» Listings for 2019

1. URGENT Appeal for Koalas and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital GoFundMe Appeal

   Posted on 10:00pm Sunday 24th Nov 2019

   I have just read the most terrible news.  Koala populations and their habitat have decreased to such an extent that they are now “functionally extinct”. Forbes.com reports that Chairman of the Australian Koala Foundation estimates that over 1,000 koalas have been killed from the fires.  80% of their habitat has been destroyed, thanksk to bush fires, prolonged drought and deforestation. Functionally extinct occurs where a population has become so limited that their population is  no longer viable. The small number of the surviving animals means that they are unlikely to survive long term.  Koalas eat up to 2 pounds of  eucalyptus leaves a day. And bushfires and deforestation has destroyed this main food source.  The recovery of such plants after fires will take months – so there will be no food for the koalas.  HELP KOALAS The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has a Go Fund Me page.  The hope was is that they would reach $25,000.  So far, they have raised $1.35 million from 35,000 donors.  One of the things they want to do is to install drinking stations for koalas in areas devastated by the fires.  And they want to have a Koala Ark so that burned koalas can live in a healthy habitat as they recover. The hospital are searching for koalas, along with the National Parks and Wildlife Service crew leaders.  So far 31 koalas have been brought to the hospital from various fire locations.  Koalas arriving at the hospital are rehydrated and examined for burns.  Burns are treated with cream, and then bandaged.  Dressings are changed every three days.  The hospital wanted to raise money to buy and distribute automatic drinking stations in the burnt areas to help koalas and wildlife.  Now, more will be built, and shared with other wildlife organisations in areas affected by fire.   Two will go to the Northern Rivers fire area next week. The hospital is buying a water carrying vehicle with fire fighting capabilities to replenish the drinking stations with water as they need it. Thanks to the incredible amount of money raised, the hospital is going to establish a wild koala breeding programme. The bushfires in and around the Port Macquarie area killed about 350 koalas.  75% of the fireground footprint was prime koala habitat. Be a part of this rescue mission - please donate As well as donating to help the koalas, we can all do what we can do consider how our life style is impacting on the planet.   The human race has caused enough destruction of our natural world.  It’s time to do the right thing and put this right. PLEASE DONATE NOW These koalas need our help All images on this blog copyright to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.   PS There's another GoFundMe appeal for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation who are also needing funds to help care for koalas affected by wildfires.  Visit their GoFundMe page

2. Double your impact for Snow Leopards with a donation by 3rd December 2019

   Posted on 8:00pm Sunday 24th Nov 2019

   Help snow leopards with a donation on 3rd December 2019 The Snow Leopard Trust have a campaign to raise $100,000 on their Giving Tuesday campaign this year. The Trust aims “to better understand the endangered snow leopard and to protect the cat in partnership with the communities that share its habitat.” What’s more, if we all help to raise $100,000 by Giving Tuesday on 3rd December, that will trigger a $100,000 match!  And that means that $200,000 could be raised to help snow leopards and their conservation. At the time of writing, this campaign was 28% of the way there (that’s on 24 Nov 2019 at 20.16 UK time).  We must help snow leopards!  You don’t have to wait until 3rd December to donate!  This year, the Snow Leopard Trust are accepting early giving and putting it towards the Global Tuesday campaign.  Every dollar raised between now and 3rd December will be matched by 10 zoo partners.*** You can double your impact! ***Zoo Dresden, Dublin Zoo, Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Kolmården, Helsinki Zoo, La Passerelle, Fondation le PAL Nature, Niabi Zoo, Nordens Ark, Parco Zoo Punta Verde

    

