Rwanda: wildlife and its many facets

Rwanda: wildlife and its many facets
14.12.2019
Rwanda
Rwanda: wildlife and its many facets
Wildlife

Nestled in the heart of Africa, between the Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda, areas well known because of the terrible genocide that occurred in 1994, when nearly a million members of the Tutsi ethnic group were massacred over a few months. What is largely forgotten is the richness of the wildlife of this small country in Central Africa, in particular its mountain gorillas clinging to the slopes of the Virunga mountains. These gorillas were highlighted by the primatologist Dian Fossey, but also its lions, giraffes, rhinoceros, elephants, wild dogs, antelopes … So many of these animals have suffered from the madness of men.

A revival, in pictures

Mathieu Courdesses, a young photographer whose work we support on wildlife and in particular his Photogr’Afrique project, completed whilst in Rwanda. He is indeed always in search of wild places to go where he will witness by the use of his images the conditions of life. He has even witnessed survival and fatalities, he is a committed actor, working towards the preservation of the environment.

From his last trip to Rwanda (Akagera Park, Volcanoes Park, Nyungwe Forest, Ahazaza School), Mathieu brought back a report which is full of promise. He saw zoological parks equip themselves with personnel (rangers, trackers or veterinarians), armed to restore viable and healthy ecosystems. There are wildlife sanctuaries that are recreated to include African animals and open to eco-responsible tourism, carried with ambition by a new local political class, especially women and which benefits local communities.

A New Logic

« Today, they are bodyguards for the gorillas and the government offers them at a fixed salary, offering the possibility of staying legal and also preserving their environmental heritage, » says Mathieu. He talks about former poachers, who understand that ecological tourism redistributes more sustainable income here than the mere price of bushmeat. This help revitalizes the attractiveness and strengths of an entire ecosystem. Here and this is rare, it is a question of dialogue between actors, the understanding of the issues, real animal knowledge…

Threatened yesterday by extensive tea plantations munching on the Nyungwe forest, the chimpanzees and colobus monkeys now seem to coexist as equals with local farmers, eco-friendly lodges allowing them to come and mix with them, to develop a new wealth, which is no longer plundered, even if it remains rare.

Then there is education: in Ahazaza, in one of the schools in the country of a thousand hills, Mathieu shared his images and his emotions with the children: he felt the powerful bond of love and pride that unites these young locals to the wildlife around them, this is the same bond which made Patience who he is, one of Mathieu’s field guides who expressed this very touching confession: « Gorillas are our brothers. »

Proud to do something…

The promotion of tourism to this battered Central African country must take different paths and this is currently the case. This is how the use of unprecedented means will allow its wildlife to flourish again tomorrow, in islands of rediscovered peace. We give everyone the opportunity to see the images brought back by Mathieu from his reports (stories on Instagram), which also contribute to the preservation of wild life, by testifying to its beauty, its rarity, its fragility… Please support these Steps!

The wolves are doing well? Let’s kill them!

The wolves are doing well? Let’s kill them!
11.12.2019
France
The wolves are doing well? Let’s kill them!
Wildlife

On the one hand the French state claims to protect wolves and on the other hand, they fight against them, just as their population is trying to recover. Join with us and participate in a public consultation regarding a new massacre of these animals in 2020!

In principle, there is always the law, the one that sets the public rules. Sometimes, it allows for « exceptions » … it being understood that these are exceptions. But in France, when it comes to saving wolves, the world is upside down.

Derogations become the law

The texts are however clear: Canis lupus are legally protected in our country. This implies that it is forbidden to kill a wolf. But in reality, derogation after derogation and the state eventually allows more slaughter and the defence of this species ends up looking like a one off! The massacre is such that it is more and more like a policy of systematic shooting. The State however has a numerical limit in place in order to vaguely give the illusion of « responsible management ».

A limit? Did you say a limit?

Since 2018, the French lupine population has crossed the threshold of 500 individuals. Something to the delight of nature lovers who know how much these wonderful animals deserve to find their place with us, after enduring centuries of hatred and ignorance. But now, instead of encouraging the viability of the species – still fragile according to various experts – our leaders are always looking to take their policies of slaughter to a further level. Thus, the maximum number of wolves that can be eliminated continues to increase, according to a singular interpretation of the concept of « ceiling » and above all a perfect submission to the wishes of breeders and hunters. Persecuted from all sides, these unhappy animals have nowhere to take refuge, families find themselves orphans, youngsters in search of packs are hunted down to their last breath.

