Reserva Los Cedros, in western Ecuador, is a true biodiversity gem. This cloud forest is home to around 200 imperiled species, from spider monkeys and jaguars to rain frogs and orchids found nowhere else on Earth. Los Cedros is remote, rugged and stunningly beautiful.
los cedros ecuador – Google Search
But in 2017 the Ecuadorian government granted two foreign companies mining permits covering 68% of Los Cedros. If mining exploration proceeds, it’ll tear down forests, bring destructive roads, and pollute the area’s pristine rivers with sediment.
Ecuador’s highest court has taken up the case and will soon decide whether the country’s constitution, which uniquely recognizes the “rights of nature,” applies and whether the government must consult local and indigenous peoples before moving forward.
A herd of eight European bison has just arrived in the Southern Carpathians rewilding area and will soon join the 57 bison that are already roaming free here. A keystone species, the animals are part of a rewilding initiative that is benefitting local communities.
The moment of release for one of eight European bison added to the herd in the Southern Carpathians. Daniel Mirlea
Record-breaking rewilding
A herd of eight European bison (two males, six females) arrived in the Southern Carpathians rewilding area in Romania yesterday evening, and will soon join the 57 animals that are already roaming free here.
Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania have been reintroducing bison into the Țarcu Mountains (part of the Southern Carpathians) since 2014, with this record-breaking initiative creating the largest wild bison population in Romania for 200 years.
The European bison is a keystone species that have a large impact on the landscape, allowing many other species of flora and fauna to thrive through their grazing, browsing, and other interactions with their habitat.
Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania are also using the return of the bison to the Țarcu Mountains as a way to support local communities, by developing the area as a nature tourism destination, and through community-based and educational initiatives, scientific research and technological innovation.
“Every bison reintroduction and every birth in the wild is a success for the conservation of these vulnerable animals,” says Southern Carpathians rewilding team leader Marina Drugă.“Going beyond this, they can benefit local wild nature and people in so many different ways. In this regard, they are more than a keystone species here.”
The journey to freedom
The two males and six females began their long journey to the wild from five reservations in Germany (Wisentgehege Springe, Wisentgehege Donaumoos, Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee, Nationalparkverwaltung Bayerischer Wald and Wisentgehege Hardehausen).
The Springe reservation hosted the females for several months in order to form a compact herd, a method that ensures the group has a smoother transition to its new environment.
“The transport required extensive preparation,” explains Florin Hălăștăuan, a project officer attached to the Rewilding Southern Carpathians team. “From the bison selection process, which is important for genetic diversity, right through to the fitting of GPS collars, we always focus on the wellbeing and successful reintroduction of the animals.”
The newly released European bison explore their acclimatization enclosure. Daniel Mirlea
The bravest ape: Orangutan who lost both his arms on an electric fence while trying to escape from captivity learns how to climb and find food using only his legs as he prepares to return to the jungle
Orangutan Kopral was electrocuted when trying to flee cage where his captors kept him in Indonesia
The young animal’s horrifying injuries were so bad that both of his arms had to be removed
He was rescued and brought under care of Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation who taught him key skills
He now lives in an island complex in Samboja Lestari which resembles a natural environment
A brave orangutan who lost both his arms trying to escape captors has finally ‘graduated’ from ‘Forest School’ after learning the skills he needs to survive.
Kopral was electrocuted when he climbed an electricity pylon in a bid to escape captors who had been keeping him in a cage in Indonesia as a pet since he was a baby.
The youngster was brought to the East Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program by taxi, but his arms were severely burnt and nothing could be done to save them.
Despite his horrific start in life, Kopral has excelled in his ‘Forest School’ – a rehabilitation programme designed to teach orangutans how to build nests, climb trees, select appropriate natural foods and recognise natural predators.
Click on this link to read more and see some amazing photos:
WAV Comment – A ‘big man tosser’ of a US trophy hunter shoots an elephant in the head many times. Watch the video to see what a complete and utter wanker this bloke is – just like ALL hunters. So this is your way of ‘protecting’ wild animals is it ? – asshole !
A curious young elephant approaches an American trophy hunter—only to be shot in the head repeatedly and allowed to endure a prolonged, painful death.
As part of a breaking investigation, PETA has obtained footage of a Californian trophy hunter named Aaron Raby shooting an elephant in the head over and over again. The elephant falls to his knees and suffers in agony as Raby shoots him at least four more times over the next two minutes. How many shots were taken after the video stopped and how long the elephant suffered before finally dying is unknown.
Afterward, Raby mutilates the elephant’s corpse, cutting off his tail. He later pays tens of thousands of dollars to have the elephant’s body parts preserved for shipment to the U.S.
Every year, thousands of wild animals like this magnificent elephant are slaughtered by trophy hunters for the perverse pleasure they get out of it and so that those who make a living selling hunting trips and accessories can profit from the trade in body parts. These animals need your help now.
