"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
Don't miss it! Although it's a repeat, the programme is very timely, given that these rather amazing animals are at the centre of the coronavirus storm.
Pangolins are the world's most trafficked animal - their scales are wanted in Chinese medicine. Their flesh is eaten as a delicacy.
Sir David Attenborough narrates the storm of the pangolin and gives hope on how we can save them.
It’s not long now before we hit the 21st June – and of course what’s special about that is that it’s the longest day of the year – which means it’s World Giraffe Day, too!
World Giraffe Day gives us all an important chance to raise awareness of the challenges giraffes face in the wild.
Giraffe face a Silent Extinction if we don’t act
Over the past 35 years, giraffe numbers have decreased by nearly 30% and there are only about 117,000 giraffe left in the wild now. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation needs all our help in saving them. It initiated World Giraffe Day both to celebrate The Giraffe and to give us all the opportunity to help raise awareness of what giraffes face in the wild.
The giraffe's decline has been referred to as the Silent Extinction, by Sir David Attenborough in the BBC documentary, “Giraffes: Africa’s Gentle Giants”.
Giraffe have gone extinct in at least 7 African countries
In the last 300 years, we’ve lost 90% of all giraffe habitat
Human population growth across Africa is having a huge impact on giraffe and other wildlife
The Foundation updates State of Giraffe every year, and this highlights the conservation efforts that are being made and also the status of wild giraffe in Africa.
Action is essential.
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is the only organisation in the world which concentrates solely on the conservation and management of giraffe in the wild throughout Africa. Giraffe are still vulnerable to extinction, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
It works in 15 African countries across 45 million acres of giraffe habitat. And it is making a difference to giraffe and I quote:
Over 300 giraffe returned to their historical habitat
18 new giraffe populations established
Over 100 giraffe born in original giraffe habitats
Over 12 million acres of giraffe habitat reclaimed
Over 5 million data points recorded
Impact on over 100 million acres of giraffe habitat
Enter World Giraffe Day!
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Zoos, schools, governments, companies and NGOs are hosting events to help raise awareness, and you can get involved and do your bit. Stick your neck out and raise awareness of giraffes and remind people of their beauty on social media!
Giraffe Translocation
The charity has a translocation programme, moving giraffe. Giraffe are moving to areas where there are very few or no giraffe. They are also caught, and then given satellite tracking units so that they can be tracked which enables conservationists to find out more about their movements. Catching and tracking giraffe provides an excellent opportunity to find out as much as possible about these beautiful animals. You can look at these two videos to get an idea of what's involved...
All the giraffes which have moved thanks to the programme are doing well and thriving. And the great news is that many new calves are being born! The programme is a key part of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation’s programme to ensure that giraffe have a future in Africa.
The Foundation works closely with local communities – many African children have never seen a giraffe so it has taken children into the field for a day to see giraffe.
Show how you #StandTallforGiraffe – literally! Take a photo of yourself standing tall – you could make it a group photo, but please bear social distancing rules in mind! A baby giraffe measures about 2m at birth – whilst the adults reach the giddy heights of over 5m.
Or come up with something that’s giraffe inspired – a cake with a giraffe on it, or paint a picture – just show how giraffes have inspired you and spread the message on social media of World Giraffe Day!
And tag the Giraffe Conservation Foundation on social media - here are the tags…
The 2nd February is World Wetlands Day. The day aims to raise awareness about wetlands, and it marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty back in 1971. Back in 1971 on 2 February, the Convention on Wetlands was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar which sits on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
What are wetlands?
Wetlands cover areas such as shores, estuaries, mudflats, floodplains, coastal marshes, local ponds, the bog and pond in your garden, mangrove swamps, seagrass beds, and rivers. They cover a very small of the earth’s surface – and yet they are one of the most important habitats on our planet. WWT has lots of information about these areas - you can click to see it here.
"If rainforests are the lungs of the planet, then wetlands are the lifeblood. As much as we need air to breathe, we need water to live. The conservation of our wetlands is essential to all life on earth.”
In 2025, the theme is Wetlands for our Common Future. Value. Protect. Inspire.
#WetlandsForOurCommonFuture
Raising awareness is critical – most people have heard of forests and rainforests, but fewer have heard of wetlands. Yet they are vital ecosystems. Despite this, the World Wetlands Day website explains that, since the 1700s, almost 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s. And we’re losing wetlands 3x faster than forests.
