#vulnerable — Public Fediverse posts

#News: 🐻🌿 Protecting #Peru’s grasslands vital for #vulnerable Spectacled #bear. #Research finds bears prefer foraging areas with negative impact of #meat #soy and #palmoil agriculture. #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🥩⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9OQ?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#News: 🐻🌿 Protecting #Peru’s grasslands vital for #vulnerable Spectacled #bear. #Research finds bears prefer foraging areas with negative impact of #meat #soy and #palmoil agriculture. #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🥩⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9OQ?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#News: 🐻🌿 Protecting #Peru’s grasslands vital for #vulnerable Spectacled #bear. #Research finds bears prefer foraging areas with negative impact of #meat #soy and #palmoil agriculture. #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🥩⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9OQ?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#News: 🐻🌿 Protecting #Peru’s grasslands vital for #vulnerable Spectacled #bear. #Research finds bears prefer foraging areas with negative impact of #meat #soy and #palmoil agriculture. #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🥩⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9OQ?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Temporary by-law changes in Vancouver for World Cup

The games don’t start until June but the official start of the FIFA World Cup ‘event period’ in…
#NewsBeep #News #Vancouver #at-risk #BCPovertyReductionCoalition #By-Laws #CA #Canada #ChantelleSpicer #DowntownEastside #Enforcement #FIFA #ShortClip #vulnerable #worldcup
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/667249/

Hi @JulianOliver,
frankly I am not at all surprised. When github.com got bought, I felt this wasn't a place to stay and looked around where to go in the longer run. gitlab.com wasn't a safe bet already back then - the smell of #enterprise/ #corporate & #VC #money was strong.
I took the indie & mirror route and never regret it: https://blog.mro.name/2024/10/scaling-infrastructure/#:~:text=gitlab%2Ecom

Be #vulnerable!
Be #resilient!
Practise #solidarity

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..." #Janov als Grundlage #pain #nopain #trauma

https://mastodon.social/@Karl_Theodor/116320231612103181

#mentalhealth #health #Gesundheit #Medizin #Wissenschaft #Homöostase #Endocannabinoidsystem #Sucht #Schmerz #addiction #DNAMethylierung #Cannabis #Patent6630507 #USA

Europe without Turkey ‘Incomplete, Vulnerable in Managing Crises: Erdogan

Islam Times – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that a European architecture that does not…
#Europe #EU #‘Incomplete #a #and #Architecture #Crises #does #Erdogan #European #in #include #Islam #its #Managing #not #on #place #President #Recep #remain #rightful #said #Saturday #Tayyip #that #Times #turkey #Turkish #vulnerable #without #would
https://www.europesays.com/europe/36773/

Brown Howlers have a loud howl 🐒🐵🔊 that can be heard 2km away. They are #vulnerable from #palmoil and other #deforestation in #Brazil 🇧🇷 Use your wallet as a weapon and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🤮⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/07/23/brown-howler-monkey-alouatta-guariba/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Soaring flying #birds of #Peru #Ecuador #Colombia and #Brazil, Andean #Condors are #vulnerable from #agriculture and ranchers poisoning them with #pesticide. Help these magnificent birds to survive! Be #vegan 🥕🥦 and #Boycott4Wildlife 🦅💚 @palmoildetectives https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8S0?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

I want to live in a progressive #IndependentScotland...

With no #foodbanks...

With no #homelessness...

With no #childpoverty...

With no #trident...

With no #westminster policies...

With free #healthcare for all...

With a respect for #all our peoples ...

As a #member of the families of the EU...🇪🇺

Where people are #citizens not #subjects ...

As a country that #protects and #supports the most #vulnerable

All the above and more is possible...

