Search
1000 results for “devtee”
-
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm introducing African deities in my daily god toots. Meet #Oshun, the #Yoruba goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty & love. She is the patron saint of the Osun River in #Nigeria and her devotees leave her offerings and perform ceremonies at bodies of fresh water such as rivers, streams and canals. Her colours are white, yellow, gold, and coral.
#Orisha #AfricanDiaspora -
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm introducing African deities in my daily god toots. Meet #Oshun, the #Yoruba goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty & love. She is the patron saint of the Osun River in #Nigeria and her devotees leave her offerings and perform ceremonies at bodies of fresh water such as rivers, streams and canals. Her colours are white, yellow, gold, and coral.
#Orisha #AfricanDiaspora -
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm introducing African deities in my daily god toots. Meet #Oshun, the #Yoruba goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty & love. She is the patron saint of the Osun River in #Nigeria and her devotees leave her offerings and perform ceremonies at bodies of fresh water such as rivers, streams and canals. Her colours are white, yellow, gold, and coral.
#Orisha #AfricanDiaspora -
Have a beautiful Day of Aphrodite aka Venus' Day aka Frigg's Day aka Friday 🌹
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm introducing African deities in my daily god toots. Meet #Oshun, the #Yoruba goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty & love. She is the patron saint of the Osun River in #Nigeria and her devotees leave her offerings and perform ceremonies at bodies of fresh water such as rivers, streams and canals. Her colours are white, yellow, gold, and coral.
#Orisha #AfricanDiaspora -
Found 8 new servers, 0 servers died off this update, 22,311 alive servers now at 03-08-2023 19:13 PT.
8,604,114 total fediverse users, 1,503,272 Monthly Active Users. Check out the stats!
New #fediverse servers found:
matthewbogart.com a #mastodon server from Portugal
photography.social.pekkasipila.com a #mastodon server from France
andx.lol a #mastodon server from Portugal
lopez.social a #mastodon server from United Kingdom
ai.wiki a #mastodon server from United States
schizophrenic.io a #pleroma server from United States
mastodon.strangerproduction.com a #mastodon server from United States
devtest.youjo.love a #akkounfucked server from United States
Help others find a home, send them to fediverse.observer -
Found 10 new servers, 3 servers died off this update, 22,334 alive servers now at 03-08-2023 07:13 PT.
8,603,826 total fediverse users, 1,503,816 Monthly Active Users. Check out the stats!
New #fediverse servers found:
stringer.nz a #pleroma server from Australia
thought.no a #mastodon server from Germany
kousaka.space a #misskey server from Private
pleroma.kenhutton.uk a #pleroma server from United Kingdom
m.creaturis.com a #mastodon server from France
misskey.otofu.xyz a #misskey server from Japan
social.ursprung.name a #mastodon server from France
live.ferrous.site a #owncast server from Canada
cyan-blue.me a #mastodon server from Portugal
devtest.youjo.love a #akkounfucked server from United States
Dead servers: ra1nb0wsec.net wimmer-edv.de alcatir.com
Help others find a home, send them to fediverse.observer -
HP calculators just never die! I still have a HP-12C, and a HP-41CV, which both work perfectly well. Yes, you'd think that calculators dead with cellphones around, but if you are regularly calculating numbers it is often easier to still use a dedicated calculator.
There are apparently still enough calculator devotees for HP to resurrect a model that’s been kicking around for over 40 years as a “Collector’s Edition,” complete with a price tag that might have you doing a double take.
First released back in 1982, the HP-15C debuted when HP was still calling itself Hewlett-Packard. And they made really good quality calculators back then. Some even went into space as a backup to assist with critical calculations.
There is a lot of nostalgia around older HP calculators today still.
See HP Is Selling a 40-Year-Old Calculator Again—For $120
#technology #HP #calculator #retro #HP15CThe HP-15C is reborn with a collector's edition model and a jaw-dropping price tag.
-
🧵 1/2
Sibelius -- Nightride and Sunrise -- Paavo Järvi -- hr-Sinfonieorchester – Frankfurt Radio Symphony
https://youtu.be/WU3MPK8ULQc?si=rxGikb4MaSaGFw7nKMFA just played this piece, but It thought I would post it as I think it is Sibelius at his best in a digestible chunk.
Sibelius is like Kpop in attracting both passionate devotion on the one hand and antipathy and contempt on the other. I'm a devotee of both!
Jonathan Blumhofer has written....
#Sibelius #NightrideAndSunrise #ÖinenRatsastusJaAuringonnousu #ClassicalMusic #TonePoem #LateRomantic #FinnishMusic #Finland
-
🧵 1/2
Sibelius -- Nightride and Sunrise -- Paavo Järvi -- hr-Sinfonieorchester – Frankfurt Radio Symphony
https://youtu.be/WU3MPK8ULQc?si=rxGikb4MaSaGFw7nKMFA just played this piece, but It thought I would post it as I think it is Sibelius at his best in a digestible chunk.
Sibelius is like Kpop in attracting both passionate devotion on the one hand and antipathy and contempt on the other. I'm a devotee of both!
Jonathan Blumhofer has written....
#Sibelius #NightrideAndSunrise #ÖinenRatsastusJaAuringonnousu #ClassicalMusic #TonePoem #LateRomantic #FinnishMusic #Finland
-
🧵 1/2
Sibelius -- Nightride and Sunrise -- Paavo Järvi -- hr-Sinfonieorchester – Frankfurt Radio Symphony
https://youtu.be/WU3MPK8ULQc?si=rxGikb4MaSaGFw7nKMFA just played this piece, but It thought I would post it as I think it is Sibelius at his best in a digestible chunk.
Sibelius is like Kpop in attracting both passionate devotion on the one hand and antipathy and contempt on the other. I'm a devotee of both!
Jonathan Blumhofer has written....
#Sibelius #NightrideAndSunrise #ÖinenRatsastusJaAuringonnousu #ClassicalMusic #TonePoem #LateRomantic #FinnishMusic #Finland
-
🧵 1/2
Sibelius -- Nightride and Sunrise -- Paavo Järvi -- hr-Sinfonieorchester – Frankfurt Radio Symphony
https://youtu.be/WU3MPK8ULQc?si=rxGikb4MaSaGFw7nKMFA just played this piece, but It thought I would post it as I think it is Sibelius at his best in a digestible chunk.
Sibelius is like Kpop in attracting both passionate devotion on the one hand and antipathy and contempt on the other. I'm a devotee of both!
Jonathan Blumhofer has written....
#Sibelius #NightrideAndSunrise #ÖinenRatsastusJaAuringonnousu #ClassicalMusic #TonePoem #LateRomantic #FinnishMusic #Finland
-
Inspired by Rizèl Scarlett's Top 7 post on the same topic, today's #DEVDiscuss chat is all about writing technical content! 📝
Join the conversation on #DEVCommunity and share your best strategies, tools, and tips for writing great technical content ⤵️
https://dev.to/devteam/devdiscuss-ultimate-tips-for-writing-technical-content-2pae -
🎶 Ram Dhun – Hare Krushna Mahamantra 🎶 | Gurudev Hariram Bapa
∘∘∘
Hare‒Rāma‒Hare‒Rāma‒Rāma‒Rāma‒Hare‒Hare
Hare‒Kṛṣṇa‒Hare‒Kṛṣṇa‒Kṛṣṇa‒Kṛṣṇa‒Hare‒Hareहरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ।
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ।।∘∘∘
Mahamantra in the voice of globally revered saint Param Pujya Gurudev Hariram Bapa & the devotees
🌹🌼🌻 રામ રામ બાપા 🙏
∘∘∘
📍Location: Shree Hari Dham, Kalmeshwar, Nagpur, India
∘∘∘
#Gurudev #HariBapa #HariramBapa #RamDhun #Mahamantra #Ram #Krushna #Hari
-
Since it's #TwinPeaksDay, I'd like to take this opportunity to suggest that if you're a #TwinPeaks fan, you might very well enjoy the wonderfully strange tales collected in my latest book, CRYPTOPOLIS & OTHER STORIES: http://tinyurl.com/ruw5zu4m
"Though not for the faint of heart, this bizarre and over-the-top collection is sure to thrill devotees of weird fiction."
