12 month’s after release ‘Putin’s tigers’ are reported as thriving

One year after five orphaned Siberian tigers were released in the Russian Far East the signs are four out of the five are doing well and have adapted successfully to life in the wild.

Thanks to four camera traps IFAW had donated to the Khingan Nature Reserve, there is now have footage of Ilona the tigress looking healthy and marking her territory.

Satellite tracking and camera trap videos show that the rehabilitated orphan tigress continues to thrive in the Russian forests near the Chinese border. By tracking her movements, scientists have learned that she is hunting wolves, deer and wild boar.

“Success stories like Ilona are helping to change the opinion and policy of officials in the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources,” said Maria Vorontsova, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Russia director. “There was a general belief that it was impossible to rehabilitate and return orphan tiger cubs back to the wild. IFAW and our partner groups have now proven that it is indeed possible.”

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New app from IFAW promotes whale friendly tourism in Iceland

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW have launched a free ‘Whappy’ app, that contains information about whale friendly restaurants in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik which have pledged not to serve whale meat. It also features whale watching operators, whale friendly souvenirs and an identification guide for whales and dolphins that can be seen in Icelandic waters.

Sigursteinn Masson, IFAW’s Icelandic representative, said: “The new app is another way of informing tourists visiting our beautiful country about the wonder of whale watching, but it also helps them make whale friendly decisions and ensure their trip does not leave a bad taste in their mouth.

“Many tourists are not fully aware of the contradiction of going whale watching then later eating whale meat. Icelanders have very little appetite for whale meat these days, so if tourists sample whale meat in our restaurants they are contributing directly to the number of whales being killed.”

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Animal welfare organisation launches new series of anti-hunters adverts

Hunters have been given a fox-like makeover in a controversial new advertising campaign launched by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to highlight illegal fox hunting.

‘The Sly Ones’ campaign, featuring photographs of models with subtle fox-like features and dressed in hunting attire, has been created to deliver the message that 10 years after the ban on hunting with hounds, foxes are still being illegally hunted.

The images are captioned ‘It’s not the foxes who are sly’ and IFAW is using this slogan in its campaign to have the anti-hunting laws in the UK tightened.

Philip Mansbridge, UK Director of IFAW, says: “As we campaign for a strengthening of the Hunting Act, we wanted an impactful advert to highlight the fact that many hunts continue to flout the law and are slyly getting away with it.

“The Hunting Act is a vital piece of wildlife legislation, but with hunts continuing to illegally chase or kill foxes and evade prosecution, it is time for the Act to be amended to make it more effective.

“With many hunts using a false alibi of trail hunting and other dubious tactics to get around the law, we wanted an image to reflect that and make people think about what is really going on.”

The IFAW is calling for three amendments to the Hunting Act:

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International Fund for Animal Welfare supports endangered wildlife art exhibition

An exhibition entitled Exposed by St Petersburg artist Katya Krasnaya, is open to the public at the Erarta Galleries London.

The gallery is dedicated to showcasing the work of Russian contemporary artists, and this exhibition is one of pop art and graffiti-inspired paintings of endangered animals.

The artist has used spray-painting coupled with fine art techniques to create animal portraits include the rare Amur tiger, beluga whale, hawksbill sea turtle, rhino and polar bear. 

Krasnaya says: “Almost everything inspires me. I divide my inspiration into types. The first one is natural, when you see all the shapes of our planet, from animals to hurricanes.”

The exhibition is supported by animal welfare charity, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which has projects in more than 40 countries and rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals and campaigns for the protection of wildlife and habitats.

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INTERPOL step up the fight against wildlife crime

INTERPOL and IFAW agreement boosts global fight against wildlife crime

May 2013. The global fight against wildlife crime has taken a step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between INTERPOL and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The agreement between the two organizations establishes a formal framework for cooperation, in particular on combating crime related to the illegal killing and trafficking of elephants, rhinoceroses and tigers through regional and global operations.

"This agreement with IFAW will provide further momentum to efforts worldwide in identifying and dismantling the criminal organizations engaged in wildlife trafficking," said INTERPOL's Executive Director of Police Services, Jean-Michel Louboutin who signed the MoU on behalf of the world police body.

Criminal organizations engaged in wildlife trafficking

"Criminal organizations engaged in wildlife trafficking have no respect for our environment and no regard for borders, conducting their illicit activities wherever there is the most profit to be made. Tackling the global problem of wildlife crime cannot be done by any one country or organization, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with IFAW to provide additional support to the police and other enforcers in the field," added Mr Louboutin.

INTERPOL's largest-ever anti-ivory operation

INTERPOL and IFAW have collaborated on numerous projects since 2005, most notably Operation Worthy, INTERPOL's largest-ever anti-ivory operation and more recently on Project Web, an investigation into the illegal online trade in ivory.

