A breakdown in law enforcement against rhino poaching and horn smuggling in Zimbabwe is threatening the success of more than a decade's work bringing rhino populations back up to healthy levels.

Typical of the problem is the recent release of a gang of four Zimbabwean rhino poachers who admitted to killing 18 rhinos in five different areas of central Zimbabwe, including a semi-tame group of black rhinos slaughtered in their pens at Imire Safari Ranch.

The poachers, also alleged to have been involved in a number of armed robberies and arrested with several illegal firearms, were initially denied bail and it was reported that the four had received lengthy jail sentences. However, WWF was recently informed by authorities that the poachers were subsequently granted bail, were freed and immediately absconded.

Rhino poaching has been increasing throughout Zimbabwe including in the Lowveld Conservancies in southern Zimbabwe, home to three-quarters of the country's surviving rhinos and host to a rhino conservation project involving WWF, the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority of Zimbabwe, the private sector and several other conservation agencies including the International Rhino Foundation.

“Since January 2000, approximately 70 rhinos have been killed in the Lowveld conservancies, and the losses are now rapidly mounting,” said Raoul du Toit, Lowveld rhino conservation project manager for the Lowveld Conservancies. “About 20 rhinos were shot in the Lowveld during 2008, which points to how this problem is escalating,

“Prior to 2000, for a period of seven years, there was no rhino poaching whatsoever.”

When the poaching first flared up, it was linked to the unplanned occupations of sections of the Lowveld Conservancies by subsistence farmers and primarily involved rhinos getting caught in wire snares that were set out to catch wildlife for meat consumption.

Now the poaching has reached commercial levels, with poachers not only killing rhinos in snares but also shooting them for their horns, without taking the meat.

“WWF and other non-government organisations involved in rhino conservation maintain very constructive relations with the Zimbabwean wildlife authorities,” says du Toit, “But there is growing frustration over Zimbabwe’s poor performance in law enforcement for rhino crimes, which inevitably gives rise to concerns about corruption.”

Although a few poachers from Zambia have been arrested and convicted after cross-border raids into National Parks in northern Zimbabwe, not a single Zimbabwean poacher has been convicted during the current wave of internal rhino poaching.

The few Zimbabwean poachers arrested, have subsequently been released on bail, (equivalent to a few American cents), and have then absconded, or have evaded prosecution in the courts.

“The lack of enforcement and increased poaching pressure in Zimbabwe now threaten to reverse the excellent trends in rhino populations of recent years,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF-International’s Species Programme. “WWF calls on the authorities in Zimbabwe to take much stronger action against the internal poaching networks or the recent progress made in rhino conservation in Zimbabwe will be lost.”

Tom Milliken, the Regional Director of TRAFFIC’s programme in east and southern Africa, warns: “In terms of the CITES treaty on wildlife trade, Zimbabwe is now in the spotlight and an international task force will be visiting shortly to investigate its performance in rhino conservation.

“TRAFFIC has sponsored initiatives to improve the country’s law enforcement capabilities, but sadly most investigations appear to have collapsed without successful prosecutions.”

Additional Notes:

• WWF has been working to conserve rhinos for over 40 years. The current African Rhino Programme, launched in 1997, provides technical and financial support to 12 rhino conservation projects across Africa and operates in partnerships with key African rhino range states. Detailed information is available at www.panda.org/species.
• TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN - The International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
• CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. With 173 member governments worldwide, CITES is the largest wildlife conservation treaty in the world. All species of rhinoceros are listed on the CITES appendices.
• In 1997, there were an estimated 8,450 white rhinos and 2,600 black rhinos remaining in the wild. Today, there are 14,500 white rhinos and nearly 4,000 of the more endangered black rhinos. Recent conservation progress led to expansion of both species of African rhinos in the Lowveld region, to current totals of 400 black rhinos and 150 white rhinos. (In Zimbabwe as a whole there are 500 black rhinos and 300 white rhinos).
• Rhinos bear distinctive nasal horns, which are formed from a compression of keratin, melanin and calcium, a substance akin to hair or fingernails that continues to grow during the lifetime of the animal. Rhino horns continued to be used illegally in traditional medicines in Asia and as a carving material for fashioning handles for traditional daggers in Yemen. In traditional Asian medicines, rhino horn is not used as an aphrodisiac, but rather in conjunction with other substances to reduce fever. As a commodity, rhino horn is not worth its weight in gold, a notion that stimulates poaching and corruption, but remains untrue.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF 

The award of South Africa's highest honour for a non-South African to WWF President Chief Emeka Anyaoku is a well-deserved recognition of an outstanding international leader, WWF said yesterday.