--Publishers Weekly -
How #supercomputer #filesystem #DAOS breaks out of its niche
DAOS parallel filesystem has strong #IO500 presence, holding 1 (Argonne) and 2 (LRZ) in #SC25 list. The two, according to #HPE, combined have four times storage benchmark score of next 30 systems. DAOS also appears at number 13 (Zuse Institute, Berlin), and 17 (China Telecom). Software appears more often in the full IO500 list, with 16 of the top 30 submissions using DAOS, and 26 of top 45 being DAOS devotees.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/highend_supercomputer_daos/ -
How #supercomputer #filesystem #DAOS breaks out of its niche
DAOS parallel filesystem has strong #IO500 presence, holding 1 (Argonne) and 2 (LRZ) in #SC25 list. The two, according to #HPE, combined have four times storage benchmark score of next 30 systems. DAOS also appears at number 13 (Zuse Institute, Berlin), and 17 (China Telecom). Software appears more often in the full IO500 list, with 16 of the top 30 submissions using DAOS, and 26 of top 45 being DAOS devotees.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/highend_supercomputer_daos/ -
How #supercomputer #filesystem #DAOS breaks out of its niche
DAOS parallel filesystem has strong #IO500 presence, holding 1 (Argonne) and 2 (LRZ) in #SC25 list. The two, according to #HPE, combined have four times storage benchmark score of next 30 systems. DAOS also appears at number 13 (Zuse Institute, Berlin), and 17 (China Telecom). Software appears more often in the full IO500 list, with 16 of the top 30 submissions using DAOS, and 26 of top 45 being DAOS devotees.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/highend_supercomputer_daos/ -
How #supercomputer #filesystem #DAOS breaks out of its niche
DAOS parallel filesystem has strong #IO500 presence, holding 1 (Argonne) and 2 (LRZ) in #SC25 list. The two, according to #HPE, combined have four times storage benchmark score of next 30 systems. DAOS also appears at number 13 (Zuse Institute, Berlin), and 17 (China Telecom). Software appears more often in the full IO500 list, with 16 of the top 30 submissions using DAOS, and 26 of top 45 being DAOS devotees.
https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/highend_supercomputer_daos/ -
For the first #Tunetuesday, @derthomas brings us #KeepItGoing - a song that's too short (in my opinion).
I nominate Don't Worry Baby, by the Beach Boys. From the sweeping melody of the opening vocal line, to the tone in that single plucked guitar note, it is 2 minutes 50 of pure aching pop sweetness.
I'm not a devotee of the "Brian Wilson musical genius" cult, but this song always leaves me wanting more.
-
Beschouwing "Wie ben je als niemand kijkt". Kamerpresentaties getekende zelfportretten en landschappen van Jan van der Kooi. Museum Belvédère, tot 22 juni 2025.
#beschouwing #kunststukjes #kunstrecensie #blog #tumblr #kunst #art #JanvanderKooi #MuseumBelvédère #tekening #artonpaper #drawing #portret #landschap #portrait #landscape #realisme #expressionisme #observatie #waarneming #zelfreflectie #DeVeenhoop
https://www.tumblr.com/jurjenkvanderhoek/778191524242587648/jan-van-der-kooi-is-zichzelf-wanneer-niemand-kijkt?source=share -
Beschouwing "Wie ben je als niemand kijkt". Kamerpresentaties getekende zelfportretten en landschappen van Jan van der Kooi. Museum Belvédère, tot 22 juni 2025.
#beschouwing #kunststukjes #kunstrecensie #blog #tumblr #kunst #art #JanvanderKooi #MuseumBelvédère #tekening #artonpaper #drawing #portret #landschap #portrait #landscape #realisme #expressionisme #observatie #waarneming #zelfreflectie #DeVeenhoop
https://www.tumblr.com/jurjenkvanderhoek/778191524242587648/jan-van-der-kooi-is-zichzelf-wanneer-niemand-kijkt?source=share -
Meanwhile, in #Maine...
How Concerned Citizens Drove a #NeoNazi Out of Rural Maine
#ChristopherPohlhaus wanted to build a #fascist training compound in America’s whitest state. His neighbors had other plans.by Mira Ptacin | The Atavist Magazine | October 31, 2024
"The first step in establishing a neo-Nazi compound is to clear and level the land. These sites tend to pop up in rural America, which means that there’s brush to hack down, tree stumps to pull up, and piles of debris to burn. All this work is done to make room for the barracks, kitchens, and meeting halls where modern-day devotees of Adolf Hitler will live, work, and train together.
"When Christopher Pohlhaus moved to the forested lot where, like other neo-Nazis on other forested lots before him, he planned to start a fascist revolution, he brought two RVs with him. That meant he had somewhere to bunk down at night. But he didn’t have running water. I can’t say how he bathed when he first arrived; as for other matters of hygiene, perhaps he used the woods.
"Pohlhaus’s parcel of 10.6 acres does not have an address. Technically, it’s in #SpringfieldMaine, a hamlet of fewer than 300 people. The closest city, about an hour’s drive away, is #BangorMaine. That’s where Pohlhaus, a gym rat, eventually joined Planet Fitness. To get home after a session of lifting, showering, and doing whatever else he needed to do, Pohlhaus would take Route 2 north, then turn eastward on Route 6. He would drive to Bottle Lake Road, take a right, and drive about two miles before taking another right on a gravel lane called Moores Road. Eventually, among scattered hunting camps, Trump banners, and 'Support the Blue' signs, he would come to a metal gate situated on a dirt road. Behind the gate sat the land of Pohlhaus’s dreams.
"Pohlhaus, 37, is a former U.S. marine, an itinerant tattoo artist, and a hardcore white-supremacist influencer. He is loud and hostile, and proud to be both. His voice is pitched surprisingly high, and he has a slight Southern drawl. He has a large body and small bald head; a blue-black tattoo crawls up the right side of his face, from his chin to his forehead. Over the years, Pohlhaus has collected thousands of social media followers, who know him by his nickname: #Hammer.
"Hammer had been living in Texas for a few years when, in March 2022, he bought the land in Maine. He told his followers that he was going to use it to build a haven, operational center, and training ground for white supremacists. He invited them to join him. Together, he said, they would plant the seed of a #WhiteEthnostate, and they would engage in violence, if necessary, to nurture it. 'An unarmed man sacrifices his family to the unpredictably [sic] of chaos,' Hammer wrote online in 2021.
"Hammer packed his bags and headed north, meeting with various white supremacists along the way. He solicited donations for his new compound in the form of cryptocurrency, and later set up a page on GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding site. He raised close to $10,000 before the campaign was shut down earlier this year.
"Once he’d settled in Maine, Hammer kept his followers abreast of his progress breaking ground, frequently posting photos and uploading videos to Telegram. There was Hammer standing next to a pile of freshly chopped wood, snowshoeing through the forest, holding a beer in front of a bonfire. Followers saw him cradling an AK-47 in his arms. (Caption: 'All this Slavic war training in the Maine woods has me exhausted!') Hammer posted footage from a celebration he held with about eight of his followers, where he claimed they sacrificed a goat. Another clip showed Hammer helping a man in a balaclava slice the palm of his hand as part of an initiation ritual.
"Hammer appeared excited, optimistic. He was careful—or thought that he was careful—not to reveal his exact location, lest it attract unwanted attention from his enemies, including the media and the FBI. If people wanted to join him at the compound, they could get in touch directly.
"But unbeknownst to Hammer, he was being followed. A longtime #Mainer was determined to wipe the smirk off the neo-Nazi’s face. Indeed, he hoped to run Hammer out of the state for good."
Read more:
https://longreads.com/2024/10/31/how-concerned-citizens-drove-a-neo-nazi-out-of-rural-maine/
#USPol #Fascists #Nazis #ICE #FuckNazis #NoPlaceForHate #GlobalProjectAgainstHateAndExtremism -
Meanwhile, in #Maine...
How Concerned Citizens Drove a #NeoNazi Out of Rural Maine
#ChristopherPohlhaus wanted to build a #fascist training compound in America’s whitest state. His neighbors had other plans.by Mira Ptacin | The Atavist Magazine | October 31, 2024
"The first step in establishing a neo-Nazi compound is to clear and level the land. These sites tend to pop up in rural America, which means that there’s brush to hack down, tree stumps to pull up, and piles of debris to burn. All this work is done to make room for the barracks, kitchens, and meeting halls where modern-day devotees of Adolf Hitler will live, work, and train together.
