#human-wildlife-conflict — Public Fediverse posts

https://www.europesays.com/africa/488582/ UWA Exceeds Wildlife Patrol Targets as Conservation Efforts Expand #HumanWildlifeConflict #JamesMusinguzi #RevenueSharingProgramme #RhinoConservation #TourismUganda #Uganda #UgandaNationalParks #UgandaWildlifeAuthority #UWAPerformance2025/2026 #WildlifeConservationUganda #WildlifePatrols

https://www.europesays.com/africa/485966/ In 1994, Namibia’s Cheetah Conservation Fund began placing guard dogs with farmers; a later review found losses fell for most surveyed farmers #CheetahConservation #CheetahConservationFund #HumanWildlifeConflict #LivestockGuardingDogs #LivestockLosses #Namibia

https://www.europesays.com/africa/477003/ Agago Residents Kill Two Elephants After Fatal Attacks on Communities #AgagoDistrict #AngryResidents #BashirHangi #ElephantAttacksUganda #HumanWildlifeConflict #KidepoValleyNationalPark #LaponoSubCounty #LukoleSubCounty #TwoElephantsKilled #Uganda #UgandaWildlifeAuthority

https://www.europesays.com/africa/475816/ Zimbabwean conservationist recognised for work protecting lions #AfricanWildlife #HumanWildlifeConflict #HwangeNationalPark #IFAWAnimalActionAwards #KavangoZambeziTransfrontierConservationArea #LiombaJuniorMathe #LionConservation #LionGuardians #zimbabwe #ZimbabweConservation

https://www.europesays.com/3312405/ Human-Wildlife Conflict or Forest Governance Crisis? C R Bijoy on FRA, Communities and Coexistence #ForestGovernance #fra #HumanWildlifeConflict #InternationalResourceConflict #karnataka #Kerala #ResourceConflict #TamilNadu

https://www.europesays.com/africa/436550/ Ten lions found dead in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro reserve, poisoning suspected #EastAfricaCarnivores #HumanWildlifeConflict #NCAAInvestigation #NdutuEndulenWard #NgorongoroConservationArea #RetaliatoryPoisoning #SuspectedWildlifePoisoning #Tanzania #TanzaniaLionDeaths #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite

https://www.europesays.com/africa/410548/ Kenya Steps Up Crocodile Hunt As Rising Lakes Fuel Conflict #crocodiles #HumanWildlifeConflict #Kenya #KenyaWildlife #KenyaWildlifeService #RIFTVALLEYKENYA

மேகமலை விவகாரம் புலிகள் முக்கியமா ? மனிதர்கள் முக்கியமா? என்பது குறித்தும் தமிழ்த்தேசிய துரோகிகள் குறித்தும் வழக்கறிஞர் புவனேசுவரன் அவர்களோடு கார்ட்டூனிசுட் பாலா நடத்திய உரையாடல் #megamalai #MegamalaiIssue #MegamalaiTigers #MegamalaiTiger #TigerMovement #TigerConflict #HumanTigerConflict #HumanWildlifeConflict #WildlifeConflict #TigerReserve #MegamalaiForest #MegamalaiHills #TamilNaduWildlife #TamilNaduForest #TamilNaduTigers #TigerConservation… http://youtube.com/watch?v=3LmzL23-_-o&feature=youtu.be https://senkettru.wordpress.com/2026/08/31/%e0%ae%ae%e0%af%87%e0%ae%95%e0%ae%ae%e0%ae%b2%e0%af%88-%e0%ae%b5%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%b5%e0%ae%95%e0%ae%be%e0%ae%b0%e0%ae%ae%e0%af%8d-%e0%ae%aa%e0%af%81%e0%ae%b2%e0%ae%bf%e0%ae%95%e0%ae%b3%e0%af%8d/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

https://www.europesays.com/africa/393213/ 4 arrested as Kenya investigates 18 elephant deaths in Amboseli #Amboseli #AmboseliNationalPark #CyanidePoisoning #elephants #HumanWildlifeConflict #Kenya #KenyaWildlifeService #KimanaSanctuary #KukuRanch #Loitoktok #MountKilimanjaro #nairobi #PesticideContaminatedTomatoes #TanzanianBorder #Tikondo

Monkeys in Kerala may lose highest wildlife protection status https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-proposes-moving-native-monkeys-schedule-ii-gaehgt3t?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Kerala #KeralaNews #Wildlife #HumanWildlifeConflict #MonkeyNuisance

https://www.europesays.com/uk/1140799/ Nigeria’s Remaining 400 Elephants Face Fight for Survival #EcotourismNigeria #ElephantConservation #EndangeredSpecies #HumanWildlifeConflict #IvoryTrade #NigeriaElephants #NigerianConservationFoundation #Science #UK #UnitedKingdom #WildAfrica #wildlife #WildlifeNigeria #WorldElephantDay

The State Rifle Association has also urged the government to introduce a single-window approval system for shooters across Kerala. At present, shooters must obtain separate approvals from each local self-government institution. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/wild-boar-menace-kerala-allows-local-bodies-to-rope-in-rifle-clubs-to-ease-shortage-of-shooters-hctmi44g?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #WildBoarAttack #WildBoarShooters #HumanWildlifeConflict

https://www.europesays.com/africa/347244/ Elephants or humans: Who really leaves bigger footprints? #environment #Featured #HumanWildlifeConflict #Important #Namibia #SouthAfrica

The Kerala government has urged the Centre to declare wild boars as vermin and sought greater powers to tackle human-wildlife conflict https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-wild-boar-vermin-centre-human-wildlife-conflict-d8uqib62?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Kerala #WildBoar #HumanWildlifeConflict #BhupenderYadav

Terrifying moments captured on CCTV as a wild boar charges into a supermarket in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, injuring the woman shopkeeper. Locals are demanding immediate action as wildlife conflicts continue to hit human habitations. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/wild-boar-charges-into-kerala-shop-attacks-woman-shopkeeper-hmvzvh06?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #KeralaNews #HumanWildlifeConflict #Pathanamthitta #WildBoarAttack

https://www.europesays.com/africa/311193/ The women deploying drones and data to protect Africa’s wildlife #Africa #AfricanWildlife #Conflict #conservation #DigitalSystems #ElephantCorridor #elephants #FlyingDrones #HumanWildlifeConflict #IllegalActivity #RuthChitindi #RuthKatumbiMathitu #SouthAfrica

https://www.europesays.com/africa/301009/ Govt calls for science-driven action as threats to Uganda’s biodiversity mount #ClimateChange #HabitatLoss #HumanWildlifeConflict #IllegalWildlifeTrade #MinisterOfTourism #poaching #TomButiime #Uganda #WildlifeAndAntiquities

Wild elephant destroys banana, cassava and pineapple crops in Nilambur after breaching solar fence; farmers seek action. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/multimedia/videos/ar-rahman-tribute-song-teaser-for-asha-bhosle-ihv80e8k?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #WildElephant #Nilambur #KeralaNews #HumanWildlifeConflict

The Kerala Budget has allocated ₹192.20 crore to tackle human-wildlife conflict, including scientific wildlife monitoring, relocation measures and enhanced rapid response systems. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-budget-2026-192-crore-allocated-to-reduce-human-wildlife-conflict-u3vhy90z?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #KeralaBudget2026 #HumanWildlifeConflict #KeralaNews

Three injured in two suspected elephant attacks in Kerala's Palakkad district https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/palakkad-wild-elephant-attacks-kerala-human-wildlife-conflict-ku3zke4f?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Kerala #ElephantAttack #Palakkad #HumanWildlifeConflict

A 37-year-old woman was killed and her son injured in a wild elephant attack at Chinnakkanal in Kerala's Idukki district. The incident occurred amid heavy rain and dense fog. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/woman-killed-in-wild-elephant-attack-in-keralas-idukki-district-oj3ty7n8?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Kerala #ElephantAttack #Death #HumanWildlifeConflict

New publication: Polarizing discursive practices in conversations about #wildlife comeback: a topical review. #wildlifecomeback #humanwildlifeconflict #biodiversityloss
https://doi.org/10.1080/10871209.2026.2678232

Tiger Encounter Turns Deadly in Bandhavgarh, Locals React

A woman died after a tiger attack near Bandhavgarh reserve. Locals then reportedly attacked forest staff. Find out what happened and why.

