Solomon Islands archipelago, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia.
Imagine a creature straight out of a fantastical computer game – this could be the Solomon Islands skink Corucia zebrata, also affectionately known as the monkey-tailed skink. Their silhouette dances between shadows of the jungle in the Solomon Islands archipelago, to the north east of Australia. They are the largest species of skink alive and boast a long, slender body poised elegantly on short, yet robust legs. Their head forms a perfect triangle, housing small, beady and curious looking eyes. This magnificent reptile is now classified as Near Threatened due to rainforest destruction of their home for palm oil, timber and mining. Help them to survive every time you shop – #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Solomon Island Skinks of #Melanesia 🇸🇧 are striking looking green #reptiles 🦎🐍 They have prehensile tails like #monkeys and are threatened by #palmoil and other #deforestation. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jc
The world’s largest #skink 🌍🦎 is the Solomon Islands Skink, a #lizard endemic to #Melanesia 🇸🇧 They are ‘Near Threatened’ from #palmoil and other threats, help them to survive 🌴☠️⛔️ #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7jc
The true acrobatic power of the Solomon Islands Skink becomes evident when you see their prehensile tail in action. This enables them to have the grace normally afforded to a small mammals like monkeys or possums as they navigate the forest branches. The males, with their broader heads and sleek bodies, carry a unique V-shaped scale pattern, which is absent in the females. Their dark green, light brown and black scales shimmer in the sunlight, while their underbelly features yellow and green hues. Their sharp nails are curved like a crescent moon and their small teeth are surprisingly sharp. As the largest of the skink species in existence, they are undisputed climbers of their leafy realms, making homes in the verdant domain of strangler figs in the Solomon Islands archipelago.
Threats
The Solomon Islands skinks face several significant threats that challenge their survival:
Extensive and unrestricted deforestation for mining, palm oil and timber: The destruction of their forest habitat for mining, palm oil and timber logging is ongoing. Unlike in other countries this is not well-regulated and is therefore a major threat to this reptile.
Consumption for Food: These lizards are hunted by local populations for consumption, impacting their numbers.
Pet trade: The international pet trade puts pressure on their populations due to high demand for these unique creatures, which takes them away from opportunities to mate and reproduce in the wild.
Habitat
The Solomon Islands skink is strictly arboreal, making their home in the upper canopy of the forests in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. These lizards establish territories within the canopy, favouring areas where their food sources, particularly the strangler fig tree, are abundant. Their preference for living in trees extends to semi-cleared areas and cultivated food gardens, provided their dietary needs are met, illustrating their adaptability to varied arboreal environments.
Diet
As herbivores, Solomon Islands skinks have a diet that includes leaves, flowers, fruit, and growing shoots from a variety of plant species. Remarkably, they can consume the Epipremnum pinnatum plant without any ill effects, despite its high concentrations of calcium oxalate, which is toxic to many animals. Juvenile skinks often eat faeces from adults to acquire essential microflora needed for digesting their plant-based diet. This diet reflects their ecological niche as primary consumers within their habitat, playing a vital role in the ecosystem by contributing to the cycle of plant matter decomposition and nutrient recycling.
Mating and breeding
Solomon Islands skinks exhibit remarkable reproductive strategies, living in communal groups known as circuli. They are one of the few reptile species that practice viviparous matrotrophy, where the female provides a placenta to nourish the young inside her.
The gestation period lasts six to eight months, culminating in the birth of relatively large offspring. These newborns receive protection not only from their parents but also from other group members. This communal approach to raising young is extremely rare among reptiles.
This system allows for a supportive environment where the young can grow and eventually, around the age of one, set off to establish new groups or remain within their natal group for extended periods.
Support the Solomon Islands Skink 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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
A new report has found that demand for #meat, #soy, #palmoil and nickel #mining is hindering efforts to halt #deforestation by 2030, a global report finds. The destruction of global forests increased in 2023, and is higher than when 140 countries promised three years ago to halt deforestation by the end of the decade.
The rising destruction of the forests puts ambitions to halt #climatechange and stem the huge worldwide #extinction even further from reach, the researchers warn. They found that voluntary certification of commodities alone could not stop deforestation and that strong legislation was needed to stop the ecocide and destruction.
Global #deforestation 🌳🔥has increased for #palmoil 🌴🪔 #soy and #nickel finds new report. Meanwhile industry lobbyists have delayed EU #EUDR #CSDDD ban 👎 To save forests now we need strong laws! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Ze
Global #deforestation for #beef #soy #palmoil increased in 2023, despite promises to stop it 3 years ago. New report finds voluntary certification DOES NOT WORK and strong regulation is needed #EUDR #CSDDD #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Ze
Originally published by The Guardian, Tuesday 8 October, 2024, written by Damian Carrington, Environment editor. Republished under the open publishing agreement, read original.
The destruction of global forests increased in 2023, and is higher than when 140 countries promised three years ago to halt deforestation by the end of the decade, a new analysis shows.
The rising destruction of the forests puts ambitions to halt the climate crisis and stem the huge worldwide losses of wildlife even further from reach, the researchers warn.
Almost 6.4m hectares (16m acres) of forest were razed in 2023, according to the report. Even more forest – 62.6m ha – was degraded as road building, logging and forest fires took their toll. There were spikes in deforestation in Indonesia and Bolivia, driven by political changes and continued demand for commodities including beef, soy, palm oil, paper and nickel in rich countries.
The researchers said attempts at voluntary cuts on deforestation were not working and strong regulation and more funding for forest protection were needed.
The report highlighted a bright spot in the Brazilian Amazon, where President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s new government cut deforestation by 62% in its first year.
“The bottom line is that, globally, deforestation has gotten worse, not better, since the beginning of the decade,” said Ivan Palmegiani, a consultant at the research group Climate Focus and lead author of the report.
“We’re only six years away from a critical global deadline to end deforestation, and forests continue to be chopped down, degraded, and set ablaze at alarming rates,” he said. “Righting the course is possible if all countries make it a priority, and especially if industrialised countries seriously reconsider their excessive consumption levels and support forest countries.”
Erin D Matson, a senior consultant at Climate Focus and co-author of the report, said: “When the right conditions are in place, countries see major progress. The next year, if economic or political conditions change, forest loss can come roaring back. We’re seeing this effect in the spiking deforestation in Indonesia and Bolivia. Ultimately, to meet global forest protection targets, we must make forest protection immune to political and economic whims.”
Most countries backed the 2030 zero deforestation pledge at the UN Cop26 climate summit in 2021. The 2024 forest declaration assessment, produced by a coalition of research and civil society organisations, assessed progress towards the goal using a baseline of the average deforestation between 2018 and 2020. It found progress was significantly off track, with the level of deforestation in 2023 almost 50% higher than steady progress towards zero would require.
Matson said: “Indonesia’s deforestation alone spiked by 57% in one year. This was in large part attributable to surging global demand for things like paper and mined metals like nickel.
“But it’s also clear that the Indonesian government took its foot off the gas. It experienced the steepest drop in deforestation of any tropical country from 2015-17 and 2020-22, so we have to hope that this setback is only temporary.” In 2023, Indonesia produced half the world’s nickel, a metal used in many green technologies.
“Brazil gives us an example of positive progress [in the Amazon] but deforestation in the Cerrado [tropical savanna] increased 68% year over year,” she said.
The country has also been ravaged by forest fires that are being made more likely and intense by the climate crisis. The report found that about 45m ha have burned in the past five years.
Other countries that made progress towards the 2030 deforestation target included Australia, Colombia, Paraguay, Venezuela and Vietnam. Outside the tropics, temperate forests in North America and Latin America recorded the greatest absolute levels of deforestation.
The researchers said funding for forest protection, strengthening the land rights of Indigenous people and reducing demand for commodities produced via deforestation were needed.
The EU has proposed ambitious regulations that would ban the sales of products linked to deforestation, such as coffee, chocolate, leather and furniture. However, on 3 October, the European Commission proposed a one-year delay “to phase in the system” after protests from countries including Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and Ivory Coast.
Matson said: “This pushback is largely driven by political pressures, and it’s a shame. We can’t rely on voluntary efforts – they have made very little progress over the last decade.”
Originally published by The Guardian, Tuesday 8 October, 2024, written by Damian Carrington, Environment editor. Republished under the open publishing agreement, read original.
ENDS
Read more about deforestation and ecocide 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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
#India’s aggressive push for #palmoil plantations in #Nagaland, #Assam and #Mizoram is wreaking havoc on both the environment and local communities. The government plans to ramp up oil palm cultivation in the northeast, locking away land that could be used for diverse food production for decades. Palm oil monoculture threatens soil health, drains precious water resources, and marginalises indigenous communities. Farmers in the north east of India are facing dire challenges, from delayed subsidies to inadequate payments for their crops, leaving them questioning the viability of oil palm farming. A rethink is necessary to protect India’s ecosystems, animals and people. To help raise awareness and empower change, make sure that you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info on August 12, 2024. Written by Dr Ravi Chellam is a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist based in Bengaluru along with senior journalist Rupa Chinai and Robert Solo is a member of the Naga civil society organisation, Kezekevi Thehou Ba (KTB) which works with communities, the government and the civil society in Nagaland. Read the original article.
The push for large-scale monoculture plantations like palm oil in India is taking a heavy toll on the environment and on people’s economic and social security.
Oil palm plantations lock in precious land resources for a long time, from a 4-5 year gestation period to 25 years for production, a problem in a densely populated country like India.
Foreign politicians do not often ask the country they are visiting to give land, in particular for cultivating a plant which produces oil seeds.
In this case, the seeds refer to the oil palm, a species native to West Africa and now widely cultivated, especially in Southeast Asia. Oil palm is seen as the world’s most important oil crop, supplying approximately 40 percent of global demand for vegetable oil.
Clearly, the pressure is building on big palm oil-producing countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia to clean up their act.
Indians have traditionally used a wide variety of edible oils, a reflection of India’s rich agro-ecological heritage and cultural diversity. In the early 1990s, India was self-sufficient in edible oils but thanks to changes in government policies, that situation has reversed.
Indian Rhino in Assam, India by Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Due to this significant dependence on imports, there has been a strong push by the Indian government to rapidly increase the cultivation of oil palm, especially in India’s northeast, through the National Mission on Edible Oils — Oil Palm.
It has set ambitious goals to increase the area of oil palm cultivation in India to one million hectares by 2025-26 from 350,000ha in 2019-20.
However, the government’s efforts in promoting oil palm plantations in the northeast, which are strengthened by substantial subsidies, are playing havoc with tribal society.
Land is a scarce resource in the northeast and existing land, often community-owned and managed, has traditionally been used for subsistence farming with an eye on food security. This is changing and creating social disruption.
Challenges of growing oil palm
More than 50 percent of the proposed increase in the area of cultivation, 328,000ha, is planned in the northeastern states, as identified in an assessment by the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research in 2020.
The plan is also to increase the production of crude palm oil from 27,000 tonnes in 2019-20 to 1.12 million tonnes by 2025-26.
While the ambition and goals of the oil palm mission are lofty, the on-the-ground situation in the northeast tells a completely different story.
Mizoram was the first state to start planting oil palm in the northeast. Plantations were established in seven districts of the state and at least some of these date back to 2005.
Over the last two decades, oil palm plantations have invariably resulted in setbacks and failures for everyone involved.
Given their intrinsically high requirements of water and nutrients, oil palm plantations have devastated soil health and the quality and availability of groundwater in the state.
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Another issue is the long gestation period of the crop. The oil palm takes at least four to five years before it starts producing fruit, followed by a productive period of 20 to 25 years.
This adds up to 25 to 30 years, a long time to lock in precious land resources, especially in a densely populated country such as India.
The challenges with environmental sustainability, productivity, transport, failings of the government and corporate behaviour have meant that both farmers and the companies have had to deal with large-scale failures and heavy losses.
The rugged terrain and remote location of the plantations, coupled with the relatively poor road network and the absence of oil mills close to many of the plantations poses severe challenges to the farmers.
The nuts have to be processed within 48 hours, which currently is a logistical nightmare, especially for many small-scale farmers.
Many companies haven’t honoured their commitments to farmers be it on purchase price or timely payments. Government subsidies have also been often delayed.
The land question
Land is the central issue for the palm oil enterprise.
Be it terrain, with hilly terrain not being suitable for oil palm plantations; rapidly depleting soil fertility or reduced access to land owned by small landholders because of the three decade lock-in period.
The capture of common lands for planting oil palm by the elite of the society is a large-scale problem, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, another northeastern state.
The fear is that more and more of community land will get converted into at least de facto private property when planted with oil palm due to the decades-long lock-in period.
This dispossession is likely to result in further marginalisation of the poorer sections of society and could potentially lead to social turmoil and conflict.
The problems are many and widespread.
Farmers across the northeast are not readily taking up planting of oil palm as they have started to realise the environmental costs, the meagre and very often delayed economic returns and the three-decade-long lock-in period of their land.
A recent report seems to indicate that at least some farmers in Arunachal Pradesh are starting to gain benefits from their oil palm plantations. These are still very early days to reach any definite conclusion about the situation in Arunachal, unlike the much longer Mizoram experience.
Since January 2023, researchers have engaged with tribal elders and civil society members in Nagaland which has provided them a close view of how things are playing out for oil palm in the state.
Nagaland seems to be following a similar path to Arunachal Pradesh, with the wealthy consolidating landholdings to establish plantations, resulting in small landholders losing out.
It is clear that oil palm is a capital-intensive and very long-term crop. Deep pockets are required to survive and succeed.
Farmers’ experiences in dealing with private companies that had committed to buy oil palm fruit has been an even greater disappointment.
The purchase price for these bunches is much lower than what was initially indicated and payments are unduly delayed.
Even the picking up of fresh fruit bunches, a perishable commodity which has to be processed within 24 to 48 hours post-harvesting, is poorly coordinated and there is a lack of reliable information and guidance for farmers.
The environmental and social issues associated with oil palm plantations are also playing out in Nagaland, including depleting soils, water shortages, the increasing use of hazardous agro-chemicals, rapidly increasing labour costs, women losing out on employment opportunities and shifts in land tenure and ownership.
Recent fieldwork in Nagaland through meetings and conversations with farmers presents a mixed picture.
This is not in line with the commitment that was made to these farmers and is resulting in tremendous losses for them.
A few others are receiving the government subsidies and their fresh fruit bunches have also been picked up by the companies and they have been paid Rs13 a kilogram, approximately $USD 0.16.
Coursecorrection
The longer-term experience with oil palm hasn’t been good for farmers in India’s northeast both from financial and social perspectives.
When also considering the environmental impacts, it is clear that the push for large-scale cultivation of oil palm in the region is taking a toll on the environment as well on people’s economic and social security.
Government policy would benefit from encouraging local and ecologically-appropriate oil-bearing crops rather than massively supporting oil palm.
Even the government’s own estimates do not predict India gaining self-sufficiency in edible oil by cultivating oil palm in India.
Rethinking this policy may be required so that India can regain self-sufficiency in edible oils, a position we enjoyed not so long ago.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info on August 12, 2024. Written by Dr Ravi Chellam is a wildlife biologist and conservation scientist based in Bengaluru along with senior journalist Rupa Chinai and Robert Solo is a member of the Naga civil society organisation, Kezekevi Thehou Ba (KTB) which works with communities, the government and the civil society in Nagaland. Read the original article.
ENDS
Read more about deforestation and ecocide 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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Extant (resident): Argentina; Bolivia; Chile; Peru
Known affectionately as ‘huana titi’ which translates to ‘the cat from dry places’ by locals, the Andean mountain cat captivates with their mystery and elegance. This cat boasts an exceptional sense of hearing, attributed to their well-developed eardrums. These allow them to detect prey with precision. They skillfully use their long tail, which makes up 70% of their body length, for balance during the swift and unpredictable chases of their prey.
Unlike their larger feline counterparts, Andean mountain cats cannot roar due to the close and hardened structure of the bones in their throats, opting instead for mewls, growls, and screams. Remarkably, they can purr continuously, breathing in and out, showcasing a unique aspect of their vocal repertoire. Together we can protect these magnificent cats and their precious rainforest world. Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottMeat, #BoycottPalmOil, and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop!
#Endangered Andean 🇵🇪 Mountain #Cats 🐱🐈 are elusive #wildcats of #SouthAmerica. They are unique as they can purr continuously 🎶 They face #extinction from #deforestation. Help them to survive, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7iL
The ultra fluffy and elusive Andean Mountain #Cat 🐱 hunts by the light of the full moon 🌕🌙 They’re #endangered from multiple threats including #agriculture and #mining. Fight for them every time you shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7iL
Perched high in the Andes, where the earth touches the sky, the Andean Cat roams with a silent grace.
Cloaked in ash grey fur, adorned with subtle stripes and a bushy tail ringed in mystery, they embody the spirit of their stark, majestic surroundings. This feline is not just an animal; they are whispers of the wild, navigating the rugged terrain with a poise that belies the harshness of their environment. They lead mostly solitary lives except for the times when they come together during mating seasons or when nurturing their young. These elusive felines are most active during the quieter hours of dusk, night, and dawn, aligning their movements with the shadows of the Andean nights and lunar cycles.
Threats
Hunting Practices: Initially seen as the primary threat, hunting is now secondary to habitat concerns but remains significant.
Agricultural expansion:Expansion of palm oil, meat and soy agriculture, poor livestock management, and water extraction for industry drive the Andean Cat into much smaller range and threaten their ongoing survival.
Climate and Fracking: Climate change and fracking in Patagonia pose new, serious risks by shrinking their habitat.
Local Conflicts: Andean Cats are killed by locals and their dogs in Argentina, Chile, and Peru to protect livestock.
Cultural Hunting: Sacred in some cultures, Andean Cats are still hunted for traditional ceremonies, posing a unique threat.
Prey Decline: The loss of major prey species like the Short-tailed Chinchilla and the Mountain Vizcacha impacts their diet and survival.
Food Competition: They face competition from similar predators for limited food sources, stressing their population.
To safeguard the Andean Cat and their environment from further harm, take a stand against the primary drivers of their decline. By choosing to #BoycottMeat and #BoycottPalmOil, you are resisting the agricultural expansion that threatens their habitat. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife movement and become part of a global community committed to making dietary and consumer choices that protect the Andean Cat and all other animals in their ecosystem.
To safeguard the Andean Cat and their environment from further harm, take a stand against the primary drivers of their decline.
Habitat
Living high above the world in the Andean foothills and the Patagonian steppe, the Andean Cat finds solace in the steep, arid, and sparsely vegetated expanses. These areas, marked by extreme weather conditions and minimal rainfall, support a unique ecosystem of adapted plants and crucial wetlands that provide for both wildlife and local communities. It’s within these challenging conditions that they have carved out a niche for themselves, demonstrating remarkable resilience.
Diet
The Andean Cat’s diet is highly specialised and is primarily made up of mountain vizcacha. This particular prey is crucial due to their large size and the substantial amount of energy they provide.
Aside from the mountain vizcacha, these cats diversify their diet with a variety of smaller prey mammals like the tuco-tuco, reptiles, rodents and birds to supplement their nutritional needs.
Mating and breeding
The mating behavior of the Andean Cat is observed primarily between July and August, although there is evidence to suggest that this period could extend into later months, possibly through November or December. This extension is inferred from sightings of kittens and couples outside the expected mating season, indicating a broader reproductive window. Typically, the Andean Cat produces one to two kittens per litter, with births timed to coincide with spring and summer. This timing aligns with increased food availability, enhancing the survival prospects of the offspring. The reproductive habits of the Andean Cat, including their seasonal mating patterns and the care provided to their young, are adapted to the environmental conditions of their high-altitude habitats, ensuring the continuity of the species.
Support the Andean Mountain Cat by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Alliance Gato Andino: a conservation organisation that protects and monitors the Andean Mountain Cat.
Further Information
Villalba, L., Lucherini, M., Walker, S., Lagos, N., Cossios, D., Bennett, M. & Huaranca, J. 2016. Leopardus jacobita. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T15452A50657407. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T15452A50657407.en. Accessed on 28 February 2024.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
A recent report highlighted by Mongabay uncovers that deforestation-linked palm oil may still be in popular snacks like Snickers and Kit Kat, despite pledges from brands like Mars, Nestlé, and Mondelēz to use only deforestation-free palm oil. The issue lies in the palm oil-based animal feed used for dairy production, which these companies are not being transparent about. Thirteen out of the fourteen largest U.S. dairy processors, including Mars, Nestlé, and Mondelēz, fail to disclose how much palm oil-based animal feed is in their supply chains, raising concerns over hidden deforestation. If you are wanting to be kind to farmed and wild animals and ecosystems, make sure that you be #vegan #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottDairy #Boycott4Wildlife
Makers of iconic snacks like Snickers and Kit Kat have pledged to only use deforestation-free palm oil, but a new report says deforestation-linked palm oil may still be finding its way into their products.
That’s because much of the dairy that goes into these foods comes from cattle raised on palm oil-based animal feed, whose import into the U.S. doesn’t account for whether it derives from deforested land.
The report found 13 of the 14 biggest dairy processors in the U.S. — including Mars, Nestlé and Mondelēz — don’t provide information about how much palm oil-based animal feed they use in their supply chains.
It calls on the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), of which many of these companies are members, to include this so-called embedded palm oil in their deforestation-free policies, similar to how the CGF has a policy for accounting for embedded soy.
Consumers in the U.S. might be unknowingly exposed to palm oil products that come from deforestation, despite major consumer goods producers there adopting zero-deforestation pledges. That’s because these companies, which include the makers of iconic foods like Snickers, Kit Kat and Nutella, don’t account for the significant role that palm oil-based animal feed plays in their supply chains, according to a new report.
Its relatively low price and extremely versatility mean palm oil has become the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. In the U.S. itself, palm oil can be found in roughly half of all packaged goods in the average grocery store, from shampoo to cookies and crackers.
Palm oil is also increasingly being used as an additive in livestock feed, particularly for dairy cows. As such, it has become “embedded” in consumer goods products deriving from dairy, such as milk, cheese, ice cream and chocolate.
This indirect use of palm oil is often overlooked in the zero-deforestation accounting process, despite its growing use, according to a report by U.S.-based advocacy group Rainforest Action Network (RAN). The report found that palm oil-based animal feed is now the single largest palm oil product category imported by the U.S., accounting for 36% of all palm oil imports into the country by weight.
This dairy — “embedded” with palm oil, some of which may be associated with deforestation — then enters the supply chains of major food producers. And these producers, despite their public pledges to avoid deforestation-linked products, are largely ignoring this source of palm oil in their accounting, according to the report.
The report analyzed 14 of the largest dairy-processing and consumer goods companies operating in the U.S.: Arla, Dairy Farmers of America, Danone, Ferrero, Frontera, FrieslandCampina, Lactalis, Mars, Mengniu, Mondelēz, Nestlé, Saputo, Unilever and Yili.
The report found that 13 of them don’t provide information about how much palm oil-based animal feed is used in their supply chains.
The only company that provides such information is Unilever, which says that embedded palm oil in its dairy supply chain in 2022 accounted for just 3%, or 30,0000 metric tons, of its overall palm oil consumption.
Thirteen of the 14 assessed companies also don’t mention embedded palm oil in their “No Deforestation, No Peatland, No Exploitation” (NDPE) policies, and as such have no commitments to sourcing only deforestation-free embedded palm oil. Only Danish-Swedish dairy giant Arla’s NDPE policy explicitly states that it applies to palm oil-based feed used in its milk supply chain.
“When companies have adopted palm oil policies, they completely refuse or haven’t considered palm oil use in their dairy supply chain,” RAN forest policy director Gemma Tillack told Mongabay. “Lack of attention to this issue means that it hasn’t [been] accounted for in companies’ NDPE policies, or if it’s included, it’s not adequately enforced.”
Import-export oversight
This oversight extends to both importers and exporters of palm oil-based livestock feed into the U.S. The report assessed 24 exporters based in Indonesia and Malaysia, the world’s top two producers of palm oil, and 17 U.S. companies that import palm oil-based animal feed.
It found that 15 of the 24 exporters companies and 15 of the 17 importers companies don’t have public NDPE policies. These 15 exporting companies account for two-thirds of exports to the U.S. by weight.
The report also found that 28% of U.S. imports of feed-grade palm oil products came from Indonesia, the country with the highest deforestation rates associated with palm oil. That makes it likely that such problematic palm oil has found its way into dairy products like milk and confectionaries regularly consumed by Americans, according to the report.
Cattle in Colombia. Image by Rhett A. Butler / Mongabay.
Deforestation-free claims
Without adequately accounting for embedded palm oil in their NDPE policies and supply chains, consumer goods brands can’t guarantee that their products are deforestation free, even if they claim that’s the case, RAN said.
Nestlé, for instance, says 96.0% of its “primary supply chain” of palm oil in 2023 was deforestation-free, but makes no reference to embedded palm oil in that claim.
If embedded palm oil were accounted for, then Nestlé’s deforestation-free claim would fall to about 72%, according to RAN’s analysis. It based this on the assumption that 10% of the milk the company sources was linked to palm oil-based animal feed.
This large variance means deforestation-free claims by the likes of Nestlé and others might be inaccurate or misleading, the report said.
Responding to the findings, Nestlé said the figures used by RAN and the corresponding assumptions are incorrect, but didn’t provide details about its concerns.
The failure to account for embedded palm oil in supply chains could have broader implications for these brands, as most of them also do business in the European Union. The EU market will, from the end of this year, be subject to a deforestation-free regulation known as the EUDR, which will ban the import of commodities like palm oil and its derived products if they’re associated with deforestation.
To prove that the products they bring into the EU aren’t linked to deforestation, companies have to be able to trace the products all the way back to the production units and ensure no deforestation has taken place there after a cutoff date of Dec. 31, 2020.
The RAN report’s revelations suggest it’s unlikely that companies like Danone and Ferrero — which are headquartered in the EU and source much of their milk from there — as well as Nestlé and Unilever — which have significant operations within the EU that process dairy products — can guarantee the deforestation-free status of their animal feed imports.
As a result, the EUDR should be of particular concern to these companies, the report said.
Bulldozers are being used by palm oil plantation PT Sawit Panen Terus to destroy significant areas of lowland rainforest in the Leuser Ecosystem, in February 2024. Image courtesy of RAN.
Call for action
The failure to account for embedded palm oil in their supply chains and NDPE policies is an “industry-wide problem that needs an industrywide solution,” the report said. It called on the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a network of the world’s largest consumer goods brands, to encourage its members, including Danone, Ferrero, FrieslandCampina, Nestlé, Mars, Mengniu, Mondelēz and Unilever, to include embedded palm oil in their NDPE policies.
So far, the CGF has failed to do so, RAN noted.
It has also failed to include embedded palm oil in its road map that sets the expectations for how members of its so-called forest-positive coalition should implement NDPE policy commitments in the palm oil sector. The coalition aims to accelerate efforts to eliminate deforestation from the supply chains of each member.
This is in contrast to the CGF’s initiative for the soy industry, which has its own road map that details the types of “embedded soy” products that need to be accounted for — such as soy used in feed mix for animal products and soy embedded in meat, dairy and eggs used in processed food.
“We need to see these commitments in place to ensure palm oil-based animal feed is not a new leakage market,” RAN’s Tillack said.
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Booming global demand for palm oil in biofuel is spurring deforestation in Indonesia. Indonesia accounts for more than half of the global palm oil supply, the world’s most widely used vegetable oil that is found in everything from food to cosmetics to fuel.
This story was published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, on 20th of September, 2024. Reporting by Adi Renaldi and editing by Ayla Jean Yackley. Read original.
What’s the context?
Palm oil production reached 50 million tonnes in 2023 from 45 million tonnes the year before, according to the Indonesian Palm Oil Association.
As companies and small landholders replace natural habitats with palm oil plantations, activists and researchers are warning that large amounts of planet-heating carbon is being released into the atmosphere.
How do palm oil plantations contribute to deforestation?
Palm oil plantations covermore than 42.7 million acres of Indonesia, compared with 41.5 million acres in 2019, the government’s Geospatial Information Agency said this month.
Indonesia lost 721,000 acres of primary, or old growth, forest in the last two decades – equivalent to 221 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, according to Global Forest Watch. Drivers of this deforestation include plantations and mining.
Sumatra and Borneo, home to the endangered orangutan and other endemic species, have lost 36% and 45% of their tropical forests, respectively, due to palm oil expansion, according to Nusantara Atlas, a non-profit that tracks deforestation.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?
The loss of carbon-storing forests is compounded by the conversion of peatland into plantations. Indonesia is home to more than a third of the world’s tropical peatlands, a type of wetland that is the world’s biggest land-based store of carbon.
Palm oil planters believe the soil in these wetlands yields more crops and drain them through man-made canals so that planting can take place. A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2021 showed draining peatlands across the world releases 1.9 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?
How does the biofuel business affect climate change?
Palm oil is a primary ingredient of biodiesel, a cleaner-burning, renewable fuel used in transportation. But a growing body of research shows that biofuels from vegetable oils like palm actually emit more carbon than fossil fuels, primarily due to changes in land use in order to grow the crops.
The government targets production of 13.4 million kilolitres in 2024, 2% more than last year, when it grew 11%, according to the energy ministry.
Indonesia requires fuel producers to make a blend of diesel fuel that contains 35% palm oil and wants that share to rise to 40% in 2025.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?
The government began to cultivate palm oil in the 1980s in the hopes of boosting the economy and providing jobs. It now accounts for3.5% of gross domestic product, government statistics showed.
Researchers claim palm oil has not contributed to the welfare of people living near plantations. The rate of poverty remains high in the palm oil-rich regions of Sumatra and Borneo, where people face food insecurity after farms were cleared to make way for palm trees.
Can a moratorium on new plantations help stop deforestation?
While Indonesia’s deforestation rate fell between 2019 to 2022 due to stricter regulations, amoratorium on forest clearing and better mitigation of forest fires, the clearing of primaryforests for mining and plantations has risen slightly.
The governmentissued a moratorium on new palm oil plantation in 2018 to slow deforestation. Despite the reprieve, about 119,400 hectares of forests were cleared between 2021 and 2022.
Between 2022 and 2023, some 52,000 hectares of forests were converted into plantations, Nusantara Atlas data showed.
Environmental groups have blamed a lack of reinforcement of the moratorium and called for replanting unproductive oil palm trees on existing plantations, instead of clearing forests.
This story was published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, on 20th of September, 2024. Reporting by Adi Renaldi and editing by Ayla Jean Yackley. Read original.
ENDS
Read more about deforestation and greenwashing 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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Extant (resident): Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Philippines
Intelligent and social Irrawaddy dolphins, also known as the Mahakam River dolphins or Ayeyarwady river #dolphins have endearing faces. Only 90 to 300 are estimated to be left living in the wild. Their rounded and expressive looking noses liken them to a baby beluga whale or the Snubfin dolphin of Australia. These shy #cetaceans are found in coastal and freshwater habitats across #SoutheastAsia, they live in small groups. Tragically, Irrawaddy dolphins face many human threats, from entanglement in fishing gear to dam construction. Palm oil deforestation, and #pesticide run-off in rivers is another major threat to their survival.
Protecting the Irrawaddy dolphin is paramount. As a keystone species, they maintain biodiversity in their fragile home. These beautiful animals are classified as endangered on IUCN Red list but are critically endangered in some ecosystems. Fight for their survival when you boycott palm oil and go vegan. Support the Boycott4Wildlife movement by using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife on social media!
Endearing and sweet-faced Irrawaddy #Dolphins face serious threats from #palmoil #pollution, fishing bycatch, tourism in S.E #Asia. Just 90-300 remain alive in the wild. Fight for them and be #vegan, #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 💙🐬 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Pk
Playful #cetaceans Irrawaddy #Dolphins 🐬 are threatened by #palmoil #pesticide #pollution in their river homes in #Indonesia #Thailand #Cambodia. Just dozens remain alive! Help them when you shop be #vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Pk
Irrawaddy dolphins have a distinctive appearance with their rounded heads, expressive faces, and lack of a beak. With grey to slate blue bellies, they sport small dorsal fins and broad flippers. Socially, they are found in groups of 2-6, although larger gatherings of up to 25 individuals can be found in deeper waters.
Capable spitting streams of water up to 1.5 metres into the air, they also have a U-shaped blowhole, which opens towards the front of their head. Their ability spit water is believed to be used to confuse fish during hunting. These dolphins use suction feeding, drawing prey into their mouths using negative pressure.
Irrawaddy dolphins are slow swimmers, often surfacing in a rolling motion. They can be shy around boats and typically dive when alarmed. They are also known for play behaviours like spyhopping, the practice of holding their bodies out of the water. Also they commonly tail slap and roll on their sides while waving their flippers.
Threats
Palm oil deforestation and pollution:
Pollution run-off from palm oil plantations puts toxic pesticides into their freshwater habitats. These pollutants can lead to serious health issues for the dolphins, such as skin lesions and reduced reproductive success. Deforestation from palm oil production destroys delicate mangroves and estuaries, forcing Irrawaddy dolphins into fragmented ranges, where they struggle to survive.
Industrial fishing bycatch:
The greatest threat to Irrawaddy dolphins is accidental entanglement in fishing gear, particularly gillnets. Dolphins trapped in these nets often drown before they can be rescued. In areas such as the Mekong River, gillnet bycatch accounts for a significant number of dolphin deaths. In some regions, fishing practices involving explosives or electrofishing further contribute to the decline of dolphin populations.
Habitat loss due to dam construction
The construction of dams on major rivers, such as the Mekong and Ayeyarwady, disrupts the natural flow of water. This impacts fish migration and isolates dolphin populations. These dams also prevent the dolphins from accessing essential deep-water pools, which are vital for their survival. Noise pollution from dam construction generates noise pollution and shock waves. This damage the dolphins’ sensitive hearing structures, leading to injury or death.
Industrial river waste and pesticide run-off:
Irrawaddy dolphins’ habitats are increasingly contaminated by pollutants such as pesticides, industrial waste, and oil. Runoff from agricultural activities, including palm oil plantations, introduces toxic substances into the rivers and estuaries where these dolphins live. Additionally, sedimentation caused by deforestation and poor land practices reduces water depth, altering the ecosystems on which the dolphins rely.
Boat traffic interfering with their echolocation
The growth of unregulated tourism in dolphin habitats has led to increased boat traffic. A major cause of fatal collisions with dolphins. Noise pollution from boats also interferes with the dolphins’ echolocation abilities. This makes it hard for them to find and catch prey.
Habitat
Irrawaddy dolphins are found in coastal and freshwater riverine habitats across Southeast Asia. Coastal areas include the Bay of Bengal, and river systems such as the Mekong, Mahakam, Ayeyarwady, and Ganges Rivers. They prefer shallow, brackish waters such as river mouths, estuaries, and mangrove channels. Freshwater populations are found in the Ayeyarwady, Mahakam, and Mekong Rivers, among others. These dolphins are highly dependent on the health of these ecosystems, which are increasingly under threat from human activities.
Diet
Irrawaddy dolphins are opportunistic feeders, consuming a variety of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods. They are known to follow the tides. Moving inshore with high tides and further offshore as the tides go out, likely tracking their prey. In freshwater habitats, these dolphins sometimes surface with mud on their heads or backs, indicating they feed on bottom-dwelling species.
Mating and breeding
Irrawaddy dolphins reach sexual maturity between seven to nine years of age. Mating usually occurs between December and June in the Northern Hemisphere, with a gestation period of approximately 14 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf every two to three years, and calves are weaned after two years. Their lifespan is about 30 years, though this can vary depending on environmental conditions and threats faced by different subpopulations.
Several organisations are working to protect the Irrawaddy dolphin and their habitats. The Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Project in Myanmar focuses on protecting the dolphins in the Ayeyarwady River through anti-poaching measures, habitat restoration, and education. The Wildlife Conservation Society of Bangladesh work to create protected areas in the Sundarbans mangrove forest to safeguard dolphin populations. Indonesia’s Mahakam River population is monitored by local NGOs working to reduce bycatch and raise awareness.
Further Information
Minton, G., Smith, B.D., Braulik, G.T., Kreb, D., Sutaria, D. & Reeves, R. 2017. Orcaella brevirostris (errata version published in 2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T15419A123790805. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T15419A50367860.en. Accessed on 18 March 2025.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
Research from University of Queensland and published in The Lancet: Planetary Health finds that the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to the decline of ecosystems and biodiversity, creating a cycle that could lead to more pandemics. The pandemic, caused by a virus jumping from animals to humans, has worsened deforestation, increasing human-wildlife contact and the risk of future disease outbreaks. The study emphasizes the need for a One Health approach, combining public health, conservation efforts and involving indigenous custodianship of land and indigenous traditional knowledge to prevent outbreaks by protecting ecosystems. We must safeguard biodiversity to prevent more pandemics. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
@UQ_News research published in @TheLancetPlanet finds that #pandemics are linked to #ecosystem and #biodiversity declines, with viruses jumping from animals to humans. Urgent #publichealth and #conservation policies needed #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-77u
This research was originally published in The LancetPlanetary Health (DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00258-8). The media release below from the University of Queensland was published on 16th November, 2021, view original
Scientists have investigated the links between the COVID-19 pandemic and the deterioration of the world’s ecosystems and their biodiversity, discovering feedback loops that suggest a potential increase in future pandemics.
University of Queensland Master of Conservation Biology graduate Odette Lawler, collaborating with a team of students and fellows contributing to the study in Professor Salit Kark’s Biodiversity Research Group, said that the links between biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and zoonotic disease transfer had long been understood, but it’s taken an international pandemic to bring the issue to public attention.
“COVID-19 has shown the world that human health and environmental health are intricately linked,” Ms Lawler said.
“We’ve long known that issues like land-use change, intensive livestock production, wildlife trade, and climate change drive the emergence of zoonotic diseases, as they increase human-wildlife interactions.
“Now we’ve also found that these issues are being compounded by outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in feedback loops that are likely to promote future zoonotic disease outbreaks.
“For example, research has found that rates of deforestation have substantially increased in many regions around the world over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is likely due to some combination of pandemic-related factors, including decreased enforcement of forest protections, relaxation of sustainability agreements and environmental deregulation, increased pressures on low-income communities, and threats to Indigenous land managers.
“This means that COVID-19 – a pandemic sparked by a pathogen spilling from animal to human populations – has played a part in fuelling further deforestation, which in turn increases risk of future zoonotic disease emergence by increasing human-wildlife interactions.”
The research team stressed that responses to COVID-19 must include actions aimed at safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems.
Senior researcher UQ’s Professor Salit Kark, who led and supervised the study said that such responses would benefit from adopting what is known in public health and conservation circles as a One Health approach.
“One Health is a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach that aims to optimise health outcomes for communities arising from factors operating, for example, at the intersections between people, animals and their shared environment,” Professor Kark said.
“It’s an approach that can help holistically address outbreaks before they happen, working closely with the community and engaging people in preventative ecosystem and human health.
“Here in Australia, the emphasis should be on developing close, long-term collaboration and engagement with First Nations communities and other partners to address these risks.
“And, internationally, Australia has so many valuable ties, which can be strengthened through working together with other nations to address the drivers of zoonotic disease emergence. In this paper, for example, the team closely collaborated with a group based in Nepal working in the area.
“It’s vital we invest in protecting biodiversity and ecosystem health and address the drivers of zoonotic disease.
“If we don’t, we really are increasing the likelihood of future zoonotic disease emergence and further pandemics arising, and we now all know just how world-altering and high-impact they can be.”
This research was originally published in The LancetPlanetary Health (DOI: 10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00258-8). The media release from the University of Queensland was published on 16th November, 2021View original
ENDS
Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry
Discover the financial giants fuelling ecocide and deforestation for palm oil, meat, mining and soy in this important report about financial corruption
1 million #plants 🌾🌽🎍🍅 and #animals 🦏🦒🐅 are threatened. #Wildlife and #biodiversity are at a crossroads of #extinction. Here’s 7 practical ways to stop #species wipeout. Help them survive! #Boycottpalmoil 🌴☠️🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife
For decades, the palm oil industry, backed by the RSPO, has misled consumers with the false promise of “sustainable” palm oil. Behind this green façade lies a brutal reality of deforestation, human 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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Extant (resident): Bangladesh; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia (Sumatera); Laos; Malaysia; Myanmar; Nepal; Sri Lanka; Taiwan; Thailand; Vietnam.
The majestic Sambar deer, cloaked in hues ranging from light brown to dark gray, are distinguished by their rugged antlers and uniquely long tails. Adorned with a coat of coarse hair and marked by a distinctive, blood-red glandular spot on their throats, these deer embody the beauty of the wild. Their adaptability is evident in their alert behavior, silent movements, and the gradual development of their unique spots. Perfectly designed for grazing, these deer use their antlers and feet deftly in defense, relying on their acute senses of hearing and smell to evade predators. To protect these splendid deer and their habitats from the impacts of deforestation and agricultural expansion, especially for palm oil, join the movement: #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to aid in their survival.
Sambar deer are #vulnerable from habitat destruction for #timber and #palmoil and relentless hunting. Help them survive, be #vegan for them and #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to safeguard these magnificent beings. Learn more via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-75t
Save the magnificent Sambar #deer, threatened in multiple countries like #India #Malaysia #Indonesia by #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Fight for them by being #vegan and use your wallet as a weapon #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-75t
The enigmatic Sambar deer captivates with their varied coat, ranging from light brown to almost black, highlighted by a grayish or yellowish tinge and complemented by paler underparts.
Males boast robust, three-tined antlers, advertising their strength and virility to their female counterparts. Their long tails, a blend of black and white, along with their striking dark brown legs and long, brownish-gray ears, add to their distinct appearance.
Both adult males and some females sport an unusual, hairless, blood-red spot on their throats, a mysterious glandular feature.
These crepuscular beings prefer the solitude of night or twilight and remain largely alone or with small, close-knit herds. Males, particularly nomadic and territorial during breeding seasons, engage in unique behaviors like wallowing in urine-soaked soil and marking trees with their antlers. Females show maternal fierceness and will bravely defend their young, fearlessly confronting predators, especially in shallow waters, forming protective formations, and emitting a resonant ‘pooking’ sound as a warning.
In some cases Sambar deer come together to form large temporary groups, especially in India’s dry deciduous and semi-arid forests. These groupings, sometimes reaching up to 100 individuals near water bodies during peak summer, indicate a complex social structure influenced by environmental conditions.
Threats
Impact of Agricultural Expansion for Timber and Palm Oil: Agricultural expansion, particularly for timber and palm oil plantations, significantly contributes to the loss of the Sambar deer’s natural habitat. This expansion not only destroys their forest environment but also facilitates easier access for hunters, further escalating the threats to their survival.
Habitat Encroachment and Hunting: The Sambar deer faces severe threats from habitat encroachment and hunting across their range, especially in the Sundaic region. Logging activities often lead to increased hunting, causing local extinctions. In many areas, such as Sarawak, hunting following logging is the primary threat to ungulates.
Hunting for Meat and Trade: Sambar deer are a popular source of wild meat and are heavily hunted for this purpose. In Southeast Asia, hunting is largely commercially driven, catering to affluent urban classes and workers in industries like logging. The trade in Sambar meat is extensive, with adult males additionally targeted for their antlers, used as trophies and in traditional medicine.
