combining them.' Ultimately, Mr Fegraus said it is about developing flexible technology that can be used to enforce the regulations of the day. While he acknowledges that ideological debates on whether mankind should even fish for animals, like sharks, remain necessary, he said having the tools to aid in enforcement are equally important. 'Particularly around wildlife, we've got to, at the minimum, enforce the rules, and then eventually, we have to change the rules,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Mozambique welcomes 10 new black rhinos to Zinave National Park
An agreement was reached on the rhinos sourced from the Ithala Game Reserve and Ezemvelo's Black Rhino Expansion Project. The rhinos were first translocated to Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park where they were prepared for the 48-hour trip to Zinave National Park. 'South Africa's successes in rhino conservation and the implementation of anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts have stabilised its rhino populations, thereby placing the country as a source of rhino for range states in Africa who wish to grow populations of rhinos, as is the case with this translocation,' said George. George added that the export and import of black rhinos is done in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's legislation of both countries. The director-general of ANAC, Pejul Calenga, expressed his gratitude and added that this was the first translocation of rhinos to Mozambique. 'We thank the South African government and all partners involved. We would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to protecting Mozambique's conservation areas and to invite all friends of conservation, as well as tourists, to visit our country,' said Calenga. The CEO of Ezemvelo, Sihle Mkhize, said the project began in 2024 when Ezemvelo's renowned game capture unit expertly captured the rhinos selected for the translocation and made a commitment to secure a future for rhinos in Africa. 'The animals selected from various game reserves were given the highest level of care while kept in holding bomas awaiting favourable conditions for the road transfer. It makes us proud to have once again translocated healthy and well-cared-for animals, continuing our proud tradition,' said Mkhize. During the loading of the rhinos, the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment management inspectors and Border Management Authority (BMA) officials assisted successfully with the proper permits and compliance. The translocation was financially supported by the UK People's Postcode Lottery. 'We believe in supporting the rewilding of critically endangered species like the black rhino and creating lasting impact for people and the planet. This historic translocation to Zinave National Park simply wouldn't have happened without People's Postcode Lottery players', said its MD, Clara Govier. Mozambique minister of agriculture, environment and fisheries Roberto Albino added that Zinave National Park now hosts viable breeding populations of both black and white rhinos. 'We extend our gratitude to the South African government and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for their generous donation of 10 critically endangered black rhinos. The successful translocation of these rhinos to Zinave National Park not only enhances biodiversity but also reinforces our commitment to establishing Mozambique's only 'big five' national park', he added.
The Citizen
a day ago
- General
- The Citizen
SA sends 10 critically endangered black rhinos to Mozambique
Ten additional black rhinos have been successfully translocated from South Africa to Zinave National Park in Mozambique to help secure the first founder population of black rhinos since becoming locally extinct 50 years ago. The rhinos, including five males and five females, were donated by South Africa's provincial conservation entity, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, in collaboration with Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas and Peace Parks Foundation. The translocation was made possible through funding from the United Kingdom's People's Postcode Lottery. By reintroducing wildlife to areas where the species once thrived, biodiversity is restored. The preservation of natural ecosystems is one of the most effective tools in mitigating climate change. Through the creation of ecosystem 'carbon sinks', these ecosystems can increase global carbon uptake by up to 12 times. With 37 rhinos already introduced and thriving, this initiative aims to enhance biodiversity and reinforce the park as Mozambique's only 'big five' national park, setting a new standard for wildlife conservation and ecological restoration. Peace Parks Foundation approached Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for a donation of black rhinos to boost the numbers to form a viable breeding population of black rhinos in Mozambique. An agreement was reached on the ten rhinos sourced from Ithala Game Reserve and Ezemvelo's three Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. The rhinos were initially relocated to Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, where they were housed in specially prepared holding facilities in preparation for the 48-hour journey to Zinave. The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, described this as a significant conservation success. Goerge commended the Government of Mozambique and its co-management partner, Peace Parks Foundation, on achieving this important milestone, noting that establishing new founder populations is one of many critical interventions to secure the future of these species. 'South Africa's successes in rhino conservation and the implementation of anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts have stabilised its rhino populations, thereby placing the country in a position as a source of rhino for range states in Africa which have either lost many or all of their rhino and wish to re-establish populations or augment current populations, as is the case with this translocation. 'The export and import of these valuable black rhinos have been done in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's legislation of both countries,' the Minister said yesterday. To ensure successful translocation and compliance with all the required permits, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment management inspectors (MIs) and officials from the Border Management Authority played a crucial role during the loading and endorsement of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits at the ports of exit. During the loading this week, the departmental MIs ensured that all the allocated microchip numbers, as prescribed in the CITES permits, correspond with those inserted in the live rhino. The first rhinos were successfully translocated from South Africa to Zinave National Park in 2022, in the longest road transfer of rhinos ever undertaken. This initiative, the result of a partnership between Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas and Peace Parks Foundation, marked the beginning of Mozambique's efforts to rebuild founder white and black rhino populations as part of a national conservation initiative to reintroduce rhinos in the country. In 2023, Peace Parks received a funding award of £800 000 (approximately R18 720 000) raised by players of the UK People's Postcode Lottery towards the translocation of ten more black rhinos to Zinave, which enabled this critical next phase in rhino rewilding. 'Supporting the rewilding of critically endangered species like the black rhino is at the heart of what we believe in – creating lasting impact for people and planet. I am delighted that players of People's Postcode Lottery have been able to support Peace Parks Foundation. 'This historic translocation to Zinave National Park simply wouldn't have happened without player-raised funding. It's a powerful example of what we can achieve when we come together across borders to restore nature and protect our shared future,' MD of UK People's Postcode Lottery, Clara Govier said. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
a day ago
- General
- The South African
SA sends 10 endangered black rhinos to Mozambique: Will they be safe from poachers?
