KarlAmmann

The African Ranger Awards and the Demand Side of the Coin

When researching the illegal wildlife trade, very often some tentacles lead back to South Africa. Not only when it comes to rhino horn, abalone and lion bone but in this case to one of South Africa’s biggest company: Naspers, a major shareholder in Tencent, who in turn owns WeChat, a Chinese multi-purpose messaging, social mediaContinue reading “The African Ranger Awards and the Demand Side of the Coin”

Interview with Fyodor Shidlovsky, head of the Russian Mammoth trading organization

An Interview by Karl Ammann – S : Shidlovsky A : Ammann S: You should have sent me questions. A: You are an expert, I did not consider it necessary to send them. S: Well, sometimes the questions are very naive. A: The director needs more details on how the mammoth business works. How isContinue reading “Interview with Fyodor Shidlovsky, head of the Russian Mammoth trading organization”

Letter to the Chinese Forestry Police

Dear Sirs, I am referring to our meeting at the Yunnan CITES office to discuss the import of elephants into China. Below is the report I sent to various parties last year after some of the initial evidence became available. I understand that for the forestry police the main issue is not the CITES technicalitiesContinue reading “Letter to the Chinese Forestry Police”

Heath to Wealth

On the Trail of Asia’s Shifting Rhino Horn Market By Karl Ammann, Published in the Wildlife Ranching magazine, November-December 2018 As long as consumers want rhino horn, South Africa will lose its rhinos to the slow, agonising blows of the poacher’s machete. In this extensive investigation, undercover Swiss filmmaker Karl Ammann finds that blackmarket sentimentsContinue reading “Heath to Wealth”

Kämpfer für bedrohte Tiere

By Karl Ammann – Published in Republik, October 9, 2018 “Der Schweizer Karl Ammann entlarvt die Hintermänner des weltweiten Wildtierschmuggels – eine lebensgefährliche Mission. Die Geschichte eines Unerschrockenen.”Von Mona Fahmy (Text) und Ariel Hauptmeier (Mitarbeit), 09.10.2018 Mit jedem Tag wird der Dschungel dichter – und kommen mehr Jäger an Bord. Sie legen mit ihren EinbäumenContinue reading “Kämpfer für bedrohte Tiere”

The PATA Department Store Zoo – Is it “The Saddest Zoo in the World” ?

Opinion piece – Related to this Daily Mail article. During a recent visit with a German film team there was one cage covered by a netting material, which showed a primate running up and down behind it. When the ape climbed to the top where his face was visible, it became clear that it was a bonobo.Continue reading “The PATA Department Store Zoo – Is it “The Saddest Zoo in the World” ?”

Of Tiger and Lion Bones, and the Legalizing of the Rhino Horn Trade

Value additions to lion bones sold into the Traditional Chinese Medicine Market: Trophy hunter in SA books a lion ‘hunt’ of a captive born cat for approximately U$8000-25000 (the cost of hunting a female is a fraction of the cost of hunting a male). The taxidermist, in collaboration with the hunting company arranges for theContinue reading “Of Tiger and Lion Bones, and the Legalizing of the Rhino Horn Trade”

On the trail of Asia’s shifting rhino-horn market

By Karl Ammann • Published in the Daily Maverick on May 11, 2018 As long as consumers want rhino horn, South Africa will lose its rhinos to the slow, agonising blows of the poacher’s hacksaw. In this extensive investigation, undercover Swiss filmmaker Karl Ammann finds that black market sentiments have shifted from health to wealthContinue reading “On the trail of Asia’s shifting rhino-horn market”

The Real Ivory Game

Published in SWARA Magazine – April – June 2018 China’s new domestic ban on the ivory trade presents all the makings of excellent global public relations, but it could do more harm than good without effective enforcement. At the end of 2017, China declared that it had closed down the domestic trade in ivory. Conservation-establishmentContinue reading “The Real Ivory Game”

The Definition of a Wildlife Reserve

In Sept 2009, towards the end of a very serious drought spell, I wrote a feature for SWARA magazine about what I had been seeing in the Samburu and Buffalo Springs Reserves. Livestock had taken over these protected areas, with camels and donkeys often moving without herdsmen in all parts of the reserve. The groundContinue reading “The Definition of a Wildlife Reserve”