SOLSTICE : VERS LE RETOUR DE LA LUMIERE

EXTREME ORIENT RUSSE : BRACONNIERS DESORMAIS SOUS PRESSION

Les proies du tigre sont en voie d'être plus efficacement protégés du braconnage. Depuis la fin du mois dernier, les choses changent sur le terrain. Dernier épisode hier.

Source Phoenix Fund.

Yesterday, December 20, a group of poachers was detained during a routine patrol by the South anti-poahcing team in Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge. 

According to a senior inspector of the South AP team, at 6 p.m. the law enforcement officers stopped a car inside the protected area. It turned out that three passengers with dogs were returning after illegal hunt in the refuge. The violators, citizens of Slavyanka town, had three rifles and dead roe deer in the car.  They were taken to Khasansky police office where a criminal proceeding was initiated. 

For the third time since November 2010 a criminal proceeding has been initiated against poachers thanks to concerted actions by the South AP team of Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge.

Earlier, on November 26, after a 4-hour pursuit the South team apprehended two poachers in possession of a 7.62-gauge rifle and a wild boar carcass.  On the 12th of November the team found footprints of three trespassers and after a 2-hour chase detained one of three violators. 

The anti-poaching work of the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve and Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge is financed by Phoenix in cooperation with International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and other partners. The two protected areas represent a habitat for two endangered felines – Amur tiger and Amur leopard, listed in the Russian Red Book, International Red Book and Appendix 1 of CITES Convention. The world conservation community is deeply concerned about the state of these species populations.

LA MAFIA DU BOIS SUR LA SELETTE

Source WWF Russia

Attention to the WWF territory Roshchinsky branch KSU "Primles" is not accidental.  Here are two walnut-fishing zones who are important for all inhabitants of the Ussuri taiga, the national park "Udege Legend" and reserve "Taiga" - "hospital" for the Amur tiger, for an end to logging in which WWF-Russia has been fighting since 2005 - since then, as after a 30-year period of rest here again came loggers.

   "Over the past five years, is the third head Roshchinsky forestry deprived of his office for illegal logging in the reserve" Taiga ", and nut-fishing zone. The case, unprecedented not only in the Primorsky Territory but for the whole of Russia, - said the coordinator of forestry projects Amur branch of WWF Russia Anatoly Kabanets. - Practice shows that no evidence of irregularities in the extradition documents on the so-called "thinning", neither the facts of illegal logging and prosecute can not roll a forester with the course taken by them to cut this protected area. "

Recent developments in the reserve "Taiga" - a vivid confirmation of the decision.

. "In May 2010, according to the results obschenadzornoy check ... a criminal investigation into illegal logging in the reserve" Taiga "Krasnoarmeyskiy district, where over the years consistently made logging of valuable species: oak, cedar and ash. In deciding on dismissal, the court found reasonable conclusions about what the gamekeeper against the interests of the service can continue to engage in criminal activity and to provide active opposition to an objective investigation, "- stated in the Prosecutor's Office of Primorsky Krai.

WWF Russia fully supports these fears judges and prosecutors, to see firsthand that in October of this year, (ie. Six months after the start of the investigation!), In the Sanctuary "Taiga" with the blessing of the forester saws buzzed.  And only after the message to the police, a letter to the prosecutor directed the WWF Russia following the October raid in reserve, the forest officer was suspended from his post.

"We very much hope that the activities of the branch Roshchinsky KSU" Primles "will undergo a comprehensive inspection with the participation of law enforcement officials and representatives of public organizations, and forest management Primorye finally formulate its clear position on the unacceptability of" cutting income "in protective forests. Perhaps, then together there will be positioned over the long-awaited order, "- said Anatoly Kabanets.

PROTECTION RENFORCEE POUR LES MORSES ET LES OURS BLANCS DE LA TCHOUKOTKA

In Chukotka, with support from WWF created a monument to the regional nature of the Cape Kozhevnikov "to save the Pacific walrus and polar bear".

Governor of the Chukotka Autonomous District Roman Kopin signed the Government of Chukotka N 421 for a new nature reserve.

Cape Kozhevnikov - this is the place where several years of WWF-Russia and the Marine Mammal Council together with local residents are working to preserve the walrus and polar bear.  Four consecutive years walruses come ashore here, form is one of the world's largest rookeries Pacific walrus (in 2008-2009 there were 25-50 thousand animals).

Cape Kozhevnikov is rich in not only archaeological sites, here are a polar bear dens, and in the autumn and winter the bears are kept here, eating the remains of dead walruses (only a week ago it was observed two young bears).

"I think that the world does not find the places where indigenous people have fought so for the salvation of walrus and the organization of a natural monument - says Viktor Nikiforov, director of WWF Russia. - For several years, people waiting for the arrival of walrus rookery clean and protect the animals from poachers.

On behalf of WWF Nikiforov thanked friends and supporters of the Chukchi village Ryrkaypy, which is located 700 meters from the territory of a monument of nature: Tatiana Minenko - an active participant in the group of indigenous people to protect the rookery, Oksana Makarova Borisovnu - the head of the village administration, student grade 8 Igor Yatykvyn and many, many others.