Palm Oil Practices Resemble Colonial Exploitation

Palm Oil Workers Expose Industry Practices Resembling Colonialism | A coalition of palm oil workers in Indonesia has unveiled industry practices that mirror colonial exploitation, including land grabbing, poor working conditions, and environmental degradation. These revelations highlight the urgent need to address systemic issues within the palm oil sector and advocate for indigenous rights. #HumanRights #IndigenousRights #BoycottPalmOil

#News: Indonesian #palmoil workers reveal industry practices they liken to #colonial exploitation, including #landgrabbing and poor labor conditions. #HumanRights #IndigenousRights #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️ @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9Pm

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Tempo.co. (2024, December 20). Palm oil workers’ group unveils harmful industry practices akin to colonialism. Retrieved from https://en.tempo.co/read/1957496/palm-oil-workers-group-unveils-harmful-industry-practices-akin-to-colonialism

In a recent exposé, a coalition representing palm oil workers in Indonesia has brought to light industry practices that they equate to modern-day colonialism. The group highlights several critical issues, including land appropriation from indigenous communities, substandard working conditions, and significant environmental harm resulting from palm oil cultivation.

The coalition points to instances where large palm oil corporations have seized ancestral lands without proper consent or compensation, displacing indigenous populations and disrupting their traditional way of life. Workers within the industry report facing hazardous conditions, inadequate wages, and a lack of labour rights protections, drawing parallels to exploitative colonial labour systems.

Environmental concerns are also at the forefront, with the expansion of palm oil plantations leading to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. These practices not only harm the ecosystem but also undermine the livelihoods of local communities dependent on forest resources.

The coalition is calling for comprehensive reforms in the palm oil industry, emphasising the need for policies that respect indigenous land rights, ensure fair labor standards, and promote environmentally sustainable practices. They urge consumers and policymakers to support initiatives that hold corporations accountable and advocate for ethical sourcing of palm oil.

For a detailed account, read the full article on Tempo.co.

Tempo.co. (2024, December 20). Palm oil workers’ group unveils harmful industry practices akin to colonialism. Retrieved from https://en.tempo.co/read/1957496/palm-oil-workers-group-unveils-harmful-industry-practices-akin-to-colonialism

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

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Support Helps Gorilla and Human Child Resilience

Young gorillas often suffer horrific events in their childhood: the death of their mother or father due to poachers, kidnapping and rough handling for the illegal pet trade. A study of 250 gorillas throughout their lifespans have found they share a lot of needs with human children. And just like their human cousins, they thrive after adverse childhood events when given the right social and economic supports. Help gorillas and 1000’s of other animals to survive when you go plant-based and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Just like human #children 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧, #gorillas 🦍 who suffer #childhood tragedies are able to thrive with #economic and social supports in place. #Research #primatology #primates Help all beings, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8TQ

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As a young #gorilla, #Titus 🦍 suffered more tragedy than most #humans do in their lifetimes. A #study found, just like a human #child, he thrived due to good social and economic supports. Learn more #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8TQ

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Written by Stacy Rosenbaum, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan and Robin Morrison, Postdoctoral Fellow in Animal Behavior, University of Exeter. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Gorilla and Human Childhood Resilience Tied to Economic and Personal Support

In 1974, an infant mountain gorilla was born in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Researchers named him Titus. As is typical for young gorillas in the wild, Titus spent the first years of his life surrounded by his mother, father and siblings, as well as more distant relatives and unrelated gorillas that made up his social group.

In 1978, however, tragedy struck. Poachers killed Titus’ father and brother. In the chaos that followed, his younger sister was killed by another gorilla, and his mother and older sister fled the group. Juvenile Titus, who was at a developmental stage similar to that of an 8- or 9-year-old human, experienced more tragedy in his first four years of life than many animals do in a lifetime.

Titus, pictured here as an adult, survived more adversity before age 4 than many animals confront in a lifetime. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Titus’ (pictured) father and brother were killed by poachers when he was very young. Then his sister was killed by another gorilla. However, with the right care and supports he managed to overcome this childhood adversity and go on to thrive and live a long life.

In people, a rough start in life is often associated with significant problems later on. Early life adversity can take a wide variety of forms, including malnutrition, war and abuse. People who experience these kinds of traumas, assuming they survive the initial event, are more likely to suffer health problems and social dysfunction in adulthood and to have shorter life spans. Often, these outcomes trace back at least in part to what public health researchers call health risk behaviors – things like smoking, poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

A lot of bad things can happen to young mountain gorillas in the wild. Image: Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

But researchers have documented the same kinds of problems in adulthood in nonhuman animals that experienced early life adversity. For example, female baboons who have the hardest childhoods have life spans that are on average only half as long as their peers that have the easiest. Activities like smoking and unhealthy food choices can’t be the whole story, then, since animals don’t engage in typical human health risk behaviors.

Given the connection between adverse events while young and poor health later in life, one might expect that Titus’ unlucky early years would predict a short, unhealthy adulthood for him. However, there are interesting hints that things might work differently in mountain gorillas, which are one of humans’ closest living relatives.

Researchers analyzed decades of observational data to determine how life turned out for young gorillas that had faced adversity. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Decades of gorilla observations

As scientists who have spent many years studying wild gorillas, we have observed a wide variety of early life experiences and an equally wide variety of adult health outcomes in these great apes. Unlike other primates, mountain gorillas don’t appear to suffer any long-term negative effects of losing their mothers at an early age, provided that they reach the age at which they are old enough to have finished nursing.

Losing your mother is only one of many bad things that can happen to a young gorilla, though. We wanted to investigate whether a pattern of resilience was more generalized. If so, could we gather any insight into the fundamental question of how early life experiences can have long-lasting effects?

To do this, we needed exceptionally detailed long-term data on wild gorillas across their lifetimes. This is no mean feat, given gorillas’ long life spans. Primatologists know that males can survive into their late 30s and females into their mid-40s.

The best data in the world to conduct such a study comes from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which has been following individual mountain gorillas in Rwanda almost daily for 55 years. We conducted doctoral and postdoctoral research with the Fossey Fund and have collaborated with other scientists there for more than 20 years.

From their database, which stretches back to 1967, we extracted information on more than 250 gorillas tracked from the day they were born to the day they died or left the study area.

We used this data to identify six adverse events that gorillas younger than age 6 can endure: maternal loss, paternal loss, extreme violence, social isolation, social instability and sibling competition. These experiences are the gorilla equivalent of some kinds of adversity that are linked with long-term negative effects in humans and other animals.

Many young gorillas didn’t survive these challenges. This is a strong indication that these experiences were indeed adverse from the perspective of a gorilla.

Ubufatanye experienced the loss of her mother and father and the disintegration of her family group before the age of 5. Now 20, she has become a successful mother, raising three offspring. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

We were surprised to discover, however, that most of the repercussions of these hardships were confined to early life: animals that survived past the age of 6 did not have the shorter life spans commonly associated with early life adversity in other species.

In fact, gorillas that experienced three or more forms of adversity actually had better survival outcomes, with a 70% reduction in the risk of death across their adult years. Part of this hardiness, especially for males, may be due to a phenomenon called viability selection: Only the strongest animals survive early adversity, and thus they are also the animals with the longest life spans.

While viability selection may be part of the story, the patterns in our data strongly suggest that as a species, mountain gorillas are also remarkably resilient to early adversity.

Where do gorillas get their resilience?

Although our findings corroborate previous research on maternal loss in gorillas, they contrast with other studies on early adversity in humans and other long-lived mammals. Our study indicates that the negative later-life consequences of early adversity are not universal.

The absence of this connection in one of our closest relatives suggests there might be protective mechanisms that help build resiliency to early-life knocks. Gorillas may provide valuable clues to understand how early life experiences have such far-reaching effects and how people can potentially overcome them.

two adult and one young gorilla seated together

Young gorillas live with their parents as part of larger social groups. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

While there is still much left to explore, we suspect that gorillas’ food-rich habitat and cohesive social groups could underpin their resiliency. When young gorillas lose their mothers, other social group members fill in the companionship hole she leaves behind. Something similar may happen for other types of early adversity as well. A supportive social network combined with plentiful food may help a young gorilla push through challenges.

This possibility underscores the importance of ensuring that human children who experience early adversity are supported in multiple ways: socially, but also economically, especially since early adversity is particularly prevalent among children living in poverty – itself a form of adversity.

Titus, pictured here as an adult, survived more adversity before age 4 than many animals confront in a lifetime. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

And what became of Titus? Despite his difficult start in life, Titus went on to lead his group for two decades, siring at least 13 offspring and surviving to his 35th birthday, making him one of the most successful gorillas the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund has ever studied.

Though Titus’ story is only a single anecdote, it turns out that his resilience is not so unusual for a member of his species.

Written by Stacy Rosenbaum, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan and Robin Morrison, Postdoctoral Fellow in Animal Behavior, University of Exeter. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus

Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus

Vulnerable

Extant (resident): Brazil: Minas Gerais, Bahia, Alagoas, Sergipe, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Goiás, Tocantins, Piauí, Paraíba, Ceará, Maranhão.

The Brazilian three-banded #armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus, known as “tatu-bola” in Portuguese, is a rare and unique species native to #Brazil. With the ability to roll into a near-impenetrable ball, this endearing behaviour has made them an icon of conservation efforts. They are found in the dry forests and savannahs of Brazil, particularly in the #Cerrado and Caatinga biomes. These fascinating armoured creatures are Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to agricultural expansion for #palmoil, #soy and #meat. Fragmentation of their ecosystem is ongoing for infrastructure projects and #goldmining. With their population in sharp decline, efforts to protect their habitats are essential for their survival. Help them every time you shop and adopt a #vegan diet, and #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold #Boycott4Wildlife on social media!

Resilient Brazilian three-banded #armadillos are fascinating real-life #pokemon of #SouthAmerica. They’re vulnerable from #palmoil meat and soy #deforestation in #Brazil. Resist their #extinction! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8R9

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Brazilian three-banded #armadillos are the adorable armoured tanks of #Brazil’s #Cerrado who can curl into an armoured ball. They are #vulnerable from #deforestation. Help them survive by being #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8R9

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Appearance & Behaviour

  • The word “armadillo” means “little armoured one” in Spanish.
  • They are known as ‘kwaráu’ in the now extinct Huamoé language and ˈkʌ̨́ñíkį̀ in the Kambiwá language of Brazil.
  • Brazilian three-banded armadillos have a good nose and can smell termites and ants through up to 20 cm of soil.
  • Their loose armour creates a layer of air, helping them to regulate their temperature in harsh climates.
  • They are one of only two armadillo species that can roll into a tight ball.
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by Vex Collective for Getty Images
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by Belizar73 for Getty Images (2)
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by N.Nehring for Getty Images
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by Belizar73 for Getty Images
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by Belizar73 for Getty Images (3)
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus threats
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus by Wrangel for Getty Images
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus boycott

Brazilian three-banded armadillos are easily recognised by their distinctive armour, which is composed of bony plates known as scutes. These scutes, covered in keratinised skin, form a protective shell around the animal’s body, allowing them to roll into a tight ball when threatened. This unique defence mechanism makes them virtually immune to most natural predators in the wild – except for humans. Their compact body length of 22 to 27 cm and a weight of about 1 to 1.6 kg makes it easy for them to navigate in the forest.

Their distinctive sharp claws and elongated snouts are perfectly adapted for foraging for ants and termites. Although primarily solitary, they sometimes travel in small family groups. They keep their noses to the ground sniffing out insects and move in a deliberate cautious way. Unlike other burrowing armadillos they prefer to hide in bushes for shelter and camouflage.

Threats

Deforestation for palm oil, soy and meat agriculture

Forest and grassland destruction for soy, palm oil, sugar cane and meat plantations is a serious threat. This has drastically reduced the Brazilian three-banded armadillo’s range in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes.

Human encroachment for infrastructure projects

The Brazilian three-banded armadillo is impervious to many natural threats in their environment. However, infrastructure projects, roads, housing have become a significant threat to their survival.

Illegal hunting

Brazilian three-banded armadillos are hunted for their skins and meat.

Conservation

Conservation efforts for the Brazilian three-banded armadillo are indirect and focused on habitat protection rather than direct intervention. Protected areas within the Cerrado and Caatinga offer some refuge for the species. Yet large portions of their habitat remains at risk for deforestation.

Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus threats
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus boycott

Habitat

Resilient and tough, this armadillo has adapted over millions of years to thrive in harsh landscapes of poor rainfall and poor soil. Brazilian three-banded armadillos are found primarily in the northeastern regions of Brazil, inhabiting the open savannahs of the Cerrado and the dry woodlands of the Caatinga.

Diet

Brazilian three-banded armadillos are primarily insectivores, relying heavily on ants and termites as their main food source. Sharp claws allow them to dig into insect nests, and they use their long, sticky tongues to collect the prey. Occasionally they supplement their diet with molluscs, worms, fruit, and carrion.

Mating and breeding

The breeding season occurs between October and January. After a gestation period of approximately 120 days, females give birth to a single pup. Newborns are born blind, and their armour remains soft and pliable in the first weeks of life. A young armadillo’s shell hardens by week four. By this time they will be capable of protective rolling into a ball and walking. They are weaned by 10 weeks of age and reach reproductive maturity between 9 and 12 months.

Support Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillos by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Miranda, F., Moraes-Barros, N., Superina, M., & Abba, A. M. (2014). Tolypeutes tricinctus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014: e.T21975A47443455. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T21975A47443455.en


Wikipedia Contributors. (n.d.). Brazilian three-banded armadillo. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_three-banded_armadillo


Animalia. (n.d.). Brazilian Three-Banded Armadillo. Retrieved from https://animalia.bio/brazilian-three-banded-armadillo

Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus threats
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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Papua’s ‘Empty Lands’: A Dangerous Myth Displacing Indigenous Peoples

In #WestPapua, on illegally colonised and disputed land taken by violence from Melanesian Indigenous peoples last century by Indonesian forces, authorities label indigenous lands as “empty”. This is done in order to justify large-scale agricultural projects, displacing tribes like the #Malind and Khimaima peoples. These lands are vital sources of food and medicine, supporting traditional ways of life for several millennia. Communities and indigenous rights advocates call for halting exploitative #palmoil and #mining projects and honouring #LandRights #HumanRights #IndigenousRights #BoycottPalmOil

🌏 #News: In #WestPapua, “empty lands” are NOT empty—they sustain countless #indigenous #Malind and #Khimaima people for millennia. Large-scale #palmoil projects destroy livelihoods. Support #HumanRights #IndigenousRights and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🧐⛔️ https://wp.me/pcFhgU-a5N

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Papua’s Indigenous Communities Resist the ‘Empty Land’ Narrative

A controversial narrative labelling indigenous lands in Papua, Indonesia, as “empty” is fuelling and legitimsing large-scale agricultural projects that threaten the livelihoods of local tribes. The government’s food estate initiative has displaced indigenous communities, including the Malind, Maklew, Yei, and Khimaima tribes, who have depended on these lands for thousands of years.

A Source of Life, Not an Empty Land

The forests of Papua are far from vacant. They provide essential resources, including sago and other medicinal plants, sustaining the daily lives of indigenous peoples. These areas are deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual practices, making their loss devastating not just economically but also culturally.

Impact of Large-Scale Agriculture

Under the guise of “development,” projects like the food estate initiative restrict access to ancestral forests, impose security measures, and prioritise corporate profits over indigenous welfare. Such ventures often proceed without consulting or compensating local communities, exacerbating social and environmental injustices.

A Call to Respect Indigenous Sovereignty

Human rights advocates stress the need to protect indigenous land rights and halt exploitative practices. They demand inclusive policies that respect traditional knowledge and empower communities to manage their resources sustainably.

This issue underscores the importance of recognising indigenous sovereignty as central to ethical land use and environmental protection. The international community is urged to hold governments and corporations accountable for policies that displace indigenous people and degrade their ecosystems.

For more details, read the full article on Farm Land Grab.

Farmland Grab. (2025, January 25). Papua land is never empty, it is a source of livelihood for many. Retrieved January 28, 2025, from https://farmlandgrab.org/post/32579.

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1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Indigenous Empowerment to Reverse Amazonia’s Mineral Demand

Illegal #mining for minerals like #gold and cassiterite, the latter used for renewable energy, is driving #deforestation in Indigenous #Amazonia. Countries like #Brazil, #Suriname and #Guyana face the challenge of conserving forests, protecting #indigenous peoples, biodiversity whilst also meeting international resource demands. Empowering indigenous peoples to care for biodiversity rich areas of Amazonia is key to saving them for future generations. Act now to protect Indigenous lands and wildlife. #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Boycott4Wildlife.

