Forests directly cool the planet, like natural evaporative air conditioners. So what happens when you cut them down? In tropical countries such as #Indonesia, #Brazil and the #Congo, rapid #deforestation may have accounted for up to 75% of the observed surface #climatechange and warming between 1950 and 2010. Our new research took a closer look at this phenomenon.
Tag Archives: animals
Organised Crime: A Top Driver of Global Deforestation
Every year the world loses an estimated 25 million acres (10 million hectares) of forest, an area larger than the state of Indiana. Nearly all of it is in the tropics. Tropical #forests store enormous quantities of carbon and are home to at least two-thirds of the world’s living species, so #deforestation has disastrous consequences for #climatechange and conservation. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, slowing its buildup in the atmosphere – but when they are burned or logged, they release their stored carbon, fueling further warming. Tropical forest loss generates nearly 50% more greenhouse gases than does the global transportation sector. Take action to help rainforests and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Why humans and bonobos share contagious yawns
Most of us have experienced the overwhelming urge to yawn in response to another person yawning – but we’re not the only species to do this. Research published in PeerJ shows that bonobos – our closest evolutionary cousins – also experience “yawn contagion”. Similarly to how yawning occurs in human beings, the effects of yawn contagion in bonobos is influenced by the quality of relationships shared between individuals.
The tendency for humans to mirror the behaviours and emotions of another – sometimes referred to as “emotional contagion” – is also thought to reflect our heightened capacity for empathy. Help all non-human primates to survive extinction and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
African Forest Elephants’s Movements Depend on Their Personalities
African forest #elephants roam the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa where they subsist largely on a diet of fruit. They shape forests by dispersing fruit and seeds, browsing, and creating an extensive trail network. But because it’s difficult to track animals in thick forest, little is known about the movements of the AfricanContinue reading “African Forest Elephants’s Movements Depend on Their Personalities”
In the Atlantic Forest, the lowland tapir is at risk
Lowland tapir populations in the Atlantic Forest in South America are at risk of almost complete disappearance, scientists have estimated. Weighing up to 250 kg, the animal can adapt to most habitats in South America—but its populations continue to decline across their range. Take action for these beautiful irreplaceable animals every time you shop, be #vegan for forests, farmed animals and wild animals and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Artist and Indigenous Rights Advocate Barbara Crane Navarro
Artist Barbara Crane Navarro merges art and activism to defend the Amazon and Yanomami from destructive gold mining. Support #BoycottGold4Yanomami.
The Amazonian Royal Flycatcher: A flurry of feathers
The Amazonian Royal Flycatcher is a member of a family of birds called the tyrant flycatchers, which occur throughout North and South America. This is the biggest family of birds in the world, with more than 400 species. As the name implies, the majority of tyrant flycatchers are entirely insectivorous (though they do not necessarily specialise in flies), while the ‘tyrant’ part comes from the noisy, aggressively territorial behaviour of some species in the group. Help them to survive every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Meet Chimbu, the blue-eyed, bear-eared tree kangaroo
Tree kangaroos are so unusual that when Europeans first encountered them in Australia in 1872, back on the continent they were sceptical if they were real! Who would believe a #kangaroo could climb a tree? The Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is an endangered species of the genus dendrolagus living in the Central Cordillera mountain ranges ofContinue reading “Meet Chimbu, the blue-eyed, bear-eared tree kangaroo”
Laughs, Cries and Deception: Complex Lives of Birds
#Birds can certainly get very angry – and the owner of a galah or corella would be well advised not to get near this bird when the head feathers are raised — but birds can be joyful and playful, can get depressed and, as studies have shown, a neglectful or bare environment can even make them pessimistic.
Birds may feel for others (have empathy) and even console them, may have a sense of justice, may show deep affection for their partner and grieve for their loss. I witnessed the mate of a fatally injured tawny frogmouth not moving from the spot next to their dead partner for three days, and then dying on the fourth. 🌴🩸🧐 Be #vegan for them! ❌ #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Zoologist and TV Presenter Dr George McGavin
Dr George McGavin FLS FRGS Hon. FSB Hon. FRES studied Zoology at Edinburgh University, followed by a PhD in entomology at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London. After 25 years as an academic at Oxford University he became an award-winning television presenter. George is an Honorary Research Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and an Honorary Principal Research Fellow at Imperial College. George is also a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Royal Geographical Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and an Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. As well as his many TV documentaries, George has written numerous books on insects and other animals. In 2019 he became the President of the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
Species extinction – why should we care?
