5.1 TRADE IN GREAT APES AND WILDLIFE LAW

5.1 TRADE IN GREAT APES AND WILDLIFE LAW
ENFORCEMENT – Challenges and Solutions
A Case Study of Wildlife in Cameroon
Ofir Dori
The Last Great Ape organisation (LAGA). LAGA has been tasked by the
Cameroonian Government to head up their Wildlife Law Enforcement units.
EXAMPLE: ‘The Taiping Four Gorillas’:
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Originated in Cameroon
Through Ibadan Nigeria
To the Taiping zoo in Malaysia
What Price gorillas? $US1.6 million !
Figure 1: the Taiping Four gorillas at there new ‘home’ in Pretoria Zoo.
Information from the Nigerian Federal Investigation Committee:
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Originated in Cameroon
Through Ibadan Nigeria
To the Taiping zoo in Malaysia
The animals were shipped back to Pretoria Zoo in South Africa (Figure 1), and
finally, 4 ‚ years after being taken from Cameroon, they were returned, to the
Limbe Wildlife Centre, in 2008. This was after repeated official requests from the
Cameroonian Government.
Overview
There is a huge financial incentive drives the international trade in great apes. Zoos
can play a negative role in the illegal trade in apes through uncontrolled use of
dealers. Trade in great apes is international and regulated under the CITES
(Convention on Illegal trade in Endangered Species). Laws to regulate commercial
trade in threatened species do exist in the sub-region but they are barely enforced in
the field – across Africa. Most of the countries in West and Central Africa still on zero
wildlife prosecutions. There is a real need for developing effective Wildlife Law
Enforcement (Figure 2 and 3).
Figure 2 and 3. there is a real need for developing effective Wildlife Law Enforcement
Is there real trade in great apes ?
EXAMPLE: Cameroon Apes and Drugs
January 2006- an operation involving drugs and apes trade in Cameroon was being
investigated.
Four large sacks of marijuana, weighing about 50Kg were seized with a young
chimpanzee. Another kind of drug was also caught in possession of the dealer which
he admitted was cocaine (Figures 4, 5 and 6). The drugs and wildlife dealer had been
employing at least 4 poachers and had been trading other protected primates
regularly.
Figure 4, 5 and 6. Ape and drug smuggling in Cameroon
EXAMPLE: DRC – Bonobo Smuggling Affair
On December 2005, two wildlife dealers, a Ukrainian and a Congolese with a Russian
Passport, boarded an Air France flight from Kinshasa with a final destination Russia.
In a hand bag inside the plane they transported a baby Bonobo. This was well known
to Air France as the two presented a permit from the Congolese Ministry of
Agriculture - Certificate of veterinary origin and health, figure 7, and were allowed to
take the animal on board. Their passports show they had flown frequently on the
Moscow-Kinshasa route suggesting this was not their first time smuggling.
In France, following an intervention by an activist, custom authorities in the Roissy
airport held the subjects with the Bonobo. The Bonobo had been confiscated but the
subjects released and allowed to continue their journey to Russia. The airport
authorities intended to euthanase the bonobo due to Ebola fear.
This shows that it is not only African countries that are lagging behind in great ape
enforcement. Foreign nationals are involved and they can move their base from one
African country to another.
Figure 7. Veterinary Certificate for the Bonobo. Under international law, this species must be transported with CITES
paperwork.
EXAMPLE: Republic of Congo – September 06- National Ape Dealer.
The authorities have arrested a trafficker who was selling wildlife just in the center
of Brazzaville in particular chimps. Apparently, he had already sold many
animals including 5 baby gorillas and 10 chimpanzees. After three days in prison,
he was released after an unknown person asked to release the trafficker.
National dealers can be specialized
Dealers can be “Protected”
EXAMPLE - Internet – covering many countries – E.G Michelle Gardener – South
Africa
Figure 8. Open licence for Michelle gardener to transport ‘pets and livestock’
Internet connects supply with demand and offers more opportunities for an illegal
deal. Internet wildlife fraud is on the rise.
ORGANISED CRIME?
Operations’ sites
Wildlife traffic
flow by road
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Wildlife traffic
flow by boat
Wildlife traffic
flow by plane
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TO FAR EAST
Figure 9. Overview of wildlife trafficking routs out of Cameroon, and highlighting where enforcement operations have taken
place to date.