The drive for #mineral #mining in #Amazonia is driving #indigenous peoples and endangered #animals towards #extinction. Help and fight for them when you #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect @barbaranavarro https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8TF

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Key to tempering #Amazonia’s mineral #mining demand for #gold and other metals is prioritising #Indigenous #empowerment #landrights and indigenous sovereignty #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Boycott4Wildlife @barbaranavarro @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8TF

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Written by Yolanda Ariadne Collins, Lecturer, International Relations, University of St Andrews. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Mining for gold in Suriname. Yolanda Ariadne Collins, CC BY-NC-ND
Mining for gold in Suriname. Yolanda Ariadne Collins, CC BY-NC-ND

Illegal mining for critical minerals needed for the global renewable energy transition is increasingly driving deforestation in Indigenous lands in the Amazon.

In recent years, these illegal miners, who are often self-employed, mobile and working covertly, have expanded their gold mining operations to include cassiterite or “black gold”, a critical mineral essential for the renewable energy transition. Cassiterite is used to make coatings for solar panels, wind turbines and other electronic devices. Brazil, one of the world’s largest exporters of this mineral, is now scrambling to manage this new threat to its Amazon forests.

The need for developing countries such as Brazil to conserve their forests for the collective global good conflicts with the increasing demand for their resources from international markets. To complicate matters further, both the renewable energy transition and the conservation of the Amazon are urgent priorities in the global effort to arrest climate change.

But escalating deforestation puts these forests at risk of moving from a carbon sink – with trees absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release – to a carbon source, whereby trees release more carbon dioxide than they absorb as they degrade or are burnt.

Indigenous and other forest-dwelling communities are central to forest conservation. In 2014, I spent a year living in Guyana and Suriname, two of the nine countries that share the Amazon basin. I studied the effectiveness of international policies that aim to pay these countries to avoid deforestation.

I met with members of communities who were bearing the brunt of the negative effects of small-scale gold mining, such as mercury poisoning and loss of hunting grounds. For decades, mining for gold, which threatens communities’ food supply and traditional ways of life, has been the main driver of deforestation in both countries.

Small-scale mining operations can damage both communities and the natural world. Gold mining, which generates gold for export used for jewellery and electronics, usually begins with the removal of trees and vegetation from the topsoil, facilitated by mechanical equipment such as excavators. Next, the miners dig up sediment, which gets washed with water to extract any loose flecks of gold.

Miners usually then add mercury, a substance that’s known to be toxic and incredibly damaging to human health, to washing pans to bind the gold together and separate it from the sediment. They then burn the mercury away, using lighters and welding gear. During this process, mercury is inhaled by miners and washed into nearby waterways, where it can enter the food chain and poison fish and other species, including humans.

My new book, Forests of Refuge: Decolonizing Environmental Governance in the Amazonian Guiana Shield, highlights the colonial histories through which these countries were created. These histories continue to inform the land-use practices of people and forest users there. Having seen the dynamics firsthand, I argue that these unaddressed histories limit the effectiveness of international policies aimed at reducing deforestation.

Some of the policies’ limitations are rooted in their inattentiveness to the roughly five centuries of colonialism through which these countries were formed. These histories had seen forests act as places of refuge and resistance for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. I believe that power structures created by these histories need to be tackled through processes of decolonisation, which includes removing markets from their central place in processes of valuing nature, and taking seriously the worldviews of Indigenous and other forest-dependent communities.

But since 2014, small-scale mining-led deforestation in the Amazon has persisted, and even increased. The increase in mining worldwide, driven partly by the renewable energy transition, indicates that these power structures might be harder to shift than ever before.

Added pressure

When crackdowns on illegal gold mining took place in Brazil in the 1970s and ’80s, miners moved en masse to nearby Guyana and Suriname, taking their environmentally destructive technologies with them. Illegal miners of cassiterite are now following a similar pattern, showing that the global effort to reduce deforestation cannot simply focus on a single commodity as a driver of deforestation on the ground.

My work shows that the challenge of mining-led deforestation in the Amazon is rooted in historically informed, global power structures that position the Amazon and its resources as available for extraction by industries and governments in wealthier countries. These groups of people are now seeking to reduce their disproportionately high emissions through technological solutions and not through behavioural change.

These tensions also have roots in the readiness of governments and forest users in postcolonial countries, like Brazil and Guyana, to respond positively and unquestioningly to international demand for these resources.

In the Amazon, outcomes are affected by whether different groups of people have access to livelihoods that do not drive deforestation, such as those based on non-timber forest products. The situation is further shaped by the extent to which governments can work together to ensure that crackdowns in one part of the Amazon, such as Brazil, do not just drive deforestation elsewhere to Suriname, for example.

Until the power structure that disadvantages Indigenous and other historically marginalised groups changes, the negative effects of developing technologies to “save” the planet will continue to disproportionately burden these groups, even as their current way of life remains critical to supporting sustainable development outcomes.

Written by Yolanda Ariadne Collins, Lecturer, International Relations, University of St Andrews. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Read more about gold mining, indigenous rights and its cost to animals

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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

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Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica

Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica

Critically Endangered

Extant (resident): Sumatra, Indonesia

The Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica is a critically endangered big cat, with less than 600 of their species alive in the wild today. Once living in Java and Bali, they are now only found in Sumatra, Indonesia. The smallest tiger species, they possess darker coats and narrower stripes than their mainland counterparts. Each pattern is as unique and distinct as a fingerprint. Sumatran Tigers face serious and grave threats from palm oil habitat destruction, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Sumatra’s ongoing deforestation, driven by palm oil and acacia plantations, continues to shrink their habitat. While illegal poaching for the wildlife trade is decimating their population. Conservation efforts are underway, but the future of this magnificent species hangs in the balance. You can help protect the Sumatran tiger every time you shop. Learn how to boycott palm oil on the Palm Oil Detectives website. Raise awareness of them on social media using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Fewer than 600 Sumatran #Tigers 🐅🐯 remain wild today 😭 Their number slashed by #palmoil #deforestation and illegal #poaching for body parts. Fight for their survival every time you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴⛔️ in the shops @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT

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Mighty apex #predator, the Sumatran #Tiger’s stripes 🐯🐅 are unique like fingerprints. Critically #endangered, a few 100 remain alive! Major threats: #palmoil #ecocide and #poaching. Fight for them! 🌴⛔️ #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT

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Appearance & Behaviour

  • Their distinctive stripes are unique to each individual, similar to human fingerprints.
  • They are strong swimmers, often moving between islands and across rivers in order to seek new territory or hunt prey.

Sumatran tigers possess a rare combination of strength, beauty, and mystery that has captivated the human imagination since time immemorial. Their deep orange coats with distinctive black stripes seem to ripple as they move stealthily through dense forests. Unlike their mainland cousins, their coats are darker, and their stripes dissolve into spots, making them even more unique. Tigers in Sumatra are known for their grace and ferocity, moving silently through their home territory, often evoking admiration, fear and awe in all other species.

Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica threats
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Yamtono Sardi for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Pito Kung for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Pito Kung for Getty Images (2)
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Nextview for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Maizal Chainago for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Valentina Russanov for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica Boycott
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Jupiter Images for Getty Images
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica by Jupiter Images for Getty Images (2)
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaic by Pito Kung for Getty Images

They are the smallest subspecies of tiger. Males weigh between 100-140 kg and females between 75-110 kg. Their compact size, compared to other tiger species, helps them move with agility through the dense forests of Sumatra.

These tigers like many other big cats prefer deep forests where they can blend into the foliage. Solitary creatures, Sumatran tigers only coming together for mating or a mother raising her young. These tigers are fiercely protective of their territory and will patrol vast areas to ensure their dominance. Their elusive and cryptic nature, combined with their regal appearance, inspires deep reverence from those who witness them.

Threats

Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica threats

Palm oil and timber deforestation

Clearing of forests for palm oil plantations and illegal logging for timber continues to destroy the Sumatran tigers’ natural habitat. Between 1985 and 2014, forest cover on Sumatra was reduced from 58% to just 26%. Forest destruction isolates tiger populations, making it difficult for them to hunt, breed, and thrive.

Illegal poaching and black market trade in body parts

Tigers are killed for their skins, bones, and teeth, which are highly valued in traditional medicine and as luxury items. This illegal trade continues despite intensified conservation efforts, leading to significant population declines.

Human-Tiger Conflict

As tigers lose their forest homes, they move closer to human settlements, sometimes attacking livestock. Retaliatory killings by villagers and farmers on palm oil plantations often result in the death of tigers, further reducing their numbers.

Genetic Conditions from Captive Breeding

Tigers captured from the wild and then bred in Zoos face genetic disorders due to inbreeding, such as vestibular dysfunctions. Vestibular dysfunctions include: head tilt, circling, ataxia (loss of muscle control), strabismus (being cross-eyed) and nystagmus (rapid uncontrolled movements of the eyes). A 2015 study observed these signs observed between birth and 2 months of age. These conditions can affect their health and ability to thrive and reproduce.

Habitat

Sumatran tigers inhabit a wide variety of forest habitats, including lowland tropical forests, hill forests, and montane forests. They are known to live in areas from sea level up to elevations of 3,200 metres in the highlands of Gunung Leuser National Park. Although they prefer dense forest areas for cover, Sumatran tigers are also forced to enter human-dominated landscapes such as farms and monoculture plantations at the edges of protected areas. Habitat fragmentation mainly occurs due to palm oil deforestation. These areas are less ideal for tigers and increase the likelihood of human-tiger conflicts. Sumatran tigers require large, contiguous forest blocks to roam, breed, and hunt effectively.

Diet

Sumatran tigers are apex predators, feeding primarily on medium to large-sized mammals. Their diet consists of wild pigs, sambar deer, Malayan tapirs, and occasionally monkeys and birds. Tigers rely on stealth and ambush tactics to catch their prey, stalking their target before launching a powerful and precise attack. In some areas, prey depletion has forced tigers to rely more on smaller animals or venture closer to human settlements, which increases the risks of conflict with humans. Their role as top predators is crucial in maintaining the balance of their ecosystem by controlling prey populations. This prevents overgrazing and helps to preserve forest vegetation.

Mating and breeding

Sumatran tigers are solitary animals that come together only for mating. Females typically give birth to litters of two or three cubs after a gestation period of about 3.5 months. Cubs are born blind and helpless, relying on their mother for protection and food for up to two years. During this time, the mother teaches the cubs essential hunting skills. Tigers reach sexual maturity at around 3 to 4 years of age. Due to their territorial nature, males will fight to defend their territory from other males, and only the strongest males have the opportunity to mate.

Conservation

Several organisations are working to protect the Sumatran tiger, including Fauna & Flora International, Panthera, and TRAFFIC.

Support Sumatran Tigers by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica Boycott

Further Information

Fauna & Flora International. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Fauna & Flora. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://www.fauna-flora.org/species/sumatran-tiger/

IUCN Red List. (2020). Panthera tigris sondaica. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://www.iucnredlist.org/fr/species/15955/214862019#population

Wheelhouse, J. L., Hulst, F., Beatty, J. A., Hogg, C. J., Child, G., Wade, C. M., & Barrs, V. R. (2015). Congenital vestibular disease in captive Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) in Australasia. Veterinary Journal, 206(2), 178–182. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tvjl.2015.09.005

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_tiger

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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Palm Oil Plantations Threaten Indigenous Waterways

Research: Palm Oil Plantations Threaten Indigenous Waterways | A study by the University of Massachusetts Amherst reveals that the expansion of oil palm plantations in West Papua’s Kais River watershed has significantly degraded water quality, increasing sedimentation and nutrient pollution. This environmental harm disproportionately affects downstream Indigenous communities reliant on these waters, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable land management practices and the protection of Indigenous rights.

🌴 #News: #Research reveals #palmoil plantations in #WestPapua are degrading water quality, harming #Indigenous communities relying on the waters. Researchers call for urgent #landrights #humanrights protections #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🔥⛔️ https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9Om @palmoildetect

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University of Massachusetts Amherst. (2024, May 2). Oil palm plantations are driving massive downstream impact to watershed. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 16, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240502153115.htm

The global demand for palm oil, prevalent in products from instant noodles to cosmetics, is driving extensive tropical deforestation. Beyond biodiversity loss, new research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst uncovers significant disturbances to watersheds caused by oil palm plantations, particularly affecting Indigenous populations.

Focusing on the Kais River watershed in West Papua—a region covering over 1,000 square miles where approximately 25% has been converted into oil palm plantations—the study highlights the environmental repercussions of such land-use changes. This area is also home to various Indigenous Papuan groups who depend on the watershed for their daily water needs.

Lead author Briantama Asmara, during his graduate studies at UMass Amherst, and senior author Professor Timothy Randhir employed an enhanced Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+) to simulate the watershed’s hydrological responses under different land-use scenarios. They analyzed historical data (2010-2015), current conditions with extensive oil palm plantations (2015-2021), and projected future scenarios up to 2034, considering ongoing plantation expansion and climate change.

Findings indicate that the shift from tropical rainforest to oil palm plantations has led to increased precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture. Notably, water quality has deteriorated, with sedimentation rising by 16.9%, nitrogen levels by 78.1%, and phosphorus by 144%. Although future projections suggest a slight moderation in these effects, water quality is expected to remain significantly compromised compared to pre-plantation conditions.

Professor Randhir emphasizes the disproportionate impact on downstream Indigenous communities, stating, “They are bearing all the environmental and public health costs, while the international palm oil companies are reaping the rewards.” Asmara adds that the research aims to provide accessible data to those most affected, enabling informed decision-making.

The study advocates for regulatory measures, including limiting pesticide use during flood periods, continuous water quality monitoring, maintaining riparian buffers, and, critically, ensuring that downstream communities are informed and involved in land management decisions.

This research underscores the pressing need for sustainable land-use practices that protect both environmental integrity and Indigenous rights. As the demand for palm oil continues to rise, balancing economic interests with ecological and social responsibilities becomes increasingly vital.

For a detailed exploration of the study, read more.

University of Massachusetts Amherst. (2024, May 2). Oil palm plantations are driving massive downstream impact to watershed. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 16, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240502153115.htm

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Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Ultra-processed Food: Bad For Our Bodies, Bad For The Environment

Although a lot of research has been published about the direct negative impact of these ultra-processed #foods on our #health, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, little has been said about the impacts of #UPF on the environment. You can help rainforests and keep yourself healthy by limiting or stopping buying and consuming #meat, #dairy, #palmoil every time you shop. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Eating ultra-processed #UPF #food like #palmoil 🌴 is damaging not only to #rainforest #ecosystems and 1000’s of animals but also to people’s #health 🤮 its connected to #obesity. Choose healthy, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8SW

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Written by Laila Benkrima, Agronomy Consultant, B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation, Simon Fraser University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Saturated fat: foods to avoid
Our grocery stores are increasingly filled with ultra-processed foods, which have little to no nutritional value and a huge environmental impact. (Nathalia Rosa)

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) have become increasingly popular and range from chips to microwave meals and even bread. Even just a casual glance at supermarket shelves reveals a plethora of UPF offerings in all their elaborate and enticing packaging.

Besides their affordability, UPF not only offer time-saving convenience but also momentary satisfaction drenched in saturated fat, sugar, salt and additives. After all, who can resist enjoying a tasty snack when indulging in a football game or an electrifying new TV series?

Although much is discussed about the direct negative impact of these products on our health, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, little has been said about the impacts of UPF on the environment.

What are ultra-processed foods?

UPF can be defined as “formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes” and contain little or no whole foods.

They are made using industrial processing methods that may include moulding, chemical modification and hydrogenation (which can turn liquid unsaturated fat into a more solid form).

The consumption of ultra-processed foods is not new. In Europe, processed products on an industrial scale have been widely consumed since the late 18th and 19th centuries. A 2020 Canadian study shows that the percentage of total purchased calories attributed to UPF in Canada increased from 24 per cent in 1938 to 55 per cent in 2001 and, in 2013, Canadians purchased an astonishing average of 230 kg of UPF per person.

Cutting Down on Ultra-Processed Foods Could Save Lives, Research Reveals

Even more alarmingly, 99 per cent of Canadian adults consume UPF at least once a week. In comparison, 57 per cent of people in the United Kingdom consume some kind of UPF on a weekly basis.

The consumption of UPF in Canada is largely associated with men, youth, those struggling with low income and those with obesity.

Unfortunately, UPF tend to be more affordable than fresh, whole foods. They have a longer shelf life, require no preparation and can be enticing due to high sugar content that trigger feel-good dopamine responses.

However, consuming UPF comes at a high cost not just to our health but to our environment as well.

Cutting Down on Ultra-Processed Foods Could Save Lives, Research Reveals

Cutting costs, raising emissions

UPFs rely on energy-intensive manufacturing processes and long supply chains, leading to substantial greenhouse gas emissions.

