The Environmental Investigation Agency fulfils a number of roles:
Its undercover investigations expose transnational wildlife crime, focusing on elephants, pangolins and tigers, as well as forest crimes e.g. illegal logging and deforestation for crops such as palm oil
It safeguards global marine ecosystems by addressed threats presented by plastic pollution, bycatch and commercial exploitation of whales, dolphins and purposes
It reduces the impact of climate change, campaigning to eliminate greenhouses gases, exposing related illicit trade and improving energy efficiency.
And it uses its findings in hard-hitting reports to campaign for new legislation, improved governance and crucially more effective enforcement.
In 2018, the EIA set up a dedicated Pangolin Project but it has already been busy gathering seizure data – you can see this on their interactive Pangolin trade map.
Data is vital information; it shows the trends in the illegal trade and so is key for law enforcement and academics examining trends and for advocates of the international ban on the trade of all species of pangolins, which was secured in September 2016.
The Pangolin Project will enhance enforcement against the criminal syndiates trafficking pangolins. It gives actionable information to the authorities and ensures they have the capability to properly implement the protection of pangolins.
The data gathered on the criminal networks will help raise awareness of the pangolin trade amongst the judiciary; and provide training to a new intelligence unit in one of the key countries.
How you can help pangolins
You can help by making a donation and also by making sure that you never buy products containing pangolins, especially if you live in or travel to China or Vietnam.
Butterfly Conservation sent my husband and I information about the work they did to save the Small Blue Butterfly and it makes very interesting reading.
I thought I’d share how they did it with you. They are hoping to repeat the success of the Small Blue in the West Midlands with other declining butterflies and moths.
Here’s the conservation journey Butterfly Conservation took:
1. Identify the problem
So by 2009, the Small Blue had become extinct in 4 counties in the West Midlands. In Warwickshire, it’s numbers had gone down by 87%. Here, recorders could only find 3 colonies left.
2. Research declines
The Small Blue lays its eggs on flowering Kidney Vetch. But site surveys for the Small Blue showed they were becoming too overgrown with scrub for new Kidney Vetch plants to establish themselves.
3. Determine Solutions
These were:
To remove scrub
To test methods of creating new habitat to encourage Kidney Vetch to germinate
To sow Kidney Vetch seed or plant plug plants
4. Take Action!
Since 2009, Butterfly Conservation has….. (drum roll please…)
Cleared 56 hectares of scrub
Created 27 butterfly banks
Dug 12 scrapes
Planted a whopping 13,000 Kidney Vetch plugs
Sowed 34kg of seeds over 60 sites
4. Do the next steps
The charity has recruited volunteers to monitor Small Blue numbers and help maintain and restore habitat. This will help wildflowers and butterflies to flourish.
5. Yippee!! This has all been successful
The Small Blue Butterfly liked the habitat improvements, colonizing restored habitat on occupied sites AND moving back to former sites. It even went into areas it hadn’t been before
By 2016, the Small Blue had spread to 19 sites. This was a six-fold increase in numbers in only 7 years!
But there's more. In this project, Butterfly Conservation says the Small Blue has been a ‘flagship’ or ‘umbrella’ species. The reasons for this is that other butterflies, moths and invertebrates have been helped by improvements to the habitat. The Grizzled Skipper, the Dingy Skipper, the Chalk Carpet moth and three of Warwickshire's rarest bumblebees all benefited. Which just goes to show that conservation projects don't just help one species - they can help a good many.
And now...
So now it’s hoped that other butterflies can be helped in the same way. Our changing climate is one factor, but research is taking place to find out why and then plan a way forward to reverse these declines.
You can help today by donating to help the High Brown Fritillary. It was once found in woodland clearings in much of England and Wales.
Since the 1970s, its distribution has declined by 96% and it now only remains in Exmoor, Dartmoor, Morecame Bay Limestones and South Cumbria LowFells and the Glamorgan Brackenlands.
3 ways to help butterflies generally
Plant a pot for pollinators in your garden – you only need space for a pot, you don’t need acres and acres
Volunteer for your local Butterfly Conservation branch
Have a good look round their website to look for a way to help
Back in 2015, five million acres of Indonesian rainforest were destroyed by fire.
The impact was devastating on all wildlife there. And amongst those, many many orangutans were left starving and dying.
In 2016, … started a 10,000 Trees campaign and as a result, it was able to start a reforestation project. And it was able to protect the area during recent forest fires.
Pematang Gadung is situated closest to the orangutan rescue centre in Ketapang in West Borneo. The area is home to wild orangutans.
And now in 2019, there’s a chance to plant a further 20,000 trees.
The day is organized by the Arcus Foundation in partnership with the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
It’s a 24 hour event, and it encourages charitable donations through an online giving platform, hosted by Mightycause.
Qualified sanctuaries and rescue centres can compete to raise the most money for their cause, and to win prizes kindly given by sponsors.
So the question is, will you give your support and sign the pledge to donate to the 20,000 trees on 25 September?
The reason you’re asked to pledge is that it gives the charity an idea of whether they are likely to raise the required amount.
By the way, you can donate today on the charity’s Giving Day for Apes Mighty Cause page. But donate on the 25th September, and you’ll increase charities’ changes of winning extra awards and grants.
Sign the pledge, and they will send you an e-mail reminder to donate on the 25th September.
Durrell was very grateful to Investec for their support – and the great news is that Investec will be the headline sponsor for the Investec Wildnerness Ball on 28th September 2019.
The 2019 event will be a very special one indeed because it will both mark Durrell’s 60th Anniversary and also celebrate Durrell’s new vision to ‘Rewild our World’.
Investect Director Kevin Allen was delighted that the ball was such a great success, and noted that Durrell’s commitment to conservation is aligned to Investec’s values of education, entrepreneurship and the environment, so the company was very pleased to sponsor the 2019 event and thus continue to support Durrell’s work.
To reserve tables or find out about silver or bronze sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]
