PETITION TARGET: Japanese Minister of Environment Masaharu Nakagawa
Imagine spending 24 hours every day in a barren concrete cell with no friends, nothing to do, and no escape from the endless boredom and frustration.
Now imagine enduring this lonely misery for 45 years.
This is the heartbreaking reality for Asian elephant Miyako, who lives in the Utsunomiya Zoo in Japan.
Snatched from her homeland of Thailand at just six months old, Miyako has never seen another elephant since.
She spends her days pacing her tiny cement pen, desperately trying to interact with zoo visitors for some stimulation, and biting the steel bars of her cage in frustration.
Her outdated and bare enclosure is surrounded by a dangerous moat, which could cause serious injury if she fell; she often tiptoes on the edge trying desperately to reach zoo visitors with her trunk.
A life of solitary confinement is nothing short of torture to an elephant. These deeply social animals naturally live in large family groups and form intense emotional bonds with one another.
Sign this petition urging Minister of Environment Masaharu Nakagawa to free Miyako from this hellish life and send her to a sanctuary where she can live the rest of her years with freedom, dignity and companionship.
According to the findings, nearly 4,000 giraffes killed by trophy hunters were imported into the United States over the last decade.
These giraffe body parts were then used to make knife handles, Western boots, furniture, taxidermy, and even bible covers.
The investigation found various giraffe body parts for sale by at least 52 different dealers in the United States. The shocking findings revealed that giraffe parts and products are widely available around the country, in wholesale and retail stores and online. The most common parts being sold are Western boots made from giraffe leather and specialty knives made with giraffe bone handles. The products range in prices from $8,000 for a partial giraffe taxidermy trophy to $10 for tail-hair bracelets.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, wild giraffe numbers have declined by 40 percent since the 1980s, and with less than 100,000 remaining in the wild, this unique animal is in serious jeopardy. While part of this steep decline has been driven by habitat loss and civil unrest in the nations where giraffes live, the trade in giraffe trophies and parts poses an additional danger to this species. It seems that the beauty of giraffes has made them a ‘new exotic’ and sparked a market in giraffe leather, bone, and trophies. This unregulated new market is now expanding as other wildlife products, such as elephant ivory, have seen tighter regulations.
The investigation also uncovered disturbing connections between the American trophy hunting industry and the giraffe products trade. American trophy hunters import more than one giraffe trophy into the United States every day, and the hunting outfitters that help to arrange their hunts often generate further profits by selling the remaining giraffe parts.
“Our investigation indicates that trophy hunting outfitters in Africa are capitalizing on every last bit of these beautiful animals,” said Adam Peyman, manager of wildlife programs and operations for the Humane Society International. “They are selling them to taxidermists, animal product manufacturers and dealers, who in turn market them to sellers in the US. As this is completely unregulated, it is an easy alternative for products from other, more protected species like elephants and lions, but may still have the similar macabre allure. The prices of these products vary widely, but it is clear that outfitters and dealers try to squeeze every last dollar out of the carcasses of these animals.”
The sale of these products is legal in the United States, but the organization such as the HSUS argue that more restrictions are needed. Now a lawsuit has been launched by the Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society International, Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The lawsuit seeks Endangered Species Act protection for giraffes, with the hopes that new added protections would help curb imports of giraffe bones, hides, and other body parts.
“As giraffe populations plummet, the Trump administration won’t even take the first step toward protecting these beautiful animals,” said Tanya Sanerib, international program legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Africa now has fewer giraffes than elephants, but the administration refuses to throw these imperiled creatures a lifeline. That has to change, before it’s too late.”
WAV Comment – If money making is involved and nothing else is a concern; then skin covered bibles are obviously approved by the following in his prayers to the god of cash:
Captive reindeer are seen being kicked and abused at a centre in Kent in undercover filming carried out by animal rights activists.
Animal Aid set up cameras at The Reindeer Centre near Ashford and said what it found was “shocking”.
Twice, a staff member was caught deliberately booting the animals.
The centre said the employee had been “dismissed as unsuitable”. Animal Aid also raised concerns for deer in Staffordshire and Cheshire.
An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “It is never acceptable to kick an animal as seen in this footage and when we were alerted to it we sent an officer to the scene.”
Shocking suffering
The Kent footage was shot between November 2017 and spring 2018, and the centre was reported to the RSPCA in May. The film was released publicly by the group on Monday to raise awareness ahead of the festive season.
