wildlife trafficking

ADF STAFF Mozambique has eclipsed other African countries as China’s primary supplier of rosewood, a material coveted for its use in expensive furniture. Mozambique shipped 20,000 metric tons of the internationally protected timber to…

ADF STAFF Sub-Saharan Africa plays a major role in the global illicit trade in wildlife materials, particularly in the flow of materials into Asia, according to a new analysis by the United Nations. Pangolins, whose scales are a popular…

ADF STAFF New reporting shows how North Korean diplomats stationed in Southern Africa are smuggling large volumes of rhino horn out of the region to buyers in China and other countries. The millions of dollars in proceeds help North Korea…

ADF STAFF For years, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been plagued by international gangs slaughtering and selling parts from endangered animals.  “The DRC, which shares borders with nine countries, serves as an…

ADF STAFF The African Union in mid-February dealt a blow to China’s ejiao industry when it banned the slaughter of donkeys for their skin in all 54 countries, earning praise from animal rights organizations. Collagen extracted from…

REUTERS In an effort to stop poachers and others who poison wildlife, Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife is turning to an unlikely ally: vultures.  Park rangers at Kafue National Park tag white-backed and hooded…

ADF STAFF A forensic laboratory in northern Botswana will play a vital role in the effort to disrupt the illegal trade in wildlife, according to the lab’s supporters. “The forensic laboratory will scientifically investigate and prosecute…

ADF STAFF Gladys Kamasanyu frequently travels about an hour outside of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, to the Entebbe Zoo, where she feeds, pets and even talks to rhinos, elephants, pangolins and other endangered animals. She also talks to the…

ADF STAFF In the video call, smuggler Phan Quan made it clear: He needed 20 metric tons of pangolin scales shipped to him in Vietnam. The authorities had seized his previous shipment. Unknown to him, Phan Quan was speaking with an…

ADF STAFF Many rural West African communities rely on donkeys as a source of labor, transport and income. Traditional Chinese medicine values donkeys for their skins. In recent years, China has been unable to meet its high demand for…