A #ScottishRepublic... #YouYesYet...🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

https://www.europesays.com/iran/94877/ What Does Iran Mean by Managing the Strait of Hormuz? #a #aircraft #at #body #by #carrier #Does #Foreign #from #gulf #Hormuz #Iran #is #Islam #like #littoral #longer #Managing #Mean #mere #no #of #Persian #protectorate #repositioning #s #States’ #strait #StraitOfHormuz #that #the #Times #treated #tremble #U #Vulnerable #Washington #water #what #whose #would

Pocket sized cuties 🧸😻🩷 Waigeo #Cuscus are #vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation on a tiny island in #WestPapua. Fight for their survival, go #vegan 🥦🍅 and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🔥🧐🏂🙈🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife each time you shop https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/07/09/waigeo-cuscus-spilocuscus-papuensis/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer via @palmoildetectives

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/29/critical-minerals-are-oil-of-21st-century-as-demand-fuels-poverty-and-pollution-in-poorer-countries; https://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:10642/UNU-INWEH-Critical-Minerals-Water-Insecurity-and-Injustice.pdf. "Critical #minerals such as #lithium, #cobalt & #nickel are becoming the 'oil of the 21st century' as the scramble for precious #metals deepens #poverty & creates #publichealth #crises in some of the world’s most #vulnerable #communities, a report by the UN’s #water #thinktank has found."

Gentle gardeners of #Borneo, Bearded #Pigs 🐷🩷 have distinguished and cheeky whiskers that set them apart from others. They’re #vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation, fight for their survival #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/15/bearded-pig-sus-barbatus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Dusky Pademelons are pocket rockets 🦘 bouncing thru the forests of #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 and #WestPapua. They are #vulnerable from #palmoil #deforestation #mining and hunting. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸🔥🙊🤑⛔️ @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/06/23/dusky-pademelon-thylogale-brunii/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#Mandrills are #monkeys with vividly coloured faces 🌈🐵🐒 and rumps. They are the #vulnerable from #palmoil 🌴🔥 and #cocoa 🍫🔥 #deforestation and #hunting. Fight for them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetectives https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/12/17/mandrill-mandrillus-sphinx/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The #Oncilla is a small wild #cat found in Central and #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable from #soy #meat #palmoil #deforestation. Resist and help them, be #vegan 🥦🍅🥒 and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#Cal is moving its flagship #opensource programme to a #proprietary model due to the increasing threat of #AIhacking. The company believes that open-source code, while transparent, is now #vulnerable to #AI tools that can easily find #vulnerabilities. Despite this move, Cal remains committed to open source and has released Cal.diy, a fully open-source version for hobbyists. https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-security-worries-force-company-to-abandon-open-source/?AIagents.at #AIagent #AI #ML #NLP #LLM #GenAI

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/

Iconic #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/

https://youtu.be/yPM7uV9kL24

Appearance & 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.

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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

Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus

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

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)

@allegrabork #nopain #noTrauma 🌱 #Cannabis #Zusammenhänge #Hanfwissen

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..." Die Artikelreihe und Literatur von #Janov als Grundlage für vertieftes Verstehen.

#mentalhealth #health #Gesundheit #Medizin #Wissenschaft #Homöostase #Endocannabinoidsystem #Sucht #Schmerz #addiction #DNAMethylierung

https://mastodon.social/@Karl_Theodor/116206682172401829

#nopain #noTrauma 🌱 #Cannabis #Zusammenhänge #Hanfwissen

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..."

#mentalhealth #health #Gesundheit #Medizin #Wissenschaft #Homöostase #Endocannabinoidsystem

https://mastodon.social/@Karl_Theodor/116308622056441790

#nopain #noTrauma 🌱 #Cannabis #Zusammenhänge #Hanfwissen

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..."

https://mastodon.social/@Karl_Theodor/116206682172401829

#nopain #noTrauma 🌱 #Cannabis #Zusammenhänge #Hanfwissen

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..."

Today is #WorldBearDay 🐻🌿 Protecting #Peru’s grasslands vital for #vulnerable Spectacled #bear. #Research finds bears need foraging areas impacted by #meat #soy and #palmoil agriculture Be #vegan #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🥩⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9OQ?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus

Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

Locations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), The Philippines (Palawan)

Found in freshwater wetlands, peat swamps, mangroves, hill streams and rice fields across South and Southeast Asia, with a genetically distinct and critically impacted subspecies (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats of India.

