Pangolins,sometimes known as scaly anteaters,are mammals of the order Pholidota. The one extant family,the Manidae,has three genera:Manis,Phataginus,and Smutsia. Manis comprises four species found in Asia,while Phataginus and Smutsia include two species each,all found in sub-Saharan Africa. These species range in size from 30 to 100 cm. A number of extinct pangolin species are also known.
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean east of the Philippine archipelago,the largest sea in the world,occupying an estimated surface area of 5 million square kilometers. The Philippine Sea Plate forms the floor of the sea. Its western border is the first island chain to the west,comprising the Ryukyu Islands in the northwest and Taiwan in the west. Its southwestern border comprises the Philippine islands of Luzon,Catanduanes,Samar,Leyte,and Mindanao. Its northern border comprises the Japanese islands of Honshu,Shikoku and Kyūshū. Its eastern border is the second island chain to the east,comprising the Bonin Islands and Iwo Jima in the northeast,the Mariana Islands in the due east,and Halmahera,Palau,Yap and Ulithi in the southeast. Its southern border is Indonesia's Morotai Island.
The China–Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) is a bilateral treaty between Australia and China that aims to protect migratory birds and their environment between the two countries. Throughout all six Articles,the treaty defines what a migratory bird is,outlines key prohibitions for both contracting parties and determines the responsibilities of both nations to protect migratory birds and their habitats. The CAMBA was first developed on 20 October 1986,and came into force on 1 September 1988. Eighty-one bird species are listed in the agreement,as shown in the CAMBA Annex listed below.
The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a species of tuna in the family Scombridae. It is variously known as the northern bluefin tuna,giant bluefin tuna [for individuals exceeding 150 kg (330 lb)],and formerly as the tunny.
The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) (French:Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier,German:Internationaler Rat zur Erhaltung des Wildes und der Jagd) is a politically independent not-for-profit international organisation,aiming to preserve wildlife through the promotion of sustainable use of wildlife resources. The initialism "CIC" comes from the organisation's original French name Conseil International de la Chasse.
Wetlands International is a global organisation that works to sustain and restore wetlands and their resources for people and biodiversity. It is an independent,not-for-profit,global organisation,supported by government and NGO membership from around the world.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is a tuna regional fishery management organisation,responsible for the management and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. The organization was established in 1966,at a conference in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil,and operates in English,French and Spanish. The organisation has been strongly criticised by scientists for its repeated failure to conserve the sustainability of the tuna fishery by consistently supporting over-fishing –an internal review branded ICCAT's policies on the eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery a "travesty of fisheries management",and an "international disgrace". Conservationists often refer to ICCAT as "The International Conspiracy to Catch All Tuna".
WildAid is an environmental organization based in San Francisco,California,United States.
Papua New Guinea together with the West Papua region of Indonesia make up a major tropical wilderness area that still contains 5% of the original and untouched tropical high-biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems. PNG in itself contains over 5% of the world's biodiversity in less than 1% of the world's total land area. The flora of New Guinea is unique because it has two sources of origin;the Gondwana flora from the south and flora with Asian origin from the west. As a result,New Guinea shares major family and genera with Australia and the East Asia,but is rich in local endemic species. The endemicity is a result of mountainous isolation,topographic and soil habitat heterogeneity,high forest disturbance rates and abundant aseasonal rainfall year round. PNG boasts some 15–21,000 higher plants,3,000 species of orchids,800 species of coral,600 species of fish,250 species of mammals and 760 species of birds and 8 species of tree-kangaroos out of which 84 genera of animals are endemic. Ecosystems range from lowland forests to montane forests,alpine flora down to coastal areas which contains some of the most extensive pristine mangrove areas in the world. Much of this biodiversity has remained intact for thousands of years because the ruggedness of the terrain made the interior lands inaccessible;furthermore low population density and restrictions on the effectiveness of traditional tools,ensured that these biodiversity was never overexploited.
Wildlife trade refers to the products that are derived from non-domesticated animals or plants usually extracted from their natural environment or raised under controlled conditions. It can involve the trade of living or dead individuals,tissues such as skins,bones or meat,or other products. Legal wildlife trade is regulated by the United Nations' Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),which currently has 184 member countries called Parties. Illegal wildlife trade is widespread and constitutes one of the major illegal economic activities,comparable to the traffic of drugs and weapons.
The Chinese pangolin is a pangolin native to the northern Indian subcontinent,northern parts of Southeast Asia and southern China. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2014,as the wild population is estimated to have declined by more than 80% in three pangolin generations,equal to 21 years. It is threatened by poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future,either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss,poaching and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species,and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which,for example,forbid hunting,restrict land development,or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.
The Central Asian Flyway (CAF),Central Asian-Indian Flyway,or Central Asian-South Asian Flyway is a flyway covering a large continental area of Eurasia between the Arctic Ocean and the Indian Ocean and the associated island chains. The CAF comprises several important migration routes of waterbirds,most of which extend from the northernmost breeding grounds in Siberia to the southernmost non-breeding wintering grounds in West Asia,India,the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Wildlife smuggling or wildlife trafficking concerns the illegal gathering and trade of endangered species and protected wildlife,including plants and byproducts or products utilizing a species. Research on wildlife smuggling has increased,however,knowledge of the illicit trade remains limited. The differences between international policies and tendencies likely contribute to the extensive estimated range of wildlife smuggling,anywhere from $5-$23 billion,with an additional $67-$193 billion when timber and fish are included. The prolific growth of wildlife smuggling makes it the fourth-largest criminal enterprise globally after drug,firearm,and human trafficking. Products demanded by the trade include but are not limited to ivory,bushmeat,traditional medicine,and exotic pets. China and the United States are the largest buyers in the illegal wildlife trade.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation is an environmental non-governmental organization which works to preserve the natural resources and biodiversity of Nigeria. The Foundation was founded in 1980 by Shafi Edu and has worked since then on a number of resource management and conservation projects across Nigeria. Chief Ede Dafinone is the current Chairman of the Foundation and Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano is the Director-General.
Dr. Moritaka Hayashi is an international lawyer,scholar and author,who is widely considered a leading expert on the impact of human activity on the world's oceans. Over a period of nearly 40 years,he has published extensively on issues involving the law of the sea,including overfishing,maritime shipping and maritime security. In 2008,he served on an international commission that generated controversy by calling for the immediate suspension of bluefin tuna fishing in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. He has also served as an official at the United Nations and as a diplomat for the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations.
Rodrigo A. Medellín is a Mexican ecologist and Senior Professor of Ecology at the Institute of Ecology,University of Mexico (UNAM). Known for his work in bat,jaguar,bighorn sheep and other species conservation,his research has always been designed and conducted to advice conservation policy and conservation decision-making processes in Mexico and 16 other countries for over 40 years.
The Central Asian-Indian Flyway(CAIF),or Central Asian-South Asian Flyway is a flyway covering a large continental area of Eurasia between the Arctic Ocean and the Indian Ocean and the associated island chains. The CAIF comprises several important migration routes of waterbirds,most of which extend from the northernmost breeding grounds in Siberia to the southernmost non-breeding wintering grounds in West Asia,India,the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory.