The most substantial environmental impacts of UPF-rich diets predominantly stem from the post-farm stages, specifically the final product creation and packaging processes.

One specific additive that has the most environmental impact is palm oil. Palm oil is responsible for deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests. It is the world’s most consumed vegetable oil that can be found in half of our food.

Another villain is high-fructose corn syrup, which not only leaves a long carbon footprint but is also linked to obesity, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

The massive waste generated by over-packaged UPF is another factor to consider. Their plastic packaging doesn’t degrade in landfills or in nature, and has a dramatic impact on soil health and marine life.

One recent study published in Nature Sustainability demonstrates that UPF processing and packaging stages have the greatest environmental impacts of the whole system, and are a major source of environmental waste worldwide.

There are alternatives

There is no simple answer to the problem, but there are alternatives that can help reduce the pressure on the natural resources available on the planet. Embracing sustainable agricultural practices that prioritise regenerative farming, waste reduction and local sourcing of ingredients can effectively lower the carbon impact of UPF.

Small and medium-sized agri-food enterprises and small family farms often prioritise sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients, contributing to a more sustainable food system and enhancing biodiversity. Supporting local businesses not only encourages a healthier food ecosystem but also bolsters community resilience and regional economic development.

Indigenous communities as well possess a profound knowledge of sustainable agroforestry practices, and collaborating with these communities can provide essential teachings into more sustainable food production and responsible land and water management.

Indigenous farming knowledge is science, not superstition
Indigenous farming knowledge is science, not superstition

The environmental impact of ultra-processed foods cannot be ignored any longer. As we become more and more conscious about what we buy and how it is produced, we hold the responsibility to advocate for change.

High rates of UPF consumption indicates an essential failure of our food system to provide universal access to affordable, wholesome food. Whether such a goal is even possible may be up for debate, but what cannot be denied is that our current industry-driven proliferation of UPF is inflicting harm on both our planet and our health.

Written by Laila Benkrima, Agronomy Consultant, B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation, Simon Fraser University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Read more about human health, veganism, nutrition and why you should #Boycottpalmoil, #Boycottmeat for your own and the planet’s health

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Palm Oil Workers Exposed to Hazardous Pesticides

Investigation reveals that #palmoil plantation workers in #Colombia, #Ghana, and #Indonesia are routinely exposed to hazardous #agrochemicals and #pesticides, including EU-banned #paraquat. Lack of protective gear, inadequate health monitoring, and poor enforcement of safety regulations exacerbate the grave health risks for workers and environmental risks for water #pollution. The study calls for immediate action to protect workers’ health and rights. #BoycottPalmOil #HumanRights #BoycottPalmOil #Ecocide

News: #Palmoil workers in #Colombia, #Ghana, and #Indonesia exposed to hazardous #pesticides, including EU-banned #paraquat. Lack of protective gear poor safety puts lives and #health at risk. #HumanRights #Boycottpalmoil @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bHT

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Profundo. (2025, May 7). Research on spraying in the palm oil sector reveals many hazardous substances. FNV. Retrieved May 9, 2025, from https://www.fnv.nl/mondiaal-fnv/nieuws-mondiaal-fnv/nieuws-verhaal/research-on-spraying-in-the-palm-oil-sector-reveal

Palm Oil Workers Face Hazardous Pesticide Exposure, New Report Reveals

A comprehensive study conducted by research agency Profundo, commissioned by the International Palm Oil Workers United (IPOWU) and funded by Mondiaal FNV, has uncovered alarming health risks faced by palm oil plantation workers in Colombia, Ghana, and Indonesia due to exposure to hazardous agrochemicals.

The investigation, involving 1,436 workers, identified the use of at least 56 different agricultural chemicals on plantations, including substances classified as “highly hazardous” by the World Health Organization. Notably, paraquat—a pesticide banned in the European Union since 2007—is still being exported from the EU to Indonesia, highlighting a concerning double standard in global chemical safety practices.

Key findings from the report include:

  • Absence of comprehensive chemical safety policies, leading to inadequate health monitoring, safety training, and protective clothing for workers.
  • None of the three countries studied have ratified key International Labour Organization conventions related to occupational health and safety.
  • International palm oil buyers do not mandate specific occupational health and safety policies from their suppliers.
  • Many workers are unaware of the dangers associated with pesticide exposure.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) is often not replaced when damaged, and access to facilities for washing PPE is limited, increasing the risk of contamination.
  • Workers with longer tenures reported more health issues, such as skin rashes, dizziness, and vomiting, indicating cumulative exposure effects.

The report underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement of safety regulations, better training and equipment for workers, and greater accountability from international buyers to ensure the health and safety of those at the forefront of palm oil production.

Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Opening slide
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Villagers drink polluted water
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Villagers drink polluted water
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Pesticide backpacks
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Herna's story
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Herna's story
Bottles of paraquat and pesticide - Image: Daniela Sala | Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia
Paraquat: Banned in EU, Destroying Lives of Palm Oil Workers in Indonesia | Take action!

The EU’s double standards by banning paraquat while exporting it to Indonesia

Quiroz is upset about the EU’s double standards: banning paraquat but still producing and exporting it to Indonesia. “That is unacceptable! That the EU protects its own citizens but not the rest of the world. The EU does not show much compassion for people in the supply chain. At the same time, we see that Colombia allows certain chemicals under specific and controlled conditions on palm oil and other commercial plantations, which eventually end up in the palm oil that we import. So that protection is not watertight at all.”

Risks of pesticide contamination are high for families and communities

 “I did not expect that not all plantations have washing facilities for the workers’ protective clothing. So, they can’t wash their gear on-site, and they bring it home, exposing their families. There are even reports of people washing their protective clothing in nearby, flowing rivers, potentially contaminating the whole area. This happens on a small scale in Colombia and on a larger scale in Indonesia.” – lead researcher Diana Quiroz.

Profundo. (2025, May 7). Research on spraying in the palm oil sector reveals many hazardous substances. FNV. Retrieved May 9, 2025, from https://www.fnv.nl/mondiaal-fnv/nieuws-mondiaal-fnv/nieuws-verhaal/research-on-spraying-in-the-palm-oil-sector-reveal

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Read more about animals at risk from air and water pollution and human rights problems associated with palm oil. When you shop #Boycottpalmoil

Andean condor Vultur gryphus

The Andean condor Vultur gryphus is one of the largest flying #birds in the world, with a wingspan of up to 3.3 metres and a body weight of up to 15 kilograms. These…

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus

Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus

Endangered

Extant (resident): Sub-Saharan Africa, Tropical West Africa and parts of southwestern Arabia.

Striking raptor Bateleur #Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus soars through #Africa’s skies with powerful red legs, a bright intelligent face and intense eyes. They are famous for their distinctive aerial and soaring skills such as a rocking flight, similar to a tightrope walker. These eagles are known to travel over 300 kilometres a day in search of food. Sadly, their numbers are plummeting due to deforestation, poisoning, and habitat destruction. The loss of their habitat to #palmoil, #mining and #meat #deforestation are some of the biggest threats they face. Help them every time you shop and boycott palm oil and go plant-based. #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife!

Bateleur #Eagles 🦅🪂 are soaring #birds of prey of #Africa featuring exquisite plumage and regal stature. Fall under their spell and help them when you shop #BoycottPalmOil for their survival 🔥🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Qp

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Bewitching beauties of #Congo #Guinea and #Nigeria, Bateleur #Eagles 🦅 are #endangered by rampant #palmoil expansion in #Africa and targeted poisoning by farmers. Help them survive! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Qp

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Appearance & Behaviour

  • Bateleurs are large birds of prey named after their unique flight pattern, which resembles a tightrope walker’s balancing act.
  • Juveniles have longer wings and tails, giving them extra stability as they learn to fly.
  • These eagles can travel over 300 km in a single day while searching for food.

Bateleurs are medium-sized eagles with striking red facial skin, legs, and bold plumage. Their bold appearance and manner has made them the stuff of folklore and legend across many cultures. Their feathers are mainly black with chestnut on the back and tail, while the females display grey patches on their wings. Short tails give them a distinctive look in flight, making them easy to identify even from a distance. Bateleur Eagles are masterful flyers, gliding effortlessly with very few wing beats. These birds of prey often perch in tall trees and spend long periods scanning their surroundings. They are usually solitary but may form small groups when food is plentiful. If threatened, they raise their crest feathers, making themselves appear larger and more intimidating.

Bateleurs by SloMotionGLI for Getty Images
A Bateleur perched on a tree by EcoPic for Getty Images
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus - Africa
Bateleur Eagle by Michael Fitzsimmons Getty Images
A pair of Bateleurs by Pum Eva for Getty Images
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus boycott palm oil
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus by Derek Keats
Bateleur at a watering holes by Bernard Dupont Wikipedia
Bateleur by Bernard Dupont Wikipedia
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus by Life on White
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus mating dance
Bateleur by Life on White
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus threats
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus, Wirestock Getty Images

Threats

Palm oil deforestation:

Palm oil plantations are expanding rapidly throughout their forest range in tropical West Africa, destroying the Bateleur’s natural habitat. As forests are cleared for tobacco, mining, palm oil and cocoa agriculture, these eagles lose their nesting and hunting grounds. The removal of trees means fewer places to build nests and fewer sources of food. Without dense tree cover, Bateleurs struggle to thrive.

Poisoning:

In many parts of Africa, farmers lace animal carcasses with poison to kill predators like jackals and lions. Unfortunately, Bateleurs, as scavengers, are often accidental victims of these poisons. The toxins can spread quickly through the food chain, causing mass deaths of scavenging birds, including Bateleurs.

Habitat destruction:

Besides palm oil plantations, the Bateleur’s habitat is being destroyed for agriculture and livestock grazing. As savannas and woodlands are cleared for farming, these eagles are forced into smaller and more fragmented areas. This destruction also leads to a decline in their prey, making it harder for them to find food.

Hunting and poaching:

Bateleurs are sometimes hunted for their bright feathers, which are used in traditional rituals and ceremonies. The illegal wildlife trade puts further pressure on their already declining population. Their shy nature and vulnerability at nests make them easy targets for poachers.

Accidental deaths:

These eagles are also at risk of being electrocuted by power lines or drowning in man-made reservoirs. With more human infrastructure encroaching on their habitat, Bateleurs face a growing number of hazards in their daily lives.

Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus threats
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus boycott palm oil

Diet

Bateleurs are opportunistic feeders, hunting live prey and scavenging from carcasses. They eat small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Snakes are a particular favourite, and they are known to take down venomous species like puff adders. Bateleurs are often the first to find fresh carcasses and will also feed on roadkill. Their diet includes doves, hornbills, and termites, along with small mammals such as hares and rodents.

Mating and breeding

Bateleurs are monogamous and often mate for life. Their courtship involves impressive aerial displays, with the male diving towards the female in mid-air. They build small, sturdy nests in tall trees, usually near water sources. The female lays a single egg, which both parents incubate for around 55 days. After hatching, the chick is dependent on their parents for several months and will remain close to the nest until they are strong enough to fly. Juveniles can take up to 7 years to develop their full adult plumage.

Habitat & geographic range

Bateleur eagles range across much of sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Ethiopia down to South Africa. They are also found in parts of southwest Arabia. Their preferred habitat includes open savannas, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas, where they have plenty of space to soar in search of prey. Bateleurs avoid dense forests and deserts but can often be found near waterholes and rivers. They are territorial birds and require large areas to hunt and find food.

Conservation

Several organisations are working to protect Bateleur Eagles, including The Peregrine Fund, which focuses on preventing poisoning and protecting habitats. In many national parks across Africa, Bateleurs are thriving in protected environments. However, once they leave these safe zones, they face numerous threats. Continued education of farmers about the dangers of poisoning and habitat destruction is vital to their survival.

Support Bateleurs by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

BirdLife International. (2020). Terathopius ecaudatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22695289A174413323. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22695289A174413323.en

The Peregrine Fund. (2024). Bateleur Eagle. https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/bateleur-eagle

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, September 15). Bateleur. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bateleur

Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus by Life on White
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1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

New Research: Indigenous Communities Reduce Amazon Deforestation by 83%”

Although #deforestation rates in the Brazilian #Amazon have halved, this globally critical biome is still losing more than 5,000km² every year. That’s an area three times larger than Greater London. By combining satellite imagery for the entire Amazon region with data from the Brazilian national census, our new study found that deforestation in areas protected by #Indigenous communities was up to 83% lower compared to unprotected areas.

Results demonstrate that returning lands to Indigenous communities can be extremely effective at reducing deforestation and boosting #biodiversity to help address #climatechange. Yet, forest conservation should not come at an economic cost to people living in Indigenous-managed lands.

The world’s largest #rainforest the #Amazon 🫁🌳🌿 is vanishing. Yet a bright spark of hope finds #deforestation in #Indigenous protected areas is 83% lower. They are the KEY to saving the #forests and animals! #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8SM

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Written by Johan Oldekop, Reader in Environment and Development, University of Manchester; Bowy den Braber, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, and Marina Schmoeller, PhD Candidate, Ecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)vThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Tarcisio Schnaider/Shutterstock

Despite this win for indigenous-led conservation, our results also show that Indigenous communities had the lowest levels of socioeconomic development. Incomes in Indigenous territories were up to 36% lower compared to other land uses.

Indigenous people are among the most disadvantaged groups of people in the world. Although Indigenous communities in Brazil have strengthened their political representation in recent years, 33% of people living below the poverty line are Indigenous.

Improving the economic wellbeing of Indigenous people is not only the socially just thing to do but can also be environmentally effective. Research in Nepal showed that communities with higher levels of socioeconomic development are less likely to trade off development with deforestation. Providing communities with the ability to protect and conserve their local forests and develop economically can be a win-win for both people and the environment.

In 2022, governments across the world agreed to protect 30% of the planet’s surface by 2030. To meet the commitments of this 30×30 agenda, many countries need to drastically increase their conservation efforts to reverse deforestation in the Amazon and beyond.

Governments and philanthropic organisations pledged unprecedented political and financial support for forests and Indigenous peoples and local communities at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. These pledges have helped raise the voices of Indigenous peoples and ushered in a new era of commitments to return ancestral lands.

Yet, forests and their resources across the world remain coveted by many different interest groups, including mining and large agribusiness. The Supreme Court in Brazil is currently debating the constitutional validity of the controversial “Marco Temporal” or time limit framework which could substantially limit the ability of Indigenous peoples across the country to make claims for lands. This legal theory states that Indigenous peoples are only entitled to make claims for lands if they can prove that they were in possession of them on or before October 5 1988 when the Brazilian constitution came into effect.

Perhaps surprisingly, our results show that agricultural business development of the Brazilian Amazon is unlikely to provide greater socioeconomic benefits for local, non-indigenous communities than protection-focused alternatives that preserve forest cover but allow sustainable resource use by rural communities. But the agribusiness lobby in Brazil, who are often in direct conflict with Indigenous people, often argues that agricultural expansion will provide economic development for the region.

Our results demonstrate that returning lands to Indigenous communities can be extremely effective at reducing deforestation and boosting biodiversity to help address climate change. Yet, forest conservation should not come at an economic cost to people living in Indigenous-managed lands.

Access to land and opportunity

Indigenous communities need to regain access to their ancestral lands while also gaining access to development opportunities. Indigenous people in Brazil are eligible to receive support from social welfare programmes, such as the family allowance scheme (or bolsa familia in Portuguese), which is credited with lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and reducing inequality.

Protesters hold placards expressing their opinion during the demonstration. The Marco Temporal thesis, indigenous, and supporters of the indigenous movement met in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in May 2023. ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy Stock Photo
Protesters hold placards expressing their opinion during the demonstration. The Marco Temporal thesis, indigenous, and supporters of the indigenous movement met in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in May 2023. ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy Stock Photo

However, many rural and isolated communities face substantial difficulties accessing support. For example, fuel costs to take long boat trips from remote communities to urban centres to collect payments are high and many communities lack access to technology to even apply for such schemes.

President Lula Da Silva’s government is considering developing an Indigenous family allowance programme to address access problems faced by Indigenous communities in Brazil. As efforts to return rights to land ramp up in the wake of the 30×30 agenda, more governments and nongovernmental organisations should support the many other rights that Indigenous peoples have and reduce the structural barriers that prevent rural communities from claiming them.

