The dangerous pesticide Paraquat is banned in the EU however continues to destroy the lives of palm oil plantation workers in Indonesia. Read this story below originally published in Geographic Magazine and learn how to take action to resist the human rights abuses and ecocide below. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Tag Archives: Indonesia
Sulawesi Babirusa Babyrousa celebensis
The Sulawesi Babirusa also known as the North Sulawesi Babirusa are wild pigs are found on Sulawesi Island along with nearby islands Lembeh, Buton, and Muna in #Indonesia.
They have a mottled grey-and-brown skin that helps them blend into their forested habitat. One remarkable feature of babirusas is their large tusks. They have two pairs of elongated canine teeth that curve upward and backward towards their heads.
For males, their upper canines grow so long that they protrude through holes in the flesh on the top of their snouts. Sadly, these unique creatures are threatened by deforestation caused by the palm oil and timber industries along with hunting and mining. You can help by making conscious choices. Consider going vegan to support the movement against palm oil, and join the call to boycott palm oil and protect wildlife with the hashtags #Vegan, #Boycottpalmoil, and #Boycott4Wildlife. Together, we can make a difference for the Sulawesi Babirusa and their habitat.
Air Pollution from Palm Oil: A Human Rights Issue
Forest-fire haze from Indonesian palm oil deforestation is a crisis! Learn how toxic air pollution is a human rights issue affecting all of Southeast Asia
Palm Oil Increases Deaths of Baby Macaques
In Peninsular Malaysia, a new study published in Cell Biology by a team led by Dr Anna Holzner of German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig has found that infant mortality rates among wild southern pig-tailed macaques are alarmingly high due to frequent visits to oil palm plantations.
These plantations expose the infants to increased risks from predators, human encounters, and harmful agricultural chemicals, potentially affecting the development and survival of infant macaques. The study, conducted in collaboration of international researchers, observed that prolonged exposure to these plantations during infancy triples the likelihood of death.
The study suggests that pesticides used in agriculture could cross the placental barrier or be transmitted through breastmilk, impacting fetal development and health. This significant research underlines the urgent need for eco-friendly agricultural practices to protect wildlife and human communities near plantations. Take action and join the movement to #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop!
Food Without Agriculture
Researchers argue food can be made without destroying rainforests, using alternative energy sources like microbes, yeast and CO2, saving animals and emissions
Green Dragontail Lamproptera meges
Green Dragontails could arguably be called the most exquisite and beautiful butterflies alive.
They flutter through sunlit patches of leaves near to streams and rivers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and northeastern India.
They are mostly black and white with a bright turquoise or light green band running roughly parallel to their abdomens.
Their forewings feature a stunning glass-like transparent triangle known as a hyaline. Their tail features a star-like galaxy pattern that glints in sunlight.
It has been over a decade since they were last surveyed, their range overlaps significantly with areas already cleared for palm oil. Help their survival and use your wallet as a weapon! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Nicobar pigeon Caloenas nicobarica
The Nicobar pigeon is the largest pigeon in the world and the closest living relative to the extinct dodo bird. They are famous for their gorgeous iridescent feathers. When threatened they make a pig-like grunt and are known for the strange way that they drink – by dunking their heads into water and sucking it up instead of sipping as other birds do. They are Near Threatened from palm oil deforestation on the Nicobar and Andaman Islands in #India along with hunting and the pet trade. Help their survival and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket.
Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Stunning bright coloured Philippine sailfin lizards are becoming more and more rare from palm oil deforestation across their range in #WestPapua #Philippines and eastern #Indonesia. They are also threatened by hunting and the pet trade. Males turn a dark violet colour during mating season and flare their extravagant sail-like fins to announce their mating prowess. They have a third eye on the top of their head which enables them to sense sunlight. Help them survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Sunda Pangolin Facts Diet and Habitat
Discover Sunda pangolin facts: these scaly anteaters who roll into protective balls, sadly they are endangered from palm oil and poaching
Waigeo Cuscus Spilocuscus papuensis
Cryptic and solitary marsupials, Waigeo Cuscuses cling to tree canopies on a Waigeo Island, West Papua. They are classified as vulnerable on IUCN Red List due to palm oil deforestation and mining on the tiny island where they live. Help them each time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife
Quince Monitor Facts, Size, Diet and Habitat
Discover Quince monitor facts: this large, bright yellow lizard faces threats from the pet trade and habitat destruction for palm oil
Transparency International: Corruption of Indonesian Palm Oil
According to a May 2023 report by Transparency International, the top 50 palm oil companies in Indonesia are beset by deep problems: a lack of transparency in company ownership and who are the ultimate beneficiaries of profits, conflicts of interest, revolving-door politics, and politically exposed persons within companies.
All of the above makes the palm oil industry in Indonesia seriously susceptible to corporate capture and corruption. Don’t trust palm oil. Instead #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop
Banded Surili (Raffles Banded Langur) Presbytis femoralis
A curious and intelligent small monkey species, Raffles’ Banded Langurs are also known by their other common names: Banded Leaf Monkey or Banded Surili. Endemic to the southern Malay Peninsula and Singapore, this critically endangered monkey is now found in only a few fragmented pockets of primary and secondary forest, swamps, mangroves, and rubber plantations. Once widespread across Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand, the banded surili’s population has plummeted—fewer than 60 individuals survive in Malaysia, with Singapore’s last wild group clinging to existence in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Palm oil deforestation and habitat destruction continue to erase their world. Help them survive and #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop.
