Category: Help a species

1. Sign the petition! Donald Trump, President of the United States: STOP Shooting Endangered Black Rhinos

   Posted on 8:00pm Saturday 7th Sep 2019

   All I can say about this petition is PLEASE READ IT, SIGN IT AND SHARE, SHARE, SHARE. How can anyone shoot animals for SPORT for goodness sake?  The organisers of the petition have asked people to share the text below this banner. I signed a petition on Action Network telling Donald Trump, President of the United States to STOP Shooting Endangered Black Rhinos. BACKGROUND The US government has issued a permit to US trophy hunter Chris D. Peyerk of Shelby Township, Michigan to shoot a Namibian black rhino for ‘sport’ and bring back its skin, skull and horn into the US. Black rhinos are critically endangered. Just 5,000 remain in the wild. It follows a case brought by trophy hunting lawyer John J Jackson, who runs an organisation called ‘Conservation Force’. Jackson is a former President of Safari Club International, the world’s largest trophy hunting group. ‘Conservation Force’ campaigns for hunters to bring home trophies of threatened species. It also lobbies for changes in the law to make it easier to hunt vulnerable species - including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and polar bears, as well as rhinos. It sued Delta airlines when they previously refused to carry a black rhino trophy. It also sued the state of New Jersey when it tried to stop hunting trophies of threatened species coming in through its air and sea ports. Jackson has been on at least 38 elephant hunts alone. His trophy room includes the heads and bodies of giraffes, zebras, bears, buffaloes, cougars, leopards, rhinos, lions, wolves, and numerous species of deer and antelope. Several large elephant tusks form the centrepiece of his collection. He has written the following about trophy hunting: “Nothing has been so consistently fulfilling to me as my hunting. “It has stirred an insatiable appetite for more. Without it I would somehow be incomplete. “I can plainly see the African lion that has leaped into the air the moment its head snaps backward and explodes with smoke from my bullet.” ‘Conservation Force’ has made a number of donations to IUCN and has secured positions on key IUCN committees. Despite not being a scientist, Jackson has been a member of IUCN’s Lions specialist group. IUCN, through it’s ‘Traffic’ initiative, lobbied CITES delegates to vote AGAINST the proposal to protect giraffes at the recent Geneva wildlife trade conference – as did Safari Club International. The Species Survival Network, an alliance of 80 conservation groups around the world, strongly supported the measure which was proposed by a number of African nations. The conference also voted to double the number of black rhinos that can be shot by trophy hunters for so-called 'sport'. John Jackson and other ‘Conservation Force’ lobbyists were present at the CITES conference. Join me and take action   These animals need our help and all our voices.

    

2. Basking Sharks in Scotland need your support

   Posted on 9:00pm Sunday 1st Sep 2019

   Basking sharks love Scotland (and who can blame them – it’s stunning).   They head to the rich waters off the west coast every summer and they take a long journey to take there, coming from as far away as the Canary Islands. There’s an opportunity to really make a difference to basking sharks. The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on Marine Protected Areas – including one specifically for Basking Sharks. They are now considered vulnerable.  Although they have been a protected species I Scotland since 1998, they face threats in Scottish seas from fishing gear, boat traffic and micro-plastics. Back in the 19th and 20th centuries, 100,000 basking sharks were hunted in the North Atlantic……   so there aren’t as many of them left as there used to be. The proposed Sea of the Hebrides Marine Protected Area will give extra protections to basking sharks and other species such as minke whales.  Currently, it is proposed that 4 new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) be added to Scotland’s exiting MPA areas.   These areas will protect important habitats and large mobile species such as Risso dolphins, Minke Whales and Basking Sharks. Find out more and give your support here.