The Asian Small-clawed #Otter, the world’s smallest otter species — is inquisitive, intelligent, and highly social. They are listed as #Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and are declining rapidly due to #palmoil #tea and #coffee #deforestation, #poaching, #pesticide #pollution, and the illegal pet trade. Their fragile habitat in the Western Ghats, India home to the subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai, is being destroyed at an alarming rate for palm oil monocultures, plantations, and hydropower development. Boycott #palmoil and demand protection for these sensitive and intelligent wetland sentinels. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

The Asian Small-Clawed Otter 🦦🩷 is the smallest #otter in the 🌎. A tenacious survivor in #Asia’s vast #rivers, #pesticide pollution and #palmoil #ecocide now pose grave threats. Help them when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/

Communicating with chirps and whistles, endearing Asian Small-Clawed #Otters live in rowdy groups 🦦😘 They’re #vulnerable from the illegal #pet trade and #palmoil #deforestation. #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸❌ #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2026/03/22/asian-small-clawed-otter-aonyx-cinereus/

https://youtu.be/R9L-N1WgFig

Appearance and Behaviour

With silky chocolate-brown fur, pale undersides and a broad, flat face, the Asian Small-clawed Otter has a distinct charm. Their tiny claws don’t extend past their fingers — an adaptation that gives them remarkable dexterity for catching prey. They weigh only 2.7 to 3.5 kg and reach lengths of 73 to 96 cm, making them the smallest otter species in the world.

Highly vocal and playful, these otters live in tight-knit family groups of up to 15. They communicate with at least a dozen vocalisations — chirps, squeals and whistles — and use communal latrines to mark their territories. In the Western Ghats, they are more active at night and prefer rugged hill streams with dense grasses and rocky pools for cover and escape routes.

Threats

Palm oil deforestation and peat swamp destruction

Across Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, vast areas of peat swamp forests and mangroves — critical habitats for Asian Small-clawed Otters — have been destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations. These plantations drain wetlands, replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, and leave otters with no access to food or cover. In India, the expansion of palm oil into the Western Ghats under so-called ‘green development’ initiatives is now destroying the rocky hill stream habitats used by the Aonyx cinereus nirnai subspecies. This deforestation not only eliminates their shelter and food sources but also causes soil erosion and alters the hydrology of entire watersheds.

Conversion of forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations in the Western Ghats

In southern India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, large-scale conversion of native forests to palm oil, tea and coffee plantations is reducing the range of Aonyx cinereus nirnai. These monocultures fragment stream habitats and introduce pesticides that poison aquatic life. Studies have found the otters avoiding plantation areas due to lack of vegetation cover and prey (Raha & Hussain, 2016). As a result, the Western Ghats population is now restricted to narrow, isolated pockets, surrounded by human-altered landscapes that are increasingly inhospitable to them.

Capture for the Illegal pet trade and cruel conditions in pet cafés

The Asian Small-clawed Otter is the most heavily trafficked otter species in Asia’s exotic pet trade. Between 2016 and 2017, over 700 individuals were recorded for sale online in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Many are poached from the wild as pups, leading to the death of their parents and collapse of social groups. Captive conditions in pet cafés and private homes cause extreme stress and suffering — and demand is rising due to social media content that normalises otter ownership.

Poaching for pelts and traditional use

Poaching continues to be a severe threat in South Asia. In the Western Ghats, otters are hunted for their pelts and body parts, which are used in traditional medicine or sold on the black market. Reports from protected areas in India reveal organised trapping and trade routes extending across state lines (Prakash et al., 2012). These killings often go undocumented due to weak enforcement, and they rapidly deplete already fragile local populations.

Overfishing and prey depletion

In many parts of Asia, otters face competition from humans for aquatic prey. Overfishing in rivers, lakes, and mangroves has drastically reduced populations of crabs, mudskippers, and fish species that form the core of the otter’s diet. Pollution from fish farms and chemical runoff further weakens these food webs, making otter survival harder during dry or lean seasons. In some areas, otters are also deliberately killed by fishers who perceive them as pests competing for the same resources.