3. Koalas need our help as bushfires rage in Australia

   Posted on 4:00pm Friday 1st Nov 2019

   Wildfires often hit the headlines now, but the media are slow to consider the impact they have on wildlife.  Sometimes they say “nobody died” and I really wonder if they are aware of the millions of animals who have been injured or, worst, died in the fires. And at the moment wildfires are raging, in California and New South Wales. In New South Wales, they are burning across Port Macquarie.  It’s estimated that between 20,000 to 48,000 koalas live both here and in Queensland.  They are heading for extinction here as early as 2050. It’s feared that a large number of koalas may have died in the flames.  Others will be homeless as their trees have burnt down; more will be suffering from smoke inhalation or burns. WWF Australia urgently needs all our support to help restore koala habitat and to care for injured wildlife.   Every single koala matters. Please help koalas today and help WWF Australia plant the first 10,000 trees  WWF have launched a plan to save koalas and to help protect and restore the trees they call home. The WWF Plan is called Two Billion Trees, and it’s a commitment to secure two billion trees over the next decade.  These will provide vulnerable wildlife with safe homes by: • Stopping excessive tree-clearing • Protecting existing forest and woodland • Restoring and planting new trees Whatever the outcome for koala numbers, their habitats will need to be restored, both for koalas and other wildlife.  The thing about koalas is that they are dependent on trees.  They need them for their food, their shelter and their safety.   Trees make a difference to koalas.  Without trees, they have nowhere to call home. So the area where the effort is to be concentrated is a koala triangle, between south west Sydney, Gennedah and Noosa.   It’s the heartland of Australia’s healthiest wild koala populations, but it’s threatened, not just by bushfires but by development. Please help plant the first 10,000 urgently needed trees in critical koala habitat, to save our precious koalas before they’re gone forever. All photos are copyright to WWF

    

4. More bears needing help - Meet Tuan, rescued by Animals Asia

   Posted on 8:00pm Tuesday 22nd Oct 2019

   Tuan is safe in Animals Asia's Bear Sanctuary Tuan had been a very lonely bear.  He was caged on an intensive bear farm.  For 15 years.  Animals Asia received an urgent call about this bear.  They went to his rescue, 18 kilometres away, within 90 minutes of receiving the call.  What they found was horrible. Tuan was unhealthy and obese. He was living in filthy conditions, with little or totally unsuitable food. He could hear the deafening sounds of pigs squealing a few feet away.  And now he’s been rescued by charity Animals Asia. Animals Asia hope he will live for another 15 years or more at their Vietnam sanctuary.  That means he needs food, medicines, toys and climbing frames for at least 15 years, to give him the life he deserves. He’s been given the name Tuan after the Vietnam Director of Animals Asia, Tuan Bendixsen. It’s the first time he’s been safe in his life – but he doesn’t know he’s safe.  There is a long road to recovery for Tuan.   He’s deeply traumatised.  And you can help him by helping and donating towards his care. He’s Animal Asia’s 210th rescued bear in Vietnam.  All the bears need help, time and care.  They need food, medicine and enrichment activities. Donate to start Tuan on his road to recovery >>

    

    

5. Help brown bears Disha and Leyla move to a bear sanctuary

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 10th Oct 2019

   Four Paws are asking us all to come to the rescue of Dasha and Leyla. Introducing Dasha and Leyla Introducing Dasha and Leyla Dasha and Leyla are two brown bears.  They've lived in a small concrete cage ever since they were born in 2006. Their purpose in life has been to “entertain” people, and they have been used as a tourist attraction in the Ukraine’s Lviv. The restaurant where they are has closed its doors.  The bears’ owners want to get rid of Dasha and Leyla but they have nowhere to go. Disha and Leyla could have a new life We can all change everything about life for Dasha and Lelya. Four Paws want to rescue them and take them to their bear sanctuary Domazhyr. They need our help to do this – as always, money is the missing ingredient to make this happen. Let’s all get stuck in and lend a paw to make this happen.  Or, donate something to help Dasha and Leyla move to Four Paws’ bear sanctuary. Just imagine how they will feel when they step onto green grass for the first time…They will be able to roam, to play and even swim in their huge enclosure all day long... And imagine how good that would make you & I feel to know we’d had a part to play in making that happen. Please donate here and help Disha and Leyla move to Four Paws' bear sanctuary