Transcript Threatening effects of mining on Ghana’s IBAs

Campaigning for Species:
The Grey Parrot Trade in
Ghana
By
Gerard H.O. Boakye
Fundraising, Marketing & Corporate Affairs
Ghana Wildlife Society
Effects of the Grey Parrot Trade
in Ghana
• Introduction-The Species and where it
occurs
• The trade in West Africa
• Impacts of the Trade
• Strategies
• Past Efforts / Campaigns
- Recent Developments / Conclusion
Introduction-The Species & where it is
•Timneh/maroon tail
(Psittacus erithacus
timneh)
- West of Cote
d’Ivoire,
to as far as Guinea:
less intelligent, less
colorful much lower
price on the Int. mkt.
•Redtail subspecies
(Psittacus erithacus
erithacus)
- To the East of Cote
d’Ivoire across to Zaire
The Species and where it occurs:
Species for Trade: Red-tail is further divided into two races
• “The West African”,
“Ghanaian" or “Ordinary”
red-tails or grey. – smaller,
more intelligent, more
preferable
“Central African” or “Congo”
greys.-much larger &
healthier, higher price
premium over the red-tails
TODAY, Only
•GHANA & NIGERIA
- Have significant populations
•Ghana & Nigeria
- Also have total bans on commercial
exports for the international pet trade
However, it is their parrots that flood the
international market
The trade in West Africa cont.
• Between 1983 & 1989
- 346,782 grey parrots
exported from 20
African countries
• Including SENEGAL
& TOGO non-parrot
range countries
• During the same
period 10,405 were
exported from other
parts of the world
The trade in West Africa cont.
• 61 countries in all between that period were
recorded to have exported African Grey
• Parrots are endemic to only 23
• In the past the specie has been traded in
both LEGALLY and ILLEGALLY from
several countries even those with no
populations
• However in all Ghana & Mali have shown
decline in trade
The trade in West Africa cont.
• This international trade, is characterised
by FRAUD
• Export from non-parrot endemic
countries
• Dealers manipulating CITES permitting
systems & under declaring export
numbers
• Trading countries incapable of proper
monitoring and control of exports
The trade in West Africa cont.
• The scientific monitoring and legalistic
requirement of IUCN Article IV have not
been met by many countries
• Although EU countries have banned
imports the US & South Africa market
continues to be open
• Birds being smuggled from home range,
through distant non-trading countries
with no embargo, then to major markets
Impacts of the trade in Ghana
• There is no legal parrot trade in
Ghana so
• Movement of birds are illegal
• Hence mortality is high, from
- inhumane manner of
concealing parrots
- night operations to capture &
process
- secret holding facilities,
- birds used in smuggling
diamonds
- Stress & death from long
distance travelling by road
Other issues/threats to the species
• Habitat loss from other resource exploitation
• Inadequate scientific surveys for baseline data on
population
• Lack accurate assessment
of effects of exploitation
• Poor enforcement of
wildlife laws by national
border authorities at
exit ports
Campaigning for the Species
Past Efforts / Campaigns
• The Wildlife Clubs adopted the head of
the parrot as a logo to urge Ghanaian
children to speak out against the
inhumane trade in parrots
• GWS led wildlife club members to
appeal to judges in the US to give max
sentence to an illegal exporter
Campaigning for the Species
Past Efforts / Campaigns
• WCG members wrote to the President
of Ghana to influence the release of
several parrots intended for export and
the prosecution of the exporter.
• Finally WCG endorsed the total ban of
parrot exportation; with a big match to
express appreciation and educate the
public.
Campaigning for the Species Strategies:
Advocacy & Lobbying
• Need to step-up lobbying & advocacy to
maintain the ban on trade in Ghana
• Need to support the transfer of the species
from Cites Appendix II to I
• Enhancing the status &capacity of the
Ghana Wildlife Division for better
enforcement of the ban
• Improve, equip and provide
subvention for Scientific Authority
in Ghana & other countries to be
efficient
• Public awareness
• Introduce a diplomatic dimension to
address the big economies &
players in the market
•Ban the big parrot
markets; the US
Market
• Address & lobby the role of Airlines
• Promote cross border collaboration
approach of natural resource management
• Investigate the captive breeding options
very well before recommendation
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
Funding:
Policy makers
Law enforcement agencies
External partners
Market countries
Neighbouring countries
Conclusion
Recent Developments
• COP13 to CITES meeting, Bangkok
Thailand October 2004
The United States Department of the
Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service on Dec
5th 2003 requested for Ghana’s support
on a proposed move of the parrot from
Appendix II to Appendix I
Conclusion
The art is long and
life is short, we need to move on
You guys
better move
quick
Once again we
rely on the
reputable
strength of the
BLI partnership
MEDASI !
THANK
YOU !