UPS continues to allow this cruel industry to exist by shipping trophy hunters’ gruesome souvenirs. Please watch the video and then urge UPS to stop shipping hunting trophies immediately!
New film The End of Medicine—created by award-winning British filmmaker Alex Lockwood and What the Health co-director Keegan Kuhn—aims to spotlight the role of animal agriculture in the rise of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19.
Vegan actors and couple Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara have signed on as executive producers of new vegan documentary The End of Medicine. The new documentary, which began filming pre-COVID-19 in October 2019, is directed by Alex Lockwood (the award-winning British director behind 73 Cows and Test Subjects) and is produced by Keegan Kuhn (co-director of vegan documentaries What the Health and Cowspiracy).
Through poignant interviews with world-renowned scientists, The End of Medicine aims to expose the culpability of the animal agriculture in creating massive public health threats such as antibiotic resistance, swine and bird flu, food-borne illness, MRSA, and, the current pandemic COVID-19, which is thought to have started at a wet animal market in Wuhan, China late last year.
“We hope that The End of Medicine is an eye-opening call to action and ignites a spark of willingness to change our habits. The science is irrefutable,” Phoenix and Mara said in a joint statement. “Modern animal agriculture will continue to make us sick if we don’t radically change our patterns of consumption.”
The feature-length documentary is expected to wrap production by the end of 2020.
WAV Comment – In the distant past (centuries ago) in London; the baiting of bears and bulls was commonplace. We grew up and disposed of it because of the cruelty involved; we did not call it ‘tradition’ or any other crap like you get from these hunters or the Spanish bullfighters. It is now 2020 and people wont accept the cruelty – so move; preferably to another planet.
French government risks paying huge fines if it bows to pressure from hunting lobby
The move was welcomed by campaigners who have described the practice as “barbaric” and who urged the French government not to bow to pressure from the powerful hunting lobby.
Hunters argue the method of trapping the birds, known as chasse à la glu, is a centuries-old rural tradition and say they are being persecuted.
Using glue sticks to catch birds has been outlawed in Europe since the 1979 Bird Directive, except in specific circumstances where the practice is “controlled, selective and in limited quantities”. Since 1989, France has invoked these circumstances to permit glue-trapping in five south-east departments on the grounds that it is “traditional”.
The French Bird Protection League (LPO) produced evidence from hidden cameras to prove that the practice is not selective and poses a threat to endangered species, which persuaded the European commission to act.
France, one of the last European countries to authorise hunting birds with glue, has been given until October to definitively outlaw the practice.
At a meeting with hunters last week Barbara Pompili, the newly appointed minister for ecological transition, told them the chasse à la glu must end by October.
“This is a final warning from the European commission. France cannot be the last country that allows the trapping and barbaric torture of birds. This hunting is non selective and cruel,” said Yves Verilhac, the director of the LPO.
“The hunting lobby is blaming the new minister because she’s a woman and an ecologist, but all she is doing is not signing any opt-outs to the directive this year under threat from the European commission.”
The LPO estimates 40,000 birds are caught using glue sticks by 5,000 hunters every year. The hunters are allowed to catch four types of thrush and one of blackbird, but secretly filmed video shown to the Guardian last yearshowed robins, blue tits, warblers and finches struggling and dying on glue-sticks or being pulled off and discarded like litter. Last year, LPO activists found a dead kestrel, its wings gummed with glue.
Willy Schraen, the president of the Hunting Federation, said he was in “complete disagreement” with the government’s decision to follow the directive and warned hunters would take legal action.
“I hope the minister will not listen to the sirens in Brussels and will remain true to what France, with its traditions and strong values, represents. This is a very ancient way of capturing birds,” Schraen told FranceInfo.
He added: “I don’t think it’s barbaric. I don’t think those who practise this chasse à la glu are thugs. They are people with strong values who are happy to catch a few birds. Why is this a problem? The real question is … why is the head of environment in Europe wasting time persecuting a few Gaulois?”
“We will legally defend glue-trapping because it is a symbol [of our culture].”
Verilhac has urged the government not to give in. “If they do, the French people will find themselves paying millions in fines for the sake of 5,000 hunters,” he said.
“The hunters paint this idyllic picture of country folk living off the land with their traditions, but these hunters aren’t rural people. Most of them turn up in expensive 4×4 vehicles from the city.”
Verilhac added: “Besides, not all traditions should be defended. Hunting with glue sticks is an abomination.”
WAV Comment: Great man, good news. 45 million followers – that will get a message across !
Leonardo DiCaprio Calls For Wildlife Trade To End – Says Animals Are ‘Worth More Alive’
The actor praised Vietnam’s decision to ban all imports of wild animals to his 45.1 million Instagram followers
Celebrity actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio has called for an end to the wildlife trade, saying animals are ‘worth more alive’.