Written by Johan Oldekop, Reader in Environment and Development, University of Manchester; Bowy den Braber, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, and Marina Schmoeller, PhD Candidate, Ecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)vThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Concerns Mount Over Palm Oil Expansion in Nagaland

Concerns Mount Over Palm Oil Expansion in Nagaland | The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum (NCCAF) has raised grave concerns about the environmental and social impacts of expanding palm oil plantations in the Indian region of Nagaland. They highlight potential deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and threats to indigenous livelihoods. Instead, they advocate for agroecological practices, less intensive crops and indigenous-led conservation in order to protect the Nagaland’s irreplacable ecosystems. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

#News: Forum in #Nagaland region of #India 🇮🇳 raises alarm over #palmoil expansion, citing huge risks to #biodiversity #climatechange and #indigenous livelihoods. #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🛢️🔥☠️🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9Pw

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Nagaland Post. (2024, December 17). NCCAF raises concern over oil palm plantations. Retrieved from https://nagalandpost.com/index.php/2024/12/17/nccaf-raises-concern-over-oil-palm-plantations/

The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum (NCCAF) has expressed significant concerns regarding the expansion of palm oil plantations in Nagaland, India. They warn that such developments could lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and adverse effects on indigenous communities’ livelihoods.

The forum highlights that large-scale palm oil plantations are often linked to widespread deforestation. Nagaland’s unique ecosystems, home to rare flora and fauna, face significant threats if forests are replaced with monoculture crops. Such deforestation could disrupt water cycles, increase soil erosion, and lead to habitat loss for local wildlife.

Additionally, the forum points to soil degradation and water depletion as critical issues. Palm oil farming is water-intensive, placing added pressure on local water resources already stretched by agricultural needs. The use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides further risks contaminating soil and harming nearby communities.

Social consequences are equally concerning. The acquisition of land for plantations could displace Indigenous communities that depend on traditional farming and forest-based livelihoods. This displacement threatens not only food security but also the cultural heritage tied to these lands.

The forum has also criticised the economic model behind palm oil expansion, describing it as exploitative. While corporate stakeholders profit, local farmers are often left in financial distress due to fluctuating palm oil prices and the long maturity period for crops.

As an alternative, the forum advocates for sustainable farming practices that align with Nagaland’s ecological and cultural heritage. It suggests exploring crops that are less resource-intensive and offer long-term environmental benefits.

The forum has emphasised the importance of involving Indigenous communities in land-use decisions. Transparent policymaking that respects local rights is crucial for achieving a balance between economic development and ecological preservation.

The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum calls on the government, environmentalists, and the public to critically evaluate the long-term consequences of palm oil expansion. By prioritising sustainable alternatives, Nagaland can safeguard its biodiversity while fostering economic growth.

For a detailed account, read the full article on Nagaland Post.

Nagaland Post. (2024, December 17). NCCAF raises concern over oil palm plantations. Retrieved from https://nagalandpost.com/index.php/2024/12/17/nccaf-raises-concern-over-oil-palm-plantations/

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Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis

Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis

Extant (resident): Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Kalimantan); Malaysia (Sarawak, Sabah)

The #Borneo Forest Dragon, also known as the Borneo Anglehead #Lizard is a vividly coloured lizard native to Borneo. This arboreal #reptile is known for their prominent crest and beautifully camouflaged body, allowing them to blend seamlessly into their rainforest surroundings. Found primarily in undisturbed and secondary rainforests, the Borneo Forest Dragon thrives in humid environments, often near streams.

Although the latest assessment by IUCN Red List revealed that they are ‘least concern’, the plans to move the capital of Indonesia to Kalimantan is concerning to conservationists and animal lovers alike. Rampant habitat loss from #palmoil and #timber #deforestation on the island of Borneo posses a grave threat. Protect these striking animals and their rainforest home when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife!

Cheeky, charismatic Borneo Forest #Dragons 🦎are the most beautiful #lizards you’ve never heard of. Living inside of #Borneo’s #forests, threats include #palmoil #deforestation and more. Help them survive #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8PU

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Borneo Forest Dragons 🦎 are cold-blooded #reptile royalty in the #rainforests of #Malaysia and #Indonesia. Endless forests are being destroyed for #palmoil and #mining. Fight for #lizards 👊💚when u shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8PU

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Appearance & Behaviour

Male Borneo Forest Dragons are bigger than females, with longer tails and a more prominent crest. They lay up to four eggs per clutch, which are deposited in a small burrow in the soil. Their colouration provides excellent camouflage from predators in the rainforest canopy, where they spend most of their time.

Males can grow to up to 13.6 cm long and with longer tails than females, who are slightly smaller. These lizards stand out thanks to the crest on their necks and backs, which looks like a sharp, lance-shaped ridge. Males and females show colour dimorphism, with males typically brown, olive, and green, with dark patterns. Meanwhile females have a striking rust-red colour with oval spots on their sides.

Borneo Forest Dragon by Bernard Dupont (2)
Borneo Forest Dragon by Charles J Sharpe
Borneo Forest Dragon by Dikky Oesin (2)
Borneo Forest Dragon by Dikky Oesin (3)
Borneo Forest Dragon by Dikky Oesin
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis - Asia
Borneo Forest Dragon by Zdenek Macat
Borneo Forest Dragon by Zdenek Macat (4)
Borneo Forest Dragon by Zdenek Macat
Borneo Forest Dragon by Zdenek Macat (2)
Borneo Forest Dragon by Elena Odareeva
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis - Asia

Found in the vines and tree trunks of primary and secondary rainforests, these lizards are tree-dwellers, spending most of their time in the forest canopy. When they feel threatened, they raise their bodies and flare the crest on their neck to look bigger.

Threats

Palm oil and timber deforestation

The primary threat to the Borneo Forest Dragon is habitat loss due to the clearing of forests for agriculture, including palm oil plantations, and logging activities. As rainforests are cut down, lizards lose access to the trees they depend on for shelter, food, and breeding sites. Fragmentation of their habitat isolates populations and increases their vulnerability to other threats. They are also threatened by agricultural run-off and toxic pesticides impacting their fragile ecosystem.

Habitat destruction

Selective logging and human encroachment have fundamentally changed the structure of the forest making it less suitable for arboreal species like the Borneo Forest Dragon and other reptiles. Secondary forests, while still viable habitats, do not offer the same quality of resources as primary forests.

Climate change

Extreme weather and changes to rainfall patterns due to climate change are likely to threaten their rainforest ecosystem. This shift in weather conditions may disrupt their breeding and food availability, forcing them to move to less suitable environments.

Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis - Asia
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis - Asia

Diet

The Borneo Forest Dragon is an insectivore, feeding primarily on small invertebrates found in their rainforest habitat. These lizards may opportunistically eat other small prey available in the forest, hunting in the trees.

Mating & Reproduction

Borneo anglehead lizards reproduce by laying eggs. Females deposit up to four eggs in a small burrow dug in the soil. The eggs, which are around 22 mm in length, are laid at intervals of three months. The species’ arboreal nature means they rely on well-structured forests with plenty of trees and lianas for shelter and nesting sites.

Habitat

The Borneo Forest Dragon is endemic to the island of Borneo. Their range includes Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and Indonesia (Kalimantan), along with the Kingdom of Brunei. The Borneo Anglehead Lizard inhabits primary and secondary rainforests up to 700 metres above sea level. Preferring humid environments near streams where they can find abundant food and nesting sites.

Support the Borneo Forest Dragon by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Ecology Asia. (2024). Borneo anglehead lizard. Retrieved from https://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/borneo-anglehead-lizard.htm

Iskandar, D. & McGuire, J. 2019. Gonocephalus bornensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T99929470A99929479. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T99929470A99929479.en. Accessed on 15 September 2024.

Wikipedia contributors. (2024). Gonocephalus bornensis. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonocephalus_bornensis

Borneo Forest Dragon by Dikky Oesin
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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Palm Oil Is Ruining Kalangala Uganda — Locals Paying the Price

A catastrophic storm in #Uganda’s Kalangala district left nearly 1,000 households homeless. The real culprit? Rampant #deforestation for #palmoil. Once rich in native forests that buffered storms, Kalangala is now a fragile landscape dominated by monoculture palm oil and #tobacco plantations that does not keep villages safe from climate induced flooding and severe storms. This human-caused disaster is a wake-up call: palm oil profits must never come before people and planet. Support #indigenous-led reforestation and demand corporate accountability for ecocide! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #HumanRights

#News: #Forests in #Kalangala #Uganda were cleared for #palmoil. Now owing to lack of tree cover, 994 households are homeless after a #climate disaster. Palm oil destroys homes and livelihoods #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #HumanRights @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bm3

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Editorial. (2025, March 26). Kalangala disaster and urgent need for environmental responsibility. The Observer. https://observer.ug/viewpoint/kalangala-disaster-and-urgent-need-for-environmental-responsibility


On 15 March 2025, Kalangala district in Uganda was devastated by one of the worst storms in recent memory—nearly 1,000 households were left homeless. But behind this climate catastrophe lies a man-made environmental disaster: deforestation for commercial palm oil plantations.

Once covered in lush, native forests that shielded communities from extreme weather, Kalangala has been stripped bare in recent decades. The clearance of biodiverse forests to make way for monoculture oil palm has left the region exposed, vulnerable, and unable to withstand the escalating effects of climate change.

Palm oil trees, unlike indigenous forest cover, offer little resistance to powerful winds. As a result, communities that once thrived in harmony with their environment are now suffering repeated climate-related trauma.

Uganda’s National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has been heavily criticised for its failure to conduct robust environmental impact assessments before approving forest clearance for palm oil expansion. This lack of oversight—fuelled by a reckless pursuit of economic profit—has eroded not just forests, but also the safety, wellbeing, and futures of local communities.

This disaster is not isolated. Across Uganda, and indeed the entire tropical belt, commercial land grabs for palm oil and other export crops continue to displace communities, destroy ecosystems, and exacerbate climate collapse.

What happened in Kalangala is a brutal lesson in environmental injustice. Corporate profits were prioritised over ecological safety and the lives of ordinary people. This is a call to action for governments, regulators, and citizens alike: we must put an end to extractive industries that place short-term gain above human rights and environmental resilience.

A large-scale, community-led native reforestation programme is urgently needed. Indigenous forests must be restored to buffer future disasters and repair the broken link between people and the land. Kalangala’s tragedy is not the end—it must be the beginning of resistance.

Choose 100% palm oil-free. Reject products linked to violence, land grabs, and climate chaos. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #HumanRights #WorkersRights

Read more: Kalangala disaster and urgent need for environmental responsibility (The Observer, 2025.

Editorial. (2025, March 26). Kalangala disaster and urgent need for environmental responsibility. The Observer. https://observer.ug/viewpoint/kalangala-disaster-and-urgent-need-for-environmental-responsibility

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Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Nigeria Risks Losing All Its African Forest Elephants – Here’s How To Protect Them

The numbers and ranges of forest #elephants in #Nigeria have declined greatly over time. The main cause of this has been human activity, like logging, palm oil and cocoa #agriculture, which threaten their survival by reducing their natural habitat. Some elephant populations have been lost. Others exist only in small, fragmented areas. A new study looks at what can be done to protect one of Nigeria’s most treasured #animal icons, the African forest elephant.

Numbers of African #Forest #Elephants 🐘🐘🐘 in #Nigeria have declined massively due to #palmoil #cocoa and #timber #deforestation, #poaching and farmers killing them for crop invasion. 😮😰Here’s how we protect them! #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8SD

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Written by Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan, Professor of Environmental Physiology of Animals, University of Lagos and Bola Oboh, Professor of Genetics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The numbers and ranges of elephants in Nigeria have declined greatly over time. The main cause of this has been human activity, like logging, palm oil and cocoa agriculture, which threaten their survival by reducing their natural habitat. Some elephant populations have been lost. Others exist only in small, fragmented areas.

Nigeria is one of 37 African countries where elephants are found in the wild. Savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) can be found in the north and forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) in the south.

It’s not clear how many elephants there are in Nigeria. Eighteen years ago, the African Elephant Study Report estimated that there were just 94 elephants left in the country. In 2021, it was estimated that there could be about 400 elephants in areas not systematically surveyed.

What we do know, however, is that the numbers and ranges of elephants in Nigeria have declined greatly over time. The main cause of this has been human activity, like logging and agriculture, which threaten their survival by reducing their natural habitat. Some elephant populations have been lost. Others exist only in small, fragmented areas.

African Forest Elephant surveys had not been carried out in southern Nigeria for over a decade, and sightings of forest elephants are rare. Forest elephants are of particular interest because they’re classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

We carried out a study to establish their presence and determine the factors affecting their conservation.

We visited four protected areas in two national parks and one forest reserve in southern Nigeria. We did find small populations, totalling 40 forest elephants. This is not a viable population in the long run as it has been suggested that “viable” elephant populations may range from 400 to 6,000 individuals.

Their survival is being threatened for six reasons, in particular the impact of people’s activities.

Presence and distribution of elephants

We visited Okomu National Park; Omo Forest Reserve; and the Okwango and Oban Divisions of the Cross River National Park.

Forest Elephants were caught on camera traps in the Omo Forest Reserve and Okomu National Park. They were sighted in the Okomu National Park and the Oban Division of the Cross River National Park. In the Omo Forest reserve, we found the charred bones of a poached elephant.

Of the 40 identified using micro-satellite markers, seven were in Omo Forest Reserve, 14 from Okomu National Park, 11 from Oban Divison and eight from Okwango Division.

The future of these forest elephants looks precarious for a number of reasons.

The threats

Firstly, our study found evidence that pressure from human activity and changes in land use were influencing elephant distribution in the study locations. These were also contributing to habitat fragmentation and forest degradation.

We found that land within and around the protected areas we studied had been converted to settlements. It is also used for farming and monoculture plantations, where elephant food is limited. This has resulted in habitat loss and forest fragmentation, restricting the ranges of the elephant populations.

African Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis
African Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis
African Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis
African Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis
African forest elephants help to capture carbon (6)
African forest elephants help to capture carbon (6)
African forest elephants help to capture carbon (6)
African forest elephants help to capture carbon (6)
African forest elephants help to capture carbon

Second, the presence of hunters’ sheds, spent cartridges, traps and hook snares showed that illegal hunting persisted in all the study locations. We found the carcass of an elephant during the study. Hunting, as a threat to biodiversity conservation, has already been proven in studies of Kainji National Park, Okomu National Park and the Cross River National Park. Arrests don’t always deter offenders because the punitive measures aren’t heavy enough.

Thirdly, human-elephant conflict is pervasive. Elephants raided crops and destroyed property in and around the study locations. Most farmers in the surrounding communities lacked alternative sources of livelihood. Even small losses were of economic importance and led to negative attitudes towards conservation.

In the Okomu National Park – which lacks a buffer zone – we detected elephant activity outside the protected areas.

Fourthly, the distribution of the elephants in small groups means that they face a high risk of local extinction. The populations in the Omo Forest Reserve and the Okomu National Park are completely isolated. The protected areas are surrounded by farmlands and human settlements and the elephants don’t intermingle with other populations.

Fifth is the issue of forest degradation and shrinking of forest space. The Omo Forest Reserve is a Strict Nature Reserve – meaning it’s not open to tourism – and is one of Nigeria’s four biosphere reserves. But most of the forest is degraded and has reduced in size.

The final threat to elephants is that farmers were not paid compensation for crop losses arising from elephant raids in the study locations. This contributed to a negative attitude towards conservation. The Federal Government of Nigeria has no policy provision for compensation to farmers. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets encourage incentives as a means of safeguarding biodiversity.

Improving the conservation of elephants

Ecologically, elephants are a keystone species which have a massive impact on the ecosystem. Their loss would have an impact on the environment. Economically, they are drivers of tourism, and culturally they are icons of the African continent.

Here’s how we protect them

Awareness programmes, livelihood opportunities and compensation should be introduced to farmers. Together with acoustic deterrents and other mitigation methods used around the world, they could check losses due to crop raids.

Community conservation education and awareness programmes work. They should be rolled out to help change negative attitudes and get people to cooperate in conservation efforts.

In our study we observed that elephants avoided harming cocoa farms. In cases where elephants passed through them, the cocoa was not eaten. This behaviour was also reported at the Bossematié Forest Reserve, Côte d’Ivoire. This observation needs to be investigated to test whether cultivation of these crops could mitigate conflict between people and elephants.

Finally, a species management and monitoring plan should be put in place to help conserve Nigeria’s forest elephant populations. A nationwide survey, to assess the population of elephants in all ranges in Nigeria, should be top priority.

Written by Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan, Professor of Environmental Physiology of Animals, University of Lagos and Bola Oboh, Professor of Genetics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

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South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Logged Forests Thrive, While Palm Oil Leaves Little Alive

Research: Logged Forests Can Thrive, While Palm Oil Leaves Little Alive | A comprehensive study by the University of Oxford reveals that while selective logging alters tropical forest structures, converting these areas into oil palm plantations inflicts more severe and cumulative environmental damage, particularly to biodiversity. The landmark research underscores the importance of preserving and restoring logged forests instead of repurposing them for palm oil cultivation.

