Wildlife Artist and Animal Rights Advocate Juanchi Pérez in His Own Words

Juanchi Pérez is a talented and well-established designer, illustrator and artist from Ecuador who captures the soulful presence of rare rainforest animals near his home.

He is passionate about sharing the magnificent animals and plants of his bountiful homeland with the world. Together with his beautiful wife and daughter, he founded art and giftware brand Zigze several years ago.

Mel Lumby: The beautiful begonias of Borneo and beyond deserve our love and protection

Begonias, along with orangutans and many other rainforest inhabitants are in danger now. Will these precious jewels of the jungle be located by scientists, described, eventually named and shared, so that people can love and marvel at their incredible beauty? Or will the bulldozer get there first, destroying where they live, making way to plant oil palm plantations for cheap palm oil? Retired horticulturalist and animal advocate Mel Lumby will keep fighting for as long as she lives.

Anthropologist and author of ‘In the Shadow of the Palms’ Dr Sophie Chao: In Her Own Words

Dr Sophie Chao is an environmental anthropologist and environmental humanities scholar interested in the intersections of capitalism, ecology, Indigeneity, health, and justice in the Pacific.

Palm Oil Detectives is honoured to interview to Dr Sophie Chao about her research into the impacts of palm oil on the daily lives of Marind people and other sentient beings in West Papua.

​I wrote In the Shadow of the Palms because I wanted the world to understand how deforestation and industrial oil palm expansion are undermining Indigenous ways of being in West Papua.

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

What is a Steady State Economy? A Steady State Economy is a mildly fluctuating economy that does not exceed ecological and planetary limits. A Steady State Economy is not an alternative economic ideology that is centred on endless GDP growth. It is neither capitalism nor communism. Economic growth, with all of its downsides, is clearlyContinue reading “How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy”

Barbara Crane Navarro: Artist & Activist In Her Own Words

Barbara Crane Navarro is a French-American artist, writer, Indigenous and animal activist who lives near Paris. From 1968 to 1973 she studied at Rhode Island School of Design, then she went on to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, California, for a BFA.

Her work over many decades has been informed and inspired by time spent with indigenous communities. She took various study trips devoted to the exploration of techniques and natural pigments of different indigenous communities including the Dogon of Mali, West Africa, and the Yanomami communities in Venezuela and Brazil. Learn more about why she supports the #Boycott4Wildlife

Zoologist and TV Presenter Dr George McGavin: In His Own Words

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.

Dayak Indigenous Ethnographer Dr Setia Budhi: In His Own Words

Dr Setia Budhi is a senior lecturer in Anthropology and Sociology at Universitas Lambung Mangkurat. He is an indigenous advocate, forest conservationist and a research specialist in Dayak ethnography in South, Central and East Kalimantan. He completed his PhD in 2010 at UKM Malaysia under the supervision of Prof. Awang Hasmadi Awang Moeis and Prof. Aishah Bt Mohamed. He now serves as Head of the Sociology Department and a member of the Indonesian Anthropology Association of South Kalimantan-Indonesia.

His research relates to the Dayak people and impact of socio-cultural changes, exploitation of natural resources and modernisation on their lives. In particular, he investigates how the depletion of the forest affects the availability of food sources for Indigenous Dayak peoples.

Wildlife Vet Dr Richard K Ssuna: In His Own Words

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

Primatologist Cleve Hicks on Chimpanzee cultures, Palm Oil deforestation in His Own Words

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.

Wildlife Photographer Craig Jones: In His Own Words

One of Britain’s finest wildlife photographers, Craig Jones uses his own words to bear witness to the awesome love and intelligence of orangutans, and also shares stories of the immense suffering of orangutans and other species within RSPO member palm oil plantations. Craig is an absolute inspiration to photographers, animal lovers and conservationists. It is an honour to showcase his work and stories on Palm Oil Detectives.

Eyewitness by Craig Jones: A mother and baby orangutan are rescued from an RSPO palm oil plantation in Sumatra

Bio: Craig Jones One of Britain’s finest wildlife photographers, Craig Jones is also one of the most humble and down-to-earth guys you will ever meet. His photography and stories capture the lives of endangered rainforest animals that we hold so dearly to our hearts: Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran elephants, Siamangs and more. His workContinue reading “Eyewitness by Craig Jones: A mother and baby orangutan are rescued from an RSPO palm oil plantation in Sumatra”

Dalida Innes: Wildlife photoj0urnalist and animal advocate

My name is Dalida Innes, I am from France originally and I live in Sydney, Australia. I love wildlife, landscape, travel photography and everything between. I am self-taught with a sincere passion for all things photographic

Adventurous spirit with camera in hand, I try to capture moments of wonder and serenity. For me, capturing images is like freezing the time and I can go back to it whenever I want. Trying to get that precise moment that your eye doesn’t have time to memorise or to remember.

Jo Frederiks: Vegan animal rights artist

Jo Frederiks is a passionate animal rights advocate, speaking through her art to create awareness and inspire change to a vegan way of life. She is a full-time practising artist, exposing the well-hidden plight of animals we enslave, exploit and needlessly use for food, clothing, entertainment and research. Working in varying mediums, Frederiks favours graphite and oil paint. She has previously studied at The Arts Academy in Brisbane, graduating with Honours.

Szabolcs Kókay: Wildlife Artist

Szabolcs Kókay was born in Hungary in 1976, and has been interested in nature, especially birds, since childhood. Although he has been drawing for as long as he can remember, it was only later on in his life, around the age of 20, when these two interests merged. For Szabolcs, watching and sketching nature goContinue reading “Szabolcs Kókay: Wildlife Artist”