"When Christopher Pohlhaus moved to the forested lot where, like other neo-Nazis on other forested lots before him, he planned to start a fascist revolution, he brought two RVs with him. That meant he had somewhere to bunk down at night. But he didn’t have running water. I can’t say how he bathed when he first arrived; as for other matters of hygiene, perhaps he used the woods.
"Pohlhaus’s parcel of 10.6 acres does not have an address. Technically, it’s in #SpringfieldMaine, a hamlet of fewer than 300 people. The closest city, about an hour’s drive away, is #BangorMaine. That’s where Pohlhaus, a gym rat, eventually joined Planet Fitness. To get home after a session of lifting, showering, and doing whatever else he needed to do, Pohlhaus would take Route 2 north, then turn eastward on Route 6. He would drive to Bottle Lake Road, take a right, and drive about two miles before taking another right on a gravel lane called Moores Road. Eventually, among scattered hunting camps, Trump banners, and 'Support the Blue' signs, he would come to a metal gate situated on a dirt road. Behind the gate sat the land of Pohlhaus’s dreams.
"Pohlhaus, 37, is a former U.S. marine, an itinerant tattoo artist, and a hardcore white-supremacist influencer. He is loud and hostile, and proud to be both. His voice is pitched surprisingly high, and he has a slight Southern drawl. He has a large body and small bald head; a blue-black tattoo crawls up the right side of his face, from his chin to his forehead. Over the years, Pohlhaus has collected thousands of social media followers, who know him by his nickname: #Hammer.
"Hammer had been living in Texas for a few years when, in March 2022, he bought the land in Maine. He told his followers that he was going to use it to build a haven, operational center, and training ground for white supremacists. He invited them to join him. Together, he said, they would plant the seed of a #WhiteEthnostate, and they would engage in violence, if necessary, to nurture it. 'An unarmed man sacrifices his family to the unpredictably [sic] of chaos,' Hammer wrote online in 2021.
"Hammer packed his bags and headed north, meeting with various white supremacists along the way. He solicited donations for his new compound in the form of cryptocurrency, and later set up a page on GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding site. He raised close to $10,000 before the campaign was shut down earlier this year.
"Once he’d settled in Maine, Hammer kept his followers abreast of his progress breaking ground, frequently posting photos and uploading videos to Telegram. There was Hammer standing next to a pile of freshly chopped wood, snowshoeing through the forest, holding a beer in front of a bonfire. Followers saw him cradling an AK-47 in his arms. (Caption: 'All this Slavic war training in the Maine woods has me exhausted!') Hammer posted footage from a celebration he held with about eight of his followers, where he claimed they sacrificed a goat. Another clip showed Hammer helping a man in a balaclava slice the palm of his hand as part of an initiation ritual.
"Hammer appeared excited, optimistic. He was careful—or thought that he was careful—not to reveal his exact location, lest it attract unwanted attention from his enemies, including the media and the FBI. If people wanted to join him at the compound, they could get in touch directly.
"But unbeknownst to Hammer, he was being followed. A longtime #Mainer was determined to wipe the smirk off the neo-Nazi’s face. Indeed, he hoped to run Hammer out of the state for good."
Read more:
https://longreads.com/2024/10/31/how-concerned-citizens-drove-a-neo-nazi-out-of-rural-maine/
#USPol #Fascists #Nazis #ICE #FuckNazis #NoPlaceForHate #GlobalProjectAgainstHateAndExtremism -
Meanwhile, in #Maine...
How Concerned Citizens Drove a #NeoNazi Out of Rural Maine
#ChristopherPohlhaus wanted to build a #fascist training compound in America’s whitest state. His neighbors had other plans.by Mira Ptacin | The Atavist Magazine | October 31, 2024
"The first step in establishing a neo-Nazi compound is to clear and level the land. These sites tend to pop up in rural America, which means that there’s brush to hack down, tree stumps to pull up, and piles of debris to burn. All this work is done to make room for the barracks, kitchens, and meeting halls where modern-day devotees of Adolf Hitler will live, work, and train together.
"When Christopher Pohlhaus moved to the forested lot where, like other neo-Nazis on other forested lots before him, he planned to start a fascist revolution, he brought two RVs with him. That meant he had somewhere to bunk down at night. But he didn’t have running water. I can’t say how he bathed when he first arrived; as for other matters of hygiene, perhaps he used the woods.
"Pohlhaus’s parcel of 10.6 acres does not have an address. Technically, it’s in #SpringfieldMaine, a hamlet of fewer than 300 people. The closest city, about an hour’s drive away, is #BangorMaine. That’s where Pohlhaus, a gym rat, eventually joined Planet Fitness. To get home after a session of lifting, showering, and doing whatever else he needed to do, Pohlhaus would take Route 2 north, then turn eastward on Route 6. He would drive to Bottle Lake Road, take a right, and drive about two miles before taking another right on a gravel lane called Moores Road. Eventually, among scattered hunting camps, Trump banners, and 'Support the Blue' signs, he would come to a metal gate situated on a dirt road. Behind the gate sat the land of Pohlhaus’s dreams.
"Pohlhaus, 37, is a former U.S. marine, an itinerant tattoo artist, and a hardcore white-supremacist influencer. He is loud and hostile, and proud to be both. His voice is pitched surprisingly high, and he has a slight Southern drawl. He has a large body and small bald head; a blue-black tattoo crawls up the right side of his face, from his chin to his forehead. Over the years, Pohlhaus has collected thousands of social media followers, who know him by his nickname: #Hammer.
"Hammer had been living in Texas for a few years when, in March 2022, he bought the land in Maine. He told his followers that he was going to use it to build a haven, operational center, and training ground for white supremacists. He invited them to join him. Together, he said, they would plant the seed of a #WhiteEthnostate, and they would engage in violence, if necessary, to nurture it. 'An unarmed man sacrifices his family to the unpredictably [sic] of chaos,' Hammer wrote online in 2021.
"Hammer packed his bags and headed north, meeting with various white supremacists along the way. He solicited donations for his new compound in the form of cryptocurrency, and later set up a page on GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding site. He raised close to $10,000 before the campaign was shut down earlier this year.
"Once he’d settled in Maine, Hammer kept his followers abreast of his progress breaking ground, frequently posting photos and uploading videos to Telegram. There was Hammer standing next to a pile of freshly chopped wood, snowshoeing through the forest, holding a beer in front of a bonfire. Followers saw him cradling an AK-47 in his arms. (Caption: 'All this Slavic war training in the Maine woods has me exhausted!') Hammer posted footage from a celebration he held with about eight of his followers, where he claimed they sacrificed a goat. Another clip showed Hammer helping a man in a balaclava slice the palm of his hand as part of an initiation ritual.
"Hammer appeared excited, optimistic. He was careful—or thought that he was careful—not to reveal his exact location, lest it attract unwanted attention from his enemies, including the media and the FBI. If people wanted to join him at the compound, they could get in touch directly.
"But unbeknownst to Hammer, he was being followed. A longtime #Mainer was determined to wipe the smirk off the neo-Nazi’s face. Indeed, he hoped to run Hammer out of the state for good."
Read more:
https://longreads.com/2024/10/31/how-concerned-citizens-drove-a-neo-nazi-out-of-rural-maine/
#USPol #Fascists #Nazis #ICE #FuckNazis #NoPlaceForHate #GlobalProjectAgainstHateAndExtremism -
Meanwhile, in #Maine...
How Concerned Citizens Drove a #NeoNazi Out of Rural Maine
#ChristopherPohlhaus wanted to build a #fascist training compound in America’s whitest state. His neighbors had other plans.by Mira Ptacin | The Atavist Magazine | October 31, 2024
"The first step in establishing a neo-Nazi compound is to clear and level the land. These sites tend to pop up in rural America, which means that there’s brush to hack down, tree stumps to pull up, and piles of debris to burn. All this work is done to make room for the barracks, kitchens, and meeting halls where modern-day devotees of Adolf Hitler will live, work, and train together.
"When Christopher Pohlhaus moved to the forested lot where, like other neo-Nazis on other forested lots before him, he planned to start a fascist revolution, he brought two RVs with him. That meant he had somewhere to bunk down at night. But he didn’t have running water. I can’t say how he bathed when he first arrived; as for other matters of hygiene, perhaps he used the woods.
