20 Mar 2008 - Australia
is the richest country in the world for
vertebrates, but only 10.5% of the land
area is safeguarded in protected areas.
That’s less than
that of ecologically and economically poorer
countries such as Colombia, China, Peru,
Malaysia and Venezuela.
The report, Building
Nature’s Safety Net 2008, is WWF-Australia’s
second comprehensive review of Australia’s
protected areas on land.
“The Australian Government
needs to invest at least AUD 250 million
to save the country’s wildlife and natural
ecosystems,” said WWF-Australia’s protected
areas policy manager and report co-author,
Dr Martin Taylor.
.
“Australia has a shocking record of species
loss with the highest rate of mammal extinction
in the world over the last 200 years, and
without an adequate safety net for protected
species Australia’s unique wildlife will
continue to disappear.”
At last count, 72% of
Australia’s threatened species were declining,
but fewer were declining in regions with
more land area protected.
About $8 million on
average was spent annually by the Australian
Commonwealth Government over the last decade
in purchasing new protected areas. But experts
believe at least $50 million a year over
the next five years is needed.
Building a National
Reserve System was one of eight priorities
of the Natural Heritage Trust, but it received
only 3.4% of past Trust budgets, the report
said.
If the Australian government
follows the report’s advice, protected areas
would increase by at least 30 million hectares
by 2012.
Building Nature’s Safety
Net 2008 measures progress toward biodiversity
protection commitments Australian state
and territory governments agreed to in 2005,
compiling the latest data state and territory
parks agencies provided to WWF.
Except the Australia
Capital Territory and Tasmania, the states
and territories report that they do not
expect to meet the targets they have committed
to for protecting ecosystem diversity and
endangered species by 2010-2015, given the
present levels of funding.
Dr Martin Taylor, Protected Areas Policy
Manager
+ More
Tons of pangolins seized
in a week
21 Mar 2008 - This month,
customs inspectors and enforcement officers
took possession of more than 16 tons of
pangolins at Hai Phong port in Viet Nam.
It is the largest seizure of these animals
ever in the country.
About seven tons of
pangolin carcasses and scales were seized
by customs at the same place, at the end
of February. At least 2460 carcasses and
900 kg of scales were recovered.
TRAFFIC praised the
Viet Nam customs for its swift action and
sound investigative work.
“The seizure is a great
step towards combating illegal wildlife
trade in Viet Nam”, said Sulma Warne, Programme
Coordinator, TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme.
Customs officials acknowledged
TRAFFIC’s assistance in preparing them for
the latest operation, through earlier training
in implementation of CITES regulations.
“Customs officers are
well informed of the spectrum of wildlife
trade in Viet Nam and the ways with which
it can be illegally transported,” said Warne.
According to the authorities,
in both seizures the cargoes were found
in containers registered as fresh fish belonging
to an import-export business located in
Quang Ninh, on the North of Viet Nam.
These scaly anteaters
are found throughout Southeast Asia and
are protected under Vietnamese Law, which
restricts any trade or transport. They are
also protected by the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES).
Pangolin trade was banned
in 2000. However, pangolins are still sold
as meat and traditional medicines in many
Asian countries.
No suspects have been
detained, but investigations are currently
going on.