🌳 #News: @UniofOxford #Research finds while selective logging alters tropical #forests, converting them to #palmoil causes greater harm, especially to #biodiversity. Preserving logged forests is crucial. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9On

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University of Oxford. (2025, January 9). Don’t write off logged tropical forests – converting to oil palm plantations has even wider effects on ecosystems. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250109141136.htm

A recent study led by the University of Oxford has provided the most extensive assessment to date of how logging and subsequent conversion to oil palm plantations impact tropical forest ecosystems. The findings, published on 10 January 2025 in Science, indicate that while selective logging primarily affects forest structure, the conversion to oil palm plantations leads to more profound and cumulative environmental consequences, especially concerning biodiversity.

The research team evaluated over 80 metrics encompassing various aspects of tropical forest ecosystems, including soil nutrients, carbon storage, photosynthesis rates, and species diversity among birds, bats, dung beetles, trees, vines, and soil microorganisms. The study sites, located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, comprised undisturbed old-growth forests, moderately to heavily logged forests, and former logged forests now converted to oil palm plantations.

The analysis revealed that selective logging predominantly impacts factors related to forest structure and environment. In tropical regions, logging is typically selective, targeting specific commercially valuable trees. The removal of older, larger trees creates canopy gaps, allowing fast-growing species with different characteristics—such as less dense wood and thinner, more herbivore-susceptible leaves—to proliferate.

In contrast, converting logged forests into oil palm plantations has a more detrimental effect on biodiversity. The study observed significant reductions in the abundance and diversity of various species groups within plantations compared to logged forests. This decline is attributed to substantial changes in plant food resources and the transition to hotter, drier microclimates under the simplified canopy structure of oil palm plantations.

Professor Andrew Hector of Oxford’s Department of Biology, the study’s senior author, stated, “One of the key messages of the study is that selective logging and conversion differ in how they impact the forest ecosystem, meaning that conversion to plantations brings new impacts that add to those of logging alone.”

The researchers emphasise that logged forests still hold significant value for maintaining biodiversity and should not be hastily converted into oil palm plantations. Professor Ed Turner of the University of Cambridge, co-leader of the study, noted, “Old growth, intact forests are unique, but secondary logged forests are also valuable and important in terms of their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relative to the much-reduced levels seen in oil palm plantations.”

Lead author Dr. Charlie Marsh, formerly of Oxford’s Department of Biology and now at the National University of Singapore, highlighted the variability in ecosystem responses, stating, “Our study demonstrates that focusing on any single component of the ecosystem may lead to an incomplete understanding of how the ecosystem responds as a whole.”

This research underscores the critical need for informed land-use decisions that prioritise the conservation and restoration of logged forests to preserve biodiversity and maintain ecosystem functions.

For a detailed exploration of the study, read more.

University of Oxford. (2025, January 9). Don’t write off logged tropical forests – converting to oil palm plantations has even wider effects on ecosystems. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250109141136.htm

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus

Near Threatened

Extant (resident)

Belize; Venezuela, Bolivia

Extant (possibly breeding)

Argentina; Bolivia, Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago.

Possibly extinct

Costa Rica

The vibrant Orange-breasted #Falcon Falco deiroleucus soars through the skies of Central and #SouthAmerica. With their striking orange and black plumage and powerful and agile hunting skills, these falcons are truly a marvel to behold. Sadly, these #birds face significant threats from #palmoil, #goldmining, #soy and #meat deforestation. You can help protect these magnificent birds every time you shop. Make sure that you #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold and #BoycottMeat to help them survive! It’s the #Boycott4Wildlife.

Powerful rulers of the skies in #Colombia #Brazil and #Ecuador, Orange-breasted Falcons 🦅 face threats from #palmoil #meat #soy and #gold #deforestation across their range. Fight for them when you shop #Boycottpalmoil 🚫#BoycottGold 🪙 #Boycott4Wildlife🌳 https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8tM

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DYK Orange-breasted 🦅 Falcon’s striking orange 🧡 and black 🖤 plumage helps their courtship displays? 💕Sadly, these beautiful #birds are under threat from #palmoil #soy and #gold #deforestation. Help them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌍✨ https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8tM

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Appearance & Behaviour

These falcons are known for their incredible hunting prowess. They are agile fliers, capable of high-speed pursuits and sudden, sharp turns to catch their prey. Their striking orange and black plumage not only serves as a visual treat but also plays a role in their courtship displays.

The Orange-breasted Falcon is a medium-sized bird of prey, measuring about 35-40 cm (14-16 inches) in length. Males weigh between 325-425 grams (11-15 ounces), while females are larger, weighing between 550-700 grams (19-25 ounces). Their distinctive plumage features a rich and vibrant coloured orange breast that contrasts to their black wings and back. Both sexes have similar plumage, but females are larger. These falcons are known for their robust and stocky build and large heads and talons, which make them powerful hunters stalking the skies.

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus

Threats

Empower yourself to make a difference. Together, we can fight for the survival of the Orange-breasted Falcon by making mindful choices. #BoycottPalmOil and support wildlife-friendly products. Share this page and join the movement to protect our precious wildlife. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus

Habitat

The Orange-breasted Falcon is found in tropical forests and savannas across Central and South America, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They prefer habitats with tall trees and open spaces that allow for their high-speed hunting. They are most commonly found in Belize, Guatemala, and Panama, though their range has significantly reduced over time.

Diet

These falcons are carnivorous, primarily feeding on other birds and small mammals. They are skilled hunters, often capturing prey mid-flight with their sharp talons. Their diet includes a wide variety of birds and occasionally bats.

Mating and breeding

Orange-breasted Falcons typically nest in tall trees or on cliff ledges. They lay 2-3 eggs, which are incubated by the female for about 30-34 days. Both parents are involved in feeding and caring for the chicks until they are ready to fledge, approximately 40-45 days after hatching.

Support Orange-breasted Falcon by going vegan and boycotting palm oil, gold and meat when you shop, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

BirdLife International. 2016. Falco deiroleucus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22696516A93569126. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696516A93569126.en. Accessed on 05 June 2024.

Orange-breasted Falcon. (2024). In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 5, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-breasted_falcon

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Contribute to palm oil detectives - black rhino in profile

How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Demystifying the Strange Beauty of the Proboscis Monkey’s Large Nose

Of all the #monkey species around the world, one stands out with its large, bizarre nose. In male proboscis monkeys, their bulbous noses will often hang past their mouths.

But why did they evolve such a strange feature? Are they a visual sign of health and status to potential female mates, and to other males? Or did they evolve to help the monkeys make honks and other loud sounds? New groundbreaking #research has much to reveal about the mysterious large nose of the Proboscis Monkey!

Fascinating and oddly beautiful Proboscis #Monkeys of #Malaysia #Indonesia, have webbed feet and live in harems. Now #researchers discovered why they have such long noses! Help them survive when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-5G6

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Gentle Proboscis #Monkeys of #Borneo are famous for their long noses. Until recently the reasons why baffled scientists, not anymore! They’re threatened by #palmoil #deforestation. You can help when you Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-5G6

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Written by Katharine Balolia, Senior Lecturer in Biological Anthropology, Australian National University The author would like to acknowledge the paper’s co-author, former ANU Masters student Pippa Fitzgerald. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Proboscis monkey side view with a large nose Slavianin/Shutterstock
Proboscis monkey side view with a large nose Slavianin/Shutterstock

In our new study, published in Scientific Reports, we have deepened our understanding of these enlarged nasal structures by investigating what lies beneath: the structures in the skull.

Our findings help to explain how these noses function as visual and acoustic signals of health and status. They also add to a growing body of evidence that shows researchers can use close examinations of skulls to glean information about primate social behaviour.

A battle of noses

One of the largest monkey species in Asia, proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) are endemic to the island of Borneo. They live in coastal mangroves, peat swamps and riverine forests, and have an unusual diet made up mostly of leaves.

They can swim quite well and have webbed fingers and toes. They typically live in harem groups, made up of a single adult male (who tends to have a large, bulbous nose), some adult females and their offspring.

Males don’t often get the opportunity to attract a harem until they reach middle age. These older, dominant and large-nosed males don’t easily tolerate other large-nosed males, often trying to ward them off aggressively with deep honks and “nasal roars” – loud calls they make using their noses.

Young adult males with smaller noses often live in all-male bachelor groups, and don’t tend to fight aggressively with each other. When these bachelor males get older and become large (and large-nosed) enough to compete with males that are part of a breeding group, they are in a position to overthrow the tenured male. Females then often choose to form a harem group with this new, high-status male.

The nose is considerably smaller in female proboscis monkeys. Milan Zygmunt/Shutterstock
The nose is considerably smaller in female proboscis monkeys. Milan Zygmunt/Shutterstock

What’s behind the nose?

We investigated the size and shape of the proboscis monkey nasal cavity. That’s the bony chamber of the skull that sits behind the fleshy nose. Our goal was to find out if the size and shape of the nasal aperture – the front part of the cavity, where the fleshy nose tissue attaches – can tell us more about why these peculiar appendages evolved.

Previous research that looked at the bulbous nose in males suggests it evolved to advertise status. In our new research, we wanted to better understand how this could be the case, this time using data taken from the skull.

We used 3D surface models, downloaded from a public repository, to take size and shape measurements from 33 adult proboscis monkey skulls. We compared these with the adult skulls of king colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and crab-eating macaques, three old world monkey species.

Crab-eating macaques have tiny noses by comparison. Erik Klietsch/Shutterstock
Crab-eating macaques have tiny noses by comparison. Erik Klietsch/Shutterstock

We chose some measurements to quantify the nasal cavity, and others to quantify the nasal aperture in all the species. We also looked at tooth wear, since older adult monkeys have more worn teeth than younger adults. That would allow us to find out if older adult males had a larger nasal aperture than younger adult males.

Better honks

If male proboscis monkeys have a different nasal cavity shape to females, and a unique shape compared to the other monkey species, it would support the idea these enhanced nasal structures – both the fleshy nose and the cavity behind it – evolved to allow for more effective honks and nasal roars.

That was indeed what we found. The shape of the male nasal cavity was low and long compared to females. This allows males to build up resonance (sound vibration) in their nasal cavities, allowing them to emit deeper and louder calls through their noses.

The nasal aperture shape was also different between the sexes. In males, it looks a bit like an eggplant, while in females it looks more like an upside-down pear. This unique opening shape in males allows for higher intensity sounds to be emitted through the nose.

3D model screenshots of a male proboscis monkey (left) and a female proboscis monkey (right). Male nasal aperture size is 29% larger than that of females, and males and females differ in their nasal aperture shape. Katharine Balolia/Morphosource Media (USNM521841; ID 000345556 and USNM142224; ID 000345144)

The sex differences in cavity shape were also larger than what we found in other old world monkey species. This further supports the idea that the nasal cavity of male proboscis monkeys underwent an evolutionary change for the purpose of making certain sounds.

Lastly, the age. Older proboscis monkey males really do have larger nasal apertures than younger adult males, but the cavity itself didn’t increase with age. This supports the idea that the large noses act as a visual signal. It’s also consistent with the fleshy nose size increasing in middle-aged or older adult males, which we know from behavioural studies in the wild.

Making honks and nasal roars really does seem to be the evolutionary purpose of these fleshy noses. Nokuro/Shutterstock

Our evidence from the skull allows us to better understand how nasal structures in male proboscis monkeys evolved for both acoustic and visual signalling.

The more we know about how regions of the skull function as social signals, the better chance we have of reconstructing extinct primate social behaviour using fossilised skull remains.

Written by Katharine Balolia, Senior Lecturer in Biological Anthropology, Australian National University The author would like to acknowledge the paper’s co-author, former ANU Masters student Pippa Fitzgerald. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ENDS

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Beyond Cute: All Animals Can Become Social Media Sensations

In the age of cutesy #mammal sensations like pygmy hippo #MooDeng the chubby, pink-cheeked pygmy #hippo baby – many people believe that social media shares are correlated to cuteness. They are wrong, according to a recent study, more obscure and unusual animals like #insects, #amphibians, #reptiles and #insects can enjoy a generous portion of the social media limelight. Help them every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Cutesy #animals like #MooDeng🦛 the chubby-cheeked pygmy #hippo lead many to believe #socialmedia shares are correlated to #cuteness – they’re wrong. All animals can enjoy the spotlight Protect them when u #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottPalmOil @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-974

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Pygmy Hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis GIF

Cutesy or not: animals can be showcased on social media with the right storytelling and still gain big audience engagement

Remember the popularity contests of high school? Often our athletic, genetically gifted classmates got the most attention: the school captain, the footy team captain, the prom queen. But popularity contests don’t just exist in school. And in the world of conservation, it can be a matter of survival for the “winners” and “losers”.

If we asked you to list every animal species you can think of, chances are that list would be full of mammals and birds, with very few reptiles, fish, amphibians and invertebrates. So why do we focus so much on some species and so little on others?

Our recent study challenges assumptions that people simply find mammals and birds much more engaging than other species. When these neglected species were posted to Instagram by wildlife organisations and researchers, there were no great differences in the likes they attracted.

This has implications for which species we focus on to enlist public support for conservation. A more complete picture of the wildlife around us would help reduce glaring imbalances in conservation outcomes.

Our cognitive bias towards the cutest and fluffiest

For years, we’ve assumed humans engage more with the “cute and fluffy” species – often known as “charismatic megafauna” – and these are the animals that are shown to us on TV, film and advertising. There is evidence to support this preference. People will often choose to donate to mammals and birds over other species, and mammals and birds are mentioned more on social media.

However, mammals and birds make up less than 10% of all animals on Earth. With the media we’re consuming, we’re just not getting an accurate picture of the world of wildlife that surrounds us.
Where this gets worrying is in the fight for species survival. Our planet is in an extinction crisis, with species becoming extinct at extraordinary rates.

However, our focus on mammals and birds means cute and fluffy animals receive more research attention and funding. Conservation outcomes for these species are better than for reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Tellingly, 94% of all threatened species on the IUCN Red List are reptiles, fish, amphibians and invertebrates.

Do people really prefer charismatic megafauna?

Our study suggests this issue may be more complex than first thought. Many Australian conservation organisations use social media platforms, such as Instagram, to share their work and connect communities with wildlife. But in the busy, ever-updating world of Instagram feeds, which images are the most effective at grabbing someone’s attention?

We set out to examine which Australian wildlife species were most often posted to Instagram and which had the highest levels of engagement. Based on the belief that people will engage more with charismatic megafauna, we expected mammals and birds to be shown more frequently and to elicit higher engagement than the “creepy crawlies” such as amphibians and insects.

We analysed 670 wildlife images posted to Instagram by wildlife organisations and research group accounts in 2020 and 2021. For each image, we noted the species posted in the image. As a measure of engagement, we recorded the number of “likes” the image received in proportion to each organisation’s follower count.

An instagram post of a spotted pardalote (a small bird) on someone's hand. The account information, number of likes, and the species in the image are highlighted
An example of the Instagram posts that were analysed, and the information collected. Meghan Shaw, CC BY

What did the study find?

Our results were surprising and provide hope for the future of underrepresented wildlife.

Although the majority of wildlife images posted to Instagram by these conservation organisations were of mammals and birds (73.7% to be precise), our analysis of image engagement uncovered a surprising and promising trend. Mammals were, indeed, more engaging than other species, but only by a tiny amount. We found birds, reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians and fish were all equally as engaging for Instagram users.

A violin plot highlighting the amount of engagement posts featuring each type of animal received.
The amount of engagement posts featuring each group of animal (taxon) received. Categories that do not share letters are significantly different from each other, e.g. mammals (b) received higher engagement than invertebrates, birds and reptiles (a) but not molluscs, fish or amphibians (ab). All significant differences were relatively small (1-2%). Author provided, CC BY

Are we ready to sympathise with weird bugs?

Perhaps it is time to give our creepy crawlies more of the media limelight. The more we see a wide diversity of animals, the more likely we are to support their conservation.

The Theory of Repeated Messaging suggests when we are repeatedly exposed to something, we are more likely to become familiar with, engage with and support it. Research has shown when we put effort into promoting underrepresented species, we can improve their chances of receiving a public donation by 26%.

Hibiscus Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus), a red and blue bug with long antennae, looking at the camera whilst perched on the side of a plant pot
Will we come to love the hibiscus harlequin bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus)? Magdalena_b/Flickr

Our findings suggest the media and conservation organisations can promote endangered species across all walks of life – from lizards to bugs and fish to frogs – without compromising viewer engagement. This will increase our knowledge of the amazing diversity of animals that we share this planet with. In turn, this will lead to underrepresented species receiving more of the conservation support they need to survive.