Pesticide run-off pollution from agriculture

Agricultural runoff from palm oil, tea and coffee plantations containing pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals has been shown to poison water sources throughout the otter’s range. In the Western Ghats of India and parts of Southeast Asia, such contaminants accumulate in the food chain and affect the physiology of aquatic mammals. Polluted waterways reduce prey availability and can lead to bioaccumulation of toxins in otters, weakening their immune systems and reproductive capacity. This is especially critical in closed or stagnant freshwater systems like rice paddies and irrigation channels, where contamination is concentrated.

Hydropower development and infrastructure fragmentation

Dams and hydroelectric projects throughout the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia have altered river flow, submerged natural habitats, and fragmented otter territories. These developments destroy riverine connectivity, which otters rely on to forage and disperse. For the nirnai subspecies, hill streams once connected across forest corridors are now interrupted by roads, canals, and dams — leading to isolated, unsustainable populations. Infrastructure development often proceeds without proper environmental assessments, disregarding the needs of aquatic species like otters.

Climate change and habitat drying

Shifts in monsoon patterns, increased droughts, and rising temperatures are affecting the wetlands and rivers that Asian Small-clawed Otters depend on. Reduced water flow in dry seasons can strand otter families and eliminate key feeding pools. In the Western Ghats, erratic rainfall is already altering seasonal resource use patterns for A. c. nirnai, increasing their vulnerability to disturbance (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024). Climate stress, combined with other threats, compounds the likelihood of local extinctions.

Geographic Range

Their range stretches across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (including Borneo, Sumatra, Java), the Philippines (Palawan), China and Taiwan. In India, they are found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. They are absent from large swathes of their historical range, including the Western Himalayas.

The genetically distinct subspecies Aonyx cinereus nirnai is restricted to the Western Ghats’ Moyar River and surrounding hill streams. This biodiverse stronghold is currently being cleared for palm oil plantations, hydropower projects, and invasive monocultures, putting this population in grave danger.

Diet

Asian Small-clawed Otters are primarily crustacean specialists. Their diet includes crabs, snails, molluscs, fish such as mudskippers and catfish, amphibians, insects, snakes, and even rodents. Scat analysis in Malaysia and Thailand revealed crabs to be the most frequent prey, often making up over 80% of their diet.

In rice fields and mangroves, they may leave molluscs out in the sun to soften the shells before eating — a sign of their intelligence and adaptability. Seasonal changes in water levels influence the availability of prey, leading to subtle shifts in their dietary habits throughout the year.

Mating and Reproduction

These otters are monogamous and breed year-round, with gestation lasting 62–86 days. Litters typically include 2–7 pups. In captivity, they start breeding at around 18 months of age, and may live up to 11 years. Parents build nests together before birth and both contribute to raising the young. Pups begin to open their eyes around five weeks old and start swimming with their mothers at around three months.

FAQs

How many Asian Small-clawed Otters are left in the wild?

There is no global population estimate, but their numbers are declining throughout their range. In China and Cambodia, they are now almost locally extinct, with only a few scattered sightings since 2006 (Li & Chan, 2017; Heng et al., 2016). Surveys in India confirm drastic reductions in range, especially from west to east, over the past 60 years (Hussain et al., 2011).

What is the lifespan of the Asian ?

In captivity, Asian Small-clawed Otters can live up to 11 years (Crandall, 1964). Their lifespan in the wild is likely shorter due to environmental pressures and poaching.

Why are Asian Small Clawed Otters endangered?

They are threatened by habitat loss from logging, plantations, palm oil, pollution, and construction of dams. In the Western Ghats, the genetically distinct nirnai subspecies is losing habitat to hydropower development and palm oil monocultures, which destroy the narrow, rocky streams they depend on (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).

Do Asian Small-clawed Otters make good pets?

Absolutely not. Keeping them as pets is cruel and selfish. They are wild animals with complex social and environmental needs. The illegal pet trade is driving them towards extinction, causing immense suffering and ripping family groups apart (Gomez & Bouhuys, 2018). Buying a pet otter and also sharing pet otter content on social media fuels this horrific industry — if you love otters, protect them in the wild! Do not buy them as pets or support this cruel industry!