#BandhavgarhTiger, #TigerAttack, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestStaffAttack, #MadhyaPradesh

https://newsletter.tf/tiger-kills-woman-bandhavgarh-locals-attack-staff/

A woman has died after a tiger attack near Bandhavgarh. This is a serious incident that has led to locals confronting forest staff.

#BandhavgarhTiger, #TigerAttack, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestStaffAttack, #MadhyaPradesh
https://newsletter.tf/tiger-kills-woman-bandhavgarh-locals-attack-staff/

ASSAM'S HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT UNFOLDS: A COMPLEX REALITY MAPPED

New study maps Assam's human-elephant conflict zones. See how habitat loss affects farmers and elephants, and what happens next.

#AssamConflict, #ElephantCorridors, #WildlifeProtection, #AssamNews, #HumanWildlifeConflict

https://newsletter.tf/assam-human-elephant-conflict-critical-corridors-mapped/

A new study shows human-elephant conflict in Assam is increasing. This is happening more often than before.

#AssamConflict, #ElephantCorridors, #WildlifeProtection, #AssamNews, #HumanWildlifeConflict
https://newsletter.tf/assam-human-elephant-conflict-critical-corridors-mapped/

Malnad's Wild Wanderer: A Calculated Capture in Chikkamagaluru

Chikkamagaluru Forest Dept captured an 18-20 year old male Indian gaur on Saturday evening near Arenur. This is the first scientific capture of its kind in South India.

#IndianGaurCapture, #ChikkamagaluruWildlife, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestDepartment, #SouthIndiaWildlife

https://newsletter.tf/chikkamagaluru-forest-captures-old-male-gaur/

This is the first scientific capture of an Indian gaur in South India. The male gaur captured is 18-20 years old.

#IndianGaurCapture, #ChikkamagaluruWildlife, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestDepartment, #SouthIndiaWildlife
https://newsletter.tf/chikkamagaluru-forest-captures-old-male-gaur/

ELEPHANTS TRAPPED, RESCUE EFFORT UNFOLDS IN INDIA

Wildlife workers in India successfully rescued elephants trapped in a pond. The operation took 3 hours and highlights human-wildlife conflict.

#ElephantRescue, #IndiaWildlife, #Conservation, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestRescue

https://newsletter.tf/india-elephants-rescued-from-pond-3-hour-effort/

A 3-hour rescue operation in India freed elephants trapped in a pond. This shows the ongoing challenges of protecting wildlife.

#ElephantRescue, #IndiaWildlife, #Conservation, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ForestRescue
https://newsletter.tf/india-elephants-rescued-from-pond-3-hour-effort/

Karnataka Fast-Tracks Elephant Rehabilitation Amidst Growing Human-Wildlife Conflict

Karnataka Forest Department plans a new soft release center for 300 elephants in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Learn about the site concerns.

#KarnatakaElephants, #BhadraSanctuary, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ElephantConservation, #ForestDepartment

https://newsletter.tf/karnataka-elephant-soft-release-bhadra-sanctuary/

Karnataka plans to release 300 elephants into a new soft release center in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a new approach to manage human-elephant conflict.

#KarnatakaElephants, #BhadraSanctuary, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #ElephantConservation, #ForestDepartment
https://newsletter.tf/karnataka-elephant-soft-release-bhadra-sanctuary/

Kerala Forest Department is set to introduce a master plan to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, with the first phase targeting areas with active Eco-Development Committees to ensure faster implementation. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-human-wildlife-conflict-master-plan-forest-fringes-j8uy9b8g?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Kerala #HumanWildlifeConflict #ForestDepartment #WildlifeProtection

Jharkhand Authorities Vow to End Fatal Elephant Attacks Amidst Rising Concerns

Jharkhand's Chief Minister ordered officials to stop people from dying in elephant attacks. He also wants families to get money quickly.

#Jharkhand, #Elephants, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #Safety, #Government

https://newsletter.tf/jharkhand-zero-human-death-elephant-attacks/

Leaders in Jharkhand have told officials to make sure no more people are killed by elephants. They are also making sure families get money fast if an elephant attack happens. This is to help people and stop the problem.

#Jharkhand, #Elephants, #HumanWildlifeConflict, #Safety, #Government

https://newsletter.tf/jharkhand-zero-human-death-elephant-attacks/

Munnar elephants in musth: public warned to stay safe and avoid approaching Padayappa. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-forest-department-issues-warning-to-munnar-tourists-as-4-wild-jumbos-enter-musth-ah6hcvf5?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #munnar #wildelephants #humanwildlifeconflict

Farmers in Bihar’s Jehanabad say nilgais are destroying their crops season after season. With restrictions on killing the animals and limited support, they hope for a solution that protects both livelihoods and ecology. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/multimedia/videos/nilgai-crops-bihars-jehanabad-farmers-aiwckffm?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Nilgai #Jehanabad #Farmers #CropLoss #HumanWildlifeConflict

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

Location: India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar

This species inhabits subtropical and tropical dry forests, primarily in the foothills and highlands south of the Brahmaputra River and across fragmented patches in northeastern South Asia.

The capped #langur (Trachypithecus pileatus) is a graceful and beautiful leaf #monkey found across northeastern #India, #Bhutan, #Bangladesh, and #Myanmar. Sadly, they are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to rapid population declines from #deforestation, logging, agriculture, and the devastating impacts of #palmoil plantations. Once widespread, their numbers have nearly halved in some regions like Assam due to the accelerating loss of native forest cover. Directly threatened by palm oil and monoculture expansion, this species is now confined to small, isolated forest fragments. Take action every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

https://youtu.be/NhpTmfZuNV4

In the forests of #Bangladesh 🇧🇩 and northern #India 🇮🇳 lives a remarkable #primate with soulful hazel eyes 🐵🐒 on the verge of #extinction from #palmoil #deforestation. Help the Capped #Langur and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🔥🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/01/11/capped-langur-trachypithecus-pileatus/

The intelligent and social Capped #Langur 🙉🐒🐵 is under pressure from #palmoil #deforestation and hunting in #India 🇮🇳 Troops are interbreeding with Phayre’s #langurs to survive. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/01/11/capped-langur-trachypithecus-pileatus/

Appearance & Behaviour

With their black-tufted crown, pale fur, and soulful eyes, capped langurs are among the most visually distinctive primates in the Eastern Himalayas. Their fur ranges from silver-grey to golden orange, with darker limbs and a black cap that gives them their name. They move gracefully through the canopy, rarely descending to the forest floor except for play or social grooming.

Capped langurs live in unimale, multifemale groups with sizes ranging from 8 to 15 individuals. They spend most of their time feeding (up to 67%) or resting (up to 40%), engaging in complex social grooming and vocal communication. Daily movements range from 320–800 metres across fragmented habitats of 21–64 hectares. Grooming is an important social activity, with females often taking turns in allomothering behaviour.

Threats

Palm oil, teak and rubber monoculture plantations

The spread of oil palm and other monoculture crops such as teak and rubber is destroying the capped langur’s native forests at an alarming rate. These industrial plantations eliminate the diverse tree species that capped langurs rely on for food and shelter, leaving them with little to survive on. Once a landscape is cleared and replaced with palm oil or other single crops, it becomes a green desert devoid of biodiversity, pushing the species closer to extinction. In regions like Assam and Bangladesh, palm oil is a major driver of habitat fragmentation and degradation, especially in forest corridors that once connected populations.

Timber deforestation

Widespread illegal logging, often fuelled by demand for timber and firewood, is rapidly eroding the capped langur’s habitat. Fruiting and lodging trees that are vital to their survival are cut down, leaving forests patchy and disconnected. As their home ranges shrink, capped langur groups are forced into smaller fragments, increasing their vulnerability to predators, food shortages, and inbreeding. In some areas, this pressure has led to local extinctions or the collapse of entire populations.

Slash-and-burn agriculture

Slash-and-burn agriculture destroys habitat for capped langurs and often brings them into closer contact with human settlements, increasing conflict and risk of hunting or roadkill. Forest recovery from this can take decades—time the capped langur simply doesn’t have.