Zoos Victoria is already leading the way. The endangered native golden-rayed blue butterfly features in the new Totes for Wildlife campaign to conserve its natural habitat.

Perhaps we tend to prefer mammals and birds because we see them more, and not just because they look a certain way. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Written by Meghan Shaw, PhD Student in Conservation Social Science, Deakin University; Bill Borrie, Associate Professor, Environmental Management and Sustainability, Deakin University; Emily McLeod, Senior Social Science Research Manager, Zoos Victoria, and PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland, and Kelly K Miller, Associate Professor of Environment and Society, Deakin University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 

Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Sumatera, Kalimantan); Malaysia (Sarawak, Sabah)

Gliding through the rainforest canopy like a phantom predator, the Sunda Clouded Leopard moves with unmatched grace, making them one of the least understood big cats in the world. Their spectacularly patterned coat, the longest canines relative to skull size of any feline, and astonishing agility in trees set these big cats apart as a truly unique species. Yet, despite these remarkable adaptations, these mysterious carnivores are now rapidly vanishing from the wild due to human-related threats.

Massive infrastructure projects, industrial-scale palm oil plantations, and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade have decimated their populations. Once thought to be a subspecies of the mainland clouded leopard, genetic studies in 2006 confirmed that they are a distinct species, found only in Borneo and Sumatra. Today, they are among the most threatened felines in the world, teetering on the edge of an uncertain future. Take action for them every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Sunda Clouded #leopards are agile ambush #predators 🐆 of #gibbons, wild #pigs and mouse deer in #Borneo and #Sumatra. #Palmoil deforestation is a huge threat to these #BigCats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🔥💀🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-anN

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Sleek and elegant wild #Cats 🐱🐆 of #Indonesia 🇮🇩 and #Malaysia 🇲🇾 Sunda Clouded #Leopards are #vulnerable due to #PalmOil #Deforestation and #poaching Help them when you 🌴🩸🔥⛔️ #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-anN

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Appearance & Behaviour

Sunda Clouded Leopards are expert climbers, possessing a long, thick tail (equal to their body length) for balance, rotating ankle joints that allow them to descend trees headfirst, and razor-sharp retractable claws for gripping bark. Their bodies are smaller and more compact than mainland clouded leopards, making them highly agile ambush predators.

They are solitary and nocturnal, moving silently through the forest to hunt primates, deer, and birds. Unlike most big cats, they purr rather than roar and rely on their extraordinarily developed senses to detect prey. Though they spend time on the forest floor, they are one of the most arboreal of all felines, capable of jumping several metres between branches.

Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi boycott
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi  threats
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi 

Threats

1. Deforestation for infrastructure, timber and palm oil

  • More than 50% of Borneo’s forests and two-thirds of Sumatra’s forests have been destroyed, mainly for palm oil plantations and logging.
  • Mega infrastructure projects, including the Pan Borneo Highway, Trans-Sumatra Highway, and Indonesia’s new capital (Nusantara), are further severing vital forest corridors.
  • Illegal logging and forest conversion continue to reduce already fragmented populations, leaving them trapped in isolated forest patches.

2. Poaching and the Illegal Wildlife Trade

Highly valued for their skins, bones, and meat, they are frequently trapped in snares. Between 2011 and 2019, at least 30 individuals were seized in the illegal trade, with live animals smuggled internationally. The rise in commercial wildlife markets has put additional pressure on an already declining population.

3. Loss of Prey and Ecosystem Disruptions

Overhunting of deer, wild boar, and primates is drastically reducing their food supply. A 2024 study revealed that mesopredator release—where smaller carnivores like Sunda Leopard Cats increase in number—may be negatively impacting the number of clouded leopards.

4. Human-Wildlife Conflict and Retaliatory Killings

Farmers kill clouded leopards when they prey on livestock. With deforestation pushing them into human settlements, conflict is increasing.

5. Climate Change and Forest Fires

Longer dry seasons and extreme weather due to climate change are making rainforest habitats unstable and food sources scarcer. Fires, caused by land clearing for palm oil plantations, are destroying crucial remaining habitat.

Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi  threats
Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi boycott

Geographic Range

The Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) is found only on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Known locally as rimau-dahan (“tree tiger” in Malay) and entulu in Sarawak, these elusive big cats thrive in dense rainforests, where their exceptional climbing skills and camouflage allow them to hunt undetected. They are particularly dependent on lowland primary forests but have been increasingly pushed into montane and secondary forests due to rampant deforestation.

Key Habitats:

  • Sumatra – Leuser Ecosystem, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park
  • Borneo – Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo), Brunei Darussalam
  • Heart of Borneo Landscape – This transboundary rainforest, spanning Brunei, Malaysian Borneo, and Indonesian Kalimantan, serves as one of the last strongholds for the species.

Diet

Sunda Clouded Leopards are apex rainforest predators, feeding on:

Their hunting strategy involves stealth and ambush, using their powerful jaws and canines to deliver a fatal bite to the neck. As their habitat shrinks, they are increasingly forced into human settlements, where they are often shot in retaliation.

Mating and Reproduction

Little is known about their breeding behaviour, however:

  • They reach sexual maturity at around two years old.
  • Gestation lasts 85–95 days, producing 1–5 cubs (typically 2).
  • Cubs remain hidden in dense vegetation for the first five months.
  • Mothers raise cubs alone, teaching them to hunt before they become independent.
  • Their slow reproductive rate, combined with habitat destruction, makes population recovery extremely difficult.

FAQs

Are Sunda Clouded Leopards dangerous to humans?

No. Sunda Clouded Leopards are extremely elusive and prefer to avoid human contact. They only venture into human areas when forced by habitat loss.

How are they different from mainland Clouded Leopards?

Sunda Clouded Leopards (Neofelis diardi) were originally thought to be the same species as the Indochinese Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), but genetic studies in 2006 confirmed that they are separate species.

• Genetic divergence: The two species diverged between 2 million and 900,000 years ago, likely when rising sea levels isolated Borneo and Sumatra from the mainland.

• Physical differences: Sunda Clouded Leopards have darker fur, smaller cloud markings, and a more robust build, whereas Indochinese Clouded Leopards are lighter in colour with larger, more defined markings.

• Habitat preferences: Sunda Clouded Leopards rarely descend to the forest floor, whereas Indochinese Clouded Leopards hunt both in trees and on the ground.

Why are they called “Tree Tigers”?

The Malay name rimau-dahan means “tree tiger”, as they are among the best tree-climbing predators in the world. This name comes from their incredible climbing skills and their resemblance to big cats like tigers. Their large paws, long tail, and flexible ankles make them exceptional tree climbers, often leaping between branches or ambushing prey from above.

Are Sunda Clouded Leopards extinct anywhere?

They were once found on Java, but are now extinct there.

How many Sunda Clouded Leopards are left?

Estimates suggest there are fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, but deforestation and poaching are causing rapid declines. Exact numbers are hard to determine due to their elusive nature.

Take Action!

Every time you shop, choose 100% palm oil-free products to avoid contributing to deforestation. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

  • Boycott palm oil and products that contribute to rainforest destruction.
  • Support conservation efforts protecting Borneo and Sumatra’s last remaining forests.
  • Advocate for stronger anti-poaching laws and enforcement.

Support Sunda Clouded Leopards by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Cowan, C. (2024, April 29). Borneo and Sumatra megaprojects are carving up clouded leopard forests. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2024/04/borneo-and-sumatra-megaprojects-are-carving-up-clouded-leopard-forests/

Buckley-Beason, V. A., Johnson, W. E., Nash, W. G., Stanyon, R., Menninger, J. C., Driscoll, C. A., Howard, J., Bush, M., Page, J. E., Roelke, M. E., Stone, G., Martelli, P., Wen, C., Ling, L., Duraisingam, R. K., Lam, P. V., & O’Brien, S. J. (2006). Molecular evidence for species-level distinctions in clouded leopards. Current Biology, 16(23), 2371–2376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.08.066

Haidir, I., Macdonald, D. W., & Linkie, M. (2020). Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) densities and human activities in the humid evergreen rainforests of Sumatra. Oryx, 55(2), 189-196. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605319001005

Hearn, A., Ross, J., Brodie, J., Cheyne, S., Haidir, I.A., Loken, B., Mathai, J., Wilting, A. & McCarthy, J. 2015. Neofelis diardi (errata version published in 2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T136603A97212874. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T136603A50664601.en. Accessed on 26 February 2025.

Kaszta, Z., Cushman, S. A., Hearn, A. J., Burnham, D., Macdonald, E. A., Goossens, B., Nathan, S., & Macdonald, D. W. (2019). Integrating Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) conservation into development and restoration planning in Sabah, Borneo. Biological Conservation, 235(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.04.001

Mayhew, D. S., Hearn, A. J., Devineau, O., Linnell, J. D. C., & Macdonald, D. W. (2024). Loss of Sunda clouded leopards and forest integrity drive potential impacts of mesopredator release on vulnerable avifauna. Heliyon, 10(12), e32801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32801

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sunda Clouded Leopard. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_clouded_leopard

Wong, W.-M. (2021, September 17). Species Spotlight: Sunda Clouded Leopard, the Ethereal and Declining ‘Tree Tiger’. The Revelator. https://therevelator.org/species-spotlight-sunda-clouded-leopard/

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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Five New Hedgehog Species Found in Southeast Asia

A recent study has identified five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs (also known as Lesser Gymnures) from #SoutheastAsia. The study used DNA analysis and physical characteristics to describe two entirely new species of soft-furred hedgehogs and to elevate three subspecies to the level of species.

These tiny tree-dwelling creatures are soft and furry with a mouse-like appearance, yet they are not rodents – they are hedgehogs. Help them to survive the destruction of their natural home for #palmoil – make sure you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!

#News: Five new species of soft-furred #hedgehogs AKA lesser Gymnures discovered deep within the Leuser Ecosystem in #Indonesia and also southern #Vietnam. Help them to survive when you shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #biodiversity @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7dg

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Research paper: Arlo Hinckley et al. An integrative taxonomic revision of lesser gymnures (Eulipotyphla: Hylomys) reveals five new species and emerging patterns of local endemism in Tropical East Asia. , 2023 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad177. Media release: “Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs from Southeast Asia.” published in ScienceDaily, 21 December 2023. 

The two new species, named Hylomys vorax and H. macarong, are endemic to the endangered Leuser ecosystem, a tropical rainforest in North Sumatra and Southern Vietnam, respectively. The museum specimens that were vital to describing these two new species came from the natural history collections of the Smithsonian and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia where they had remained in drawers for 84 and 62 years, respectively, prior to identification.

Soft-furred hedgehogs or gymnures are small mammals that are members of the hedgehog family, but as their common name suggests they are furry rather than spiny.

Like spiny hedgehogs, they are not rodents and they have a pointy snout. Without the spines of their more well-known cousins, soft-furred hedgehogs superficially look a bit like a mixture of a mouse and a shrew with a short tail, said Arlo Hinckley, the study’s lead author and a Margarita Salas Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Museum of Natural History and University of Seville. The five new species belong to a group of soft-furred hedgehogs called lesser gymnures (Hylomys) that live in Southeast Asia and previously was only recognized to have been represented by two known species.

Short-tailed gymnure by Alan Y

“We were only able to identify these new hedgehogs thanks to museum staff that curated these specimens across countless decades and their original field collectors,” Hinckley said. “By applying modern genomic techniques like we did many years after these hedgehogs were first collected, the next generation will be able to identify even more new species.”

Hinckley said these small mammals are active during the day and night and are omnivorous, likely eating a diversity of insects and other invertebrates as well as some fruits as opportunities present themselves.

“Based on the lifestyles of their close relatives and field observations, these hedgehogs likely nest in hollows and take cover while foraging among tree roots, fallen logs, rocks, grassy areas, undergrowth and leaf litter,” Hinckley said. “But, because they’re so understudied, we are limited to speculate about the details of their natural history.”

Hinckley first became intrigued with the gymnure group Hylomys in 2016 during his doctoral studies, especially after he sampled them in Borneo with co-author Miguel Camacho Sánchez. Preliminary genetic data and studies of several known populations of Hylomys in Southeast Asia suggested to them there might be more species in the group than were currently recognized. This sent Hinckley combing through natural history collections searching for specimens assigned to the group, many of which were only preserved skins and skulls.

When he began his research at the Smithsonian in 2022, Hinckley leveraged the National Museum of Natural History’s collections to fill in geographic gaps in the specimens he had already studied with the help of Melissa Hawkins, the museum’s curator of mammals.

Hylomys dorsalis, seen in the wild on Mount Murud, in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Image: Quentin Martinez
Habitat of Hylomys dorsalis, Mount Trus Madi, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. Image: Daniel Hinckley
Hylomys dorsalis, seen in the wild on Mount Murud, in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Image: Quentin Martinez

In the end, Hinckley, Hawkins and their collaborators assembled 232 physical specimens and 85 tissue samples for genetic analysis from across the entire Hylomys group from a combination of Hinckley and Hawkins’ own field collecting, as well as modern and historical museum specimens from no less than 14 natural history collections across Asia, Europe and the U.S.

Then Hinckley and his co-authors set about the lengthy process of conducting genetic analysis on the 85 tissue samples in Doñana Biological Station’s ancient DNA laboratory and the museum’s Laboratories of Analytical Biology. They also made rigorous physical observations and collected measurements to examine differences in the size and shape of skulls, teeth and fur on the 232 specimens.

The genetic results identified seven distinct genetic lineages in Hylomys, suggesting the number of recognized species in the group was about to increase by five, later confirmed by the team’s physical observations of the specimens.

“It might be surprising for people to hear that there are still undiscovered mammals out there,” Hawkins said. “But there is a lot we don’t know—especially the smaller nocturnal animals that can be difficult to tell apart from one another.”

H. macarong, which has dark brown fur and measures about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) in length, was named after a Vietnamese word for vampire (Ma cà rồng) because males of the species possess long, fang-like incisors. Hinckley said more field study would be required to figure out what purpose the fangs might serve, but that their larger size in males suggests they could have some role in sexual selection. Males also have rust-colored chest markings that Hawkins said could have been stained by scent glands.

H. vorax also has dark brown fur but is slightly smaller than H. macarong at 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) long; it has a completely black tail, a very narrow snout and is found only on the slopes of Mount Leuser in Northern Sumatra. Hinckley and Hawkins gave the species the Latin name H. vorax after a striking description of their behavior from mammologist Frederick Ulmer, who collected the specimens that led to the species description on an expedition to Sumatra in 1939. Ulmer described the creature in his field notes, incorrectly identifying it as a type of shrew: “They were voracious beasts often devouring the whole bait before springing the trap. Ham rind, coconut, meat, and walnuts were eaten. One shrew partially devoured the chicken head bait of a steel trap before getting caught in a nearby Schuyler trap baited with ham rind.”

The other three new species were all formerly considered to be subspecies of Hylomys suillus, but all showed sufficient genetic and physical divergence to merit the upgrade to species in their own right. They are named H. dorsalis, H. maxi and H. peguensis.

H. dorsalis hails from the mountains of Northern Borneo and features a conspicuous dark stripe that begins atop their heads and bisects their back before fading around mid-body. It is about the same size as H. macarong. H. maxi is also on the larger end of the new species of soft-furred hedgehogs at 14 centimeters (5.5 inches).

The species is found in mountainous regions on the Malay Peninsula and in Sumatra. H. peguensis is smaller, measuring 13 centimeters (5.1 inches), and is found in numerous countries in mainland Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Their fur is a bit more yellow colored than that of the other new species, Hawkins said.

Describing new species expands humanity’s scientific understanding of the natural world can be a tool for boosting conservation in threatened habitats such as Northern Sumatra’s Leuser ecosystem.

“This kind of study can help governments and organizations make hard choices about where to prioritize conservation funding to maximize biodiversity,” Hinckley said.

Research paper: Arlo Hinckley et al. An integrative taxonomic revision of lesser gymnures (Eulipotyphla: Hylomys) reveals five new species and emerging patterns of local endemism in Tropical East Asia. , 2023 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad177. Media release: “Five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs from Southeast Asia.” published in ScienceDaily, 21 December 2023. 

