Category: Habitat loss

Intensive farming is biggest cause of bird decline in Europe, study says

Article written by Damien Gayle Originally published by The Guardian (Mon, May 15, 2023) Use of pesticides and fertilisers identified as most significant factor behind loss of 550 million birds from skies The use of pesticides and fertilisers in intensive agriculture is the biggest cause of the dwindling number of birds in the UK and the rest of Europe, scientists have said. Compared with a generation ago, 550 million fewer birds fly over the continent, with their decline well documented. But until now the relative importance of various pressures on bird populations was not known. A team of more than 50 researchers, analysing data collected by thousands of citizen scientists in 28 countries over nearly four decades, found that it is intensive agriculture, above all, that is behind the decline in the continent’s bird populations. They found the number of wild birds of all kinds across the continent has fallen by more than a quarter since 1980, but that this decline deepened to more than half among farmland species. Birds that rely on invertebrates for food, including swifts, yellow wagtails and spotted flycatchers, were the hardest hit. “It’s more than a smoking gun,” said Richard Gregory, a senior conservation scientist at the RSPB, and one of the lead authors of the study. “I don’t think a study has looked at all these factors in one go, in such a sophisticated fashion, correcting for one variable alongside another; and it comes out with a very clear message.” The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined how 170 bird species had responded to four widespread manmade pressures, including agricultural intensification, forest cover change, urbanisation and the climate crisis. Farmland species suffered the most precipitous decline, with numbers falling by 56.8% since research began, the study said. Numbers of urban dwelling birds were down 27.8%, and among woodland dwelling birds the fall was 17.7%. But in all contexts, intensive agriculture, which has been on the rise across Europe, was identified as a major factor in decline, with the mass slaughter of invertebrates as pests creating a “trophic cascade” up the food chain. “The losses are quite huge,” Gregory said. “And a lot of them go back to that kind of an insect diet or linkage with insects, which is suggestive of a link to the way we’re farming land.” Urbanisation, also on the increase across Europe, was identified as the next most important factor putting pressure on bird populations. Many cities are steadily losing to development what little plots of green space they had, while modern architecture also played a role, Gregory said. “We know many of the urban birds – the swifts, the house martins, the house sparrows, the starlings – that live in those environments, that their numbers are declining very strongly, driven we think by the problems in relation to the food supplies, but also house construction and how that’s changing, how the modernisation is removing their natural kind of nest sites in those areas,” Gregory said. Northern, cold-preferring species of birds were also found to be under heavy pressure, with numbers down 39.7% as temperatures rise across Europe as a result of the climate crisis. Changing temperatures had winners as well as losers, the study noted, with numbers among southern warm-preferring species down only 17.1%. The researchers wrote: “Overall, while temperature change can lead to an increase in the distribution and abundance of some species, for those (especially cold dwellers) already affected by other anthropogenic pressures, temperature change constitutes a double burden acting directly on their annual cycle.” Only “the rapid implementation of transformative change in European societies, and especially in agricultural reform” could save the continent’s bird populations, the researchers said. They added: “This paper contributes to the highest political and technical challenge faced by agricultural policy in Europe, struggling to balance high productivity from intensive agricultural practices with environmental protection, and the results are therefore crucial to policymakers, scientists, and the general public concerned with biodiversity and global change issues.” Their call was echoed by Alice Groom, the RSPB’s head of sustainable land use policy in England. She said: “Increasing our reliance on pesticides and fertiliser has allowed us to farm more intensively and increase output, but, as this study clearly shows, at a huge cost to our wildlife and the health of the environment. “The UK and devolved governments should ensure agri-environment schemes reward nature-friendly farming practices such as flower-rich margins and herbal leys that are proven to enable farmers to produce good food whilst supporting progressive reductions in the use of pesticides and fertilisers.”

Zimbabwe’s World Heritage Site, Mana Pools, targeted for oil exploration

The Zimbabwean government has announced plans for a mining exploration at Mana Pools – a designated World Heritage Site, reports News Day. This according to a notice in the Zimbabwean Government Gazette, as well as the permanent secretary of the Mines and Mining Development Ministry, Pfungwa Kunaka, who announced that Shalom Mining Corporation Private Limited (SMCPL) had applied to explore Mana Pools – declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Mana Pools lies on the southern bank of the Zambezi River which serves as the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The site covers 676,600 hectares spanning the Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore safari areas – home to a remarkable concentration of wild animals, including elephants, buffalo, leopards and cheetahs. Businesses whose primary mission is to discover and procure fossil fuels now want to explore the area for these materials, which could entail prospecting, exploration, drilling, and production. “As an organization, over the years, we have been pointing out that mining as an economic activity has both positive and negative impacts on communities, human rights, the environment, rights of workers and the economy,” said the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA). “Responsible mining is therefore characterized by the awareness of the impacts that mining may have on the economy, environment, communities, human rights and the workers and taking concrete steps to address the impacts. Respect of human rights, fair labor practices, respect of laws, payment of taxes and royalties and safe conditions for workers and preservation of the natural environment are some of the critical aspects of responsible mining.” In response to the announcement, executive director of Animal Survival International, David Barritt, aid that mining operations would only pollute and destroy the region’s ecosystem. “Moreover, it would open the door to poaching and trafficking of wildlife. If permission is granted to SMCPL, it could result in an ecological disaster with serious ramifications and irreversible damage for Mana Pools.” SMCPL, a Zimbabwean company, has applied for an exploration license over an area of 130,000 hectares, and the Mining Affairs Board has said that objections will need to be lodged by 19 May this year. Any person wishing to complain against the application is advised to do so in writing to the Mining Affairs Board and email the current UNESCO Regional Director: Prof. Lidia Arthur Brito: l.brito@unesco.org. You can use the template below or edit it as you wish. To sign the petition, click here: https://chng.it/yGgzLS9p2F To:  The Secretary Mining Affairs Board Pvt. Bag 7709 Causeway [DATE] Dear Sir Objection to the application for Prospective Order No.26 of 2022. This letter serves to articulate my strong objection to the above application. As a citizen of (country), I hereby list the reasons for my objection below: 1) National and International legislation prohibiting the destruction of biodiversity in the buffer zones as well as within this designated wilderness area exists (ref Natural Resources Act/Forest Act/Hazardous Substances and Articles Act/Water Act/Communal Land Act/ Parks and Wildlife Act) There are more than 20 such Acts containing STATUTORY LAWS. This means that any license granted would be in flagrant contravention of our own existing legislation. Those who may grant such a license will therefore subject themselves to litigation. 2) Zimbabwe currently demonstrates a critical lack of capacity to enforce our own existing Environmental protection laws. The wholesale destruction of woodlands, wetlands, Mountain Rivers and ecosystems continues now, even within actual so-called “Protected Areas”. This destruction is rampant throughout Zimbabwe as we speak. Until our capacity to enforce our own environmental protection laws is radically improved, it is in the best interests of ALL Zimbabweans to halt all and any new applications for mining-related activities. 3) Global understanding of the vital role of biodiversity as our critical life support systems is yet to take hold within Zimbabwe. Our own so-called Protective mechanisms in the form of EMA, Forestry Commission, Zimparks and the Ministry of Environment are impotent in the face of the devastating mining calamity currently underway in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has agreed to pursue the international target of a MINIMUM of 30% of land coming under biodiversity protection laws. Currently, only 10% of our land is allocated for biodiversity protection. The area where Shalom wishes to prospect comes within this 10%. It should NOT under any circumstances be allowed to do so. 4) The Zimbabwe Government is a signatory to the UNFCCC at the Earth Summit of Rio de Janeiro and subsequent summits. The country has accepted the global principle of common and differentiated responsibility. Granting a license to Shalom directly contravenes this commitment. Yours faithfully, [Name]

This hippo calf orphaned after getting trapped in a dam urgently needs your help to survive!

A few days ago, Lucy, a 12-week-old hippo calf, fell into a six-foot (2 meter) deep dam on a farm in Tzaneen, South Africa, and became trapped. It is suspected she was simply following her mother when the tragedy happened. Helpless hippo calf Lucy was stuck in a dam for THREE days. Her survival now depends on all the help she can get from animal lovers like you. Alone and helpless, Lucy quickly became emaciated, dehydrated and exhausted. From the extensive injuries and gaping wounds on her body, it is clear she tried desperately to scramble to safety, but to no avail. Lucy was stuck for so long that her mother was forced to abandon her – and algae began growing on her skin! Please help us support the rehabilitation and eventual release of this distressed and now-orphaned hippo calf. Our partner, the Umoya Khulula Wildlife Center, received an emergency call-out and rushed to the scene to save the calf. After an extensive but unsuccessful search of the area to try and reunite her with her mother, the team made the tough decision to bring little Lucy back to their secure, off-site rehabilitation facility. Lucy needs long-term rehabilitation and, without her mother, special milk formula for the next 12 to 18 months. Please, will you help her? Credit: Umoya Khulula Wildlife Center Our goal is to ensure she gets strong enough to be released back into the wild, where she belongs! The common hippo is an iconic African species currently listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Hippos have played a crucial role in African aquatic ecosystems for millions of years, with their dung contributing to the overall health of rivers and lakes. Although a pod of hippos resides in Tzaneen’s Groot Letaba River, their extremely territorial nature means the rescued calf would almost certainly have been killed had she been left with them. Right now, Umoya Khulula is her best and ONLY hope. Credit: Umoya Khulula Wildlife Center Our partner, Umoya Khulula, is a rescue and rehabilitation organization that specializes in the care of orphaned indigenous wildlife. Among the sick and injured wildlife in their care are juvenile antelope, pangolins, mongooses, porcupines and their latest arrival, Lucy the hippo calf. There is a long way to go before Lucy can be released into a safe area. Hippo calves drink from their mothers for up to 12 months – and Lucy is just three months old. She needs a special milk formula with protein additives and probiotics to ensure that she receives the nutrition necessary for her long-term survival. A product like this is costly and not easily accessible in the area, which is why we are urgently reaching out to you today. Credit: Umoya Khulula Wildlife Center If we can raise $10,000 (roughly £8,000), we can purchase enough special milk formula to feed Lucy for an entire year and provide medical care to treat her terrible injuries. Please, help us save the life of this orphaned calf. Lucy is experiencing terrible trauma after being separated from her mother and nearly dying alone in a dam – but thanks to the skilled and fast-acting team at Umoya Khulula, she survived and is safe. With your support, we can get Lucy the nutrition and treatment she desperately needs to grow, get stronger, and eventually be released back into the wild with a mate or accepting pod of hippos. Umoya Khulula has released over 200 different species of animals back into the wild since it opened six years ago. Can we count on you to help give Lucy the hippo calf this same chance? Credit: Umoya Khulula Wildlife Center Umoya Khulula has the expertise to care for Lucy, but we need YOUR help to ensure she gets it, starting with critical milk formula and medical care. Please donate generously to Animal Survival International today and help us save Lucy’s life.

Africa’s painted dog are racing to extinction. Please help them.

Africa’s painted dogs are among the most endangered mammals in the world. Half a million of these extraordinary predators once roamed African plains – but now, there are fewer than 7,000 left in the wild. They are facing the very real threat of extinction. The biggest threat to painted dog populations was once lions – but now, it is humans. It will come as no surprise to you that the greatest threat to these unique creatures – named for their colorful, patchwork-like coat – is human activity. Illegal hunting, habitat destruction and road collisions are catastrophic for painted dog populations. Painted dogs become victims of snares left out for other wildlife by poaching syndicates. Image Credit: Nick Dyer Poaching is a particularly severe threat. Snares – crude and cruel devices often made from wire – trap an unsuspecting painted dog, and if they are not rescued, they may die slowly, in excruciating pain, over several days. Criminals are not aiming to trap painted dogs, they are after animals to sell in illegal bushmeat markets – antelopes, elephants, giraffes and buffalo – but painted dogs become unwitting victims, caught in snares or killed by poison. Snaring is devastating populations of these endangered animals, but we have a plan to help protect them – and for that, we need your support right now. Painted dogs are tragically endangered, but with your help, we can help bring the species back from the brink of extinction. Around 700 painted dogs live in the wild in Zimbabwe – 10 per cent of the world’s population. Their lives are in danger every single day because of an epidemic of snaring in wildlife areas. Zimbabwe’s struggling economy has caused an increase in poaching: wild animals are illegally caught, killed, chopped up and sold for their meat – known as ‘bushmeat’. A painted dog caught in a snare may die a slow and agonizing death. Image Credit: Nick Dyer We work for the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured painted dogs – if you are able to support our work for this unique species, please donate now! We are working with Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) near Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, home to some 200 painted dogs, all of them at risk of being snared every single day. PDC’s highly trained anti-poaching unit works closely with Zimbabwe National Parks and the Forestry Commission to patrol the park every day, finding and removing snares that would otherwise cause intense agony and suffering to painted dogs and other animals. The Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) anti-poaching unit works tirelessly to remove and destroy lethal snares left out by poachers. Image Credit: Nick Dyer The team has retrieved 50,000 snares since 2001– saving perhaps 5,000 animals. When the team is notified about trapped animals, it responds immediately. They are treated onsite or evacuated to the PDC sanctuary clinic, where they are treated and cared for until they can be returned to the wild. Those with injuries or disabilities severe enough to prevent their release become permanent residents at the sanctuary, where they live in an environment as close to the wild as possible. The PDC responds immediately to reports of injured painted dogs and administers expert care. Image Credit: Nick Dyer If we can raise $6,000 (£4,700), we can provide painted dogs with medical care and supplies. There is no exaggeration in saying painted dogs are so endangered that saving a single life is important for the survival of the species. A painted dog is treated after a snare is removed from its neck. Image credit: Nick Dyer Painted dogs are intelligent and highly sociable animals, with each one bearing a unique pattern. They are extremely caring to their packmates and if one dog is elderly, hurt or ill, the pack will take turns caring for it. Only the alpha male and female breed and the rest of the pack supports the raising of the pups. If one dog dies due to snaring or road collision, it affects the hierarchy of the entire pack, and can be the difference between the family structure surviving or collapsing, and the pups dying. We understand the importance of helping every painted dog we can – and we believe you do, too. Please donate as much as you can right now, and help us protect this precious and important species.

Hundreds of Lynx to be Slaughtered in Sweden Following Largest Ever Wolf Cull

Conservationists have condemned Sweden’s issuing of lynx hunting licenses, branding the cull “trophy hunting”, reports The Guardian. This as hunters barely conceal their ‘excitement’ over the cull. The country has issued licenses to hunters to kill a total of 201, just weeks after dozens of wolves were killed in Sweden’s largest wolf cull in modern times. This lynx slaughter number is more than double the number of that in recent years. Wildlife activists and conservationists say the planned cull is well above any limits needed to protect people or livestock and are asking the EU to take action against Sweden for breaching environmental war. The EU Habitats Directive states that hunting may be permitted either to prevent damage to livestock or in the interests of public safety. “This is a trophy hunt, just like going to Africa to hunt lions,” said Magnus Orrebrant, head of animal rights advocacy group Svenska Rovdjursföreningen. The group has started a petition calling for the trophy hunting of lynx to be stopped. “Hundreds of foreign hunters come to Sweden for lynx hunting because they think it is exciting.” Last month, conservationists warned that Europe’s lynx population could collapse unless immediate efforts were made to protect the species. Tests on the remaining cats in France show that their genetic diversity is so low, they will become locally extinct within the next 30 years without intervention. There are an estimated 1,450 lynx spread across Sweden – around 300 fewer than a decade ago. The Swedish hunters’ association, Svenska Jägareförbundet, admits the animals do not pose a danger to humans, and Swedish environmental protection agency Naturvårdsverket argues that the country needs only 870 animals to maintain a healthy population. “The hunt is absolutely not linked to any danger to humans,” said hunting association advisor, Henrik Falk. “Neither is wolf hunting – there are no documented cases of wolves attacking humans in Swedish modern times. The lynx hunt is more about the excitement, and for some hunters, of course, the skin is the motivation.” It is “strongly questionable” that the issues of public or livestock safety applies to lynx in Sweden, said predator expert Benny Gäfwert of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). “We do not think the hunters can invoke these exceptions, and we have notified the EU Commission,” he said. “That hunting occurs, we do not, in itself, have a problem with, but the extent to which it occurs in relation to the low damage caused by the lynx is unwarranted.” He added that the WWF is also challenging Sweden’s explanation for its ongoing wolf cull. Historically, lynx have ranged across Eurasia but have come under intense pressure in many countries due to habitat loss, poaching, traffic collisions and inbreeding. In Britain, calls to reintroduce lynx to the wild were rejected last month by environment minister, Thérèse Coffey. The planned lynx hunt is taking place during the mating season when the animals’ fur is thickest, making it particularly attractive to hunters, according to Marie Stegard Lind of anti-hunting group Jaktkritikerna. “This is completely unnecessary – a pure trophy hunt,” she said. Conservationists have underscored the importance of lynx in controlling Sweden’s large population of deer, moose and boar. “As an organization committed to the preservation of all species, we strongly condemn the cull and all other instances of trophy hunting,” said David Barritt, executive director of Animal Survival International. “In a world where more than a million species are threatened with extinction, there is simply no place for the gratuitous killing of any animal.”