"International organized criminal syndicates are wiping out the world's animals. NGOs, law enforcement agencies and governments have to become equally organized, determined and equipped in dealing with this emerging and growing threat which impact species conservation and international security," said Azzedine Downes, IFAW CEO and President.

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1.5 tonnes of ivory seized in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka seizes 1.5 tonnes of elephant tusks - ivory traffickers developing new trade routes?

May 2012. The seizure of 1.5 tonnes of elephant tusks in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was the single biggest ever ivory haul made in the country, fuelling concerns over the increasing boldness of illegal ivory traders in developing new routes for their contraband.

"This is a greedy, vicious trade that is hell bent on getting its booty to the markets that demand it," said Jason Bell, Director of the Elephant Programme at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). "The boldness of these thugs in attempting to side-step authorities by developing a complex web of delivery networks is quite breathtaking."

350 elephant tusks in Colombo port - Arrived from Kenya
Sri Lankan authorities said they had seized some 350 elephant tusks in Colombo port. The tusks had been described as plastic waste and were hidden among logs of wood packed in shipping containers. The containers had arrived from Kenya, en route to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. No arrests have yet been made.

Terrible year for elephants
So far 2012 has proven a bloody one for elephants. Earlier this year about 650 free roaming elephants were killed by poachers in northern Cameroon, near the border with Chad.

"The ivory is smuggled into markets in Europe and Asia, most often China. East African ports are favoured points of departure and the ivory then often transits through South East Asia en route to its destination," said Bell. "The size of this haul and the choice of Sri Lanka, which is an apparently new route, raise concerns."

Bell said IFAW saluted the Sri Lankan authorities for intercepting the haul but warned that ivory trafficking would continue to enrich international criminal syndicates and devastate biodiversity unless arrests, convictions and daunting penalties are applied.

"For now ivory trafficking remains a low risk, high reward activity for international criminal syndicates. Each piece of ivory comes from a dead elephant, and until law enforcement authorities are resourced, equipped and trained to hit back hard at the illegal ivory trade, the terrible onslaught against elephants will continue," he said.

IFAW is working with INTERPOL on Project WISDOM in 2012 to tackle the horror of ivory trafficking. INTERPOL's Environmental Crime Programme will coordinate anti-ivory enforcement operations in 18 African countries, hopefully culminating in arrests, convictions and a serious blow to the cruellest threat to elephants.

"The operations with INTERPOL we are funding are vital for saving elephants now, but ultimately we must stamp out demand for ivory in China, and elsewhere as well. It is the only way to stop the slaughter," Bell concluded.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sri-lanka-ivory.html

Iceland abandons Fin whale hunt - For now

IFAW welcomes end to Fin whaling in Iceland

May 2012. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has welcomed the news that Iceland has called an end to the cruel practice of harpooning endangered Fin whales.

Kristjan Loftsson, the lone Icelandic whaler responsible for killing 280 Fin whales (Seven Fin whales were killed in Iceland's waters in 2006, 125 in 2009 and 148 in 2010.) in Icelandic waters over the past six years, cited difficulties in trading the meat with Japan following its tsunami tragedy as a reason for cancelling last year's hunt. He has now abandoned plans to train his harpoons on the whales in 2012, according to Icelandic media reports.

Whale watching possibilities
IFAW, which has worked alongside Icelandic whale watch operators for several years to promote whale watching as a humane and profitable alternative to the cruelty of whaling, welcomed the decision.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/fin-iceland.html

European Union seal ban takes effect

'This about the right of Europeans to say no to products fom cruel hunts'

November 2010: A temporary suspension of the EU regulation banning the trade in seal products has now been revoked by the European Union's General Court, to the delight of wildlife campaigners, allowing the full implementation of this momentous legislation.

Robbie Marsland, UK Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare which has run a 40-year-long campaign to end cruel seal hunting, said: ‘We are pleased that the court has made the right decision and lifted the suspension. This ban is about the right of Europeans to say no to products that stem from cruel and unnecessary hunts. IFAW will continue to work to defend this right and to defend the EU seal ban.'


The EU ban prohibits the trade in products from all commercial seal hunts, including those in Canada, Namibia and Norway, but does not affect sealing by Inuit and other indigenous peoples.

Lesley O'Donnell, IFAW's EU Director, said: ‘The applicants in the court case included most of the Canadian and Norwegian commercial sealing industry, and as such, had the suspension not ended there could be no guarantee to Europeans that they were not providing a market for products from cruel commercial seal hunts.'

IFAW opposes Canada's commercial seal hunt because of its unacceptable cruelty. The largest marine mammal hunt in the world sees seals being clubbed or shot, primarily so their fur can be used to provide luxury items for the fashion industry.

The EU will likely have to defend its seal ban at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Canada recently requested additional WTO consultations with the EU on the ban. The consultations are expected to take place before the end of the year.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/seal-product-ban.html