The owners of the New Hunan restaurant in Helena pleaded guilty Monday to 13 wildlife charges involving black bears, including having a five-gallon bucket with 12 bear paws in it at the restaurant. David Hong, 57, and his wife Heng Huang, 52 — who goes by the name of Susan — were ordered by Judge Michael Swingley to pay $9,600 in fines, but he suspended $4,620, which means they’ll only have to pay $4,980 if they stay out of trouble. Swingley also prohibited them from hunting for six years.

According to Sgt. Dave Loewen, a game warden with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the couple came to the state agency’s attention after they approached a customer eating in the restaurant, asked if they were hunters and inquired if they would sell them bear gallbladders. A concerned citizen called FWP, which prompted the state agency to launch an undercover investigation.

“It’s fairly significant for us … anytime you’re dealing with the sale of wildlife,” Loewen said.

Gallbladders are highly prized in some Asian cultures, and used for a range of medicinal purposes and as an aphrodisiac. They can sell for thousands of dollars. Bear paws are considered a gourmet delicacy by some people. Loewen said the couple solicited undercover agents on three separate occasions, and paid cash each time for bear parts, two whole bears and three gallbladders. The bear carcasses had been confiscated previously by FWP.

“Our concern was whether this was bigger than just what we were seeing,” Loewen said. “That’s why we got so deep on this one. We were concerned they were shipping these out of state, but we didn’t find that with this.”

Huang’s attorney, Michael Kakuk, said in court that she had injured her hip a few years earlier, and wanted the gallbladders for her own medicinal use. They didn’t explain the purpose of the bear paws. A search of both the couple’s home and the restaurant turned up three gallbladders, two butchered bears in the freezer and the 12 bear paws in the bucket, Loewen said. Hong was ticketed twice for unlawful possession of two black bears on June 4; unlawful possession of all or part of three game animals and unlawful sale of those parts on Sept. 16; unlawful sale or purchase of a game animal and unlawful possession of a game animal on May 15; and unlawful transfer of a hunting license on Nov. 22, 2012.

Huang was ticketed for unlawful sale of game animal parts for buying 12 black bear paws and three gallbladders, and unlawful possession of those parts on Sept. 16; twice for unlawful purchase of each black bear on June 4; and twice for unlawful possession of the bears on May 15. The U.S. Postal Service, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, participated in the undercover operation.

Source: Eve Byron, Independent Record  (www.helenair.com)

In 2009 ging Alertis op onderzoek uit na een melding dat er twee beren zouden zitten bij een afvalverwerkingsbedrijf nabij het plaatsje Orihuela in Spanje. Alertis was op dat moment bezig met het voorbereiden van het transport van vier voormalige circusberen uit het opvangcentrum ‘El Arca de Noé’, en was zodoende in de gelegenheid ook diverse andere meldingen in de regio nader te onderzoeken. De zogenaamde ‘zoo’ naast het afvalverwerkingsbedrijf was inmiddels gesloten voor publiek vanwege diverse incidenten en gevallen van verwaarlozing. De dieren zaten er echter nog allemaal. Via via konden we toch naar binnen en wat we daar aantroffen was erger dan verwacht.

Dieren werden onder de stank van de afvaldump en -verwerking gehouden in extreem vieze, kleine hokken. We troffen niet twee maar vier beren aan. De tijgers stonden tot hun enkels in hun eigen uitwerpselen. De enige mannetjes leeuw was zo mager dat hij nauwelijks kon staan. En in het grootste verblijf zaten zebra’s, lama’s, twee bizons, Schotse Hooglanders, een nijlpaard, struisvogels en ezels allemaal bij elkaar! Naar schatting 200 dieren werden onder erbarmelijke omstandigheden gehouden.

Eenmaal terug in Nederland zochten we direct contact met de Spaanse autoriteiten en diverse lokale NGO’s om er achter te komen hoe de vork nu precies in de steel zat. Het bedrijf, Proambiente, stond onder leiding van een omstreden zakenman die verdacht werd van omkoping, het illegaal dumpen van afval en verboden wapenbezit. Helaas kon de CITES autoriteit in Spanje, die de papieren van in gevangenschap levende (wilde) dieren controleert en uitgeeft, niets ontdekken waardoor de dieren in beslaggenomen zouden kunnen worden. We konden dus ook niets voor de beren doen. De eigenaar wilde immers helemaal niet meewerken.

De situatie werd alleen maar slechter: http://youtu.be/vpm3YIu0R6w

Gelukkig kwam er steeds meer aan het licht waardoor de eigenaar van het bedrijf uiteindelijk werd opgepakt voor de bovenstaande inmiddels bewezen feiten. Zijn zoon nam het stokje over, maar gelukkig voor de overgebleven dieren in de ‘zoo’ viel deze maand het doek definitief voor Proambiente en zijn alle dieren direct herplaatst. Zo ook de beren. En er bleken niet vier, maar inmiddels vijf beren te zitten! Een koppel had namelijk eerder dit jaar een jong gekregen, ondanks de vreselijke omstandigheden waarin ze leefden.

