A new joint report by two international wildlife organisations to encourage “managed” wildlife trade as jobs for the poor, came under fire by local wildlife groups.

“This concept should not be adopted. The ones who would benefit are big traders not small ones, and certainly not endangered wildlife,” shot Surapol Duangkhae, former secretary general of Wildlife Fund Thailand.

Last week Traffic, a wildlife trade monitor, and World Wildlife Fund International issued a report called “Trading Nature: the contribution of wildlife trade management to sustainable livelihoods and the Millennium development goals”.

It said a managed trade on wildlife and wildlife products can offer opportunities to poor people and communities.

The report recommended governments explore “semi-intensive production methods”, experiment with management regimes, develop “pro-poor” approaches to standards and certification schemes, and consider co-ordinated approaches to different components of wildlife trade. Read the rest of this entry »

A schoolgirl has written a guide to teenage slang after her parents complained they couldn’t understand her.

Lucy van Amerongen, 13, from Box in Gloucestershire, penned The A-Z of Teen Talk, reports The Sun.

Now Lucy, who goes to Cheltenham Ladies’ College, is “stoked” (very happy) because sales of her “nang” (cool) book are “owdish” (excellent).

She said: “I hope the book clears up confusion. Some parents don’t give teenagers enough credit for some of the words they use. More come up every day and a lot are very creative.”

Her guide includes 300 teen words such as “antwacky” (unstylish), “cotch down” (sleep), “rago” (OK) and “zip” (yob).

It also includes her three golden teen talk rules: never make eye contact when talking to a “mouldie” (parent), always mumble inaudibly, and try to include “like” in every sentence.

Lucy came up with the idea on holiday with dad Victor, 52, mum Amanda, 54, and sisters Amii, 23, and Rosie, 11.

Victor said: “The guide sheds light on the strange mumbo-jumbo of teenagers’ talk.”

Sussex-based publishers Ravette snapped up her book and 3,000 have been sold already. Updated editions are planned.