"Pohlhaus’s parcel of 10.6 acres does not have an address. Technically, it’s in #SpringfieldMaine, a hamlet of fewer than 300 people. The closest city, about an hour’s drive away, is #BangorMaine. That’s where Pohlhaus, a gym rat, eventually joined Planet Fitness. To get home after a session of lifting, showering, and doing whatever else he needed to do, Pohlhaus would take Route 2 north, then turn eastward on Route 6. He would drive to Bottle Lake Road, take a right, and drive about two miles before taking another right on a gravel lane called Moores Road. Eventually, among scattered hunting camps, Trump banners, and 'Support the Blue' signs, he would come to a metal gate situated on a dirt road. Behind the gate sat the land of Pohlhaus’s dreams.
"Pohlhaus, 37, is a former U.S. marine, an itinerant tattoo artist, and a hardcore white-supremacist influencer. He is loud and hostile, and proud to be both. His voice is pitched surprisingly high, and he has a slight Southern drawl. He has a large body and small bald head; a blue-black tattoo crawls up the right side of his face, from his chin to his forehead. Over the years, Pohlhaus has collected thousands of social media followers, who know him by his nickname: #Hammer.
"Hammer had been living in Texas for a few years when, in March 2022, he bought the land in Maine. He told his followers that he was going to use it to build a haven, operational center, and training ground for white supremacists. He invited them to join him. Together, he said, they would plant the seed of a #WhiteEthnostate, and they would engage in violence, if necessary, to nurture it. 'An unarmed man sacrifices his family to the unpredictably [sic] of chaos,' Hammer wrote online in 2021.
"Hammer packed his bags and headed north, meeting with various white supremacists along the way. He solicited donations for his new compound in the form of cryptocurrency, and later set up a page on GiveSendGo, a Christian crowdfunding site. He raised close to $10,000 before the campaign was shut down earlier this year.
"Once he’d settled in Maine, Hammer kept his followers abreast of his progress breaking ground, frequently posting photos and uploading videos to Telegram. There was Hammer standing next to a pile of freshly chopped wood, snowshoeing through the forest, holding a beer in front of a bonfire. Followers saw him cradling an AK-47 in his arms. (Caption: 'All this Slavic war training in the Maine woods has me exhausted!') Hammer posted footage from a celebration he held with about eight of his followers, where he claimed they sacrificed a goat. Another clip showed Hammer helping a man in a balaclava slice the palm of his hand as part of an initiation ritual.
"Hammer appeared excited, optimistic. He was careful—or thought that he was careful—not to reveal his exact location, lest it attract unwanted attention from his enemies, including the media and the FBI. If people wanted to join him at the compound, they could get in touch directly.
"But unbeknownst to Hammer, he was being followed. A longtime #Mainer was determined to wipe the smirk off the neo-Nazi’s face. Indeed, he hoped to run Hammer out of the state for good."
Read more:
https://longreads.com/2024/10/31/how-concerned-citizens-drove-a-neo-nazi-out-of-rural-maine/
#USPol #Fascists #Nazis #ICE #FuckNazis #NoPlaceForHate #GlobalProjectAgainstHateAndExtremism -
Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
In an astonishing discovery, two marsupial species believed to be extinct for 6,000 years have been rediscovered alive and well in the remote rainforests of West Papua. The pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider were located with the crucial assistance of local indigenous Vogelkop clans. However, their survival remains precarious as their habitats are increasingly threatened by logging and the expansion of the palm oil colonialism in West Papua. Laws and native title to protect this region is essential for indigenous land defenders. We musn’t let them disappear again #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Two #extinct #marsupials in #WestPapua found alive! The #marsupials highlight the need to protect #Papuan forests or they are gone for good! Resist for them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop 🌴🙊🔥☠️🚫 @palmoildetect #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterTwo #possums thought extinct for 6000 years are alive in #WestPapua! The pygmy #possum and sacred ring-tailed #glider are #nature’s battlers who deserve a break from #palmoil ecocide. Stand with #indigenous defenders against palm oil #colonialism! 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect #BoycottPalmOil https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter
Two extraordinarily rare marsupials, entirely believed to have been extinct for over six thousand years, have been discovered alive in the remote, Vogelkop mountain forests of the Bird’s Head peninsula in West Papua. This remarkable rediscovery of the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider was confirmed by Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery, alongside a team of local indigenous experts and university researchers.“More important than finding a living thylacine in Tasmania.”
Scott Hucknull from Central Queensland University describes the magnitude of the discovery.These species are rare examples of “Lazarus taxa”. Animals who disappear from the fossil record only to be found alive centuries later. Flannery noted that the likelihood of finding even one lost mammal was almost zero, let alone two.
“It’s unprecedented and groundbreaking, really, to find two Lazarus taxa,” Flannery says. “We’ve been able to finalise two pieces of work that are incredibly important from a biological and a conservation perspective, documenting the existence of rare marsupials in an area under threat. It’s sort of a crowning glory in my career as a biologist.”
The first of the resurrected species is the pygmy long-fingered possum, Dactylonax kambuayai. This tiny, striped marsupial possesses an extraordinary evolutionary trait: an elongated fourth finger on each hand that is double the length of other digits. Flannery explains that they use this finger to extract grubs from timber.
“They’ve got a whole lot of specialisations in their ear region as well, which seem to be related to detection of low-frequency sound. So presumably they’re listening for wood-boring beetle larvae, and they then rip open the rotting wood and use that finger to fish out the grub,” Flannery says.
The second species, the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis), features unfurred ears and a strong, prehensile tail used for gripping branches. Flannery calls it “one of the most photogenic animals, most beautiful marsupials you’ll ever see.”
Crucially, the rediscovery of these elusive creatures was entirely dependent on the profound ecological knowledge of the local Tambrauw and Maybrat clans. These indigenous communities view the ring-tailed glider as deeply sacred, believing them to be manifestations of their ancestors’ spirits, and actively protect them from hunting. Rika Korain, a Maybrat woman and co-author of the research, emphasised that identifying the species relied entirely on traditional owners. “This connection has been essential,” she says.
“I’m very proud that Papuan researchers contributed to these landmark discoveries, and want to thank the people of the Misool, Maybrat and Tambrouw regions who supported us in the field,”
Dr Aksamina Yohanita of the University of Papua said.“The Vogelkop is an ancient piece of the Australian continent that has become incorporated into the island of New Guinea. Its forests may shelter yet more hidden relics of a past Australia,”
Tim FlanneryTo protect the remaining populations from the illegal wildlife trade, researchers are keeping their exact locations highly classified. Flannery delivered a stark warning to potential poachers regarding the animals’ survival in captivity: “They would be incredibly difficult to keep in captivity. because their diet is so highly specialised. Advanced warning for anyone who’s thinking of keeping one as a pet: it won’t live long,” he says.
While their rediscovery is a triumph, their future is highly uncertain. The proximity of power-hungry corporates intent on razing the rainforest for palm oil and timber casts a dark shadow over the region.
David Lindenmayer, an ecologist at the Australian National University, who was not involved in the study said “I am also hugely concerned about the extent of logging and land clearing happening in New Guinea,” he says. “It also makes me wonder what might have been lost in Australia as a result of all of the land clearing that has taken place here.”
The findings underline strong calls from scientists, environmentalists and indigenous rights advocates for Native Title legal land rights and indigenous-led protections of West Papua and its imperilled Vogelkop rainforest where these delightful marsupials are found.
Further information
Lam, L. (2026, March 6). Tiny possum and glider thought extinct for 6,000 years found in remote West Papua. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyg6p8g6yjo
Morton, A. (2026, March 6). Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/05/marsupials-discovered-new-guinea
Woodford, J. (2026, March 5). Two marsupials believed extinct for 6000 years found alive. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2518082-two-marsupials-believed-extinct-for-6000-years-found-alive/
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 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)
Read moreTake 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.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. 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.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. 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.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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
Pledge your support #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #Marsupial #marsupials #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #possum #possums #WestPapua -
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru
Mountain Tapirs inhabit the high Andean cloud forests and páramos above 2,000 metres in the northern Andes. They are found in Colombia’s Central and Eastern Cordilleras, throughout Ecuador including Sangay and Podocarpus National Parks, and into northern Peru, notably in Cajamarca and Lambayeque.
The Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque is one of the most threatened large mammals in the northern Andes, currently listed as Endangered. Their populations have declined by over 50% in the past three decades due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, climate change, and rampant mining. With fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remaining, they are quietly disappearing from their mist-shrouded mountain homes. Human encroachment, infrastructure development, and cattle grazing now invade their last strongholds. Without urgent action, they may vanish forever. Use your wallet as a weapon and fight back when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #BoycottGold
Sweet-natured Mountain #Tapirs of #Ecuador 🇪🇨 #Peru 🇵🇪 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 face serious threats incl. illegal crops, #gold #mining, #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴⛔️#BoycottGold 🥇⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Wooly #Tapir AKA Mountain Tapir gives birth to one calf at a time 🩷😻 They’re #endangered due to a many threats: #climatechange and #pollution from #gold mining. Resist for them! #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottGold 🥇☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/12/28/mountain-tapir-tapirus-pinchaque/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
Also known as the woolly tapir for their thick, dark, shaggy coat, Mountain Tapirs are built to survive in the cold, damp cloud forests and páramo grasslands. Their dense fur, white lips, and prehensile snout give them an almost prehistoric appearance. These solitary and elusive mammals are primarily nocturnal and crepuscular, navigating dense foliage with ease. Once thought to be loners, long-term studies in Ecuador have revealed that they form small, close-knit family groups, with calves gradually dispersing over several years (Castellanos et al., 2022).
Threats
Deforestation for palm oil, meat agriculture and illicit opium/coca cultivation
Large swathes of Andean cloud forest and páramo are being cleared to make way for palm oil agricultural expansion, cattle grazing, and opium or coca cultivation. These activities are not only destroying core habitat but also breaking up previously connected populations, leaving tapirs isolated and vulnerable to local extinctions. The introduction of cattle into remote tapir refuges has become increasingly common, even inside designated national parks such as Sangay in Ecuador. This leads to trampling of sensitive vegetation, direct competition for food, and destruction of the unique montane ecosystems that Mountain Tapirs rely on for survival.
Illegal hunting for meat, traditional medicine, and cultural uses
Although hunting pressure has declined slightly in Ecuador due to greater public awareness, it remains severe in Colombia and Peru. Tapirs are killed for their meat, and their skins are used to make traditional tools, horse gear, carpets, and bed covers. Additionally, body parts are sold in local markets or prescribed by shamans for use in traditional medicine. In many remote areas, Mountain Tapirs are still being actively poached, and it is now rare to find populations that are not affected by some form of overhunting.
Gold mining and illegal mining causing deforestation and poisoning of ecosystems
Gold mining projects in the northern Peruvian Andes and central Colombia are rapidly destroying the last cloud forest headwaters and páramo ecosystems where tapirs persist. Both legal and illegal mining operations contaminate streams and watersheds with heavy metals and toxic runoff, which has severe consequences for both tapirs and the human communities downstream. Mining also brings roads, noise, and human settlements into previously inaccessible areas, increasing hunting pressure and reducing available habitat. In some parts of Peru, nearly 30% of the Mountain Tapir’s current range now overlaps with active or planned gold mining concessions (More et al., 2022).
Climate change pushing tapirs further uphill into shrinking habitat
As global temperatures rise, the high-elevation ecosystems where Mountain Tapirs live are shrinking. Suitable climate zones are shifting higher up the mountains, but because mountains have limited space at the top, this forces tapirs into ever smaller areas with fewer food resources. This phenomenon, known as “the escalator to extinction,” is especially dangerous for highland species like the Mountain Tapir, who cannot move downward into warmer zones. Climate change also alters rainfall patterns and vegetation cycles, further straining the species’ delicate habitat requirements.
Road construction and vehicle collisions within protected areas
Infrastructure development is rapidly cutting through mountainous areas, including roads that bisect national parks and reserves. This not only fragments tapir habitat but also leads to direct deaths through vehicle collisions. Once roads are completed, traffic speeds increase and tapirs crossing roads—especially at dawn and dusk—become highly vulnerable. Roads also make previously remote areas more accessible to poachers, settlers, and resource extractors, while local governments often lack sufficient ranger staff to monitor and protect these newly exposed areas.
Fumigation campaigns using toxic chemicals to eradicate drug crops
In Colombia, the government authorises aerial fumigation of coca and poppy fields using glyphosate-based herbicides like Round-Up. These chemicals are sprayed over wide areas, including forests and National Parks, contaminating soil, plants, and water sources. Mountain Tapirs can absorb these toxins through skin contact or ingestion, potentially leading to illness, reproductive failure, or death. Fumigation also destroys native plants that tapirs rely on for food, further decreasing habitat quality in affected areas.
Widespread introduction of cattle and the threat of disease transmission
Domestic cattle are increasingly being introduced into mountain tapir habitat, especially within protected areas where enforcement is weak. These animals not only compete with tapirs for forage but also carry diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and foot-and-mouth disease. Disease outbreaks have already been documented among tapirs in other parts of Latin America and pose a serious threat to small, isolated populations. In the Andes, cattle often form feral herds that reproduce and spread deep into cloud forests, further eroding habitat integrity and increasing the risk of tapir extinction.
Weak enforcement of environmental laws and lack of large protected areas in Peru
Although some Mountain Tapir habitat falls within designated protected areas, law enforcement in Peru is generally under-resourced and poorly coordinated. Rangers are too few to patrol vast mountainous regions effectively, and illegal activities such as mining, logging, and hunting continue within protected boundaries. Furthermore, most reserves are too small or fragmented to support viable tapir populations over the long term. Without stronger policies, larger protected zones, and meaningful binational cooperation with Ecuador and Colombia, tapirs in Peru face an uncertain future.
Low reproductive rate and slow population recovery
Mountain Tapirs have a long gestation period of around 13 months and typically produce only one calf at a time, meaning population growth is inherently slow. When combined with high mortality from hunting, roadkill, and disease, their populations cannot recover quickly from losses. Calves stay with their mothers for extended periods, further limiting reproductive output. This slow life cycle makes the species particularly vulnerable to sudden or sustained threats across their fragmented range.
Geographic Range
This species is found in the high Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northernmost Peru. In Colombia, they are present in the Central and Eastern Cordilleras but are absent from the Western Cordillera and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In Ecuador, they range from the central Andes down through Sangay National Park to Podocarpus, with new records emerging from previously unconnected areas in the western Andes. In Peru, they occur north and south of the Huancabamba River in Cajamarca and Lambayeque (More et al., 2022). The total range in Peru is estimated at 183,000 hectares, but mining concessions cover nearly 30% of this habitat.
Diet
Mountain Tapirs are browsers, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation including leaves, shoots, fruits, and bromeliads. Their diet varies depending on the availability of plants within their high-altitude habitats, playing an important role as seed dispersers within these fragile ecosystems.
Mating and Reproduction
Mountain Tapirs have a slow reproductive rate, with a gestation period of approximately 13 months. Females typically give birth to a single calf, which stays with them for several months or even years before dispersing. Calves are born with white stripes and spots that fade as they mature. Their slow breeding cycle makes it difficult for populations to recover from hunting and habitat loss.
FAQs
How many Mountain Tapirs are left in the wild?
Fewer than 2,500 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the population is continuing to decline by at least 20% every two decades due to ongoing threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change (IUCN, 2015).
What is the average lifespan of a Mountain Tapir?
In the wild, Mountain Tapirs may live up to 25 years, though this is significantly affected by environmental threats. Captive individuals can live slightly longer under safe and controlled conditions.
What are the biggest challenges to conserving Mountain Tapirs?
Major challenges include habitat fragmentation due to road construction, agriculture, and mining; the presence of armed conflict zones that hinder research and protection; and the slow reproduction rate of the species, which makes population recovery difficult (Guzmán-Valencia et al., 2024; More et al., 2022).
Do Mountain Tapirs make good pets?
No. Keeping a Mountain Tapir as a pet is unethical and illegal. These intelligent, solitary animals require large, wild habitats to survive. Capturing and trading them causes immense suffering and drives the species further toward extinction. Advocating against the exotic pet trade is vital to their survival.
Take Action!