Het jong is overgebracht naar een park bij de stad Bilbao: http://www.karpinabentura.com/es/animales/animales.html

De vier volwassen dieren zijn overgebracht naar een park in de Spaanse Pyreneeën, genaamd Parque Faunístico Lacuniacha:
http://www.lacuniacha.com/el-oso-vuelve-al-pirineo-aragones/#.UosxcsRgWUl

Naast deze vijf beren, leven helaas nog zeven andere bruine beren over drie verschillende locaties in deze provincie verspreid. Samen met de Spaanse autoriteiten en de lokale NGO’s zal Alertis proberen een beter onderkomen te vinden.

In 2009 a bear alert came in about two bears being kept in a private zoo next to a waste recycling plant with a landfill near the Spanish town of Orihuela. At that time Bears in Mind was preparing the transport of four former circus bears that were kept at the so-called rescue center ‘El Arca de Noé’ near Benidorm in Spain. These four bears were destined for our Bear Forest in the Netherlands. Being in the area, we visited the waste recycling plant for a closer inspection. We knew from the local government that the ‘zoo’ was already closed for the public due to several incidents, public health risk and serious animal welfare problems. We managed to have a look at the animals and what we found there was even worse than expected…

Animals were kept in appalling conditions, in the stench of the waste recycling plant and landfill, in barren and extremely dirty cages. We counted not two, but four unhealthy looking brown bears. There were also two tigers, standing and laying down in their own piled-up excrements. There was a male lion, barely capable of standing due to malnutrition. There was a larger enclosure with a variety of species: zebra, llama, two bison, a hippo, ostrich and several donkeys. All kept together, causing a lot of stressful and stereotypic behaviour. Approximately 200 animals were kept under horrific conditions at the private zoo at that time.

Back in the office in the Netherlands, we contacted the Spanish authorities and several local NGOs to find out more about the situation and talk about possible solutions. The so-called zoo at the company Proambiente was called “one of the worst” animal keeping facilities in Spain! Several animals, amongst others a tigress and her cub, had recently died of starvation according to FAADA, a Spanish animal rights organization. The owner, a controversial businessman, was suspected of various illegal practices. With regards to the animals, unfortunately all official documents were legal, so immediate confiscation was not possible. At that time there was little we could do for the bears and the other animals of Proambiente, and the owner was not willing to cooperate.

The situation was getting worse: http://youtu.be/vpm3YIu0R6w

Fortunately for the remaining animals, the owner was arrested. The so-called zoo was finally shut down this autumn! FAADA and several others made sure the remaining animals were quickly relocated to several facilities throughout Spain. The bears as well. And there were not four, but five bears in total! One couple managed to have a cub earlier this year, even though the circumstances they lived in were appalling.

The cub has been relocated to a wildlife park near the city of Bilbao: http://www.karpinabentura.com/es/animales/animales.html

The four bears have been transferred to a wildlife park in the Spanish Pyrenees, Parque Faunístico Lacuniacha:
http://www.lacuniacha.com/el-oso-vuelve-al-pirineo-aragones/#.UosxcsRgWUl

Unfortunately, these five bears are not the only captive bears in trouble. Seven other brown bears need to be rescued in three different facilities throughout the province Catalonia alone. Bears in Mind will help the local authorities and NGOs in finding suitable places for these animals.

Zaterdag 23 november gaf Dr. Chris Shepherd (regionaal directeur van TRAFFIC in Zuidoost-Azië) een lezing, getiteld 'The Widlife trade crisis in Southeast Asia'. De lezing vond plaats in Ouwehands Dierenpark en trok veel bezoekers. In een open sfeer vertelde Chris Shepherd over de manier waarop Traffic werkt en over de vele moeilijkheden die de strijd tegen de illegale handel in dieren en dieronderdelen met zich meebrengt.

Het team van Shepherd heeft al vele successen geboekt in Zuidoost Azië, maar de grote handelaren genieten helaas vaak  bescherming van overheden en zijn dus moeilijk aan te pakken. Dit probleem wordt ook schrijnend geïllustreerd in de documentaire van journalist Steve Chao over een van de grootste smokkelaars van Azië, Anson Wong. Deze film is te bekijken op de website van Aljazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2013/11/return-lizard-king-2013111683648328719.html

De lezing van Chris Shepherd is in pdf formaat beschikbaar, en aan te vragen via info@alertis.nl. Meer informatie over het werk van TRAFFIC is te vinden op www.traffic.org.

Over Chris Shepherd: 'The foremost voice on wildlife trade issues in the region, Dr. Shepherd has investigated, published and lectured on the threat of poaching and smuggling in Southeast Asia for over 15 years. A sought-after trainer for enforcement assistance, wildlife survey and monitoring techniques, and ivory identification, he helms the organisation, overseeing its strategic plans and programmes and represents it at the international level on wildlife specialist panels as well as in other decision-making fora.'

On Saturday November 23 Dr. Chris Shepherd (regional director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia) gave a lecture with the title 'The Widlife trade crisis in Southeast Asia'. This lecture took place in Ouwehand Zoo Rhenen. In an open atmosphere Chris Shepherd told the many attendants about the way Traffic operates and the many difficulties that go with the illegal trade in animals and animal parts.

