Category: Business helps wildlife

1. Oh to be wealthy!

   Posted on 8:00pm Tuesday 27th Mar 2018

   It would be the dream of my life to make or win tons of money and be able to give it all to wildlife conservation and reforestation! In late March 2018, philanthropists, governments and corporate leaders from Europe, China, the US and Africa pledged over $6 million to protect wildlife habitats at the end of an important conservation summit. The Kavango-Zambezi Trans frontier Conservation Area borders Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  It’s home to over 220,000 elephants – and yet parts of this ecosystem are now under huge pressure from poachers.  Forest elephants in Central Africa also suffer from high levels of killing. Space for Giants is an international conservation organisation.  It’s just co-hosted the Giants Club Summit, with Botswana’s Tlhokomela Trust. The Giants Club has come together and galvanised new money for fast action.   So what did the Giants Club countries – Botswana, Gabon, Kenya and Uganda (plus other KAZA nations Angola, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) – achieve? The Giants Club will work with national wildlife services and partner organisations to nominate people for the Ranger Award Programme of the Paradise Foundation.   The award raises awareness about threats to Africa’s wildlife and the essential role that rangers play on the front line in conservation.  Working together will mean more candidates will be reached. A US$2 million grant given by the EU will be implemented by Space for Giants and the Tlhokomela Trust to train and mentor wildlife rangers sharing operational intelligence and resources across the border region It will boost legal deterrants against poaching by making investigations and prosecutions stronger across the five countries. The Giants Club aims to protect half of Africa’s elephants and their landscapes by 2020 by uniting political will, technical expertise and financial power to achieve its goal. Founding members are the presidents of Uganda, Gabon, Kenya and the Tlhokomela Trust.   415,000 elephants live in these areas – over half of Africa’s remaining elephants.  The Giants Club’s members include financiers, international philanthropists and key influencers such as celebrities.   Conservation scientists are the technical advisors.  The summit brings people together to hear innovative ideas on how to protect elephants and their landscapes and it then negotiates finance and secures political will to increase the reach of the ideas. Kenyan based Space for Giants works to protect Africa’s elephants from immediate threats such as poaching.  It works to secure their habitats in landscapes which are under increasing pressures.    Space for Giants aims: To develop and deliver anti-poaching intiatives to reduce the problems arising where elephants people live alongside each other, and to provide education and training.

    

2. 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.

    

3. 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.

    

   
   
   

4. 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

5. 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!