Dhole Canis Cuon alpinus
Fiercely protective, elusive and beautiful #Dholes are an ancient species of #wilddog that diverged from other dog species millions of years ago living in #Bangladesh, #Cambodia, #China, #India, #Indonesia, #Laos, #Myanmar, #Nepal and #Thailand. Dholes are also known as Asiatic Wild Dogs, Indian Wild Dogs, Red #Wolves and Mountain Wolves. Once found across the Russian Steppe, China, the Middle East and northern Asia their range has been fractured and reduced dramatically by human-related pressures and threats. Ongoing major threats are #deforestation for #meat and #palmoil along with human persecution. They are now classified as Endangered on IUCN Red List. Help them to survive, every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Oligarchs weaken Indonesia’s fight against corruption
The system is failing. #Indonesia’s own parliament, backed by big business interests, has succeeded in weakening the very system set up to fight corruption. Resist the corruption! #FightGreenwashing #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife
Indonesia’s Misinformation Favours Obedience, Not Truth
Indonesia’s online space is polluted by fake news. The government’s media literacy program promotes its own interests and greenwashing, boycott palm oil!
Sumatran elephants: Trapped by palm oil and status unknown
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.
Ongoing attempts of scientists to take a measure of their population have been hampered and oppressed by the Indonesian government, which has also attempted to prevent media coverage of the issue. Help these irreplacable beings every time you shop, #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Palm Oil: A Recipe for Disaster in India
Given the widespread destruction of rainforests and native biodiversity caused by oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia, environmental experts and politicians are warning that the move to promote palm oil cultivation in India’s northeastern States and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be disastrous, writes Priscilla Jerbaraj in The Hindu.
Indonesia’s misinformation army ready for war
In 2023, Indonesia’s government is set to ratchet up greenwashing and propaganda on social media, fuelled by a well-resourced misinformation machine.
But the biggest propagator of disinformation seems not to be political renegades, but the Widodo administration. Fuelled by a well-resourced propaganda machine, the government is ready to fight dirty to win over public opinion.
Story via 360Info.org.
Written by By Ika Idris, Monash University Indonesia, Laeeq Khan, Ohio University, and Nuurrianti Jalli, Northern State University in Tangerang. January 16 2023 for 360Info.org. Dr Ika Idris is an associate professor at Public Policy & Management, Monash University Indonesia. Her works focus on government communication, misinformation, and the internet’s impacts on society. Republished here with a Creative Commons Licence.
#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Bangka Slow Loris Nycticebus bancanus
Shy and elusive tiny #primates, Bangka Slow Lorises were last reported from the wild in 1937. If the Bangka Slow Loris is still alive then the burning of their habitat and conversion to agriculture (especially palm oil plantations) is their greatest threat.
These diminuitive and sweet-faced primates are critically endangered due to #palmoil #deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Just 20% of their rainforest remains on Bangka island, #Indonesia. Help them every time you shop, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus
Although they look cute and cuddly, the Fishing #Cat Prionailurus viverrinus has a feisty, firecracker temper. This small to medium sized wild cat can become defensive if approached in the wild. They are around twice the size of a domestic cat and typically weigh around 5-16 kg and have stocky short legs and a short tail.
Their faces are round with elongated noses that gives them a civet-like appearance, which is why their scientific name is viverrine. They are agile and fast hunters and can reach fast speeds in pursuit of prey. They have an average lifespan of approximately 12 years. Ongoing threats include palm oil deforestation, and in Indonesia it is uncertain if their population have remained alive intact due to widespread deforestation and hunting pressures. Help these plucky little #wildcats when you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax vigil
Helmeted #Hornbills are spectacular, large and intelligent #birds native to SE Asia, known for their substantial helmet-like structure on their head called a casque made of ivory. This hefty head accounts for 11% of their 3kg body weight. They are found on the Malay Peninsula: #Sumatra, #Borneo, #Myanmar and #Thailand. They are #criticallyendangered. Their main threats are illegal hunting and wildlife trade for their ivory casques along with palm oil and timber deforestation. Help them each time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Eyewitness Story: The Last Village by Dr Setia Budhi
A lone Dayak village in Borneo surrounded by palm oil plantations has held out for 14 years and resisted
corporate infiltration by global palm oil giants. My name is Dr Setia Budhi, I am a Dayak ethnographer and human rights advocate. I visited this village recently to see how they were going.
Celebrate World Rhino Day by boycotting palm oil
Indonesia is home to two of the world’s five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino Rhinoceros sondaicus and the Sumatran rhino Dicerorhinus sumatrensis still exist today, uniquely only in the country. In India’s north east, the Indian Rhino hangs on to survival. Yet their existence has become increasingly fragile due to the unrelenting growth of palm oil in both of these countries.
#WorldRhinoDay is 22nd Sept. But every day should be World Rhino Day as three of the five species of rhino may go extinct as a result of #palmoil #deforestation and illegal poaching. Fight for them each time you shop and be #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
How do we protect the disappearing Javan Rhino?
With only 74 individuals left, the remarkable and beautiful Javan Rhino is on the brink of extinction and can be found on one of the most densely populated islands in the world – Java. Boycotting palm oil is how you can help them. Sunarto, Universitas Indonesia The Javan rhino was once found throughout many partsContinue reading “How do we protect the disappearing Javan Rhino?”
Conservation activists suing Indonesian zoo inspires more legal action
A lawsuit against a Sumatran zoo for illegally exhibiting threatened species like orangutans could inspire global action against the illegal wildlife trade
Deforestation Raises Temperatures Up To 4.5℃
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.
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
Knobbed Hornbill Rhyticeros cassidix
Knobbed Hornbills are important seed dispersers in Indonesia. Known for their unique social nature, save this striking bird, when you shop boycott palm oil!
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.