Campaign manager Tor Bailey said: “Our investigations have revealed the shocking suffering of these gentle animals.
“Reindeer are sensitive wild animals, not props to be paraded around and used for human entertainment.
“I would urge the general public not to support events which feature live captive animals, and find other more animal-friendly ways to enjoy the festive period.”
Image copyright Animal Aid Image caption Reindeer at the Kent Reindeer Centre were found with “raw, exposed skin”
A spokeswoman for the reindeer centre said all its animals were “much loved and well cared for”, and added: “The person involved was one of several new part-time staff that we took on to help out. He was dismissed as unsuitable after a short period of time.
“These matters were discussed in full with the RSPCA and our vet back in the summer.
“We understand people’s concerns and distress and I can only confirm we as a family care passionately about our animals.”
Image copyright Animal Aid Image caption In Staffordshire, one deer was found with what Animal Aid said was “severe fur loss and skeletal abnormalities”
Animal Aid alerted Kent Trading Standards officers in May, but Ashford Borough Council was already investigating the centre. It had “concerns about animal cruelty” so referred the centre to Kent Police. The force said it had no record of the report.
When Trading Standards officers returned to inspect the centre later in the year they found “no particular concerns at that time; one of the older animals was thin but not to the point of malnourishment, just age”.
At Blithbury Reindeer Lodge in Rugeley, Staffordshire, an animal was found with what the activists described as “severe fur loss and skeletal abnormalities”.
However, owner Stephen Swinnerton said the deer he kept were all “happy and healthy”.
The deer pictured, he said, was 17-year-old Forest, whom he delivered as a calf but who had developed arthritis causing him to appear “bow-legged”. Forest had to be put down, to the “great distress of Mr Swinnerton and his staff”, shortly after the picture was taken.
Image copyright Animal Aid Image caption Deer at Cheshire Reindeer Lodge were found “in barren conditions with no food”
At the Cheshire Reindeer Lodge, now permanently closed, some of the deer were said by campaigners to be malnourished and kept in a barren yard which had nothing in the way of grazing.
More than 570 reindeer were imported to the UK between 2014 and 2017 from countries including Sweden, Finland and Norway, government figures show.
The RSPCA said: “We are really concerned that every year, reindeer are used across the country at festive events and exposed to a busy environment, surrounded by crowds, noise and lights, and this can cause these semi-wild animals a great deal of stress.”
Animal Aid is a national group, set up in 1977, to protect animals. Its work has let to a number of convictions and successful campaigns, including #MarkItVegan for supermarkets to appropriately label their products.
Last Friday Pepsi’s business partner Indofood had its palm oil mill and estates’ “sustainability certificate” taken away.
Over 240,000 SumOfUs members signed the petition demanding the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) take action against the industry laggard, for exploiting its workers and destroying Indonesia’s rainforest.
Thousands more tweeted and shared a campaign video paid for by SumOfUs members. Together, we pressured the world’s leading palm oil certification body to respond. That’s something to celebrate!
Now’s our chance to get Pepsi to finally cut ties with Indofood.
Pepsi still cashes in obscene profits from a joint venture partnership with the company, and Pepsi has a new CEO who hasn’t heard from SumOfUs members yet.
ACTION – Can you help make this victory count by telling Pepsi to distance itself from the toxic palm oil company for good?
Our allies at Rainforest Action Network first revealed Indofood’s abuses two years ago. Together, SumOfUs members used our collective power to drive up pressure this summer and achieve these sanctions.
Now’s our chance to get Pepsi to finally cut ties with Indofood.Pepsi still cashes in obscene profits from a joint venture partnership with the company, and Pepsi has a new CEO who hasn’t heard from SumOfUs members yet.
Can you help make this victory count by telling Pepsi to distance itself from the toxic palm oil company for good?
Our allies at Rainforest Action Network first revealed Indofood’s abuses two years ago. Together, SumOfUs members used our collective power to drive up pressure this summer and achieve these sanctions.
And we did it!
Friday’s report on Indofood from the RSPO confirmed:
Female workers are paid less than men, do not receive equal job benefits as men, and are not entitled to maternity leave.
Overly high quotas are enforced, that put pressure on harvesters to bring in their family, including children, or face penalties
Indofood breaks Indonesian labour laws by over relying on casual workers, who are paid less than minimum wage and denied health insurance and pensions.
