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1. Petition to stop Macron bankrolling Oil and gas drilling in the Arctic

   Posted on 5:00pm Saturday 3rd Apr 2021

   SumofUs have sent an email alert about the proposed plans French oil giant Total have for the Arctic.

   They say that Total want to pump the equivalent of 535,000 barrels of oil a day from under the Arctic’s ice!  (Here is Total's webpage on preserving biodiversity.)

   What’s more, the French government may back this plan and make it a reality.

   French President Macron had called the project “reckless” and “incoherent” – but SumofUs say he is about to grant a €700 million loan guarantee to Total!

   A global outcry would embarrass Macron – we need to raise a global public outcry and stop him becoming a Total Arctic Destroyer.

   Tell Macron to withdraw from Total's deadly Arctic project and stick to his international climate commitments!

   The Arctic is home to Indigenous communities like the Gwich'in, the Inuit, and the Sámi – and endangered species such as polar bears.

   SumofUs say “Total's plan will assault the Arctic landscape and life with methane explosions, pollution and more deadly heat waves.”

   We need to stop the French government financing this project and make other world leaders sit up and take notice.

   Polar bears are just some of the species counting on us to do the right thing. 
   
   

   
   Please sign this petition today and spread the word

   
   Please give the Arctic and everyone living there a voice today and sign the petition to tell Macron to stop bankrolling oil and gas drilling in the Arctic.

2. Good news for spectacled bears in Peru

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 25th Mar 2021

   There’s good news for spectacled bears in Peru from the World Land Trust!

   Locals in the Amazonas Department have successfully expanded a reserve in one of the most biodiverse ecoregions in the world.   It’s essential for spectacled bears and critically endangered primates.
   
   

   
   Originally 8,155 acres were envisioned but the community owned area has been enlarged by 21,530 acres! 

   This was made possible by Natureleza y Cultura Peru and World Land Trust supporters such as Puro Coffee.  Well done and thank you to them!  The reserves now protects 64,700 acres in what is a key biological corridor.

   130 flora species and 29 mammal species call the area home, and there are 65 avian species as well.

   The success of this project just shows how important it is to have local communities steer conservation efforts and how vital it is to involve them at every stage.   The communities manage the land, and NCP give them training and support in such areas as reserve mapping, fire prevention and tourism.  The area is rapidly being turned into agricultural land so you can see how important this development is.

   Find out more about the Peruvian milestone to add 21,500 plus protected acres to spectacled bear country!

   Find out about the Action Fund here. #Nottoolate
   
   

3. Good news from Spectacled Bear Conservation in Peru

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 8th Oct 2020

   I’m very excited by news from Spectacled Bear Conservation who work in Peru. A camera trap has confirmed bear presence in an area known as Pan de Azucar, which means Sugar Loaf in English. Spectacled Bear Conservation has monitored spectacled bears in the dry forest area of northern Peru for 12 years.  They were amazed to see the photo of a bear, because the area is very dry indeed.   The camera was on an arid mountain ridge where water sources are limited and it had been thought that it was too dry for animals to exist there. Image ©Spectacled Bear Conservation After finding the photo, five more camera traps were put up.   Sapote and overo trees were discovered – they are key food sources – and bear scat was also found, which suggests that more than one bear had used the area. This shows the mountain to be a likely place for bears to find food fruits in the summer and possibly even the winter season.  The more signs of bears being in the area the better – it means Spectacled Bear Conservation have more reason to protect the land. What’s more, finding bears in the Sugar Loaf gives the chance to create one big habitat range for them.  This includes two national protected areas, Bosque de Pomac and the Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge. This find comes with better news:  the national park authorities are keen on the idea of linking the park with habitat outside protected areas.   Bears need big areas to roam.  They won’t stop at the park boundary.   And the parks are giving Spectacled Bear Conservation camera traps to put up so that it can monitor bears in Pan de Azucar. Spectacled Bear Conservation is also working with the Peruvian national forestry authority, SERFOR.   The aim is to designate the area as “Habitat Critico” so that key habitats are protected for endangered species – including the spectacled bear! And to think – it all started with a photo! It just shows how important camera traps and long term monitoring are in protecting a species.  Visit Spectacled Bear Conservation’s website Donate to Spectacled Bear Conservation

    

4. Will you help deliver bear-safe bins to communities living with polar bears?

   Posted on 9:00pm Saturday 29th Aug 2020

   Polar Bears International have a fundraiser on with a difference. They are looking to raise money to buy bear-safe bins!   These will help keep both polar bears and people safe.  In 2020, Polar Bears International say the summer ice melt in the Arctic is on schedule to be one of the largest on record.  This ice melt has several outcomes: Polar bears are going ashore for longer periods and in more places than before They are at greater risk of being in conflict with people They re hungrier when they arrive on land and they have to look for alternative sources of food. So one solution is to reduce encounters which could prove to be dangerous by reducing food attractions. Polar Bears International have a fundraiser called Bear-Safe Bins, and this will enable them to deliver bins that are resistant to polar bears to communities sharing areas with polar bears. The bins will reduce conflict between polar bears and people and so help keep everyone safe.  Join the Bear-Safe Bins Fundraiser, and help provide this simple solution to a growing problem.  Polar Bears International have sent two pilot bins for use in Churchill, as part of its Polar Bear Safe Community and now they're raising more funds so that extra bins can be sent out to communities needing them. The bins aren't cheap - they are $1,000 each- but then you need good quality bins to fend off polar bears! Visit Polar Bears International here Donate to the Bear-Safe Bins Fundraiser here - and no, you don't need to buy an entire bin, you can contribute towards one!

    

5. Flooding affects #AnimalsAsia #rescuebears in China

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 13th Aug 2020

   Have you seen pictures of the flooding in the UK today? Parts of the M25 were flooded causing chaos but more worrying for me is the report from Animals Asia and their rescue bears in China who are also affected by flooding.  As if they didn't have enough to contend with, bears in China (and the people, of course) are facing many flooding, as the above report shows. You can find out more here but please follow #AnimalsAsia on their social media channels. Donations to them are always welcome :-)