A recent global IPBES assessment identified wetlands as the most threatened ecosystem. This impacts 40% of the world’s plant and animal species that live or breed in wetlands.
Habitat loss: many thousands of hectares have been drained for land by humans for their purposes of housing, industry and agriculture
Pollution: WWT says that 80% of global wastewater gets released into wetlands without being treated. Wetlands are under threat from pollution, fertilisers, pesticides – and yet wetlands can act as natural filters, removing pollutants from the water.
Invasive species such as the common water hyacinth and animals (e.g. the killer shrimp) devastate wetlands. Unfortunately, water provides easy pathways for them to spread and grow.
Our changing climate can cause wetlands to dry out – and this can have a terrible impact on amphibians, migratory birds and corals for instance. But wetlands are carbon sinks – when we destroy wetlands, carbon gets released into the atmosphere.
Development, such as dams, and draining
Why wetlands matter to people:
They provide us with drinking water
They store a third of the world’s carbon emissions
They buffer us from floods and droughts
They are important for our health and wellbeing
Why do wetlands matter to wildlife?
40% of all plant and animal species live or breed here.
Sundarbans National Park (India) is formed of tidal rivers, creeks and canals and supports species such as the single largest population of tiger, and aquatic mammals such as the Irrawaddy and Ganges River dolphins, all under threat.
Mud, mud, glorious mud The power of mud....Preventing climate change Watch this video from WWT on You Tube to find out what mud can do to combat climate change
So what can we all do to help wetland conservation?
WWT can create new wetlands in a few months and years – so your support can really make a difference quickly. But there’s something we can all do to help and you’ll find more links and further resources further down.
Find out why they matter to people and wildlife.
See what you can do at home to help wildlife. Create a (mini) pond in your garden, local area or school - WWT or the RSPB can show you how
Visit a wetland close to you if there is one, and spend time there. Use your senses while you visit. Listen to the sounds you can hear; look at the sights, smell the scents. Connect with them.
Find out which of your local conservation charities are working to protect and restore wetlands. How can you get involved and support them? Many of them will be working on projects which you may be able to get involved with. This could be by volunteering, donating, buying something from their online shop, becoming a member, spreading the word about them - there are lots of ways to help.
#WetlandBiodiversityMatters to see what’s happening
Support an appeal for wetlands somewhere in the world
There are a lot of efforts being made to help protect and restore and create wetlands. For instance, the International Crane Foundation has been working to protect Africa’s wetlands for 30 years. Find out about their work here.
On this World Wetland Day, they are advocating for:
Protection of wetlands
The reduction of human impact to minimise habitat destruction caused by human activity
Supporting crane conservation efforts
Promoting awareness and education
Encouraging sustainabity
Advocating for climate change
Getting involved in citizen science such as birdwatching or local conservation projects to help monitor populations and track their movements - this all helps contribute important details to build up a picture of the status of cranes and other animals
Further Resources
World Wetland Network – a collection of NGOs and Civil Society Groups all working for wetland conservation
Wetland Link International – a support network for wetland education centres which deliver engagement activities on site. The WWT in the UK lead it; it has 350 members over 6 continents!
RAMSAR – The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
World Wetlands Day – held every year on 2 February to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands and how we can all help
The MedWet mission is "to ensure and support the effective conservation of the functions and values of Mediterranean wetlands and the sustainable use of their resources and services". Visit their website here. The Mediterranean Wetlands Initiative brings together 27 Mediterranean and peri-Mediterranean countries, all of which are Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). Palestine and several organizations and wetland centres are also part of the MedWet Initiative.
Spectacled Bear Conservation has been successful in fitting the first GPS collars on spectacled bears in the Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge in Northern Peru. It’s a protected area. The team deployed five collars in a few days – they have years of data collection there and have an amazing expertise in bear monitoring.
It’s a huge leap forward; SBC Peru say the team has spent over 15 years researching and determined that the Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge and the landscape around it covering 75,000 acres represent the most crucial remaining habitat for spectacled bears in this ecosystem.
The satellite GPS collars track real-time bear movements which gives incredible insights into the daily lives of the bears both in and out of the protected areas. They will be hugely helpful in increasing understanding of bear health, the bears’ use of habitat and the threats facing them.