Hunting and the illegal pet trade

Capped langurs are hunted for their meat, pelts, and for sale in the illegal pet trade. In many tribal and rural areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur, they are still targeted despite legal protections. Their pelts are used to make traditional knife sheaths, and infants are often captured after killing their mothers, then sold as pets. This exploitation causes severe suffering and has a devastating impact on group structures, leading to long-term population decline.

Roads cut into rainforests for mines and tea plantations

As forests are cut into smaller patches for roads, mining, tea plantations, and settlements, capped langur populations become increasingly isolated. Small, disconnected populations face higher risks of inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, and eventual extinction. In some regions, such as Tinsukia and Sonitpur, populations have already disappeared due to this fragmentation. The collapse of corridors also disrupts daily movement, feeding patterns, and access to mates—placing enormous stress on surviving individuals.

Hybridisation with other species

Due to the rapid degradation of natural habitats, capped langurs are increasingly forming mixed-species groups with the closely related Phayre’s langur (Trachypithecus phayrei). Recent studies in northeast Bangladesh confirm genetically that hybridisation is occurring, which could result in the eventual cyto-nuclear extinction of the capped langur lineage. Although hybridisation can happen naturally, in this case it is being driven by human-induced fragmentation, forcing species into overlapping territories with fewer options for mates. This phenomenon is both a symptom and a driver of their decline, complicating conservation efforts.

Mining, infrastructure, and political conflict

Open-cast coal mining, limestone extraction, and petroleum exploration have all contributed to the destruction of capped langur habitat across Assam and Nagaland. Infrastructure projects, such as highways and border fences, not only destroy habitat directly but also block animal movements and isolate populations. In border regions, armed conflict and territorial skirmishes have already extirpated capped langurs from several reserves, such as the Nambhur and Rengma forests. Weak law enforcement allows habitat destruction to continue unchecked in many regions.

Geographic Range

Capped langurs are found in northeastern India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura), Bhutan, northwestern Myanmar, and northeastern and central Bangladesh. They occur at elevations from 10 to 3,000 metres across hill forests, riverine reserves, and protected areas. However, their range is now severely fragmented by human development, with some populations disappearing from former strongholds due to mining, conflict, and agricultural encroachment.

Diet

Primarily folivorous, the capped langur’s diet includes mature and young leaves, petioles, seeds, flowers, bamboo shoots, bark, and occasionally caterpillars. They forage on more than 43 plant species, with favourites including banyan (Ficus benghalensis), sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), Terminalia bellerica, and Mallotus philippensis. Seasonal availability influences their feeding patterns, but they consistently prefer fruiting and flowering trees.

Mating and Reproduction

Breeding usually occurs in the dry season, with birthing concentrated between late December and May. The gestation period lasts about 200 days, and the interbirth interval is approximately two years. Only parous females participate in allomothering, allowing new mothers time to forage and recover, a behaviour rare among langurs and considered a form of altruism.

FAQs

How many capped langurs are left in the wild?

Exact numbers are uncertain, but estimates suggest the population in Assam has declined from 39,000 in 1989 to approximately 18,600 between 2008 and 2014 (Choudhury, 2014). This halving reflects habitat loss and increasing fragmentation, particularly in Upper Assam and the Barak Valley.

What is the average lifespan of a capped langur?

While data is limited, langurs of this genus generally live 20–25 years in the wild. Captive lifespans may extend slightly due to the absence of predators and constant food supply, though such conditions often lead to stress.

Why are capped langurs under threat?

Their decline is due to relentless deforestation, palm oil and monoculture plantations, illegal logging, and road-building. Slash-and-burn agriculture and mining also play a major role. Capped langurs are hunted in some regions for meat, pelts, and as pets, particularly in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.

Do capped langurs make good pets?

Absolutely not. Capped langurs are intelligent, social beings that rely on complex forest habitats and close-knit family groups. Removing them from the wild fuels extinction and causes immense trauma. Many die during illegal capture and transport. Keeping them as pets is a selfish act that destroys lives. If you care about capped langurs, never support the exotic pet trade!

What are the major conservation challenges for capped langurs?

The biggest issues are hybridisation with other primate species, habitat fragmentation, palm oil expansion, and human-wildlife conflict. The 2018 study in Satchari National Park found that local attitudes toward conservation vary by occupation, education, and gender, which means education and outreach are crucial. A big challenge is the rise in hybridisation with sympatric Phayre’s langurs, driven by habitat degradation—this poses long-term genetic risks (Ahmed et al., 2024).

Take Action!

Capped langurs are vanishing before our eyes, driven to the brink by out-of-control palm oil expansion, deforestation, and development. You can help save them.

Refuse to buy products made with palm oil. Support indigenous-led conservation in northeast India and the Eastern Himalayas. Demand governments halt the destruction of old-growth forests and restore wildlife corridors. Spread awareness and challenge the illegal wildlife trade. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Support the Capped Langur 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

Ahmed, T., Hasan, S., Nath, S., Biswas, S., et al. (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, 46(1), 210–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10764-024-00459-x

Das, J., Chetry, D., Choudhury, A.U., & Bleisch, W. (2020). Trachypithecus pileatus (errata version published in 2021). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22041A196580469. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22041A196580469.en

Hasan, M.A.U., & Neha, S.A. (2018). Group size, composition and conservation challenges of capped langur (Trachypithecus pileatus) in Satchari National Park, Bangladesh. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339550399

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Capped langur. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capped_langur

How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

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2. 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.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

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

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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

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

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Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Keep reading

Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii

Keep reading

Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum

Keep reading

Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense

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Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 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)

#animals #Assam #Bangladesh #Bantrophyhunting #Bhutan #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #CappedLangurTrachypithecusPileatus #deforestation #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #illegalPetTrade #India #langur #Langurs #mining #monkey #monkeys #Myanmar #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PhayreSLeafMonkeyTrachypithecusPhayrei #poaching #Primate #vegan #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies

Officials say the 14-year-old tiger likely strayed into human areas as age weakened its hunting ability in the forest. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/wayanad-tiger-captured-tribal-elder-death-hrxcuz7j?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #WayanadTiger #ManEaterTiger #HumanWildlifeConflict #KeralaForest

https://www.europesays.com/ie/240250/ What happened when a wildlife photographer woke up with a curled up cheetah beside him | #CheetahExperience #CheetahExperienceSanctuary #DolphVolker #Éire #HumanWildlifeConflict #IE #Ireland #Science #Wildlife #WildlifePhotographer #WildlifeSanctuary

Five-year-old tiger spotted in Pachilakkad and Panamaram, Wayanad; forest officials deploy drones and cage traps, schools closed, traffic restricted. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/wayanad-tiger-capture-operation-c3gmy2iu?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #WayanadTiger #TigerCapture #HumanWildlifeConflict #ForestDepartment

Tamil Nadu forest department panel reviews human–wildlife conflict in Valparai and plans immediate safety measures. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/india/valparai-human-wildlife-conflict-solutions-my38hmhj?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #Valparai #HumanWildlifeConflict #ForestDepartment #WildlifeAwareness

A GPS watch recovered from a Japanese hiker killed by a bear in Hokkaido has revealed his last movements, including chaotic steps off the trail and evidence that the bear returned to drag his body the next day. https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/gps-watch-shows-final-moments-of-hiker-killed-by-bear-in-japan-u68ly4qb?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #BearAttack #GPSWatch #Hiker #Japan #HumanWildlifeConflict

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

IUCN Red List Status: Endangered

Location: #Brazil, #Peru, #Colombia, #Ecuador

Found throughout the #Amazon and Solimões River systems, including major tributaries and large lakes. Their range spans lowland rainforest areas of Brazil, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and southern Peru.