Like QUICKSAND, the muck of the near dried-up waterhole just SUCKED THE YOUNG ELEPHANT IN DEEPER as he struggled to get free…

Nothing better illustrates why we are so urgently seeking help to get water back into dried-up African waterholes than the… … recent near-death experience of a juvenile elephant who lives at the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa. Credit: Philip Keevy We have told you before about the devastating drought that has put hundreds of elephants in peril at Addo. Donations from animal lovers like you allowed us to install eight solar-powered water pumps at waterholes across the park, that are providing vital water for thousands of animals 24 hours a day. But there are still dried-up waterholes, and they pose a significant threat to young elephants and other small animals because they get trapped in dense mud formed with the last of the water. Recently, the mud almost caused the death of a two-year-old male elephant. He and his family were rushing to a near-dry waterhole urgently seeking to drink. In the crush, this youngster was pushed into the mud and trapped. The poor creature quickly exerted all his energy as he writhed to break free. He faced a horrible death, becoming weaker and weaker until he would have eventually collapsed and either drowned in the muddy water remnants or starved to death. Credit: Philip Keevy Fortunately, help was on hand and a risky rescue mission was launched. We say “risky” because elephants associate humans with killing, not kindness, and their instincts are to drive away any human who goes near a youngster. The Addo team, including Mariette de Goede, wife of the park manager, conducted a rescue mission with a family of anxious three-to-six-ton elephants milling about, very unhappy with the situation. Credit: Philip Keevy We have made remarkable progress in securing water for elephants at Addo but hope that the plight of this youngster emphasizes why we could really use your ongoing support. Elephants aren’t the only animals affected by the drought – here, two zebras look for water at a dried-up waterhole in Addo Elephant National Park. If we can raise $10,000 (£8,345), we can start immediately and WILL get more water pumped and flowing again in other dry waterholes used by elephants, buffalo, zebra and other animals in Addo. What happened to this two-year-old elephant is a frequent occurrence in an area reeling from the effects of drought. The Park manager told us that young elephants are getting trapped at the rate of one or two a month. If help is not immediately on hand, the animals die. Any donation, small or large, will make a difference. So please, if you possibly can, donate to Animal Survival International today.

Drakensberg Boys Choir sing for the survival of vultures

There are many initiatives in place to help bolster conservation efforts for vultures – some of the world’s most maligned and misunderstood creatures. But certainly, one of the more distinctive ones is a recent collaboration to highlight their plight… through song! South Africa’s Drakensberg Boys Choir has joined forces with singer George Philippart and endangered species protection organization, Wildlife ACT, to create a musical number to raise awareness for vulture conservation, performing a rendition of We Are One from Disney’s The Lion King. The song aims to raise awareness and encourage funding towards the conservation of this often-overlooked species. Chris Kelly, Co-Founder and Director of Wildlife ACT said, “it is unfortunate that most people underestimate the role vultures play and how devastating it would be to us if they were to be permanently removed from the environment. We hope that this inspiring piece will help to bring awareness to this endangered species’ plight.” Vultures have an undeservingly bad reputation: dirty, ugly, villainous harbingers of death. The reality, however, is that vultures are critical to maintaining healthy ecosystems as their diet of decaying carrion helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases in both animals and humans. Vultures are crucial for a healthy and functioning environment, and are thus creatures to be praised, not condemned. Unfortunately, Africa’s vultures are circling towards extinction. In just 30 years, their numbers have plummeted by 90%. In Southern Africa, four of the country’s nine vulture species are listed as critically endangered. The greatest threats to their survival are poisoning, powerline collisions and electrocutions, habitat loss and the illegal trade of body parts. Throughout Africa, some people prize vultures for their heads and feet, used in unproven “traditional” medicines. We are fighting hard to help preserve this keystone species, and all our work is made possible entirely by our donors. Support our latest vulture preservation efforts here.

Critically important vultures are being ruthlessly poisoned and pushed to EXTINCTION.

Vultures are perilously close to extinction. If they die out, the consequences for human life will be catastrophic. We need to pay attention to this rapidly dwindling species right now because our health and perhaps our very survival is at stake. Credit: VulPro Tragically, maligned and often misunderstood vultures are given little support because of their association with carrion and death, but… This is the exact reason nature’s “clean-up crew” needs our URGENT protection! If vultures were to become extinct, the damage would be irreparable. Diseases like botulism, the plague and rabies would spread rapidly, and large numbers of rural people would stand little chance against these voracious illnesses. But this is the reality we will face if we do not act immediately. Credit: VulPro We can help by buying hatchers for rescued vultures so that every vulture egg has the optimum chance of survival. In just 30 years, Africa’s vulture numbers have plummeted by 90%. In South Africa, four of the country’s nine vulture species are listed as critically endangered. The African white-backed vulture for example – vital to Southern Africa’s ecosystems and once prolific across the region and the world – is now globally listed as critically endangered. Credit: VulPro The reasons for plummeting vulture numbers in Africa is horrifying. But with your help, we will help the species recover. The plight of African white-backed vultures is alarming, but nearly all vultures are in trouble. One of the major problems is that throughout Africa, they are slaughtered for worthless “traditional” medicines. To capture vultures, poachers kill other animals and lace the carcasses with poison. When the birds die after feeding on poisoned carcasses, poachers harvest their body parts. In other instances, farmers poison vultures because they are considered “pests” – a total lack of understanding of a species that is in fact creating healthy habitats. And in a third peril, vultures fly into power lines, a terrible end. Credit: VulPro Because the vulture may not be killed outright, ailing birds can be rescued and treated so they may return to full health – and this is where your help is needed to ensure that they live and breed. We are working with VulPro, a vulture conservation center near the Magaliesberg mountains in South Africa, which rescues and rehabilitates injured and poisoned birds, and runs a successful breeding program. Vultures who cannot be released back into the wild due to the severity of their injuries live out their lives at the sanctuary, but their offspring are released to help strengthen wild vulture populations. VulPro works with white-backed vultures, the vulnerable Cape vulture, the critically endangered hooded, white-headed vultures and endangered lappet-faced vultures, as well as other large birds of prey and protected species. Credit: VulPro A massive challenge is that vultures usually produce only one egg per year. It is critically important that as many eggs as possible are successfully incubated at VulPro. Because many rescued vultures have disabilities or injuries that make it difficult for them to efficiently incubate their eggs, VulPro uses specialized incubators and hatchers that maintain optimal conditions for vulture eggs to develop and hatch. Right now, VulPro is in urgent need of two more hatchers – critical to ensuring the correct humidity and temperature for eggs to hatch successfully. We really want to help them purchase these important pieces of equipment because the prospect of losing vultures is of utmost concern, and without our help, they are sure to disappear. Credit: VulPro Vultures need your help to survive. Your health could be at risk if they die. If we can raise $6,600 (roughly £5,480), we can support efforts to strengthen vulture numbers. Your donation will be used for important breeding equipment and expert animal staff to care for the hatched offspring. This is a vitally important and worthwhile thing to do, so please be as generous as you can. We know that nobody who values nature – like us, and you, wants to see vultures die out forever.

Unique Madagascan Mammals on Fast Track to Extinction

Over 20 million years of evolutionary history could be wiped from the face of the earth if action is not taken now to stop Madagascar’s unique mammals going extinct, according to a new study published in Nature Communications journal. Species at risk include the threatened ring-tailed lemur and the aye-aye, a nocturnal primate native to Madagascar – the fourth largest island in the world and roughly the same size as Ukraine. Shockingly, it would already take three million years for the diversity of Madagascar’s mammal species to recover after human settlement 2,500 years ago. This disturbing trend is set to continue in the coming decades: if threatened Madagascan animals go extinct, life forms that have evolved over 23 million years will be destroyed. Madagascar is one of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots, with 90 percent of its fauna and flora found nowhere else in the world. Now, more than half its mammal species are threatened with extinction. “Our results suggest that an extinction wave with deep evolutionary impact is imminent on Madagascar unless immediate conservation actions are taken,” said researchers. The situation is particularly serious because the island is home to wildlife that has not evolved anywhere else in the world. Species that came from Africa diversified over millions of years, and due to the fact that Madagascar broke away from greater India almost 90 million years ago, these species are not found anywhere else. “It’s about putting things in perspective—we’re losing unique species traits that will probably never evolve again,” said lead researcher Dr Luis Valente from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands, and the University of Groningen. “Every species is valuable in its own right; it’s like destroying a piece of art, so what is happening is very shocking.” His team worked with researchers from the United States and Madagascan conservation organization, Association Vahatra. The island is known especially for its ring-tailed lemurs – members of a unique lineage of primates found nowhere else. Other well-known inhabitants include the fossa, a carnivorous cat-like animal, and the panther chameleon, as well as a wide array of unique butterflies, orchids, baobabs, and many other species. Between 2010 and 2021, the number of Madagascan mammal species facing extinction more than doubled, from 56 in 2010 to 128 in 2021. The primary threats to species are human-driven habitat destruction, climate change and poaching. Biologists and paleontologists built a dataset that showed all the mammal species currently present on the island; those that were alive when humans arrived, and those known only from fossil records. Of the 249 species identified, 30 are extinct. More than 120 of the 219 mammal species alive today on the island are threatened with extinction. Lost species can never return, and so the study looked at how long it would take to recover the same levels of biodiversity through new species colonizing and evolving on the island. Researchers concluded it would take millions of years for natural processes to rebuild the levels of biodiversity already lost. “Lots of these species could be going extinct in the next 10 or 20 years—they cannot wait much longer. The main message is that biodiversity is not going to recover quickly. Even the places we think are pristine and really untouched can be pushed to the point of collapse quite quickly,” said Valente. He added that the loss of mammals would have serious consequences for plants and insects that depend on them. “It’s a cascading effect—losing these mammals would likely cause a collapse of the ecosystem more broadly. In total, it is likely to be more than 23 million years at stake.” What the island urgently needs is conservation programs focused on creating livelihoods for local people, stopping forests being converted into farmland, and limiting the exploitation of resources such as hardwood trees and animals killed for their meat (known as bushmeat). “Real conservation action must be taken – immediately – to help preserve Madagascar’s unique and vulnerable biodiversity,” said David Barritt of Animal Survival International (ASI), which provides direct aid to wildlife in crisis. ASI runs programs on the island which help to fund rehabilitation for rare tortoises rescued from illegal poaching rings and to protect vulnerable indri lemurs from poachers. “We have done enough damage to this critically important island, and if the pillaging does not end now, many species will take millions of years to recover – if they recover at all. The impact of this could be devastating not only for the island of Madagascar, but for ecosystems and our planet at large.” Read more about ASI’s work with tortoises and lemurs in Madagascar.

Brian Davies obituary (1935 – 2022)

Brian Davies – 4 February 1935 – 27 December 2022 Brian Davies, world-renowned animal welfare activist, has died. He was 87. To the general public, Davies will be most remembered for his success in ending the baby whitecoat seal slaughter in Canada in the 1960s, and for donating £1-million to the British Labour Party election campaign in 1996 in a bid to bring an end to fox hunting. To animal welfare organizations, Davies will be remembered as the man who pioneered direct mail fundraising for animal causes, creating a model that is the world standard today. Davies was born in poverty in the small village of Tonyrefail in Wales, growing up sickly, he was raised by his grandparents until the end of World War ll. Then 11-year-old Davies and his parents moved to England to start afresh. But life was tough, and Davies left school at 14 to work various manual labor jobs. When he was 20, he married Joan Pierce and the couple moved to Canada where they had two children, Nicholas and Toni. They settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where Davies joined the military and became secretary of the New Brunswick SPCA. In May 1976, he met his now-wife Gloria (nee Colisanto), and it was love at first sight. They married in 1981. In the 1960s, Davies worked as a government-appointed observer at the annual seal hunt on the Canadian ice floes, during which some 30,000 baby seals were clubbed to death. Alone among observers, Davies spoke out against the cruelty involved and began a one-man crusade to ban the slaughter. Noticing that animal lovers began writing to him offering their support, he hit on the idea of mass-mailing them asking for funds to help his campaign. It was the world’s first animal action-orientated direct mail appeal and was so successful that Davies not only brought the cull to an end, but on the strength of it, created one of the world’s largest animal welfare organizations, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). By the time Davies retired, IFAW was a $60-million a year charity. As an activist, Davies was formidable, fearless, wily, canny and utterly determined. During his fight against sealing, he was jailed for defying a government ban on flying to the Canadian ice to witness the cull, survived an apparent assassination attempt, and had so many death threats he left Canada and moved to the US. When the campaign needed traction, Davies lobbied the editor of the powerful British Daily Mirror. On March 26, 1968, the front page of the newspaper read, “The price of a seal skin coat”, below the full-page image of a doe-eyed whitecoat seal pup staring upward at a jackbooted, bloody-handed, bat-wielding hunter, frozen mid-strike. The ever-canny Davies capitalized on the outrage the article caused by taking celebrities to the ice to see the situation for themselves – another innovation for animal welfare. French actress Brigitte Bardot was one of the first and her visit drew international attention to sealing. Eventually, Davies won when the European Union banned the import of baby seal pelts in 1987. Davies went on to other significant achievements. A maverick with a larger-than-life personality and a penchant for the odd bottle of wine or three, he controversially donated £1 million to the British Labour Party in 1996, believing that if Tony Blair won the 1997 general election, he would ban hunting with hounds. Blair won and anti-hunting legislation was passed. At the time, it was the largest single donation in Britain’s history. Davies was offered a peerage, which he turned down – something he often regretted in later years, not because of the status it would have brought but because he came to believe he could have achieved more for animals as a Lord. In 2003, Davies retired from IFAW, telling close friends that he was burned out and exhausted. Retirement did not last long. Restless, he built two new organizations: Network for Animals, an organization that works in 26 countries and focuses on direct action to help street dogs, donkeys and cats in need, and Animal Survival International, which focuses on the plight of wild animals in a world of climate change, habitat destruction and international criminal trade in animals and their body parts. Towards the end of his life, Davies was asked by a journalist if he would do it all again if he had a second chance. “In a heartbeat,” was his reply. Davies is survived by his two children and second wife, Gloria C. Davies, and his beloved dogs Max and Flora.

Pangolins! Elephants! SO MANY rare and endangered animals could be EXTINCT IN OUR LIFETIMES!