Variation in Hunting Patterns and Impact: Hunting methods and intensity vary across the Sambar’s range, with some areas experiencing intense, market-driven hunting. In places like India, even well-protected areas see poaching. The Sambar’s tolerance of habitat degradation ironically makes them more accessible to hunters, exacerbating their decline.
Sambar deer are imperiled by rampant habitat destruction, primarily due to deforestation for timber and palm oil. They are further threatened by relentless hunting. To make a tangible difference in their survival, stand with us in this vital cause, be #vegan for them and #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife to safeguard these magnificent beings.
Habitat
Sambar deer are renowned for their remarkable adaptability to diverse forest types and environmental conditions, showcasing an impressive geographical range. They are found in various habitats within India, from thorn forests in Gujarat and Rajasthan to the lush evergreen forests of the Western Ghats and northeastern India, and even in the pine and oak forests at the Himalayan foothills. Their adaptability extends beyond India, inhabiting temperate and alpine-zone woodlands in Taiwan, thriving in a wide array of environmental conditions.
Diet
Sambar deer possess a broad diet, consuming a wide variety of plant species, which enables them to thrive in diverse habitats. Depending on the availability of forage, they alternate between grazing and browsing. Their diet varies across different altitudes and regions, reflecting the changes in local plant communities. This dietary flexibility allows them to inhabit regions with varying vegetation, from moist deciduous forests, where they are found in higher densities, to semi-arid forests.
Mating and breeding
Breeding by Sambar deer tends to be seasonal, with a peak in the rutting period observed in various regions. Males, especially during the rut, can travel significant distances, marking territories with scent glands. Fawns are typically born singly, with the birth season peaking in the warmer months. Predation, primarily by tigers, leopards, and dholes, significantly influences their populations, especially in well-protected forest reserves where they are a key prey species.
Sub-species of the Sambar Deer
The Sambar deer has several distinct subspecies, each exhibiting unique characteristics and adaptations to their respective habitats.
The Sri Lankan Sambar Rusa unicolor unicolor: Found primarily in India and Sri Lanka, this subspecies is noted for being the largest in the genus, boasting the most substantial antlers in terms of both size and body proportions.
The South China Sambar Rusa unicolor dejeani: Inhabiting Southern China and mainland Southeast Asia, this subspecies ranks second in size, possessing slightly smaller antlers compared to the Indian sambar.
The Sumatran Sambar Rusa unicolor equina: Native to the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, these deer are characterized by having smaller antlers in relation to their body size.
The Bornean Sambar Rusa unicolor brookei: Similar to the Sumatran sambar, the Bornean variant also exhibits smaller antlers when compared to their body size.
The Formosan Sambar Rusa unicolor swinhoii: This subspecies is identified as the smallest, with antler-body proportions akin to the South China sambar.
Support Sambar Deers 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
Timmins, R., Kawanishi, K., Giman, B, Lynam, A., Chan, B., Steinmetz, R., Sagar Baral, H. & Samba Kumar, N. 2015. Rusa unicolor (errata version published in 2015). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T41790A85628124. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T41790A22156247.en. Accessed on 29 December 2023.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
Study by Hiroshima University finds that due to increased human pressures from hunting, palm oil and other deforestation, wild cats and other carnivores in Indonesia and Malaysia may go out of their way to avoid other species – they negotiate space and resources for survival.
Just as humans may leave their home five minutes early to avoid a talkative neighbour or depart work late to avoid a rude coworker, carnivorous mammals may go out of their way to avoid other species. But they’re not trying to navigate awkward social interactions; rather, they are negotiating space and resources for survival.
Researchers monitored this temporal niche partitioning intermittently over six years with 73 infrared trigger sensor cameras installed at three sites in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo, the third largest island in the world. The international collaboration published their findings, and what they might mean for the mechanism of coexistence between competing mammals, on Oct. 6 in Scientific Reports.
“Approximately 20% of the world’s mammal species face the risk of extinction, mainly due to threats such as habitat loss and overexploitation. The status of mammals in the Indomalayan realm — one of Earth’s eight biogeographic regions, covering most of South and Southeast Asia — is among the world’s worst.”
One of the major roadblocks to effective and realistic solutions to lower the rate of endangered species is the scarcity of basic ecological information on mammals in the Indomalayan region, according to Nakabayashi.
“Information regarding temporal activity patterns of animals is crucial to assess responses to anthropogenic disturbances and to allow the implementation of proper conservation measures,” Nakabayashi said. “Camera trapping is one of the most useful techniques to study cryptic and rare animals.”
The researchers collected 37,379 photos over a total of about three active years. Although the first cameras were installed in 2010 and the last ones were removed in 2016, there were significant periods of bad weather or logistical issues — such as nesting insects — that rendered the cameras inoperable for long stretches of time.
In the dataset, the researchers identified nine distinct carnivore species with sample sizes larger than 10 and categorized their activity patterns by time of day. Of the species, six were active at night, two were active during the day and one was active regardless of time.
Some of the more closely related animals demonstrated a clear temporal segregation, including two wild cats, one of whom was nocturnal while the other preferred the day. However, the researchers also found that three species of civets were all active at night, which might be due to limited competition over resources because all three species eat a variety of food items, Nakabayashi said.
The researchers also found that tourism may have an impact on mammal behaviors. Tourism activities — mainly non-lethal ecotourism events — were conducted at all study sites during the study period. Only one site, however, hosted nocturnal tourism activities. Common palm civets at the other two sites had two clear peaks of temporal activity at night, but the same species at the site with nocturnal tourism had unclear and delayed temporal movement.
“The potential benefits of ecotourism may include reduced threats to wildlife ,” Nakabayashi said, noting that community-based ecotourism can bring significant benefits such as alternative income that incentivizes local communities and policy makers to protect the species in areas of interest. “But our results indicate that the temporal activity pattern of a species might be directly affected by tourism activity. The effect of tourism on animal behavior should be evaluated, even though it is non-lethal ecotourism.”
The researchers also recommended a two- to three-year-long study with at least 10 cameras to gather more data on the activities of the carnivores.
“Current information is too limited and sporadic to understand basic behaviors of mammals, which may affect the progress in evaluating and improving the threatened status,” Nakabayashi said. “We should accumulate more information on rare species to determine their basic ecology and to reassess whether current conservation management strategies are appropriate.”
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Although #WorldOrangutanDay falls on the 19th of August, every day deserves to be World Orangutan Day! So here is an infographic that you can download, print and share however you please. All three species of orangutan are classified as ‘endangered’ or ‘critically endangered’ in S.E. Asia. Their main threat is palm oil deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia Help them and fight for their survival every time you shop! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Aug 19th is #WorldOrangutanDay 🦧🧡 Yet for everyone who loves them, every single day is World #Orangutan Day! Learn why “Sustainable” #palmoil is a #greenwashing lie 🌴🚫. Help orange apes every time you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-4t7
Happy #WorldOrangutanDay, download your #FREE #infographic in the link 🧐👇 You’ve been sold a lie! #Orangutans face extinction from “sustainable” #palmoil, which DOES NOT STOP #DEFORESTATION 🔥🌴🚫 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife! @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-4t7
Orangutans are highly intelligent, they use tools including using boats and they pass these skills onto their children whom they raise for up to 10 years.
Help to protect them!
#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
This infographic is creative commons attribution licence, this means you are free to use it so long as you credit Palm Oil Detectives.
Orangutans: Architects of the Forest, Champions of Survival
Embracing International Orangutan Day: Guardians of the Canopy
On August 19th each year, orange ape enthusiasts celebrate cheeky and nurturing orangutans of Indonesia and Malaysia. With their flame-coloured fur and expressive eyes like deep obsidian pools, orangutans are not only symbols of wild intelligence, they are vital ecological architects dispersing seeds and contributing to the survival of their rainforest home.
Celebrations of World Orangutan Day are tempered with immense worry for animal lovers each year. All three species of orangutan are on the brink of extinction. The relentless expansion of industrial palm oil plantations, roads and infrastructure slices through the heart of the rainforest. Human encroachment puts these gentle giants closer to greedy and unscrupulous poachers and also farmers who kill them in retribution for invading their crops.
Read on to discover the indelible and unique scientific discoveries about orangutans over the past few years. Also take a look at this infographic to understand how palm oil colonialism and land-grabbing have manifested into a pressure cooker of risks for one of our closest evolutionary relatives. Finally learn how you can take action to help orangutans every time you shop.
Murmurs of Meaning: The Complex Language of Orangutans
Orangutans communicate in ways that continue to fascinate people. A recent study has unlocked new insights into their sophisticated communication methods, revealing how orangutans use vocalisations and gestures to convey emotions and information (Erb et al., 2024). The study, conducted by a team of researchers from several institutions, employed machine learning algorithms to analyse vocal recordings of orangutans in the wild.
Key Findings
Diverse Vocalisations: Researchers identified over 200 distinct sounds used by orangutans, ranging from long-distance calls to subtle grunts and whistles. These vocalisations serve various purposes, including warnings of danger, expressions of joy, and coordination of group activities.
Gesture Communication: In addition to vocal sounds, orangutans use a rich tapestry of gestures to communicate, such as arm waves and facial expressions. These gestures are often used in social interactions, highlighting their rich emotional intelligence and social complexity
Implications
Understanding these communication patterns not only provides a window into the cognitive abilities of orangutans but also underscores the need for conservation strategies that consider their social dynamics. Protecting their habitats allows orangutans to continue engaging in these complex social behaviours, essential for their survival and well-being.
Tool-Wielding Innovators: The Ingenious Minds of Orangutans
Recently, researchers were given insight into how orangutans showcase their remarkable intelligence through the use of tools. A study detailed the innovative ways these apes utilise objects in their environment, demonstrating a level of cognitive sophistication that rivals even our closest relatives, the chimpanzees (Motes-Rodrigo et al., 2022). This research, led by Alba Motes-Rodrigo and her team, observed wild orangutans across several regions in Sumatra.
Key Findings
Tool Usage: The study documented instances where orangutans used sticks to extract insects from tree bark and employed leaves as makeshift umbrellas during tropical downpours. This behaviour reflects their problem-solving skills and adaptability to environmental challenges.
Cultural Transmission: Researchers noted that tool use varied across different orangutan communities, suggesting that these skills are passed down through generations, much like cultural traditions in human societies.
Implications
These findings highlight the orangutans’ ability to innovate and adapt, underscoring the importance of preserving their habitats to allow for such natural behaviours. By understanding their tool use, conservationists can develop strategies that cater to their cognitive needs, ensuring that these intelligent beings continue to thrive in their natural environments.
Using Healing Jungle Herbs: Orangutans and Self-Medication
In an extraordinary display of natural wisdom, orangutans have been seen in the wild tending to their own painful wounds. A groundbreaking study revealed that orangutans in the wild use plants with medicinal properties to alleviate pain and discomfort (Laumer et al., 2024). This research, led by Isabelle B. Laumer and her colleagues at the University of Zurich, involved detailed observation and analysis of orangutan behaviour in their natural habitat.
Key Findings
Medicinal Plants: The study found that orangutans use various forest plants known to humans for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. They were observed chewing leaves and applying them to their skin to treat muscle and joint pain, showcasing a sophisticated understanding of the medicinal properties of their environment.
Behavioural Evidence: By closely monitoring orangutan behaviour, researchers documented over 20 instances of self-medication, providing compelling evidence of their ability to diagnose and treat their own health issues.
Implications
This remarkable discovery highlights the depth of orangutans’ ecological knowledge and underscores the importance of preserving their natural habitats. By protecting these environments, we not only safeguard the orangutans’ ability to care for themselves, but also maintain the biodiversity that supports such important medicinal plant life. Understanding this behaviour offers valuable insights into the evolution of self-care and the potential for discovering new medicinal compounds that could benefit human health as well.
Hilarious Hijinks: Great Apes and Playful Teasing
Recent research has shown that playful teasing isn’t limited to human babies. Scientists hypothesised that because language isn’t necessary for teasing, this behaviour might also exist in non-human animals. Indeed, cognitive biologists and primatologists have observed playful teasing in four great ape species. Like human humour, ape teasing involves provocation, persistence, and unexpected playful elements. The fact that all four great ape species exhibit this behaviour suggests that the origins of humour may have evolved in our shared ancestors at least 13 million years ago.
Key Findings
Play Behaviour: Orangutans were observed engaging in various playful activities, including mock wrestling, swinging contests, and teasing games. These behaviours are crucial for social bonding and development, helping young orangutans learn social cues and build relationships.
Emotional Intelligence: The study found that playfulness is linked to emotional intelligence, as orangutans display empathy and care in their interactions, often comforting one another during moments of distress.
Implications
Recognising the playful nature of orangutans highlights the importance of preserving their social groups and habitats. By understanding their social dynamics, conservationists can develop empathetic strategies that honour their complex social structures, ensuring the continued survival of these remarkable beings in the wild.
Family Bonds: The Deep Connections in Orangutan Communities
Orangutans, just like us spend many years nursing and nurturing their young before they are ready to fly solo. So it’s therefore no surprise that the bond between orangutan mothers and her baby is so profoundly powerful. A recent study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology observed orangutan families across various habitats in Borneo and revealed the intricacies of their connections.
Key Findings
Long-Term Parenting: Orangutan mothers were found to invest up to eight years in raising their young, teaching them essential survival skills and knowledge about their environment. This extended parenting period is crucial for the development of independence and competence in young orangutans.
Social Learning: The study also revealed that young orangutans learn from their mothers through observation and imitation, acquiring skills such as foraging, nest building, and navigation of the forest canopy.
Implications
Understanding the family bonds and social learning in orangutan communities highlights the urgent need to protect their habitats, ensuring that these family structures remain intact. By safeguarding their environments, we preserve the social dynamics that are critical to their well-being and survival, allowing future generations of orangutans to flourish.
Unmasking the Greenwash: The Truth Behind ‘Sustainable’ Palm Oil
The palm oil industry frequently markets itself as “sustainable,” yet reports by industry watchdogs like the World Health Organisation, Greenpeace, Environmental Investigation Agency and researchers reveals that the RSPO is nothing more than an industry sponsored greenwashing body.
Key Findings
Deforestation: The study highlights how palm oil plantations contribute significantly to deforestation in regions such as Indonesia and Malaysia, leading to the loss of critical orangutan habitats. Despite certifications like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), these practices persist, often bypassing genuine sustainability criteria.
Impact on Indigenous Communities: In addition to environmental destruction, the expansion of palm oil plantations displaces indigenous communities, disrupting traditional ways of life and contributing to social unrest.
Implications
Exposing the greenwashing tactics of the palm oil industry is crucial for advocating genuine conservation solutions that prioritise orangutans and their ecosystems. By holding the industry accountable, we can work towards strategies that genuinely reflect the needs of these remarkable creatures and the environments they inhabit.
Take Action: Stand with Orangutans and Protect Their Future
Boycott Palm Oil and Meat Products
One of the most effective ways to support orangutans and their lush forest eden is to boycott products containing palm oil and meat. By choosing plant-based and palm oil free alternatives, you can help reduce the demand for these industries, contributing to the preservation of rainforests and protection of rare endangered animals. Learn which brands to boycott and brands to buy on the Palm Oil Detectives website.
Support Indigenous Rights
Empowering indigenous communities for self-determination is critical to protect ecosystems and animals. Organisations like WAHLI and World Rainforest Movement support indigenous rights and grassroots collective action against palm oil and timber corruption.
Raise Awareness on Social Media
Join the #Boycott4Wildlife movement on social media by sharing posts and information about the plight of orangutans. Use hashtags like #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife to spread awareness and encourage others to take action.
Be a Supermarket Sleuth
The next time you’re shopping, take a closer look at product labels to identify those containing palm oil. Share your a photo of what you discover on social media and call out brands engaging in greenwashing, using the #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags.
Conclusion
On International Orangutan Day, we celebrate the remarkable lives of orangutans and commit to protecting their future. By understanding their unique characteristics, exposing the myths of the palm oil industry, and taking action to preserve their habitats, we can ensure a brighter future for these magnificent creatures and the ecosystems they inhabit.
References
Alba Motes-Rodrigo, Shannon P. McPherron, Will Archer, R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, Claudio Tennie. Experimental investigation of orangutans’ lithic percussive and sharp stone tool behaviours. PLOS ONE, 2022; 17 (2): e0263343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263343
Erb, W. M., Ross, W., Kazanecki, H., Setia, T. M., Madhusudhana, S., & Clink, D. J. (2024). Vocal complexity in the long calls of Bornean orangutans. PeerJ, 12, Article e17320. https://peerj.com/articles/17320
Isabelle B. Laumer, Arif Rahman, Tri Rahmaeti, Ulil Azhari, Hermansyah, Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, Caroline Schuppli. Active self-treatment of a facial wound with a biologically active plant by a male Sumatran orangutan. Scientific Reports, 2024; 14 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58988-7
Laumer I.B., Winkler S, Rossano F, Cartmill EA. Spontaneous playful teasing in four great ape species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 2024 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2345
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
Palm Oil Detectives is completely self-funded by its creator. All hosting and website fees and investigations into brands are self-funded by the creator of this online movement. If you like what I am doing, you and would like me to help meet costs, please send Palm Oil Detectives a thanks on Ko-Fi.
The African golden cat’s striking coat varies from radiant red to elegant gray. They are a symbol of wild grace in the African jungle. This feline enchants a cacophony of sounds, from gentle meows to assertive growls. They are classified as Vulnerable and their population is expected to reduce by 30% as a direct result of palm oil deforestation in their forest home (IUCN Red List). Fight to protect these magnificent animals and their home every day! #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
The African Golden Cat’s striking coat varies from radiant red to elegant grey. They’re a symbol of wild grace in #Africa and are now #Vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-753
African Golden Cats make a cacophony of cat-like meows and assertive growls. Elusive and mysterious- they are now #vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation and other threats. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-753
They are often referred to as “the leopard’s brother,” a testament to their shared habitat and peculiar habit of trailing behind leopards.
African golden cats, the enigmatic denizens of the African jungle and the only members of the Profelis genus, share a close kinship with servals and caracals. These feline marvels exhibit a remarkable adaptability in captivity, undergoing a dramatic transformation in their fur colour, shifting from a vibrant red to a more subdued gray within approximately four months. Primarily terrestrial hunters, these agile climbers prefer the ground for their predatory pursuits, embodying a perfect blend of stealth and strength. The African golden cat is not just visually stunning but also vocally diverse, capable of producing an array of wild cat sounds, ranging from the familiar meow to the intimidating growl and hiss. They even engage in a unique gurgling communication, a sound specifically reserved for the proximity of their feline counterparts, adding to their mysterious and captivating aura.
Leopard’s brother and Leopard’s prey
African Golden Cats often shadow and follow larger Leopards in the hope of obtaining remnant carrion left behind by the bigger cats. This has leant them the moniker of ‘Leopard’s brother‘. However despite these cats being predators themselves, they also fall prey to leopards, the only other felid in African moist forests.
Evidence of this predatory relationship has been found in Gabon’s Lopé National Park and the Ituri forest, where remains of African Golden Cats were discovered in leopard scats and a carcass killed by a leopard was found. This interaction highlights the complex dynamics within their ecosystem.
Threats
Help the survival of these beautiful and rare small wild cats by boycotting products containing palm oil, which contributes to the destruction of their home.
Forest Loss in Golden Cat Habitats: Over the past 15 years, at least 6.5% of forests in countries where African golden cats live have been lost, greatly reducing their natural range. This loss is primarily due to deforestation and habitat fragmentation.
Agricultural Deforestation & Palm Oil Expansion: The expansion of palm oil plantations, mimicking the extensive habitat destruction seen in Southeast Asia, poses a major threat in Africa, particularly in West and Central Africa. This leads to significant loss of forest habitat, impacting the golden cat’s environment.
Impact of Roads and Settlements: The development of roads and settlements, which increased rapidly in the past 15 years, has led to a sharp decline in the populations of large and medium-sized mammals within 10–15 km of these areas. Over 64% of forest habitat in the Congo Basin is within 10 km of a road, resulting in higher hunting pressure and affecting golden cat populations.
Hunting: Although not a primary target, golden cats are often accidentally killed in wire-snares set for other animals. Areas with moderate to intense bushmeat hunting see significantly reduced golden cat populations.
Population Decline in Specific Regions: In Rio Muni, Equatorial Guinea, despite 78% being dense forest, golden cats were found in only 16% of the area. Their presence correlates with rugged terrains away from human disturbance.
Rapid Human Population Growth: The human population in golden cat range countries is growing rapidly, leading to increased pressure on their habitats. This growth is among the fastest globally, exacerbating threats to golden cats.
Mining and Infrastructure Development: The surge in mining activities and associated infrastructure development in Africa, including roads and railways, contributes to habitat destruction, human relocation into remote areas, and increased bushmeat hunting.
The exacerbation of these threats due to population growth, projected mining activities and forest clearance for oil palm plantations will likely cause further reduction in AOO for the Golden Cat and we therefore predict that the AOO will be reduced by at least a further 30% in the next 15 years, lending additional support to the species’ listing as Vulnerable under criterion A3c.
The African Golden Cat is unique to Africa, inhabiting primarily moist equatorial forests across a vast range from western Sierra Leone through central Africa to Kenya, with the Congo River distinguishing two subspecies. These adaptable felines are primarily found in lowland moist forests, but also inhabit areas along rivers in logged forests and in mountainous regions characterized by alpine moorland and bamboo forests. This showcases the unique adaptability of these cats to different forest environments.
Diet
The African Golden Cat are apex predators who primarily prey on rodents and squirrels, which constitute up to 70% of their diet, as revealed by studies of scats in Congo and the Central African Republic. Additionally, these cats hunt small and medium-sized duikers (a type of antelope), making up about a quarter to a third of their diet. They occasionally prey on larger mammals such as pygmy hippos and arboreal primates, pangolins and also birds. These dietary habits are consistent across various regions, including Uganda’s Bwindi National Park and the Ivory Coast’s Tai National Park.
Mating and breeding
The African golden cat’s breeding is shrouded in mystery, with limited observations suggesting potential monogamous pair bonding. Mothers typically birth 1-3 kittens after a 75-78 day gestation. Kittens, born blind, open their eyes within a week and start exploring at two weeks. Males reach sexual maturity at six months, and females at eleven months.
Support African Golden Cats by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #BoycottPalmOil #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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
World Elephant Day, celebrated on August 12th, honours the gentle and nurturing giants of Asia and Africa, who are revered for their deep spiritual wisdom, gentle strength, and nurturing natures. Over the past decade, their numbers have plummeted by 62% due to habitat encroachment for palm oil deforestation, other agriculture, infrastructure expansion, mining and the cruel #poaching for ivory. Without radical intervention, these magnificent beings could be near #extinction by the 2060s. Yet, do not despair because hope endures in the form of activism. Explore the extraordinary resilience and intelligence of pachyderms, and discover how you can help safeguard their future with consumer boycotts and supporting organisations fighting wildlife crime. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Celebrate #WorldElephantDay every day 🐘💌🩶 #Elephants are famous for their gentle intelligence and strength. They need your help! Learn about how you can fight for #elephant lives when you shop 💖✨ #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Jg
The Wisdom and Power of #Elephants 🤓🐘🎉 Let’s honour the gentle and nurturing giants of #Africa and #Asia. Elephants are endangered by #palmoil 🌴⛔️ #meat #deforestation and #poaching. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Jg
World Elephant Day, celebrated on August 12th, honours one of Earth’s most magnificent creatures, the faithful, gentle and powerful elephant species of Asia and Africa. Over the past decade, the number of elephants has significantly dropped by 62% due to multiple threats, the main ones being deforestation for palm oil and meat and the illegal killing of elephants for the black market of wildlife trophies.
According to these grim figures, without radical intervention, many elephant species are likely to be close to extinction by the 2060’s. However, all is not lost for elephants and together we can fight for their survival. Read on to discover the many incredible demonstrations of elephant resilience, strength and intelligence, along with some concrete ways that you can fight for elephants. #Boycott4Wildlife
Elephants: Majestic Icons of Culture and Mythology
Elephants have been revered and depicted in mythology, symbolism, and popular culture for millennia. They are admired for their strength, wisdom, and significant roles in various religious traditions. In Hinduism, elephant-headed deity Ganesha, symbolises wisdom and new beginnings. The elephant is also a revered symbol in Buddhism, particularly in Thailand, where the white elephant is considered sacred.
In African folklore, elephants are often depicted as wise and strong leaders. They symbolise strength, loyalty, and intelligence. In many cultures, elephants are also associated with royal power and majesty. For example, in the Kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin), the elephant was a symbol of the rulers’ strength and enduring legacy.
The Grim Reality: Threats Facing Elephants Today
Elephants are divided into three species with distinct subspecies, each facing severe threats:
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Sumatran elephants in Indonesia’s North Aceh district are being increasingly encircled by shrinking patches of forest. Their home is being destroyed primarily for oil palm plantations.
Explore the plight of the Bornean Pygmy Elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis), a vulnerable species threatened by habitat loss due to palm oil deforestation. Learn how you…
Sumatran Elephants are Critically Endangered, with populations declining by 80%. Threats include deforestation for palm oil and poaching Take action for them!
One of the most significant threats to elephants is habitat destruction. A study by the University of California, San Diego, revealed that more than 3 million square kilometres of the Asian elephant’s historic habitat have been lost in just three centuries (University of California – San Diego, 2023).
This loss is largely due to agricultural expansion, deforestation for commodities like palm oil, meat, and cocoa, and urban development. The reduction in suitable habitats leads to increased human-elephant conflicts as elephants encroach on human settlements in search of food and space.
Poaching and the Ivory Trade: A Deadly Combination
Poaching is another critical threat. It is estimated that 100 African elephants are killed each day for their ivory, primarily driven by demand in Asian markets. This relentless poaching not only reduces elephant populations but also disrupts their social structures and destabilises the ecosystem.
Elephants: Astonishing Intelligence and Forest Protectors
The reasons for protecting elephants are varied and include their ability to capture carbon and as giant seed dispersers, they are able to reinvigorate and protect landscapes for all other species.
Research from Lund University has shown that regions with abundant large herbivores, such as elephants, have more variable tree cover, benefiting biodiversity overall (Wang et al., 2023). Elephants play a crucial role in maintaining the health and diversity of their habitats by dispersing seeds and creating pathways for other species.
Elephants play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. A study by Saint Louis University found that if elephants become extinct, the rainforests of central and west Africa would lose a significant portion of their ability to capture atmospheric carbon, amplifying global warming. Elephants help maintain the diversity of tree species, promoting the growth of high carbon density trees which store more carbon from the atmosphere (Blake et al., 2023).
Let’s not forget that they deserve to exist in their own right, just as any other animal deserves to live. Elephants are intelligent, emotional and complex sentient beings, as countless recent research papers have shown.
Elephants Call Each Other By Names
A recent study by Colorado State University revealed that wild African elephants use name-like calls to address each other, a rare ability among nonhuman animals (Pardo et al., 2024). This finding suggests a high level of cognitive sophistication and social complexity in elephants.
Puzzle Solvers in the Wild
A study conducted at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand documented wild Asian elephants solving puzzles to access food. This research demonstrated that elephants possess individual innovation and problem-solving abilities, with some elephants showing greater persistence and success in retrieving food from various compartments (Jacobson et al., 2023).
Sibling Support: The Importance of Older Sisters
Research published in the Journal of Animal Ecology found that young Asian elephants benefit significantly from having older siblings, especially sisters. Those with older sisters had higher survival rates and reproduced earlier, highlighting the importance of family dynamics in elephant populations (Berger et al., 2021).
Cooperation and Competition Among Giants
A study in PLOS Biology revealed that Asian elephants are keen to cooperate with friends but will compete aggressively when resources are scarce. This behaviour sheds light on the complex social strategies elephants use to balance cooperation and competition (Li et al., 2021).
Wise Old Elephants Keep the Young Calm
Research from the University of Exeter suggests that male elephants are more aggressive when fewer older males are present. The study, conducted in Botswana, found that older bulls play a key role in keeping younger males calm, reducing the risk of aggression towards non-elephant targets such as vehicles and livestock. The removal of old male elephants, often targeted by trophy hunting, can lead to increased human-wildlife conflict, highlighting the importance of preserving these wise old giants. (Allen et al., 2021).
Large Tuskers Contribute to Tree Diversity
Research from Lund University has shown that regions with abundant large herbivores, such as elephants, have more variable tree cover, which benefits biodiversity overall. The study highlighted the crucial role of megafauna in maintaining species-rich and resilient ecosystems (Wang et al., 2023).
Taking Action: How You Can Help Save Elephants
Protecting elephants involves collective efforts and practical actions. Here are some steps you can take to make a difference:
1. Support Indigenous-Led Conservation and Agroecology
Advocate for animal conservation that is led by indigenous communities with indigenous knowledge firmly at its heart. Agroecology, integrates ecological principles and traditional knowledge into agricultural practices and is a viable alternative to destructive industrial monocultures. In contrast, agroecology benefits wildlife, forests and human communities.
2. Boycott Commodities Causing Deforestation
Avoid buying products linked to deforestation, such as palm oil, meat and gold. By adopting a largely meat-free and palm oil free diet, or even better being vegan you are making a powerful ethical statement in support of elephants. Boycotting these commodities helps reduce the demand that drives habitat destruction and endangers elephants.
3. Support Organisations Fighting Illegal Wildlife Trade
Support organisations like TRAFFIC and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) that work to stop illegal poaching and the ivory trade. Raising awareness and advocating for stronger laws and enforcement is crucial.
4. Supermarket Sleuthing and Calling Out Greenwashing On Social Media
Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife 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.
5. Be a Part of the #Boycott4Wildlife Movement
Share posts from the Palm Oil Detectives website to your own network on Twitter, Mastodon, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife.
6. Raise Your Hands and Trunks for Captive Elephants
All around the world, elephants are captured and forced to ‘entertain’ people in cruel, isolated and unhealthy conditions. DO NOT accept these atrocities and blatant animal cruelty, instead you should boycott zoos (which are at their essence glorified prisons for wild animals), sign petitions and call out ongoing abuse of captive elephants online.
Conclusion
Elephants are facing unprecedented human-related threats. On World Elephant Day and also every day, we can join together and take action for these magnificent creatures so that they survive now and always generations to come. By advocating for indigenous-led conservation, supporting agroecology, combating illegal poaching, and spreading awareness, we can make a significant impact. Together, we can create a safer world for elephants and preserve the rich biodiversity of our planet.
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)
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
New research published in the journal Political Geography reveals that there is no significant difference between RSPO-certified “sustainable” palm oil companies and non-certified ones when it comes to handling land conflicts with rural communities in Indonesia. The study, titled “Corporate Contentious Politics: Palm Oil Companies and Land Conflicts in Indonesia,” highlights how both types of companies employ contentious tactics to deal with land disputes, challenging the perceived benefits of RSPO certification.
New #research #study 🧐 reveals “sustainable” #palmoil isn’t any better for workers. RSPO-certified and non-certified co’s in #Indonesia use violence and intimidation for #landgrabbing. Take action and #BoycottPalmOil ✊ #humanrights🌴🚫 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8IK
Regardless of RSPO “sustainable” #palmoil or not, companies don’t respect #landrights of farmers, finds a landmark #study into police/corporate collusion using #violence to suppress protest. #humanrights #BoycottPalmOil @palmoildetect @ward_berenschot https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8IK
Berenschot, W., Dhiaulhaq, A., Hospes, O., Afrizal, & Pranajaya, D. (2024). Corporate contentious politics: Palm oil companies and land conflicts in Indonesia. Political Geography, 114, 103166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2024.103166
Our study of trajectories of 150 such conflicts identifies a big gap between the policies that companies (and RSPO) publicly announce, and their on-the-ground practices. Many companies do not live up to their stated intent of respecting land rights and resolving grievances. Instead, companies implement various measures to limit the capacity of rural Indonesians to voice their grievances and realize their claims. This involves violent suppression of protests. This suppression is made possible by extensive collusion between company managers and local authorities and police officials – ensuring that local governments side with companies against villagers. The result is that demonstrations often end violently, and that the arrest and criminalization of protest leaders is common, effectively undermining the capacity of communities to protest. Despite corporate policies and pious public statements, we found that companies are actually quite hesitant to come to an agreement with communities, and tend to avoid or stall mediation efforts.
Systematic Strategies: The research documents 150 conflicts between palm oil companies and rural communities in four Indonesian provinces. It highlights how companies engage in conscious and strategic efforts to realise their claims to land, employing tactics such as co-opting local leaders, cultivating connections with local authorities, suppressing community protests, and criminalising protest leaders.
Contentious Repertoire: Companies have been found to adopt a repertoire of contentious tactics, including providing gifts and inducements to local leaders, offering bribes to government officials and police, and using security personnel and hired goons to intimidate and suppress protests.
Limited Legal Recourse for Communities: The study highlights the challenges faced by rural communities in Indonesia, where the lack of formal land titles and the curtailing of land rights by the state create a vulnerable position for locals. This environment allows palm oil companies to exploit informal networks and circumvent regulatory measures.
RSPO Membership Impact: Surprisingly, the study found no significant differences in conflict behaviours between companies that are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and those that are not. This suggests that the RSPO’s code of conduct has limited influence on reducing contentious tactics by its member companies.
Research Implications
The authors, Ward Berenschot, Ahmad Dhiaulhaq, Otto Hospes, Afrizal, and Daniel Pranajaya, call for more comparative research on corporate contentious politics, particularly in regions with informalised state institutions. They argue that a contentious politics perspective provides valuable insights into the often-secretive tactics of corporations in land conflicts, challenging the benign image projected by CSR policies.
Conclusion
This groundbreaking research reveals the dual-faced nature of palm oil companies’ operations in Indonesia. While these companies publicly pledge to uphold high sustainability standards, their on-the-ground tactics often contradict these commitments, exacerbating land conflicts and community grievances. The study urges policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers to scrutinise corporate behaviour more closely and advocate for stronger regulatory frameworks to protect vulnerable communities.
Berenschot, W., Dhiaulhaq, A., Hospes, O., Afrizal, & Pranajaya, D. (2024). Corporate contentious politics: Palm oil companies and land conflicts in Indonesia. Political Geography, 114, 103166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2024.103166
Berenschot, W., Dhiaulhaq, A., Hospes, O., Afrizal, & Pranajaya, D. (2024). Corporate contentious politics: Palm oil companies and land conflicts in Indonesia. Political Geography, 114, 103166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2024.103166
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
The Philippine #tarsier, Carlito syrichta, epitomises nocturnal secrecy, leading a mostly concealed life in the dense recesses of impenetrable bushes and forests of the #Philippines. They boast large and mesmerising eyes that aid with night vision. These tiny creatures have a distinct appearance and measuring around 8 to 16 cm. Their fur is soft and comes in various shades, often blending with their natural surroundings.
Known for their incredible leaping abilities, tarsiers are agile hunters, relying on their keen sense of hearing to locate prey. Despite their small size, they play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance in their habitat. They are now ‘Near Threatened’ due to multiple human-related threats including palm oil deforestation and the pet trade. Help them to survive #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Known for their incredible leaping abilities and huge eyes, Philippine tarsiers are agile hunters. They face multiple threats including #palmoil #deforestation. Help them every time you shop! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-74s
Kooky Philippine #tarsiers epitomise nocturnal secrecy and live in the dark of #Philippines forests. Their main threats are the #pet trade and #deforestation. Help them by using your wallet as a weapon and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-74s
Endemic to the Philippines, the Philippine tarsier lives in lush tropical forests. These tiny and fragile looking primates are particularly abundant in specific regions such as Bohol, Leyte, Leyte, and Mindanao. Their habitat preference is dense vegetation, where they can navigate and forage efficiently in the tree canopies. Unfortunately, the expansion of multiple industries in the Philippines threatens their existence and they are now classified as ‘Near Threatened’.
Threats
Habitat Loss: Rapid deforestation and conversion of forests into agricultural land.
Illegal Pet Trade: Despite being protected by law, the Philippine tarsier faces the threat of capture for the exotic pet trade.
Tourism Impact: Unregulated tourism can disturb their natural habitats and stress the tarsiers.
Diet
These small primates are insectivores, primarily feeding on a variety of insects, including crickets, beetles, and caterpillars. They are one of the only species whose eyes weigh more than their brains. They are equipped with exceptional night vision and sensitive ears. Philippine Tarsiers skilfully navigate the dense vegetation of tropical forests to hunt for their prey.
Mating and breeding
Communication is a complex affair, involving audible calls, ultrasonic vocalisations, and scent markings. Tarsiers vocalise with a distinctive loud call, a sweet, bird-like twill, and ultrasound frequencies for distress and mating communication.
The gestation period lasts about six months, with a mating season from April to May, and females give birth to a single offspring per gestation. These tiny infants, born with eyes wide open, weigh only 25 grams. They are carried by their mothers until they are capable of independent movement. The close bond between mother and offspring is crucial for the survival of the species. Tarsiers that are captured for the pet trade rarely survive and reproduce, so it is critical that they remain living and reproducing in the wild. Only a month after being born, babies exhibit great agility and are able to leap from this point onwards.
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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
A six-month investigation reveals Socfin’s exploitation of rubber and palm oil in Ghana and Nigeria, leading to deforestation, landgrabbing and human rights abuses. SOCFIN is a palm oil company and member of the RSPO purportedly using “sustainable” palm oil. The company’s activities have caused significant environmental and social harm, including the destruction of vital rainforests and the displacement of indigenous communities. Despite its substantial profits, Socfin’s operations have left local communities impoverished and struggling financially for survival. Help them to survive each time you shop when you #Boycottpalmoil
“Sustainable” #palmoil and rubber co. and #RSPO member SOCFIN is on a decades long rampage of violent #landgrabbing and #ecocide in #Ghana and Nigeria. Help local communities to fight back against #humanrights abuses when you #Boycottpalmoil @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8H0
Written by Gideon Sarpong, Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi and Audrey Travère. Writing and Editing by Gideon Sarpong. Article originally entitled ‘Socfin exploitation of rubber & palm oil linked to deforestation & human rights abuses in Ghana & Nigeria’ This report was supported by JournalismFund Europe. Originally published on IWatchAfrica. Read original.
Okumu, Nigeria – Okumu Oil Palm Company, a subsidiary under the umbrella of the Socfin Group, possesses an extensive 7,335-hectare rubber plantation and a sprawling 19,062-hectare palm plantation, all nestled within the Ovia South-West local government area of Edo State.
The company’s presence in the Okumu community has become a contentious issue, notably for the indigenous people, including children who have endured displacement due to the company’s activities.
In 2021, the Socfin Group reported a remarkable profit of 80.4 million euros, its highest figure since at least 2014 due to increasing prices for palm oil and rubber. Yet, paradoxically, the Okumu community and other host communities throughout West Africa remain a stark contrast to the image of prosperity associated with Socfin’s substantial export earnings.
Okumu community in Nigeria, Credit: Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi, 2023
Human Rights Abuses
In a deeply distressing account of events, residents of Okumu have leveled accusations against the company for forcibly dismantling three villages within the district, namely—Lemon, Agbeda, and Oweike.
This action resulted in the displacement of hundreds of indigenous inhabitants and the grim aftermath of community farmland destruction, loss of life, and the disruption of children’s education.
For many of these people, their roots run deep within these villages, with no kin beyond the boundaries of their home. The repercussions of the company’s actions continue to haunt the affected communities, even decades after the devastation was wrought.
Today, Lemon, once a thriving community, has been reduced to a mere memory, while the residents of Oweike and Agbeda have been compelled to relocate to nearby communities, seeking refuge and new beginnings.
Upon closer examination, our investigation unveiled a disconcerting narrative: following the eviction of these three communities, the company proceeded to expand its palm and rubber plantations, acquiring a staggering 1,969 hectares of oil palm and 1,811 hectares of rubber in the process.
According to the company’s own website, these expansions represent only a fraction of their broader growth trajectory, with an astounding total of 33,112 hectares now under their purview.
The story of Austin Lemon, a mere 15 years old at the time Socfin’s presence descended upon his community, serves as a heart-wrenching testament to the trauma endured by these communities. As he watched the Luxembourger company, accompanied by security personnel, lay waste to his ancestral home, he also witnessed the pleas of his parents and fellow Lemon village residents in Okomu.
They implored the company to allow them to remain, as they had no alternative haven. Regrettably, their appeals fell on deaf ears, as Socfin’s relentless pursuit of rubber and palm resources took precedence.
His father, the founder of Lemon Village in 1969 and the namesake of the community, followed the age-old Nigerian customary law, which dictates that the first person to settle on a virgin land gains rightful ownership.
Lemon, who is now 33, recalls the profound “shock” that gripped his father, the respected leader of Lemon village within the Okumu community, upon learning that Socfin had acquired their ancestral home. In a desperate bid to secure some semblance of justice for his fellow villagers in the face of impending displacement, Lemon’s father implored the company to provide compensation for their relocation but that did not happen.
He ruefully reflects, “The Company planted their plantation without heeding to their pleas.” The consequences were catastrophic – every single house in Lemon village met its demise, and the once-thriving areas reserved for the cultivation of plantain, cassava, cocoa, and cocoyam were reduced to ruins.
Lemon’s personal account of these events is a poignant reminder of the human cost inflicted by the company’s actions. He reveals, “For a whole year, I couldn’t attend school because we were displaced and struggling to make ends meet.”
“It was the company’s actions that ultimately led to the death of my father, who had high blood pressure. He perished because the farms he once relied upon to feed his 32 children were also obliterated,” he revealed.
In a surprising turn of events, the company denied the findings presented to them.
According to Socfin’s communications team, they acquired their plantation following the de-reservation of a portion of Okomu Forest Reserve by Nigeria’s federal government, in compliance with the Edo Forestry Commission Law (1968) and its subsequent amendments, among other relevant legislation.
Nevertheless, Ajele Sunday, a spokesperson for the Okumu community, contradicts the company’s account. He asserts that the community “never received any compensation” when Socfin claimed to have procured the land from the government.
Multiple sources within the Okomu village have raised concerns, contending that the company conducted negotiations with the government without seeking or taking into consideration the community’s perspective.
This breach raises critical concerns about the treatment of indigenous communities and their rights in the context of corporate activities, shedding light on the urgency of adhering to these vital principles.
According to FPIC, Indigenous Peoples possess the right to grant or withhold consent for projects that stand to impact them or their territories.
A Tragic Fight for Freedom in Okomu Village
In 2022, Socfin (Okumu Oil Palm Company) took a contentious step by excavating a large trench around its plantation, effectively barricading the community, leaving residents stranded with no access to the outside world. During the rainy season, the runoff from this trench, laden with fertilizers, contaminated the Okomu River, the sole source of drinking water, and proved fatal to fish in the water. Frustrated by this environmental degradation, the residents organized a peaceful protest at the company’s entrance, demanding the closure of the trench.
The protests had spanned two days, with the first day devoted to demonstrations within the community. On the second day, the residents decided to take their grievances to the company’s gate. En route, they were intercepted by security officers determined to quell the protest.
Among the protesters, Iyabo Batu, aged 56, found herself at the forefront. On May 3, 2022, while demonstrating against the company’s closure of the sole road leading to her village, Marhiaoba, she was struck by a bullet in the knee, believed to have been fired by a Socfin security personnel.
“It was very difficult for my grandchildren to go to school because the white man blocked the road,” Iyabo Batu explained, referring to the Socfin manager. She went on to describe how the road closure, a consequence of the trench excavated by the company, led to children in the village discontinuing their schooling. This was the sole route in and out of the community, now obstructed by the company’s actions.