The #Tucuxi, a small freshwater #dolphin of #Peru, #Ecuador, #Colombia and #Brazil now faces a dire future. Once common throughout the Amazon River system, they are now listed as #Endangered due to accelerating population declines. Threats include drowning in fishing nets, deforestation, mercury poisoning from gold mining, #palmoil run-off, oil drilling, and dam construction. A shocking 97% decline was recorded over 23 years in a single Amazon reserve. Without urgent action, this elegant and playful river dolphin could vanish from South America’s waterways. Use your wallet as a weapon against extinction. Choose palm oil-free, and #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

https://youtu.be/YYvh0S3ucUI

Playful and intelligent #Tucuxi are small #dolphins 🐬 of #Amazonian rivers in #Peru 🇵🇪 #Brazil 🇧🇷 #Ecuador 🇪🇨 and #Colombia 🇨🇴. #PalmOil and #GoldMining are major threats 😿 Fight for them! #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/11/23/tucuxi-sotalia-fluviatilis/

Clever and joyful #Tucuxi are #dolphins 🐬💙 endangered by #hunting #gold #mining and contamination of the Amazon river 🇧🇷 for #PalmOil #agriculture ☠️ Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottGold 🥇🚫 #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/11/23/tucuxi-sotalia-fluviatilis/

Appearance & Behaviour

Tucuxis are often mistaken for their oceanic dolphin cousins due to their streamlined bodies, short beaks, and smooth, pale-to-dark grey skin. But these freshwater dolphins are wholly unique—adapted to life in winding river systems where water levels rise and fall dramatically with the seasons.

What sets them apart is their remarkable intelligence and tightly knit social groups. Tucuxis are playful and curious by nature. They leap from the water in graceful arcs, sometimes spinning mid-air.

The Tucuxi, sometimes called the ‘grey dolphin’ due to their uniform colouring, resembles a smaller oceanic dolphin, with a streamlined body and slender beak. Their colour varies from pale grey on the belly to darker grey or bluish-grey along the back.

They travel in small groups of two to six, displaying coordinated swimming patterns. In rare cases, they may form groups up to 26 individuals, particularly at river confluences. Known for their agility, they leap and spin in the water with a grace that belies their size. Tucuxis are particularly drawn to dynamic habitats like river junctions, where waters mix and fish gather.

Threats

• Widespread deforestation from palm oil plantations Palm oil plantations are rapidly expanding across the Amazon, clearing vast tracts of forest that stabilise riverbanks and filter water. This deforestation leads to increased sedimentation in rivers, altering flow patterns and reducing water clarity—conditions that directly disrupt the Tucuxi’s feeding and movement. Run-off from fertilisers and pesticides used in palm oil monocultures also poisons aquatic ecosystems, harming Tucuxis other Amazonian dolphin species and the fish they rely on.
• Toxic mercury pollution from gold mining Artisanal and illegal gold mining in the Amazon releases massive quantities of mercury into the water, contaminating fish and other aquatic organisms. Tucuxis, as top predators, ingest this mercury through their prey, which accumulates in their tissues and causes neurological damage, weakened immunity, and reproductive failure. Mercury exposure is one of the most insidious threats, as it persists in ecosystems long after mining has ceased.
• Incidental drowning in fishing nets Tucuxis are frequently caught and killed in gillnets and other fishing gear as bycatch. Tucuxis and other Amazonian dolphins often inhabit the same confluence zones and productive fishing grounds targeted by local communities, making entanglement almost inevitable. Many carcasses are never recovered, having either been discarded by fishers or lost to river currents, meaning actual mortality rates are likely far higher than reported.
• Deliberate hunting for use as fish bait Though illegal, Tucuxis continue to be targeted and killed in parts of Brazil, especially near the Mamirauá and Amana Reserves, where they are used as bait in the piracatinga (catfish) fishery. This brutal practice involves harpooning or netting dolphins and using their flesh to lure fish, often alongside the killing of Botos. Despite a national ban, weak enforcement and ongoing demand mean this threat persists in remote and lawless regions.
• Illegal fishing with explosives and toxins In certain areas, particularly in Brazil and Peru, fishers use home-made explosives and poisoned bait to stun or kill fish en masse. These destructive methods harm or kill Tucuxis who are attracted by the sudden appearance of dead or stunned prey. The concussive force of explosions and the ingestion of poisoned prey result in slow, agonising deaths for affected dolphins.
• Construction of hydroelectric dams Dams fragment Tucuxi populations by blocking their movement along river corridors, reducing access to feeding and breeding grounds. These projects alter seasonal water flow, raise water temperatures, and flood critical habitats—conditions that significantly disrupt dolphin ecology. Brazil alone has 74 operational dams in the Amazon basin, with over 400 more planned, posing a long-term existential threat to freshwater cetaceans.
• Run-off and contamination from palm oil, soy and meat agriculture In addition to habitat loss, palm oil and soy plantations along with cattle ranching generates enormous volumes of chemical-laden waste, which enters waterways and poisons aquatic life. This pollution affects Tucuxis both directly and indirectly—exposing them to harmful substances and killing off sensitive fish species. As plantations replace biodiverse forests, the ecosystem becomes less resilient, accelerating the decline of species like the Tucuxi.
• Bioaccumulation of heavy metals and industrial pollutants Tucuxis, like many river dolphins, suffer from exposure to persistent organic pollutants such as PCBs, DDT, and flame retardants, as well as heavy metals like lead and cadmium. These toxins accumulate in dolphin tissues over time, weakening their immune systems, interfering with reproduction, and making them more vulnerable to disease. Contaminants originate from industrial waste, agriculture, and mining, and are now widespread across the Amazon basin.
• Habitat fragmentation from infrastructure and oil development Roads, oil pipelines, and shipping corridors criss-cross many parts of the Tucuxi’s range, slicing through their habitat and increasing the risk of collisions with boats. These developments also bring noise pollution, which can interfere with echolocation and communication. Fragmentation leads to isolated subpopulations, reducing genetic diversity and making recovery more difficult.

Geographic Range

The Tucuxi inhabits the Amazon River basin, spanning: Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador These river dolphins occur as far west as southern Peru and eastern Ecuador, and as far north as southeastern Colombia. They are notably absent from Bolivia’s Beni/Mamoré system, the Orinoco basin, and upper reaches above major waterfalls or rapids.

Their range includes wide, deep rivers and lakes, avoiding turbulent rapids and shallow areas. Despite overlapping with the Amazon River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), Tucuxis do not enter flooded forest habitats and stay closer to main river channels.

Diet

Tucuxis feed on more than 28 species of small, schooling freshwater fish, including members of the characid, sciaenid, and siluriform families. During the dry season, fish are concentrated in shrinking waterways, making them easier to catch. In contrast, flooding season disperses prey into forested areas, beyond the Tucuxi’s reach. They prefer to feed at river junctions and along confluences, where nutrient-rich waters concentrate fish populations.

Mating and Reproduction

Little is known about their mating behaviours. However, individuals appear to remain within familiar ranges for many years, and females likely give birth to a single calf after a long gestation. Calves are dependent for an extended period, learning complex navigation and foraging skills in rapidly changing river systems. The estimated generation length is 15.6 years.

FAQs

How many Tucuxis are left in the wild?

There is no comprehensive global population estimate. However, surveys from 1994–2017 in Brazil’s Mamirauá Reserve show a 7.4% annual decline—amounting to a 97% drop over three generations (da Silva et al., 2020). If this trend reflects the wider Amazon basin, the species could be on the brink of collapse.

How long do Tucuxis live?

Exact lifespans are unknown, but based on reproductive data and life history modelling, their generation length is around 15.6 years (Taylor et al., 2007), suggesting natural lifespans of 30–40 years.

How are palm oil and gold mining affecting Tucuxis?

Out-of-control palm oil expansion results in massive deforestation and run-off, clogging rivers with sediment and toxic agrochemicals. Gold mining adds mercury into aquatic ecosystems, where it bioaccumulates in fish—Tucuxis’ main food source. These pollutants cause reproductive harm, neurological damage, and immune system failure in dolphins.

Do Tucuxis make good pets and should they be kept in zoos?

Absolutely not. Tucuxis are intelligent, wild animals. Keeping them in captivity is deeply cruel and has no conservation benefit. Wild capture destroys families and can devastate local populations. If you care about these dolphins, say no to the exotic pet trade and the cruel zoo trade.

What habitats do they prefer?

Research in Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria Reserve shows that Tucuxis prefer river confluences and wide channels, particularly during the dry season when fish density is higher (Belanger et al., 2022). Feeding activity is especially concentrated in areas where whitewater rivers meet blackwater tributaries, creating nutrient-rich hotspots.

Take Action!

The Tucuxi is vanishing before our eyes. To protect them:

• Boycott palm oil and gold products linked to Amazon destruction.

• Choose fish-free and vegan products to reduce pressure on river ecosystems.

• Support indigenous-led conservation across the Amazon.

• Campaign for a ban on destructive dams, and the end of illegal fishing.

#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Support the Tucuxi 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

Belanger, A., Wright, A., Gomez, C., Shutt, J.D., Chota, K., & Bodmer, R. (2022). River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatilis) in the Peruvian Amazon: habitat preferences and feeding behaviour. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00268

da Silva, V., Martin, A., Fettuccia, D., Bivaqua, L. & Trujillo, F. 2020. Sotalia fluviatilis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T190871A50386457. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T190871A50386457.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.

Monteiro-Neto, C., Itavo, R. V., & Moraes, L. E. S. (2003). Concentrations of heavy metals in Sotalia fluviatilis (Cetacea: Delphinidae) off the coast of Ceará, northeast Brazil. Environmental Pollution, 123(2), 319–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00371-8

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.

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2. 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.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

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

Read more

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

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii

Keep reading

Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum

Keep reading

Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense

Keep reading

Southern Pudu Pudu puda

Keep reading

Blue-streaked Lory Eos reticulata

Keep reading

Blonde Capuchin Sapajus flavius

Keep reading

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 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)

#agriculture #amazon #amazonRainforest #amazonia #amazonian #animalCruelty #animals #boycott4wildlife #boycottgold #boycottmeat #boycottpalmoil #brazil #colombia #dams #deforestation #dolphin #dolphins #ecuador #endangered #endangeredSpecies #forgottenAnimals #gold #goldMining #goldmining #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #hydroelectric #mammal #mining #palmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #peru #poaching #saynotogold #tucuxi #tucuxiSotaliaFluviatilis #vegan

Kerala launches 'Mission for Agricultural Revival' to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, focusing on wild boar eradication and habitat management https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kerala-unveils-draft-policy-to-mitigate-human-wildlife-conflict-eradicate-wild-boar-threat-vudvhkk4?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #humanwildlifeconflict #Kerala #News

Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica

Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica

Critically Endangered

Extant (resident): Sumatra, Indonesia

The Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sondaica is a critically endangered big cat, with less than 600 of their species alive in the wild today. Once living in Java and Bali, they are now only found in Sumatra, Indonesia. The smallest tiger species, they possess darker coats and narrower stripes than their mainland counterparts. Each pattern is as unique and distinct as a fingerprint. Sumatran Tigers face serious and grave threats from palm oil habitat destruction, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict. Sumatra’s ongoing deforestation, driven by palm oil and acacia plantations, continues to shrink their habitat. While illegal poaching for the wildlife trade is decimating their population. Conservation efforts are underway, but the future of this magnificent species hangs in the balance. You can help protect the Sumatran tiger every time you shop. Learn how to boycott palm oil on the Palm Oil Detectives website. Raise awareness of them on social media using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

Fewer than 600 Sumatran #Tigers 🐅🐯 remain wild today 😭 Their number slashed by #palmoil #deforestation and illegal #poaching for body parts. Fight for their survival every time you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴⛔️ in the shops @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT

Mighty apex #predator, the Sumatran #Tiger’s stripes 🐯🐅 are unique like fingerprints. Critically #endangered, a few 100 remain alive! Major threats: #palmoil #ecocide and #poaching. Fight for them! 🌴⛔️ #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8QT

https://youtu.be/0g2Nv4cfBfo

Appearance & Behaviour

• Their distinctive stripes are unique to each individual, similar to human fingerprints.
• They are strong swimmers, often moving between islands and across rivers in order to seek new territory or hunt prey.

Sumatran tigers possess a rare combination of strength, beauty, and mystery that has captivated the human imagination since time immemorial. Their deep orange coats with distinctive black stripes seem to ripple as they move stealthily through dense forests. Unlike their mainland cousins, their coats are darker, and their stripes dissolve into spots, making them even more unique. Tigers in Sumatra are known for their grace and ferocity, moving silently through their home territory, often evoking admiration, fear and awe in all other species.

They are the smallest subspecies of tiger. Males weigh between 100-140 kg and females between 75-110 kg. Their compact size, compared to other tiger species, helps them move with agility through the dense forests of Sumatra.

These tigers like many other big cats prefer deep forests where they can blend into the foliage. Solitary creatures, Sumatran tigers only coming together for mating or a mother raising her young. These tigers are fiercely protective of their territory and will patrol vast areas to ensure their dominance. Their elusive and cryptic nature, combined with their regal appearance, inspires deep reverence from those who witness them.

Threats

Palm oil and timber deforestation

Clearing of forests for palm oil plantations and illegal logging for timber continues to destroy the Sumatran tigers’ natural habitat. Between 1985 and 2014, forest cover on Sumatra was reduced from 58% to just 26%. Forest destruction isolates tiger populations, making it difficult for them to hunt, breed, and thrive.

Illegal poaching and black market trade in body parts

Tigers are killed for their skins, bones, and teeth, which are highly valued in traditional medicine and as luxury items. This illegal trade continues despite intensified conservation efforts, leading to significant population declines.

Human-Tiger Conflict

As tigers lose their forest homes, they move closer to human settlements, sometimes attacking livestock. Retaliatory killings by villagers and farmers on palm oil plantations often result in the death of tigers, further reducing their numbers.

Genetic Conditions from Captive Breeding

Tigers captured from the wild and then bred in Zoos face genetic disorders due to inbreeding, such as vestibular dysfunctions. Vestibular dysfunctions include: head tilt, circling, ataxia (loss of muscle control), strabismus (being cross-eyed) and nystagmus (rapid uncontrolled movements of the eyes). A 2015 study observed these signs observed between birth and 2 months of age. These conditions can affect their health and ability to thrive and reproduce.

Habitat

Sumatran tigers inhabit a wide variety of forest habitats, including lowland tropical forests, hill forests, and montane forests. They are known to live in areas from sea level up to elevations of 3,200 metres in the highlands of Gunung Leuser National Park. Although they prefer dense forest areas for cover, Sumatran tigers are also forced to enter human-dominated landscapes such as farms and monoculture plantations at the edges of protected areas. Habitat fragmentation mainly occurs due to palm oil deforestation. These areas are less ideal for tigers and increase the likelihood of human-tiger conflicts. Sumatran tigers require large, contiguous forest blocks to roam, breed, and hunt effectively.

Diet

Sumatran tigers are apex predators, feeding primarily on medium to large-sized mammals. Their diet consists of wild pigs, sambar deer, Malayan tapirs, and occasionally monkeys and birds. Tigers rely on stealth and ambush tactics to catch their prey, stalking their target before launching a powerful and precise attack. In some areas, prey depletion has forced tigers to rely more on smaller animals or venture closer to human settlements, which increases the risks of conflict with humans. Their role as top predators is crucial in maintaining the balance of their ecosystem by controlling prey populations. This prevents overgrazing and helps to preserve forest vegetation.

Mating and breeding

Sumatran tigers are solitary animals that come together only for mating. Females typically give birth to litters of two or three cubs after a gestation period of about 3.5 months. Cubs are born blind and helpless, relying on their mother for protection and food for up to two years. During this time, the mother teaches the cubs essential hunting skills. Tigers reach sexual maturity at around 3 to 4 years of age. Due to their territorial nature, males will fight to defend their territory from other males, and only the strongest males have the opportunity to mate.

Conservation

Several organisations are working to protect the Sumatran tiger, including Fauna & Flora International, Panthera, and TRAFFIC.

Support Sumatran Tigers by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Further Information

Fauna & Flora International. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Fauna & Flora. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://www.fauna-flora.org/species/sumatran-tiger/

IUCN Red List. (2020). Panthera tigris sondaica. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://www.iucnredlist.org/fr/species/15955/214862019#population

Wheelhouse, J. L., Hulst, F., Beatty, J. A., Hogg, C. J., Child, G., Wade, C. M., & Barrs, V. R. (2015). Congenital vestibular disease in captive Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) in Australasia. Veterinary Journal, 206(2), 178–182. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tvjl.2015.09.005

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sumatran tiger. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_tiger

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.

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• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
• Mastodon

Enter your email address

Sign Up

2. 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.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

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

Read more

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

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Mountain Cuscus Phalanger carmelitae

Keep reading

Andean condor Vultur gryphus

Keep reading

Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus

Keep reading

Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus

Keep reading

Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis

Keep reading

Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus

Keep reading

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 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)

#bigcat #bigcats #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #carnivores #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #ecocide #endangered #GlobalTigerDay #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #Indonesia #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poaching #predator #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #SumatranTigerPantheraTigrisSondaica #tiger #TigerPantheraTigris #tigers #timber

Let’s Talk About Europe’s Wolf Protection Laws

As you may have heard, the Standing Committee of the Berne Convention (an international legal instrument for nature conservation) decided to lower the protection status of wolves. This opens the way to lower their protection status across the EU through the Habitats Directive.

The move had been on the cards for over a year, and I covered it extensively on my podcast in episode 163 last November. Back then, I spoke to five experts: scientists working in the fields of biology and social sciences, hunters, environmentalists and even a goat breeder, in an attempt to get the full picture of the situation. As it was then, it still is clear to me that a topic so complex and emotional as killing wolves cannot be fully covered with the opinion of only one podcast guest.

However, in light of this recent development and hearing the chorus of voices it provoked, I decided to write this piece to give you my take on this issue. Is it all that terrible for the wolves in Europe? Of course, given how emotive this topic is, I need to be careful with my words here, not to be accused (again) of spreading the ‘strong nothing to worry about’ vibes. Please hear me out.

First and foremost, the potential move of wolves from Annex IV to Annex V of the Habitats Directive would lower their protection status from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected’. Let’s be clear: wolves are still protected. It’s not, as some commentators would have us believe, that a wholesale slaughter of wolves in Europe is imminent. The conservation outcome requirements remain unchanged. Member States still need to recover wolf populations and maintain them in a favourable conservation status.

I disagree with the frequently repeated claim that there is no scientific basis for lowering wolf protection status. I take issue with how a complex body of evidence, including data, observations, predictions and modelling, is often presented as a single, easily interpreted result. In most cases, the reality is more nuanced. Everyone acknowledges that wolves have made a remarkable comeback across Europe. It’s a great conservation success story! So you have to ask yourself a question, why do we have this system of annexes in the Habitats Directive? Isn’t it supposed to reflect species’ conservation status? Why does moving a species to another annex to reflect its recovery cause so much fuss? The answer is politics.

While decisions about moving species from one annex to another should be left to scientists, downlisting an animal (as in this case, wolves) involves an unnecessarily bureaucratic process that requires approval from the EU’s heads of state. This not only creates a very static system where species cannot be easily moved up and down, but it also politicises the process, creating fertile ground for politicians to signal to their voters. And I have said it many times before, when conservation gets politicised, nature and wildlife are the losers. The resulting system rigidity is considered a major flaw in the Habitats Directive. It’s in stark contrast with other dynamic processes of conservation status assessment. Take the example of the IUCN Red List system, where conservation status is periodically reviewed based on the best available scientific data on population size and density. Species status changes without political involvement. Similarly, the US Endangered Species Act is more dynamic, with species being uplisted and downlisted as they become threatened or recover.

But is wolf recovery in Europe sufficient to justify downlisting?

You have probably heard one of two main arguments. First, wolves are still missing from the majority of their historic range. I dealt with this argument and the concept of historic range in another article titled ‘The Myth of Historic Range in Wolf Conservation’. So, I’m not going to repeat that here. Second, most populations are still in unfavourable conservation status. This is where things become more interesting.

It is always a question of scale. When you look at the individual populations within countries’ borders they might indeed appear small. However, when we zoom out and look at the population as a whole, then it suddenly becomes quite large. Wolf populations in Europe are mixing in ways that haven’t happened for centuries. For example, wolves from the Baltic states are mixing with wolves heading up from Italy. This constitutes a strong argument that wolf conservation should be considered in the context of a European metapopulation. It shows a more robust picture of wolf conservation status, especially given the much improved connectivity. And as we know in conservation, connectivity is everything.

There is one more scientific argument, this time from the realm of social sciences. As anyone interested in conservation should know, social science is likely the most important part of conservation science. Wolves can be inconvenient neighbours. There is no doubt that the increase in wolf numbers, range and density has resulted in increased human-wildlife conflict. Yes, I am aware of all the arguments about livestock protection measures and the need to learn to coexist with wildlife. They are all valid, though not without its flaws. Yes, killing wolves does not necessarily prevent attacks on livestock, nor is it the most effective way of managing conflict. But it gives people something else, a feeling of agency. I remember a discussion with Helen Arusoo, the leader of Estonia’s National Animal Working Group (the wolf is the national animal of Estonia), who said that when people feel they lack this sense of agency, they will “hate the wolf in their heart”. During that conversation, she made an excellent point that perhaps it would be a good idea for the EU to look, for once, at smaller countries like Estonia, which are running gold-standard wolf conservation programmes, and learn from their experience. I would definitely recommend listening to my conversation with Helen in episode 168.

So is it all good?

Not quite. Even though it is unlikely that downlisting will pose a threat to the wolf population in Europe, many wolves will be killed in the EU as a result. That is, after all, the whole purpose behind the move. I have no doubt that in some regions and cases, the killing will be excessive, resulting in the removal of too many individuals, leading to pack structure disruption and even local extirpation. Furthermore, pack disruption leads to more lone wolves on the landscape through the loss of pack leaders and disruption of social learning. These solitary individuals are more likely to come into conflict with humans, which can create a vicious circle of wolf killing. The wolves will be especially vulnerable in the regions where anti-wolf sentiments have been embraced by politicians who have managed to get into government in recent election cycles.

Controlling wolf numbers based solely on human tolerance rather than their ecological function has serious ecological impacts. Wolves play a key role not only in controlling the numbers and grazing behaviour of ungulates but also in regulating mesopredator populations, such as foxes. It is a well-known fact that current mainstream farming practices are a cause of the overabundance of generalist mesopredators, which leads to various ecosystem imbalances. The precarious state of ground-nesting birds is a good example. To reinforce this point, ground-nesting bird populations are in a much better shape (with less severe decline) in Eastern Europe, where wolves are present in greater numbers and, in some regions, were never extirpated, unlike in Western Europe.

The downlisting of wolves in the EU may also have broader geopolitical implications. It could pave the way for further politically motivated modifications of the Habitats Directive or changes to the protection of other species that are, in one way or another, incompatible with immediate human interests. The downlisting could also send a problematic message to the world. If a rich European society cannot coexist with relatively harmless predators like wolves, how can it expect other, poorer nations to coexist with much more dangerous and problematic animals like lions or elephants (see ‘trophy import ban’)? That is a blatant display of double standards by European politicians.

Finally, and this argument might seem out of place to some, there is the potential negative impact on hunting and hunters. I can already see the public outcry over wolf hunts organised by the ossified, old-school hunting organisations in Europe. Along with thoughtless hunters posting photos of the wolves they killed. This would only further undermine the social acceptance of hunting, giving anti-hunting organisations ammunition to advance their objectives. Hunters and hunting organisations need to be careful not to let their reputation be further tarnished.

Despite the potential for negative outcomes, the optimist in me wants to see the positives that could follow this decision. Primarily, there is potential to depoliticise the Habitats Directive by implementing Article 19, making it a scientific and flexible tool for classifying species conservation status. I also hope that overall, this move will improve the coexistence and acceptance of wolves on Europe’s landscape. The symbolism of wolves’ strictly protected status, especially in the current political climate, has caused wildlife conservation matters to become entangled in both populist right-wing and hard-left politics. And this is more damaging than shooting a few wolves as the price for coexistence.

If you enjoyed this article, please sign up for my newsletter for more: newsletter.tommysoutdoors.com. To listen to exclusive interviews about the proposal to reduce the protection of wolves in the EU, click here.

#bernConvention #conservationPolitics #conservationScience #ecologicalImpact #environmentalPolicy #environmentalProtection #europeanUnion #HabitatsDirective #humanWildlifeConflict #Hunting #predatorConservation #wildlifeConservation #wildlifeManagement #Wolves

Hey, I'm speaking Italian now! Translation of Among the Bone Eaters out now from Adelphi. Thanks to Giulia and Barbara for fantastic support.
#Hyenas #SpottedHyenas #Harar #Ethiopia #HumanWildlifeConflict
https://www.adelphi.it/libro/9788845938818

How do wild animals manage to continue hunting and reproducing in areas occupied by houses, roads, domestic animals and crops? Scientists increasingly point out that the only solution for most species is to drastically change their habits, in a forced adaptation process whose consequences for the surroundings are still uncertain.

by Fernanda Wenzel
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/04/cerrado-mammals-change-their-habits-to-escape-humans-study-shows/

#News #Conservation #Environment #Mammals #HumanWildlifeConflict #Animals

Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps

Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps

Red List Status: Endangered

Extant (resident): Papua New Guinea; Solomon Islands

In the verdant, high-altitude forests of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands, lives an intriguing creature—the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat or, as some call them, the Bougainville Flying Monkey. These bats are the titans of their family, boasting arm spans stretching impressively between 14.1 to 16 cm. They are endangered, mostly from palm oil and gold mining deforestation and hunting. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

Help to save the Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bat 🦇 of Bougainville Is. #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 they are #endangered from #palmoil 🌴🪔#deforestation 🔥🌳 and hunting. Help them to survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife each time you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA

Beguiling Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bats 🦇✨ are #endangered from #palmoil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea and the Solomon Islands. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop! @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA

https://youtu.be/leqBZY0eJ_s

Appearance & Behaviour

During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin.

They wear a mantle of thick, black fur that shrouds their heads and backs, whilst a contrasting splash of white or yellow graces their chests, making them a sight to behold. Unlike their relatives, the Guadalcanal Monkey-faced bats, their legs are enshrouded with a full coat of fur. During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin. Tailless and intriguingly equal in size whether male or female, these bats certainly stand out in the animal kingdom.

Threats

Habitat Destruction:

• Bougainville Monkey-faced bats predominantly depend on mature, upland forests.
• Significant habitat destruction from agricultural activities and forest conversion.

Hunting Pressures

• They are regularly hunted for bushmeat: Hunting practices often involve burning the bats’ roosting trees, thereby destroying their habitats.
• Increased hunting pressure was partly due to civil tensions in Bougainville from 1987 to 2000.

Population Decline:

• Bougainville Monkey-faced bats were feared extinct in 1992 due to a lack of sightings.
• Tragically, their population is estimated to have declined by at least 50% from 1997-2017.
• Despite suggestions for a captive breeding program in 1992 to curb population decline, no such program exists as of 2017.

Conservation Efforts:

Bougainville Monkey-faced bats are listed as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Bat Conservation International included them in its worldwide priority list for conservation in 2013.

Conservation strategies involve collaborations with local communities and organisations, identifying alternative protein sources, reforestation, managing conflicts between the bats and farmers, and promoting conservation dialogue.

Habitat

Found high above sea level in cloud forests over 1,100 metres, the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat enjoys the tranquillity and freshness of higher altitudes. After vanishing from sight on Bougainville Island since 1968, they made a surprise reappearance in 2016. On Choiseul Island, though, they’ve been conspicuously absent since 2008. These bats have a penchant for mature, highland tropical forests and aren’t picky about roosting spots, be it in hollow trees or hanging off fig tree branches. There’s even talk about these bats gouging trees for sap—a unique adaptation indeed!

Diet

While the exact diet of these bats remains a mystery, the significant wear on the teeth of museum specimens provides a clue. This condition points to the possibility of them consuming hard, rough-textured fruits.

Mating and breeding

Many aspects of the biology and behaviour of this bat, like many other megabats, remain understudied due to their inaccessible habitats and their elusive, secretive natures.

Support Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps 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

Lavery, T.H. 2017. Pteralopex anceps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T18656A22071126. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T18656A22071126.en. Accessed on 14 June 2023.

Bougainville monkey-faced bat Wikipedia article – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_monkey-faced_bat

Bougainville monkey-faced bat on The IUCN Red List site – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18656/22071126

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.

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2. 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.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 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)

Roaming canines or a vital stopover for shorebirds?

"A Queensland council has budgeted more than $10,000 for police patrols after creating new laws banning dogs from previously designated off-leash areas. The council says the change is critical to protect the local environment and threatened shorebirds that nest in the region."
On most NSW beaches shorebirds have to take flight and dogs can freely run.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-17/sunshine-coast-point-cartwright-off-leash-dog-area-ban/103237914
#birds #shorebirds #wildlife #conflict #HumanWildlifeConflict #HWC #pets #dogs #beach #NSW #council #biodiversity

#discovermammals passing wind turbines.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339141106_Bat_movement_ecology_at_the_local_scale_and_anthropogenic_collision_risks

#collision #windfarm #bats #Chiroptera #migration #windturbine #humanwildlifeconflict #energytransition

163: The EU Review of Wolf Protection Status

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TIXgTU3Rd1Lcn2moMsz0l

The human-wildlife conflict with wolves has been brewing on the ground in the EU for some time. On the one hand, it has been fueled by a remarkable recovery of wolves across the continent, and on the other, by politicians trying to hijack it for their political gains. In September 2023 the European Commission invited “local communities, scientists and all interested parties” to submit the latest data in order to review the conservation status of wolves and decide whether to downgrade the conservation status of the species. Predictably this has sparked a lot of debate with clear demarcation lines between factions.

https://youtu.be/oITfPp9o3ac

To deal with this topic I decided to change the format of the podcast and in this episode, you will hear from not one but five experts in their fields. I felt the subject is so complex that to present it in the most comprehensive and objective way we need to hear all the relevant voices. By listening to this episode you will hear opinions on this topic from a wildlife biologist, Professor John Linnell, a goat breeder, Bruno Lecomte, a social scientist, ​​Professor Erica von Essen, an environmentalist, the Head of EU Policy at BirdLife International, Ariel Brunner and, last but not least, the Secretary General of the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation, Dr David Scallan. Special thanks to hunting journalist and blogger Denis Plat for his help in ensuring that opinions from rural France were voiced. Cover photo courtesy of Alick Simmons.

While making this episode I recorded many hours of material and understandably not all of it made it into the episode. If you would be interested in listening to the individual interviews with the guests in this podcast, please click here.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organisation. The participants are expressing their personal opinions and perspectives.

Further reading on the subject of this episode:

Wolves in Europe: Commission urges local authorities to make full use of existing derogations and collects data for conservation status review

European Predation Map – courtesy of Bruno Lecomte

Attitudes towards returning wolves

Changes to the protection status of wolves?

#Biodiversity #Conservation #EndangeredSpecies #euChiefWolvesProtection #euChiefWolvesStatement #euWarOnWolves #europeProtectedStatusWolves #europeWolves #europeWolvesExtinct #europeNews #europeanCommissionPresident #europeanUnionWolves #europeanWolves #grayWolves #greyWolves #humanWildlifeConflict #Podcast #tommysoutdoors #UrsulaVonDerLeyenSPony #warOfWolvesEu #warOnWolvesEu #wildlifeConservation

Assam state in northeastern India, where farmers and elephants jostle for space and food, has one of the highest incidences of human-elephant conflict in the country.

Conservationists from Hati Bondhu, a nonprofit organization, are working with farmers in Assam’s Golaghat district to pursue a more peaceful human-elephant coexistence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vKKqoolyJ8

#News #Conservation #Environment #Elephants #HumanWildlifeConflict #Wildlife #Agriculture #India

Elephants straying out of Afi River Forest Reserve in the Nigerian state of Cross River are reportedly damaging surrounding farms.

This uptick in human-wildlife conflict comes as satellite data show continuing and increasing deforestation in the Afi River reserve and other protected areas.