The star made the comment after reposting a breaking news story from WildAid on how Vietnam has banned all imports of wild animals, dead or alive, to reduce further pandemic risk.Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has also called for tougher action against people involved in illegal hunting, killing, or advertising of wild animals in a new directive with immediate effect.
‘This is huge’
DiCaprio, who often uses his platform to raise awareness of meat’s environmental impact, said to his 45.1 million Instagram followers: “This is huge for both the protection of wildlife and ourselves.
“We must end the trade. #EndTheTrade #WhenTheBuyingStopsTheKillingCanToo #WorthMoreAlive.”Is Leonardo DiCaprio Vegan?
Whilst DiCaprio has invested in plant-based brand Beyond Meat, and executively produced the environmental documentary Cowspiracy – he is not vegan himself.
However, it was reported that the celeb requested a plant-based meal for the 2020 Governors Ball earlier this year.
Chef Wolfgang Puck told Hollywood Life: “I did the SAG Awards and Leo said, ‘What can you give me, something vegan?’. He wanted vegan. We made a vegan pizza. He ate it so fast. He said, ‘Oh, can you bring another one?’.”
Enfield Council in London has announced it will ban meat from future events to help tackle the climate crisis.
Starting in December, the council will be the first in the U.K to only serve veggie and vegan options at events where it provides the catering.
The council, which aims to become a net-zero organization by 2030, and a net-zero borough by 2040, recently made the announcement in its Climate Action Plan report.
‘Positive impact’
A spokesperson from The Vegan Society told the Evening Standard: “A comparison of even the lowest impact beef with plant protein such as peas shows that beef is responsible for six times more greenhouse gasses and 36 times more land.
“For councils that have declared a Climate Emergency this would be a simple policy to enact which would have a positive impact.”
The Vegan Society added that it hopes other councils and public sector organizations will be ‘inspired’ by Enfield Council’s move and follow in suit.
Mixed opinions
The announcement stirred opinions online, with some accusing the council of ‘forcing’ people to be vegetarian.
One Twitter user said: “Imagine the outcry if it was the other way around! Surely it’s not a councils job to dictate what we eat?”
Whilst another, who was in support of the ban, said: “Hats off to Enfield Council. Thank you for doing the right thing when plant-based is the only way forward for our planet, public health, and human decency.”
Someone ran over multiple sea turtle nests on Captiva Island
CAPTIVA ISLAND, Fla. – The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is looking for someone who ran over six sea turtle nests on Sunday morning,
FWC officers think a golf cart or similar vehicle was used near Captiva Drive and Paige Court on where the nests were found disturbed.
An SCCF Sea Turtle Volunteer found the damage. Their sea turtle hotline also received two phone calls reporting the damage: one was from a resident and the other was from a visitor. Stakes were removed from the nests and thrown into the sand dune.
“These criminal actions clearly do not represent the intent of the rest of us, and they do feel like an invasion of sorts,” SCCF said in a statement. “This upends the joy and hope that these turtles represent for us all. I urge us all to channel this outrage by aiming it toward something good.”
According to Florida law, any person, firm, or corporation that illegally takes, disturbs, mutilates, destroys, causes to be destroyed, transfers, sells, offers to sell, molests, or harasses any marine turtle species, or the eggs or nest of any marine turtle species commits a third-degree felony, which has a maximum penalty of a fine up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison.
Officers said it’s unclear if any eggs were damaged because digging them up to find out could cause even more harm.
All sea turtle species in Florida are listed as endangered or threatened, and it is illegal to harm, harass, or kill any sea turtles or their eggs.
The Linsmayer Family has pledged a $1,000 gift towards SCCF’s coastal wildlife monitoring costs, and hope other concerned islanders will join them.
Brazilian meat giant JBS has been dropped from major investor Nordea Asset Management – the largest financial service group in the Nordics.
It is reported the investors control a fund of around £21 billion ($27 billion) – which JBS is now ‘excluded’ from.
‘Quite dramatic’
According to The Guardian, head of responsible investments at Nordea Asset Management Eric Pedersen said: “The exclusion of JBS is quite dramatic for us because it is from all of our funds, not just the ones labelled ESG.”
The firm’s acronym ESG stands for ‘environmental, social and governmental’ – a set of standards used to assess how sustainable a company is.
Illegal deforestation
The announcement follows five allegations in 2020 alone that have tied the meat processor to illegal deforestation – with environmental groups including Greenpeace criticizing the company since 2012.
Many celebrities also spoke out about the environmental catastrophe – with Khloe Kardashian encouraging her [then] 97.6 million Instagram followers to go plant-based.
The moment of release for one of eight European bison added to the herd in the Southern Carpathians. Daniel Mirlea
The newly released European bison explore their acclimatization enclosure. Daniel Mirlea
World Animals Voice 