Our planet is in crisis and our irreplaceable wildlife is in terrible danger all over the world. ASI provides direct action to help animals in the most immediate peril – animals who would die without our help. At ASI, we see firsthand the devastating consequences of climate change, habitat destruction and the merciless illegal wildlife trade. What is truly frightening is that it is getting worse. There can no longer be any doubt that without immediate and determined action, we will see more and more wild animals becoming extinct. We are a dedicated team, working with our partners on the ground wherever we are needed, whenever we can. It is your vital donations that keep us in the field. There is hope! Honestly, the animals would be lost without your generosity. Your donations allow us to be there for animals who would otherwise have a slim chance of survival. Take pangolins, for example… Driven by human ignorance and greed, these shy and gentle creatures are the most trafficked mammals in the world and dangerously close to being wiped out. Pangolin meat is prized as a delicacy in several parts of Asia, and their scales are used for useless ‘traditional medicines’. Tragically, this means huge numbers of pangolins are brutally slaughtered each year. Often, they are boiled alive. Africa is seeing a pangolin poaching onslaught, and we are on the frontlines of the battle. In 2022, in Nigeria and South Africa, we aided emergency pangolin rescue operations, covered medical costs and provided high-tech equipment so rescued-and-released pangolins could be monitored and protected. We also helped equip two rehabilitation facilities that are a godsend for rescued pangolins in need of specialized, life-saving care. The insatiable illegal wildlife trade is taking a terrible toll on pangolins, which means the pangolins you help are vitally important if the species is to breed and survive. Will you continue to stand with us? Please, donate to ASI today. On the other end of the size spectrum, we urgently intervened for elephants beset by poaching, climate change-induced drought, and habitat loss… Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we provided the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa with high-tech anti-poaching drones, boreholes and solar-powered water pumps to ensure that life-giving water is kept flowing for desperately thirsty elephants and other wildlife caught in the worst drought for 100 years. A happy note: the drought has broken! Drought is still ravaging the African nation of Kenya, so we provided emergency water supplies. Your donations helped us prevent countless elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and antelope from dying of thirst. In 2023, as global temperatures rise at an alarming and unprecedented rate, our crucial drought mitigation efforts will be needed more than ever. So please, if you possibly can, donate right now. Reforestation: We work with partners on the ground in Kenya and South Africa helping to provide a long-term solution to forest loss by planting thousands of trees, thus creating more animal habitats and reducing carbon in the atmosphere. Habitat destruction caused by illegal logging and agriculture means that elephant ranges are shrinking, forcing them to move closer to human settlements in search of food and water. This is deadly dangerous for the elephants because there is a high risk of them being killed as a result of human-wildlife conflict. Tragically, the animals always lose. Tree planting is one of the cheapest and most cost-effective ways to provide elephants and other wild animals with forests they can retreat to – away from humans. We aim to help plant up to 500,000 trees this decade. If we achieve it, we will have provided a slice of hope to future wildlife generations. We cannot do this alone. Please, will you help us? We focus much of our attention on immediate and direct action… In crises, we pride ourselves on being among the first to respond. Our teams are always ready, but our vital work could not happen without you. Your donations are essential and make a world of difference for animals in need when catastrophe strikes… Lastly, but so importantly, we began the fight to free Ljubo – a bear in despair – kept in intolerable conditions in the Balkan nation of Montenegro. Ljubo is caged and so stressed he self-mutilates. We are working to persuade the Montenegrin government to act to improve his living conditions immediately and join us in finding him a home in a bear sanctuary. It is your donations that will give hope to this bear in despair. Read more… Some of our other projects in 2022 are: We provided medical care for critically endangered radiated tortoises, and funded protection units for indri lemurs in Madagascar. In South Africa’s Eastern Cape, we provided tracking collars for a genetically vital breeding pair of cheetahs and supported a hungry and tick-infested giraffe family. We financed anti-poaching and anti-snaring activities in Zimbabwe. Foxes, bats, badgers and vultures all benefit from your compassion and generosity. Sea creatures that benefitted from your donations include critically endangered vaquitas, sea turtles, endangered African penguins and whales caught in life-threatening fishing nets.   You can see from reading this how wide-ranging our work is and how important it is. ASI works around the clock and around the globe to protect and preserve wildlife and the environments they depend on. Our successes this year were only made possible by YOU. Our planet is in crisis – please stand with us and fight for wild animals. Please support us as we take action against the threats that endanger the survival of invaluable wildlife by donating right now.

Animal Populations Experience Average Decline of Almost 70% Since 1970

Wildlife populations have plummeted by an average of 69% in less than 50 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) biennial Living Planet report. Scientists believe the planet is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction, largely driven by humans. As human beings continue to destroy forests, consume beyond the planet’s limits and pollute on a colossal scale, countless species of birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles are being driven toward extinction. Latin America and the Caribbean have undergone the steepest fall, with a 94% wildlife decline in 48 years. Africa had the second largest decline at 66%, followed by Asia and the Pacific each at 55%, and North America at 20%. Europe and Central Asia each experienced an 18% fall. The total loss is equivalent to the human population of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and China vanishing. The report’s authors are imploring world leaders to decide on an ambitious target at the COP-15 biodiversity summit in Canada this December. “Despite the science, the catastrophic projections, the impassioned speeches and promises, the burning forests, submerged countries, record temperatures and displaced millions, world leaders continue to sit back and watch our world burn in front of our eyes,” said WWF-UK chief executive, Tanya Steele. “The climate and nature crises are not some faraway threats our grandchildren will solve with still-to-be-discovered technology.”  The fragmentation of habitats, driven by the global agricultural system, is the primary driver of biodiversity loss across the planet. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is developing a standard to measure conservation potential, which will allow researchers to pinpoint a trajectory of recovery for some of the one million species threatened with extinction. The pink pigeon, burrowing bettong and Sumatran rhino are among the species with promising conservation potential. “The rampant destruction of nature threatens the survival of all life on earth,” says David Barritt, executive director of Animal Survival International (ASI). “Now, more than ever, we need to take meaningful steps to cut carbon emissions, limit global warming and modify our production and consumption levels.”  

Typically thought of as “bad guys”, vultures (who are heading towards EXTINCTION) are actually quite the opposite – they play a crucial role in stopping the spread of deadly diseases!

We have told you before about the critical situation for vultures and why it is so important to save them. Today, vultures really need your help. Without help, extinction looms with catastrophic consequences for man and animals. Image: Vulpro Vultures get a bad rap, often associated with death and morbid situations. Unfortunately for them, they are gawky and unattractive birds who feed on carrion – dead animal carcasses – it doesn’t help their image. Yet they are vitally important in ecosystems and play a crucial role in stopping the spread of disease. If we lose vultures, the consequences will be huge, and humanity will suffer. Image: Vulpro Vultures reduce the spread of diseases by rapidly consuming carcasses. In the 1990s, India obliterated more than 97% of its vultures – and the result was disastrous. This loss leads to less efficient scavengers like rats replacing them and directly causes serious problems with the greatly increased spread of disease. Image: Vulpro African vulture populations have dropped by around 90% in the past 30 years, and several African vulture species are on the brink of extinction. They are poisoned, electrocuted, hunted for their body parts – used in black magic – and their habitat is being destroyed. We have a plan. If we can raise $10,000 (£8,990), we can add an additional 15 baby vultures every year, to the world’s diminishing reserves. Please, will you help us? Image: Vulpro We are working with Vulpro, a South African organization that rescues vultures, provides them with medical treatment and whenever possible, releases them back into their natural habitat. Sadly, in many instances, the poor birds can never be released because they are so badly injured that they can never fly again or because they have become too close to humans – but these birds can still help future generations by creating new chicks. Image: Vulpro Vulpro has 270 unreleasable vultures at their facility, who produce up to 50 eggs annually. At the moment, only 25 of these eggs hatch… We need to buy a specialized hatcher and incubators which will dramatically increase the number of hatchlings by as many as 15 new chicks This would be a HUGE WIN for vultures and wildlife in general (but also humans!) because when grown, these vultures can be released into the wild and get on with their job of eating rotten carrion which would spread deadly diseases to humans. Countless lives would be saved. Image: Amanda_Ellis Please, help give vultures a fighting chance of survival by donating generously today so that more vultures can be born, saving them from extinction.

UNBELIEVABLE, BUT TRUE – the process of obtaining charcoal for your barbeque grill is KILLING ANIMALS!

In Kenya, a tragedy is unfolding that is both sad and frightening as charcoal burners destroy forests to make charcoal for barbecue cookouts around the world. It is hard to believe, but the glowing coals that fuel barbecues have TERRIBLE IMPLICATIONS for ANIMALS. Kenya’s forests provide food and habitats for countless animals, and they are being destroyed at a dizzying rate. Forests once covered 30% of Kenya – the figure is now just 8.3% and dropping fast. Illegal charcoal burning destroyed a forest. In protected areas reserved for animals, farmers illegally chop down forest trees and burn them for charcoal, leaving behind a destroyed habitat, resulting in hunger and death for all kinds of animals from small antelopes to elephants. The scale of the problem is immense! But there is a plan underway to begin to address it – called OPERATION SEEDBALLS. Your support today will truly make a difference – and SAVE LIVES! Throughout Kenya, the landscape looks as if it is being ravaged by a dreadful disease that is leaving millions of black patches in the wilderness. The patches are the result of charcoal burning, burnt-out areas, smoking, active burns and smoldering burns stacked with packaged charcoal ready for transportation. This process is wildly illegal, but there is so much burning that rangers can’t control it, plus charcoal burners are so aggressive that rangers put their lives on the line when they try to arrest them. The effect on elephants is particularly disturbing because once the forests have gone, and their food with it, the elephants go closer to human settlements, eat their crops and sometimes injure people in their hunt for food. Then the villagers kill them and steal their tusks to sell on the illegal ivory market. Teddy Kinyanjui, Marc Goss of the MARA Elephant Project, and ASI’s David Barritt preparing to seed a new forest. The charcoal burning business is huge and difficult to control, and animal lovers must fight it as hard as we can. Teddy Kinyanjui from Nairobi’s Tamfeeds has a solution… So much charcoal has been burned in Kenya that huge piles of charcoal dust have built up, creating yet another toxic threat. Teddy’s company takes that dust and, using a special process that makes the dust a sticky ball, wraps tree seeds in it, making seedballs. The seed is the nucleus, and the dust forms a protective coating around it that prevents birds and animals from eating it. When it rains, the dust dissolves, freeing the seed and, hopefully, a tree grows. Teddy teamed up with Marc Goss, who runs the Mara Elephant Project in Kenya, an organization which protects elephants and helps preserve their habitat, and together they are starting to recreate forests in OPERATION SEEDBALLS. The forests Operation Seedballs hopes to recreate will support a variety of wildlife. Marc takes a helicopter to deforested areas in protected zones, flies low over the ground and drops thousands of seedballs from the air, mimicking the way trees naturally spread in Kenya when seeds are dropped by birds or animal droppings. Millions have been sown across Kenya in the last few years – it’s cheap, and it works. You can see new trees springing up where seeds have been sown. Because charcoal burners keep destroying trees even in protected areas, to be really effective, policing must be increased and many more seedballs must be distributed. We promised to ask our supporters to help – $50 (£44) buys 10,000 seedballs – if even 1% of the seeds grow, that’s 100 new trees! Marc took our team by helicopter to see the scale of the problem and sow some seedballs. Within the first few minutes of the flight, we lost count of how many rectangular charcoal-burning areas there are, dotted all over the protected Mount Sizwa area not far from Nairobi. Everywhere you looked, there were hundreds upon hundreds of burned areas where forests once stood. And this dreadful picture is repeated all over Kenya. Operation Seedball uses the charcoal dust left behind by illegal charcoal burning to create a protective layer around a seed nucleus. These seedballs are then distributed by helicopter to deforested areas. Marc landed the helicopter in a place where all that was left of a forest were tree stumps, while in the near distance, smoke poured into the sky as charcoal burners worked their way through the next patch of trees. When we took off and followed the smoke, we saw a herd of confused elephants right next to several charcoal burns. The elephants were seeing their food disappear before their eyes, and there was nothing they could do about it. There are so many threats to animals… but what we saw that day frightened us. This vast, protected area is home to animals great and small and it was being destroyed in front of us. Concern turned to horror when Marc showed us pictures of an elephant who had been speared and killed when, seeking food, it got too close to humans – horrible pictures of a beautiful and noble creature lying dead with gaping wounds where his tusks once were. One fewer elephant in a world where every elephant counts in the fight against extinction – their numbers are plummeting. An estimated 55 elephants are killed every single day, 365 days of the year. This poor elephant was speared by villagers because charcoal burning destroyed its natural habitat and drove it towards human habitation. We must support OPERATION SEEDBALLS. Seedballs work. New trees will grow and provide new homes and food for threatened and endangered animals. Please help us seed a better future for animals by making a generous donation right now. We must stop poaching and charcoal burning, which is going to take time. Reseeding forest areas is something we can do today!

It’s a GIRAFFE calf!

In June, we told you about three adult giraffes living on a totally unsuitable piece of land in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. The land is a smallholding, strewn with junk and far too close to humans. The giraffes were starving due to a lack of sufficient vegetation and riddled with disease-causing ticks. Two newborn calves had already died in this virtual wasteland for wildlife. The illegal wildlife trade is thriving in Africa, and it is likely that criminal activity was responsible for the giraffes being dumped. We knew we had to move them or they would not survive. With your support, we raised enough funds to relocate all three giraffes to a suitable wildlife reserve – but then came the twist none of us had expected. As our expert wildlife relocation team was preparing to move the giraffes to the nearby Royalston Wildlife Reserve, a spacious, vegetation-rich expanse where they would be able to thrive, what can only be described as a miracle occurred… One of the giraffes gave birth to a calf! When this happened previously, the calves died, but despite all the odds stacked against the newborn, this calf has survived. BUT – calves under six months of age cannot be relocated, which means that for now, we MUST continue to feed and care for the animals in their current location. The giraffes need to be moved as a matter of urgency, but the survival of the new calf is our number one priority (along with keeping the three adults alive). We must also keep the giraffes together as a family – moving them separately is not an option. Our skilled relocation team will not dart a giraffe under the age of six months, and thus we cannot move any of them until the calf is older. Relocations are tricky operations, and every effort must be made to ensure that the animals are strong enough to be moved and their stress kept to a minimum for the relocation to be successful. We will not risk the precious life of this newborn. Because our relocation team has advised us not to move the calf until it is at least six months old, we must continue to feed, monitor and treat the giraffes in their current location until they can be moved as a family. Giraffes are under increasing threat to their existence in the wild, so the survival of this calf is really important, not just to its parents and animal lovers, but as a step towards restoring giraffe populations to robust good health. We need your help to provide this family with food and care until they can be moved as a unit. We must urgently provide enough lucerne and salt licks for the giraffes so that they have sufficient food to eat, and so that the mother can stay strong and adequately nurse her offspring. Our plan is to build feeding posts that act like trees so that the giraffes can eat, and also produce enough milk for the growing young calf. Once the calf is old enough to eat solid food – this usually happens at around four months of age, but they may start to graze earlier – we will need to ensure that there is enough food for all four of the animals until we can move them. You have helped us come this far, and the relocation will happen if we can keep these animals and their calf alive. Please, donate generously right now so that we can continue to get the giraffes the sustenance they urgently need, and provide veterinary care until they can be relocated as a unit. Two calves died – we cannot allow a third to die on our watch. This calf deserves the chance to live, thrive, and roam freely just as giraffes are meant to. Please, help us save the lives of this precious youth, its mother and the rest of the family. We cannot afford to lose even one more member of this vulnerable species.

Important Update: Giraffe Relocation in South Africa

CAPTION: Animal Survival International is persevering in its efforts to relocate three adult giraffes to a more suitable environment as their present surroundings are littered with dangerous junk.  Recently, we told you about three adult giraffes living in unsuitable conditions on a small piece of land in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. They are riddled with ticks and face extreme food scarcity after eating most of the available vegetation in the area. Having seen the severity of this situation first-hand, Animal Survival International (ASI) knew we had to relocate the giraffes as quickly – and safely – as possible. Thanks to your support, we recently reached our fundraising goal and will soon follow through with our plan to move the giraffes to the nearby Royalston Wildlife Reserve. Wildlife relocations are tricky operations requiring expert skill and meticulous planning to reduce unnecessary stress on the animals. While there have been attempts to relocate the giraffes by other parties in the past, every effort has been unsuccessful. This is why we need to be extremely cautious in planning this operation, and to ensure success. ASI has chosen to work with one of the leading game capture teams in the country. They are scheduled to visit the site within in the next week to two to start planning this challenging relocation. In the meantime, the giraffes are being carefully monitored by our team and cared for by the property owners. We promise to keep you updated on the situation and thank you for your continued support. The animals need all the help they can get.

