1. Notorious Rhino Poacher & Gang Member, Admiro Chauque, Sentenced To A Record 30 Years In Prison In Mozambique
Admiro Chauque, a noted rhino poacher and gang member from Mozambique, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay 28 years’ worth of fines at the rate of 1% of the minimum wage.
The National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) announced the news in a post on its Facebook page, further explaining that Chauque was sentenced by Judge Dr. Jafete Sigoto Fremo in the 6th Section of the Judicial Court of Maputo Province.
Chauque, who operated with a gang of poachers in Magude and Massingir districts, as well as in Kruger National Park in South Africa, was accused of prohibited hunting crimes, association to offend, and carrying illegal weapons.
READ MORE, HERE!
2. Update! $16,500 Reward Offered In Case Of First Wolf Shot & Killed In Oregon This Year Who Was A Two-Year-Old Collared Female; The War On Wolves Must End!
WAN has learned of yet another wolf death; this time, it was a two-year-old collared female who was reportedly shot and killed in Wallowa County, Oregon. According to information sent to WAN by the Oregon Police Department, the lone wolf was a young female tagged as (OR 106) that dispersed from the Chesnimnus Pack.
Conservation groups announced a $16,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction for the illegal shooting death of the wolf. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Turn in Poachers (TIP) division also offers a $300 reward for valid information regarding illegal wolf killings.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Oregon State Police Sgt. Isaac Cyr through the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’sTurn in Poachers (TIP) hotline at 1-800-452-7888. Tips can also be submitted via email to TIP@state.or.us
Reference case #SP22006179
READ MORE, HERE!
3. Outrage Ensues After 44 Yellowstone Wolves That Roamed Outside Of The National Park Were Reportedly Killed By Hunters
Tragically, 44 gray wolves from Yellowstone National Park have been killed by hunters after leaving the park’s boundaries in recent months.
Fifteen of the wolves were based in Montana while the other five were from Idaho and Wyoming. These killings include most or all of the Phantom Lake Pack, which is now considered “eliminated” by the park.
“These killings remind us that no gray wolf is safe in the Lower 48,” Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, said in a statement, further calling for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to use its emergency authority to reinstate federal protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies. “Unless we stop these deaths, the continued bloodshed will severely erode the long-term health of Yellowstone’s iconic wolves and severely undermine the decades of research so important to understanding wolves worldwide.”
TAKE ACTION & READ MORE, HERE!
4. WAN Exclusive With Founder Of Skylands Animal Sanctuary, Mike Stura, Who Saved The Life Of A Calf Who Escaped Slaughter In Queens, New York
The new year marks the beginning of a new life for a young female calf who escaped from a slaughterhouse in Queens, New York, late last month. Now named Stacy, the calf was saved by members of the New York Police Department and Park Rangers, along with Mike Stura, the Founder of Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, where she now resides.
WAN talked with Stura, a decades-long animal rescuer and vegan about how the rescue of this approximately nine-month-old 400 pound calf was particularly heartwarming.
“This is a fun twist,” Stura told WAN. “This time, a six-year-vegan police officer called me on the phone to come help with the cow.” Usually, the police call Animal Control, which then contacts him.
READ MORE, HERE!
5. The U.S. Gets Tough On Wildlife Traffickers Imposing Strict Visa Restrictions On Eight Smugglers From The Democratic Republic Of Congo
The U.S. Department of State is disrupting wildlife trafficking networks by imposing visa restrictions on eight nationals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These actions fall under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which targets wildlife and timber traffickers who are believed to be, or have been, complicit in or involved in trafficking wildlife or selling wildlife parts or products.
Wildlife trafficking is a serious transnational crime that threatens national security, economic prosperity, the rule of law, long-standing conservation efforts, and human health through the spread of zoonotic diseases. The DRC is a major hub for trafficked wildlife and wildlife products moving from Africa to Asia and the Middle East. This includes vast quantities of ivory and pangolin scales, as well as rhino horn, and endangered live animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and African grey parrots.
This visa restriction policy is designed to further disrupt the movements and business of transnational criminal organizations involved in wildlife and timber trafficking by making it harder for them to smuggle illegal wildlife and timber.
READ MORE, HERE!
6. San Francisco Remains Fur-Free After The International Fur Trade Federation’s Appeal To Challenge The Ban Was Dropped
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal by the International Fur Trade Federation which attempted to challenge the constitutionality of the ban on the sale of fur products in San Francisco. The Federation agreed to the dismissal of its appeal with prejudice, leaving the city’s fur ban enforceable and clear from challenge.
The Federation filed its lawsuit against the city and county of San Francisco in January 2020. The Animal Legal Defense Fund and the Humane Society of the United States intervened in the lawsuit to defend the ordinance’s constitutionality and preserve the city of San Francisco’s right to ban fur.
READ MORE, HERE!
7. Critical New Bill Introduced In Colorado Could Ban The Trophy Hunting Of Mountain Lions, Bobcats & Canadian Lynx
