Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals – but that’s not the only reason westerners should eat more of it

Edible seaweeds and algae – or sea vegetables – are a group of aquatic plants that are found in the ocean. Kelp, dulse, wakame and sea grapes are all types of seaweeds that are used in seaweed-based dishes. Seaweeds are a highly versatile and nutritious food source that can benefit our diet. Seaweeds are often rich in fibre and high in vitamins and minerals. This includes iodine and vitamin B12, which can be lacking in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Papuan Eagle Harpyopsis novaeguineae

Elusive, forest-dwelling apex predators in New Guinea, Papuan eagles are classified as vulnerable and rapidly declining due to enormous deforestation for mining and palm oil in Papua New Guinea and West Papua along with hunting threats. They are poorly studied birds and therefore estimates of their populations may be severely overestimated, meaning that they are in much more serious strife than we know.

While there have probably never been high densities of the Papuan eagle, evidence indicates that they are declining rapidly. It is possible that the entire population is considerably under 10,000 individuals. There is no evidence that the Papuan eagle is adaptable to the opening of forests and the eagles appear to abandon areas especially where logging roads have been cut into the forests.

Help them every time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis

The agile and graceful tumbling Olympians of the Amazonian rivers, Giant #Otters are able to swim 100 metres in less than 30 seconds. They are also known as the Lobo de Rio (the River wolf), Los Lobos del Rio (Wolves of the River) and Ariranha. They are most active in the mornings and evenings and take a siesta during the hottest parts of the day. Known for their striking size and the chorus of whistles and barks echoing through flooded forests, giant otters are social, vocal, and deeply bonded to their family groups. But the rivers they call home are under siege. The most significant threats to giant otters are anthropogenic pressures of deforestation for palm oil, soy and meat, pollution from mining and climate change. They are also illegally hunted and traded for their pelts or killed in retribution by fishermen. Help them and be #vegan, use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Jaguar Panthera onca

Jaguars, currently deemed Near Threatened, face a substantial habitat reduction of up to 25% in just over two decades. This decline stems from rampant deforestation for palm oil, soy, and meat, as well as illegal poaching for trophies and body parts. These magnificent creatures also suffer from conflicts arising due to livestock depredation and competition with human hunters for food. Aggravating the issue, Latin America’s widespread agricultural industries, like soy, palm oil, and cattle ranching, mainly serve foreign markets rather than local needs. Let’s step up and use our wallets as a weapons! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius

The Common Hippopotamus, or Hippo, is a powerful and enduring symbol of Africa’s rivers and wetlands. Once common throughout all of Africa and the revered subjects of African folklore —their populations are now in peril. Hippo numbers plummeted in the 1990s and early 2000s due to unregulated #hunting and land conversion for #palmoil #cocoa and #tobacco #agriculture and human settlement. Although some strongholds remain in East and Southern Africa, many populations are in decline across #WestAfrica and Central Africa. Hippos are now listed as #Vulnerable on the Red List, with threats from freshwater habitat loss, illegal hunting for meat and ivory, and increasing conflicts with people. Use your voice and your wallet to push for stronger protections for Hippos and their riverine homes. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Primates are facing an impending extinction crisis – but we know very little about what will actually protect them

From lemurs to orangutans, tarsiers to gorillas, primates are captivating and sometimes unnervingly similar to us. So it’s not surprising that this group of more than 500 species receives a great deal of research and conservation attention. 60% of primates 🦍🦧🐒🐵 are threatened by #extinction 🙊🙈😿 Without direct action, the number of endangered #primates willContinue reading “Primates are facing an impending extinction crisis – but we know very little about what will actually protect them”

Ecocide: why establishing a new international crime would be a step towards interspecies justice

A movement of activists and legal scholars is seeking to make “ecocide” an international crime within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Stop Ecocide Foundation has put together a prestigious international panel of experts that has just proposed a new definition of the term. Protect all animals and go #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Bio: Dr Evan Allen Dr. Evan Allen, the author of Oversaturated, believes that a pervasive distortion of the truth ignores decades of established research and has led millions of people to embrace a diet high in saturated fat. Furthermore that this diet results in millions of people suffering the consequences of diabetes, dementia and heart diseaseContinue reading “Health Physician Dr Evan Allen”

Deforestation Allows for Deadly Viruses to Jump Species

Many pandemics originate from wildlife that jumps from animal to human. These leaps often happen at the edges of the world’s tropical forests, where #deforestation is increasingly bringing people into contact with animals’ natural habitats. Yellow fever, #malaria, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, #Ebola – all of these pathogens have spilled over from one species to another at the margins of forests. This has many scientists concerned. The next pandemic is likely to originate from either the rainforest, meat or dairy agriculture where humans have most contact with animals.