Loggers Close In on DRC’s Yangambi Man and Biosphere Reserve

Timber transport roads are planned for 2024 in the Ngazi forest, an ecological haven connected to the famed Yangambi Man and Biosphere Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Ngazi is home to okapi (also known as the “forest giraffe”), chimpanzees, pangolins and the Afrormosia tree – an endangered hardwood traded in global markets. The Yangambi Biosphere Reserve is at the heart of the Congo Basin and is the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest. It can store one-third more carbon over the same area of land than the Amazon. The proposed industrial logging concession, belonging to the Norsudtimber group, exposes the Ngazi forest to commercial hunting, charcoal burning and slash-and-burn agriculture, the leading cause of deforestation in the Congo Basin. Being at the very center of the Congo Basin, the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve requires urgent protection. “Ngazi forest is an important biodiversity reservoir that could eventually help repopulate surrounding areas,” says Noeline Raondry Rakotoarisoa, UNESCO’s director responsible for its African network of reserves. Rakotoarisoa adds that Ngazi provides mammals with a wildlife corridor that lets them roam the terrain and maintain healthy populations. It also successfully shelters the center of the Yangambi Reserve from human encroachment. Some people travel as far as 40 kilometers (25 miles) to exploit natural resources in the reserve. They mine gold, log trees, burn patches of forest and shoot small mammals for urban wildlife markets. There is official evidence that Norsudtimber is one of the top exporters of Afrormosia into Belgium, the main gateway for this endangered tree species into the EU. Sodefor, Norsudtimber’s parent company, claimed it had no knowledge of the documentation confirming that Ngazi was a fundamental part of the biosphere reserve. “But we are in contact with stakeholders… to contribute to the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve and its biodiversity objectives,” a Sodefor spokesperson said. “The importance of the Ngazi forest cannot be overstated. It is an integral part of the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve which is home to an abundance of fauna and flora and forms part of one of the world’s major carbon sinks,” says Tayla Lance of Animal Survival International. “Forests within the Congo Basin are resilient to unfavorable conditions, but human encroachment poses critical consequences that nature cannot rapidly recover from. The deforestation of the Amazon forest has overshadowed the importance of the Congo Basin. Now, the world urgently needs to turn its attention to the planet’s second-largest rainforest that is in dire need of protection.”

Three wild giraffes MUST BE MOVED IMMEDIATELY. Two CALVES have already DIED!

On a small piece of land in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, three adult giraffes (one who lost her calf) live in a totally unsuitable and unsustainable desperate situation. They are riddled with ticks and facing the prospect of starving to death. The giraffes need to be moved to a more suitable area – and FAST! The trio have devoured most of the vegetation and because of a prolonged drought, regrowth is critically slow, making their living conditions increasingly dire. Another problem is that blood-sucking ticks have plagued the land, leeching the life from these already-weakened giraffes and causing wounds and disease. Already two newborn giraffes have died because of these conditions. The second was just one day old when he breathed his last. His mother is still so traumatized that she constantly returns to the site of his death. Usually in situations like this, people simply shoot the giraffes because it is a cheap ‘solution’ to the problem, but we must not let this happen. We need your help to move them to safety. There is no other option – we must move them fast, or the giraffes will most certainly die either from starvation or tick-borne disease. No one knows how the animals came to be in such an unsuitable place, but it is suspected that criminality was involved. The land was bought by a good-hearted young couple who has been giving the giraffes supplementary food, but the reality is that these towering creatures do not belong there. After exhausting all options, they reached out to us for help. As animal lovers, we acted immediately and found a solution. Giraffes are the world’s tallest land mammals and can grow to 17 feet (5.3 meters) so a tower of giraffes needs a lot of space to be comfortable and with your help, we will relocate the giraffes to a bigger area. The nearby Royalston Wildlife Reserve is perfect for giraffes and they will thrive there. So that’s where we plan to move them. The relocation is a tricky operation requiring expert skills to reduce stress on the giraffes and must be carefully planned. It will not be easy, but with your help, we CAN do it. We have successfully relocated giraffes before – in 2021, with your help, we relocated three giraffes in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, who faced slaughter because their home was going to be used for commercial farming. If we can raise $15,000 (£12,200), we will construct an enclosure, entice the giraffes into it with food, humanely capture them, and transport them to their new home. This thousand-hectare, free-roaming sanctuary is just 8 kilometers (5 miles) from where the giraffes are now. There, they will receive immediate medical care, will have better access to food and, above all, more land to roam freely. With your support, the three giraffes will live and thrive among their own in open grasslands stretching over rolling hills. Our worry for the individual animals is a prime concern, but saving these giraffes is even more critical. Giraffe numbers have dropped by 40% in the last 30 years and are becoming increasingly threatened. There are now only some 117,000 giraffes in the wild. The surviving herds are fragmented and face many threats, from poaching to habitat loss, the latter of which is one of the gravest threats to their continued existence. Giraffes used to range through much of the African savanna, but they now live in a handful of communities scattered in clumps across the continent. In some countries, like Mali, giraffes have disappeared completely. What we have here is a tragedy, but we cannot turn a blind eye when giraffe calves drop dead before they have even had a chance to live. There is a solution and with your help, we will be able to give these giraffes a chance at a long, happy and safe life. The giraffes are only 10 MINUTES away from a potential haven that can meet all three of their most urgent needs – food, space and medical treatment. Will you help us make this happen and allow them to roam free and live as giraffes are intended to live? Please, donate as generously as you possibly can today so that we can put our emergency giraffe relocation project into action.

GONE FOREVER? NOT YET! We cannot, must not, WILL NOT let heartless and illegal slash-and-burn loggers drive indri lemurs the way of the dodo.

Madagascar is a biodiversity anomaly. Because of the island’s geography, geology and climate, species have been able to evolve and diversify in isolation. This means that the species that live there have been evolving in seclusion for millions of years. Today, we want to tell you about the critically endangered indri lemur, which is in danger of extinction. We can’t stand by and let these animals go the way of the dodo. We must help, and here is how! A lemur is a uniquely evolved mammal closely related to a primate, and a staggering 80% of lemurs’ home forests have been wiped out by deforestation. The island is home to 70 species of lemurs found nowhere else on earth, except small neighboring islands near Madagascar. Indri lemurs are famed for their loud vocalizations and communicate with each other through song. We MUST help them, and with your support, WE WILL! As a result of their habitat being destroyed, today indris are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are one of the 25 most endangered primates globally. The indri is found only in remote parts of northeastern Madagascar. Habitat destruction, primarily attributed to slash-and-burn farming, a farming method that involves the cutting and burning of plants in a forest or woodland, is indiscriminately killing the animals that live there. If their habitat continues to be destroyed at its current rate, this Madagascan lemur species will be wiped out indefinitely. We MUST support crucial indri conservation and reforestation efforts before it is too late – every second counts. Some scientists estimate that there are as little as 1,000 indri lemurs left, and if they continue to be annihilated at the current rate, soon they will all be gone. This would be a tragedy, and we need to do as much as we can to ensure their survival. We plan to preserve the species by protecting a breeding pair, while working on the long-term problem of deforestation. We have chosen to work with L’Homme et l’Environnement, a French non-governmental organization (NGO) that works tirelessly on lemur conservation through long-term forest preservation and biodiversity. As part of these conservation efforts, the NGO recently identified and captured a breeding pair in the hopes of protecting their offspring. Their previous habitat had been destroyed by slash-and-burn farming. L’Homme et l’Environnement acted fast and quickly moved the breeding pair, later named Jack and Rose, to their new home in the Vohimana forest. They now will be protected by a forest guard unit, whose job is to monitor illegal activities and protect the forest from slash-and-burn farming and illegal miners and loggers. If we manage to raise $10,000 (£8,000), we can better equip the guards with tools like GPS trackers and communication devices. Eventually, we aim to increase the number of guards. Your support is critical to the survival of the highly threatened indri lemur species. Indris (called ‘babakoto’ in Malagasy) are famous for their loud calls across forests and incredible leaping ability. With black tufted ears and patches of white fur on their crown, these creatures are beautiful and graceful as they move through the canopy treetops. The heartbreaking reality is that once they are gone, the songs they sing to each other and the beauty they bring to the world will be lost. Please help us ensure our children can view these animals as they should be – in their natural habitat, behaving as a lemur should. It’s the right thing to do! There is hope. We know what we need to do to prevent lemur extinction, and we have a plan in place. Please support us in this critical work by donating now. We have a concise window of time. If current trends continue, we will lose the opportunity to save many species in the Critically Endangered and Endangered categories, including the precious indri species. There is no more time to lose, but we cannot achieve our goal without your help. If you support us, we can help ensure Madagascar’s indris thrive for generations to come. Please, be as generous as you can so we can get the extra protection for the indris right now!

Breaking News: Polar Bear Shot Dead in Canada, Where Only 16,000 Remain

A polar bear was fatally shot last week by Canadian authorities after it was spotted wondering near the town of Madeleine-Centre in Quebec. This is the first time the apex Arctic predator has strayed so far south from its natural habitat. Quebec’s wildlife protection agency was ill-equipped to deal with the 650-pound (295-kilo) mammal and, lacking the skills to capture and relocate the creature, they simply shot it. The majority of the world’s last remaining polar bears reside in Canada. Polar Bears in Canada estimates that there are just 16,000 left in the country, which represents almost two-thirds of the species’ global population of 26,000. Authorities say they had “no choice” because their priority was protecting the local human community. “This tragic incident is yet another indicator of climate change’s devastating impact on our planet’s biodiversity,” says Tayla Lance of Animal Survival International. “Polar bears are critical to the Arctic marine ecosystem, but with the current rate of melting polar ice caps, this likely won’t be the last displaced polar bear at risk of being killed. Their homes are vanishing and they increasingly wind up in areas where they do not belong. We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to protect and conserve these vulnerable animals by taking steps to reverse the detrimental influence of climate change. Killing displaced animals because their habitat is being destroyed is not acceptable and goes against everything ASI stands for.” Banner image credit: SWNS

Locals Drop 202,000 Pounds of Lettuce into Florida’s Indian River Lagoon to Feed Starving Manatees

America’s famous manatees are disappearing due to starvation caused by habitat destruction. A local community hopes lettuce will save them. Manatees are large, gentle marine creatures much loved by communities in Florida where many manatees live, but human encroachment is threatening their existence. Development is damaging the natural plumbing of Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. It has harmed the drinking water supply and left the region deeply vulnerable to climate change. All of this has severely threatened the manatees’ primary food source, seagrass. Only 7,500 Floridian manatees are said to remain in the wild. In 2017, manatees’ status was updated to threatened from endangered after a successful program educated boaters to avoid injuring and killing them. However, because of the looming threat of starvation, the species is once again in peril. In light of this crisis, locals have stepped in alongside federal and state wildlife officials to help. Last year, 202,000 pounds of lettuce was dumped into the lagoon to feed the manatees in the area. This movement saw the death toll fall from 612 to 479 in 2021, giving some small hope for the future. “It’s critical that we as concerned citizens do what we can to help preserve them,” says Gloria Davies, CEO of Animal Survival International (ASI) and a Florida resident. “We at ASI hope that many generations to come will enjoy this precious species. It is up to all of us to act as responsible custodians of our natural environment to ensure that this is possible.” Banner credit: TCPALM/ Patrick Dove

It is not too late to SAVE COUNTLESS ANIMALS FROM EXTINCTION!

These are frightening times for animals and the planet! Climate change, the relentless destruction of forests, coral reefs and wilderness areas and the illegal trafficking of creatures large and small, powered by greedy humans, are sending animals and marine creatures hurtling towards extinction. Without determined action, we could lose the wild and its creatures soon and forever. That’s the grim, but true, situation as we enter 2022. But there is good news too! As you know, ASI fights every day to save animals and protect the wilderness. We also raise awareness about the situation, because truly, most people don’t realize how bad it is for animals. Elephants are a good example… Can you imagine a world without elephants? Elephant numbers are plummeting, and climate change is making a bad situation even worse. This year alone, we provided water systems and waterholes for elephants in South Africa and Namibia. At the Addo Elephant National Park, the systems we provided are giving water 24 hours a day to hundreds of elephants and thousands of other animals in the worst drought in 93 years. We were there to help and will be in 2022, thanks solely to our supporters who value our animals and the planet as much as we do. At the other end of the size scale, the world is on the way to losing pangolins, the gentle, shy, solitary and nocturnal scaly anteaters, who pose no threat to anyone. Yet they are the most illegally trafficked animal in the world. Once captured, their scales are ripped from their bodies to be used as hangover ‘cures’ in Vietnam and traditional ‘medicines’ in China. Often pangolins are kept alive, long enough to be boiled alive and sold in Asian restaurants as menu items. With the help of our supporters, we support rescue operations and pangolin rehabilitation programs in Nigeria and South Africa. So threatened are pangolins that rescued creatures have to be kept in guarded secret locations. Thanks to our supporters, we are at the forefront of the fight to save them. Our work never stops, and we need to do so much more. Make no mistake, the world and its animals are in peril, and we need your help to fight it. We get no help from governments – our support comes from caring, thoughtful people who are as concerned as we are. It’s donations from people like you that allow us to help animals – so please, if you can, make a donation to help ASI fight for animals and the planet. In 2021, we helped endangered tortoises in Madagascar, frogs in Turkey and hyenas and toads in South Africa. We financed anti-poaching and anti-snaring activities in Zimbabwe. Zebras, aardwolves and aardvarks, badgers, barn owls, giraffes, wildebeests, rhinos, monkeys and birds of prey have all benefited from the work our supporters allow us to do. Sea creatures who benefited from your donations include seals and turtles. We focus much of our attention on direct action to save wild creatures, but we also finance scientific research to learn more about animal populations in the wild. This work is vitally important to help maximize the chances of animal survival in an ever-diminishing wilderness. None of what we do can be done without people who care enough and realize how bad the situation is. Wild animals need your help – the planet needs your help. Please donate generously to Animal Survival International right now. Your donation is important. ASI works internationally – we go where we are needed but we can only do so with the help of caring people like you. We live and breathe these issues every day, and each day, we become more alarmed at the seriousness of the situation: animals are headed for extinction and extinction is forever. The need for urgent action is vital. For 2022, ASI has pledged to expand our help to wild creatures and to increase our efforts to protect the environment. The work we do is critical for animals and the world we live in – don’t doubt for a moment that your donation really makes a difference – even a small amount is a godsend for animals. There is so much good work to be done. Animals need you – please do your best to help. Orphaned baby animals URGENTLY need a clinic! Let us end 2021 by telling you about our plans to help create a wildlife emergency veterinary clinic at the Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre in a remote bush region of South Africa. Umoya Khulula is a volunteer organization that rehabilitates baby animals rescued from traffickers or whose mothers were poached. At the moment, if an animal needs emergency care, the nearest clinic involves a 114-mile (284 kilometer) round trip. Many animals die during the journey. It would be so wonderful if you could make a small donation to help animals there. The list of needs is long, but there is hope. ASI helps improve animal lives and protects the wilderness. Please join us in this crusade for the animals and the planet we live in by making a donation right now.