The decision to finally punish Indofood is a critical step towards justice for workers who face dangerous, oppressive, and illegal working conditions. The RSPO is suspending Indofood’s “sustainability” certificates of the mill and estates where the abuses were documented and is requiring a corrective action plan.
While we’re still pushing for the RSPO to suspend certification for all Indofood’s operations, these sanctions are clear evidence that Pepsi must end its joint venture partnership with Indofood — if its ‘sustainable’ palm oil policy is to retain any scrap of credibility.
We know our people-powered campaigning can push big brands into action. Last month, after sustained pressure from SumOfUs members, Nestlé ended its own 13 year old business partnership with Indofood. Showing that if PepsiCo really wanted to, it could too.
And when 150,000 SumOfUs members put pressure on Pepsi’s departing CEO last month, Pepsi responded and stopped sourcing palm oil from Indofood — but failed to cut ties completely, keeping its business partnership in Indonesia.
Unless we use this moment to double down on our campaign, with the threats of reputation damage, negative media coverage, and lost customers, Pepsi may hope to weather out the storm until the sanctions end. So we need to act fast.
Please sign the petition telling Pepsi to cut ties with Indofood now. Let’s tell Pepsi’s new CEO there’s simply no excuse for inaction on exploitation and rainforest destruction:
The exceptionally fine subcutaneous tissue of the Tibetan antelope isolates it against the harsh climate of the Tibetan plateau.
Unfortunately, this coat, known as Shahtoosh, also makes the Tibetan antelope a target for illegal hunters.Last week, two Chinese “tourists” were arrested for smuggling the fur of this endangered Tibetan antelope at Delhi airport, for which they could have earned a “nice” price at home! Estimated value of “Shahtoosh scarves”: 574,000 US dollars!! They now face a prison sentence of 7 years!!
Trading in “Shahtoosh scarves” is strictly prohibited by international law, but it can be quite profitable on the black market.Customs officials confiscated 15 scarves, valued at $ 574,000, from women’s checked baggage.
The men weaving the coveted Shahtoosh take months to make a single cloth.After that they need a long time to restore their eyesight.The scarf is a typical symbol of wealth in the world: wool is more valuable than gold or platinum.While it costs the eyes of the weaver, the rich in Europe are willing to pay thousands of euros to own a Shahtoosh scarf.
The sale and possession of Shahtoosh scarves is prohibited in India and many other countries
The incident prompted the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to exhort Chinese visitors to the country to obey the laws of the country and not purchase Shahtoosh scarves.
The Tibetan antelope, also known as Chiru, has long been hunted for its undercoat, known for its quality and traditionally transported to Srinagar, where it is made into an extremely fine fabric for scarves.Three to five skins are needed to make a single cloth.Since the wool can not be sheared or combed, the animals must be killed.
The Tibetan antelope is now extinct in Nepal and only about 75,000 – 100,000 live on the border between China and India in the Himalayas.
Since 1975, Shahtoosh trade has been prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). High prices are therefore achieved on the black market.Every year, up to 20,000 Tibetan antelopes are killed to meet the demand for Shahtoosh cloth among wealthy buyers outside of India.
The ultimate reason for the drastic decline of antelope is human greed.
Poachers kill the animals for skins because the exceptionally fine and soft undercoat can be woven into a luxury scarf – Shahtoosh. Illegal poachers smuggle the fur, called “soft gold”, usually to Nepal and India and finally to countries like Italy and France. In addition, the pitch-black antlers of male antelopes are used for Chinese healing arts. Their heads serve as a trophy, making antelope a target for illegal hunters and smugglers.
Chiru are often caught and slaughtered in Tibet. Their hair is then smuggled to North India by Tibetan and Nepalese traders.Production then takes place in regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, where many local craft and textile communities rely on the home industry.
Murder as a sign of prosperity ..
Murder as a status symbol.
Murder as possession of a natural rarity that costs the lives of a thousand defenseless animals.
Cruelty, criminal energy and barbarism are the modern basic instincts of our society.
The discovery of the pirate whaling ship followed a reported pirate attack on another vessel in the area earlier this month. After deploying anti-pirate forces — including aircraft and ships — to further investigate, officials confirmed that the whalers were active, not only slaughtering these marine giants illegally but posing a direct threat to legitimate vessels in the area.
