A leading animal conservationist has called for wildlife poaching to be treated as a global challenge, just as the international community collaborates on sanctions on Iran and halting funds going to extremist groups. Dominic Jermey, Director-General of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), said the “industrial scale pillage” that is the wildlife trade continues unabated and requires a collective, multi-faceted clamp down.
"As an international community we are gripping money laundering, sanctions on Iran, terrorist financing and arms trading. In the pecking order (the illegal wildlife trade) is way behind. It is criminality on pretty much the same scale" Mr Jermey, who previously served as the UK's ambassador to the UAE from 2010 to 2014 and also to Afghanistan, told The National.
“The big prize is a strategic push by governments, galvanising communities, civil society, companies to grip this in the same way,” he added. Estimates suggest the trade is worth some $23 billion a year and is seemingly on the increase. Mr Jermey added that the “Living Planet Index” indicator, developed by ZSL, has shown a staggering 58 percent decline in wildlife populations globally since 1970. While a number of factors were to blame, such as climate change, there was no doubt the illegal wildlife trade was a main cause. “I’ve looked at the finances, this is an industrial scale harvesting of wildlife in a completely unstainable way,” he said.
Mr Jermey was speaking ahead of the UK-hosted Illegal Wildlife Conference on Thursday and Friday, which will bring together global leaders to help eradicate the illegal wildlife trade and protect the world’s most endangered species.
ZSL’s Director General laid out three key things he wanted to come out from the summit. One would be a clear commitment “underpinned by mechanisms” on how nation-states would clamp down on the demand and availability of illegally trafficked wildlife goods. Another is a collective effort by governments, regulators and banks to stop the financing of the trade. Finally, a consensus around using technology more effectively. The latter was cited by Mr Jermey as a particularly significant gamechanger recently – for good and bad.
“The use of the internet to sell illegally traded wildlife goods is prevalent and that is a core route to the market in consumer countries. Taking down those websites is very important – it requires subtlety to stay ahead of the dark web and also needs very effective algorithms,” he said. “For instance, the word ivory could refer to a paint colour or it could indeed be an illegally traded part of an elephant,” Mr Jermey said.
“Then there is the incredibly positive use of technology. For example, rangers with GPS-enabled tracking systems that allow their commanders to know their location but also to feed into a programme with real time data about where smugglers are,” he said. “Then there are camera traps that are able to distinguish between men with guns and antelopes, so that enforcement agencies can then be sent to the right place. It could also be using specially-developed gels to fingerprint pangolin scales to identify individual smugglers. Technology has an enormous role to pay,” he added.
Leading up to the conference, the trade in rhinos has come under particular scrutiny. “We have seen a dramatic increase in the slaughters of rhinos in the last couple of years. From what we can deduce at the transit routes, we are seeing an increase going through. This is exactly why the conference is important to clamp down on it,” said Mr Jermey.
Mr Jermey also applauded the work of the UAE and UK in clamping down on the illegal wildlife trade. He cited both giving at least 0.7 per cent of their Gross National Product to overseas development assistance, money which could be used not only for alternative livelihoods but also conservation. “It’s to the UK’s credit they are hosting this conference. There are not many countries achieving 0.7 per cent. The UAE has done some great in conservation and in development – the opportunity now is to bring those two objectives together to support sustainable livelihoods for communities dependent on wildlife, making poaching a less attractive option.
Mr Jermey took over at the helm of the ZSL in November 2017 but has long been an advocate for the protection of wildlife and preventing the illegal trade of animals. Nonetheless, he said his relatively new position had still changed his outlook. “I have a much deeper understanding of the impact of illegal wildlife trade on ordinary people. Actually getting about on patrol and meeting some of the communities directly impacted just brought home to me the human cost behind the numbers of wildlife being taken away,” he said.
“You’ve got women and men as rangers and customs officials trying to catch smugglers and stopping things getting out. These are people drawn from the local population quite often in the frontline doing a dangerous job. They are on the frontline, they are facing people who are pretty well armed, might be better paid. The message we send through this conference has to be an international one,” Mr Jermey added.
THE SPECS
GMC Sierra Denali 1500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Price: Dh232,500
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (D) 2,200m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
Results:
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1.400m | Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Saab, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Majd Al Gharbia, Saif Al Balushi, Ridha ben Attia
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed Dh 180,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Money To Burn, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh 70,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Kafu, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 2,400m | Winner: Brass Ring, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
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Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
Company%20profile
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Results
Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0).
Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2.
Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2.
Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission.
Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission.
Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0)
Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1)
Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision.
Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission.
Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision.
Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission.
Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
At a glance
Fixtures All matches start at 9.30am, at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free
Thursday UAE v Ireland; Saturday UAE v Ireland; Jan 21 UAE v Scotland; Jan 23 UAE v Scotland
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (c), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