SEVEN BABY OWLS ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE! Their parents have disappeared…

In South Africa’s St Helena Bay, seven barn owl chicks have been rescued from the brink of death and are in urgent need of intensive care and rehabilitation. Found alone in a nest, starved and dehydrated, these chicks were rushed to our partner on the ground, the Owl Orphanage, where its founder, Jacques Nel, worked for hours on end to stabilize them. But they have a long journey ahead of them and need our help. We have promised to assist so that these chicks can recover and be released back into the wild, but we need your support to raise the $2,650 (£2,000) they urgently need. Birds of prey are disappearing alarmingly fast, and the barn owl is no exception. They were once found in every part of the world except the polar regions, but now they are on a dangerous decline across almost their entire range. We CANNOT LET THESE SEVEN DIE! They need round-the-clock care, feeding every two hours and a safe, calm and warm environment to recover in. The owl orphanage is up to the task but they need our help now! Reported by concerned people who heard desperate calling from a nest box, four shivering, dehydrated and starved barn owl chicks were found huddled together, crying and covered in filth. Next to them lay three more bodies, too weak to stand or even cry. They were rushed to the sanctuary where Jacques immediately began attempting to revive them. After half an hour, the three babies finally showed signs of life! It took three days before they could slowly begin to stand up on their own. One more day and they would have all been dead! Barn owls are critically important to the environment – they control rodent populations, which helps to keep the environment balanced, protects our vital food crops from destruction and helps to prevent disease outbreaks. But barn owls are disappearing fast, and we must do everything we can to ensure the survival of these babies. Please, donate today to give these seven baby barn owls a chance at life. Barn owls do not abandon their young – we can only imagine that something terrible happened to the breeding pair. For the first few weeks of their lives, the helpless owl chicks must be fed every two to three hours. Both parents hunt continuously during this time to make sure the whole family has enough to eat. Miraculously, these chicks were able to cling to life for days without food. But they are extremely weak and will need weeks of intensive care to recover. We do not know what happened to the chicks’ parents, but we do know that something must have gone terribly wrong. Barn owls mate for life and are very attentive parents. There are simply no normal circumstances under which they would abandon their young. There is nothing we can do for the parents, but we have a real chance of saving these seven baby barn owls. Habitat destruction, vilification and poisoning … barn owl populations are destabilizing worldwide. Barn owls need wide-open areas like grasslands for their nesting sites, but these are shrinking quickly as human developments encroach further and further into the remaining wilderness areas that they rely on. This is having a devastating effect on barn owl populations, and sadly, is not the only threat they face… In Africa, many cultures believe that if a barn owl lands on your roof, it signifies that a family member will die the next day. As a result, people see them as harbingers of death and kill them willfully to ‘protect’ their families. Poisons intended to control pests very often kill barn owls too. Poisoned rodents are eaten by owls before succumbing to the poison, thereby poisoning the unknowing owl too. If an owl ingests even a small amount of poison, it can affect the owl’s ability to fly, hunt and nest, and the poor creature will eventually die of starvation. With your help today, we will ensure that we help these seven baby chicks get the constant care and special food they so desperately need to survive!

The animals HAVE BEEN SAVED from senseless slaughter! THANK YOU!

Just a few weeks ago, we were alerted to the imminent slaughter of 64 wild animals in South Africa’s Plettenberg Bay, to make room for commercial farming activities. Our partner on the ground, the Karoo Donkey Sanctuary, intervened just in time and we managed to get a five-day reprieve. Five days is very little time to coordinate such a massive and delicate translocation, but there was no way ASI could let these animals down! We called on our supporters to help us rescue these creatures from certain death and you responded generously! The team worked day and night to coordinate specialist wildlife veterinarians, helicopters and expert game capture and transport teams to move the animals to the safety of their new home at Gondwana Game Reserve – 180 miles (300 kilometers) away. Each of these creatures – wildebeest, giraffes and zebras – DESERVES TO LIVE! We could not sit back and allow them to be killed by hunters simply because it was the cheaper and easier option! Wildebeest are such closely bonded, social beings that the females in a herd often all give birth at the same time, and zebras are an essential part of the African landscape and ecosystems. Giraffes are being wiped out across the African continent. Populations of these graceful, gentle creatures have plummeted by 40 percent in recent years, yet these six were going to be shot with no regard for their species’ survival. It was a nail-biting three days, but the operation was a success! Over the course of three days, ASI and the team worked relentlessly to safely herd, load and transport all the animals to their new home – the 11,000-hectare (42 square miles – 110 square kilometers) Gondwana Game Reserve. It was a truly extraordinary moment when the first of the animals to arrive ran down the specially constructed ramp from the transport truck into their new home. And animal after animal followed into a vast and SAFE bushveld where they will now live out their lives in peace – thanks to your generosity.

England’s Only Wild Beaver Colony Threatened by Relentless Raw Sewage Spills

England’s sole wild beaver colony is currently under threat by raw sewerage flowing downstream from one of the country’s worst overflow sites. According to wildlife experts, the pollution from Honiton treatment works in Devon could cause serious health complications in the 20 beaver families living along the River Otter. The area is the site of a successful beaver reintroduction by the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) six years ago and is the first time in 400 years that wild beavers have lived on an English river. In 2020, the animals were given the permanent right to remain by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Since their relocation, the species have thrived in the region – but now their future may be in peril. Recently, footage emerged of untreated waste pouring into Hampshire’s Langstone Harbour unabated for 49 hours. “There is a whole range of nasties contained in sewage that could potentially impact them, like viruses and bacteria,” said Mark Elliott of the DWT, referring to the spillages as a ‘massive concern’. In total, 137 spillages took place last year, resulting in 2,442 hours of raw spillage into the river where the beavers live, eat, sleep and reproduce. The waste could result in fatal infections and disease for the beavers. Britain’s sewage system, installed during the Victorian era, is unable to cope with large amounts of rainwater, and water companies are thus legally allowed to release this water and smaller amounts of raw sewage directly into rivers and the sea. This is to prevent waste clogging up streets and homes. However, this release is to the detriment of local wildlife and, following public outcry, water companies will soon be compelled to limit the amount they dump. There are two living species of beaver – the North American beaver, native to that region, and the Eurasian beaver, native to Britain and once widespread in much of the UK. The latter is recovering from near-extinction after relentless hunting for its fur, meat and ‘castoreum’, a secretion used in perfumes, medicine and food. Today, beavers are once again thriving in certain parts of Britain and are considered ‘nature’s engineers’ for their innate ability to restore wetland habitats by building dams and felling trees. These activities promote sustainable water sources in the environment by slowing, storing and filtering water, which limits downstream flooding and attracts other wildlife to these regions. According to a five-year study published last year by the University of Exeter, beavers reintroduced to the river have successfully reduced the risk of floods and have helped to increase other wildlife numbers. “It’s horrific that England’s first successful beaver colony in 400 years is being subjected to massive volumes of raw waste,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International. “While they work to restore habitats, we flood them with dangerous viruses and bacteria. This is a serious cause for concern.” Image: PA/Shutterstock

OUTRAGEOUS! Leopards slaughtered by the thousands for their skins! In the name of FASHION!

Leopards are the most persecuted big cats in the world! In the last 50 years, almost ONE MILLION of these magnificent animals have been killed in Africa for trophies, to make coats from their beautiful skins and because some farmers view them as pests. It takes EIGHT leopard skins to make one coat! Fashion has played a big role in pushing leopards to the brink of extinction. Sadly, in the 1960s, their beauty fueled the slaughter of 50,000 of these exquisite creatures for their skins to be made into coats and hats – every year. Even today, thousands are being killed for their skins annually. It’s only a matter of time before they disappear forever – unless we do something. It’s OUTRAGEOUS! Leopards slaughtered by the thousands for their skins! In the name of FASHION! There is a booming illegal trade in leopard skins too, but because we know so little about leopard numbers, it’s difficult to pinpoint from where these animals are being poached. Please, will you help us raise the $8,000 (£5,812) needed to learn this critical information and give leopards the protection they so desperately need? Leopards’ massive territories and their secretive behavior make it exceptionally difficult to determine how many are left. There is a dreadful suspicion that a conservation disaster is looming. Researchers say that their populations are declining faster than they can understand – and at a rate that surely cannot continue for long. The Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe may just be one of the leopards’ last strongholds in Africa. But we need to find out how bad the situation is and establish the threats they face to protect them. Please, help us raise the funds needed to humanely collar and track leopards in Hwange to secure a future for these mysterious, imperiled big cats before it’s too late. Leopards have lost almost 70% of their habitat – and the rest is shrinking fast! This leopard was saved just in time from a snare thanks to a tracking collar Leopards are solitary animals who each need territories of up to 270 square miles (700 square kilometers). But with human settlements growing and encroaching on wild areas, these creatures are being put into fierce competition with each other for space or killed when they enter farms or communities in search of food. Sometimes, these cats are shot by farmers who view them as pests. Those who don’t die immediately are left to suffer and slowly succumb to bullet wounds or starvation. We must do everything we can to protect these magnificent creatures! At almost 6,000 square miles (15,000 square kilometers), the Hwange National Park could be a haven and support a large breeding population of leopard. But we must first learn more about their behavior, movements and the threats they face here. Please donate today and help us secure a future for these cats.

URGENT! We have just ONE DAY to save 6 giraffes, 8 zebras and 50 wildebeest from SENSELESS SLAUGHTER!

In South Africa’s Plettenberg Bay, 64 wild animals are about to be slaughtered to make room for a commercial macadamia farm! But with your help, we can rescue them from this horrific fate and relocate them to safe reserves where they can live their lives out of harm’s way. We have a plan to save them all – but we URGENTLY need your help! Six giraffes, eight zebras and 50 blue wildebeest (gnus) have been peacefully living on this game farm their entire lives. But now, the owner plans to have them killed to make space for farming activities. We cannot sit back and allow this to happen! Just four days ago we asked you to help us raise $7,000 (£5,100) to safely relocate these creatures to nearby reserves and you responded generously. But we learnt that a major donor has dropped out. This means we need to raise an additional $15,000 (£11,000) to get these animals to safety! Please, if you can, donate to give these animals a future. All over Africa, wild animals are being wiped out. Giraffes are particularly in danger. Populations of these graceful, gentle creatures have plummeted by 40 percent, yet with utter callousness these six are to be shot for meat. Please help stop this slaughter. We must RUSH wildlife veterinarians and expert wildlife capture and transport teams to their home and carefully dart the skittish animals and transport them to two nearby reserves that have offered to take them in. These creatures do not deserve to be killed just to make room for commercial farming! Wildebeest are such social animals that the females in a herd often all give birth at the same time and zebras are an essential part of the African landscape and ecosystems. We cannot let them all die. WE HAVE JUST ONE DAY to get these animals to safety! Hunters were already gathering at the gates! Our partner on the ground, the Karoo Donkey Sanctuary intervened just as a group of hunters were due to arrive at the gates – ready to shoot all 64 animals. We managed to negotiate with the owner of the property and get us five days to remove the animals. We have ONE day left and if we fail, the hunters will be let loose, and there will be a massacre. Wildlife capture and translocation is a costly and delicate operation. We will need a team of highly qualified wildlife veterinarians, darting equipment and medications, helicopters, expert capture and transport teams, and a fleet of specialised trucks. But these animals are worth it, and we know that with your help, we can get them to safety. Please donate now! These are sentient, majestic and social creatures of the African bushveld, closely bonded in herds. It is unthinkable that they could all be butchered in a killing frenzy! We have a chance to save them, to keep them together and let them live wild and free as they’re meant to. Please, donate now and help us get these animals to safety! The clock is ticking! We must get these animals to safety before it’s too late! ONE DAY is all we have to rescue these animals! With your help, we will be able to save them. Please help us raise the additional $15,000 (£11,000) urgently needed to send wildlife veterinarians and expert wildlife capture teams to Plettenberg Bay and prevent this senseless slaughter.

Elephant Appreciation Day

Today is Elephant Appreciation Day – a day to reflect on these great, grey, gentle giants which never cease to evoke a sense of awe in humankind. The more we learn about them, the more we marvel at their social structures, their caring family lives and the sheer wonder of their being. Yet, we are destroying our elephants, pushing them to the brink of extinction through trophy hunting, ivory poaching and habitat destruction. Greed and corruption beset elephants at every turn. Even CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the international body tasked with protecting elephants from exploitation, has blatantly justified Namibia selling its wild elephants into captivity. Read more… At Animal Survival International (ASI), we strive to protect African elephants in every way we possibly can. At Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa, ASI is providing water for more than 600 elephants as the worst drought in a hundred years takes its toll. In Zimbabwe, we financially support anti-poaching efforts to help save the last of Kariba’s famous Lake Elephants, the targets of ongoing ivory poachers. Just this week, we provided emergency funding to prevent a baby elephant from losing his leg to a deadly snare in Zimbabwe. In Namibia, we provided water for some of the last free-roaming elephants in the country, so that they would stay in safe areas and not be shot at by farmers and hunters. But the efforts we have made are being undermined by the Namibian government which has announced it intends to sell 57 wild elephants, many of which will almost certainly end up in zoos. Sometimes it seems that we are fighting a losing battle as with every elephant life we save, another is lost. More than 50 elephants die every day at the hands of ivory poachers. The situation has become so serious that if humanity doesn’t change the way it exploits elephants, they will soon be gone forever. To prevent this from happening, we need to act now. We at ASI promise that with the commitment of our supporters, we will be at the forefront of the fight to save elephants. Please don’t let today be the only day you think about these majestic creatures. Be part of the daily effort to save elephants. Become a supporter of Animal Survival International, and we promise to do whatever it takes to protect elephants across Africa.

A Word on Vultures, This International Vulture Awareness Day

Across Africa, Asia and Europe, vultures are in peril – which is bad news, not only for vultures, but for entire ecosystems on which both man and beast depend. Without vultures we will no longer have the vital clean up services these scavengers provide. Vultures play a critical role in protecting humans and animals from the global risk of disease transmission. Without vultures, carcasses, including livestock, will remain exposed and undecomposed creating a breeding ground for diseases. But with a vast range of habitats, vultures are exposed to a myriad of threats. In Europe and Asia, they are severely affected by the use of the veterinary drug, diclofenac, given to cattle, yet fatal to vultures feeding on their carcasses. In Africa, numbers have plummeted as the birds are frequently the accidental victims to poisons used to bait other wildlife. Rhino and elephant poachers also deliberately target vultures with poison to reduce the chances of alerting law enforcers. Habitat degradation, limited food availability, as well as collisions and electrocution with energy infrastructure are also major factors threatening the existence of vultures. In the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa, vultures are killed for their body parts to be used in traditional medicines. “We recognise the importance of preserving vulture populations across the globe, which is why we’ve committed to raising awareness to these majestic birds and mounting a campaign later this year to raise funds critical to vulture conservation efforts,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International. If effective action to preserve remaining vulture populations is not taken now, 14 of the world’s 23 vulture species could become extinct in our lifetimes. Feature image credited to: Etienne Outram – Getty

Animal Survival International Condemns the Killing of Prominent Kenyan Environmental Activist

After receiving multiple death threats in the wake of her protests against development in the Kiambu Forest, 67-year-old environmentalist, Joannah Stutchbury, was shot dead near her home on the outskirts of Nairobi last week. A committed champion for environmental conservation in Kenya, Stutchbury was well-known for her relentless and vocal opposition against development and encroachment into the Kiambu Forest. The Kiambu Forest lies on the fringes of Nairobi where land prices have soared in recent years, placing the forest under consistent threat by encroachment and by developers, often with links to powerful local politicians. According to the Conservation Alliance of Kenya, Stutchbury had recently reported a death threat from a developer. Friends say she was shot several times after stopping her car to clear branches in her driveway. Her body was found in the car with the engine still running and her valuables still in the vehicle, suggesting the attack was not a robbery. Shockingly, Stutchbury’s murder is only one of several violent deaths of conservationists in recent years. In 2018, American conservationist, Esmond Bradley Martin, who was investigating the elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, was stabbed to death in his Nairobi home. The year before that, South African, Wayne Lotter, a leader in ivory anti-poaching efforts, was shot dead in a taxi in Dar es Salaam, after receiving multiple death threats. “We condemn the ruthless murder of Joannah Stutchbury, and the senseless killings of all the other environmental and wildlife advocates who’ve lost their lives while defending the integrity of the environment and Africa’s natural heritage,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International. Kenya’s Amnesty International has called for an immediate investigation into Stutchbury’s death.

