Category: Business helps wildlife

1. Looking for swimwear and active wear? Check out the YOOX Loves the Reef Range

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 19th Mar 2018

   The fashion industry has joining forces with conservationists to help protect the Great Barrier Reef! The Great Barrier Reef is located off the Queensland coast in Australia and it stretches a whopping 2,300 km. It’s a very popular dive site and is also home to over 1,500 species of tropical fish and over 130 species of shark. Sadly, over 93% of the reef is now thought to be affected by coral bleaching, caused by rising sea temperatures. YOOX is a luxury online retailer.   It’s partnered with the Australian designers We Are Handsome to create a range of swimwear and active wear.   The YOOX Loves the Reef project is working to raise vital funds for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, and a portion from all sales of the line will go to the charity. ©YOOX Loves the Reef The Foundation supports a variety of scientific projects and research into the fight against coral bleaching.  Some aim to monitor and protect the species living on the reef, such as the green turtle or dugong.  Others tackle the problem of reef damage through research into coral DNA whilst others develop artificial surfaces where coral can regenerate and grow.   Of course the reef brings in a lot of money to the area, too – over $6 billion a year, not to mention jobs through tourism, diving and scientific research. So everyone will benefit if the reef can be saved. It’s good to see industry and conservation working hand in hand.

    

2. Search engine Ecosia plants trees as you search

   Posted on 5:00pm Wednesday 14th Mar 2018

   If you're looking for a way to help plant trees yourself, here's a very easy way to do it!   Choose the search engine Ecosia to search online for the things you want!  This short You Tube video tells you  how Ecosia started.   It explains why they are planting teres, and how they decide where to plant trees.  Their goal is to plant 1 BILLION trees and you can help every time you search online.  So far, nearly 23 million trees have been planted already!    You can use Ecosia on a whole range of devices, such as computers, mobiles and tablets and help them plant more.  You only need to make a small change to have a big impact - the information about Ecosia is followed by an interview with conservationist Jane Goodall.

    

   
   
   

3. Where wines meet elephants....there's help for conservation

   Posted on 8:00pm Tuesday 13th Mar 2018

   The New Zealand company Elephant Hill will be partnering with Elephant Family, an international charity dedicated to the conservation of the Asian Elephant. The winery is to launch a bespoke series of it’s “Le Phant” wines, initially to be launched in Asia but then made available to other markets around the world.   A percentage of each bottle sold will be donated to the Elephant Family charity. The wines will have tailor-made labels with elephant sculptures from Elephant Parade.   This is a social enterprise that runs an enormous art exhibition of decorated elephant sculptures.  It’s all in aid of elephant conservation, and the sculptures have been shown in over 24 cities worldwide. As it happens, the heart of Asian elephant territory lies equidistant between Elephant Family’s headquarters in London and the New Zealand Elephant Hill’s base in New Zealand, so it’s wonderful that elephants will receive help from this partnership.    After all, they are just a trunk call away! Visit Elephant Family’s website here.   And Elephant Hill here

4. Airline training helps prevent wildlife trafficking

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 12th Mar 2018

   Air Cargo News report that campaigns to stop wildlife trafficking from Africa have seen two training workshops held in Mozambique and Kenya.   More workshops are planned in Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia and Malaysia. ROUTES (that’s the USAID Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species) delivered a workshops for airliner staff on the role they play in preventing wildlife trafficking. A ROUTES report analysing wildlife trafficking in the air transport sector says that Kenya is a significant transit point for poachers and traffickers who supply wildlife products to Asia. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the busiest airport in East and Central Africa and so is a target for wildlife trafficking, especially ivory.   Kenyan authorities often seize illegal products at the airport.  Empowering staff to identify and report suspicious activities linked to wildlife trafficking is essential to stop the trade. There was also a training workshop in Mapoto for staff such as cabin crew, ground handlers, cargo processors and other staff.  They found out how to detect and stop smugglers carrying wildlife products out of Mozambique, a hotspot for ivory and rhino horn going to Asia. It’s thought that as airline staff spend more time with passengers and their baggage, and cargo shipments, than customs officers, they can be a key source of intelligence in the battle to stop the wildlife trafficking trade.  Good luck ROUTES with your on-going workshops!

    

5. Big technology companies unite to fight wildlife crime online

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 12th Mar 2018

   The illegal wildlife trade has increasingly moved online.   It’s very difficult to stop the smuggling there, due to anonymity and the vast number of for sale postings and the ease with which smugglers and sellers can just switch from one online site to another. So it’s great news that WWF, TRAFFIC and IFAW are launching the Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking online. The launch brings together technology, e-commerce and social media companies.   Law enforcement can’t do it all – so the technology businesses are a good place to start;  they can take down ads before they are even put up. Animals are sold every day online, pushing many species towards extinction.   Rhino horn is carved into bowls and trinkets, and used in tradition medicine.  Ivory becomes statuettes, chopsticks, jewellery and more. The launch of this initiative is very exciting. Companies will address the various problems in tackling online wildlife trafficking in various ways, using their expertise.  Algorithms using maching learning to detect keyword and flag posts before they go up online will be a start. WWF is helping to train companies’ teams to evaluate posts individually.  Users can become the ears and eyes of the company, and report anything which slips through the net. Companies will share knowledge about trends and best practices to develop priorities and prevent loopholes. It’s very heart-warming to see the way in which these technology giants are willing to help.   The founding coalition are: Alibaba, Baidu, Baixing, e-Bay, Etsy, Facebook, Google, Huaxia Collection, Instagram, Kuaishou, Mall for Africa, Microsoft, Pininterest, Qyer, Ruby Lane, Shengshi Collection, Tencent, W3en Wan Tian Zia, Zhongyikupai, Zhuanzhuan and 58 Group. WWF says, "The companies have committed to bringing down the online illegal trade in threatened species by 80 per cent by 2020." A big well done to everyone for getting this off the ground.  Elephants, pangolins, rhinos, marine turtles, tigers - these are just a few endangered species who need our help Your company can join in and help stop wildlife trafficking and help endangered species.   Find out how here