ENDS

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Violence for Palm Oil Against Peasant Communities in Honduras Meets Resistance

In the Aguán Valley of northern Honduras, peasant communities reclaiming ancestral lands face increasing violence and intimidation from armed groups linked to organised crime. The Dinant Corporation, a prominent palm oil producer, is accused of land theft and involvement in the murders of local activists. International organisations have condemned these human rights abuses, with a coalition of 33 organisations calling for a boycott of Dinant and for multinational companies: Pepsi, ADM, Cargill and Nestle to immediately cease business with Dinant. Despite governmental promises to address the conflict, concrete actions remain absent. You can resist for them in solidarity by boycotting their products in the supermarket! #BoycottPalmOil #LandRights #IndigenousRights #HumanRights

#News: Peasant Communities in #Honduras 🇭🇳 face violent #landgrabbing from armed groups claiming their ancestral lands for #palmoil co. #Dinant. 33 #HumanRights orgs call for an end to violence! #LandRights #IndigenousRights #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🔥⛔ https://wp.me/pcFhgU-an1

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In the Aguán Valley, northern Honduras, peasant communities striving to reclaim ancestral lands from the palm oil industry are encountering severe threats from heavily armed groups associated with organised crime. Recent incidents include the assassinations of peasant leaders José Luis Hernández Lobo and Suyapa Guillén in February 2025, and activist Arnulfo Díaz in January 2025. On December 24, 2024, the Los Camarones cooperative suffered a violent eviction by armed factions, displacing over 160 families who now endure precarious conditions without access to land or resources.

landgrabbing-for-palm-oil-human-rights-grain-and-wrm-

Dinant Faces Allegations of Murder, Violence and Threats Against Peasant Farmers

The Dinant Corporation, a major palm oil producer, claims ownership of lands that peasants assert as their ancestral territory. For over a decade, Dinant has faced allegations of engaging in violence, including murders and threats against peasant leaders and human rights defenders. International bodies, such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, have denounced these abuses. In February 2022, Honduran President Xiomara Castro pledged to investigate and resolve the conflict through a tripartite commission; however, tangible actions have yet to materialise.

Environmental and Economic Implications

The expansion of palm oil monoculture in Honduras, now covering approximately 200,000 hectares—over 18% of the nation’s arable land—has led to significant deforestation, ecosystem destruction, and soil degradation. This growth often involves collaboration between corporations and paramilitary groups, exacerbating the displacement and persecution of peasant communities.

International Coalition of 33 Orgs Call for Boycott of Dinant

A coalition of 33 environmental and human rights organisations has called on multinational corporations, including ADM, Cargill, Pepsico, and Nestlé, to cease business relations with Dinant. These organisations accuse Dinant of employing paramilitary and military forces to forcibly remove peasants resisting plantation expansion, using tactics ranging from physical violence to the destruction of livelihoods. In response to mounting pressure, companies such as BASF and Bunge have suspended commercial ties with Dinant, while Nestlé has announced plans to eliminate the supplier from its supply chains.

Call for Immediate Action

The ongoing violence and displacement of peasant communities in Honduras necessitate urgent intervention from both national authorities and the international community. Protecting the rights and lives of these communities is imperative, alongside promoting land use practices that fully respect indigenous territories and environmental integrity.

Latchford, R. (2025, February 20). Peasant communities under attack in Honduras. Freedom News. Retrieved February 25, 2025, from https://freedomnews.org.uk/2025/02/20/peasant-communities-under-attack-in-honduras/

ENDS

Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry

Palm Oil Free Christmas

Enjoy the festive season and be reassured that your #Christmas feast is not contributing to #palmoil related rainforest destruction, #humanrights abuses, #extinction and #slavery. Take the fight for animal rights and indigenous rights…

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus

Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus

Critically endangered

Extant (resident)

Argentina; Brazil; Paraguay; Uruguay

The Glaucous #Macaw stands out not only for their vibrant coloration but also for their vocalisations, which led to its Guaraní name “guaa-obi.” As part of a larger group of neotropical macaws, they are closely related to the Lear’s macaw (A. leari) and the hyacinth macaw (A. hyacinthinus). Although often confused with similar species, the Glaucous Macaw is a unique denizen of South America’s gallery forests and palm savannahs.

Use your wallet as a weapon and help the Glaucous Macaw and other rare #birds. They face many threats to their survival including forest destruction for meat, palm oil, soy and gold. Join the movement to #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold and #Boycott4Wildlife. Together we can empower people we know to make conscious supermarket decisions for wildlife survival.

Their regal blue feathers have led the Glaucous #Macaw to being targeted by those in the illegal #pet trade and their home is being razed for #palmoil, #gold and #meat Help them to survive! #Boycottpalmoil #BoycottGold and be #vegan @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7R7

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The alluring deep blue Glaucous #Macaw 🦜 has an immeasurably tragic tale to tell 😭🙁 Critically endangered in #SouthAmerica, fight for their survival, when you shop make sure you #Boycottpalmoil #BoycottGold 🚫🔥#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7R7

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Appearance & Behaviour

The Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus are known for their pale turquoise-blue plumage and distinctive grey head, is a critically endangered bird native to South America. With a length of 70 cm (28 in), this striking macaw features a long tail, yellow eye ring, and half-moon lappets around its large mandible. Despite their formidable size and stunning appearance, the bird is rarely seen in the wild today due to habitat loss and poaching.

Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus

Threats

The Glaucous Macaw faces have faced significant human-related threats that have driven them to the brink of extinction. This is an immeasurable tragedy.

  • Habitat Loss: Widespread logging, gold mining and palm oil agriculture led to the destruction of crucial yatay palm groves.
  • Poaching: The bird was heavily targeted for the illegal pet trade due to their striking appearance.
  • Deforestation: Conversion of forests for palm oil and cultivation along with gold mining and cattle ranching has destroyed many suitable habitats for the Glaucous Macaw.
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus
Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus threats

Habitat

The Glaucous Macaw was historically found across Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil, favoring river basins with yatay palms or open forests. They relied on these palm groves for nesting and feeding. Their disappearance from these areas due to logging, agriculture, and hunting is a poignant reminder of the importance of habitat conservation. We cannot let them disappear!

Diet

Primarily feeding on the yatay palm nuts, the Glaucous Macaw supplemented their diet with other fruits and seeds. The loss of these critical palms directly impacted the bird’s survival and forced the remaining macaws to seek alternative, often insufficient, food sources.

Mating and breeding

Little is known about the breeding behaviour of this species due to their rarity. It is thought they nested on rocky cliffs in colonies, likely laying eggs in secure nests. Their colonial nature made them especially vulnerable to hunters.

Support Glaucous Macaw by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Animalia. (n.d.). Glaucous Macaw. Retrieved from https://animalia.bio/glaucous-macaw

BirdLife International. (n.d.). Glaucous Macaw Conservation. Birds of the World

BirdLife International. 2019. Anodorhynchus glaucus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T22685527A154380861. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22685527A154380861.en. Accessed on 09 May 2024.

Glaucous Macaw Anodorhynchus glaucus threats
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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

African Savannah Elephants Use ‘Names’ to Communicate

New research reveals that African savannah #elephants use unique, ‘names’ to call one another, showcasing their incredible intelligence and deep social bonds. Unlike other animals, these majestic creatures communicate with non-imitative calls, highlighting their advanced cognitive abilities. This discovery opens new doors to understanding the evolution of language and cognition in animals. Dive into the fascinating world of elephant communication! 🐘🌍✨ They face many threats to their survival, help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

🐘✨ Elephants know each other by name! Exciting new #research reveals African savannah #elephants use unique name-like calls to communicate, showcasing their incredible intelligence, deep social bonds. @palmoildetect #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌍💚 https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

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🐘🔍 Groundbreaking #research #study shows #elephants don’t just trumpet—they call each other by name! These majestic creatures have complex social lives and advanced #cognition. Help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🐾🌿https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

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In a groundbreaking 2024 study, researchers have discovered that African savannah elephants Loxodonta africana communicate with each other using unique name-like calls, similar to how humans use personal names. This discovery, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, places elephants among a rare group of animals known to use individual-specific vocalisations.

The Study and Its Findings

A team of international researchers employed artificial intelligence to analyse 469 rumbles—deep, low-frequency sounds—made by two herds of wild elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Reserve between 1986 and 2022. The AI model successfully identified the intended recipient of these calls 27.5% of the time, a rate significantly higher than random chance. This finding suggests that the elephants’ calls contain individual-specific information akin to names.

The study also involved playback experiments where recordings of these rumbles were played to the elephants. The subjects responded more rapidly and vocally to calls originally addressed to them compared to those directed at other elephants. This indicates that elephants can recognise and respond to their own ‘names’ even when the call is out of context.

Research: African Savannah Elephants Use 'Names' to Call One Another
Research: African Savannah Elephants Use ‘Names’ to Call One Another

Implications for Animal Communication and Cognition

Unlike dolphins and parrots, who call to each other by mimicking their sounds, elephants use unique, non-imitative calls. This discovery is significant as it suggests that elephants have a capacity for abstract thought and complex social cognition. The ability to use arbitrary sounds to label individuals is a trait shared with humans, highlighting the advanced cognitive abilities of elephants. In a fascinating example of interspecies communication (unrelated to the study) an orphaned baby elephant named Tsavo responds to his keeper calling his name at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.

Tsavo the baby elephant responds to his keeper calling his name. Image Credit: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Tsavo the baby elephant responds to his keeper calling his name. Image Credit: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

The findings also underscore the importance of social bonds among elephants. The need to call each other by name implies a sophisticated social structure and communication system. Understanding these communication patterns gives deeper insights into the evolution of language and cognition in both humans and animals.

Further Reading

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

The Great Malaysian Timber and Palm Oil Swindle

A joint investigation by Malaysiakini and Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) reveals alarming deforestation in Pahang, #Malaysia, caused by one of the country’s largest #palmoil plantations. The plantation threatens endangered species like #tigers and pollutes local water supplies. It has been described as “the worst-managed oil palm plantation in Malaysia.” Palm oil yields are low, while the #deforestation is chaotic, leaving the land barren and overrun with #elephants. The report highlights links between developers and political or royal ownership and rampant corruption and strongly pushes for more transparency, improved government oversight and regulatory enforcement. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

#News: 🌴🇲🇾 Malaysiakini and Pulitzer investigation in #Malaysia: #Pahang’s badly managed #palmoil threatens endangered #tigers #elephants, disrupts villages. Rife with #corruption at highest level. #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9GZ

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GIJN. (2024, December 20). Timber grab: The truth behind Pahang oil palm plantation. Global Investigative Journalism Network. Retrieved from https://gijn.org/stories/2024-editors-picks-investigative-stories-southeast-asia

An investigation by Malaysiakini, in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network, has exposed the dire environmental and social impacts of one of Malaysia’s largest oil palm plantations in Pahang. Located near an environmentally protected area, the plantation’s operations have resulted in chaotic deforestation, disrupted water supplies, and threats to endangered wildlife, including tigers.

The plantation, described by an environmental consultant as “the worst-managed oil palm plantation in Malaysia,” has low palm oil yields and barren landscapes overrun with elephants. Developers often cite “wildlife conflict” to justify failures, shifting focus to logging valuable timber instead of sustainable plantation development.

Malaysiakini’s investigation also shed light on troubling links between plantation developers and political or royal interests, with 95% of the land developed by such entities. In December, the investigative team revealed that prominent banks provided large loans to plantation developers despite repeated project failures, questioning the banks’ credibility and oversight practices.

The investigation calls on the Malaysian government to tighten plantation approval processes and enforce environmental protections to prevent further harm to biodiversity and local communities.

For detailed insights, read the full Malaysiakini report via GIJN.

GIJN. (2024, December 20). Timber grab: The truth behind Pahang oil palm plantation. Global Investigative Journalism Network. Retrieved from https://gijn.org/stories/2024-editors-picks-investigative-stories-southeast-asia

ENDS

Read more about human rights abuses and child slavery in the palm oil industry

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi

Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi

Critically Endangered

Extant (resident)

West Papua

Attenborough’s long-beaked #echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi), known locally as “Payangko,” is one of the most evolutionarily distinct mammals and is native to the Cyclops Mountains in Indonesian occupied #WestPapua. This critically endangered monotreme is distinguished by its unique feeding technique and smaller size compared to other long-beaked echidnas. Despite not being recorded by scientists since 1961, a recent expedition led to its rediscovery in 2023, offering renewed hope for the species. Facing threats from #hunting and habitat degradation, we must protect this elusive creature by supporting sustainable practices and community-led conservation. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Living in #WestPapua, the Attenborough’s Long-Beaked #Echidna was thought extinct until rediscovery in 2023. They’re now on the knife-edge of survival from #palmoil #mining #deforestation. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7Qj

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Part of an ancient group of egg-laying monotreme #mammals, Attenborough Long-Beaked #Echidnas of #WestPapua are critically endangered. Fight for their survival when you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7Qj

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Appearance & Behaviour

As the smallest member of the genus Zaglossus, the Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna is comparable in size to the short-beaked echidna. Males have spurs on their hind legs, and both sexes sport a long, narrow beak. They are solitary, coming together only once a year to mate. When threatened, they curl into a spiny ball, resembling a hedgehog.

  • Monotreme Lineage: One of the few egg-laying mammals, with ancestors dating back 46 million years.
  • Rediscovered Species: After not being recorded for over six decades, this critically endangered species was spotted through trail camera footage in 2023.
  • Nose Pokes: Their distinctive feeding behavior leaves behind “nose pokes” in the soil, revealing where they dig for earthworms and termites.
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi

Threats

Long thought extinct for decades, a chance discovery of them on camera traps revealed they have survived. Yet they are critically endangered due to serious ongoing threats:

  • Hunting with Dogs: Local hunting practices using trained dogs to detect their burrows pose a significant threat.
  • Habitat Destruction: Logging for timber, palm oil agriculture, and forest conversion for gold mining make these echidnas put these animals at risk.
  • Hunting: Forest clearance puts them at risk for predation and hunting.

You can help them to survive when you consciously avoid and boycott products with palm oil in them and support local efforts to protect them. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi

Habitat

This species is found exclusively in the tropical montane forests of the Cyclops Mountains in Papua, Indonesia. Their range includes lowland to montane elevations.

Diet

Their diet consists primarily of earthworms, termites, insect larvae, and ants. They use their long beaks to sniff out prey and then dig with their powerful claws, leaving behind the characteristic “nose poke” marks.

Mating and breeding

Attenborough’s long-beaked echidnas come together only once a year for mating. The female lays an egg, and the offspring remain in the mother’s pouch for around eight weeks until their spines develop. They have a long weaning period of approximately seven months.

Support Attenborough’s Long-Beaked Echidna by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Aplin, K., Salas, L. & Dickman, C. 2016. Zaglossus attenboroughi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136322A21964353. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136322A21964353.en. Accessed on 09 May 2024.

Re:wild. (2023). Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna rediscovered. https://rewild.org/news/attenboroughs-long-beaked-echidna-rediscovered

Reuters. (2023, November 10). Species of mammal named after David Attenborough believed extinct rediscovered. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/10/attenborough-long-beaked-echidna-seen-first-time-cyclops-mountain-photos-footage

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenborough%27s_long-beaked_echidna

Attenborough's Long-Beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi
Contribute to palm oil detectives - black rhino in profile

How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Deforestation and Extinction
WHO Bulletin on Palm Oil: Air Pollution and Health

The origins of animal words in SE Asia and what this reveals to us about our connection to them

South East Asia is home to many fascinating creatures and rich biodiversity. The secrets of animal origins and ancient legends are revealed in their names: #Orangutan, #Gibbon, #Binturong and #Siamang in South East Asian languages. Help these animals to survive and #Boycottpalmoil

SE #Asia has many fascinating creatures and the secrets of their origins and ancient legends are revealed in their names: #Orangutan, #Gibbon, #Binturong and #Siamang 🦧🧡🐒🤎 in South East Asian languages #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-3KW

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Forest creatures include some of humanity’s closest biological relatives. Due to human threats, they are also some of the most endangered animals on our planet.

Southeast Asia hosts many unique forest species, and many of our English words for forest creatures have their origins in Southeast Asian languages. What sound to English speakers like exotic loanwords are meaningful in their original languages.

By exploring the Southeast Asian etymologies of these names, we can understand how humans have maintained relationships of respect and affinity with forest creatures over the centuries. And, as these ecosystems are under grave threat, it is important to recognise a different way of relating to our most endangered relatives is possible.

Shutterstock

Here, then, are the names of four of my favourite Southeast Asian forest species, and what we know about the origins of their names.

Orangutan

Orangutans belong to the great ape family, our closest biological relatives. This familial link is reflected in the word orangutan itself, which Malay speakers today can still recognise as deriving from the phrase orang hutan, which means “forest person”.

My recent research shows this term goes back over a thousand years, contrary to the conventional belief it was coined by European visitors to Indonesia in the 17th century.

Orangutans are one of our closest relatives, as reflected in the Malay word orang hutan, or ‘forest person’

Photos by Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

Craig Jones Wildlife Photography - Sumatran Orangutan baby
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography - Sumatran Orangutan
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography - Sumatran Orangutan mother and baby
Sumatran orangutan close up. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Sumatran orangutan close up. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Sumatran orangutan close up. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

Surprisingly, the oldest surviving texts to use the word orangutan do not come from Sumatra or Borneo, where orangutans live today, but from the neighbouring island of Java. One of the oldest texts to mention orangutans is the 9th-century poem Rāmāyaṇa. Written in the Old Javanese language, the poem describes “the orangutans, all bearded, climbing up”.