Man’s greed, habitat loss and climate change are always waiting to destroy wildlife – and British barn owls could be in jeopardy!

Saving wildlife is a never-ending battle; man’s greed, habitat loss, and climate change are always waiting to destroy wildlife, and constant vigilance is required to ensure that hard-won gains are not lost. In the United Kingdom (UK), barn owls are a case in point. They are only safe because animal lovers like you are funding and building nesting boxes for them. Barn owls have been in terrible trouble for a long while because, slowly but inexorably, their habitat is being destroyed. The solution to this challenge is man-made nesting boxes to replace the hedgerows and copses that once provided nesting spots before farming methods changed.   If all the UK’s barn owl nest boxes fell down, barn owls would probably go extinct!   Colin Shawyer, who set up the Barn Owl Conservation Network, says that up to 80% of barn owls now nest in man-made boxes. “If all those boxes fell down, we’d probably see extinction. I don’t know of any other species that is so reliant on one component of their habitat – a nest box – for their survival, and that’s all done by people,” says Shawyer.  Nesting boxes are urgently needed if we are to win the battle for the barn owls and we are working to provide and maintain them. The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary (SOS) is at the forefront of saving owls in England’s Suffolk county. It has some 300 nest boxes, which provide a safe haven for owls to raise their young.  SOS depends on donations, and COVID-19 has hit fundraising hard and also decreased the number of volunteers available to monitor the boxes. Existing boxes need maintenance, and many more boxes must be built for the barn owl population to grow.   $90.00 will buy a British barn owl a safe breeding spot where a family can thrive.   SOS reached out to Animal Survival International (ASI) for assistance, and we have promised to help if we possibly can. Each nest box costs around $90.00 (£65.00), and if we can raise $5000.00 (£4100.00) we can fund the creation of another 55 boxes. SOS also runs the Wild Raptor Hospital where they treat sick and injured owls. If we raise an extra $1000.00 (£780.00), we can buy barn owls a much-needed microscope to check their blood and help them become disease-free. This is vitally important because barn owls have to be completely healthy before they can be released back into the wild. Barn owls are beautiful highly sensitive and intelligent creatures who have complex communication systems and cooperative social structures. They have elaborate courtship rituals and often mate for life. Baby barn owls are nonviolent, altruistic, family-oriented animals. Barn owl siblings clean and feed each other and huddle together to stay warm. They even negotiate who in the nest will get the food their mom or dad is about to bring them in the most amicable way, by deciding among themselves who is the hungriest based on whoever emits the neediest call. Keeping these birds alive is so important. At ASI, we do our absolute best to provide solutions for problems. Here is a situation where even a small donation will make a difference to a beautiful and iconic species. Please donate right now and we will make sure that when the cold English winter comes, barn owls will be safe and warm and doing their bit to propagate the species.

Waiting at home for dinner, hyena cubs are starving to death because farmers are shooting their mothers!

Let’s be blunt, hyenas need your help. But, before you think of the hyenas in The Lion King and shudder, you need to know that Disney got it wrong. In reality, hyenas are not bad guys. Hyena mothers are loving parents who look after their cubs for longer than any other predator, and hyena clans have a highly developed and complex social system. They are also extremely clever. Some researchers say they are more intelligent than chimpanzees, which means they are very smart indeed. Hyenas play an important role in ecosystems. As well as being expert hunters, they are also vital clean-up specialists. Simply put, they eat the carcasses that other predators abandon and by doing so, stop the spread of disease. In these COVID times, you could say hyenas are the wilderness’ answer to face masks. For these and other reasons, it’s vital to keep hyenas around, yet their numbers are decreasing. In wildlife reserves, they are safe, but the minute they get into surrounding areas, trouble starts. Farmers don’t want to share their livestock with hungry hyenas and are inclined to shoot them, with deadly consequences for hyena cubs waiting at home for dinner. If hyenas are to survive, we need to know more about them. For example, we know there are spotted hyenas in South Africa’s Addo National Park, but we don’t know how many there are or the extent of their range. It’s important that we find out. Hyenas have been ignored to the point that we don’t even know how many are still alive in the wild. Researchers estimate that there could be as many as 14,000 or as few as 4,000! We could unknowingly be on the verge of a conservation disaster. It’s essential that we collar these important, but misunderstood, animals so that they, and future hyena generations, can be protected. Hyena mysteries abound. We know that they communicate over long distances. Hyenas can sense that an animal has been killed 12 miles (20 kilometers) away and immediately start heading towards lunch. But we have no idea how they do this, and it’s driving scientists crazy. To help find out and to keep a close eye on hyenas who might break out from the national park into farm areas, we’ve dipped into our rapidly diminishing emergency fund and bought three wildlife tracking collars for hyenas. But we need more collars to help scientists with this urgent research project. Please help us raise funds for three more hyena tracking collars. Each one costs $2,500 (£1,780). Spotted hyenas are astounding creatures that have been vilified in international popular culture and treated like vermin for decades. Because of their terribly unfair reputation, these fascinating, affectionate animals, who play a critical role in the health of their habitats, have not received the research or conservation attention that they need. By purchasing three satellite tracking collars, we’re already helping to gather new information on the previously unknown behavior of the collared animals. But, three collars are not enough, we need more! Especially now, during the worst drought in 100 years, which is making water and prey scarce. It is more urgent than ever to understand these creatures so we can protect them. It is only with the support of real animal lovers like you that we will be able to provide the support they need. Scientists sued Disney Studios for their unfair depiction of spotted hyenas, but the damage has never been undone. The Lion King did much to damage the image of hyenas. Spotted hyenas are far from the ugly, slobbering scavengers shown in movies. These exceptional creatures have complex family structures and care lovingly for their young. We do know is that these creatures may have the most intricate social structure of all predators. Led by an alpha female, all females rank higher than the top male. Like a royal family, the alpha female’s cubs rank above all the other clan members, except their mother, from birth. Up to 80 hyenas have been recorded in a single clan, each one having a rank. Please, donate what you can today to help us purchase tracking collars so that we can better to understand these fascinating animals… and protect and save them!

How we are helping RIGHT NOW: May 2021

The Political Animal Lobby (PAL) exists to be a voice for animals and the planet. We tackle pressing issues threatening animals around the world. Over the past month, PAL has provided water to drought-stricken elephants in Namibia; kept up the fight to ban snares in the UK; helped a legal battle to save toads in South Africa; given emergency aid to critically endangered tortoises in Madagascar and supported an anti-poaching team fighting ivory poachers in Zimbabwe. But we couldn’t have done it without our supporters. We are deeply grateful to all our donors who make this work possible. Take a look at how your donations are making a difference to animals worldwide right now. United Kingdom Supporting a total ban on the use of wire snares In the United Kingdom (UK), snaring is still legal! We told you last month how this causes shocking suffering and kills up to 1.7 million animals every single year. Incredibly, it is still encouraged by the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and supported by the British Veterinary Association (BVA)! Millions of innocent animals are left in such horrific pain that they resort to gnawing off their limbs to free themselves. PAL plans to continue fighting against this until it is stopped. Thanks to your donations, we are supporting the National Anti Snaring Campaign (NASC) in convincing the UK government to ban the use of snares outright. We’ll keep you updated on NASC’s progress. South Africa Court action to fight for the survival of western leopard toads In Cape Town, the beautiful and endangered western leopard toad is under severe threat, thanks to plans to build a road through one of its last remaining breeding grounds. These endangered toads are clinging to survival in just a few small areas of South Africa’s Western Cape and only an estimated 320 are left. But their habitat is under serious threat. We support the Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) which is taking the toad’s fight to court, seeking to prevent the City of Cape Town from moving forward with the road development. NEAG’s lawyers say the toads stand a good chance of winning. We will keep you posted on the outcomes. Namibia Providing water for one of the last remaining free-roaming elephant herds We’ve secured water for one of the last free-roaming elephant herds in Namibia! Ongoing drought put these vulnerable elephants at risk, forcing them to wander from the safety of a 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) preservation area in search of water, into places where they are shot at. But now, thanks to our supporters’ help, we’ve managed to drill and strike underground water, which tested safe for elephant consumption. We’ve also erected two water tanks to store the water which is then pumped into a waterhole made easily accessible for the elephants and their babies. Our partners in Namibia have been sending us regular reports that the elephants are visiting the waterhole, which means they are safe and now have a chance of surviving this drought. Madagascar Saving endangered radiated tortoises In Madagascar, radiated tortoises are racing towards extinction. These beautiful tortoises with unique star-patterned shells are highly sought after for the illegal pet trade. Our partner, Turtle Survival Alliance Madagascar (TSA Madagascar), called on us for help when they discovered 800 radiated tortoises being smuggled in shocking conditions and destined for the illegal pet market. These helpless creatures were on the brink of death when the TSA Madagascar team discovered them. But thanks to the help of our supporters, TSA Madagascar will be able to give them the emergency treatment they need to survive. It will take a few months of rehabilitation before these precious tortoises can be released back into the wild and breed. But we are confident that, with your donations, TSA Madagascar will be able to keep them alive until they are ready. With so few left in the wild, saving these 800 radiated tortoises will give the entire species new hope. Zimbabwe Helping an anti-poaching team protect the rare Lake Elephants Zimbabwe’s iconic lake elephants in the Sebungwe region are falling victim to a poaching epidemic. Up to 11,000 of these elephants have been brutally killed for their ivory in the last 15 years. Only 3,500 remain, living in a 580 square mile (1,500 square kilometer) area surrounded by the vast Lake Kariba and hunting areas, both offering ample opportunity for poachers to move in and out. A small anti-poaching team, the Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit (BHAPU), is desperately trying to protect them, but they are running dangerously low on critical supplies and equipment. We visited the area and were shocked by how vulnerable these elephants have become. We asked our supporters to help us raise funds for essential supplies like fuel for their patrol vehicle and boat, rations, and equipment like boots and radios, so that BHAPU can keep fighting for the elephants. Thanks to your generosity, BHAPU will be able to buy critical equipment and supplies and continue its vital work to protect these majestic creatures. Once again, we are deeply grateful for your generous donations and support in raising awareness of these critical issues. You make it possible for us to make a difference, protecting wildlife and wild spaces across the globe.

It is a poaching epidemic! 75% of lake elephants have already been slain for their tusks!

Elephants in Africa are literally a dying breed. The very real threat of extinction is staring them in the face right now. PAL exists to prevent this tragedy. Today, we want to tell you how YOU can protect the last lake elephants of Zimbabwe’s Sebungwe region. These iconic elephants are victims of a poaching epidemic. A small anti-poaching team, the Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit (BHAPU), fights to protect the last of them, day and night, purely for the love of elephants. But, because of COVID-19, they have lost their regular funding and are in desperate need of essential equipment: fuel for their vehicles, rations, boots and radios. If we can’t help them, then the poaching syndicates that are mercilessly killing these iconic creatures will be free to slaughter every last one of these elephants. The small team of expertly trained, dedicated scouts patrol the area knowing that they could be attacked by poachers at any moment. It is so unjust that these brave souls, who are on the front-line of an all-out war on elephants, are so under-funded that when their boots wear out and the radios they use to call for help break, they cannot even replace them. We promised to ask our supporters to give the lake elephants a chance of survival, but we need your help! Please, if you can, donate generously today. These elephants spend the hot African days in the shallows of Lake Kariba, drinking, bathing and bonding with one another. But without your help, sadly, beautiful scenes like this could soon be nothing more than a memory. Poachers have already slaughtered 75% of their population – that’s 11,000 elephants brutally killed for their ivory in the last 15 years (that’s two a day!). Only 3,500 remain. Without your help, they will disappear entirely in less than five years. What we saw in Zimbabwe was shocking and utterly heart-breaking! When BHAPU reached out to PAL for assistance, we knew there was no time to waste. Our team rushed to Zimbabwe to assess the situation, but even we weren’t prepared for what we saw. These majestic creatures were terrified of us. They have been so intensely persecuted by humans that they quickly retreated into the bush at the sight of us. It was utterly heart-breaking to watch a mother elephant try to hide her young calf from us, who were only there to help. These last lake elephants live in a 580 square mile (1,500 square kilometer) area that includes part of Lake Kariba, and hunting areas. This offers limitless opportunities for poachers to move in and out. On the lake, poachers disguise themselves in small boats as local fishermen, hiding rifles and machetes they then use to kill elephants and hack off their tusks before disappearing across the lake with their haul of blood-soaked ivory. The last lake elephants need our help now, before it is too late Elephants are highly intelligent, emotional beings that form strong bonds with each other. They protect each other fiercely and mourn the deaths of their kin for months, even years. We saw for ourselves the sprawling graveyard that these elephants come to visit, rolling over the bones of their loved ones and sometimes even carrying bones away with them. We can’t stand by and see elephants killed for lack of a radio and pair of boots. At BHAPU’s small base in the hills overlooking the lake, we saw what is at stake right now. A family of elephants cautiously moved out of the cover of dense bush towards the cool refreshing water in the heat of the afternoon. Two calves played in the water while their mothers drank watchfully. Behind them, fishing boats dotted the horizon. Any one of them could be poachers in disguise. We must ensure that the lake elephants’ guardians have the fuel, rations, boots and radios they desperately need to protect them. Please, donate generously today!

Devastating Cape Town Fire Puts Last Remaining Caracals at Critical Risk

Devastating fires recently tore down the mountainside in Cape Town, South Africa, leaving absolute destruction in its path, destroying 10,000 acres (400 hectares) of habitat and threatening the vulnerable remaining caracal population. An injured, and terribly thin caracal was spotted limping through the ashes of the burned mountainside. Immediately springing into action, the Urban Caracal Project (UCP) managed to steer the poor creature to an area abundant in small prey, where they hope he will be able to fend for himself until his wounds heal. No one knows the exact effect the fire has had on Table Mountain’s caracal population. There may be many more suffering from injury and hunger. Our work to save the caracal is not yet done. Victims to urban encroachment, road accidents and poisoning, only 50 or 60 caracals are left clinging to life in the last wild areas of Cape Town. We recently asked our supporters to help us raise funds to support the UCP whose research facilities at the University of Cape Town came dangerously close to complete destruction. Fortunately, important caracal samples and datasheets, critical in helping save the animals, survived – this is very good news for caracals. Featured image credited to: Urban Caracal Project

What a CRAZY WORLD it is when bureaucrats can say a road is more important than an endangered species’ home!

The beautiful but endangered western leopard toad is under severe threat, thanks to plans to build a road through one of its last remaining breeding grounds. These rare creatures, who play a vital role in keeping nature in balance, are so endangered that they cling to survival in just a few small areas of South Africa’s Western Cape. Only 369 western leopard toads could be found in the 2020 census… and 50 of those were dead!   They desperately need to be protected, but instead, their habitat is to be destroyed. Property developers want to build houses in Noordhoek, the area where the toads live. Environmentalists and local residents are outraged and have pleaded with the City of Cape Town to leave the toads alone. Instead, the City approved a road that will go straight through the environmentally sensitive wetlands, destroying one of the toads’ last breeding areas. If this happens, the species’ very survival is at stake. The Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG), a small volunteer group run by a handful of concerned residents, mounted an appeal process, which was rejected. But this tenacious group will not give up, and they approached the Animal Survival International for support. Thanks to ASI’s caring supporters and their generosity, the toads may have a chance of winning! NEAG’s lawyers have applied to court, challenging the decision, and demanding that it be reversed. They are confident that there is a good chance of justice prevailing in the fight for the survival of the western leopard toads. The City says it will not back down, and a court battle looms. Now, more than ever, the toads need our support to fight the City and secure their future. Please, donate generously today. What a crazy world it is when bureaucrats can say a road is more important than saving one of the last pockets of an endangered species’ home! WHAT CAPE TOWN IS DOING IS WRONG! It will result in an endangered species hurtling closer to extinction… and there’s no coming back from extinction! Please help us continue to fight for the western leopard toad and its last remaining habitat. If we don’t, who will? All over the world, governments and local authorities get away with making decisions that destroy our biodiversity because very few people have the ability to fight back. This is why we are trying to help. Let’s stand together and win the battle to save a unique species. This is the only chance the toads have. Help us be a voice for the toads. Donate today so that we can keep supporting NEAG and the toads to the very end.