New murderous order in sight

By the end of 2019, 95 wolves have already been exterminated in France in a « legal » manner, not counting the 19 others found dead. This staggering quantity of corpses does not move the authorities at all, it’s quite the contrary. Hand in hand, the Ministries of Agriculture and the Ecological and Inclusive Transition have just concocted a new decree « relating to the testing of various provisions relating to derogations from the prohibitions on destruction which may be granted by the Prefects concerning the wolf (Canis lupus )”. Renewing this for 2020 that which has already been taken in 2019 on an experimental basis”. It’s only worse.

Say « No » to the next killings!

If the « project » is adopted, the number of wild canines that can be killed will correspond to 17%, even 19% of their estimated number in France, thus condemning more than 100 individuals! In addition, hunters who are authorized to shoot wolves (several thousand) will have the right to use nocturnal detection equipment (thermal cameras, etc.), in the absence of an ONCFS agent or even a wildlife official, thus opening the door to further abuses.

Let us take action to prevent this carnage by responding to the public consultation on: http://www.consultations-publi…

Please note, we only have until December 25th to make our voices heard. The future of wolves in France depends on us!

Advice:

• No copy-pasted texts: they are not taken into account.

• No abusive messages.

• No overly generalized messages calling for the outright abolition of wolf slaughter.

Help to argue (attention: copy-pasted banned, use your own words only):

Protected species

The wolf is a threatened species and protected by European regulations.

Biology and sentience

The social life of wolves is extremely complex. Couples form for life. When an individual is killed, the whole pack is put at risk. More info can be found in our sentience file.

The uselessness of this measure

• Like all large predators, the lupine population is self-regulating.

• Protection measures for herds exist and are even subsidized by the State.

Scapegoats

• Natural predators and regulators of the wildlife, wolves are seen as thieves of game animals by hunters.

• In the event of an attack on a herd, some breeders prefer to incriminate wolves rather than stray dogs in order to receive compensation.

Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?

Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?
05.12.2019
France
Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?
Wildlife

We have been fighting to stop the hunting of wolves in France for years. We have had demonstrations towards raising the awareness about the identity of wolves and meetings with government departments regarding legal actions. In 2018, we took steps at the State Council against the inter-ministerial orders and the presidential decree allowing the killing of wolves despite this species being protected. We also filed an appeal against the Prefect, the coordinator of the «wolf plan». So far, we have partially won, proof that the cause of wolves is advancing both within the population and within the justice system. But we’re not going to let our guard down…

Last August, a masked anti-wolf militia with handguns in the Hautes-Alpes declared they were ready to fight. Its members affirm that they will eradicate the wolves in the vicinity if the state does not bow under their threats. The facts themselves are shocking and call for an unequivocal response: We filed a complaint concerning a conspiracy to destroy a protected species.

The State is complicit in trying to wipe animals out of our country

However, whatever these poachers say, the state protects the breeders and hunters, and supports their demands! They think they’re above the law? Why should they worry when their President of the Republic had claimed since last February that: «Wolves, will be regulated! [… ] How do you exactly explain the numbers to be regulated?”, when his Minister of the Interior, on November 21st, unequivocally translated this as “killing the wolf”— Despite all their efforts to hide the fact that the biodiversity is the least of their worries, the government assumes that it’s only looking after one thing: to eradicate wolves little by little. In the beginning the «wolf plan» allowed the killing of up to 40 wolves a year. It then went up to 43, 50 and then to 100! One Voice has always signed up against any quota whatsoever. Wolves must be protected, not targeted! They are highly intelligent and sociable beings and have a role to play in the ecosystem.

« Buter du loup »…
Oui, en France, le massacre des loups se pratique avec l’assentiment des représentants du @gouvernementFR censés prendre leur défense! Si vous en doutiez voici les propos de @CCastaner sur les loups ce mardi. #FauneSauvage
Merci à @STouvert – Vidéo @dicitv pic.twitter.com/35GBECbsFY

— One Voice (@onevoiceanimal) November 21, 2019

Inter-ministerial decree and presidential decree soon to be called into question following our appeals!

At the State Council in December 2nd, we requested the cancellation of the inter-ministerial decrees and the presidential decree, designating the Prefect the coordinator of the wolf plan and its exact powers. This included the number of wolves hunted and that the Prefects may deviate from the law regarding the protection of wolves. These quotas and derogations serve only one purpose: agricultural and hunting lobbies, to the detriment of the biodiversity. The public, mostly opposed to these orders, was not fooled. But the ministry of ecology in charge the protection of nature regulates the way in which it must be destroyed, and worse, asks the State Council to reject our requests.

