Wildlife Trade
National Geographic: Despite Ban, Rhino Horn Flooding Black Markets Across China
The country is pledged to end the trade in elephant ivory this year, but will it take steps to help save rhinos? By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED July 18, 2017 How do you disrupt the illicit rhino horn supply chain from Africa to Asia? That’s the question spurring a new investigation into rhino horn trafficking in China and Vietnam undertaken…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Justice for Rhinos–When Will it Come?
Nothing prepared me for the venom in his eyes. While not directed at me, nobody in the courtroom could escape the anger seeping from his pores. Through a twist of fate, I was in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a province on the eastern coast of South Africa, on September 19, the day the trial of a suspected…
Read MoreNational Geographic: What to Expect at CITES: A Sneak Peak at Upcoming Endangered Species Meeting
2016-10-19 Even for experienced eyes, sifting through the roughly 200 documents to be considered at the upcoming Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) is a challenge. CITES protects about 5,600 animal species and 30,000 plant species through restrictions on commercial trade, and much discussion at…
Read MoreMongabay.com: Unknown, ignored and disappearing: Asia’s Almost Famous Animals
Often called the most beautiful of the monkeys, the Red-shanked Douc langur of Southeast Asia hasn’t benefited much from its good looks. It is barely known to the public or most conservationists and is Endangered. Photo by Art G. on flickr CC BY 2.0 The Sumatran rhino, like the orangutan and tiger, is an example…
Read MoreHuffington Post: The Secret Trade That Threatens Rare Birds
By Laurel Neme Author and freelance journalist The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds, especially African greys. Photograph by Edward Echwalu, Reuters Singapore plays a key role as a…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Inside the Secret Trade That Threatens Rare Birds
Singapore is a major transit hub for trade in threatened birds, especially African grey parrots. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 19, 2016 The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds,…
Read MoreHuffington Post: For Pangolins, A Long Hard Road to Freedom
03/18/2016 by Laurel Neme Freelance Journalist and Author This pangolin was recently rehabilitated and released in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife. Pangolins are scaly anteaters about the size of a house cat. They’re presumed to be the world’s most trafficked mammal, with an estimated 100,000 plucked from the wild every year in Africa and…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Happy Ending for Smuggled Pangolins
Wildlife Watch 16 rare scaly anteaters are back in the wild after being rescued from Vietnam’s illegal wildlife trade. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED March 15, 2016 This story was updated to reflect that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today issued a preliminary finding to a scientific petition submitted by conservation groups, saying that Endangered Species Act…
Read MoreHuffington Post: This Elusive Bird Isn’t Safe From Traffickers
03/03/2016 Laurel Neme Freelance Journalist and Author Male Javan banded pitta by Doug Janson via Wikimedia Pittas are a birdwatcher’s prize. Called “jewels of the forest” for their glorious plumage, these shy, secretive birds are almost impossible to spot in the wild. But head to Indonesia’s massive wild bird markets, and they’re a common sight, according…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Even This Incredibly Elusive Bird Isn’t Safe from Traffickers
Pittas are almost impossible to spot in the wild. Though legally protected, they’re a common sight in Indonesia’s notorious bird markets. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED Thu Feb 25, 2016 Pittas are a birdwatcher’s prize. Called “jewels of the forest” for their glorious plumage, these shy, secretive birds are almost impossible to spot in the wild. But…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Petition Seeks Ban on Trade in Fake Rhino Horn
Exclusive: NGOs express concerns that cultured rhino horn undercuts existing law and imperils wild rhinos. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED Wed Feb 10, 2016 Trade in bioengineered rhino horn shouldn’t be allowed. That’s the contention behind a petition filed today with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Center for Biological Diversity, a U.S.-based group that uses science and…
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