How we are helping RIGHT NOW: April 2021

Animals around the globe are in extraordinary peril. From the rampant illegal trade in wildlife, poaching, habitat loss and poor enforcement of wildlife legislation, thousands of species are becoming critically endangered. We need to take heed before it’s too late. If we continue to destroy biodiversity, no life on Earth can survive. The Animal Survival International exists to be a voice for animals and the planet. We tackle pressing issues threatening animals. We are deeply grateful to our supporters who make our work possible. Take a look at our most recent projects and how your donations are making a difference to animals worldwide. Namibia Securing water for one of the last remaining free-roaming elephant herds A family of elephants is at risk from the ongoing drought in the northwest of Namibia. If these 20 elephants and their babies wander from their home range on a 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) preservation area in search of water, they face being shot at. All the other land in the area is used by hunters and the elephants would be at risk of death or injury. Thanks to our supporters’ swift response to donate funds, we were able to act quickly. ASI is paying for new waterholes to be established by drilling to reach deep underground water sources. After two attempts, we struck water. We are now waiting for test results to make sure that the water is safe for the elephants to drink. If it proves to be contaminated, we have a drilling team standing by to redrill. We will not give up on these elephants. Stay tuned! United Kingdom Supporting a total ban on the use of wire snares Up to 1.7 million animals are brutally killed by snares every year in the UK. Animals endure untold anguish and pain when they are caught in snares. Usually set to catch foxes and rabbits, other wild animals are also caught, including wild cats, hedgehogs, badgers and red squirrels. In some horrific cases, animals have gnawed off their own limbs to free themselves. But despite this horror, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) condone and support snaring! – even though there are more humane and effective solutions available to keep livestock and crops safe from rabbits and foxes. The National Anti Snaring Campaign (NASC) in the UK is fighting to have snaring completely banned. They called on ASI to help them to secure a total ban on the sale and use of snares. Your generous donations allowed us to give NASC £2,500 ($3,500) to continue their fight to bring about an outright ban on wire snares. South Africa Court action to fight for the survival of western leopard toads A plan to build a road through one of their last remaining breeding grounds is threatening the survival of the beautiful endangered western leopard toad in Cape Town. There could be as few as 360 toads left! The Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) called on ASI to help its legal battle to prevent Cape Town authorities from building the road. And thanks to our supporters, NEAG may just win a rare, but critical, victory for the animals. Zimbabwe Saving painted dogs in Hwange National Park In Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, some of the world’s last remaining painted dogs are facing a new threat. With COVID-19 taking its toll on already poor communities, thousands of illegal snares set to catch antelope for food, are being scattered around the park. Each snare means horrific injury and potential death to the beautiful painted dogs. With only 6,500 left in the wild and 160 living in Hwange, we cannot let this continue. Every day, rangers patrol the park on the lookout for snared painted dogs. When they find them, it’s a race to get the suffering animal to help. We partnered with the Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) and asked ASI supporters to donate towards medication essential to transport and treat the wounded animals, and to help them return to their pack in the wild. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to help PDC continue with their vital work of treating and releasing painted dogs back into the wild, as well as teaching villagers about conservation and snare removal.   Once again, thank you for your generous donations and your support in raising awareness of these issues. You make it possible for us to make a difference, protecting wildlife and wild spaces across the globe.

We’ve struck water, but it’s not a home run – yet! Namibia’s elephants are STILL AT RISK!

We told you of our battle to save one of Namibia’s last free-roaming elephant herds. These elephants are at terrible risk because drought is forcing them to move from a safe haven to areas where their lives are under threat. We asked for your help, and you responded magnificently. Some 20 elephants with calves have taken refuge on a 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) preservation area, where they are safe. All the other land in the area is used by hunters, and the elephants are in danger when they enter these zones. But water holes on the preservation area have just about run dry. If we don’t solve this problem, the vulnerable family of elephants will be forced to continue seeking water in places where their freedom and survival is at stake. Thanks to our supporters swiftly donating funds, we were able to pay for a drilling company to search for underground water for the elephants. But this is harsh, dry African terrain, and finding water is no easy task. After striking nothing but hard granite in our first attempt, another site was chosen for drilling. This time, there were technical challenges, and the drill bit broke as we struck water! We thought all was lost and began planning ways to truck in vast amounts of water for the elephants. But, to our relief, overnight, water began to flow! It’s not a very strong flow, but it’s a promising start. Before we drill deeper, our hydrologist advised that we have the water tested for contamination to make sure it is safe for elephants to drink. In Namibia, things work at a slower pace than many other places in the world, so please bear with us. The test results take up to a week to be confirmed. We promise to keep you updated. If we get confirmation that the water is potable, we will finish drilling the borehole and begin pumping fresh water into water holes. If the water is not good for elephant consumption, we will start drilling at a new site. But no matter what, we are not giving up! Again, we are deeply grateful to our caring supporters who have already donated. Not many people can boast that they helped save an elephant family! The elphants are not safe yet, so if you can donate, please do, because the survival of these creatures still hangs in the balance. Over past decades, not only drought but hunting, ivory poaching and habitat loss have been rapidly pushing elephants towards extinction. If the water flows – and we believe it will – there is one entire elephant family that will live to breed another day.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Devastating FIRE threatens survival of last 50 or 60 remaining Cape Town caracals!

PLEASE HELP NOW! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! A devastating FIRE in Cape Town, South Africa, has dealt a horrible blow to the survival prospects of the last precious Cape Town caracals! The fire swept through the University of Cape Town, destroying the Urban Caracal Project’s (UCP) laboratory. Tissue samples of whiskers, fur and blood, painstakingly collected over the last five years are in ashes, possibly wrecking entire critical conservation plans for this highly threatened population of caracal cats. 10,000 acres (400 hectares) of their habitat have been destroyed. We are hoping and praying they all got away safely. Caracals are agile, have sensitive noses and can move like lightning when danger threatens, grabbing their kittens in their jaws and fleeing for their lives. But even one death would be a terrible blow – because there are so few caracals left! Only 50 or 60 caracals – shy and extraordinarily beautiful cats with distinctive pointed ears – cling to life in the last wild areas of Cape Town. They are victims of road accidents and, crucially, poisoning. The problem is that these caracals have become partly urbanized, foraging in urban areas where they eat rodents poisoned by humans. The lost samples were one of the last steps needed to identify if these cats are adapting to urban life, and more importantly, a plan to save them. The UCP team was so close. With your help, we can get the project up and running again. We have promised to raise the money needed for fieldwork to get new samples from the cats. The clock is ticking and sadly… these wonderful creatures do not have the luxury of time! Team members were in tears when they realized the extent of the devastation. They need to get back into the field and replace critical lost samples as soon as possible. UCP has been working tirelessly for years to better understand how this population of caracals is adapting to their urban surroundings in order to help them adapt and survive, despite the threats they face. The fire, which started on Sunday, raged out of control within hours and nothing could be done to save their laboratory or its precious contents. This fire is a bitter blow for caracals. Again, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! I sincerely hope you can donate right away!

Breakthrough for African Elephant Conservation as Two Distinct Species Are Recognized

By Melissa Reitz In a massive breakthrough for elephant conservation, two recent and significant decisions are set to ensure that Africa’s elephants are better protected. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on the status of natural species and measures needed to safeguard them, has elected to assess African elephants as two distinct species: forest elephants and savanna elephants. This is a major step forward for elephant conservation because their individual populations, smaller than when recognised as a single species, each endure shared, but also very unique threats. In addition, the IUCN has reclassified the status of each species. The forest elephant is now listed as ‘critically endangered’ and the savanna elephant as ‘endangered’. Previously all African elephants were categorised as only ‘vulnerable’. By blanketing both species into one category it has been found that the real status of forest elephants has, until now, been largely overlooked. Furthermore, forest elephants are more elusive, living in remote and often inaccessible habitats. This has exacerbated the inattention they’ve received in comparison to savanna elephants, which live in more open areas. Highlighting the different elephant species and redesignating their IUCN status will greatly change how each is studied and conserved. Ecologists can now focus on understanding their unique ecology and addressing the specific threats each elephant species face. “These decisions by the IUCN are a giant step forward for elephant conservation,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International. “If we are to protect elephant species, we need to understand as much as we possibly can about each so that we can find intelligent solutions to the threats they face.” Elephant numbers across Africa have plummeted over recent decades due to rampant ivory poaching and more recently habitat fragmentation and loss, which specialists are calling the ‘silent killer’. As human encroachment pushes into elephant habitat areas, human-elephant conflict intensifies, leading to more elephants being killed. Forest elephants have declined by over 80% within three generations, while savanna elephants declined by over 50% within three generations. The last complete survey, done in 2016, revealed that just over 400,000 savanna and forest elephants remained in Africa. The majority of the critically endangered forest elephants are in the Congo basin in Gabon, West Africa. Botswana has the largest population of some 130,000 savanna elephants. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates the international trade in endangered species, has yet to recognize the two types of African elephants as separate species.

How we are helping RIGHT NOW: March 2021

The future of the animals in the natural world has never been more in danger. Climate change, habitat destruction and poor enforcement of international wildlife laws have already pushed numerous species to extinction and will continue to do so if we don’t act now! The Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby) exists to be a voice for animals, and we will do everything within our power to fight for their future. Right now, we are hard at work to support the protection of African pangolins, the most trafficked mammal on earth. We can’t share details yet, but keep an eye on your inbox in the coming weeks to learn more. We are incredibly grateful to our supporters who help make the work we do possible. Here’s what ASI is doing now and how your donations are making a difference to animals worldwide: Taking on a City for the future of endangered toads in South Africa Another species is on the brink of extinction because authorities do not care about their survival. This time, it’s the endangered Western Leopard Toads in Cape Town’s Noordhoek valley. The City of Cape Town in South Africa plans to bulldoze a road right through one of their last breeding ponds, even though residents don’t want it. Local organizations, ToadNUTS, and the Noordhoek Environmental Action Group (NEAG) are the toad’s only hope for a future. They are taking the City to court – and the lawyers think they can win. NEAG and ToadNUTS do not have enough funds to fight the big legal teams and carry out their critical day-to-day work. They turned to ASI for aid. With your help, we’re going to do everything we can to help them. A fighting chance for Cape Town’s last Caracal cats in South Africa In the fragmented wild areas of Cape Town, South Africa, as few as 50 caracals cling to survival. Caracals – secretive and nocturnal – are famous for their golden fur and long, elegant ears. They are exquisitely beautiful… and seriously endangered. Caracals are nocturnal, and poorly lit roads crisscross the area where they live. Speeding and negligent drivers have killed 83 of these cats in the past five years. If we act now, we can save many of them from this tragedy. We want to provide a simple and effective solution. The first step is putting up warning signs on the roads, alerting drivers to their presence. The long-term goal is to build tunnels for the caracals to cross safely. The caracals need help now, and that’s why ASI is stepping in; ensuring that effective warning signs are erected in high incident areas while working on a longer-term plan. Bridges for Survival in Kenya Just 5,000 rare Angolan Black and White Colobus Monkeys remain in the entire country of Kenya. Once a stronghold for these gentle creatures, deforestation and illegal bushmeat hunting has destroyed their populations. Naturally living in the treetops, they must now risk their lives crossing dangerous roads to travel between the forest patches that remain. Many try to cross the road using the overhead powerlines, where they are often electrocuted to death. Luckily, there is a simple and effective solution. ‘Colobridges,’ ladder-like structures that provide safe passage across roads, have been tested and have shown to be effective by a local organization, Colobus Conservation. With ASI’s help, the remaining monkey populations will be provided with a network of bridges to keep them safe in their tree canopy sanctuaries. Good News! Life-giving water flows again in South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park. The ASI team returned to Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa to install state-of-the-art solar-powered pumping equipment that our generous donors helped us purchase. The situation was dire when we arrived, with temperatures soaring and thousands of animals desperate for water. We turned on the tap and animals flocked from miles around for a share of the cool, clean water that will now run every day. Once again, thank you for your generous donations and your support in raising awareness of these issues. You make it possible for us to make a difference, supporting wildlife across the globe.

Rare Tree-Climbing Lions Under Threat in Famous Ugandan Park

Six of Uganda’s rare tree-climbing lions have been found dead and dismembered in the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park, in a suspected poisoning incident. The shocking scene revealed the lions with their heads and paws hacked off, and their bodies surrounded by dead vultures, unintended victims of the suspected crime. With a recent spike in poaching in the country, wildlife authorities suspect this killing is yet another result of illegal wildlife trafficking plaguing the region. In a statement, the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) said it was deeply “saddened” by the killings as it is not just a blow to the parks’ lion populations, but these particular tree-climbing lions are found only in that area. Wildlife tourism contributes to 10% of Uganda’s GDP (Gross domestic product) and plays a vital role in the conservation of its wild animals. This killing is one of many recorded incidents of lion poisoning. In April 2018, 11 lions – including eight cubs – were found dead after a suspected poisoning. A similar incident led to the deaths of five lions in May 2010. In addition to the wildlife trade, human-wildlife conflict is also adding pressure to wildlife populations. Many communities living on the outskirts of the protected area use the reserve to graze their livestock and plant crops, despite it being illegal. When wildlife impacts their livelihoods, they often take matters into their own hands by killing the animals in retaliation. Wildlife authorities say they are doing their best to work with local communities so that they also get benefits from wildlife tourism and are inspired to protect the animals. 20% of all gate earnings are given to surrounding communities. “We strongly condemn this horrific act,” says Adrienne West of Animal Survival International. “The illegal wildlife trade is driving Africa’s wildlife to the brink of extinction. The international community needs to come together to put an end to the destruction.”

COVID Aftermath Knocks Conservation Efforts

By Louzel Lombard Conservation is the latest casualty of COVID-19, with 22 countries backtracking on anti-poaching efforts and protection of natural areas. The countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, favored developments like road construction and oil and gas extraction in areas designated for conservation, new research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows. More than half of Africa’s protected areas reported they were forced to halt or reduce field patrols and anti-poaching operations while a quarter of protected areas in Asia had to reduce conservation activities, including anti-poaching efforts of rhinos and tigers in NeASI. A total collapse of international tourism caused severe revenue losses in wildlife parks and destinations, resulting in budget cuts for both human resources and wildlife protection. In government, “more funding and more economic stimulus went towards activities that undermine nature rather than that support it, globally,” the IUCN research found. “We are not moving in the right direction. The root cause is that our use and abuse of nature has reached the Earth’s limits.” “We need to stop destroying nature and end the trade in wildlife if we want to avoid the next pandemic,” said Adrienne West of the Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby). “Destroying habitats and cramming wild animals from all corners of the globe together in unsanitary conditions has dire consequences for human populations. Deadlier pandemics are imminent if we disregard nature.” Scientists warn of close to half a million wildlife (zoonotic) viruses with the potential to threaten human lives and have similar or worse outcomes than the current COVID pandemic. To avoid this, natural areas must not only be protected, they need to be expanded. Only 17 of the countries surveyed by the IUCN, including New Zealand and Pakistan, maintained or increased support for protected and conserved areas. Less than 15% of Earth’s land area and about 3% of the ocean is protected. These protected areas encompass some of the world’s most precious ecosystems which include forests, wilderness areas and natural habitats that support endangered species.

Forest destruction, illegal bushmeat poachers, and powerlines threaten rare colobus monkeys!