The crew of ESPS Castilla tracked this illegal vessel to a small bay, where they seized it, removed the crew, and towed it out to sea to be destroyed.
“Using the resources of Op Atalanta we were able to identify, track and destroy the equipment of a Pirate Action Group making it harder for them to attack maritime shipping in the future,” said Admiral Nanclares of EU NAVFOR. “We will continue to deter and prevent acts of piracy with every chance we get in order to ensure vulnerable shipping and their crews remain safe while they transit the Western Indian Ocean”.
Operation Atalanta is a European counter-piracy military initiative aimed at fighting the massive problem of piracy around the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. In addition to this, they monitor illegal fishing activity in the area.
The Gulf of Aden was once teeming with marine life, home to a wide variety of whales and dolphins. Now, only a handful remain, thanks to decades of overhunting by countries like Japan and the Soviet Union.
Commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1986, but Iceland and Norway continue the process in objection to the mandate, while Japan exploits the loophole of “scientific whaling,” slaughtering hundreds of whales every year under the guise of research.
While both commercial and illegal whale hunting are barbaric, at least there’s one fewer ship roaming the oceans, thanks to Operation Atalanta.
We are delighted to announce that we, together with government and private sector partners, have officially opened Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary – the world’s first orangutan island sanctuary, complete with natural forest vegetation!
We also saw the transfer of the first six «unreleaseable» orangutans to call the island their new home. Read the full success story here.
This achievement gives us much hope for future orangutan conservation efforts.
We are so grateful for your support. Thank You!
With gratitude, Dr. Jamartin Sihite
CEO of BOS Foundation
BOS Foundation together with government and private sector partners, has officially opened Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary, located on one of the islands in the Salat Nusa island cluster, in Pulang Pisau Regency, Central Kalimantan. The official opening of Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary—the world’s first orangutan island sanctuary complete with natural forest vegetation— and saw the transfer of the first six unreleaseable orangutans that will call Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary their new home.
Pulang Pisau, November 5, 2018: Rehabilitated orangutans must meet certain criteria before they can be reintroduced to the wild: They must be of suitable age, be in good health, possess the appropriate survival skills, and exhibit natural, wild behaviours. At the BOS Foundation’s Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, there are a number of orangutans who, despite being of suitable age and in good health, lack the skills and behaviours required to be released to the wild. The under-development in these orangutans, who are categorised as ‘unreleasables’, is the direct result of being kept in captivity for too long. However, this does not mean these orangutans are destined for a life behind bars; the BOS Foundation has helped secure a better future for them by working in cooperation with a number of stakeholders to prepare Badak Kecil Island as a special, orangutan sanctuary island with natural forest vegetation for ‘unreleasable’ orangutans.
Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary was officially opened, immediately followed by the transfer of six ‘unreleasable’ orangutans to the new sanctuary. By Law, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia should ensure that all protected wildlife can live freely and prosperously in their respective habitats. Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary is a haven for orangutans that was carefully prepared through cooperation between the BOS Foundation, the Indonesian Government, and PT. Sawit Sumber Mas Sarana (SSMS) Tbk., with support from BOS Foundation’s international partner organisations and WAP. Being ‘unreleasable’ does not mean that we should give up on these orangutans. On the contrary, we should be locating safe environments for them to thrive in.
Badak Kecil Island is a 104-hectare, forest-covered island in the Salat Nusa Island cluster, which covers a total area of 2,089 hectares. It is jointly managed by the BOS Foundation and PT. SSMS, with the aim of creating semi-natural island facilities for the final stage of the orangutan rehabilitation process (pre-release islands), and creating a sanctuary for orangutans that cannot be released to the wild. The area chosen has a large carrying capacity and well-maintained vegetation; is isolated by river waterways throughout the year; does not have an existing wild orangutan population; and can facilitate orangutan adaptation and socialisation.
Vallauthan Subraminam, President Director of PT. Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk., added; “Through this collaboration, the BOS Foundation has implemented best practices in terms of orangutan rehabilitation and sanctuary management. Meanwhile, PT. SSMS has the role of providing thousands of hectares of land and infrastructure for conservation activities, including platforms, buildings, and canals to separate the islands.”
