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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (July 6, 2020)
ASIA / PACIFIC Page 4 n THE ASIAN REPORTER July 6, 2020 Coronavirus lockdowns increase poaching in Asia, Africa By Aniruddha Ghosal and Michael Casey The Associated Press N EW DELHI — A camera trap photo of an injured tigress and a forensic examination of its carcass revealed why the creature died: a poacher’s wire snare punctured its windpipe and sapped its strength as the wound festered for days. Snares like this one set in southern India’s dense forest have become increasingly common amid the corona- virus pandemic, as people left jobless turn to wildlife to make money and feed their families. Authorities in India are concerned this spike in poaching not only could kill more endangered tigers and leopards but also species these carnivores depend upon to survive. “It is risky to poach, but if pushed to the brink, some could think that these are risks worth taking,” said Mayukh Chatterjee, a wildlife biologist with the nonprofit Wildlife Trust of India. Since the country announced its lockdown, at least four tigers and six leopards have been killed by poachers, Wildlife Protection Society of India said. But there also were numerous other poaching casualties — gazelles in grasslands, foot-long giant squirrels in forests, wild boars and birds such as peacocks, and purple morhens. In many parts of the developing world, coronavirus lockdowns have sparked concern about increased illegal hunting that’s fuelled by food shortages and a decline in law enforcement in some wildlife protection areas. At the same time, border closures and travel restrictions slowed illegal trade in certain high-value species. One of the biggest disruptions involves the endangered pangolin. Often caught in parts of Africa and Asia, the anteater-like animals are smuggled mostly to China and Southeast Asia, where their meat is considered a delicacy and scales are used in traditional medicine. In April, the Wildlife Justice Commis- sion reported traders were stockpiling pangolin scales in several Southeast Asia countries awaiting an end to the pandemic. Rhino horn is being stockpiled in Mozambique, the report said, and ivory traders in Southeast Asia are struggling to sell the stockpiles amassed since China’s 2017 ban on trade in ivory products. The pandemic compounded their plight because many Chinese customers were unable to travel to ivory markets in Cambodia, Laos, and other countries. “They are desperate to get it off their hands. Nobody wants to be stuck with that product,” said Sarah Stoner, director of intelligence for the commission. The illegal trade in pangolins continued “unabated” within Africa but interna- tional trade has been disrupted by port closures, said Ray Jansen, chairman of the African Pangolin Working Group. “We have witnessed some trade via air while major ship routes are still closed, but we expect a flood of trade once shipping avenues reopen again,” Jansen said. Fears that organized poaching in Africa would spike largely have not materialized — partly because ranger patrols have continued in many national parks and reserves. Emma Stokes, director of the Central Africa Program of the Wildlife Conserva- tion Society, said patrolling national parks in several African countries has been designated essential work. But she has heard about increased hunting of animals outside parks. “We are expecting to see an increase in bushmeat hunting for food — duikers, antelopes, and monkeys,” she said. Jansen also said bushmeat poaching was soaring, especially in parts of southern Africa. “Rural people are struggling to feed themselves and their families,” he said. There are also signs of increased poaching in parts of Asia. A greater one-horned rhino was gunned down May 9 in India’s Kaziranga National Park — the first case in over a year. Three people, suspected to be a part of an inter- national poaching ring, were arrested on June 1 with automatic rifles and ammuni- tion, said Uttam Saikia, a wildlife warden. As in other parts of the world, poachers in Kaziranga pay poor families paltry sums of money to help them. With families losing work from the lockdown, “they will definitely take advantage of this,” warned Saikia. In neighboring Nepal, where the virus has ravaged important income from migrants and tourists, the first month of lockdown saw more forest-related crimes, including poaching and illegal logging, than the previous 11 months, according to a review by the government and World Wildlife Fund, or WWF. For many migrants returning to villages after losing jobs, forests were the “easiest source” of sustenance, said Shiv Raj Bhatta, director of programs at WWF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY INTENSIFIES. A pangolin looks for food on private property in Johan- nesburg, South Africa, in this February 15, 2019 file photo. Often caught in parts of Africa and Asia, the anteater-like animals are smuggled mostly to China and Southeast Asia, where their meat is considered a delicacy and scales are used in traditional medicine. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File) Nepal. In Southeast Asia, the Wildlife Conservation Society documented in April the poisoning in Cambodia of three critically endangered giant ibises for the wading bird’s meat. More than 100 painted stork chicks were also poached in late March in Cambodia at the largest waterbird colony in Southeast Asia. “Suddenly rural people have little to turn to but natural resources and we’re already seeing a spike in poaching,” said Colin Poole, the group’s regional director for the Greater Mekong. Heartened by closure of wildlife markets in China over concerns about a possible link between the trade and the coronavirus, several conservation groups are calling for governments to put measures in place to avoid future pandemics. Among them is a global ban on the commercial sale of wild birds and mammals destined for the dinner table. Others say an international treaty, known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora, which regulates the trade in endangered plants and animals, should be expanded to incorporate public health concerns. They point out that some commonly traded species, such as horseshoe bats, often carry viruses but are currently not subject to trade restrictions under CITES. “That is a big gap in the framework,” said John Scanlon, former secretary- general of CITES now with African Parks. “We may find that there may be certain animals that should be listed and not be traded or traded under strict conditions and certain markets that ought to be closed.” Casey reported from Boston. Associated Press writer Christina Larson contributed from Washington. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Was new Chex flavor worth South Koreans’ 16-year wait? By Juwon Park and Jaimie Ding The Associated Press EOUL, South Korea — South Koreans have waited 16 long years for a savory, crispy bite that would satisfy their taste buds and right an infamous wrong. This month, they finally could fill a bowl with the cereal they wanted all along: green onion flavored Chex. Kellogg’s Korea’s limited-edition flavor, complete with a catchy ad and an apology for the wait, has taken on surprising cultural significance for an odd culinary S GRASS-FED BEEF FOR SALE experiment. In 2004, the company advertised a public vote for a new product: chocolate flavored Cheki or green onion flavored Chaka. Chaka led by an overwhelming margin, but duplicates were said to mar the online vote and Cheki was declared the winner. Many South Koreans saw the outcome as more than a marketing mishap. “It’s kind of representative of bigger issues in South Korean society,” said Raphael Rashid, a Seoul-based Killingsworth Station Food Cart Pod Experience a collection of food carts featuring a variety of international flavors! OUTDOOR SEATING IS OPEN! Call (503) 980-5900 for details GRASS-FED & GRASS-FINISHED BEEF Farm-raised in Newberg, Oregon Beef available as: q Quarter cow q Half cow q Whole cow Beef is processed by a Portland butcher. Pickup available in August at N.E. Sandy Blvd. location. 1331 N. Killingsworth Street, Portland (1 block east of N. Interstate Avenue) www.killingsworthstationpod.com www.facebook.com/KillingsworthStation freelance journalist who writes about South Korean politics and culture. “South Koreans are used to or have experienced, you know, like years, if not decades, of dictatorship.” The chocolate victory was “kind of reminiscent” of that, he said. It brought to the surface long-buried memories for Yoon Gunhee, who voted in the infamous election. She said she was around 13 or 14 when she discovered an advertisement for the flavor election on the back of a cereal box. “At the time, I was young so I voted for chocolate,” said Yoon, a freelance game graphic designer. “Green onion really didn’t sound appetizing.” She remembered people around her voted for the green onion flavor because they found it funny. Yoon said she was amused this week by the light- hearted commercial for green onion Chex — featuring a popular South Korean singer declaring, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry that the green onion flavor arrived so late” and “the promise must be kept,” with scientists in white gowns in a laboratory laboring to develop the perfect flavor. The video quickly racked up 900,000+ views on YouTube. Yoon said she would like to buy it “at least once.” “The rigged voting at the time was such an unpleasant experience,” she recalled. While the memory was a small one, she was reminded of it whenever she saw a box of Chex. “I think I will be able to sort out my feelings after eating green onion flavored Chex,” Yoon said. South Korean Twitter has been rejoicing by uploading photos of their Chex. Some, feeling adventurous, sprinkled green onion cereal pieces as garnish on South Korean signature dishes including kimchi and spicy ramen noodles. Continued on page 9