South African President Thabo Mbeki's decision to confer the Order of the Supreme Companions of O.R.Tambo:Gold on Chief Emeka Anyaoku was announced today.

“The award is in recognition of Emeka Anyaoku’s great contribution to the ending of apartheid and enthronement of democracy in South Africa,” the statement says. It cites Chief Anyaoku's early involvement with African National Congress leader Oliver Tambo and colleagues including Nelson Mandela, and his key role as Commonwealth Secretary-General in crucial negotiations in 1991-93 that produced the agreement leading to South Africa's first multi-racial elections.

Chief Anyaoku has served as the President of the global conservation organization WWF since 2002.

“We give Chief Anyaoku our heartfelt congratulations,” said James Leape, Director General of WWF International. “We also find it particularly appropriate that Chief Anyaoku, a great leader for conservation, is to receive this honour on Earth Day, April 22.”

“This award recognises Chief Anyaoku as a man who has made a great difference in bringing about a better world, something he continues to do in his advocacy for a better environment.

“Chief Anyaoku is one of those rare leaders whose reach extends from the local to the global, as Ichie Adazie of Obosi, leader of his own people, to his roles as Commonwealth Secretary-General and WWF President.”

“It has been and it continues to be a great privilege for us to work with Chief Anyaoku.”

WWF  

Borders will matter less to central Africa’s mountain gorillas, following the launch of a strategic conservation plan and an associated project which covers adjoining areas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There are only about 720 gorillas left in the tropical mountain forests shared by the three countries, the Central Albertine Rift Area Network. The gorillas’ natural habitat is threatened by the destruction of these forests and the great apes themselves are victims of poachers.

Protected area authorities of the three countries launched their 10-year Transboundary Strategic Plan for the Central Albertine Rift Protected Area Network on 20 February 2008 in Kampala.

The project is part of the 10-year strategic plan developed by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), the Office Rwandais du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and is supported by the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP). IGCP is a coalition of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), and Fauna & Flora International (FFI). The project secretariat is to be hosted by IGCP.

Also launched was a 4 million euro transboundary conservation project funded by the Dutch Government through the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Kigali Rwanda.

The new transboundary strategic plan aims to improve community livelihoods and contribute to the stability of the region. It will also assist in strengthening and making similar the three countries‘s policies and laws on the conservation and management of the protected areas.

“This is an exciting development”, said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme. “We applaud this tremendous contribution of the government and people of the Netherlands, which recognizes that species conservation and sustainable development and poverty alleviation go hand in hand.”

Saving the endangered mountain gorillas of Africa will be a key component of the 4-year project.

Mountain gorillas are the main tourist attraction in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, earning these countries about US$ 5 million every year, and are thus a critical element of livelihood programmes in the region for local communities.

WWF joins the chief executives of the three partner organizations (ICCN, ORTPN, and UWA) in calling for enhanced political support from their respective governments.

After bringing Africa’s black rhinos spectacularly back from the brink of extinction one of the world’s most successful conservation programmes is to celebrate its first decade by seeking to extend its operations to more of Africa.

Representatives of the governments of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia are expected to join in WWF’s African Rhino Programme (ARP) 10th anniversary celebration in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, today. They will join government and wildlife representatives, community representatives and eco-tourism operators from the current ARP participating States of in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

“What we have shown is that in partnership with governments and communities and business it is possible to stave off extinction for the rhino in some of its former range,” said WWF International’s Species Programme Director Dr Susan Lieberman. “The task now is to secure a future for the rhino in the rest of its range, where threats from poaching and development urgently need to be addressed.”

Africa’s savannas once teemed with more than a million white and black rhinos. However, relentless hunting by European settlers saw rhino numbers and distribution quickly decline. The southern white rhino was close to extinction by the late 19th century but concerted conservation efforts by KwaZulu Natal and others has led to a significantly larger population.

Added to hunting and habitat loss, trade in rhino horn peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, when huge quantities were shipped to the lucrative markets of the Middle East and Asia.

Responding to the crisis, both species of African rhino were listed in 1977 in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibited all international trade of rhino parts and products. Despite this international legal protection, the black rhino population at its lowest point dipped to 2,400 in 1995.

In 1997, there were 8,466 white rhinos and 2,599 black rhinos remaining in the wild. Today, there are 14,500 white rhinos and nearly 4,000 of the more endangered black rhinos.