Boycott palm oil and products linked to Andean deforestation. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology initiatives in the Andes. Call for stronger protections against mining and deforestation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Refuse to buy exotic animal products, including those used in folk medicine. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Mountain Tapirs 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
Castellanos, A., Dadone, L., Ascanta, M., & Pukazhenthi, B. (2022). Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) social groups and calf dispersal patterns in Ecuador. Boletín Técnico, Serie Zoológica, 17, 9–14. Retrieved from https://journal.espe.edu.ec/ojs/index.php/revista-serie-zoologica/article/view/2858
Delborgo Abra, F., Medici, P., Brenes-Mora, E., & Castelhanos, A. (2024). The Impact of Roads and Traffic on Tapir Species. In Tapirs of the World (pp. 157–165). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-65311-7_10
Guzmán-Valencia, C., Castrillón, L., Roncancio Duque, N., & Márquez, R. (2024). Co-Occurrence, Occupancy and Habitat Use of the Andean Bear and Mountain Tapir: Insights for Conservation Management in the Colombian Andes. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5061561
Lizcano, D.J., Amanzo, J., Castellanos, A., Tapia, A. & Lopez-Malaga, C.M. 2016. Tapirus pinchaque. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T21473A45173922. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T21473A45173922.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
More, A., Devenish, C., Carrillo-Tavara, K., Piana, R. P., Lopez-Malaga, C., Vega-Guarderas, Z., & Nuñez-Cortez, E. (2022). Distribution and conservation status of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 66, 126130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126130
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
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.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,174 other subscribers2. 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.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
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.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGFrill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 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)
Read more#animals #Bantrophyhunting #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #cattle #climateChange #climatechange #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #gold #herbivore #herbivores #hunting #infrastructure #lowlandTapir #Mammal #mammals #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Peru #poaching #pollution #Tapir #Tapirs #ungulate #ungulates #vegan
-
Beautiful and Doomed: Saving Bangladesh’s Langurs From Extinction
A recent study has found hybridisation (interbreeding) between critically endangered Phayre’s #langurs and endangered capped langurs in #Bangladesh, raises serious concerns about their genetic health and future survival as distinct species. Hybridisation is a serious sign of ecological disruption, and researchers point to human-related threats such as #palmoil and #timber #deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and #hunting as key drivers for them interbreeding. These pressures not only push the species to hybridise but also threaten their long-term existence in the wild, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to address habitat destruction and protect these seriously endangered primates. 🌿 Help them when you shop, go #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4WildlifeBeautiful Capped Langurs and Phayre’s #Langurs are interbreeding, risking both #species’ survival. Pressures of #palmoil #deforestation and #hunting are pushing the #monkeys to the edge in #Bangladesh #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bY
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterHybridisation/interbreeding of two beautiful #langur 🐵🐒species in #Bangladesh puts both #animals in serious peril finds #research study 😭. #Palmoil #deforestation is a major threat. Fight back and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🛢️⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bY
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThis article was originally published in Mongabay and was written by Mohammad Al-Masum Molla, read the original article. Republished under Creative Commons attribution licence. Research by Ahmed, T., Hasan, S., Nath, S., Biswas, S. … Roos, C. (2024). Mixed-Species Groups and Genetically Confirmed Hybridization Between Sympatric Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei) and Capped Langur (T. pileatus) in Northeast Bangladesh. International Journal of Primatology. doi:10.1007/s10764-024-00459-x
- Bangladesh is home to less than 500 Phayre’s langurs and 600 capped langurs in the rainforests in the country’s northeast.
- A recent study has unveiled a trend of hybridisation between Phayre’s langurs and capped langurs in Bangladesh, which are listed as critically endangered and endangered, respectively, by IUCN.
- Hybridisation is a vital indicator of ecological change, and researchers are raising serious concerns about the genetic health of the two species and their future existence in the wild.
- The study holds human activities such as deforestation, habitat fragmentation and hunting as some of the causes responsible for increasing the risk of hybridisation cases.
A recent study revealed a troubling trend among the wild monkey population in Bangladesh’s northeastern forests. The study, conducted by the German Primate Centre, unveiled a concerning tendency of hybridisation between Phayre’s langurs (Trachypithecus phayrei) and capped langurs (Trachypithecus pileatus), listed as critically endangered and endangered, respectively, within Bangladesh by IUCN.
This hybridisation of the endangered primates, which researchers of the study say is caused by habitat loss due to deforestation and other human interferences, could push them to extinction in a few generations.
“Bangladesh’s langur populations are small and isolated, limiting gene flow. This hybridisation in restricted populations heightens their extinction risk. Furthermore, our laws primarily protect pure langurs, leaving hybrids unprotected. If hybrids persist into future generations, we’ll face tough decisions about their role in our ecosystem,” Tanvir Ahmed, the study’s lead researcher, told Mongabay.
Monirul H. Khan, a professor at Jahangirnagar University’s Zoology Department, agreed with Tanvir and said that the significance of interbreeding is that these langurs don’t survive for a long time.
“They are usually born infertile. So the population of langur will gradually decrease,” he said.
The study, published in the International Journal of Primatology, recently found that out of 98 langur groups observed, eight comprised both Phayre’s and capped langurs.
“We analysed genetic samples of the species in the lab and confirmed one case of hybridisation. This langur had a capped langur mother and a Phayre’s langur father. Another female with a hybrid appearance showed signs of motherhood, indicating that at least female hybrids are fertile and give birth to young,” Tanvir said.
“The genetic characteristics of a distinct species tend to become most threatened when their hybrid females can reproduce. Fertile hybrid females threaten to bring the two species closer together as the offsprings begin to mix characteristics. That is exactly what could be happening to them,” he said.
The research shows that the ‘spectacled’ Phayre’s langurs and the capped langurs, with their distinctive shock of black fur on their heads, are under threat of losing their distinct genetic makeup to hybridisation.
Researchers conducted the study over five years, between 2018 and 2023, in six forests in northeastern Bangladesh — Lawachara National Park, Satchari National Park, Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajkandi Reserve Forest, Patharia Hill Reserve Forest and Atora Hill Reserve Forest.
The study involved field surveys for 92 days between March 2018 and April 2019 and from July to December 2022, employing three trained local eco-guides to monitor the mixed-species groups until October 2023.
(Left) A mixed-species group of Phayre’s and capped langurs in Satchari National Park. (Right) A male hybrid of Phayre’s and capped langurs in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. Image by Auritro Sattar. Images by Rasel Debbarma and Auritro Sattar.Why hybridisation is a concern
The study shows that, although it’s relatively rare, hybridisation among primates is an escalating concern worldwide, often driven by habitat loss and fragmentation. It serves as a stark reminder of the significant impacts of human activity on biodiversity. The situation in Bangladesh gradually becoming more common emphasizes the urgent need for strong conservation efforts.
The study mentions how hybridisation is a vital indicator of ecological change, raising serious concerns about species’ genetic health. Tanvir added that this study is groundbreaking, as it documents the first hybridisation incidents among these langurs in Bangladesh and their entire distribution range.
Hybrids being fertile could lead to the extinction of the parent species. “Additionally, mixing species can enable the spread of diseases between previously unconnected populations, posing risks to both wildlife and human health, since these animals are often hunted and traded,” said Sabit Hasan, a researcher of the study.
The study blamed human activities such as palm oil deforestation, habitat fragmentation, hunting and trapping of primates as some of the causes that can increase the risk of such hybridisation.
“The existence of fertile hybrids is particularly alarming because it suggests that gene flow between these two endangered species could irreversibly affect their future genetic composition,” Tanvir said.
The genetically confirmed hybrid with its half-sibling feeding on fruits at Satchari National Park. Image by Harish Debbarma.The genetically confirmed juvenile hybrid with its capped langur mother and Phayre’s langur father at Satchari National Park. Image by Mahmudul Bari.Primates of Bangladesh
Ten of the 121 mammal species found in Bangladesh are primates. According to the hybridisation study, Bangladesh is home to less than 500 Phayre’s langurs and 600 capped langurs.
The Phayre’s langur has a brown to grey-brown back, white fur on its belly and face, and a “spectacled” appearance due to wide white rings around its eyes. Its face and extremities are black, and it has long hair on its head that points backward. Additionally, its tail is longer than its body and has a tuft of dark hair at the tip.
The capped langur is known for its distinctive crown of long, erect hairs on its head. It has a black face, grey to blackish-grey fur on top, and brownish-yellow or orange fur below, with the distal half of its tail being blackish.
The study suggested the government prioritize habitat preservation and create corridors to connect isolated primate populations, facilitating natural langur dispersal.
“If we don’t take action now, we risk losing not just two monkey species but also a vital part of Bangladesh’s biodiversity,” Tanvir said.
