An Orangutan in Sumatra surprised scientists when he was seen treating an open wound on his cheek with a poultice made from a medicinal plant. It’s the first scientific record of a wild animal healing a wound using a plant with known medicinal properties. The findings were published this week in Scientific Reports1.
Rakus used leaves from a liana climbing vine known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Photograph: Saidi Agam/Suaq Project
“It shows that Orangutans and humans share knowledge. Since they live in the same habitat, I would say that’s quite obvious, but still intriguing to realize,” says Caroline Schuppli, a primatologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany, and a co-author of the study.
In 2009, Schuppli’s team was observing Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii) in the Gunung Leuser National Park in South Aceh, Indonesia, when a young male moved into the forest. He did not have a mature male’s big cheek pads, called flanges, and was probably around 20 years old, Schuppli says. He was named Rakus, or ‘greedy’ in Indonesian, after he ate all the flowers off a gardenia bush in one sitting.
In 2021, Rakus underwent a growth spurt and became a mature flanged male. The researchers observed Rakus fighting with other flanged males to establish dominance and, in June 2022, a field assistant noted an open wound on his face, possibly made by the canines of another male, Schuppli says.
Days later, Rakus was observed eating the stems and leaves of the creeper akar kuning, which local people use to treat diabetes, dysentery and malaria, among other conditions. Orangutans in the area rarely eat this plant.
Leaves from the akar kuning variety of liana climbing vines. Photograph: Saidi Agam/Suaq Project
In addition to eating the leaves, Rakus chewed them without swallowing and used his fingers to smear the juice on his facial wound over seven minutes. Some flies settled on the wound, whereupon Rakus spread a poultice of leaf-mash on the wound. He ate the plant again the next day. Eight days after his injury, his wound was fully closed.
The research group has seen no other orangutans in the national park self-medicate using akar kuning in 21 years of observation. This could be because wild Orangutans in the region are rarely injured. Or perhaps Rakus is the only one who knows of this treatment, which could be a behaviour he picked up before he moved into the area.
Rakus with his open wound, two days before he was observed applying a poultice of medicinal leaves. Credit: Armas
“It is the first study to scientifically demonstrate that an animal is using a plant with medicinal properties applicable to wounds, and putting those on the wounds and consistently treating over a period of time,” says Michael Huffman, who studies animal self-medication at the Institute for Tropical Medicine at Nagasaki University in Japan.
Huffman says self-medication is seen in many species. Canadian Snow Geese swallow leaves whole to expel tape worms. Dusky-footed Wood Rats line their nests with aromatic plants to fumigate parasites. And Chimpanzees in Gabon have been observed rubbing insects near their wounds, potentially as treatment.
Humans might even have discovered some remedies by watching animals, he says. “Probably our ancestors were looking at other animals and learning about medicines.” When social animals communicate, “that information sticks and can last over generations”.
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According to Gilgit Baltistan wildlife officials, Brian Douglas Williams from the US successfully hunted an Astore Markhor (Capra falconeri) in Doyan, with a ‘trophy size’ of 40-inch horns.
US trophy hunter Brian Douglas Williams with the endangered Astore Markhor.
The hunter paid a $181,000 trophy hunting permit fee to the GB Wildlife Department (GBWD) for the hunt.
The trophy hunting programme starts in October and ends in April the following year.
The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government’s wildlife department on auctioned trophy hunting permits for 104 endangered animals, with the highest permit to hunt the Astor Markhor fetching a record $186,000, a wildlife department official confirmed.
The licenses included four for Astore Markhors, 14 for Blue Sheep, and 88 for Himalayan Ibex in various community conservation areas across US Trophy Hunter Pays $181,000 To Kill An Astore Markhor In Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
The enormous license fee to kill the rare Markhor, a long-horned goat native to Pakistan and found in its snowy northern mountains, is one of the highest in the world. The trophy hunting program was first introduced by the region’s administration in GB’s Nagar Valley in 1990, attracting international hunters who have since been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to target a limited number of wild animals in the area. The program was later extended to different areas of GB.