Today, most of Africa’s black rhinos are found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, where the species’ decline has been stopped through effective security monitoring, better biological management, wildlife-based tourism and extensive assistance to enable communities to benefit from rather than be in conflict with wildlife.

According to the African Rhino Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Africa’s white and black rhino numbers have shown annual growth rates of 6.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, since 1995.

“What we know from looking back at the last ten years is that sustained conservation can and does work,” says George Kampamba, WWF International’s African Rhino Programme Coordinator.

Although WWF has worked on Rhino conservation throughout its 45-year history, the ARP was notable for its overall approach. Working through field projects, it combined action at every level from local communities to global policy.

One striking, if unanticipated, indicator of the success of the programme is that land prices immediately increase in areas where rhinos are re-introduced through a range expansion program. The ARP, which has had experience reintroducing rhinos to national parks, also passed a milestone last year when a KwaZulu Natal community received black rhinos for community-owned land dedicated to wildlife and ecotourism uses.

“Rhino conservation in Africa is going from strength to strength,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF’s Global Species Programme. “But poaching, illegal trade, and unplanned development remain significant problems across the rhinos’ range and there is no room for complacency.”

In celebration of a decade of rhino conservation, WWF honoured six leaders as “rhino champions” today at Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. "These rhino champions have made extraordinary contributions to rhino conservation," Dr Lieberman said.
The champions are:.

Emmanuel-Cebo Gumbi (known as “Nathi Gumbi”) director Somkhanda Game Reserve and member of the Gumbi royal family

Kevin John Pretorius, regional director for Phinda Game Reserve

Clive Vivier, owner Leopold Mountain Game Reserve

Manfred Kohrs, former chairman Pongola Game Reserve Association

Dr Jacques Flammand, project leader WWF/Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Black Rhino Range Expansion Project.

Taye Teferi, conservation director of WWF’s East Africa Regional Program
Jackson Kamwi, Senior Rhino Monitor at the Lowveld Conservancy Project, Zimbabwe

For the next two years, Germany will coordinate the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, which strives to improve conservation of tropical forests in the Congo Basin. This area is home to millions of people and is of central importance, not only for the global climate, but also for plant and animal diversity. The last larger groups of gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees – three of the four ape species threatened with extinction – live here. GTZ will support the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in the next two years to implement the international agenda on forest protection and secure new sources of finance for nature conservation and sustainable forest management.  At 180 million hectares, the primeval forests in central Africa are five times the size of the Federal Republic of Germany. The German Government has allocated EUR 53 million to the region.

The worldwide economic boom and rising demand for wood has reached the Congo region. “According to FAO figures, annual wood exports are valued at around US$ one billion”, explains Herbert Christ, responsible for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership at GTZ. “Due to widespread corruption, however, revenues from wood exports generally do not contribute to the fight against poverty or the sustainable development of national economies”. Large quantities of precious wood, ivory and minerals have also been acquired illegally from protected forests and used to finance long lasting unrest and civil wars in the area. Soldiers and rebels have additionally helped themselves to charcoal and game meat.

This is why GTZ is active on many levels to promote sustainable forest management. Local populations, local authorities and the private sector, in addition to state agencies, are to become more involved in forest protection.
“Involvement in the Congo Basin is part of global climate protection”, according to Herbert Christ. The Congo Basin Forest Partnership was established at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. Among the current 36 members are the governments of the Congo Basin countries and the major industrialised countries, the World Bank and international environmental organisations. Herbert Christ elaborates, “we want the natural wealth of the Congo Basin to strengthen the economies of the region and benefit the population. For this reason we support sustainable, socially and ecologically balanced management”.

As an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations, GTZ supports the German Government in implementing its development policy goals. GTZ provides sustainable solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world, while promoting complex reforms and change processes, often working under difficult conditions. The goal is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.

A fine of at least D500,000 awaits individuals who illegally export fish or fishery products from the Gambia, contrary to the provisions of Section 60, sub-sections (1) or (2) of the recently amended Fisheries Bill. The bill stated that those in default of the fine will be handed a maximum jail term of 10 years in prison.

According to sub-setion 1 of the provision, no person shall export any fish or fishery products unless they have been processed in a fish processing establishment licensed in accordance with Section 59 of the Act; have met the standards required by the importing country;  and are accompanied by an export sanitary health certificate and an export permit.