Ten additional black rhinos have been successfully translocated from South Africa to Zinave National Park in Mozambique to help secure the first founder population of black rhinos since becoming locally extinct 50 years ago. The rhinos, including five males and five females, were donated by South Africa's provincial conservation entity, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, in collaboration with Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and Peace Parks Foundation. The translocation was made possible through funding from the United Kingdom's People's Postcode Lottery. It's a curious move considering the vast majority of poachers apprehended in the Kruger National Park are either Mozambican or have crossed over into South Africa through the porous fence that separates the two countries. By reintroducing wildlife to areas where the species once thrived, biodiversity is restored. The preservation of natural ecosystems is one of the most effective tools in mitigating climate change. Through the creation of ecosystem 'carbon sinks', these ecosystems can increase global carbon uptake by up to 12 times. With 37 rhinos already introduced and thriving, this initiative aims to enhance biodiversity and reinforce the park as Mozambique's only 'big five' national park, setting a new standard for wildlife conservation and ecological restoration. Peace Parks Foundation approached Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for a donation of black rhinos to boost the numbers to form a viable breeding population of black rhinos in Mozambique. An agreement was reached on the 10 rhinos sourced from Ithala Game Reserve and Ezemvelo's three Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. The rhinos were initially relocated to Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, where they were housed in specially prepared holding facilities in preparation for the 48-hour journey to Zinave. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, described this as a significant conservation success. George commended the Government of Mozambique and its co-management partner, Peace Parks Foundation, on achieving this important milestone, noting that establishing new founder populations is one of many critical interventions to secure the future of these species. 'South Africa's successes in rhino conservation and the implementation of anti-poaching and anti-trafficking efforts have stabilised its rhino populations, thereby placing the country in a position as a source of rhino for range States in Africa which have either lost many or all of their rhino and wish to re-establish populations or augment current populations, as is the case with this translocation. 'The export and import of these valuable black rhinos have been done in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's legislation of both countries,' the Minister said. To ensure successful translocation and compliance with all the required permits, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Management Inspectors (EMIs), together with officials from Border Management Authority (BMA), played a crucial role during the loading and endorsement of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) permits at the ports of exit. During the loading this week, the departmental EMIs ensured that all the allocated microchip numbers, as prescribed in the CITES permits, correspond with those inserted in the live rhino. The first rhinos were successfully translocated from South Africa to Zinave National Park in 2022, in the longest road transfer of rhinos ever undertaken. This initiative, the result of a partnership between Mozambique's National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and Peace Parks Foundation, marked the beginning of Mozambique's efforts to rebuild founder white and black rhino populations as part of a national conservation initiative to reintroduce rhinos in the country. In 2023, Peace Parks received a funding award of £800 000, raised by players of the UK People's Postcode Lottery towards the translocation of 10 more black rhinos to Zinave, which enabled this critical next phase in rhino rewilding. 'Supporting the rewilding of critically endangered species like the black rhino is at the heart of what we believe in – creating lasting impact for people and planet. I am delighted that players of People's Postcode Lottery have been able to support Peace Parks Foundation. 'This historic translocation to Zinave National Park simply wouldn't have happened without player-raised funding. It's a powerful example of what we can achieve when we come together across borders to restore nature and protect our shared future,' Managing Director of UK People's Postcode Lottery Clara Govier said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