The peaceful protest turned tragic when security personnel attached to the company targeted Iyabo Batu, shooting her in the knee. She was swiftly transported to a clinic before being transferred to the general hospital of Igbuobazua headquarters. Her hospitalization extended beyond a month following the surgery for her gunshot wound, but she expressed her deep sadness at the fact that the company had neither covered her medical expenses nor offered their sympathy.
The company denied any involvement in the incident, insisting that no employee had shot Mrs. Batu. However, community spokesperson Sunday, among others, claimed that the company was attempting to distance itself from the actions.
Iyabo BATU at the Benin Teaching Hospital during her surgery in 2022
Iyabo Batu’s X-ray results unveiled multiple patella fractures, and she credited Environmental Rights Actions (ERA) for her survival. Rita Ukwa of ERA disclosed that they supported Batu, including arranging a city apartment for her for a year after her hospital discharge, as evidenced by her hospital discharge receipt, indicating a payment of 226,940 naira[$296] to the Benin Teaching Hospital.
The company, in responding to findings of this investigation, asserted that they were unable to comment on the allegations as no “formal complaint had been filed by the alleged complainant, either to the company or the Nigerian Police Force.” They also clarified that their security personnel “were not permitted to carry weapons, as per government regulations.”
However, multiple witnesses, both within and outside the company, contended that a company security officer was indeed responsible for the shooting of 59-year-old Iyabo Batu. A non-Okomu resident working for the company identified the officer in question as a government anti-terrorism officer. The source chose to remain anonymous out of fear, considering the potential repercussions from either the company or the police officers who delayed recording the community’s statement when Mrs. Batu was rushed to the police station.
Our investigations showed that the security apparatus for Okumu Oil Palm Company comprises police, private security, and military officers, even though they are compensated by the federal government. These officers are also subject to the directives of the company, raising questions about the dynamics of power and accountability in this complex relationship.
A spokesperson for Edo State Chris Osa Nehikhare said, “the government will also monitor what is happening in Okomu to ensure no one is exploited and to make life better for the community,”
Plantation Socfin Ghana and Deforestation
Meanwhile in Ghana, the operations of Plantation Socfinaf Ghana (PSG), a subsidiary of the Socfin Group which operates rubber and oil palm plantations in Manso and Daboase in the Western Region has led to the destruction of vital rainforests.
In 2017 and 2018, PSG contracted Proforest and HS+E respectively to conduct environmental assessments at its Subri site in Daboase ahead of the construction of a palm processing mill in 2019.
Findings from this assessment showed that any large-scale operations at the Subri site would result in the “loss of biodiversity, land degradation, increase in ambient noise levels, aerial emissions and the destruction of unique endangered ecosystems and species within the catchment areas.”
Notably, the Proforest assessment emphasized the substantial environmental value of the PSG Subri site. It was found to host a substantial “carbon stock of 981,080.74 metric tons” and served as a crucial “habitat for a vulnerable population of species” in need of conservation measures. Despite these findings, PSG proceeded with the construction of the palm processing mill in in 2020 costing US$20 million.
PSG also admitted that between 2012 and 2016, over 1 089 ha of natural forests were cleared to make way for its plantations failing to heed to concerns by environmental groups.
Despite mounting concerns and inquiries into PSG’s actions, the company has remained conspicuously silent, failing to respond to our requests for information regarding their mitigation plans and the repercussions of their operations on the communities around Daboase and the environment at large.
Data from Global Forest Watch paints a distressing picture of the situation. Between 2001 and 2022, Ghana’s Western Region witnessed the loss of a staggering 536,000 hectares of tree cover. This represents a 23% decline in tree cover since the turn of the millennium, accompanied by a grim emission of 297 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent. It’s worth noting that this region, the wettest in Ghana, plays host to PSG’s extensive plantations.
The ramifications of this ecological decline extend beyond the boundaries of forests and into the lives of the local communities. Farmers like Godwin Ofori, a 35-year-old resident of Daboase in close proximity to PSG’s plantation, have borne the brunt of these changes.
Mr. Ofori expressed his frustration with the evolving rainfall patterns, stating, “One of the biggest challenges over the last decade has been unpredictable rainfall patterns. We cannot predict the rainfall pattern nowadays, and I believe that this is partly a destruction of our forests.”
Recent study by researchers at University of Leeds has shown that African tropical forests remain critical to the fight against the climate emergency, absorbing three times more carbon each year than the UK emitted in 2019.
The direct link between the decline in critical rainforests and these erratic weather patterns underlines the adverse impact on the livelihoods and food security of those living in the vicinity.
Startling findings from Global Witness showcase the unsettling consequence of industrial rubber plantations across the expanse of West and Central Africa, witnessing the loss of nearly 52,000 hectares of ecologically rainforest since the turn of the century—equivalent to an expanse 16 times the size of Brussels.
EU, Deforestation and Rubber companies
In June 2023, the EU introduced regulations on deforested products to address the challenge of rubber and oil plantation-driven deforestation. The EU remains the biggest export destination for palm oil and rubber cultivation from West Africa. Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity shows that the EU imported over $500 million worth of natural rubber from West Africa in 2020 alone making natural rubber the EU’s most significant import from West Africa in terms of rainforest destruction.
The effect has been the loss of critical rainforests, with a damning impact on local communities, biodiversity, and the environment. This new law has the potential to put a check on Socfin’s operations across West Africa.
Colin Robertson, a Senior Forests Investigator at Global Witness lauded EU efforts describing it as a “very promising step towards reducing European consumers’ impact on the world’s forests.”
He however cautioned that “the inclusion of rubber should mean that European tire manufacturers will have to check that the rubber plantations they buy from are sticking firmly to zero deforestation pledges.”
Based on detailed export data examined, our investigation unearthed a direct link between Société des Matières Premières Tropicales PTE and the procurement of natural rubber from Okomu Oil Palm Company over the last two years.
Société des Matières Premières Tropicales PTE functions as the sole consolidated purchaser of natural rubber for tire manufacturing giant, the Michelin Group. This revelation gives rise to profound ethical concerns, casting a shadow on the European tire manufacturing industry’s dedication to fostering sustainability.
In response to our investigation, the Michelin Group acknowledged our findings and affirmed their awareness of “historical grievances expressed by local communities” against Okomu Oil Palm Company, insisting that they have closely monitored the situation since 2015.
“In collaboration with a civil society organization, we urged Socfin to enhance its sustainable development performance, which eventually led to Socfin’s adoption of “zero deforestation” and “non-exploitation” commitments,” Michelin wrote in their response.
However, our findings expose a crucial discrepancy: Socfin’s interpretation of “zero deforestation” does not align with the industry-recognized standard known as the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA). Neither Socfin nor its subsidiaries across West Africa are members of the HCSA. This incongruity highlights the urgent need for greater clarity and alignment within the industry.
Greenpeace has sounded a resounding alarm, cautioning that Socfin’s steadfast resistance to adopting the industry’s zero-deforestation standard poses a significant and looming threat to the forests of West Africa, where the company’s operations are concentrated.
The future of these critical ecosystems remains at a crossroads, demanding enhanced vigilance and rigorous commitment to sustainable practices.
——
Written by Gideon Sarpong, Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi and Audrey Travère. Writing and Editing by Gideon Sarpong. Article originally entitled ‘Socfin exploitation of rubber & palm oil linked to deforestation & human rights abuses in Ghana & Nigeria’ This report was supported by JournalismFund Europe. Originally published on IWatchAfrica. Read original.
The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global’s ethics committee has issued a damning report recommending the exclusion of Socfin’s main shareholder, the Bolloré group, due to evidence of systemic human rights abuses at Socfin’s plantations, particularly in Cameroon. The report outlines serious allegations, including violations of labour rights, widespread sexual violence, harassment of women by plantation supervisors, and deplorable working conditions where workers are often employed as day labourers without contracts, paid below the legal minimum wage, and subjected to arbitrary hiring and firing practices. The report also highlights unsanitary living conditions and a lack of social benefits for workers, painting a grim picture of exploitation and abuse across Socfin’s operations in Africa. These findings have intensified scrutiny on Socfin and the Bolloré group, pressuring them to address these human rights concerns. Read more at Delano
Read more about human rights abuses, deforestation and ecocide 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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Researchers have identified a species of frog Limnonectes phyllofolia completely new to science. The tiny Indonesian amphibian is in the possession of little fangs. Researchers think that their fangs may be used to fend off would-be competitors for mating or territory. This species adopts a unique approach by laying their eggs on tree leaves. Adding to their distinct behavior, the male frogs play an active role in guarding and nurturing the nests. This discovery not only enriches our understanding of amphibian biodiversity but also highlights why it is absolutely crucial that we protect their home – rainforests in Indonesia. Help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Media release published on Science Alert, 21 December, 2023, read original. Jeffrey H. Frederick, Djoko T. Iskandar, Awal Riyanto, Amir Hamidy, Sean B. Reilly, Alexander L. Stubbs, Luke M. Bloch, Bryan Bach, Jimmy A. McGuire. A new species of terrestrially-nesting fanged frog (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. PLOS ONE, 2023; 18 (12): e0292598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292598
Limnonectes macrocephalus, the Luzon fanged frog
Frogs’ teeth aren’t known for being noteable or unusual. Typically frog teeth appear as tiny pinpricks on their upper jaws. However, one group of stream-dwelling frogs in Sulawesi, Indonesia have a strange adaptation: two bony “fangs” jutting out of their lower jawbone.
They use these fangs to battle with each other over territory and mates, and sometimes even to hunt tough-shelled prey like giant centipedes and crabs. In a new study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers have described a new species of fanged frog: the smallest one ever discovered.
“This new species is tiny compared to other fanged frogs on the island where it was found, about the size of a quarter,” says Jeff Frederick, a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum in Chicago and the study’s lead author, who conducted the research as a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. “Many frogs in this genus are giant, weighing up to two pounds. At the large end, this new species weighs about the same as a dime.”
In collaboration with the Bogor Zoology Museum, a team from the McGuire Lab at Berkeley found the frogs on Sulawesi, a rugged, mountainous island that makes up part of Indonesia. “It’s a giant island with a vast network of mountains, volcanoes, lowland rainforest, and cloud forests up in the mountains. The presence of all these different habitats mean that the magnitude of biodiversity across many plants and animals we find there is unreal — rivaling places like the Amazon,” says Frederick.
While trekking through the jungle, members of the joint US-Indonesia amphibian and reptile research team noticed something unexpected on the leaves of tree saplings and moss-covered boulders: nests of frog eggs.
Frogs are amphibians, and they lay eggs that are encapsulated by jelly, rather than a hard, protective shell. To keep their eggs from drying out, most amphibians lay their eggs in water. To the research team’s surprise, they kept spotting the terrestrial egg masses on leaves and mossy boulders several feet above the ground. Shortly after, they began to see the small, brown frogs themselves.
“Normally when we’re looking for frogs, we’re scanning the margins of stream banks or wading through streams to spot them directly in the water,” Frederick says. “After repeatedly monitoring the nests though, the team started to find attending frogs sitting on leaves hugging their little nests.” This close contact with their eggs allows the frog parents to coat the eggs with compounds that keep them moist and free from bacterial and fungal contamination.
Guarding behaviour of male frogs may be linked to them developing fangs for fighting
Closer examination of the amphibian parents revealed not only that they were tiny members of the fanged frog family, complete with barely-visible fangs, but that the frogs caring for the clutches of eggs were all male. “Male egg guarding behavior isn’t totally unknown across all frogs, but it’s rather uncommon,” says Frederick.
The world’s smallest ‘fanged’ frog found in Indonesia
Frederick and his colleagues hypothesize that the frogs’ unusual reproductive behaviors might also relate to their smaller-than-usual fangs. Some of the frogs’ relatives have bigger fangs, which help them ward off competition for spots along the river to lay their eggs in the water. Since these frogs evolved a way to lay their eggs away from the water, they may have lost the need for such big imposing fangs. (The scientific name for the new species is Limnonectes phyllofolia; phyllofolia means “leaf-nester.”)
Photos: Sean Reilly
“It’s fascinating that on every subsequent expedition to Sulawesi, we’re still discovering new and diverse reproductive modes,” says Frederick. “Our findings also underscore the importance of conserving these very special tropical habitats. Most of the animals that live in places like Sulawesi are quite unique, and habitat destruction is an ever-looming conservation issue for preserving the hyper-diversity of species we find there. Learning about animals like these frogs that are found nowhere else on Earth helps make the case for protecting these valuable ecosystems.”
Media release published on Science Alert, 21 December, 2023, read original. Jeffrey H. Frederick, Djoko T. Iskandar, Awal Riyanto, Amir Hamidy, Sean B. Reilly, Alexander L. Stubbs, Luke M. Bloch, Bryan Bach, Jimmy A. McGuire. A new species of terrestrially-nesting fanged frog (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. PLOS ONE, 2023; 18 (12): e0292598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292598
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
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)
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
PepsiCo‘s supply chain is allegedly linked to environmental and human rights violations in Peru, involving Amazon deforestation and Indigenous land invasion. For three years, palm oil from deforested Shipibo-Konibo territory has been used in products like Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Cheetos, Doritos and more. PepsiCo sources oil from Ocho Sur, a company notorious for environmental crimes and forest loss. The palm oil industry in Peru, which doubled production in a decade, is allegedly responsible for significant illegal deforestation, violent indigenous landgrabbing, animal extinction and human rights abuses. Take action every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil for wildlife and Indigenous people.
Corrupt so-called “sustainable” #palmoil is never far from your own fridge. Food #giant #PepsiCo, maker of snack favs #Cheetos #Gatorade gets #palmoil 🤮at the expense of Shipibo-Konibo people of #Peru 🇵🇪 Fight back and #BoycottPalmOil 🪔🚫 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8EG
DYK the #palmoil in #food like #Doritos 🤒🤮 and #Gatorade 🫗 is linked to #indigenous #landgrabbing and violence in #Peru? 🇵🇪 It’s what the ads leave out that’s most important. Learn more about how you can #BoycottPalmOil 🧐 via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8EG
The article below was originally published on April 18 2024 by Ojo Público and MongaBay. Written By Elisângela Mendonça , Aramís Castro , Andrew Wasley. Photography: David Díaz, Illustration by Claudia Calderón. This investigation was produced with support from the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network. Read more
Sign petition: Tell PepsiCo stop destroying rainforests for palm oil!
PepsiCo’s profit-first palm oil policy is still destroying rainforests.
Meanwhile, PepsiCo keeps on promising that it’s working towards a truly sustainable palm oil policy, making commitments to human rights and zero deforestation. But this new report leaves no doubt: this whole time, PepsiCo’s palm oil promises have been nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Peruvian palm oil linked to environmental and human rights violations ended up in the supply chain for the makers of Gatorade and Cheetos
The US food and drink giant PepsiCo has been linked through its supply chain to Amazon deforestation and the invasion of Indigenous lands in Peru, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), Mongabay and Peruvian outlet Ojo Público can reveal.
For at least three years, PepsiCo’s Peruvian suppliers have been sourcing palm oil from deforested territory claimed by the Shipibo-Konibo people in Ucayali, eastern Peru.
The company, which manufactures snacks including Cheetos and Gatorade, runs a factory in Mexico that buys Peruvian palm oil after it has been processed at a Mexican refinery. That refinery buys from a Peruvian consortium, Sol de Palma, that shares storage facilities with Ocho Sur, a notorious US-funded business accused of repeated environmental and human rights violations.
The storage facilities mix the various batches of palm oil, meaning PepsiCo products likely contain Ocho Sur oil despite no longer buying directly from the company.
Ocho Sur is linked to 155 sq km of forest loss in the past decade – both within its own property and through its direct suppliers. While some of the forest loss took place under other companies, satellite analyses by the Center for Climate Crime Analysis (CCCA) and TBIJ show clear deforestation on Ocho Sur’s land in the past three years.
Palm oil production in Peru has more than doubled in the past decade and Ucayali, a hotspot for cultivation on the border with Brazil, now has the country’s second-highest rate of forest loss. It’s estimated that about 30% of the country’s palm plantations are on illegally deforested land. Half of the oil is sent to international markets.
Today, Ocho Sur is the second-largest palm oil company in Peru. It was created in 2016 after acquiring the assets of two other controversial companies active in the region since 2012.
“Before 2012, the deforestation rates were pretty low,” said Tom Younger, an anthropologist working with the Forest Peoples’s Programme, an NGO. The arrival of palm oil plantations, he said, “set into motion some dynamics of land invasion and deforestation”.
Some of the forest loss on company-run oil palm plantations occurred on land claimed by the Santa Clara de Uchunya community of Shipibo-Konibo Indigenous people. They have endured a long and often hostile battle for recognition, and only a tiny portion of the 200 sq km of land the community claims has been formally titled.
In 2020, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a regional legal body, ordered the Peruvian state to protect the Santa Clara de Uchunya community against threats and land invasions.
Luisa Mori Gonzáles, president of the community’s defence front, says the arrival of the palm oil industry has affected their food supply and sown division.
“We use that territory to feed ourselves or to hunt,” she told TBIJ and Ojo-Público. “The company put it in their [other community members’] heads that they are going to have money and wealth – but that is a lie.”
Deforestation near the Santa Clara de Uchunya communityDavid Díaz/OjoPúblico
Neither Ocho Sur nor the liquidated companies whose assets it acquired had obtained the necessary environmental permit for their plantations. The Peruvian Agriculture Ministry sanctioned and fined the dissolved company Plantaciones de Ucayali in 2015 for failing to comply with an order to stop its activities. Ocho Sur eventually paid these fines in 2022, but by 2018 the companies had failed to conserve the legally required 30% of forest, the non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has found. It is unclear whether the majority of the deforestation took place under Plantaciones de Ucayali or Ocho Sur.
Impunity for environmental crimes such as illegal deforestation is a major problem, according to Julia Urrunaga of the EIA, which recently published a report linking Peruvian palm oil to other well-known food and cosmetics companies.
“The authorities have the responsibility of guaranteeing that what is sold has a legal origin,” said Urrunaga.“If a product is being marketed that is being grown and produced in illegally deforested areas without a production permit, that should be an illegal product.”
Experts attribute the growth of palm oil in Latin America, today the second largest producing region for the industry outside south-east Asia – and the fastest growing – in part to its weaker regulation.
Earlier this year, Peru’s Congress approved a new amendment to its forest and wildlife law, loosening requirements for deforestation in “agriculture exclusion areas” and forgiving historic offences.
Robert Heilmayr, an environmental economist teaching at the University of California Santa Barbara, told TBIJ that while private-sector commitments have brought some positive advances in transparency in countries like Indonesia, the industry’s complexity makes full traceability a challenge.
He said: “It gets a little bit hard to know exactly where the fresh fruit bunches are coming from and there’s no third-party auditing of those supply lists.”
According to CCCA’s analysis, PepsiCo manufactures at least 15 products that contain Peruvian palm oil refined in Mexico – among them Doritos, Cheetos and Gatorade. It has pledged to make 100% of its palm oil supply deforestation-free by the end of 2022 and for its operation to be net zero by 2040.
Concerns about the legal origins of palm oil have also given rise to international initiatives like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the industry’s most widely used sustainability certification scheme.
The Santa Clara de Uchunya community of Shipibo-Konibo Indigenous people have only been officially granted a fraction of their claimed territory. Photo: David Díaz/OjoPúblico
Peru has ten RSPO members. Ocho Sur is not a member and only one of the companies in Sol de Palma’s consortium is.
PepsiCo said: “We take all inquiries like this seriously and have initiated an investigation through our established grievance process to assess whether any action on our part is required.” The company stressed that Ocho Sur is not a direct supplier and said it has engaged its direct suppliers to better understand their ties to Ocho Sur and ensure they take corrective actions if needed.
Ocho Sur said that it could not be held responsible for the actions of the companies whose assets it had taken over. It referred TBIJ to a document submitted to the UN in December 2023 that repeatedly states that it has no financial or legal links to one of those businesses. In the document it also strenuously denied sowing division in local communities and said that since its founding, the company had made special efforts “to forge a friendly, fruitful and mutually respectful relationship” with Indigenous and other groups. It said that it fully complies with all obligations with respect to Indigenous peoples’ rights and the environment and does not allow deforestation in its supply chain.
On the subject of environmental permits, Ocho Sur added: “The certification has been requested for a long time and [Midagri, the agriculture ministry] has failed to make a statement on the matter, granting it, as it should, or providing reasonable arguments to justify its refusal.”
Oleomex, owner of the Mexican refinery that supplies PepsiCo’s factory, said: “The oil we supply to our customer meets all sustainability standards as it is RSPO-certified oil.” However, it added that supply contracts with Ocho Sur were negotiated through a third party and that it has agreed to suspend them until the complaints raised in the investigation are resolved.
Sol de Palma did not comment.
Peruvian judges are yet to rule on whether Ocho Sur can be held responsible for past incursions into the Santa Clara de Uchunya community.
While the community awaits that ruling, Mori Gonzáles has vowed to continue protecting the territory: “We’re going to fight for as long as we can.”
The article below was originally published on April 18 2024 by OjoPúblico and MongaBay. Written By Elisângela Mendonça , Aramís Castro , Andrew Wasley. Photography: David Díaz, Illustration by Claudia Calderón. This investigation was produced with support from the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Investigations Network.
ENDS
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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.
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
Extant (resident): Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Sumatera, Kalimantan); Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak); Myanmar; Thailand
The elusive and visually stunning Wallace’s Flying #Frog are known for their mysterious nature and their ability to take flight and glide through the air like dancers. They reveal themselves only during breeding aggregations when they descend from the trees.
Recent surveys in various regions, including the Matang Range in #Sarawak, #Malaysia, and the Endau-Rompin in West Malaysia, have documented the presence of this species. However, their overall population faces a concerning decline due to the ongoing loss of habitat for #palmoil #deforestation. Urgent conservation efforts are critical to reverse this trend and to ensure the survival of this intriguing species in their natural environment. Help this frog to survive every time you shop, make sure that you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!
Elusive and stunning Wallace’s Flying #Frogs are able to take flight and glide through the #forest 💃🕺🐸✨💖 like dancers! A major threat is #palmoil #deforestation. 🌴🩸☠️🤮🔥❌ Help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-747
Colourful parachuting #frog species the Wallace’s Flying Frog is native to rainforests of #Malaysia and #Indonesia and is threatened by #palmoil #ecocide. Fight for them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-747
This photogenic frog captivates with vibrant colours, large size, and fascinating behaviour. They measure around 80–100 mm in body length and are one of the largest Rhacophorus species, with males being smaller than females.
They possess large eardrums and captivating horizontal-pupiled eyes. Their remarkable long limbs, webbed fingers and toes extending to the tips are fringed with skin. This forms a natural parachute allowing them to move quickly between trees and to the forest floor. With a bright shiny green back, white to pale yellow underside, and brilliant yellow accents on their toes, this species of frog is a visual delight to behold.
Wallace’s Flying Frog Rhacophorus nigropalmatus in full flight. Image: Stephen Dalton, Minden Pictures
Threats
This species of frog is classified as Least Concern and yet their number has been decreasing at a worrying rate over decades as a direct result of palm oil deforestation. They are completely reliant on a healthy rainforest habitat for survival. It is for this reason that they are included on this website.
Forest loss and degradation, particularly from the conversion of forests into agricultural land, posing a significant threat to all biodiversity in Southeast Asia
A secondary threat is small-scale pet trade, both nationally and internationally although this is deemed to be not as serious as habitat loss.
Habitat
They live mainly in tree canopies deep in dense rainforests. They make ballerina-like leaps and “flights” from tree to tree, showcasing their impressive and precise gliding agility. When threatened, Wallace Flying Frogs gracefully glide using its webbed feet and loose skin flaps. This frog’s oversized toe pads help with soft landings and tree trunk adhesion.
Diet
Known for their insectivorous diet, the Wallace’s Flying Frog have on occasion been known to eat toads and small birds. However, they face threats from tree-climbing snakes in their arboreal habitat.
Support Wallace’s Flying Frogs 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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
The dangerous pesticide Paraquat is banned in the EU and strictly limited in the USA, however it continues to destroy the lives of palm oil workers in Indonesia. Paraquat has severe human health impacts including respiratory problems, severe burns and skin and eye irritation. America’s Centre for Disease Control links it to Parkinson’s disease and other life-threatening illnesses. Read this story below originally published in Geographical Magazine about the lives of vulnerable palm oil workers in Indonesia. Afterwards you can learn how to take action to resist the human rights abuses and ecocide of dangerous pesticide use in palm oil agriculture. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Paraquat is a dangerous #pesticide 🤢 banned in #EU ⛔️and limited in #USA yet used widely in #Indonesia by #palmoil workers with grave #health impacts on (mainly) women 👩👧 and children workers #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫Story via @geographicalmag @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Bt
#Paraquat #pesticide is deadly and causes respiratory illnesses, #Parkinsons #disease. It’s banned in the #EU yet used routinely in #Indonesian #palmoil. Palm oil workers are paying with their lives #Boycottpalmoil Story: @geographicalmag @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Bt
This article was originally published as ‘Paraquat: banned in Europe, on sale in Indonesia in Geographical Magazine on the 28th of June 2024. Written by Daniela Sala, Adi Renaldi & Budi Baskoro. Photography by Daniela Sala. Republished with permission. Read original.
A local farmer sprays the herbicide Roundup among the oil palms in the small plot of land she and her family owns. She also routinely sprays Gramoxone, without protection
“I used to spray both the yellow and the green poison,” Herna says.
For nearly six years, from 2006 to 2011, Herna worked for the so-called ‘maintenance team’ on one of the oil palm plantations of Musim Mas, a Singapore-based multinational corporation, in Central Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. The green poison she refers to is Gramoxone, the brand name for a highly toxic herbicide based on the organic compound paraquat. Sold by the Swiss, now Chinese-owned multinational Syngenta, paraquat has been banned in the European Union since 2007 due to concerns related to its effect on the health of workers and the environment.
‘I often had nausea, vomiting and dizziness after my work. I don’t know exactly why, but most of my colleagues experienced the same symptoms. I knew these were dangerous substances and I was always afraid to handle them,’ she says. Herna got an indication of how toxic paraquat is when one morning, while she was diluting it with water as instructed, a drop of the liquid splashed onto her hand, causing a burn that took weeks to heal.
Backpacks used for paraquat spraying
Sitting cross-legged on the floor of her home in Penyang, Herna looks tired. The humid heat gives no respite, the air is heavy and the fan Herna sits next to is of little use. It’s difficult to imagine how, in these conditions, Herna and her colleagues could work an entire eight-hour shift with a heavy container (weighing some 13 kilograms) on their backs, without ever removing their masks.
Herna grew up in a small cluster of houses surrounded by rainforest. Her family relied on hunting and farming; they had a small area of land where they harvested rice and fruit. It was a simple, quiet life. In the late 1990s, however, their economic situation rapidly deteriorated with the arrival of oil palm plantations. They lost not only their land, but also access to the forest. Herna, in her early 20s, had no choice but to accept a job on one of the plantations that had so drastically altered the way of life in her village. For five years, from 7am to 3pm, she sprayed highly toxic herbicides, which prevented weeds and other plants from proliferating and allowed oil palms to grow faster and taller.
Herna endured continuous discomfort for years, sometimes so intense that she had to stay in bed for days. The plantation doctor, whom she sometimes asked for help, always told her not to worry too much, prescribing at most paracetamol or an anti-emetic.
A fisher arrives at Bikal market with his meagre catch after a night’s fishing
Eventually, Herna began to suffer a pain in the pit of her stomach, ‘like a stab wound’. The doctor speculated that it might be a symptom of a lung problem. The cause was never clarified because Herna couldn’t take further tests as they were too expensive. She decided, however, that she couldn’t take it anymore and quit her job.
Paraquat’s known direct health effects include respiratory problems, severe burns and skin and eye irritation. In the USA, it has also been linked to Parkinson’s disease. In Indonesia, paraquat should only be used by properly trained workers with appropriate protections. However, a report by PANAP (Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific) documented how these conditions are rarely met.
Herna, who is now 48 and has six children, did her best to find another job, ‘but since the plantations are here, there is no other job,’ she says.
As she goes silent, the background noise becomes more obvious: it’s the constant traffic along the Trans Kalimantan, the highway that cuts through southern Borneo, just a few dozen metres from Herna’s home. Trucks follow one another in a constant back-and-forth. In one direction, they transport oil palm fruits to the refineries. In the opposite direction, they transport the refined oil to ports for the export market.
Villagers in Tanjung Puting National Park only use river water to wash and rely on rainwater for cooking and drinking
Made in Europe
Indonesia is by far the world’s largest exporter of palm oil, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of global exports in 2022, closely followed by Malaysia, with 30 per cent. The industrial uses are countless, from food and cosmetics to the production of biofuels. About ten per cent of palm oil exports from Indonesia end up in Europe.
The oil palm, a plant native to West Africa, was first introduced to Indonesia during Dutch colonialism. Over a few decades, the expansion of monocultures in the archipelago triggered the destruction of large portions of Borneo’s rainforest. Despite intense environmental campaigns in recent years, the rate of deforestation due to plantation expansion only slowed; it started to rise again in 2023.
In Indonesia, intensive palm oil production and the heavy use of paraquat and other herbicides are inextricably linked. In total, Indonesia imported pesticides worth about half a million US dollars in 2020, a market that has steadily grown over the past decade.
Old man’s hand and palm oil. Image: Daniela Sala
In 2019, Indonesia imported from the UK 2,300 tons of paraquat, largely manufactured by Syngenta’s Huddersfield plant. Since 2017, with ChemChina’s acquisition of Syngenta, production and exports from China have also increased, making the paraquat supply chain increasingly difficult to track.
The countries that are responsible for most of the manufacturing and export (China, Switzerland and the UK) ban paraquat domestically, as has the EU. While the EU’s internal regulations are increasingly protective of the environment, it remains the largest pesticide exporter, with EU companies investing more and more in countries in the Global South.
Environmental Disaster
In Kalimantan, the effects of palm oil monocultures and the extensive use of pesticides are unspooling before the eyes of the local communities.
A short drive from Herna’s house, just on the other side of the Trans Kalimantan highway in the village of Bangkal, most residents still have first-hand memories of life before the plantations. The village is located on the shore of the biggest lake in the region, Sembuluh Lake. Its 4,000 residents, mostly Dayaks, the indigenous peoples of Borneo, relied on farming and fishing, and they drank water from the lake. Now, they have lost their land and, in one of the wettest areas in the world, they struggle to access clean water.
It all started with huge concessions to palm oil companies. ‘It happened suddenly, without any consultation with the community,’ says Sangkai Rewa, secretary of Bangkal and leader of AMAN, the association that represents the indigenous people of Central Kalimantan. Sangkai has been connected to Bangkal for generations. His wooden house, on stilts, like all the houses in the surrounding area, sits on the edge of the village. The residents did everything they could to resist the arrival of the plantations. In the late 1990s, they managed to force the Indonesian company Agro Indomas to back down. But in 2005, their fight against another conglomerate, PT Hamparan Masawit Bangun Persada, failed, due in part to support for the company from the then local governor, Darwan Ali, as revealed by a Gecko Project investigation.
Worker carries palm oil fruits. Image: Daniela Sala
‘The people of Bangkal were forced to give up their land by threats and deception. Around us it was all forest. Look around: what is left today?’ says Sangkai. The establishment of Hamparan plantation paved the way for the arrival of more companies. Bangkal is now surrounded by a dozen plantations and refineries.
‘We saw the colour of the water changing’, says Sangkai. ‘We can not even use the water for washing: it feels itchy and you get rashes. The water is polluted, and because of that, our entire ecosystem is under threat.’
At dawn every day, a few narrowboats approach the small wooden dock next to the daily market in Bangkal. Nouredin, a 60-year-old fisherman from a nearby village, is busy untangling a few dozen small fish from his net. He spent the whole night fishing, but the catch was meagre. ‘It did not used to be like that,’ he explains while unloading his catch. ‘Fish were bigger and easier to catch. There are species that are slowly disappearing.’
Fish have become scarcer, while the fast-growing weed water hyacinth is invading the shore of Sembuluh, forcing fishermen to travel much further. Residents say that the overgrowth must be associated with fertilisers and chemicals dumped from the plantations.
The village of Bangkal on the shores of the now heavily polluted Lake Sembuluh
In 2018, the Central Kalimantan Environment Agency had the water in the lake tested. Nothing is wrong, they stated, dismissing the residents’ protests.
But not everybody agrees. ‘We openly challenged the agency’s findings,’ says Muhammad Habibi, director of the NGO Save Our Borneo. ‘We asked the agency to disclose the actual results, and to share all the relevant details: where the samples had been taken, how they had been treated, what residues they had been analysed for. But the agency simply refused to comply.’
Save Our Borneo and Ecoton, another environmental NGO, conducted some water testing in Sambas, Western Borneo, in an area geographically very similar to Lake Sembuluh and similarly affected by palm oil monoculture. The results were worrying, with levels of chloride and phosphates in the region’s river far higher than accepted norms. Habibi fears for the fate of Lake Sembuluh. ‘Our suspicion is that the local authorities have no interest in going against the palm oil industry. What if it becomes known that the ongoing ecological disaster in Lake Sembuluh is caused by the companies?’
Farmer Turned Protester
‘Palm oil means Gramoxone, Gramoxone means palm oil’, says James Watt, a farmer in Bangkal. Watt is among the few residents who still have a small piece of land left: he used to grow rubber plants, fruit and vegetables. He started life as a traditional farmer and had no interest in palm oil cultivation. But as the vast plantations came to dominate the region, he was forced to switch. Around the same time, in 2015, he was introduced to paraquat, under the label Gramoxone. ‘I needed a stronger herbicide, and I went to the shop in Sampit, the nearest city. I asked the shopkeeper for advice, and he gave me this,’ Watt says, holding out the five-litre plastic package of the substance. Paraquat became a familiar household item and can be found in most farmers’ houses in Bangkal. ‘When I have to spray it, I smoke a cigarette first, so I make sure of the wind direction,’ Watt says.
Watt has no love for palm oil. In addition to being a farmer, he’s an activist. At 54, he has spent nearly half his life fighting against the palm oil industry, trying to mediate between residents and companies, and paying the price himself.
In 2020, following a demonstration against the plantation, Watt was sentenced to ten months in prison on a charge of stealing oil palm fruit from the land that once belonged to Bangkal residents.
Bottles of paraquat and pesticide – Image: Daniela Sala
The last major protest against palm oil companies in Bangkla was in October 2023. Gijik, a 35-year-old man, was killed by a gunshot fired by police deployed to defend the plantation. Such cases, according to the Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA), an Indonesian association fighting against land grabbing, are far from isolated. Between 2015 and 2022, at least 69 people died as a result of clashes and protests against land grabbing. The clashes and deaths, again according to KPA, can’t be separated from the decision to deploy police forces always and exclusively in a repressive function, in defence of plantations.
‘I can’t understand what the government means when it says palm oil brings development and prosperity,’ says.Watt. He never asked his parents why they named him after the Scottish inventor, which is said to have started the industrial revolution. While he grasps the subtle irony, he’s proud of the name he bears.
‘For me, real prosperity was before. We were not dependent on anyone: we grew our own vegetables, rice. We went fishing and if we wanted meat, all we had to do was go hunting in the forest. Now all that is gone’.
This article was originally published as ‘Paraquat: banned in Europe, on sale in Indonesia in Geographical Magazine on the 28th of June 2024. Written by Daniela Sala, Adi Renaldi & Budi Baskoro. Photography by Daniela Sala. Republished with permission. Read original.
In the below 2021 report by respected non-profit Global Witness, there was a shocking revelation that a young child of a palm oil worker died as a result of consuming pesticide infused water on a “sustainable” palm oil plantation in Papua New Guinea. The firm sold to global giants like Nestle, Ferrero, Unilever, Mondelez and more, with products on the shelves and bought be consumers all over the world.
Global Witness October 2021 Report: Violence and death for palm oil connected to household supermarket brands (RSPO members)
“One palm oil firm, Rimbunan Hijau, [Papua New Guinea] negligently ignored repeated and avoidable worker deaths and injuries on palm oil plantations, with at least 11 workers and the child of one worker losing their lives over an eight-year period.
“Tainted palm oil from Papua New Guinea plantations was sold to household name brands, all of them RSPO members including Kellogg’s, Nestlé, Colgate, Danone, Hershey’s and PZ Cussons and Reckitt Benckiser”
Greenpeace report reveals severe failures of ecolabel RSPO certifying palm oil and FSC certifying seafood. Consumers are being greenwashed. Boycott palm oil!
A recent report highlighted by Mongabay uncovers that deforestation-linked palm oil may still be in popular snacks like Snickers and Kit Kat, despite pledges from brands like Mars, Nestlé, and Mondelēz to use…
Research from University of Queensland and published in The Lancet: Planetary Health finds that the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to the decline of ecosystems and biodiversity, creating a cycle that could lead to…
Situated on Mexico’s lush and biodiverse Pacific coast is La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve – One of Mexico’s most spectacular natural treasures. Now the government and palm oil businesses are trying to sieze vast…
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Extinction, or the disappearance of an entire species, is commonplace. Yet evidence suggests that the number of bird species going extinct, and the rate at which they are disappearing, is increasing dramatically. Conserving species at the 11th hour is difficult and expensive, the key is definitely prevention. To go hard and go early and stop species disappearing. Help rainforest animals on the verge of extinction from deforestation by changing your shopping habits. #Boycottmeat #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Extinction, or the disappearance of an entire species, is commonplace. Species have been forming, persisting and then shuffling off their mortal coil since life began on Earth. However, evidence suggests the number of species going extinct, and the rate at which they disappear, is increasing dramatically.
Our recent work suggests that the rate at which species are going extinct may be many times higher than previously estimated — at least for birds. The good news, however, is that recent conservation efforts have slowed this rate a lot.
Old rates
For decades, palaeontologists have used fossils to estimate how long different species persisted before dying out. The discovery of a new fossil species gives a minimum estimate of when the species might have first evolved. The absence of the same species later in the fossil record signifies its probable extinction.
Though the methods are woefully imprecise, researchers have estimated that the average lifetime of a vertebrate species is between one and three million years. Many species are at the lower end of this range, while a few species persist many millions of years longer. For comparison, our own species, Homo sapiens, has been around for less than 500,000 years.
Spix’s macaw is now extinct in the wild. Conservation programs in Brazil maintain the last 70 or so individuals from this species. (Shutterstock)
Some simple math based on the average duration of fossil species predicts that only two to five bird species should have been lost since 1500. If the fossil data suggests a bird species will persist for three million years before going extinct, a species living in 1500 could be expected to survive for 30,000 years. In other words, a hundredfold drop.
This is the sort of calculation that supports the argument that we are approaching a “sixth mass extinction,” rivalling times in the past when extinction rates were orders of magnitude higher than the long-term average.
However, a high historical extinction rate based on data from the past few centuries may not be helpful. Using the historical extinction rate to predict current rates of extinction is similar to using car crash numbers for Model T Fords in the 1920s to predict deaths on the road in the 2020s. Many more cars hurtle down the road much faster today than they did 100 years ago. But in contrast to the 1920s, cars today sport airbags and other safety features.
Almost 80 per cent of historic bird extinctions were on oceanic islands like Hawaii, Madagascar and New Zealand, and often due to our unwitting importation of rats and snakes. Current threats include habitat destruction and climate change. And, akin to airbags, we are now much more interested in, and able to attempt, active conservation.
The New Zealand kaka, which is on the IUCN’s Endangered List, is threatened by non-native predators and wasps, the latter which compete with the bird for its food source. (Shutterstock)
New rates
Using the same reasoning as before, we studied the number of species that change their status. But instead of considering extinct versus living species from long ago, we considered all levels of endangerment (the entire escalator of decline that moves species closer to extinction), and more recent data. We used numbers from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List for all 10,000 bird species from four time points.
The Red List gives each species a threat rating based on the likelihood that it is at risk of extinction. There are six ratings in total, starting with least concern (8,714 species in 2016) and moving through critically endangered (222 species) all the way to extinct in the wild (five species).
We started with the initial records from 1988 and compared them to subsequent updates taken every four to six years. My co-authors – comparative biologist Melanie Monroe and Stuart Butchart, chief scientist at BirdLife International — tallied the number of species that remained in place, rose or descended the extinction escalator decade over decade. Using those numbers, applied mathematician Folmer Bokma calculated a current average rate of extinction — the chance an average species would go extinct in any given year.
The vast majority of species moved down the endangerment escalator. That means that they are at higher risk of extinction today than they were previously. So the final average rate of extinction was high.
Based on the Red List numbers, the expected lifespan of a species living today is only about 5,000 years — this is six times worse than the historical rate and hundreds of times worse than the average extinction rate calculated using fossils.
A silver lining?
These results are surprisingly dismal, but we also found an encouraging pattern. We calculated the overall impact of conservation activity on rates of extinction by including or excluding improvements in risk status due to conservation efforts. Without conservation, our estimate of a 5,000 year future for living species would have dropped to 3,000 years.
Because of intense conservation efforts, a species designated as critically endangered in the past was twice as likely to improve in status as it was to become extinct in the wild. Likewise, from year to year, the probability of a critically endangered species to move up to the relative safety of merely endangered status was greater than the probability of an endangered species having its prospects become critical. This is hard evidence that conservation works.
But we also know that 11th-hour intervention is expensive. For instance, in British Columbia, the government recently earmarked nearly $30 million to try to protect the few remaining caribou in the province. We have known for decades that B.C. caribou have been declining, and extreme intervention, like shooting wolves from helicopters, seems, well, desperate.
Efforts to preserve B.C. caribou have included going after their predators. (Shutterstock)
And this desperation is unnecessary. If we want to conserve particular species, we need to target them early. This means we need to pay more attention to species that are not currently critically endangered.
We must identify the species that we want to keep around and that are unlikely to deal well with the world we are creating (or maybe more accurately, destroying) for them. Importantly, these species may currently be assessed as merely vulnerable, or even of least concern. We need to get them off the extinction escalator. It bears repeating: an ounce of prevention, a stitch in time.
This is an updated version of an article originally published on Jan. 16, 2020. The earlier story included an image of a hyacinth macaw (a species that is not endangered) that was misidentified as a Spix’s macaw. The original image has been updated to include an image two Spix’s macaws, which are extinct in the wild.
These species have no known conservation actions in place and are silently disappearing before we can save them. Do something about it by boycotting supermarket brands linked to tropical deforestation. Join the #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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
The enigmatic Bush #dog was once believed to be extinct, however they have now emerged from the shadows. These elusive canids show remarkable teamwork and intelligence with strategic hunting tactics. They divide into land and water based groups when pursuing elusive prey like the paca. Despite their shy nature, Bush #dogs break their silence with peculiar calls, a vocal repertoire that serves as a means of communication and warning within the pack. Adorned in reddish hues, they bear the nickname ‘zorro,’ reminiscent of a fox, while their distinctive vinegar-like scent has earned them the moniker ‘vinegar dog’.