Sub-section 2 states that, the Secretary of State may, by notice in the Gazette, prohibit or restrict the export of any prescribed species from The Gambia, including type or size of fish or fishery product, where in his or her opinion, the prohibition or restriction is required to protect the supply of fish to the domestic market or is in the interest of sustainable development and proper conservation and management of a fishery product.

These provisions were contained in a 103-page Fisheries Bill 2007, which was amended by members of the National Assembly on Tuesday, during the third sitting of the 2007 legislative year. The main aim of the bill is to provide legislation that will adequately address current practices, issues and trends in the sector and be in consonance with the principles enshrined in the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the UN Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.

Presenting the bill, Yankuba Touray, Secretary of State for Fisheries and Water Resources, said the bill emanated from the fisheries policy designed by government in line with the goals of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

He recalled that the Fisheries Act 1991 is obsolete and has gaps, thus making the management of the sector based on existing legislation ineffective and unsustainable. “Numerous issues have emerged during the past 15 years both in the artisan and industrial fisheries sub-sectors, warranting the formulation of a new Act, which would reflect present realities and be able to address the needs and demands of responsible fisheries exploitation and utilisation, commensurate with resources management and conservation,” he said.

SoS Touray added that responsible fisheries management requires that, fisheries legislation should encompass all the current issues and stakeholders, with due recognition of fishing activities in the country’s marine waters by sub-regional and distant water fleets.

He informed the Assembly that the proposed bill provides the framework to establish sound and broad principles, objectives and requirements for responsible and effective fisheries conservation, management and development.

Supporting the bill, Hon Momodou Sanneh, Minority leader and NAM for Kiang West, welcomed the bill, noting that River Gambia is vital and Gambians should not allow foreigners to exploit it.

He urged the need for monitoring and control measures to be inclusive in the bill to deal with the illegal encroachment of foreign vessels into Gambian territorial waters.

Nominated member, Hon Seedy Njie, said the fishing industry is predominantly occupied by foreigners and therefore urged the state department to gear up in order to allow Gambian youths engage in the industry. Hon Njie observed that the high prices of goods in the market are caused by the absence of Gambian in exploiting the opportunities in the industry.

Hon Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Majority leader and NAM for Serrekunda West commended Secretary of State Touray and his team of experts on the bill, describing it as in line with internationally accepted standards. He added that, fish products are an important dietary item for Gambians and a source of employment. He urged the authorities to ensure that the laws in the bill are “properly” implemented.

The West African Bird Study Association (WABSA) has recently launched its newsletter. This initiative emanated from the ambition to participate actively in the sensitisation of the general public on issues pertaining to environment. In their maiden edition, an emphasis has been put on desertification, one of the growing threats to the African continent and the planet.

In the editorial, Lamin Jobaate, WABSA Executive Director, pointed out that ‘there is a general understanding that desertification problems are most severe in the semi-arid, Sudano Sahelian zone of the country which constitutes 75% of the total land area, especially in the north of the River Gambia.’ 

Pursuing in this alarming tone, he argued that the southern part of the country is being menaced by the advance of the desert, as so many factors continue to contribute to the deterioration of the existing ecosystem. ‘‘The growing demographic pressures, coupled with 30% drop in rainfall over the last 20 years, contributed to the extensive destruction of the forest cover’’, he noted. According to him, such a situation caused drastically the decline of the rate of production in the cash crops, horticultural crops and wildlife species.

He further commended the reaction from the general public, government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations and indicated that it has over the last years, witnessed some positive developments and challenges. As such, they must be extolled ‘for the giant strides they have taken to minimise the negative environmental impacts.’ He then added: ‘‘The Department of Forestry, the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, the National Environment Agency and the Gambia Tourism Authority have been in the forefront of the desertification control in The Gambia.’’

Taking into consideration the international environment conventions that The Gambia has ratified, he outlined government’s commitment to take the lead in the domain of conservation. Among the conventions that necessitate the political support of the government, he enumerated the United Nations Conservation on Desertification (UNCD), the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), the Climate Change Convention and the Bonn Convention. In other words, The Gambia is in the right track in tackling the rising challenges and adversity faced by the environment sector.

He concluded by drawing people’s attention to the fact that the achievement of these goals depends on the full participation and support of all Gambians. ‘‘It is our duty therefore, particularly the youth, to ensure the protection and conservation of our remaining flora and fauna’’, he hinted.