This is arguably society’s biggest challenge, and arguably its biggest failure: the continuing loss of species from Earth. The massive impact we are having on the planet has firmly entrenched us in a period of our history commonly called the Anthropocene.
Background or “normal” rates of extinction vary through time but are typically in the order of one to two species per year. Current rates of extinction, however, are estimated to have reached 1000 to 10,000 times this rate. Help animals to survive when you shop and be #Vegan 🌿🍌🍇 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸🤮☠️#Boycott4Wildlife
For primates, having a mother helps them learn social skills
Wild #bonobos, like other Great #Apes and humans, spend long childhoods with their mothers, learning the social skills they need to function as emotionally stable members of their community. But orphaned bonobos at sanctuaries don’t have that kind of upbringing. Can they still learn the skills they need to get by in bonobo society? A study by Zanna Clay and Frans de Waal in PNAS found that the mother-infant bond is vital in developing healthy social and emotional skills. Help these mighty and intelligent primates when you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Palm Oil Free Sunscreens & Insect Repellent
Protect yourself from the #sun 🌞⛱️🌻 while protecting 1000’s of #animals 🦧🦜🪲🦏🐘 from #palmoil #ecocide. Reject #beauty brands like #Loreal and Avon and find #PalmOilFree #Sunscreen. Fight back now! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Why it matters that we protect Africa’s unique rainforests
Around 2 million km² of #Africa is covered by tropical #rainforests. They are second only in extent to those in #Amazonia, which cover around 6 million km². Rainforests are home to vast numbers of species of #primates #birds #insects and more. For example, the world’s tropical rainforests are estimated to be home to at least 40,000 tree species, with up to 6,000 in African forests. Protect all rainforests before it’s too late, every time you shop use your wallet as a weapon and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boyott4Wildlife
Wildlife Vet Dr Richard K Ssuna
Dr Richard K. Ssuna has been caring for (wild and domesticated) animals as a Veterinarian for over 20 years. In the past he’s worked for the Uganda Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (USPCA), the Jane Goodall Institute and Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Wildlife Conservation Trust on Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre. Dr Ssuna also established the Lilongwe Society and Protection of Animals (LSPCA) and also worked as the technical advisor for the Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge in Liberia. He is currently the Founder of All Creatures Animal Welfare Trust in Malawi, Lesotho and Uganda.
In a real sense, the public has been hoodwinked into believing that a palm oil certification equates to a more sustainable product and as result, companies fetch even more cash for it. Read more about by Dr Ssuna does advocates for the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Demand for meat is driving deforestation in Brazil – soy also a culprit
For many people, soy as a commodity has a pretty innocuous reputation thanks to its association with vegan food and meat alternatives. However don’t be fooled – crops of this pale legume are behind much of Brazil’s epidemic of deforestation. Much more #soy is fed to farm animals that people eat than is used in vegan food. Since 2000, #Brazil has doubled its total area of soy plantation to 36 million hectares and become the world’s largest producer. This expansion has erased vast swathes of forest and other habitats in some of the country’s most biodiverse regions. Soy, along with palm oil and meat deforestation are the biggest land-hungry commodities in South America and threaten the world’s largest rainforest biosphere. Help fight against this ecocide every time you shop, be #vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Primatologist Cleve Hicks on chimpanzee cultures and palm oil
Dr Hicks speaks with Palm Oil Detectives about his chimpanzee research, veganism, deforestation, palm oil and what consumers can do to help the endangered animals of Africa.
What, Why and Where of Black Leopards
Did you know that Black #leopards only differ from other leopards by the colour of their coat, a genetic variation that’s #recessive also known as melanism? One of their threats is #palmoil #deforestation. Help their survival be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket
One-fifth of reptiles heading towards extinction
Almost one-fifth of the world’s reptiles are currently threatened with extinction.A recent study assessed 1500 species for extinction risks. From the 19% found to be in danger, 12% were classified as Critically Endangered, 41% as Endangered and 47% Vulnerable. Three of the species listed as being Critically Endangered are believed to be possibly extinct. ThisContinue reading “One-fifth of reptiles heading towards extinction”
Climate Explained: what would happen if we cut down the Amazon rainforest?