A juvenile hybrid with its Phayre’s langur father in Satchari National Park. Image by Rasel Debbarma.Banner image: The genetically confirmed hybrid (right) with its capped langur mother at Satchari National Park. Image by Harish Debbarma.
This article was originally published in Mongabay and was written by Mohammad Al-Masum Molla, read the original article. Republished under Creative Commons attribution licence. Research by Ahmed, T., Hasan, S., Nath, S., Biswas, S. … Roos, C. (2024). Mixed-Species Groups and Genetically Confirmed Hybridization Between Sympatric Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei) and Capped Langur (T. pileatus) in Northeast Bangladesh. International Journal of Primatology. doi:10.1007/s10764-024-00459-x
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 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)
Read moreTake 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.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,177 other subscribers2. 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.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. 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.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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
Pledge your support #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalRights #animals #Bangladesh #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CappedLangur #CappedLangurTrachypithecusPileatus #deforestation #hunting #India #langur #Langurs #monkey #monkeys #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PhayreSLeafMonkeyTrachypithecusPhayrei #Primate #research #species #timber #vegan -
Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus
Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened
Locations: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela
Found in tropical rainforests and lowland jungles from southern Mexico through Central America to north-western South America.
The Keel-billed #Toucan, with their dazzling rainbow-coloured bills and bold black-and-yellow plumage, are one of the most iconic #birds of Central and #SouthAmerica. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, this species of spectacular #bird is facing steady declines due to #palmoil #soy and #meat #deforestation, #hunting, and capture for the illegal pet trade. The destruction of humid forest canopies — especially for cattle grazing and monocultures like palm oil — is pushing this vibrant forest specialist closer to extinction. Protect the colourful creatures of the Amazonian rainforest canopies! Every time you shop be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Showing up with a riot of colour and croaking, Keel-billed #Toucans 🌈✨🦜 are nature’s works of art. Help them survive against #palmoil and meat #deforestation in #Colombia and #Guatemala. Be #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/04/05/keel-billed-toucan-ramphastos-sulfuratus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterIconic #birds of #Venezuela 🇻🇪 #Mexico 🇲🇽 #Honduras 🇭🇳 Keel-billed #Toucans are rainbow flocks of rainforest joy! 🦜🐦🪽 Help them survive be #vegan and call out #poaching and the illegal pet trade #Boycottpalmoil 🌴❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/04/05/keel-billed-toucan-ramphastos-sulfuratus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
The Keel-billed Toucan is impossible to miss. They are strikingly colourful birds, with black plumage, a vivid yellow throat, crimson tail-tip, and turquoise legs. Their oversized, multi-hued bill — lime green, orange, and cherry red — can reach up to 15 cm long but remains surprisingly lightweight thanks to a hollow keratin structure.
Highly social, they travel in small groups of 6 to 12 individuals, calling to each other with croaks and yelps as they glide between trees. They nest and sleep in tight tree cavities, often tucking their beaks and tails under their bodies to conserve space and heat. Recent research also shows they can detect fruit using their sense of smell — a rare trait in birds, highlighting their complex foraging behaviour.
Threats
Deforestation for agriculture and cattle ranching
Throughout their range, particularly in Mexico, Honduras, and Colombia, large areas of tropical rainforest are being cleared for cattle grazing, soy plantations, and subsistence farming. These forest clearances remove vital canopy nesting trees and reduce food availability, especially for highly frugivorous birds like the Keel-billed Toucan. Habitat fragmentation also isolates populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing vulnerability to local extinction.
Palm oil and soy monocultures and forest degradation
Although not traditionally associated with Central America, palm oil cultivation is rapidly expanding in regions like Honduras, Guatemala, and Colombia. These monocultures replace biodiverse forests with uniform, sterile plantations where toucans cannot nest or forage effectively. The clearing of tropical forest for palm oil is often accompanied by illegal logging, fire, and pesticide use, further degrading the ecosystem. Loss of tree cavities and fruiting species is directly linked to toucan population declines.
Hunting for meat and beak trade
In rural regions, toucans are hunted for their meat and their colourful beaks, which are sold as ornaments or used in traditional ceremonies. Though this practice is illegal in many countries, weak enforcement allows it to persist. The slow flight and conspicuous colours of the Keel-billed Toucan make them easy targets. As mature adults are most often targeted, these killings reduce breeding success and destabilise family groups.
Capture for the illegal pet trade
The Keel-billed Toucan is a sought-after species in the illegal exotic bird trade. Chicks are taken from nests and sold in pet markets across Latin America, often dying during capture or transport. Adults are also captured and kept in cramped cages, where they frequently suffer from iron storage disease (hemochromatosis) due to improper diets. Online wildlife trafficking has made it easier for these birds to be bought and sold internationally with little oversight.
Climate change and drought-related food shortages
Shifting rainfall patterns and increased dry seasons caused by climate change are altering fruiting cycles in tropical forests. For a bird so reliant on fruit, this poses a serious threat. Prolonged droughts can lead to localised starvation and reduce breeding success. With fragmented forests unable to support movement between food-rich areas, toucan populations may collapse in drier regions over time.
Geographic Range
Keel-billed Toucans are found in: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. They inhabit humid tropical and subtropical rainforests, ranging from sea level to 1,500 metres. While they can forage in degraded forests and plantations, they rely on undisturbed primary canopy for nesting and social cohesion. Populations are becoming increasingly fragmented as deforestation escalates.
Diet
Keel-billed Toucans are frugivores, but opportunistically omnivorous. They consume a wide range of soft fruits, tossing them into the air to swallow whole. Their dextrous bills help them reach fruit on thin outer branches inaccessible to other birds.
Their diet also includes insects, small lizards, eggs, and nestlings. In studies conducted in Costa Rica, toucans were shown to actively use olfactory cues — specifically, the scent of ripe banana and papaya — to locate food, suggesting their sense of smell plays a more important role in foraging than previously believed.
Mating and Reproduction
Keel-billed Toucans nest in existing tree cavities, laying between 1 to 4 white eggs. Both male and female take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks once they hatch. Chicks are born blind and featherless with thick heel pads to protect them in the pit-covered nests. They remain in the nest for 8–9 weeks until their bills fully develop and they are ready to fledge.
These birds breed once annually, timed with fruiting seasons in tropical forests. Family groups share parenting responsibilities and maintain long-term bonds, often engaging in bill jousting and food-sharing behaviours.
FAQs
How many Keel-billed Toucans are left in the wild?
The global population is estimated to be between 50,000 and 499,999 mature individuals (Partners in Flight, 2019). However, numbers are declining rapidly, with up to 20–29% projected loss in the next three generations due to habitat destruction and hunting (BirdLife International, 2020).
Where do Keel-billed Toucans live?
They live in humid tropical forests across Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, ranging as far south as Colombia and Venezuela. They prefer the canopy and upper midstorey of primary forests but are increasingly forced into degraded habitats.
Why are Keel-billed Toucans endangered?
They are primarily threatened by deforestation for agriculture, palm oil and cattle ranching, as well as illegal pet trade and hunting. Their populations are declining faster than tree cover loss alone would suggest, due to their sensitivity to forest degradation and reliance on cavity-nesting trees.
Do Keel-billed Toucans make good pets?
No. Capturing and caging toucans is cruel and drives illegal wildlife trade. They suffer from disease, stress, and a short lifespan in captivity. Keeping them as pets contributes to population decline and ecosystem collapse. If you love toucans, help protect them in the wild — never buy or share content encouraging exotic pet ownership.
Take Action!
Help save the Keel-billed Toucan from extinction. Never buy exotic birds or support facilities that trade in wild animals. Boycott palm oil, beef, and soy products. Support forest restoration and indigenous-led protection of tropical canopies. Raise your voice to defend one of the most colourful birds on Earth. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support Keel-billed Toucans 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
BirdLife International. 2021. Ramphastos sulfuratus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22682102A168670038. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22682102A168670038.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.
Hernández, M. C., Villada, A. M., & Barja, I. (2022). Onto the sense of smell in macaws, amazons and toucans: Can they use volatile cues of fruits to make foraging decisions? Integrative Zoology, 17(6), 1003–1020. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12694
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
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.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,176 other subscribers2. 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.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. 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.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGAsian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Keep readingMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 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)
Read more #animals #Belize #Bird #birds #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #bushmeat #Colombia #CostaRica #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #Guatamala #Guatemala #Honduras #hunting #illegalPetTrade #KeelBilledToucanRamphastosSulfuratus #meat #Mexico #NearThreatenedSpecies #Nicaragua #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Panama #poaching #SouthAmerica #soy #Toucan #Toucans #vegan #Venezuela #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies -
Olinguito Bassaricyon neblina
IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
Found in the Andean cloud forests of western Colombia and Ecuador, at elevations between 1,500 and 2,800 metres.