Shepherd's team has enjoyed numerous successes in Southeast Asia, but the big traders are unfortunately often protected by the authorities and therefore untouchable. This problem is illustrated by journalist Steve Chao's documentary about one of the biggest traders in Asia, Ason Wong. The film can be viewed on the Aljazeera website:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2013/11/return-lizard-king-2013111683648328719.html

Chris Shepherd's lecture is available in pdf format, and can be requested through info@alertis.nl. More information about TRAFFIC can be found on www.traffic.org.

About Chris Shepherd: 'The foremost voice on wildlife trade issues in the region, Dr. Shepherd has investigated, published and lectured on the threat of poaching and smuggling in Southeast Asia for over 15 years. A sought-after trainer for enforcement assistance, wildlife survey and monitoring techniques, and ivory identification, he helms the organisation, overseeing its strategic plans and programmes and represents it at the international level on wildlife specialist panels as well as in other decision-making fora.'

 

Tijdens een patrouille in het ‘Land of the Leopard National Park’ (Primorsky Krai, Russisch Verre Oosten) op 21 november ontdekten rangers van Phoenix Fund een dode mannelijke Amoertijger. Men gaat ervan uit dat het roofdier is gedood door stropers tijdens een nachtelijke jacht, omdat een schotwond is gevonden onder de schouder. Een autopsie zal snel worden uitgevoerd om de doodsoorzaak te achterhalen.

Sergei Bereznuk is directeur van Phoenix Fund, een partner van Alertis. Hij zei het volgende over dit voorval: “Op 2 juli 2013 is de wet actief geworden die harde straffen oplegt aan het smokkelen en uit de natuur halen van kwetsbaar wild en aquatische biologische bronnen. Maar dit heeft de stropers niet afgeschrikt, en zij blijven beschermde dieren doden. Zo is er in augustus een tijgervel gevonden in Khabarovsky krai, maar wij weten nog niet of de verantwoordelijke stropers gepakt zijn. En nu is er vlakbij Wladiwostok op brute wijze weer een tijger gedood, het symbool van Primorsky krai. Stropers spotten met de pogingen van de Russische overheid om zeldzame en bedreigde grote kattensoorten te beschermen. Wij hopen dat de wethandhavers adequaat reageren op deze zaak en alles op alles zetten om de criminelen te identificeren en arresteren.”

Al meer dan tien jaar ondersteunt Alertis de anti-stroperij activiteiten van Phoenix Fund. Hun werk blijft helaas hard nodig, en zij kunnen alle steun gebruiken. Meer informatie over de ‘Red Wolf’ rangers is te vinden op http://www.bearsinmind.org/Project/Anti-stroperij-Brigade

Bron: http://fundphoenix.org/en/tiger-poaching-continues/

On November 21, 2013, while patrolling the Land of the Leopard National Park (Primorsky krai, Russian Far East), Phoenix Fund rangers discovered a dead male Amur tiger. The predator is believed to have been killed by poachers in late-night hunting, taking into account that a gunshot wound was found below its shoulder. A postmortem examination will be performed soon in order to determine the cause of death.

“Despite the fact that in Russia on July 2, 2013 criminal responsibility was imposed for harvest and smuggling highly-valued wildlife and aquatic biological resources, poachers were not scared by those legal amendments and continue to kill protected animals. Thus, in early August, a tiger skin was found in Khabarovsky krai, but we have not heard yet if poachers involved in that crime was caught. Now, one more cruel killing of tiger, symbol of Primorsky krai, occurred near Vladivostok. Poachers seem to mock at the Russian Government’s efforts to protect rare and endangered big cat species. We hope that law enforcement agencies will respond promptly to this case and make every effort to identify and arrest criminals”, says Director of the Phoenix Fund Sergei Bereznuk.

For over ten years Alertis has been supporting the Phoenix Fund. Their work remains vital for the survival of the wildlife in Primorsky krai. More information on the ‘Red Wolf’ rangers can be found at http://www.bearsinmind.org/Project/Anti-poaching-team-Russia

Source: http://fundphoenix.org/en/tiger-poaching-continues/

On Thursday April 17 the renovated Bear Forest will be reopened.

After 20 years of abuse by more than 25 bears, the large bear enclosure needed a total make-over.

The Bear Forest is open for the public from 13.30 hours on April 17. Come and see Expedition Bear Forest!

Der Bärenwald offnet Ihre Türe am Donnerstag 17 April.

Mit den Arbeiten zur Erneuerung des Bärenwaldes ist im Oktober 2013 angefangen.

Nach zwanzig jähriger intensiever Benutzung des Bärenwaldes war eine Erneuerung notwendig.

Die Besucher sind ab 13.30 Uhr, Donnerstag 17 April, wieder herzlich willkommen im Bärenwald.

Na een ingrijpende renovatie wordt Het Berenbos op donderdag 17 april heropend.

Na twintig jaar intensief gebruik was het bos nodig toe aan een opknapbeurt.

De renovatie is gestart in oktober 2013.

Vanaf 13.30 uur is Het Berenbos op donderdag 17 april weer voor het publiek toegankelijk. Kom ook naar Expeditie Berenbos!