You may not be aware of it but a part of the highways and parking lots that you drive your car into may have been around for millions of years! Those roadways and pavements considerable history can be attributed to one if its key component: asphalt. Yes, the asphalt that is used to pave the roads that you drive through has indeed been around since the prehistoric times to merit a discussion.

Asphalt has been dated back as early as the prehistoric period. Evidence of this claim can be attributed prehistoric animal preserves found by archaeologists at La Brea Tar Pit, Los Angeles California that have been observed to have asphalt deposits.

There should be no surprise to it already because by definition, asphalt is a black, viscous, cement-like bitumen (an organic byproduct of organic matter) that occurs naturally in crude petroleum. Since fossil deposits produce petroleum, it is natural to find asphalt that can date back to millions of years ago.

Even if it is a byproduct, technology has found different ways and means to utilize asphalt. However, industries at present do not use natural deposits of asphalts found directly from its source. The asphalt that is used these days has to be separated and isolated from crude oil such as naphtha, gasoline and diesel.

It was in the ancient times when natural asphalt was used extensively by civilizations.
Ancient Babylonians used natural asphalt as a building material. It can even be noted in the Old Testament books of Genesis and Exodus. If you browse through these books of the Bible, you can read that asphalt has been referred to several times as a 𓣡ulking material𔮠

From recent archaeological excavations, it has been found that asphalt was a significant material for ancient civilizations.

Dating back as far as 3200-540 BC, asphalt has been used by ancient civilizations near the Indus Valley such as the Mesopotamians as cement for masonry, a material for street construction and as a waterproofing layer for temple baths and water tanks to name a few.

Even Egyptian mummies had their fair share of asphalt. Mummies dating back as far as 300 BC had asphalt as one of its important materials for its mummification.

It was not until 1802 when asphalt was first used to pave roads. Back then, asphalt that was used was not yet refined and processed. Rock asphalt was first used in France for floors, bridges and sidewalk surfacing. Philadelphia then followed in 1838 when rock asphalt was also used to pave sidewalk constructions in the said state.

Before the use of processed asphalt, smooth and level roads were unheard of. Rocks, boulders and chunks of asphalt were used but not evened out to provide smooth and flat roads. Processed asphalt was not used up until 1870 when Newark, New Jersey claimed the title of the first state to have the first processed asphalt-laid pavement

Since then, the demand for processed asphalt has gradually increased. However, as the industrial age pushed forward, the demand for asphalt increased dramatically. From the 3 million-ton demand in 1926, the demand for asphalt increased up to 11 million tons in 1950, following the World War II.

The advantages of asphalt emulsion (a mixture of asphalt, water and an emulsifying agent that enables the asphalt to mix well with water) also helped in the boom of asphalt production.

During the 1970s when an energy conservation measure was issued by the Federal Energy Administration, asphalt emulsion became a commendable candidate for road construction. Since it did not require petroleum solvent to make it liquid and it can be used even without additional heat, the use of asphalt emulsion contributed much to the energy conservation drive of the government.

In retrospect, the asphalt on our present day roads and highways may not be millions of years old. However, the next time we walked through a sidewalk or drove to a parking lot; let us not disregard the history and the advantages that this age-old material has given us.

About the Author:
James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of www.AsphaltCenter.com .

The East Africa office of Tetra Pak, an international food packaging company, has joined the WWF Eastern Africa Corporate Club in a move to support local conservation and enhance corporate environmental responsibility.

By joining the club, Tetra Pak will support forest management and restoration, and environmental education in eastern Africa.

Set up in 2003, the corporate club works with the corporate sector to increase public awareness of environmental issues and engages communities in conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

“Widespread concern for the environment has changed the way the private sector looks at the world,” said Dr. Kwame Koranteng, Regional Representative at WWF EARPO.

“More and more companies recognize that what is good for the Earth is also good for business. This growing interest in environmental responsibility provides new opportunities for governments and conservation organizations to develop ways of working with business and industry to help them to take action to reduce their impact on the environment while enhancing their corporate responsibility at the same time.”

WWF's Corporate Club exists in a number of countries around the world to offer companies the opportunity to demonstrate that they care about their nation's natural environmental heritage.

Other members of the WWF Eastern Africa Corporate Club include: Bamburi Cement, East African Portland Cement, Safaricom, Hotel InterContinental, Nestlé Foods, Basecamp Explorer, Commercial Bank of Africa, Sarova Hotels, Club Sun ’n Sand, Coca-Cola East Africa, Unilever Tea, Unilever Kenya, Olerai, Sher Agencies and Ogilvy Public Relations.