They are classified as Near Threatened due to their range disappearing for cattle grazing, palm oil, soy, eucalytpus and other monoculture crops. Not enough is known yet about their lives to assess the damage. Fight for them every time you shop and be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Once believed #extinct, the enigmatic #BushDog 🐕🐺 is now ‘Near Threatened’ from #palmoil 🌴🔥 and #soy 🥜🔥 #deforestation in #SouthAmerica. Masterful hunters they rely on prey that is disappearing. Help them survive! #Boycottpalmoil 🌴☠️⛔ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-73d
With a bear-like face 🐻 foxy eyes 🦊 and webbed feet 🦆 the #BushDog is not your typical canine 🤯🐾🐕 They are ‘Near Threatened’ by #palmoil and #soy #deforestation in #SouthAmerica. Help them survive #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴⛔ @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-73d
Bush Dogs have webbed toes and are known for their excellent swimming abilities. They are the ultimate carnivores and dine mainly on agoutis, armadillos, paca, small mammals, rodents and reptiles.
Adult bush dogs sport soft, long brownish-tan fur with a lighter reddish hue on their heads, necks, and backs. Their tails are bushy, and the undersides are dark, sometimes with a lighter throat patch. However, young ones have black fur all over. They are typically 57–75 cm long with a 12.5–15 cm tail and a shoulder height of 20–30 cm. These wild dogs have short legs, a short snout, and relatively small ears. Their teeth are adapted for eating meat. Females have four pairs of teats, and both males and females have large scent glands. Interestingly, bush dogs have partially webbed toes, making them excellent swimmers.
Threats
Human-related threats and habitat encroachment are the main threat to the existence of Bush Dogs. This includes massive deforestation for monocultures throughout their range including for soy, palm oil, eucalyptus and pine. This leads to a reduction in the availability of prey species. Increased interactions with domestic dogs risks the spread of pathogens from these dogs to Bush Dogs.
Habitat Threats:
Human encroachment and habitat loss due to large-scale agriculture (e.g., soybean and palm oil), land conversion to pasture, and monoculture tree plantations (e.g., eucalyptus and pine).
Prey Reduction:
Illegal poaching and predation by domestic dogs contribute to a reduction in prey abundance, impacting the Bush Dog’s survival.
Disease Risks:
Increased risk of contracting lethal diseases from domestic dogs, including mange, parvovirus, rabies, Dioctophyma renale, Amphimerus interruptus, Lagochilascaris sp., and Echinococcus vogeli. Captive animals are susceptible to various diseases, highlighting their sensitivity and the potential threat from exposure to pathogens. Proximity to human areas and interaction with hunting dogs elevate the risk of disease exposure, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts.
Habitat
Bush Dogs are habitat generalists, often found near water sources like small streams where prey densities are higher. They’ve been spotted in various lowland forested habitats, including primary and gallery forests, semi-deciduous forests, and seasonally flooded forests. These adaptable creatures have been observed in cerrado habitat, pampas edge/riparian areas, and even unique environments like caatinga, chaco, and coastal mangroves. Interestingly, they have been seen several kilometres away from forest habitats. While there’s no clear habitat preference, some evidence suggests a preference for intact savanna and forest habitats.
Diet
The Bush Dog, a fascinating carnivorous species, exhibits a diverse diet influenced by their geographical location and habitat type. In the Pantanal region of Brazil, their primary food source is the Nine-banded Armadillo, constituting a substantial portion of their diet. On the other hand, in the interior Atlantic forest in Paraguay, the diet includes Agoutis, Paca, small mammals, rodents, reptiles, and various fruits like Cecropia. Notably, the availability of fruit in their diet increases when provided in captive settings, highlighting the adaptability of their feeding habits. However, the increasing threat of palm oil, meat and soy deforestation poses a significant risk to their food sources, emphasising the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these unique carnivores.
Mating and breeding
Bush Dogs engage in year-round mating, with oestrus lasting up to twelve days and occurring every 15 to 44 days. Similar to other canids, their mating involves a copulatory tie, where the animals are locked together. Preceding copulation, urine-marking plays a significant role in their behavior. The gestation period ranges from 65 to 83 days, typically resulting in a litter of three to six pups, although larger litters of up to 10 have been reported. Newborns are initially blind and helpless, weighing between 125 to 190 grams. Their eyes open after 14 to 19 days, and they emerge from the nativity den shortly thereafter. Weaning occurs around four weeks, and sexual maturity is reached at one year. In captivity, they can live up to 10 years
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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
Encountering the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo, the world’s most endangered kangaroo, in West Papua’s lush forests is a bittersweet tale. Rediscovered in 2018 by British botanist Michael Smith, this rarest kangaroo, with soulful eyes and burnt umber fur, symbolises tranquillity amidst severe threats like palm oil deforestation and hunting. Less than 50 kangaroos remain alive, underscoring the urgent need for conservation efforts prioritising indigenous sovereignty. To help save these remarkable creatures, join the #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife and take action via this website.
The rediscovery of the rarest #kangaroo alive the Wondiwoi kangaroo in #WestPapua 🌿is bittersweet as they were previously thought to be #extinct 🙀learn about their rare beauty 😍🦘 and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife ✊🌿 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8yg
The Wondiwoi tree #kangaroo 🦘🌿 is the most endangered kangaroo alive due to #palmoil #deforestation 🪔🌴 and hunting across their range of #WestPapua. Take action to help these wide-eyed beauties #Boycottpalmoil 👎 #Boycott4Wildlife 🚫 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8yg
A Bittersweet Rediscovery of the Rarest Kangaroo Alive
In the dense, emerald heart of the Wondiwoi Mountains, in West Papua the trees echo with the haunting refrains of the vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise. Underfoot, the ground is soggy and dense with mossy herbaceous fragrances and the scuttling of an eastern long-beaked echidna as she burrows into her subterranean domain. In 2018, an extraordinary moment was captured forever on camera in 2018. High in the treetops, amidst the thick moss-covered branches, a shy Wondiwoi tree kangaroo lay in quiet repose, a symbol of sturdy, plump beauty. This creature was believed to be extinct for nearly a century. Yet a chance encounter by British amateur botanist Michael Smith in 2018 has thrust this creature back into the spotlight.
Wondiwoi tree kangaroos Dendrolagus mayri have an odd combination of kangaroo and monkey qualities. Large and soulful eyes blink from behind long eyelashes and thickly furred paddle-like arms culminate in strong sharp claws fit for grasping tree branches. Their bodies are the colour of burnt umber and terracotta and embody the tranquillity of Papua’s majestic montane forests where they blend into the painter’s palette of the jungle.
Smith’s serendipitous discovery of Wondiwoi tree kangaroos, known as the world’s rarest and most endangered kangaroo, highlights their precarious existence due to human-related threats like palm oil deforestation, rare mineral mining and hunting throughout their range.
A Journey Fuelled by Passion and Curiosity
Michael Smith is an amateur botanist from England. He spends a lot of his free time traversing remote locations like Indonesia, Pakistan and Kurdistan in the faint hope of encountering the rarest species on earth.
“I want these animals to be the poster children for seriously threatened and ancient habitats. I’m trying to get evidence of something interesting – and in terms of getting people involved and excited about conservation, it seems to be effective.”
He understands that time is of the essence to save these animals and many others from the relentless growth of palm oil deforestation.
It’s hard to know if things will change fast enough for there to be anything left. In the 1990s, Papua New Guinea was just a big forest, with a few people. Now it’s still 80% or 90% forest, but there is huge pressure from people and investors who want to make palm oil.”
The bittersweet rediscovery of the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo underscores their gravely precarious position as the rarest kangaroo in the world. Originally they were discovered in 1928 by Ernst Mayer and known only by a single specimen. Papuan non-profit Tenkile Conservation Alliance estimates that less than 50 individuals remain alive.
The Wondiwoi tree kangaroo’s habitat is under severe threat from palm oil deforestation and the extraction of rare minerals such as mica and gold. The forests of West Papua, once a haven for diverse wildlife, are being decimated in silence.
The Guardians of the Forest
The survival of the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo is intricately linked to the sovereignty, and land stewardship of the Papuan indigenous peoples. Their deep spiritual and ancestral connection to the land and its human and more-than-human inhabitants stands in stark contrast to the destructive policies of the colonialist Indonesian government. Conservation efforts must prioritise indigenous rights and knowledge, recognising that true protection of these animals lies in the hands of those who have lived in harmony with the forest for many millennia.
Tenkile Conservation Alliance have a range of programmes helping indigenous peoples to understand the importance of conserving rather than hunting tree kangaroos and providing them with ways to harvest alternative sources of food. They have developed tree kangaroo hunting moratoriums as well alongside village communities.
The Jungle Kingdom of Dendrolagus: Tree Kangaroos
The genus Dendrolagus, more enchantingly known as tree kangaroos, embody arboreal grace and irresistible chubby cuteness. These marsupials are lesser known than their iconic ground-dwelling cousins further south in Australia and possess a range of distinctive traits making them masters of the jungle canopy.
Their exceptionally long, pendulous tails act as elegant counterbalances, helping with every leap and bound. Strong forelimbs, paired with shorter and broader hind feet, provide them with superior strength and agility. Long curved claws and spongy paws enhance grip, like natural bouldering shoes, allowing them to climb and cling effortlessly to branches.
Females possess a forward-opening pouch (marsupium) containing four teats. These provide a nurturing haven for their developing young. Their teeth are adapted for shearing leaves, reveal their dietary preference for the verdant foliage of the treetops.
The almost ‘bears’ and barely there Dendrolagus genus:
Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Ifola Dendrolagus notatus:A shy and elusive tree kangaroo with dark fur, this species is classified as Endangered, mostly from hunting and habitat loss. Learn more.
Tenkile Dendrolagus scottae: Also known as the Scott’s tree kangaroo, the tenkile is critically endangered, with fewer than 300 individuals remaining. Learn more.
Take action by using your wallet as a weapon
#Boycottpalmoil
#Boycott4Wildlife
The rediscovery of the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo underscores the urgent need for consumer action. Here’s how you can make a difference:
Boycott Palm Oil: Reject RSPO greenwashing and avoid products containing “sustainable” palm oil. Use your purchasing power to demand palm oil free in the supermarket. Join the #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife movement on social media.
Raise Awareness:Share posts on social media and engage in supermarket sleuthing to expose brands that use palm oil. Highlight the ongoing deforestation and animal cruelty.
Support Indigenous Sovereignty: Advocate for the rights and sovereignty of Papuan indigenous peoples, recognising their crucial role in conserving rainforest habitats and as guardians of rare species.
Get Involved: Participate in local and global conservation efforts. Whether through social media activism, community education, or direct action, every effort counts.
By taking these steps, you can help ensure that the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo and other endangered species in Papua have a fighting chance to survive and thrive.
The fight to protect the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo is a testament to the resilience of nature and the enduring spirit of people all over the world who strive to safeguard it. Together, we can shine a light on the darkness of deforestation and exploitation, ensuring a brighter future for these remarkable creatures and their forest home.
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)
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Many animals have a colourful, yet largely hidden, trait. Marine creatures like #fish and corals can glow blue, green or red under certain types of light. So can land animals like penguins and #parrots. But until now, experts knew of only one salamander and a few #frogs that could glow. No longer. Among #amphibians, this ability to glow now appears fairly common — even if you can’t see it. Research has found that most amphibians glow as well – even if it’s not visible to human eyes. Protect amphibians and reptiles every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
The glow is produced through a process is known as fluorescence. A body absorbs shorter (higher energy) wavelengths of light. Almost immediately, it then re-emits that light, but now at longer (lower energy) wavelengths. People can’t see this glow, however, because our eyes aren’t sensitive enough to see the small amount of light given off in natural light.
Jennifer Lamb and Matthew Davis are biologists at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. They shone blue or ultraviolet light on 32 species of amphibians. Most were salamanders and frogs. Some were adults. Others were younger. One animal was a wormlike amphibian known as a caecilian (Seh-SEEL-yun).
The researchers found some of the creatures in their natural habitats. Others came from places like the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Ill. (There, the pair were allowed to “come into the exhibit after dark and basically run through their exhibit,” Davis notes.)
Research shows that biofluorescence is widespread and common not only among fish amongst amphibians
To the researchers’ surprise, all the animals they tested glowed in brilliant colors. Some were green. The glow from others was more yellow. The colors glowed most strongly under blue light. Until now, scientists had seen such fluorescence only in marine turtles. The new finding suggests that this biofluorescence is widespread among amphibians.
Which parts of an animal glow differ with the species, Lamb and Davis found. Yellow spots on the eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) glow green under blue light. But in the marbled salamander (A. opacum), the bones and parts of its underside light up.
The researchers didn’t test what these amphibians use to glow. But they suspect the animals rely on fluorescent proteins or the pigments in some cells. If there are multiple ways they fluoresce, that would hint that the ability to glow evolved independently in different species. If not, the ancient ancestor of modern amphibians may have passed one trait on to species that are alive today.
Fluorescence may help salamanders and frogs find one another in low light. In fact, their eyes contain cells that are especially sensitive to green or blue light.
One day, scientists might also harness the amphibians’ ability to glow. They could use special lights to search for the animals to survey their presence in the wild. That might help them see creatures that blend into their surroundings or hide in piles of leaves.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Dusky Pademelons are small marsupials with large ears, strong hind legs and a short, thick tail. They navigate the dense and mountainous forests of #NewGuinea with natural agility. Solitary by nature, these fascinating creatures disperse seeds as they roam through the forests contributing to the maintenance of a vibrant ecosystem. They are classified as vulnerable due to the threat of hunting and deforestation for mining, palm oil and timber throughout their range. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Sweet and gentle Dusky #Pademelons are vulnerable from hunting, #palmoil and #mining #deforestation in #WestPapua/#NewGuinea 🇵🇬 They are not protected. Help them to survive and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔☠️🩸⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/06/23/dusky-pademelon-thylogale-brunii/
Dusky Pademelons are pocket rockets 🦘 bouncing thru the forests of #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 and #WestPapua. They are #vulnerable from #palmoil #deforestation #mining and hunting. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸🔥🙊🤑⛔️ @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/06/23/dusky-pademelon-thylogale-brunii/
Dusky Pademelons are small to medium-sized marsupials with a stocky and sturdy build, strong hind legs, and a short, thick tail that aids in their gait and balance. Their fur is a dusky or reddish-brown coloration and provides ample camouflage in their forest habitat.
They possess large ears, which contribute to their keen sense of hearing, helping them detect potential predators. Their characteristic marsupial pouch helps them to adapt to a rapidly changing environment, enabling them to care for their young. The pouch provides a sheltered space that ensures the survival of the young marsupials in the critical early stages of life.
Pademelons may face threats from palm oil deforestation, as this widespread issue impacts various species in their habitat. The expansion of palm oil plantations can lead to habitat loss, affecting the natural environment and the wildlife that depends on it, including pademelons. Conservation efforts are crucial to mitigate the impact of deforestation and protect the diverse species inhabiting the forests of New Guinea.
Habitat
Pademelons call the forests of southern Papua New Guinea and West Papua home. These small marsupials, also known as dusky wallabies live in the island’s lush and diverse habitat.
Diet
Pademelons are herbivores devouring plants, shoots, grass, leaves, and berries. Their simple yet nutritious diet keeps them thriving in their natural habitat.
Mating and breeding
As true marsupials, Dusky Pademelons carry their young in a pouch, joining the ranks of iconic Australian species like kangaroos and koalas. Breeding throughout the year, mothers give birth typically to a lone offspring, who is born blind and completely vulnerable. After the birth, the offspring finds refuge in their mother’s pouch, where they grow rapidly on nourishment from teats for a period of six months.
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. 2016. Thylogale brunii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21870A21958826. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T21870A21958826.en. Accessed on 27 December 2023.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
Situated on Mexico’s lush and biodiverse Pacific coast is La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve – One of Mexico’s most spectacular natural treasures. Now the government and palm oil businesses are trying to sieze vast areas of land and legalise a huge area of illegally-cultivated oil palm, by reducing the size of this internationally significant environmental reserve. They are also using RSPO certification of a palm oil plantation close to the reserve in order to legitimise the expansion of palm oil in the area.
This investigation and report was written by Santiago Navarro F. is an economist, journalist, photographer, and documentary filmmaker. He is co-founder of the investigative journalism portal Avispa Midia. Along with Aldo Santiago, a documentary filmmaker and independent journalist. He is also an editor and correspondent for Avispa Midia for Connectas’s ARCO initiative and with support from the International Center for Journalists in the framework of the initiative for Investigative Journalism in the Americas.Read the original article here.
La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve (REBIEN, Reserva de la Biosfera La Encrucijada), one of Mexico’s greatest environmental treasures, is home to an important system of wetlands, including mangroves up to 115 feet tall. These are threatened, though, by an enormous extension of monocrop oil palm plantations.
What is La Encrucijada Biosphere reserve?
La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve is a protected area located in the southern part of the Mexican state of Chiapas. It is known for its rich biodiversity and serves as an important habitat for numerous plant and animal species.
La Encrucijada is an important nesting site for hawksbill sea turtles, which are critically endangered. These turtles are known for their beautiful shells and are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and pollution.
The American crocodile and Morelet’s crocodile
The reserve is home to several species of crocodiles, including the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) and the Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii), both of which are considered vulnerable due to habitat degradation and hunting.
Central American River Turtle Dermatemys mawii
This freshwater turtle species is listed as critically endangered. La Encrucijada’s rivers and wetlands provide a vital habitat for this species.
The jaguar is a near-threatened species that can be found in the biosphere reserve. Habitat loss and poaching pose significant threats to their populations.
Central American Spider Monkey Ateles geoffroyi
Spider monkeys are considered vulnerable due to habitat destruction and hunting, and they can be found swinging through the trees of La Encrucijada.
Central American Tapir Tapirus bairdii
The tapir is a large herbivore and is listed as vulnerable. It inhabits the forests and wetlands of the reserve.
Baird’s tapir, a closely related species to the Central American tapir, is also found in the area and faces similar threats.
The REBIEN lies in the coastal region of Chiapas, in Mexico’s southeast. It was created by presidential decree on June 6, 1995 and is regulated by a Management Plan that was published in 2000. This states that in mangrove areas, activities “that alter the ecological equilibrium” are prohibited, except in cases of “preservation of scientific research, monitoring, education, and training, under strict regulation and supervision.”
However, over the last few decades, the ecological equilibrium in La Encrucijada has been altered. “There are more than 7,000 ha [17,300 acres] of palm planted inside the REBIEN,” said Juan Carlos Castro Hernández, current director of the REBIEN, who forms part of National Commission of Protected Areas (CONANP).
Avispa Midia requested a report and georeferencing information from the CONANP regarding oil palm plantations within La Encrucijada. The agency sent back two data sets that report the presence of producers and palm dispersed throughout the reserve.
One of the documents, titled Appendix: Southern Border, Isthmus, and Southern Pacific Region of the CONANP, with no date of publication, reports that there are at least 518 palm producers within the REBIEN.
The document’s figures are conservative, since they don’t contain a complete list of palm plantations within the reserve—satellite images can identify palm groves that aren’t included in the database.
Matilde Rincón, Mexico landscape manager at Earthworm Foundation, confirmed that they have identified 500 producers who cultivate a total of 19,030 acres (7,700 ha) of palm within La Encrucijada. Earthworm Foundation works with businesses and small producers in Chiapas to promote the sustainability of this crop. “Sixty percent of them struggle to meet government land-use standards,” Rincón said in an article by Earthworm.
The proliferation of large palm plantations has been on the CONANP’s radar since 2014. According to the agency, these groves have grown by more than 81,540 acres (33,000 ha) in the REBIEN’s area of influence—the area surrounding the reserve, which is not regulated, but is supposed to benefit from conservation efforts and is strongly ecologically linked with the park. Now the exotic plant had invaded mangrove ecosystems in the core zones.
Oil palm is so invasive that even the plantations outside of the reserve should be regulated, “because there’s even palm on the banks of the canals and the seeds can migrate, whether that be by water currents, or hypothetically, from animals,” said Castro, the director of the REBIEN.
RSPO certification of palm oil plantations in Mexico offer no reassurances that the REBIEN reserve will remain protected.
The RSPO has been criticized around the world for failing to deliver on its promises.
In 2019, the EIA stated that the RSPO still hadn’t taken significant measures to address these problems.
Between 2007 and 2012, the government of Chiapas distributed 4 million plants without supervising where they would be grown. At that time, plantations expanded in the coastal region. (Santiago Navarro F.)
Green Certification
On a tour of the Reserve, Avispa Midia found that in the middle of hundreds of palm plantings, on the banks of the San Nicolás river, lies a processing plant of the company Industrias Oleopalma. It’s the first plant the company built within the REBIEN’s area of influence, in 2000.
According to the Mexican Palmgrowers Federation (Femexpalma), processing plants must be installed as close to the plantations as possible, since the oil must be extracted within three days. There are 18 palm processing mills in Mexico, 12 of them in Chiapas. Seven of these are in La Encrucijada’s area of influence, including Oleopalma’s plant.
This company is relevant to the product’s current market because in March 2020 it became the first Mexican company to be certified sustainable by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which states that its goal is to reduce the negative impacts of oil palm cultivation on the environment and communities.
RSPO certification began in Switzerland in 2004 under the leadership of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) along with financiers like the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and multinational companies that buy palm oil, such as Cargill, Nestlé, Unilever, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and others.
A palm oil processing plant belonging to Zitihualt, located in Villa Comaltitlán. In 2017, the Environmental Attorney’s Office of the State of Chiapas penalized the company for operating without an environmental impact authorization. (Santiago Navarro F.)
However, the RSPO has been criticized around the world for failing to deliver on its promises. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) published a report called “Burning Questions: Credibility of sustainable palm oil still illusive,” which revealed generalized fraudulent assessments by the RSPO. It also documented that abusive labor practices, forest clearing, territorial conflicts, and even human trafficking had been permitted on plantations belonging to RSPO members. In 2019, the EIA stated that the RSPO still hadn’t taken significant measures to address these problems.
Greenpeace International’s report Destruction: Certified, published in 2020, focuses in on how 30 years after product certification was implemented in supply chains, it is functioning as greenwashing for businesses.