One of the cutest #mammals recently discovered is already at risk. With their bear-like faces, cat-like bodies, and lush tawny fur, the olinguito Bassaricyon neblina is an adorable button-nosed mammal of #Ecuador and #Colombia. They first made themselves known to the western world in 2006 in Ecuador and were officially described in 2013 and are considered ‘Near Threatened’ mainly from deforestation and forest clearing for #palmoil agriculture along with road building, infrastructure and gold mining throughout their range. Native to the misty cloud forests of the northern Andes, they are increasingly threatened by industrial agribusiness, palm oil plantations, and agriculture. Over 40% of their habitat has already been destroyed. Use your wallet as a weapon: always choose #palmoilfree products and be #vegan to help protect olinguitos and other species of the Andean Cloud Forest#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Olinguitos are button-nosed #mammals 😻🦦 of the Cloud Forests in #Ecuador 🇪🇨 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 Their lives are threatened by #goldmining 🥇 #meat 🥩and #palmoil 🌴 #deforestation. Help them! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bBX
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterDiscovered not long ago, #Olinguitos are #bear-like tenacious survivors. Despite hiding well, their forests are rapidly disappearing for #palmoil and #meat agriculture. Help them survive! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bBX
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
The olinguito is reminiscent of teddy bear and a domestic cat, with thick, soft, russet and tawny coloured fur, a short snout with a button-like nose, small ears, and a long fluffy tail used for balance in the treetops. Typically weighing under one kilogram, they are the smallest member of the raccoon family (Procyonidae). Nocturnal and arboreal, they live high in the forest canopy and are rarely seen. Solitary by nature, they are also reclusive and actively avoid human interaction.
Threats
Despite being classified as Near Threatened, there are no known large-scale conservation programmes or protected areas specifically designed to safeguard the olinguito or their habitat. Many of the forests where they live are under private ownership or are unprotected, leaving them at the mercy of logging companies, agribusiness, and illegal land grabs. Without legal safeguards and ecological corridors between forest remnants, olinguito populations will continue to decline unnoticed. Over 42% of their potential range has already been cleared or degraded for mining and agriculture.
Widespread deforestation of Andean cloud forests for agriculture, livestock, and infrastructure
Much of the olinguito’s Andean cloud forest habitat has already been cleared for cattle pasture, coffee plantations, and crop fields. This is especially concerning given the species’ limited elevational range and dependence on specific microclimates. Habitat loss fragments populations and prevents them from moving between forest patches, leading to genetic isolation and increased vulnerability. According to Helgen et al. (2013), 42% of the olinguito’s historical range has already been lost to agriculture and urban development.
Palm oil and timber plantations rapidly consuming native forest habitat.
Large swathes of cloud forest are being destroyed to establish oil palm and timber plantations. These monocultures are ecological deserts that offer no food or shelter for frugivorous mammals like the olinguito. Although oil palm expansion is often focused in lowland regions, it is encroaching into higher elevations in parts of Colombia and Ecuador due to market demand and land speculation. This spells danger for highland endemics like the olinguito, whose misty habitat is already shrinking.
Urbanisation and road development, fragmenting their canopy habitat
As human populations expand into previously remote areas, forest is cleared for roads, settlements, and industrial development. Even if some patches of cloud forest remain, roads cut through ecosystems, isolating wildlife and increasing mortality from vehicle collisions. Urban sprawl also brings dogs and other invasive species that can harass, predate, or outcompete native animals. The olinguito’s canopy-dependent, arboreal lifestyle makes it especially susceptible to the effects of fragmentation and edge habitat.
Climate change, which threatens the stability of montane ecosystems.
Cloud forests are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture changes. As global temperatures rise, the delicate balance of mist, rainfall, and cool air that defines this biome is shifting. Suitable habitat may move upslope, but mountaintops provide a limited refuge. Once a species is pushed beyond its climatic limit, local extinction becomes inevitable. The olinguito already lives at the uppermost altitudes suitable for its survival, making it dangerously vulnerable to climate-induced habitat contraction.
Geographic Range
Olinguitos live in humid montane forests between 1,500 and 2,800 metres in elevation in western Colombia and Ecuador, including forests near Medellín in Colombia and the Otonga Forest Reserve in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. This species occupies the highest known range of any member of the genus Bassaricyon. Though only officially recognised in 2013, museum specimens had been mislabelled for decades prior to that.
Diet
Despite belonging to the carnivoran order, olinguitos are primarily frugivores. They feed on cloud forest fruits such as figs, as well as insects, nectar, and occasionally small vertebrates like birds and lizards. Their faeces are said to resemble small blueberries due to their fruit-heavy diet.
Mating and Reproduction
Very little is known about the reproductive behaviour of the olinguito, but it is believed they produce a single offspring at a time. Females have one pair of mammae. Their solitary lifestyle and canopy-based habits make studying them in the wild extremely difficult.
FAQs
How many olinguitos are left in the wild?
No population estimates exist for the olinguito, but scientists agree numbers are declining. Habitat modelling shows over 60% of their potential habitat is already deforested or degraded, suggesting a significant threat to survival (Helgen et al., 2013).
What is the lifespan of an olinguito?
Captive individuals like Ringerl—an olinguito unknowingly housed in US zoos for years—lived over a decade. Wild lifespan is presumed to be shorter, but specific data are lacking.
What are the main threats to the olinguito?
The biggest threats are deforestation and habitat loss driven by palm oil plantations, agriculture, and urbanisation. These activities have destroyed over 40% of their cloud forest habitat (Helgen et al., 2013). Climate change is also a growing concern due to their dependence on cool, moist mountain forests.
Do olinguitos make good pets?
No. Olinguitos are solitary, nocturnal, and specialised to live in misty canopy forests. Keeping them as pets is cruel and contributes to wildlife trafficking. Their capture disrupts family groups and decimates populations. If you care about olinguitos, do not fuel demand—speak out against the pet trade.
Take Action!
Olinguitos are an emblem of the hidden biodiversity in the world’s cloud forests—ecosystems that are vanishing fast.
- Boycott palm oil and demand truly forest-free alternatives.
- Support indigenous-led agroecology and forest protection efforts in the Andes.
- Refuse meat and dairy that drives deforestation in Colombia and Ecuador.
- Never support zoos or exotic pet collectors that remove wildlife from their habitats. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
Support the Olinguito 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
Helgen, K. M., Pinto, C. M., Kays, R., Helgen, L. E., Tsuchiya, M. T. N., Quinn, A., Wilson, D. E., & Maldonado, J. E. (2013). Taxonomic revision of the olingos (Bassaricyon), with description of a new species, the olinguito. ZooKeys, 324, 1–83. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.324.5827
Helgen, K., Kays, R., Pinto, C., Schipper, J. & González-Maya, J.F. 2020. Bassaricyon neblina (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T48637280A166523067. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T48637280A166523067.en. Accessed on 02 May 2025.
Lee, T. E., Tinoco, N., Allred, F. G., Hennecke, A., Camacho, M. A., & Burneo, S. F. (2022). Small mammals of Otonga Forest Reserve, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador. The Southwestern Naturalist, 66(1), 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909-66.1.48
NBC News. (2013, August 16). ‘Cutest new animal’ discovered: It’s an olinguito! https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/cutest-new-animal-discovered-its-olinguito-6C10925572
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Olinguito. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 May 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olinguito
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
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.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,180 other subscribers2. 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.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. 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.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGSanta Catarina’s Guinea Pig Cavia intermedia
Keep readingKeel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus
Keep readingAsian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus
Keep readingMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 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)
Read more #animals #Bear #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #carnivores #coffee #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #ForgottenAnimals #goldMining #goldmining #hunting #infrastructure #Mammal #mammals #meat #meatAgriculture #meatDeforestation #NearThreatenedSpecies #NearThreatened #nocturnal #OlinguitoBassaricyonNeblina #Olinguitos #omnivore #omnivores #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #palmoilfree #poaching #roads #SeedDispersers #seeddispersal #vegan #VulnerableSpecies