How is palm oil affecting their survival?

Palm oil plantations have destroyed vast tracts of mangroves, peat swamps, and wetlands in Malaysia, Indonesia, and now India. In the Western Ghats, forests are being cleared for palm oil under the guise of “afforestation” and “reforestation” using non-native species. This directly threatens the survival of A. c. nirnai (Narasimmarajan et al., 2024).

Take Action!

Raise your voice for the smallest otter in the world. Every time you shop, Boycott palm oil and reject products linked to deforestation and wetland destruction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts in the Western Ghats and Southeast Asia.

Never buy otters or exotic animals — their capture fuels extinction. Adopt a plant-based lifestyle to protect wetlands, rivers and biodiversity. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Support Asian Small-Clawed Otters 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

Gomez, L., & Bouhuys, J. (2018). Illegal otter trade: An analysis of seizures in selected Asian countries (1980–2015). TRAFFIC. https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/2402/illegal-otter-trade-asia.pdf

Narasimmarajan, K., Mathai, M. T., Hayward, M. W., & Palanivel, S. (2024). Lesser-known sentinels: Role of environmental variables influencing the seasonal resource use patterns of Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus nirnai) in the Western Ghats Moyar River Biodiversity Hotspots. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull., 41(5), 296–310. https://iucnosgbull.org/Volume41/Narasimmarajan_et_al_2024a.pdf

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Asian small-clawed otter. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_small-clawed_otter

Wright, L., de Silva, P.K., Chan, B.P.L., Reza Lubis, I. & Basak, S. 2021. Aonyx cinereus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T44166A164580923. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T44166A164580923.en. Accessed on 17 April 2025.

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)

I am writing an open #letter to all #political sides as an #introduction to #hope I wish to turn #hurt away from and closer into as such through #affirmative #action accordingly if at all possible.

Let me start out by saying, that I #believe in the #power of real human prayer as #unbound #energy finding its way through us. And in turn, I'm no #religious #person by and large, but I am going to send this #prayer out there anyways because I feel it needs to be #said as is.

This will be a prayer covering several #topics of conversation that I #feel are important and significant enough to relay as one broadcast.

#extremism

To all #people I #pray that:
You realize living on your own #political #island sounds great in theory, be it on the #left or the #right of the spectrum. Or even at the #top or #bottom of it as well. But being unable to find or care for the #center of it, leaves you #vulnerable to #attack more so than anything else. And that is not a state of things I #desire for you to have to #live by.

#awareness

I pray that:
As #individuals you #collectively and #personally #understand that there are differences between the #perception of how you come across to others, and how others #perceive you in turn. It is okay to have a #difference of opinion, but to be #blind sighted by this, leaves you open to being #weaponized and I do not #wish that for you to have to #experience at all.

#sovereignty
I pray that:
You can #recognize how someone wants to be able to experience #respect without having to diverge or divulge your #interest in a #potential #conflict as such. In order for us to be able to #trust each other, we have to #remember how to #treat one another as #equals rather than constantly #competing for #dominance based on denying that there #exists a spectrum of #agreeability at play that we are all apart of.

#CommonSense
I pray that:
We keep building upon #frameworks that do not need to become a totally separate #foundation that exists just to serve you. But rather, exist as #modular #blocks that can join and detach from one another as already built #structures full and complete. This way, we are not trying to conflict over what block we have to share space with someone else in prioritizing. Because the entire thing is ours to shape in our own way. And so as a #metaphor, I feel it is #important to attach to the idea of having a sense in common, as opposed to a common sense where applicable, of things that cause us to #fight over how #relevant it is to most of us around the #actual or #planned #change currently in motion.

#battles
I pray that:
We are able to tell when to be #still and when to #move upon any #focus that #captivates us in part. Whether it exists as apart of a #whole or not. Doing so will help us make the best #impact #possible for the change we want to make a #reality for the #cause we are #concerned for.

And ultimately, I pray that we can move past the blatant need to have an #existential #crisis be on full display at the #crossroads of #agendas being carried out as they are each in turn, #instigated by #georegional #tribalism that serves nobody accept to put #humanity as a whole last, not first, as I intend to do.

All of these things are #real and can be #fixable and #doable as such. And I want to make sure, that this reality does not have a chance to get far out of #control the way it currently has.

For it is #outcomes like this, that #incomes should never have appropriately #manifested into #place that I want to #avoid and keep #preventable from ever #happening again.

To me, I find it very #unfortunate that we are living through #times of such blatant #hardship that should not have to be so unnecessary in today's day and age. For in this latest #protest #style #news #video we see this very inteersection of mounting, preventable #activities #culminating all at once in a display of #violent #behaviour best #repurposed for other #interests in my #opinion acordingly.

#posted by #YouTube #reactor and #media #podcaster #RebelNews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjT3kK5lHKk

In #America #israel and #Canada or anywhere else in our #world we should not have to worry about #migration #problems at home #effecting the #symptom of #indifference at the #core of #ineffective #deference as such. Rather, if we simply #agree to #adapt our time towards #focusing on the #things we can #bear #witness to as our own #personal #legacy then I say we have done enough for our #community be it or we tied to a particular #faith or not.

I say this, in my own #human name for all it is worth. Because that is who I am now, and if any #guardian #angel believes this to be #true then all I ask, is that you add yours to this prayer and pass it forward.

Thank you for your #attention to this #matter as such. I #appreciate it and you very much for the #blessing that you are.

The Goldie's Bird of Paradise is a rustling rainbow 🦜🌈 They are #vulnerable in #rainforests of #WestPapua from #mining and #palmoil #deforestation. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥👎⛔ https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/goldies-bird-of-paradise-paradisaea-decora/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The Lowlands #TreeKangaroo 🦘🤎 is a #vulnerable #marsupial of #PapuaNewGuinea's rainforests 🌳🇵🇬 threatened by #PalmOil, #mining #deforestation and #hunting. Help them to survive when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️🔥🧐🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The Lowlands #TreeKangaroo 🦘🤎 is a #vulnerable #marsupial of #PapuaNewGuinea's rainforests 🌳🇵🇬 threatened by #PalmOil, #mining #deforestation and #hunting. Help them to survive when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️🔥🧐🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The Lowlands #TreeKangaroo 🦘🤎 is a #vulnerable #marsupial of #PapuaNewGuinea's rainforests 🌳🇵🇬 threatened by #PalmOil, #mining #deforestation and #hunting. Help them to survive when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️🔥🧐🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

#nopain #noTrauma 🌱 #Cannabis #Zusammenhänge #Hanfwissen

#warondrugs #Krieg #Kriege #Teufelskreis 🔨 #Gewalt durchbrechen

🧬 #Epigenetics and Primal Therapy: The #Cure for #Neurosis (Part 1/20)

https://cigognenews.blogspot.com/2015/10/epigenetics-and-primal-therapy-cure-for.html

"... It is the consistency of the #pain that causes the #overload. There is a limit that the #brain can handle. Beyond that, the gates become #vulnerable and do not do well. ..."

#mentalhealth #health #Gesundheit #Medizin #Wissenschaft #Homöostase #Endocannabinoidsystem

Extensive logging for #palmoil and #gold #mining in #NewBritain in #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 has made the delightful Blue-eyed cockatoo #vulnerable 😿 Help them to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🤮💀🚫 #BoycottGold 🥇🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-tz?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The beautiful and elegant #Oncilla is a #wildcat 🐱 found in #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable due to #deforestation for #gold and #palmoil 🌴⛔️ and are hunted for their fur 😭 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The beautiful and elegant #Oncilla is a #wildcat 🐱 found in #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable due to #deforestation for #gold and #palmoil 🌴⛔️ and are hunted for their fur 😭 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The beautiful and elegant #Oncilla is a #wildcat 🐱 found in #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable due to #deforestation for #gold and #palmoil 🌴⛔️ and are hunted for their fur 😭 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The beautiful and elegant #Oncilla is a #wildcat 🐱 found in #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable due to #deforestation for #gold and #palmoil 🌴⛔️ and are hunted for their fur 😭 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