Earthworm Foundation’s Rincón says that, at a global level, the RSPO doesn’t allow the purchase of oil that comes from protected natural areas; however, she affirms that Mexico is the exception because the cultivation and sale of palm from La Encrucijada is permitted.
Coastal Women in Rebellion and the organization Water and Life during a tour of oil palm plantations in Pijijiapan. The women have denounced environmental effects caused by monocrops. (Aldo Santiago)
The Government’s Solution: Shrink the REBIEN
The CONANP and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) attribute the problem of the spread of palm to poor control by producers, so they have looked for strategies to legalize it. In October 2015, they presented the Preliminary Supportive Study for the Modification of the Declaration of 1995 of the REBIEN, which sought to remove areas where there are crops, livestock, and fisheries from the reserve.
Both agencies wanted to reduce the size of the reserve in order to regulate oil palm, arguing that “the goal is to adapt zoning, in particular incorporating areas with well-conserved ecosystems into the core zones, and removing areas where agricultural, ranching, and fishing activities are conducted,” as the document Avispa Midia had access to states.
They sought to remove an area of 8,345 acres (3,377 ha), of which 1,841 (745 ha) belong to El Palmarcito Core Zone and 6,504 acres (2,632 ha) to La Encrucijada Core Zone. This proposal never moved forward.
In 2016, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) issued General Recommendation 26/2016, for addressing impacts on protected natural areas and human rights. It highlighted the degradation of the REBIEN, explaining that for several years, the reserve has faced “the use of these lands for the establishment of oil palm plantations.”
Palm fruit is transported to strategically located storage facilities like the one in Matamoros ejido in the municipality of Acapetahua, close to the REBIEN’s buffer zone. (Aldo Santiago)
That same year, instead of going after the plantations, CONANP hired the nonprofit organization Naturaleza y Redes A.C. to run a project called Strengthening African palm control strategy in the REBIEN, which only focused on the problem of seed spread. Information gathered through this project helped to eradicate and control individual oil palm trees covering 28.4 acres (11.5 ha) inside the reserve.
Poulette Hernández, co-founder of the Digna Ochoa Human Rights Center, clarified that this is no easy task. She explained that people are mistaken in thinking that palm is like any other tree that can be disposed of by being cut down and burned. REBIEN’s Castro agrees that eradicating this crop is not simple. He explained that palm trees can’t be cut down with a machete, and even doing it with a chainsaw is very complicated. What’s more, all of the brush must be removed from the site, since it can contaminate the mangroves.
Those Responsible for the Expansion
The CNDH’s General Recommendation 26/2016 states that the advance of this crop in the REBIEN is not an accident: “it has to do with a change in production promoted by the state government for several regions of Chiapas, which has led to its expansion to lands in this conservation area [La Encrucijada].”
Castro was quick to emphasize that the expansion of oil palm began long before his tenure as director of the REBIEN. He stated that it hasn’t been penalized due to the size of the reserve “and maybe because of political pressure,” although, he reiterated, he doesn’t know about the early phases, since he didn’t witness the process.
Juan Sabines, the governor of Chiapas at the time, and Manuel Velasco, then governor-elect, unveil the Zitihault palm oil processing plant in Villa Comaltitlán. July 2012.
What is known is that between 2007 and 2012, the state government promoted the crop through the Productive Conversion Program and distributed four million plants for free without overseeing where they would be planted. It received 165 million dollars for this from the International Finance Corporation. In 2011, this entity granted another loan to continue expansion of the agricultural zone for two more years.
The federal government also drove palm expansion through Agricultural Trust Funds (FIRA). By way of the Production Stimulus Incentive program, linked with Femexpalma, it proposed equipping producers with infrastructure and technology to increase productive capacity for oil palm.
This financing was earmarked primarily for small producers. However, wealthy businesspeople who have palm inside of La Encrucijada also benefited.
Support from Sembrando Vida
Palm cultivation on the Chiapas coast has gotten new momentum with the government program Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life). The directory committee of La Encrucijada said that there are oil palm producers who have “slipped through” and are growing palm within the protected natural area, even though “they know they have to stop.”
Rincón said that there are producers who are combining their palm groves with cacao as part of this government program, which purports to address rural poverty along with the country’s environmental decline. “The people in Sembrando Vida pushed an agricultural model in which cacao is grown within the palm groves, so there is a diversified crop,” said Rincón, who added that producers share a commitment to eliminate palm “at some point” if it’s in a zone where it’s prohibited within the reserve.
Palm expansion in Mexico also has the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER).
Breaking an International Agreement
The story of the REBIEN is not unique in Mexico. Oil palm cultivation in Mexico, a study authored by Dr. Anne Cristina de la Vega-Leinert (member of Mexico vía Berlin and the University of Greifswald) and Daniel Sandoval, among others, and edited by the Center of Studies for Change in the Mexican Countryside (CECCAM), confirms that after years of palm production in the country, protected areas in Chiapas have been impacted: principally, La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve and Palenque National Park.
The biggest problem, said Claudia Ramos Guillén, is that these policies are not going to stop, because millions of dollars are in play.
“Palm comes from an expansionist policy at the international level, primarily affecting ecosystems like that of La Encrucijada,” she said. “So, the governments end up adjusting to the demands of the international market.”
This work was completed by Santiago Navarro F. and Aldo Santiago for Avispa Midia and Connectas, in partnership with Aristegui Noticias and Pie de Página, within
This investigation and report was written by Santiago Navarro F. is an economist, journalist, photographer, and documentary filmmaker. He is co-founder of the investigative journalism portal Avispa Midia. Along with Aldo Santiago, a documentary filmmaker and independent journalist. He is also an editor and correspondent for Avispa Midia for Connectas’s ARCO initiative and with support from the International Center for Journalists in the framework of the initiative for Investigative Journalism in the Americas.Read the original article here.
ENDS
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Gold mining kills indigenous peoples throughout the world like the Yanomami people of Brazil and Papuans in West Papua. The bloody, violent and greedy landgrabbing that goes on for gold forces indigenous women and children into sex slavery! Mercury poisons the water, which kills people and puts 1000’s of species closer to extinction. To help indigenous peoples to fight for their ancestral lands and help endangered animals you should #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami
#Gold #mining kills #indigenous peoples 🩸 forcing women and children into sex #slavery! Help #Yanomami people forced violently from their #rainforest homes for the #greed of gold! 🪙⛔️ #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami 🫶🌳@BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8uY
DYK #Gold #mining 🥇🚫 is sending species like #Tapirs and #jaguars 🐅 towards #extinction? 😿It causes #ecocide and violently displaces #Yanomami of #Brazil and #Papuans of #WestPapa. Fight for them 🦥🌱 and #BoycottGold @BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8uY
Gold mining in the Amazon devastates the Yanomami people’s ancestral land. Meanwhile, Illegal mining drives deforestation, violence, and human rights abuses. Sadly, successive governments in many South American countries, including Brazil, have failed to safeguard the rights of Indigenous peoples, turning a blind eye to the issue. A little known fact is that mercury used in gold extraction poisons ecosystems, wildlife, and people. Another horrifying fact is that indigenous women and children are often forced into sex slavery near mining sites. Major companies and criminals profit from this illegal trade, while the Yanomami suffer.
Gold mining also leads to the loss of biodiversity, disrupts traditional livelihoods, contaminates water sources, and contributes to climate change. You can help when you boycott gold and support Indigenous sovereignty. Share social media posts with the hashtags #BoycottGold and #BoycottGold4Yanomami and follow Barbara Crane Navarro to raise awareness.
New research suggests the #extinction crisis may be even worse than we thought. More than half of species that have so far evaded any official conservation assessment are threatened with extinction. Some species…
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Lion-tailed #macaques are a small macaque species and sport a majestic lion-like mane. Their home in the Western Ghats, #India is threatened by #palmoil #ecocide. They are now #endangered! Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife via @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-72o
Magnificent Lion-tailed #Macaques 🐒🐵 of Western Ghats #India 🇮🇳🪷 are #endangered. They are hemmed in on all sides by #palmoil 🌴🔥 #deforestation. Fight for them when you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸☠️🧐🙊⛔️ @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-72o
Captivating Lion-tailed macaques are known for their lion-esque, long, thin, and tufted tails. Despite their endearing appearance, this primate ranks among the most endangered macaques globally.
These majestic primates prefer the solitary life, rarely venturing from their rainforest domain, where they form tightly knit family units of up to 34 individuals. Troops are led by a dominant male who controls breeding with females. As arboreal and diurnal creatures, these macaques sleep high in the rainforest canopy, exhibiting both territorial behaviour and a sophisticated communication system that includes as many as 17 vocalisations such as ‘whoops’ to lip-smacking greetings. Lion-tailed macaques and their daily symphony in the tree tops are unique and priceless treasures of India worth cherishing.
Threats
The Lion-tailed Macaque is currently listed as Endangered, a status reflecting the critical state of their population. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining and no single subpopulation exceeding 250 mature individuals, their situation is precarious.
Projections estimate a continued decline of over 20% in their population over the next 25 years. This decline is attributed to several factors, including hunting, road kills, and the ongoing loss of their natural habitat in recent years to palm oil cultivation. This situation highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect and preserve this unique and vulnerable species.
Habitat Fragmentation: The Lion-tailed Macaque’s primary threat today is the ongoing fragmentation of their habitat, mainly for palm oil and timber, with many forest fragments shrinking even further.
Historical Habitat Loss: Previously, significant habitat loss was due to timber harvesting and the creation of exotic plantations like tea, eucalyptus, and coffee.
Habitat Degradation: This is a critical concern for their conservation, particularly in Kerala, where changes in land use in private forests and plantations are problematic.
Hunting Pressures: Hunting, both for subsistence and non-subsistence purposes, poses a significant threat in certain regions. In areas like Coorg, where wet evergreen habitat is abundant, hunting for food is a major concern.
Local Trade Threats: There is a local trade for Lion-tailed Macaques as pets, and historically in Coorg, they were hunted for purported medicinal uses.
Reproductive and Ecological Challenges: Features like large interbirth periods, seasonal resource availability, and female competition for mates make this species intrinsically rare in the wild, requiring active management for their survival.
Genetic Concerns: In fragmented forests like the Anamalai Hills, Lion-tailed Macaques show less genetic diversity compared to those in contiguous forests, indicating that inbreeding and isolation in small, isolated populations could harm their long-term survival.
Habitat
The Lion-tailed macaque, native to the Western Ghats hill ranges in southwestern India, faces a precarious future. They live in altitudes of 100-1,300 m in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. A region marked by severe fragmentation. The recent surge in palm oil cultivation has further imperiled their habitat in the Western Ghats region, posing a significant threat to the survival of these unique primates.
Diet
Embracing a diverse palate, Lion-tailed macaques are true omnivores, savouring a rich array of foods. While fruits are a mainstay of their diet, these resourceful animals also indulge in leaves, stems, flowers, buds, and fungi, insects, lizards, tree frogs and small mammals.
Mating and breeding
Lion-tailed macaques embrace a polygynous lifestyle – one dominant male takes the lead in mating with several females. They breed throughout the year with a peak during the wet season when food is abundant.
The gestation period lasts around six months, resulting in a single infant entirely dependent on their mother. Motherly care extends through a year of nursing. As they reach adolescence, males venture into nomadic all-male units before forming their harems, while females commonly stick to their original groups. Reproductive maturity happens at five years old for females and eight years old for males.
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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
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)
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.
However, reducing the biodiversity footprint of global food consumption requires more than just consumer intervention. It requires immediate and widespread action from government policy-makers and law-makers as well, writes Ecologist Dr Quentin Read of North Carolina State University for 360info
Extinction On Our Plates: 🔥😿 Expanding agricultural land for #meat 🥩 #dairy 🧈 and #palmoil is pushing #biodiversity past limits for survival. Help animals, use your wallet 🤑 as a weapon, be #vegan 🥦 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-71v
DYK what you buy and eat either helps or hurt wild #animals? 😿 Commodities like #meat 🥩 and #palmoil 🪔are driving wild animal #extinction. Fight for them 💪 and be #vegan 🥕 #palmoilfree #Boycottmeat 🤩#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-71v
Article written by Dr Quentin Read, data scientist and ecologist. He is currently the Southeast Area Statistician with the Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) based at North Carolina State University. This article has been republished for the COP15 Biodiversity Summit. Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
Land is foremost among those resources. As food is transported from farm to fork, the land used to grow the food is ‘virtually transported’ along with it. Depending on what you’re eating, one bite might have a potpourri of virtually embedded land supporting a wide diversity of wild plants and animals.
The food on our plates has a footprint. Every bite of food we consume represents the environmental impact of all the resources used to produce that food
Expanding agricultural land is pushing biodiversity past a safe limit
Wild biodiversity is under threat from the production and consumption of global food systems. Some species may already be ‘walking dead’, doomed to extinction because they no longer have a habitat large enough to avoid a population crash.
In collaboration with NASA, researchers from universities across the United States are undertaking complex geospatial statistics to closely examine these future biodiversity impacts. Similar efforts around the world are leading some governments, including the United States, to set priorities to protect land within their borders.
But more ambitious conservation efforts are urgently needed.
Latest estimates show 64 percent of land in North America would need to be conserved to safeguard biodiversity, primarily because of the ecologically intact areas of Canada and the United States. By contrast, at least 33.1 percent of Europe’s land area requires conservation. The most threatened land is concentrated in developing countries where mining and farming are economic mainstays. More than half of the most at-risk habitat is in Africa.
To preserve biodiversity we must not only work on protecting natural habitats but also on reducing the food system’s demand for land. If we’re expected, as predicted, to feed 10 billion people by 2050, all that extra food would require clearing at least 1.5 billion acres of forests, savannas and wetlands, an area nearly twice the size of India.
However, all is not lost
There are two key ways governments and individuals can reduce the land demand pressure from the food system: eating a smart plant-based diet and reducing food waste.
First, consider your diet. Animal products need large amounts of land to grow feed and pasture livestock. This includes not only meat but also dairy, eggs, and even fish, which are increasingly sourced from aquaculture farms that use land-grown feed. A smart plant-based diet is a major way to reduce land demand and biodiversity impact relative to a diet high in meat and dairy.
But not just any plant-based diet will do. Only a smart plant-based diet that avoids sourcing too much food from regions that have high levels of imperiled biodiversity will reduce impact relative to a diet high in meat and dairy.
This means reducing consumption of some of our favourite foods like avocados, chocolate, cashews, and other tropical fruits. The international food trade of products like these spreads local biodiversity impacts around the globe.
If that sounds too hard, then here’s the good news. Reducing pre-consumer and consumer food waste by 50 percent – which might be an easier change than a radical diet overhaul – has almost as much positive impact on reducing land demand in high-biodiversity areas as changing diets does. In the United States, cutting food waste in half has the potential to reduce biodiversity impacts by 18 percent.
Diet and food waste adaptations are not just up to individuals – governments must play a part
It’s important to keep in mind that both diet changes and food waste reduction are not only individual choices. Governments could implement policies that more aggressively target food waste on the farm, in the supermarket, and in the home. As a recent UN report showed, developed-world household waste is currently on the rise globally. Incentivising the production of plant-based meat alternatives would also help consumers make biodiversity-friendly choices.
There are challenging decisions to be made. We need to carefully navigate complex issues and unforeseen consequences to reduce biodiversity impacts of the food we eat. An important piece of the puzzle is helping consumers better understand how their diets and food waste behaviors influence global biodiversity. This means tough trade-offs at the personal and societal level may be needed to better balance human health, economics, and environmental sustainability.
Article written by Dr Quentin Read, data scientist and ecologist. He is currently the Southeast Area Statistician with the Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) based at North Carolina State University. This article has been republished for the COP15 Biodiversity Summit. Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info™.
ENDS
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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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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
Discover the Magnificent Bird-of-ParadiseCicinnurus magnificus, a dazzling and theatrical bird living in New Guinea’s hills and forests. Males are known for their vibrant appearance and elaborate courtship dances. These birds are natural treasures, highlighting the sublime diversity found deep within rainforest ecosystems. Although they are listed as “Least Concern” these birds have not been monitored for a long time and rapid destruction of their rainforest home for #palmoil and #timber is a looming threat to their survival. Help them and fight back against their extinction every time you shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Although this animal was previously recorded on IUCN Red List as being ‘Least Concern’ 100,000’s of hectares of rainforest have since disappeared for palm oil – meaning that this classification will likely change. These birds are most likely going to be upgraded to ‘vulnerable’ or ‘endangered’ due to massive deforestation of their range and hunting pressures.
Appearance & Behaviour
A dazzling and vivid spectacle in the treetops
The Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise leads an intriguing life, predominantly solitary and active during the day. These birds skillfully navigate the forest canopy, on a constant quest for food. Their diet is a vibrant mix of ripe fruits, enhanced by an occasional feast of insects, arthropods, and other tiny creatures hidden in bark and lichens. Adding a dash of excitement to their routine, outside of breeding season, they often join eclectic foraging flocks. This avian gathering isn’t just limited to their own kind but extends to include a kaleidoscope of species, such as the dazzling sunbirds and other fruit-loving birds, creating a vivid spectacle in the treetops.
Male Characteristics
Males of the species Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, with their average body length of 19 cm extending to 26 cm including tail, and weighing around 190 grams, are known for their vivid plumage. Their upper-parts display a rich blend of dark carmine, black, and white iridescence, while their lower backs and rumps are dark brownish-olive with a white sheen. Their tails features unique green-blue iridescent sickle-shaped rectrices. Their underside is dominated by a glossy dark green breast shield with turquoise to cobalt-blue tips. Their heads are adorned with olive-brown and reddish-brown feathers. Their striking appearance is completed with a pale grey-blue bill, dark brown eyes, and blue legs and feet.
Female Characteristics
Contrasting to the male, the female Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, also 19 cm long but lighter at 128 grams, exhibits a more subdued colour palette. Her plumage is primarily olive-brown to reddish-brown on the upperparts and whitish buff with dark brown barring on the underparts. The female’s head is marked by a thin line of pale blue skin behind the eye, and her olive-brown chin blends into a whitish, flecked throat. Unlike the male, her tail is longer but lacks the distinctive sickle-shaped rectrices. The bill is duller and paler than the male’s, complementing her overall muted appearance.
Threats
The Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise faces significant threats that are suspected to be causing a decline in their population. The exact size of their population remains unknown, but their ecosystem in West Papua is rapidly declining due to deforestation:
Habitat Loss: Large-scale deforestation for palm oil production and timber extraction across their range significantly reduces their natural habitat.
Hunting: The species experiences high levels of hunting, adding to the pressure on their survival.
Help these animals by raising awareness of their plight and joining the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and every time you shop in the supermarket.
Habitat
The Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise primarily resides in the forested mountain regions of New Guinea, often found in the upper canopy of rainforests. Interestingly, they are also known to venture into abandoned gardens in villages and smaller cities. Typically, these birds inhabit areas up to 1,780 metres in elevation, but they are most frequently observed at altitudes around 1,400 metres.
Diet
These birds like others in the Paradisaeidae family primarily feed on fruits. However, they also consume insects such as beetles and crickets.
Mating calls
The Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise communicates through a variety of calls, each serving a unique purpose. Males perform advertising songs that include a strident “ca cru cru cru,” a loud and clear “car” or “cre,” and a hoarse “caaat ca ca ca.” During courtship, they emit plaintive “churrs,” a single metallic “kyong,” and a sharp “kyerng,” along with a scolding series of “ksss-kss-ks-ks-ks-kss” sounds. Additionally, when disturbed, they produce low clucking notes. The courtship displays are further enriched with various calls, such as low, rhythmic, hard clicking or buzzing sounds. Notably, adult males can also create audible rattling or clacking sounds during flight.
Courtship dancing and display
The male Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise engages in a unique and elaborate courtship display. Perched on a sapling, he meticulously maintains his court, ensuring it remains clear of debris. When a female arrives, he performs an intricate dance, leaning backwards to a near-perpendicular position against the sapling, raising his yellow mantle cape, and showcasing his iridescent breast shield and sickle-shaped tail. This display, though seemingly comical, attracts the attention of multiple females. However, competition is fierce; if a male is close to mating, other females may intervene, disrupting the process and delaying further displays. Males prepare and fiercely defend their courts, removing leaves and debris for better visibility and to enhance their displays. These courts, often on steep slopes beneath canopy gaps, become the stage for their intricate dance involving four phases: the Back Display, Breast Display, Cape Display, and Dancing Display, each highlighting different aspects of the male’s plumage.
Breeding and parenting behaviours
In contrast to the males’ flamboyant displays, female Magnificent Birds-of-Paradise take on all parental responsibilities. They build nests in the canopy, usually in Pandanus crowns or dense foliage, using mosses, leaves, and sometimes mammal fur. The breeding season peaks between July and February, but displays may occur year-round. Females lay one or two creamy-white eggs, incubating them for about 18-19 days. Chicks fledge around 30 days after hatching, with young males sometimes lingering longer. Females reach sexual maturity at about one year, while males, requiring full adult plumage, mature between three and six years. Despite threats like habitat loss and hunting for their tail feathers, the Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise is currently classified as Least Concern, though its population is suspected to be declining.
Support the Magnificent Bird of Paradise by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycottpalmoil #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.
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.
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.
More and more palm oil free 🦧 products in Australia 🇦🇺. Customer awareness is increasing month by month. Of course Bart Van Assen will keep pushing "sustainable" palm oil with Orangutan Land Trust. Boycott palm oil to protect wildlife! There is not planet B #boycott4wildlifepic.twitter.com/rm7chub5Rb
If possible to get Ovomaltine, please promote it among your friends. It openly advertises with 0 palm oil. No RSPO no bullshit. For me it even tasts better than nuttela. It substantiates that chocolate spread can be made delicious without filthy palm oil. pic.twitter.com/cyV5Tm3tLd
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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