3. Sustainable chocolate and helping gorillas

   Posted on 6:00pm Monday 26th Aug 2019

   What links gorillas and chocolate? If you ever needed a reason to stop yourself before you buy chocolate, here’s one.  In Nigeria, 96 percent of the country's forests are gone.  In the south east, the forests in Cross River State are still home to gorillas. In 2017, over 16,000 hectares of rivers in the Cross River State were destroyed.  How? Deforestation Illegal logging Palm oil plantations The production of charcoal Cocoa plantations are encroaching on protected forests.  Our demand for chocolate is driving the devastation of chocolates. The Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the world leaders in cocoa production. Nearly all of Côte d’Ivoire’s protected areas have been plundered.  Ghana holds the world record for its rate of deforestation in 2018. What will happen in Nigeria?  Nigeria is the third largest cocoa exporter in the world. Gorilla habitat is shrinking day by day.  The gorillas have less and less habitat to call home as their forests are destroyed by humans. Most chocolate makers, say Rainforest Rescue, buy all the cocoa they can get without asking any questions.  It is very difficult for consumers to find out if chocolate they buy was produced in a sustainable way. Environmentalists are working to get the EU to regulate the market – but gorillas need help NOW. HELP GORILLAS NOW! The Governor of Cross River State could do the most to help these beautiful animals.  He’s Ben Ayade and Rainforest Rescue have a petition asking him to strengthen the protection of his state’s forests.  Please sign this petition here.

    

4. Help people help wildlife - elephants

   Posted on 5:00pm Monday 26th Aug 2019

   Update 2023:  Unfortunately Nikela is no longer running but there are lots of elephant charities you can look to help here.   Here’s a great way to get involved and to help reduce the conflict between elephants and people. Sponsor a bee hive! In fact, you can get your name – or theirs – on a beehive and help save elephants.  For a 29 year old called Moses who was deeply passionate about wildlife conservation and rescuing animals, determined that human-wildlife conflict was the most pressing problem in his home area of Tanzania. Elephants from nearby reserves were entering farmlands and causing considerable damanage, destroying crops.  A solution to the elephants destroying crops was to install 20 bee hive fences along a border next to the Arusha National Park.   Moses founded and sorted out a NGO (Alert for Endangered Wildlife Species or AFeWiS).  Placing bee hives strategically along the perimeters of farmland surprisingly keeps elephants at bay.  Elephants are afraid of bees, you see, Each beehive costs $50. Enter Nikela, run by Margrit and Russ. It’s a small US based non-profit organization. And its mission is to “to help people protecting nature, especially doing wildlife conservation.  Nikela helps those protecting and preserving endangered African wildlife species.” So far they have given over $40,000 to 22 projects in 8 countries in Africa. All to those protecting and preserving endangered African wildlife species, all funded by donations from people all around the world! And they sent Moses $500 to get the bee hives off the ground. And there’s good news about the effectiveness of the project, with examples such as this one. Mr Baraka reported that over 50 elephants from a neighbouring reserve were entering his fields and destroying his food crops. Beehives were mounted – and the number of elephants rapidly dropped to 25.  Within 4 weeks, Mr Baraka was reporting that no elephants had come into his fields, saving his crops.  This means they will have food this season. More farmers are asking for beehive fences now and you can sponsor a beehive to be included in a fence.  In fact, you can also sponsor an entire fence – about 10 beehives make up an effective fence in most cases. Can Bees be the “Peacemakers” and solve human-wildlife conflicts with Elephants? You can dedicate your beehive in honour or in memory of someone. So go ahead, what are you waiting for? Remember, to note the exact spelling of the name you wish to see on the beehive, or beehives. Sponsor a Bee Hive here and you’ll help reduce conflict between people and elephants.   If you’re not sure, take a look at comments from donors – we can all make a difference  Sign up for Nikela’s newsletter

    

5. Durrell needs help with Himalayas appeal for pygmy hogs in India

   Posted on 9:00pm Sunday 25th Aug 2019

   The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (founded by Gerald Durrell) have an appeal at the moment. Once, the southern foothills of the Himalayas were covered with lush grasslands.  These grasslands were homes to animals such as elephants, rhinos and tigers. Today, thanks to human activity, there’s less than 10% of the original grassland left. And there are less than 250 pygmy hogs left in the wild.  They rely on this ecosystem – and unless action is taken fast, the grasslands will vanish.  Their home will be gone forever. Pygmy hogs and other native wildlife can only thrive if these grasslands recover. And that’s where Durrell and you & I come in. To protect and restore the grasslands in and around the Manas National Park, Durrell need a 4WD vehicle.   They need to monitor wildlife and understand the threats that this ecosystem faces.  And they need to reach communities and reach important sites across 3 protected areas of grasslands – ensuring that the reintroductions of pygmy hogs goes successfully. There are all sorts of ways your donation can help.  Donate and you can help save the wildlife and communities who rely on the grasslands. Pygmy hogs are depending on you and I to help them.  I have made a donation – will you? Donate here and help Durrell rewild India's grasslands