Animals

Only in French.

Biodiversity damage and animal suffering on the menu of the largest frogs’ legs meal in the world

Paris / Munich / April 17, 2023 – During the “Frog Fair” in Vittel in the Vosges region of France, which will take place this year on 22 and 23 April, about seven tonnes of frog legs are consumed in just two days by some 20,000 visitors. “For this event alone, up to 350,000 frogs are caught, especially in Indonesia and Turkey, where frog populations are already in alarming decline,” reports Charlotte Nithart of the French organisation Robin des Bois. And Dr Sandra Altherr from the German organisation Pro Wildlife adds: “Do the visitors know that for their snacks, frogs are amputated alive on the other side of the world?”

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Robin des Bois’ incredible miscellany on poaching and smuggling is going on. “On the Trail” highlights black market trends, new weapons, modus operandi of raiders and smugglers, and rumours meant to attract consumers of wild animals and their by-products. “On the Trail” also pays tribute to the individuals, NGOs and institutions that are fighting wildlife crime. From beginning to end, the 36 issues of “On the Trail” are the biological, social, police, customs, legal and financial chronicle of the poaching pandemic and the anarchic and hypocritical exploitation of biodiversity.

Only in French.

“On the Trail” n°35, the defaunation bulletin
1,420 events with references, checked, analysed, commented and strenghtened between January 1 and March 31, 2022
368 iconographic documents.
10 maps and historical archives
(pdf, 218 pages – 7.4 Mo)

Press release CITES CoP19 n°6 – Continuation and End
Panama

Arrk !

The whole world agrees to oppose deforestation in the Amazon. However, for the Brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata), CITES is sensitive to the music of chainsaws and is not concerned about the disappearance of Brazil’s last Atlantic forests. Among the trees that have fallen victim is the Brazilwood, whose wood is used for bows and bow blanks for violins and other string instruments (see the paragraph on Brazilwood in the press release “Panama, the great sellout of wild animals and plants”, Nov 14, 2022).

Only in French.

Press release CITES CoP19 n°5
Panama

Diplomatic tensions

By taking a close look at all the proposals for Appendix I or Appendix II listings, the Chinese delegation found 15 “inaccuracies” with regard to the qualifications of Hong Kong, Macao and especially Taiwan. “Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The “one China” principle is one of the fundamental norms governing international relations. Any act that creates “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan” violates international law.”

Press release CITES CoP19 n°4
Panama

Pineapple sea cucumber (Thelenota ananas), giant sea cucumber (T. anax) and red-lined sea cucumber (T. rubralineata)
The proposal by the European Union, the Seychelles and the United States to list the 3 species of the genus Thelenota in Appendix II was accepted by 97 votes in favour with 16 against and 15 abstentions. The listing will come into force after 18 months. France, which initiated the proposal, stressed the key role of sea cucumbers in ecosystems. In the seabed, sea cucumbers have a role comparable to that of earthworms.

Press release CITES CoP19 n°3
Panama

On November 16, authorities arrested Masphal Kry, Director of Wildlife and Biodiversity at Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in the transit zone of John F. Kennedy Airport, New York. Masphal Kry was traveling to Panama. He was expected to be the head of Cambodia’s delegation to the plenary session of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).