The word orangutan came into Old Javanese from another archaic language related to modern Malay. These early appearances show the word was circulating among the archipelago’s languages well over a thousand years ago.

This origin as the phrase “forest person” shows for many centuries Southeast Asians have viewed orangutans as human-like creatures residing in the forest.

Gibbon

Gibbons are a type of ape ideally suited to swinging through the trees of Southeast Asia’s forests. The word gibbon entered European languages through French in the 18th century.

The French adopted it from the Malay word, kebon. But recent research shows this Malay word originally came from a group of languages called Northern Aslian, spoken by indigenous communities in peninsular Malaysia. In Northern Aslian, it was probably pronounced kebong.

Called gibbons in English, many Southeast Asian languages call these creatures wak-wak

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus leucogenys
Northern White-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus leucogenys
Silvery Gibbon Hylobates moloch
Northern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus annamensis
Northern Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus annamensis
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus
Lar Gibbon Hylobates lar
Lar Gibbon Hylobates lar
Red-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus gabriellae
Red-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus gabriellae
Red-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus gabriellae
Red-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus gabriellae
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus
Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus

Gibbon is a relatively rare term in Southeast Asia itself. It even fell out of use in Malay after the 18th century. More common in the region’s languages is the word wak-wak. Like orangutan, this word appears in the Old Javanese language as early as the 9th century and seems to derive from the crow-like sound gibbons make.

Through my research, I suggest the word wak-wak may have inspired the Middle Eastern legend of the Wakwak Tree: a fantastical tree from a far eastern land whose fruits produced human heads and bodies which cried out “wak wak”. Folk memories of the gibbon’s piercing cry may have been transmitted across the Indian Ocean many centuries before the animal was identified by European science.

Binturong

Binturongs, also known in English as bearcats, are long and heavy tree-dwellers with large tails which they use to communicate. The word binturong first appeared in English in the 19th century as a borrowing from Malay.

Binturong also appears in a wide variety of languages from Sumatra and Borneo. This shows the word was coined early in the history of the region: probably several millennia ago, before these languages began to diverge.

The binturong does not leap from tree to tree, instead it makes its way along the ground. Shutterstock
The binturong does not leap from tree to tree, instead it makes its way along the ground. Shutterstock
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong

The earliest form of this word we know about was maturun, which probably meant “the one who descends”. It was inherited by many languages of Borneo and Sumatra, undergoing a series of regular sound changes. This is how the Malay form benturong evolved, which was later adopted by English.

Unlike many other tree creatures, binturongs do not nimbly leap among the branches. Rather, they tend to descend one tree and walk along the ground to another tree. The aptness of the name maturun shows us these early Southeast Asian communities were close observers of animal behaviour.

Siamang

The endangered siamangs are the largest type of gibbon. They have distinctive black coats and communicate with a complex system of booming calls.

Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus
Siamangs communicate with complex booming calls. Shutterstock
Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus
Siamang Symphalangus syndactylus
Siamang
Siamang

The ultimate origin of the word is probably the word ʔamang (where the ʔ represents a glottal stop), found in several indigenous languages of the Central Aslian group.

When speakers of Malay borrowed the word ʔamang, they added the personal article si. Similar to an honorific like “mister”, si generally applies only to humans, or to animals, spirits or objects that are personified. Malay speakers later interpreted the word amang as “black”, giving rise to a folk etymology of si amang as meaning something like “Mr Sooty”.

The Malay expression was eventually treated as the single word siamang. For the Malays, the charisma exuded by siamangs entitled them to the status of personhood — another recognition of the affinity between humans and our forest ape relatives.

Wayan Jarrah Sastrawan, Research associate, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Deadly Harvest: How Demand for Palm Oil Fuels Corruption in Honduras

Latin America is the fastest-growing producer of palm oil, but at what price for the environment and its defenders? Park rangers in Honduras tell harrowing tales of daily threats to their lives and real dangers they face in the long-term fight for protect Honduran rainforests, indigenous peoples and animals from annihilation #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife


🌿 #LatinAmerica’s #Honduras is rapidly increasing #palmoil production – at HUGE cost. Rangers face daily death threats 💀 while defending #rainforests 🌳 #indigenous peoples and #wildlife. 💔 Fight back! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8YV

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💀 Park rangers in #Honduras 🇭🇳 #SouthAmerica risk their lives every day to protect animals 🐒 #indigenous peoples and #rainforests from #palmoil plantations. Their fight is real. Resist when u shop! 💪 #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8YV

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Words and photography by Fritz Pinnow in Tela, Honduras. Originally published in The Guardian, 27 November, 2023 and republished via the Guardian’s open license agreement, read original article.

Park ranger Adonias Cruz was out monitoring illegal oil palm crops in Blanca Jeannette Kawas national park, on the north coast of Honduras, on 10 September, when an unknown armed man came to his flat and rang the bell. When the stranger realised Cruz was out, he left him a death threat.

Oil palm fields growing at the edges of the national park in Honduras. Photography: Fritz Pinnow.
Oil palm fields growing at the edges of the national park in Honduras. Photography: Fritz Pinnow.

“I had already received death threats from people in the community for leading a team to eradicate a new oil palm plantation in the central zone of the park,” says Cruz. “It was frightening to know they were in my flat and that everything could have ended differently if I had been home that day.”

Cruz, 28, is one of four park rangers dedicated to protecting national parks and monitoring illegal oil palm crops in Honduras. It is a high-risk job: groups linked to the exploitation of palm oil in environmental reserves and drug trafficking have made it clear they are ready to kill if they think the agents interfere too much in their business.

“Most people see us as their enemy. We can have friendly conversations with everyone here, but you never know who will be behind the next assassination attempt,” says Cruz.

Park ranger Adonias Cruz and colleagues patrol a mangrove lagoon in Blanca Jeannette Kawas national park looking for signs of illegal oil palm. Photo: Fritz Pinnow.
Park ranger Adonias Cruz and colleagues patrol a mangrove lagoon in Blanca Jeannette Kawas national park looking for signs of illegal oil palm. Photo: Fritz Pinnow.

Fellow park ranger Cesar Ortega, 22, adds that the team’s work is monitored by the criminals. “From when we leave the office, they know exactly where we are and where we are heading. They have people at every intersection calling in our position and asking if we are with soldiers,” he says.

Cruz and Ortega are two of the many rangers who have been threatened while fighting against the rapid spread of oil palm plantations. Palm oil, especially from the oil palm’s fruit, has become an essential export business in Honduras, used in the food industry, in beauty products and as a biofuel. Its low production costs make it a cheap substitute for most oils, such as sunflower and olive, significantly lowering manufacturing costs in global markets.

Palm oil accounts for about 40% of global demand for vegetable oil as food, animal feed and fuel – about 210m tonnes. Between 1995 and 2015, annual production quadrupled, from 15.2m tonnes to 62.6m tonnes, and it is expected to quadruple once more in 2050. Latin America, the fastest-growing producer, accounts for almost 7% of global palm oil production.

Park ranger Cesar Ortega points out newly planted oil palm: “When the oil palm is still so young, it is critical to remove it
Park ranger Cesar Ortega points out newly planted oil palm: “When the oil palm is still so young, it is critical to remove it

In Honduras, oil palm gained traction as a crop in 2014, when the former president Juan Orlando Hernández invested almost $72m (£57m) in loans and grants to incentivise its cultivation. “All one needed was the willingness to plant oil palm, and the rest was served on a plate,” says Pablo Flores Velásquez, professor of environmental investigations at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH).

For the traffickers, oil palm crops are a way of legitimising their presence in the territory and securing physical control over the land.

Frances Thomson, Latin America specialist

The problem is that the extensive cultivation of oil palm has not only proved to be lucrative, but also poses a risk to the environment. “The oil palm presents a serious threat to the biodiversity of the wetlands and the water quality communities depend on,” says Velásquez. “As a monoculture, the installation and establishment of the crop necessitates the complete eradication of the biodiverse area, paralysing the ecosystem completely and permanently.”

In Honduras, these crops – whose harmful effects on the soil can create “green deserts” – account for almost 4% of all exports, mostly going to the Netherlands, the US, Italy and Switzerland, with a value of $334m in 2021. Six large companies control the production, and two claim more than half of all exports.

Nevertheless, 60% of the production in Honduras is in the hands of smallholders, who sell to corporations for refinement and export. Palm oil is highly lucrative for the farmers and provides an income every 15 days. The regional price of palm oil fruit varies greatly, from about 2,400 lempiras (£77) a tonne during low season to double that in summer.

Cesar Ortega looks at an area deforested for oil palm plantations. “They have stopped because of flooding, but as soon as they can access this area again this will all become palma,” he says
Cesar Ortega looks at an area deforested for oil palm plantations. “They have stopped because of flooding, but as soon as they can access this area again this will all become palma,” he says

Read the remaining article on The Guardian’s website.

Words and photography by Fritz Pinnow in Tela, Honduras. Originally published in The Guardian, 27 November, 2023 and republished under Guardian’s open license agreement, read original article.

ENDS

Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

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1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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MSC and RSPO Absolutely Untrustworthy, Greenpeace Report

A landmark Greenpeace report reveals that more than 25% of food labels fail to meet trustworthy sustainability standards. Clear and severe failures in ecolabel effectiveness were awarded to Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (#RSPO) which certifies palm oil as “sustainable” and Marine Stewardship Council which certifies seafood as “sustainable”. Consumers are increasingly sceptical, with 62% expressing concerns that these labels are a form of #greenwashing. Greenpeace is calling for stricter regulations and transparency in the use of terms like “sustainable” or “climate-friendly” to prevent misleading environmental claims. #Greenwashing #ConsumerRights #Transparency. If you want to resist and fight against greenwashing, adopt a #vegan lifestyle and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket.

Read Greenpeace report in German

@Greenpeace report finds #seafood certified by #MSC 🐠 and #palmoil certified by #RSPO is “absolutely untrustworthy” in 2025. Resist the #ecocide and #greed. Adopt a #Vegan lifestyle and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-am5

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Greenwashing Exposed: MSC and RSPO mislead consumers on seafood and palm oil

Environmental organisation Greenpeace Austria has analysed 42 of the most widely used food labels and found that over 25% of them are unreliable. The findings highlight growing consumer concerns over greenwashing in the food industry.

Consumers Losing Trust

A representative survey by the research institute Integral found:

  • Importance of Food Labels: 64% of respondents consider food labels important when shopping.
  • Greenwashing Concerns: 62% worry that food labels are misleading and serve as greenwashing tools.
  • Impact on Purchasing Behaviour: 40% of those who distrust food labels now pay less attention to them when making shopping decisions.

Criticism of Specific Labels

Greenpeace has singled out certain labels, such as the MSC certification for fish and the RSPO label for palm oil, as potentially harmful to environmental goals. Meanwhile, some labels remain credible, including Demeter, “Prüf nach!” and Bio Austria.

Call for Stricter Regulations

Greenpeace is demanding that terms like “sustainable” or “climate-friendly” only be used when backed by scientific evidence and transparent certification standards. The upcoming EU Green Claims Directive aims to prevent companies from making false or exaggerated environmental claims without scientific proof.

Time for Real Change

Consumers are calling for honest and transparent labelling, while environmental advocates warn that without stricter regulations, greenwashing will continue to deceive shoppers.

Read the full English article on Kronen Zeitung and the report (in German) on the Greenpeace website.

Greenpeace’s Guide to Quality Labels for Food

The report itself is in German and can be read here. The RSPO and MSC sections have been machine translated below for your convenience. Greenpeace considers both MSC and RSPO ecolabels to be “absolutely untrustworthy” for consumers in 2025.

Animal agriculture and meat, The contents of your fridge and dining table directly impacts the future of rare rainforest and ocean animals. That's because industrial agriculture and aquaculture for commodities like meat, dairy, fish and palm oil is driving animals in the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet closer towards extinction.
Deforestation in the Amazon is often caused by palm oil, gold mining and meat deforestation.

Which quality labels and organic brands can I trust?

Austria has a jungle of quality seals, certification labels, and brand or quality marks. Hundreds of them appear on products when shopping in supermarkets. But which ones are truly trustworthy?

Greenpeace has examined the quality labels in the food sector. The alarming result: more than a quarter of the 42 certification labels are not or only moderately trustworthy. Some are even detrimental to achieving environmental goals – such as the MSC fish label or the RSPO palm oil label.

Quality Seals, Certification Labels, and Organic Brands

The analysis of quality labels and brands, particularly those relevant to climate and the environment, focused on four key areas:

  • Standards and scope of requirements
  • Labelling and distinguishability
  • Traceability, transparency, and control
  • Trustworthiness and credibility

Based on these criteria, the labels were categorised into:

  • Highly trustworthy and particularly environmentally friendly
  • Trustworthy and environmentally friendly
  • Conditionally trustworthy with moderate environmental benefits
  • Barely trustworthy with little or no environmental benefits
  • Absolutely untrustworthy and contributing to environmental destruction

Labels and Certifications for Other Areas

For certification labels that do not primarily focus on environmental standards but instead prioritise animal welfare, social standards, or other aspects, a broader classification was used. This evaluation focused on:

  • Environmentally relevant standards and the scope of requirements
  • Transparency and control mechanisms
  • Trustworthiness and credibility

The categories for these labels were:

  • Trustworthy and environmentally friendly
  • Moderately trustworthy with limited environmental benefits
  • Not trustworthy, contributing to environmental destruction

REPORT : https://greenpeace.at/uploads/2025/02/greenpeace-guetezeichen-guide-lebensmittel-2025.pdf

RSPO:

The label of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is an association comprising producers, traders, banks, investors, and some NGOs.

NEGATIVE ASPECTS:

  • On paper, the environmental and social standards appear relatively strict, but their implementation has serious shortcomings.
  • Although there is now a ban on new plantations on peatlands and a prohibition on slash-and-burn clearing for new plantations, the standard does not require the restoration of the millions of hectares of already drained peatlands where oil palm plantations currently stand. However, in the face of the climate crisis, this restoration would be crucial.
  • Toxic pesticides are allowed on RSPO-certified plantations.
  • Over the years, numerous reports have surfaced detailing human rights violations, including child labour, forced labour, and breaches of RSPO’s minimum standards.

ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUSTWORTHY

RSPO’s criteria are too weak to genuinely protect rainforests and are frequently not enforced. Despite RSPO certification, forests continue to be destroyed, and human rights continue to be violated. Greenpeace classifies the RSPO label as absolutely untrustworthy.

WARNING: GREENWASHING

Many food products carry labels such as “certified palm oil” or “sustainable palm oil,” which are often RSPO-certified. However, from an environmental perspective, the term “sustainable” is misleading in this context. Greenpeace considers this to be greenwashing.

MSC:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was founded in 1997 by Unilever and WWF as an initiative for responsible fishing. However, little remains of its once ambitious goals.

NEGATIVE ASPECTS:

• Even fisheries that use bottom trawling, which causes long-term destruction of the seafloor ecosystem, can receive MSC certification.

• MSC certification is still granted even when fisheries target species that are scientifically recognised as endangered. For example in Australia, the endangered orange roughie was certified as “sustainable” by MSC despite their population that is in grave peril.

NOT TRUSTWORTHY

Neither MSC nor other certification schemes apply the precautionary principle, which is essential for protecting marine life. Instead of addressing the real issues in global fisheries, MSC gives the destructive fishing industry a greenwashed image.

This is particularly alarming given that MSC’s own website acknowledges that fishing is the greatest threat to endangered marine species. Greenpeace considers this label to be untrustworthy.

WARNING: GREENWASHING

The MSC label is widely used and serves primarily as a marketing tool to boost fish product sales, claiming to be an “eco-label for wild-caught fish” and a seal of approval for sustainable fisheries. However, our oceans are already severely overfished. The only truly sustainable choice is to stop buying and consuming seafood and predatory fish altogether.

Greenpeace. (2025, February 13). Greenwashing & Co.: Ein Viertel der Gütesiegel ist nicht vertrauenswürdig. Kronen Zeitung. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://www.krone.at/3688558.

Greenpeace. (2025, February). Greenpeace quality label guide: Food products 2025. Greenpeace Austria. Retrieved February 24, 2025, from https://greenpeace.at/uploads/2025/02/greenpeace-guetezeichen-guide-lebensmittel-2025.pdf.

ENDS

Read more about RSPO greenwashing and learn how you can #Boycottpalmoil, #Boycott4Wildlife

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support