We have to tell you about the terrible fate that is befalling the few remaining black and white colobus monkeys in Kenya. Forest destruction, illegal bushmeat poachers, and deadly powerlines tell a tale of tragedy for these rare and gentle creatures. We have a way to help them but need your support! Most of the colobus monkeys live in a small, forested area around Diani Beach on Kenya’s coast. A major road and powerlines cut through their home, leaving them no choice but to try and cross it in search of food. We say ‘try’ because nearly every time they try it, one of them is likely to die. We saw one of these gentle creatures hanging lifeless from a powerline, its charred hand burned in place! Black and white colobus monkeys spend their lives in the treetop canopy of the forest. Whenever they are forced to descend from their homes, they are playing Russian roulette with their lives. Many are hit by vehicles or poached for illegal bushmeat. Some monkeys try to cross the road on the overhead powerlines, where they are electrocuted. If powerlines and vehicles don’t get them then bushmeat poachers will. Right now, with your help, we can provide an immediate solution that will save monkey lives every single day. We have promised to try to raise $8,000 (£5,700) to create a network of 20 ladder-like bridges that will span the roads and powerlines and make it possible for the monkeys to cross safely. We desperately need your help to achieve this monkey highway. There are only 5,000 black and white colobus monkeys left in Kenya. 90 percent of their habitat has been destroyed and, without urgent help, the rest will soon be gone too. We cannot let the last of these creatures be wiped out on powerlines or roads. We have promised to work with the Colobus Conservation, a Kenyan organization, to help the monkeys. The situation is dire, but it’s not too late to save lives. We know it will work because a few ladder bridges already exist and have saved many monkey lives, giving them a fighting chance of survival. But we have a longer-term plan too. That is to reforest areas where the monkeys once lived, and we hope they will one day live again. Please join us in this fight for these gentle creatures who too have a right to live in peace on our planet. Black and white colobus monkeys are raised by females, but father monkeys are also hands-on parents, fiercely protecting their infants and spending hours at play with them as they grow. This is a beautiful sight, but their fierce attempts to protect their babies from bushmeat poachers often end in the entire family being killed. Please help us try and save these monkeys!

In the Race to Save Humanity, the World’s Nations Fail to Meet Co₂ Goals

By Melissa Reitz More than half of the world’s nations are failing in efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions to prevent a climate catastrophe, according to a recent United Nations (UN) assessment.In the run up to the Cop26 Climate Summit in November this year, signatories to the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change, were required to submit their carbon emission goals, known as an NDC, by December 2020. But of 197 countries, only 71 have submitted their national action plans on time. The USA and China, the planet’s largest carbon emitters, are amongst those that have not yet announced their carbon reduction goals. In addition, the countries which have submitted pledges have not done enough, says the UN, and even if their national pledges are fulfilled, global emissions will only be reduced by 1% by 2030. According to the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, nations pledged to keep global heating below 35.6°F (2°C) above pre-industrial levels, with a goal of a 34.7°F (1.5°C) limit over the next ten years. Scientists have repeatedly warned that global warming above (34.7°F) 1.5°C will create irreversible and devastating consequences for the planet and humanity. To prevent this happening, we now need a 45% reduction over the next decade. But unless every nation in the world commits to reducing carbon emissions this will not be possible. According to UN secretary general, António Guterres, 2021 is a “make-or-break” year to confront the global climate emergency. He says major emitters need to make radically more ambitious reduction targets for 2030. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has condemned nations for their “business as usual” approach in the face of the biggest crisis mankind has ever been met with. Other major emitters that have not come forward with new plans include Indonesia, India, Iran, Canada, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. These six nations collectively contribute nearly 17% of global emissions. The EU, Russia, Brazil, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, Mexico, Zambia and the UK are the only economies each contributing roughly 1% or more of global emissions that have submitted their targets. “The writing is on the wall, and it has been for a long time. If governments and large corporations do not put every effort into reducing their greenhouse emissions, the planet will no longer be able to sustain us,” says Adrienne West of the Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby). “There is simply no more time to lose. We demand that the world’s leaders do what needs to be done.”

Today Is World Wildlife Day – But for Millions of Animals Around the World, Today Is Not a Day of Celebration!

Today is World Wildlife Day. For millions of animals around the world, today is not a day of celebration. Our world’s wildlife is being wiped out. According to a 2019 UN report, one million species are threatened with extinction – some within a matter of years. As many as 30 to 50 percent of all species could be extinct by 2050. It’s worth pointing out that this information is two years old already, and the situation will undoubtedly have gotten worse since then. Although every day there is more gloomy news in the media warning of the rapid onset of extinction, the truth is that’s humanity has not yet fully realized the extent of the catastrophe that is about to take place on our planet. A catastrophe that would have devastating consequences for animals and humans. In coming years, we could say goodbye to pangolins (two species critically endangered), rhinos, (three species of black rhino are critically endangered and the northern white rhino is functionally extinct), mountain gorillas (critically endangered), vultures (eight species critically endangered) and painted dogs (critically endangered). Gone, never to return. And those are just the tip of our melting iceberg. Habitat loss is the biggest culprit, but climate change is also a major contributing factor. As is the poor enforcement of rules governing the international trade of animals. All of this is our fault and our responsibility to fix. Unwittingly, in some cases but deliberately in others, human actions have made the world a deadly place for animals. The Animal Survival International exists to fight for animals affected by these problems and to try and stem the tsunami of destruction that is affecting mammals, birds, marine life, reptiles, insects, amphibians… In fact, nearly every category you can think of is under pressure. We finance scientific research to find practical solutions to a wealth of problems – from Anatolian water frogs, who die by the thousands to be served as culinary delicacies to tracking the movement of elephants and lions across our last remaining wildernesses. We also provide medical supplies and fund treatment for injured, sick and rescued wild animals, and we work to raise public awareness of the calamity that will befall us all unless we fight to stabilize the natural world. You can help our crusade by donating today.

The last of Cape Town’s exquisite caracal cats are becoming ROADKILL!

In South Africa, Cape Town’s famous mountains are home to a small population of caracals – secretive, nocturnal wildcats famous for their golden fur and long, elegant ears. They are exquisitely beautiful… and desperately endangered. Caracals are nocturnal and the area where they cling to their way of life is crisscrossed by poorly lit roads. Speeding and inattentive drivers have killed 83 in the past five years. There are now only between 50 and 60 caracals left in the area and if we don’t act now, they will all be gone. The situation is truly heartbreaking. Mother caracals, who are still nursing kittens, are killed by cars, leaving their helpless young to starve to death. When the kittens go in search of their mothers, they too are often run over and killed. Some cats are “lucky” and die immediately. Others suffer broken limbs, jaws or internal injuries and endure prolonged, excruciating deaths. Another deadly threat is to young caracals who leave their mothers when they are between one and two-years-old. Many are killed before they can find their own territory. They never have the chance to breed, further sealing their population’s fate. But there is good news – if we act now, we can save these caracals from horror, and the help we can provide is simple and effective. With your help, we can save these elusive and beautiful creatures from senseless and painful deaths. The astonishing thing is that simply putting up road signs that warn of crossing caracals would make an enormous difference to their survival. The problem is the South African government controls road signs and the approval process is very slow. The City of Cape Town says it could take years to shepherd the necessary legislation for a national caracal road sign. Caracals don’t have years! We have promised to raise $3,000 (£2,120) to have temporary signs created that will save caracal lives. The signs will be placed by volunteers in areas where caracals cross over roads; it’s a simple thing to do and, with your help, we can begin saving lives today. These last caracals living in Cape Town’s mountainous peninsula are almost completely isolated from other wild areas. There is hope that in the future, we can develop wildlife corridors to safely connect these populations to other wild spaces, but without immediate help – there may be no caracals left to save by then. Losing these beautiful creatures would make the world a poorer place. In the 13th and 14th centuries, caracals were used by rich people to hunt. They were exposed to a flock of pigeons so gamblers could bet on which caracal would kill the largest number of birds. This probably gave rise to the expression “to put the cat among the pigeons”. It’s not often that a simple, effective and cheap solution presents itself. So please, if you possibly can, donate today and together we will ensure that in the 21st Century, instead of putting the cat among the pigeons, we will put the warning signs among the caracal, and make sure caracals and their kittens live on in the Cape Town mountains.

How we are helping RIGHT NOW: February 2021

The future of animals and the wilderness they live in has never been more at risk. Climate change, habitat destruction and poor enforcement of international wildlife laws is driving species after species to extinction. We cannot be silent or sit idly by and watch this happen. The Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby) exists to be a voice for animals and to do everything within its power to ensure animals survive internationally. We are incredibly grateful to our passionate supporters who make the work we do possible. In case you missed it, here’s what ASI is doing right now and how your donations are making a difference to animals across the globe: Life-Giving Water in the Midst of the Worst Drought in 100 Years In South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park, hundreds of elephants and countless other animals risk dying of thirst because of the worst drought in 100 years. Water holes are drying up and thousands of animals are suffering – not only from thirst but also injury as they fight one another over the last few drops. Our team watched in horror as zebras kicked and bit each other, desperate for their share. Smaller animals like warthogs stood no chance of getting near the rapidly-drying waterholes. To help this dire situation, we have pledged to fund the installation of state-of-the-art solar-powered water pumps to draw more water from the available boreholes. Thanks to your generous donations, we have raised enough to save one waterhole with new equipment and are nearing our goal of saving a second one. Now we are counting the days until the pumps can be installed. Ending the Cruel Trade of Live Frogs from Turkey Millions of frogs are tortured, maimed and killed so they can be served up as a ‘delicacy’ in restaurants. Every day, thousands of Anatolian water frogs are cruelly harvested in Turkey before being sent across Europe. Hunted with hooks and squashed into bags by the hundreds, these helpless frogs are transported alive. Many die along the way. Those who don’t are often served up alive! Not only is this an example of shocking cruelty, but if we don’t act now, Turkey’s Anatolian frogs will be gone forever, and environmental disaster could ensue. We have pledged to help stop this carnage through the only available avenue – presenting compelling evidence to the authorities. By supporting scientists at Ege University in Turkey in conducting vital research, we will be able to demonstrate the true enormity of the plight of the frogs to the Turkish government and hopefully end this trade forever. A Second Chance for Persecuted and Poisoned Birds of Prey Birds of prey are severely threatened across Africa. Habitat loss, poisoning, local superstitions and climate change are pushing hundreds of raptor species to extinction. The Owl Orphanage in St. Helena Bay, South Africa has made it their mission to rescue and rehabilitate as many poisoned and injured birds as possible. The Owl Orphanage is inundated with birds in desperate need of help. Sometimes they rescue five a day, but they simply do not have enough space to home them all while they recover. Your generous donations helped expand their aviary, meaning that more birds of prey will now get a second chance. Celebrating World Pangolin Day – but for How Much Longer? This month we celebrated the 10th annual World Pangolin Day. On this day we were again reminded of the horrific plight of pangolins, both across Africa and the Far East. As the most trafficked mammal in the world, pangolins are hurtling towards extinction; an estimated 200,000 pangolins are killed every year! Smuggled across borders to Asia, pangolins are hacked to death to be used in traditional Chinese “medicine” or eaten as a delicacy. If we don’t put an end to the rampant slaughter of these quiet, solitary creatures, very soon we won’t be celebrating World Pangolin Day anymore because there won’t be any left. ASI is committed to spreading awareness and offering support wherever needed to help prevent such impending disasters. Thank you for standing with us in this fight. Once again, thank you for your generous donations and your support in raising awareness of these issues. You make it possible for us to make a difference, supporting wildlife across the globe.

Britain Releases Beavers Back Into Its Water Systems in a Bid to Save Ecosystems and Help People

By Melissa Reitz Britain plans to introduce beavers back into the wild in five counties after their worth as vital players in ecosystems has been proven. Co-ordinated and managed by the Wildlife Trusts, beavers will be returned to Dorset, Derbyshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Nottinghamshire and Montgomeryshire, where they have been extinct for more than 300 years. Hunted out of existence in the 16th century for its fur, meat and scent glands, the loss of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) also led to a loss of important waterways and lakes throughout Britain. Now, a five-year study has shown that beavers play a vital role in maintaining water systems, not only benefiting other species but also people. The study revealed that beaver dams prevent flooding by drastically slowing the flow of streams, and that they also purify water polluted by nitrates and phosphates, store carbon and help restore habitats for other wildlife. Now, landowners and large estates are scrambling to acquire licenses to reintroduce the water-loving rodents onto their properties. England’s Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), is considering research so that beavers can be given legal protection as a native species. In Scotland, beavers were officially given native species status in 2016. However, controversy has erupted over a culling system. The charity organization, Trees For Life, is taking the Scottish government to court who, they say, has failed to make culling a “last resort” for controlling beaver numbers. In the meantime, Britain’s reintroduction project is underway, and a pair of beavers have already been released into an enclosure on a wetland nature reserve in Dorset earlier this year. Two beaver families and their kits will be released into a 12-hectare enclosure in Willington Wetlands reserve in the Trent valley, while Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust will place beavers in a massive enclosure at its Idle Valley nature reserve. Subject to license approvals, beavers will be released on the Isle of Wight for the first time, while the first officially licensed release of beavers in Wales will be at Cors Dyfi reserve near Machynlleth. “The reintroduction of wild animals, especially keystone species like the beaver, back into their range areas is vital to ensuring we sustain biodiversity on Earth,” says Adrienne West of the Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby). “We endeavor to support wildlife reintroduction projects wherever we can.”

Sweden to Build Reindeer Bridges in Bid to Protect Its Wildlife

By Melissa Reitz As part of a global effort to protect wildlife from busy transport routes, Sweden has pledged to safeguard its reindeer herds by building a series of animal bridges to help the animals safely cross its highways. The “renoducts” (reindeer viaducts) add to a growing number of wildlife crossings and corridors around the world in efforts to reconnect fractured habitats vital for healthy ecosystems. Every April, thousands of reindeer in Sweden head west to the mountains after a winter of feeding on lichen near the city of Umeå. The lichen forms an important part of the reindeers’ diet in the cold months, before they head to higher grazing lands in summer. With global warming taking its toll, this annual migration is becoming increasingly critical to the reindeers’ survival as they must search even further afield for available food. But to get there, both the reindeer and their Sami herders must cross some of Sweden’s busiest highways, wreaking havoc on the roads and bringing traffic to a standstill. With Sweden’s main highway, the E4, becoming busier, reindeer crossings are becoming increasingly problematic for the animals and road-users with each migration season. As a result, Swedish authorities have announced a plan to build up to a dozen renoducts, in an attempt to help both reindeer and motorists. According to Swedish ecologists, the crossings will not only assist the reindeer, but will also help moose, lynx and other wildlife traverse the landscape unhindered. “We applaud Sweden for this important decision to help protect its reindeer populations. Not only will these animal crossings have a positive effect on the country’s biodiversity, but it’s a vital step for animal welfare,” says Adrienne West of the Animal Survival International (formerly Political Animal Lobby). Habitat fragmentation occurs when large expanses of natural habitats are broken into smaller isolated areas. Transportation routes play a huge role in this type of fragmentation, disrupting ecosystems and degrading biodiversity. For long-ranging mammals, such as reindeer, mountain lions and grizzly bears, animal crossings are essential and play a vital role in maintaining genetic diversity. Globally, countries are beginning to value the significance of wildlife bridges and underpasses to help reconnect fractured habitats. This new awareness and development of infrastructure has helped avert the deaths of potentially billions of animals. In one of the most successful uses of wildlife bridges in Banff National Park, Canada, seven overpasses and 41 underpasses were built where the Trans-Canada Highway bisected the Park. The result was a noticeable improvement in black and grizzly bear populations and a drastic drop in roadkill and human mortality from animal collisions. In California, mountain lion populations have long been isolated by busy freeways resulting in low genetic diversity and leading to signs of inbreeding. To save these mountain lion populations from becoming locally extinct, a £63-million ($85,8-million) wildlife bridge is planned over the 101 Highway north of Los Angeles. On Christmas Island, millions of red crabs make safe passage from the forest to the beach on their annual migration using the innovative crab bridges built over busy coastal roads.