What would happen if we cut down the entire Amazon rainforest? Could it be replaced by an equal amount of reforestation elsewhere? Removing the entire Amazon rainforest would have myriad consequences, with the most obvious ones possibly not the worst. Most people will first think of the carbon currently stored in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest. But the consequences would be far-reaching for the climate as well as biodiversity and ecosystems — and, ultimately, people. Fight for animals, indigenous peoples and the planet itself #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold and #Boycott4Wildlife
Why we don’t know how many mountain gorillas live in the wild
How important are the mountain #gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to global populations? Their importance to the health of the forest is immeasurable and irreplacable! Mountain gorillas are one of the two subspecies of eastern gorillas. They are divided into just two populations: one in the Virunga Massif that spans the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and one population that lives in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and the adjacent Sarambwe Nature Reserve in DRC. Help them to survive, be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Slowing deforestation is the key to stopping the next pandemic
Les Kaufman, Boston University In a recent journal article, a team of biologists, medical scientists, environmental scientists and conservationists proposed a number of measures to reduce the likelihood of future pandemics, many of which originate with wild animals such as bats. They argue that spending billions of dollars per year – a fraction of theContinue reading “Slowing deforestation is the key to stopping the next pandemic”
Nature’s Hidden Wealth: Conservation’s Opportunity
Animals and plants constitute a very small part of our native biodiversity (roughly 5%). The vast majority – fungi, bacteria and the enormous diversity of other microscopic organisms, including invertebrates – is a massive, largely unexplored economic resource.
The best known examples of commercial uses for biodiversity are the thousands of drugs secreted by bacteria and fungi. But others are examples of what is known as “bio-inspiration” and “bio-mimicry”, where wild species provide the blueprints for products. The combination of nature and biotechnology can offer us all a tentative reason to hope for the future.
Monkey minds: what we can learn from primate personality
Did you know our primate cousins exhibit similar personality profiles to humans? Explore fascinating evolutionary research on primate social behaviour
Humans force wild animals into tight spots
The COVID pandemic has shown us that disruptions to the way we move around, complete daily activities and interact with each other can shatter our wellbeing. This doesn’t apply only to humans. Wildlife across the globe find themselves in this situation every day, irrespective of a global pandemic. Our latest research published today in NatureContinue reading “Humans force wild animals into tight spots”
Coronavirus: How has lockdown impacted nature?
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a very strange year. Thanks to coronavirus, modern life as we know it has been put on hold. International borders have been shut, governments have ordered businesses to close their doors, and most families have been under lockdown. For anyone wondering where this infectious virusContinue reading “Coronavirus: How has lockdown impacted nature?”
Rainbow Cliffs: Why Parrots in the Amazon Eat Clay
Our world holds a whole host of glorious natural spectacles, from great starling murmurations to the ethereal display of coral reef spawning. But none is more thrilling than catching a glimpse of a majestic #macaw.
Screeching their way through the #Amazon rainforest, leaving scattered fruit, broken branches, and a considerable quantity of parrot poop in their wake, #parrots are simply animals like no other. But high in the treetops, flying far above the dense, dark foliage below, how can you ensure that you see their bright colours? A safe bet is to find a clay lick.
Mass extinction: what is it and are we in one now?
For more than 3.5 billion years, living organisms have thrived, multiplied and diversified to occupy every ecosystem on Earth. The flip side to this explosion of new species is that species extinctions have also always been part of the evolutionary life cycle.
A mass extinction is usually defined as a loss of about three quarters of all species in existence across the entire Earth over a “short” geological period of time. Given the vast amount of time since life first evolved on the planet, “short” is defined as anything less than 2.8 million years. Right now loss of species on earth is being driven by a mix of direct and indirect human activities, such as the destruction and fragmentation of habitats, direct exploitation like fishing and hunting, chemical pollution, invasive species, and human-caused global warming. Help species survive #BoycottPalmOil be #Vegan and #Boycott4Wildlife
Inside the colourful world of animal vision
Want to hear something trippy? Unlike other aspects of an object such as its size or mass, colour is not an inherent property. Perceiving colour is a function of an organism’s sensory system. In other words, colour is a construct of the mind. But whose minds? Aside from the human experiences of colour, other-than-human eyes perceive colour in radically different ways.
The Stealth and Beauty of the Clouded Leopard
Beautiful and unique Clouded Leopards are #endangered by #palmoil, #meat #mining #deforestation and human persecution across their range. Help them every time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4wildlife