More protein and good for the planet: 9 reasons we should be eating microalgae

As the climate change advances and deforestation continues at pace, the land we use for growing energy-intensive crops such as wheat corn, soy and palm oil is becoming less productive. We need to find ways to feed the earth’s growing population that isn’t so burdensome on the environment. One potential solution is to cultivate microalgaeContinue reading “More protein and good for the planet: 9 reasons we should be eating microalgae”

Almost 90% of the world’s animal species will lose some habitat to agriculture by 2050

Scientists know that #biodiversity is declining across much of the world although less universally and dramatically than we feared. We also know that things are likely to get worse in the future, with a combination of #deforestation, #climatechange and overexploitation set to drive species and habitats ever closer to #extinction. Help them every time you shop and be #vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Do chimpanzees and orangutans really have midlife crises?

Many people know that chimpanzees and orangutans have personalities, feel emotions and are “almost human”. However a recent paper has found that great apes also have a mid-life slump or a “midlife crisis”. Great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) are just as socially, politically and cognitively complex as we are. Our “hairy” great ape relatives are like us in every respect. Help them to survive when you shop and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Humans and Bonobos Share Contagious Yawn Behaviour

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.

In the Atlantic Forest, the lowland tapir is at risk of extinction

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

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”

Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchin Cebus aequatorialis

Ecuadorian White-fronted Capuchins face habitat loss to palm oil, hunting, and mining. Less than 10,000 remain. Support forest defenders. #BoycottPalmOil

Laughs, Cries and Deception: The 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

Species Extinction: just how bad is it and 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

Pygmy Marmoset Cebuella niveiventris and Cebuella pygmaea

The petite pygmy #marmoset, the world’s tiniest true #monkey, boasts a mix of brownish-gold, grey, and tawny fur. These little wonders, weighing just around 100 grams, communicate uniquely using chemical, vocal, and visual cues to ensure group safety and harmony. Although these #marmosets prefer river-edge forests and can adapt to secondary forests, their homes are under serious threat. Rampant #deforestation for #meat, #goldmining, and #palmoil cultivation are eroding their habitats, pushing the subspecies Cebuella niveiventris towards a “Vulnerable” status. The situation is dire, with an estimated 30% reduction in their population in just 18 years. Protect these delicate creatures and their home – use your wallet as a weapon, be #vegan, #BoycottPalmOil, and #Boycott4Wildlife.🌳🐒

Research: Boycotts Are Worthwhile and Effective

Despite sustained and vigorous attempts by corporates and industry certification schemes like RSPO, MSC and FSC to downplay the impact and effectiveness of consumer boycotts, it turns out that boycotts are impactful and drive social change. They force profit-first and greedy corporations to change their ways and do better. They also create a tangible sense of empowerment and agency for consumer-citizens who want to participate in civil society in a meaningful way in improving the world, both as individuals and in collective groups.

African Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis

Protect African Forest Elephants! These critically endangered ecosystem engineers are vital for rainforest health but face extinction from poaching, ecocide

Africa’s rainforests are different. Why it matters that they’re protected

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

Black Bearded Saki Chiropotes satanas

Beneath the towering canopy of the Amazon’s north-eastern forests, the black bearded saki moves with quiet purpose, their distinctive shaggy beard and robust body a testament to their resilience in a world under siege. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant calls of unseen creatures, but the forest is changing—#roads, #dams, and #agriculture are carving scars across the landscape, fragmenting the saki’s ancestral home. The black bearded saki’s survival is threatened by relentless deforestation and hunting, their fate bound to the fate of the forest—fight for their survival every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Demand for meat is driving deforestation in Brazil – changing the soy industry could stop it

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

Northern Tiger Cat (Oncilla) Leopardus tigrinus

The northern tiger cat, also known as the oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), is a captivating small wild cat native to Central and South America. Distinguished by their striking, leopard-like coat marked with dark rosettes and a sleek, agile body, this elusive feline is a master of stealth and survival in the dense forests and grasslands they inhabit.

The northern tiger cat is a tiny predator, weighing only 1.5–3 kg, yet they play a significant role in maintaining ecological balance as a keystone predator. These solitary creatures, though mostly ground-dwelling, are adept climbers. They communicate through purring as kittens and have a unique “gurgle” as adults. Their habitats range from the semi-arid Caatinga to the Andean cloud forests. Tragically, this species is classified as Vulnerable, with populations declining due to habitat destruction for palm oil, soy, meat and mining, poaching, and habitat fragmentation. Indigenous-led conservation efforts are vital to protect their remaining habitats. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

A global juggling act: feeding the world, saving species

Our planet is on the precipice of a sixth mass extinction event. But unlike the five previous mass extinctions, this one is man-made: a global biodiversity crisis in which species are disappearing three to 12 times faster than the “normal” rate of extinction. A massive driver of this extinction is how humans eat. Be #Vegan for the animals #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Primatologist Cleve Hicks on Chimpanzee cultures, Palm Oil deforestation

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

Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata

Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata IUCN Status: Near Threatened Location: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo), China (Yunnan, Guangxi, Tibet), Brunei The marbled cat is a small #wildcat that can be found in the eastern part of the Himalayas and southern Asia. They are related to the Asian GoldenContinue reading “Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata”