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Most wildlife crimes in Europe go unpunished or undetected – report

Published

1 year ago

July 5, 2023

Most wildlife crimes in Europe go unpunished or undetected – report

Shortcomings in law enforcement and protection mean most wildlife crimes in Europe go unpunished or undetected, putting endangered European species at further risk.

These are the findings of a new report published on Wednesday by WWF’s LIFE SWiPE project, which provides the most comprehensive picture to date on the state of wildlife crime in Europe.

Data collected from 11 European countries reveals that between 2016 and 2020, the most common wildlife crimes were the illegal killing of wildlife (27%), using poisoned baits (16%) or prohibited hunting methods (14%), and illegal wildlife trade (13%).

Tackling environmental crime, including wildlife trafficking, is one of the ten priorities of the EU Council in its fight against organised crime. A revision of the EU Environmental Crime Directive is currently under negotiation.

“The European Parliament and Council must communicate that these crimes are not tolerated in Europe, ensuring that the revised Environmental Crime Directive is strong and ambitious enough,” said Audrey Chambaudet, Policy Officer, Wildlife Trade and Wildlife Crime at the WWF European Policy Office.

“All major environmental crime offences should be covered by the Directive, and the maximum terms of imprisonment need to be sufficiently high to deter wildlife crimes,” she added.

The report reveals the goldfinch is the most targeted species, subject to multiple criminal activities including hunting tourism and illegal trade. Other frequent victims of wildlife crime include threatened species of birds of prey, targeted by poisoned baits, and large carnivores such as bears, wolves or lynx.

At the heart of the problem is the lack of reporting of wildlife crime.

“Wildlife is not reported missing like humans and cannot self-report themselves as victims, so most of these acts go unreported, and in all likelihood, much more go undetected,” said Roselina Stoeva, LIFE SWiPE’s project manager.

Even when reported, many wildlife crime cases were not prosecuted. According to the report, an average 60% of wildlife crime complaints received by the prosecution did not result in indictments that led to court proceedings.

Specialised police, the use of technology such as drones for monitoring, and training more sniffer dogs to detect poisoning and other crimes are some examples of best practices in boosting the prosecution of these crimes across Europe.

The report also calls on the bloc’s co-legislators to consider tougher sentences, including imprisonment, for offences covered by the Environmental Crime Directive.

Related Topics:Environmental protection EU Council Featured wildlife wildlife conservation

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Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

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4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

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Italian state railways plans 1.3 bln euro investment in solar plant

Italian state railways Ferrovie dello Stato plans to invest 1.3 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in a photovoltaic plant with an initial 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity that would cover 19% of its energy needs by 2029, the CEO said in a newspaper interview.

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Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

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4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

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Christmas in Puerto Rico is a 45-day celebration with caroling, festive decorations, family feasts and more

Christmas, Navidad in Puerto Rico, extends far beyond Dec. 25.

The island proudly proclaims itself as having the “longest holiday season in the world,” according to the website Discover Puerto Rico.

On average, the holiday festivities in Puerto Rico last about 45 days, per the source, commencing right after Thanksgiving, and stretching all the way through mid-January.

The Christmas season in Puerto Rico typically lasts around 45 days. (iStock)

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The holiday season in Puerto Rico is full of rich traditions beloved by families.

One tradition those who visit Puerto Rico will immediately notice during the holiday season is decorations.

In Puerto Rico, decorations are typically put up by Thanksgiving, and kept up until the season concludes in mid-January, with opportune picture moments at every corner.

Parrandas, Christmas caroling, is a holiday staple.

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Carolers choose houses of family and friends to visit, typically starting around 10 p.m., performing aguinaldos (traditional Christmas songs), with not only their voices, but often with instruments as well, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

The group you begin caroling with is likely not the same group you end with.

In Puerto Rico, when carolers visit a house, they’ll often stop inside for conversation, food and drink before moving to the next residence.

Coquito is a popular beverage enjoyed during the holiday season in Puerto Rico. Coconut, vanilla and rum are among the ingredients. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Usually, the residences of the house visited will join the group for the next house, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

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A night of serenading loved ones can last quite a while, often stretching into the early morning hours of the following day, according to the source.

The biggest day of the holiday season in Puerto Rico actually isn’t Christmas, but instead, the night before.

In Puerto Rico, Dec. 24 is Nochebuena. On that day, loved ones gather for the exchange of gifts, caroling and a large feast.

Many families will also attend a midnight Mass on the day, known as Misa de Gallo.

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After Christmas passes, the festivities go on in Puerto Rico.

Another big event in the holiday lineup is Three Kings Day on Jan. 6, a holiday that “commemorates the visit that the Three Wise Men paid to Jesus after his birth,” according to Discover Puerto Rico.

On the eve of the day, children fill up a shoebox with grass to be left for camels to munch on while the Three Kings leave behind gifts for them, according to PuertoRico.com.

For a particularly festive Three Kings Day, Juana Díaz is the place to go, as it hosts the largest celebration in Puerto Rico for the holiday. In Juana Díaz, there is an annual festival and parade in honor of Three Kings Day that brings together over 25,000 people every year, according to Discover Puerto Rico.

Gifts are primarily exchanged between loved ones on Christmas Eve in Puerto Rico. (iStock)

Then, eight days later is Octavitas, a post-holiday celebration where families get together and celebrate one last time for the season.

The end of the holiday season is marked with the San Sebastián Street Festival.

This festival, spanning over multiple days, takes place in Old San Juan, and is filled with live music, dancing, shopping and parades.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.

World

Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

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Small plane crashes into Brazil town popular with tourists, killing 10

Twin-engine plane crashed in largely residential neighborhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff, authorities say.

A small plane has crashed into a tourist hotspot in southern Brazil, killing all 10 people on board and injuring more than a dozen people on the ground, officials have said.

The twin-engine Piper PA-42-1000 hit the chimney of a home and the second floor of a different house before crashing into a shop in a largely residential neighbourhood of Gramado shortly after takeoff from Canela, Brazil’s Civil Defense agency said on Sunday.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite told a news conference that the aircraft’s owner and pilot, Luiz Claudio Galeazzi, was killed along with nine members of his family.

Leite said that 17 people on the ground were injured, 12 of whom were still receiving treatment in hospital.

Galeazzi’s company, Galeazzi & Associados, confirmed that its CEO and Galeazzi’s wife and three daughters had died in the crash.

“Luiz Galeazzi will be forever remembered for his dedication to his family and for his remarkable career as a leader of Galeazzi & Associados,” the company said in a post on LinkedIn.

“In this moment of immense pain, Galeazzi & Associados is deeply grateful for the expressions of solidarity and affection received from friends, colleagues and the community. We also sympathize with all those affected by the accident in the region.”

Gramado, located in the Serra Gaucha mountains, is a popular destination for vacationers, especially during the Christmas season.

The crash comes a little more than a year after Brazil suffered its worst air disaster in nearly two decades when a twin-engine plane crashed in the southeastern city of Vinhedo, killing all 62 people on board.