Professional organized trade operates beside opportunistic speculators trying to
join the game. Often in enforcement you meet the “losers” of the trade
Figure 10 from $US100 to
Figure 11 $US100 000?
Why is the law not applied ?
Corruption, corruption, corruption
 Lack of measurable standards.
 Lack of communication between governmental agencies.
 Lack of information to the public
Figure 12. Can Wildlife Law Enforcement Work?
LAGA’s collaboration with the Government of Cameroon
INVESTIGATIONS
Investigators, undercover agents and informers gather precise information so that
dealers in meat and the products of threatened species can be arrested in the act,
producing concrete evidence for the courts.
OPERATIONS
LAGA technically assists MINFOF and the forces of law and order to arrest violators
and to channel complaint reports to the courts. LAGA closely supervises operations
in the field. Around 83% of the operations are associated with documented bribing
attempts.
Fighting corruption.
Figure 13. LAGA not only deals with illegal primate trade
LEGAL ASSISTANCE
LAGA formed a legal team to assist in the administrative procedures of prosecuting
the first wildlife cases known in the courts of Cameroon. They have similar figures
for documented bribing attempts in the courts.
Figre 14. Using Media
MEDIA
Newsflashes on national TV and radio news. Written press concerning the success of
the operations and positive court rulings. Education of the public on the change in
enforcement , highlighting the increased deterrent, and classification of the illegal
wildlife trade as a criminal activity.
Figure 15. Effective Use of Cartoons to get the anti poaching message across.
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Analysis of Solutions
One measurable standard – Prosecutions – see below.
Follow-up of the entire process across its different stages.
Tight supervision in the field.
Strong anti-corruption policy.
No Case name
Offence
Profile
1 Bityeki
dealing with live chimp +drugspet trade
2 Markova Yuliya
dealing with a bonobo
pet trade
3 Ondonda Zhilber
dealing with bonobo
pet trade
4 Eyong James
dealing with elephants
products + murder
Ivory dealers
5 camara Mohamed dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
Remarks
Drug dealer arrested with 50 kg
Marijuana, activates 5 poachers
DRC, international ukranian ape
dealer
DRC, international ape dealer,
Russian passport
Killed 270 elephants,
accomplice of murder of an
ecoguard
ivoirian connection to ivory trade
Guinnean connection to ivory
6 Keita Nounke
dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
trade
Guinnean connection to ivory
trade
7 Sanoh Ibrahim
dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
ape dealer trafikking between
East and Yaounde
8 Emene Wilfried
Selling young chimpanzee
pet trade
negligence of NP project
9 Ahanda Abomo
detention of a live drill
Pet trade
negligence of NP project
10 Eyanga
detention of a live drill
Pet trade
11 Angoulla Angoulla Trade in crocodiles
bushmeat dealer worker of logging company
12 Sanoh Ibrahim
dealing with ivory
ivory dealers
repeated offender
13 Adamou babouga dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
bamenda
14 Njung Bonshe
dealing with chimpanzee meatb ushmeat dealer bamenda
Wealthy High personality
spends half time in France
15 Jikombe Daouda dealing with ivory
ivory dealers
Foumban
16 Goumbe Inoussa dealing with ivory
ivory dealers
repeated offender, arrest on a
17 Makan Samuel
dealing with ivory
ivory dealers
ship, international trade
Laundring illegal trade in the
18 souleyman ali
dealing with lion
Lion trade
cover of a hunting safari
Edéa
19 tonye Nicolas
selling live chimpanzee
pet trade
Edea
20 boulong
selling live chimpanzee
pet trade
International
Underground large shop,
dealer in
international trafick, Daughter of
protected
first mayor of Yaounde, sister to
animals
a minister
21 Cathérine fouda Protected animals
22 Teng Tonny
dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
Asian, 3.9 tonnes affair
23 Teng Andrew
dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
Asian, 3.9 tonnes affair
24 Teng Nora
dealing with ivory
Ivory dealers
Asian, 3.9 tonnes affair
Status
locked while on trial
fugitive under chase
fugitive under chase
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
free while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
locked while on trial
fugitive under chase
fugitive under chase
free while on trial
fugitive under chase
fugitive under chase
fugitive under chase
SUMMARY
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Extensive and lucrative trade in great apes exists
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Shelters contact point with the trade is specific
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Wildlife Law Enforcement is possible – build expectations