Dr. Ir. Jamartin Sihite, MSc., CEO of the BOS Foundation said; “We have been planning to use Badak Kecil Island as a sanctuary for unreleasable orangutans since 2016, and now we will finally get to see the first group of unreleasables moved there.
We are delighted that these orangutans will get the chance to enjoy life on Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary, but we must stress that we still need more sanctuary facilities, we still need more release sites, and we need increased commitment and the participation of all stakeholders to better protect our forests to prevent orangutans from being driven away from their natural habitats in the first place.”
The six orangutans to be released in the first transfer to this sanctuary island include Moncos (a 20-year-old male), Yasmine (female, 23), Manis (female, 22), Caesar (male, 28), Mama Lasa (female, 26), and Pepsi (female, 21). All six will be protected, observed, and supplemented with food by our team of BOS Foundation technicians for the rest of their lives.
The establishment of the Badak Kecil Island Orangutan Sanctuary has created economic opportunities for local communities who are providing the transportation services for the orangutan food and water, and managing the accommodation facilities (provided by PT. SSMS) for staff and visitors coming to the sanctuary and the surrounding islands in the Salat Nusa island cluster.
Founded in 1991, the BOS Foundation is a non-profit Indonesian organisation dedicated to the conservation of Bornean orangutans and their natural habitats, working together with local communities, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, and international partner organizations.
The BOS Foundation currently cares for almost 550 orangutans in two rehabilitation centres, with the support of 440 highly dedicated staff members and experts in the fields of primatology, biodiversity, ecology, forest rehabilitation, agroforestry, community empowerment, communications, education, and orangutan welfare. For further information, please visit www.orangutan.or.id.
ABOUT WORLD BRANDING AWARD
The World Branding Award is an annual event organised by The World Branding Forum, a registered non-profit organisation in England and Wales. Awards are only presented to the very top household names, recognised globally and in their home countries. The BOS Foundation thanks those who supported and voted for our organisation.
WAV Comment – What fantastic news – congratulations to all involved.
A compassionate veterinarian from Monchique in Portugal has found a novel way to turn trash into treasure, repurposing old washing machines as shelters for stray cats throughout the town.
Ann Silva came up with the idea when she was caring for two little kittens in her vet practice. The adventurous pair curled up inside a broken washing machine destined for collection in the backyard and made themselves right at home.
“I put in some blankets, and they’ve never left,” said Silva.
Silva regularly sterilizes stray cats and returns them to their colonies, but often worries about them not having shelter to rest and recover. She decided that this was the perfect solution.
After getting permission from the local council, Silva began depositing unwanted, broken washing machines around the town. The machines are decorated with art created by local students and graffiti artists to transform them into funky street art. By involving local children from the local community, Silva hopes to teach them that cats are not harmful and instill the values of compassion and empathy for the future.
There are five of these stylish cat “houses” dotted around town now — spread out through residential areas and one at a local school — but Silva is hoping to grow the initiative further and is accepting donations of old washing machines and dryers.
“The project has only just started so we are welcoming donations and soon hope to place more shelters for our cats.”
The machines make fantastic shelters for the stray cats, keeping them warm in winter and cool in the hot summer months.
The veterinarian also says it’s much easier to keep tabs on and care for the stray cat populations in the area; she was able to sterilize an impressive 50 cats in only one week this month.
PETITION TARGET: Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is moving forward with plans to torture and murder dogs in a series of horrific experiments.
In these gruesome and cruel tests right out of the dark ages, dogs are sliced open, paralyzed, traumatized and then put down once they are no longer “useful.”
·Placing electrodes on dogs’ spinal cords and inducing coughing. Then the spinal cord is severed, and testing continues.
·Pacemakers are implanted, then researchers purposely induce abnormal heart beats, create heart attacks and block the dogs’ arteries with latex. The nerves that assist the brain in controlling their hearts are severed. The dogs are then forced to run on treadmills to further stress their hearts.
These innocent animals suffer from immense physical pain and emotional distress. Once the research is complete, all the dogs are killed.
In spite of the controversy surrounding these gruesome experiments and continued pressure from both lawmakers and animal advocacy groups, the VA continues to subject dogs to these unethical and needless tests. We must speak out to end this travesty.
Sign this petition urging Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie to stop these experiments, and turn his focus to finding humane research methods that do not involve animal torture.
Graeme Kelly and his six-year-old daughter Lexie who he takes out hunting foxes in Scotland
World Animals Voice 