The beautiful and elegant #Oncilla is a #wildcat 🐱 found in #SouthAmerica. They are #vulnerable due to #deforestation for #gold and #palmoil 🌴⛔️ and are hunted for their fur 😭 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/08/14/northern-tiger-cat-oncilla-leopardus-tigrinus/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer

Friday, February 20, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/02/friday-february-20-2026/

First, they wouldn't agree to a rainbow flag at #Stonewall #NYC; #Biden administration agreed. Then, they wouldn't agree to the modern rainbow flag. Now, they won't fly any rainbow flag, while other flags are given "limited exception(s)".
Reactions from activists, lawmakers, even #Schumer.
#LGBTQ #rights #are #HumanRights #GOP #KKK #fascists #attack the #most #vulnerable #among #us for #political #gain #WhiteSupremacy #USA #fascism #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #gay
https://gaycitynews.com/trump-rainbow-flag-stonewall-national-monument/

Earthquake-Hazard Exposure Of Residents With Potential Access And Functional Needs In The United States
--
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2026.106002 <-- shared paper
--
https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/68a73b5cd4be0207079713b5 <-- shared paper
--
#Demography #demographic #Access #functional #needs #Vulnerability #Earthquake #Hazard #Warning #risk #geology #population #disability #accessibility #disabled #locals #census #spatialanalysis # #geostatistics #planning #management #death #injury #publicsafety #earlywarning #social #socialjustice #response #vulnerable #emergency #managers #earthquakeearlywarning #EEW #focus #publichealth #GIS #spatial #mapping #socialvulnerability #USA #spatialdatasets #resilience
#USGS

#Americans are marching down #Sixth #Avenue in #NewYork City to protest #ICE.

This is what #resistance looks like, ordinary people refusing to be silent while #federal #power #abuses the #vulnerable.

https://x.com/i/status/2017398017775542637

Dems fold AGAIN; promises of a discussion & possibility that in the future, *maybe* some GOP would agree *in theory* to a potential proposal...
#Schumer needs to go! #Destroy #DHS #EndICE #defund #police #immigrant #neighbors #border #policy #black #brown #skin #WhiteSupremacy #GOP #DHS #ICE #DEI #diversity #equity & #inclusion #conservatives #attack the #most #vulnerable #among #us for #political #gain #ImpeachNoem #Miller #OurPutin #AnotherOrban #Impeach47 #charge #jail
https://apnews.com/article/senate-democrats-budget-shutdown-trump-homeland-security-5e6788e433e51399c8aa4399035aee22

Remember that record-breaking turnout for the Pride parade in Budapest, Hungary last June? The mayor's facing criminal charges, also a fine without trial. Others are being prosecuted for producing Pride events.
#LGBTQ #rights #are #HumanRights | #conservatives #attack the #most #vulnerable #among #us for #political #gain
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/28/budapest-mayor-charged-for-holding-pride-march

Global Subsidence Of River Deltas
--
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09928-6 <-- shared paper
--
H/T Wageningen University & Research
“🌊🔍 River deltas are sinking!
A new study [link above] reveals that river deltas worldwide are sinking significantly, faster than sea levels rise..."
#GIS #mapping #spatial #remotesensing #NASA #earthobservation #RiverDelta #ClimateChange #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal #water #hydrology #marine #river #delta #coast #coastal #global #subsidence #groundwater #extraction #pumping #overpumping #watertable #hydrogeology #sediment #waterresources #planning #policy #landuse #landscape #hydrogeomorphology #worldwide #riverdelta #humanimpacts #ecosystems #sealevel #sealevelrise #SLR #flood #flooding #landloss #salinity #risk #hazard #salinization #vulnerable #measurements #monitoring #elevation #insar #radar #surfaceelevation #anthropogenic #urbanexpansion

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

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

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Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

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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)

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