The public speaker – whose opinion is mostly followed by the State Council in its decision-making – rejected most of our requests. Quotas will remain in place. On the other hand, if the State Council follows the public speaker’s opinion well, the coordinating Prefect will no longer be able to authorize the shooting of wolves if the threshold is reached, even with the excuse that this would endanger the herds. If the cancellation is pronounced by the State Council, One Voice, the only body facing the authorities of the State, will have them bow down and will diminish the powers of the Prefect.

The Prefectural order cancelled: the wolves were killed illegally

Moreover, it was precisely at this point that we attacked the Prefect of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Rhône. This Prefect coordinated the wolf plan at the Grenoble administrative court, because he had assumed the right to have three additional wolves killed on top of the already huge number set by the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition. Unfortunately, we were dismissed from this emergency, and the wolves were slaughtered. But after the hearing of last November 14th, at the time of the judgment the verdict was decided: we had obtained the annulment of the Prefectural decree: but, the wolves were thus unlawfully killed.

And should we be satisfied with this post-mortem victory? No! Our mission is to save lives! Once again, we see that wolves have not finished being sacrificed on the altar of ancestral fears and the interests of the hunting and breeding lobbies. We will never abandon them, and will continue to attack any Prefectural or ministerial decree organizing their deaths.

Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view

Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view
04.12.2019
Tunis
Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view
Wildlife

The Belvedere Zoological Park in Tunis is very badly named indeed. Unless animal suffering can be considered as a source of contemplation. In this sordid place, the residents are not only captive, but also victims of the worst sort of abominable suffering. Help us save them!

In some zoos, the public throws peanuts at the monkeys. A major problem for primates because peanuts can make them sick. But in the majority of cases, the people who feed them in this way are not intending to cause harm. It is up to the management to inform them correctly and to put an end to these types of practices. In Tunis, however, anything goes! And it’s not just peanuts or pieces of dry bread that one might throw to the animals. The Belvedere Zoo, the largest park in the city, became famous in March 2017 after a group of visitors continually threw stones at a crocodile…!

Open cemetery

This tragedy caused a stir at the time. Even outside of the country’s borders, in addition to this, other scandals things have been uncovered within this establishment, which is in reality akin to a house of death. Thanks to ALVIA, a local association, and the relay of social networks, the world has thus discovered what is happing here. Horrifying things such as, monkeys wasting away in their tiny cages in the basement, wild beasts and Vietnam pigs undernourished and deprived of water despite the heat, a dying bear, unable to move, a lion cub abandoned in a pit untreated and wounded. There are corpses and bones in the enclosures, all is in a mess … Not to mention the general unsanitary conditions, especially pools strewn with rubbish where swans have choked …

Operation Makeover

Faced with this international outcry, the municipality (who are the management of the zoo) wanted to take matters into their own hands. Following the stoning of the crocodile, they urgently closed the doors of this institution to begin its renovation. Today, green spaces are better maintained and the enclosures look less like landfills. But appearances are deceptive. The zoological park is still sorely lacking in resources and personnel. If the corpses are now better hidden, the animals do not receive any more attention than they did before. The sick and / or depressed are left to a sad fate, when they are not butchered before the eyes of their fellow species or passers-by to « shorten » their suffering if they have not received treatment in time.

Let’s act now!

The ALVIA association continues to fight to denounce these atrocities and save the survivors. She calls us to help to put pressure on the municipality of Tunis and get these suffering beings immediately placed into sanctuaries where they can finally benefit from appropriate care and an environment that meets their needs. Help us to relay their calls by signing the petition.

To strengthen your action, you can also send a letter (a model letter is available here) to:

• Municipality of Tunis:

E-mail: webmaster@commune-tunis.gov.tn
Phone number: +216 71 57 11 98

• Direction of the zoological park whose director is Mahmoud Latiri

E-mail : zootunis@municipalite-tunis.gov.tn
Phone number: +216 71 897716 / +216 897726

• Ministry of Tourism :

E-mail: boc@tourisme.gov.tn
Phone Number: +216 71 341 077

• French Embassy in Tunisia:

E-mail: Mail@consulfrance-tunis.org
Phone Number: +216 31 315 111