By Orji Sunday
https://news.mongabay.com/2023/08/elephants-invade-as-habitat-loss-soars-in-nigerian-forest-reserve/

#News #Conservation #Environment #HumanWildlifeConflict #Wildlife #Elephants #Africa

19-JUL-2023
Picturing where wildlands and people meet at a global scale
Led by a team at UW–Madison, researchers have created the first global map of wildland-human interfaces

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/996139 #science #ecology #HumanWildlifeConflict #wildlife #conservation

Barasingha Cervus duvauceli

Barasingha (Swamp Deer) Cervus duvauceli

Red List Status: Vulnerable

Extant (resident): India; Nepal

Extinct: Bangladesh; Pakistan

Presence Uncertain: Bhutan

Barasinghas Cervus duvauceli also known as Swamp Deers, are instantly recognisable for their enormous handsome antlers. They can have as many as 12 antlers and their namesake Barasinghas means ’12 antlered deer’ in Hindi. They are now one of the most endangered deer species in the world due to habitat fragmentation for palm oil and beef, along with human persecution and hunting. The only remaining population live in protected sanctuaries in India and Nepal. The herd will be led by a single female and then followed by other females in a procession and then the males follow along at the rear of the group. Despite this, females are not dominant over the herd. These resilient, tough and majestic deer species are classified vulnerable on IUCN Red List. If you want to help them, adopt a #Vegan lifestyle and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!

https://youtu.be/C1nw7nBfLDA

Handsome #Barasinghas of #India 🇮🇳 #Nepal 🇳🇵 have huge antlers 🦌😻 They are one of the most endangered #deer species in the 🌎 due to #hunting and #palmoil #deforestation. Help save them! 🌴🪔🩸🚜🔥🧐🚫 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/06/25/barasingha-cervus-duvauceli/

#Barasingha mean “12 Antlered #Deer” in #Hindi 🦌🤎 Major threats include #meat and #palmoil #ecocide in #India 🇮🇳 and #Nepal 🇳🇵 along with #poaching 🏹 Take action for them and be #vegan 🥦🍅 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/06/25/barasingha-cervus-duvauceli/

Appearance & Behaviour

Barasinghas are a highly social and strongly matriarchal deer species. They typically gather in herds of 10-2o individual deers.

Herds are mostly made up of deer of similar age. Although herds may sometimes be mixed in age and gender. The herd will be led by a single female and then followed by other females in a procession and then the males follow along at the rear of the group. Despite this, females are not dominant over other members of the herd. Males are known to move between herds, whereas females are more loyal to their own herd. Like many other deer species, males are generally referred to as ‘bucks’ and dominant males a ‘stags’.

They are naturally diurnal and active throughout the day. They will typically rest during the heat of midday and spend the dawn and dusk grazing.

Juvenile males will sport smaller antlers that are an extension to their bones and have blood vessels inside of them. This coating of blood vessels or ‘felt’ is lost over time, as the young deers will rub the antlers against trees to toughen the antlers up.

Threats

There are three sub-species of Barasinghas and in total IUCN Red List estimates that there are only 3,500 to 5,100 left alive. They are classified as Vulnerable. Only a small number of Barasinghas live in protected zones, including:

• 350-500 animals in Kaziranga National Park
• 300-350 animals in Kanha National Park

Barasinghas face multiple human-related threats:

• Palm oil deforestation: A significant part of their range is being destroyed for palm oil. They rely on mangroves and swamps and these are drained and destroyed to make way for palm oil.
• Hunting: Hunters often deliberately seek out these deer for their extraordinary antlers.
• Livestock deforestation: Livestock grazing and other agricultural expansion.
• Competition with other animals for food in a shrinking range.
• Diseases: passed on from domestic cattle to the deer.

Habitat

The Barasingha is faces multiple anthropogenic threats which has heavily fragmented their range in north and central India and south west Nepal. They prefer riparian and riverine habitats close to floodplains, wetlands, mangroves and swamps as well as riversides. They are also fund in woodlands and deciduous forests.

Diet

Barasinghas are herbivorous mammals and they provide a vital ecosystem service by ensuring that plants are kept under control with their grazing habits. They generally stick with a diet of foliage, leaves and grass. Some Barasinghas living in wetlands will supplement this diet with algae and aquatic vegetation.

Mating and breeding

Dominant males in herds will mate with a group of females known as a harem. Males in herds will engage in bloody and violent conflicts with each other for mating rights during the rutting season. Male ‘bucks’ call for female ‘does’ using a series of bugling and barking sounds to indicate their readiness to mate. Mating season is between October and February.

Females give birth typically to only one fawn after around eight months of pregnancy. Occasionally twins occur. The fawn is weaned by six to eight months, and after two years, young females reach sexual maturity.

Support Barasinghas 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

Duckworth, J.W., Kumar, N.S., Pokharel, C.P., Sagar Baral, H. & Timmins, R. 2015. Rucervus duvaucelii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T4257A22167675. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T4257A22167675.en. Accessed on 12 November 2022.

Barasingha Cervus duvauceli on Wikipedia

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.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
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Enter your email address

Sign Up

2. 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.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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

‘Your tiger killed my cattle’: As big cats thrive in #Bhutan, farmers struggle: https://news.mongabay.com/2023/01/your-tiger-killed-my-cattle-as-big-cats-thrive-in-bhutan-farmers-struggle/ – by me for @mongabay #conservation #humanwildlifeconflict #tigers

#introduction post, some hashtags about me and my interests.

#conservation #felids #ecology #HumanWildlifeConflict #equity #Gaeilge #rewilding #decolonise #ClimateChange #justice #zoology #research #virology #CameraTrap #indigenous #Europe #Aotearoa #Ireland #cats #SnowLeopard #Tiger #Cheetah #Ocelot #Lynx #Leopard #Carnivores

Research: Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa

Research by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission found that although oil palm cultivation represents an important source of income for many tropical countries, its future expansion is a primary threat to tropical forests and biodiversity.

#Research: Along with the dramatic effects of #palmoil cultivation on #biodiversity in #Asia, reconciling a large-scale #oilpalm growth in #Africa with #primate #conservation will be a great challenge #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/02/03/research-small-room-for-compromise-between-oil-palm-cultivation-and-primate-conservation-in-africa/

In this context, and especially in regions where industrial palm oil production is still emerging, identifying “areas of compromise,” that is, areas with high productivity and low biodiversity importance, could be a unique opportunity to reconcile conservation and economic growth. The team applied this approach to Africa, by combining data on oil palm suitability with primate distribution, diversity, and vulnerability.

“We found that such areas of compromise are very rare throughout the continent (0.13 Mha), and that large-scale expansion of oil palm cultivation in Africa will have unavoidable, negative effects on primates.”

Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa (2018) Giovanni Strona, Simon D. Stringer, Ghislain Vieilledent, et. al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Aug 2018, 115 (35) 8811-8816; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804775115

https://twitter.com/Cleve_Hicks/status/1484118025125175296?s=20

“Despite growing awareness about its detrimental effects on tropical biodiversity, land conversion to palm oil continues to increase rapidly as a consequence of global demand, profitability, and the income opportunity it offers to producing countries.”

Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa (2018) Giovanni Strona, Simon D. Stringer, Ghislain Vieilledent, et. al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Aug 2018, 115 (35) 8811-8816; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804775115

Although most industrial oil palm plantations are located in Southeast Asia, it is argued that much of their future expansion will occur in Africa. The team assessed how this could affect the continent’s primates by combining information on oil palm suitability and current land use with primate distribution, diversity, and vulnerability.

They also quantified the potential impact of large-scale oil palm cultivation on primates in terms of range loss under different expansion scenarios taking into account future demand, oil palm suitability, human accessibility, carbon stock, and primate vulnerability.

They found a high overlap between areas of high oil palm suitability and areas of high conservation priority for primates. Overall, we found only a few small areas where oil palm could be cultivated in Africa with a low impact on primates (3.3 Mha, including all areas suitable for oil palm).

“These results warn that, consistent with the dramatic effects of palm oil cultivation on biodiversity in Southeast Asia, reconciling a large-scale development of oil palm in Africa with primate conservation will be a great challenge.”

Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa (2018) Giovanni Strona, Simon D. Stringer, Ghislain Vieilledent, et. al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Aug 2018, 115 (35) 8811-8816; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804775115

Small room for compromise between oil palm cultivation and primate conservation in Africa (2018) Giovanni Strona, Simon D. Stringer, Ghislain Vieilledent, et. al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Aug 2018, 115 (35) 8811-8816; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804775115

Primatologist Dr Cleve Hicks warns about how palm oil is poised destroy primate populations in Africa and why he believes the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife is the answer

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.

Read more

Boycott the brands causing deforestation for palm oil, soy and meat by joining the #Boycott4Wildlife

#Africa #Asia #biodiversity #bonobo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottpalmoilTweet #ChimpanzeePanTroglodytes #conservation #deforestation #EasternGorillaGorillaBeringei #humanWildlifeConflict #Mammal #monkey #MountainGorilla #oilpalm #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Primate #primates #research #WesternGorillaGorillaGorilla