This information will empower SERNANP to strengthen park management; whilst SBC will be able to develop science-based conservation actions for bears beyond the park boundaries.
Back in May, SBC launched a collaring programme in collaboration with SERNANP in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary. Four collared bears have been giving lots of very useful insights into their daily lives which have enhanced the understanding of their habits, behaviour and needs.
And more news...
Back in August 2024, SBC emailed with their annual report. They are the Spectacled Bears Conservation and they work in Peru towards the conservation of the spectacled bear, otherwise known as the Andean bear.
The bears suffer from habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and conflict between people and wildlife. There is a lack of knowedge about them, which impinges on the ability to plan for their conservation, and make decsisions. And they're the only bear species in South America. It's estimated there are about 2,500 mature individuals now.
SBC's mission is to:
To conserve and protect spectacled bears and their habitat in Peru through scientific research, education and collaboration with local communities, government and land owners.
Spectacled Bear Conservation was registered as a non-profit organisation in Peru back in 2009. The aim was to continue research into spectacled bears and to partner with local communities to protect spectacled bear habitat.
Their Annual Report gives you an idea of the work they are doing. For instance, their camera trap study in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary gave unprecedented data to help strengthen conservationa ction for spectacled bears and the other wildlife in the area. Data caught on camera really gives wildlife conservation organisations evidence of the presence of wildlife and shows those in government that there is truly a need to protect these areas.
Spectacled bears are keystone species: they are essential to keep the ecosystem healthy. And they are an umbrella species, too - they have large habitat ranges. Protect spectacled bears, and you're also protecting other species such as the mountain tapir, the puma, ocelot and jaguarundi.
You can find out all about spectacled bears from the charity's website and donate to the cause of spectacled bears and the work the charity does, too! Don't forget to sign up for their newsletter - it's free to do!
There are plenty of things you can do to support SBC Peru, such as:
Donate (you do this through the Wildlife Conservation Network)
In the UK, Knowsley Safari Park give resource support to Spectacled Bear Conservation - their staff contribute to technical projects, education programmes and communication campaigns, for instance. They have a couple of Andean Bears, and they have keeper talks so that people can find out more about these gorgeous bears!
I love the charity Free the Bears. They are an Australian wildlife conservation and animal welfare organization and they work with local communities and governments in Asia to help sun bears, moon bears (Asiatic black bears) and sloth bears.
So they need protecting.
As governments work to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, so Free the Bears has more to do, rescuing bears who have been held captive for bear bile farming, educating the public, looking after the bears they have rescued – so far 950 in all. As more bear bile farms close and Free the Bears rescue those bears, so they need to build more enclosures. These bears have been captive, in some cases for a very long time. They cannot go into the wild upon release – they need gentle, loving and knowledgeable expert care.
These bears have bear necessities
They need a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, with dog biscuits for protein and also pulses and grains
They are clever so they need a variety of enrichment activities to stimulate their minds
They love to have their own space so they have climbing platforms and hammocks – most bears don’t see other bears in the forest; they are very private
Many of the bears need veterinary care, some for a while. Remember that many have been used for bear bile farming – a needle has been injected into their gallbladders to access their bile whilst the bears have been drugged
Their enclosures have an environment that’s as near as possible to the natural habitat the bears would normally enjoy – these enclosures need maintaining.
Of course, this all costs. Donations help Free the Bears do these things:
Give immediate medical attention and care to the orphaned cubs
You can also support their Night in a Cage when teams around the world will be raising funds to care for these bears. The idea is that you spend a night in a cage and get sponsorship - or you can donate to a team or individual who is choosing to spend a night in a cage, thus showing what the bears have had to endure until their rescue. Please support this event here.
More about sun bears
Sun bears are the smallest of all bears, but they have a tongue which is 30cm long (that’s a foot!), huge paws and a sun-shaped patch on their chest which gives them their name.
Sun bears are excellent climbers – they live in tropical forests in South East Asia. There they spend more time than other bears in trees, and make nests there. They are crucial for seed dispersal and pest control. The problem sun bears have is that they have lost 60% of their land due to habitat destruction and over-exploitation. Not only that, they are hunted for their paws and their gallbladders – these are sold on the black market.
The bears need us all to act. They have been rescued and they need our help to ensure they get all the wonderful loving care and attention they need for the rest of their lives.
