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Four Chinese nationals were arrested last week in Kampala for their involvement in illegal wildlife trade and tax evasion. The suspects were apprehended by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in collaboration with Uganda Police and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) following the discovery of illegal wildlife products and smuggled goods at their residence in Naguru, Kampala. Among the items recovered were 9.4 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, two skinned pangolin carcasses, 167 cartons of smuggled premium cigarettes, and Shs27 million in cash. 

Southern African nations are at it again. Nyasha Chingono reported in late May that those “hosting the largest elephant populations in the world made a fresh pitch…to be allowed to sell their $1bn ivory stockpiles”, purportedly to allocate it towards conservation. How they derive this figure is unclear, and the report doesn’t question its veracity. Current ivory prices are around US$400/kg in illicit markets in the East and averaging about $92/kg across Africa (except for Nigeria which has now become the continent’s major export hub).

In the war on poaching, some of the best defenders have four legs. Trained canines are used in some of South Africa's national parks to detect wildlife contraband like rhino horns, pangolin scales, and ivory at airports and roadblocks. Other dogs are trained to track and apprehend poachers in the field. According to Save the Rhino, 9,885 rhinos have been lost to poaching in the last decade. But Carl Thornton, founder and director of Pit-Track K9 Conservation and Anti-Poaching Unit, says the numbers are likely much higher.