The Astore Markhor
Trophy hunting is viewed worldwide as a controversial practice as it involves hunting of rare animals for sport and displaying their parts as trophies. Conservationists argue the trophy hunting program in northern Pakistan prevents poaching and empowers local communities. Markhors are usually found at heights of 8,000-11,000 feet, but during the winter months descend to between 5,000-6,000 feet, which is when the hunting season kicks off.
Pakistan is famous for the Markhor, which is distinguished by its nimble and sure-footed nature, as well as long winter coat and massive spiral horns, which can grow to more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length for males.
The Markhor’s current estimated population is between 3,500 and 5,000, a majority of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), followed by Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.
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We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
Here, Andy Davidson lists the hard-hitting facts, revealing what zoos really spend their money on, and how you’re better off spending yours elsewhere if you care about conservation.
If you’re planning to a visit a zoo this weekend, ask yourself this question. How much of your ticket fee is being used for conservation? Let’s say you pay £15 for your ticket. You may be surprised to hear that the answer is as little as 45p to £1.
Zoo expenditure is vastly different to the expenditure of conservation organisations based in the wild. For example, Chester Zoo spent £40 million on the construction of ‘the islands’, an expansion of more enclosures to the zoo site. Other Western zoos over a ten-year period have spent £400 million on updating enclosures for a mere 200 elephants.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and South African National Parks are conservation organisations that protect animals in their natural habitats. KWS has an annual budget of £13-14 million with which they protect 2.6 million hectares of that country’s National Parks. On that land are 33,000 Elephants, 2200 Lions and many vitally important habitats that are home to thousands of species of both plant and animal. The annual budget for the South African National Parks is £58 million and this consists of 19 national parks which make up 6% of the total land of South Africa. Just one of these parks houses 600 elephants.
The money used by Western zoos to update elephant enclosures for 200 Elephants could have kept Kenya Wildlife Service going for 14 to 15 years.
Sound shocking? It is. That’s why the chief consultant to the UN Great Ape Survival Project said he was uneasy at the mismatch between lavish spending at zoos and the scarcity of resources available for conserving threatened species in the wild.
Where Is Your Money Going?
Since the 1800s, the zoo has not fundamentally changed. Well known and entertaining animals such as Elephants, Chimps and Giraffes are front and centre and baby animals give zoos a boost in visitors.
The main driver for zoos is boosting public visitation, a goal that has far reaching implications into all zoo management decisions. Conservation, research and education are not their primary goals, making it impossible to term zoos as research or education organisations. In fact, zoos are places of entertainment, where animal welfare is governed by financial feasibility and entertainment value.
90% of species encaged by European zoos are not threatened from extinction. Over 90% of zoo animals are born in captivity. These animals are then paired across zoos to ensure genetic diversity. Gender cannot be predicted and genes are sometimes over represented leading to what the zoos call a ‘surplus of animals’. 3000-5000 of these animals in European zoos are killed each year. On the 8th of February 2014, Copenhagen Zoo (in)famously killed Marius, a healthy 18-month-old male Giraffe.
Afterward, zoo officials performed a three-hour-long demonstration of how to butcher a giraffe before a large crowd of visitors, including many children. The meat was then fed to the zoo’s four Lions. The four Lions, including two young Lions, were killed to make way for a new male. The Giraffe was killed because she could not produce anymore young.
Marius, a healthy male Giraffe, lies dead after he was euthanized at Copenhagen Zoo. Visitors, including children, were invited to watch while the he was dissected. Photo: Peter Hove Olesen.
Even for threatened species such as Pandas, breeding campaigns rarely work. 400 Pandas have been bred by zoos, yet only five have been released into the wild: three survived. It’s not hard to see that captive breeding is not feasible. Animals not brought up in the wild are less likely to survive there if reintroduced. For example, captive populations of Red Junglefowl (wild ancestors of chickens) differ significantly in response to predators after just a handful of generations in captivity. And, a 2008 study by the University of Exeter found that the odds of animals such as Tigers and Wolves surviving freedom is only 33 percent. Animals in captivity do not usually have the natural behaviours needed for success in the wild.
But it’s not just endangered species that are being bred. A 2014 analysis of the European Endangered Species Breeding Programmes, conducted by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, showed that half of the animals being bred were not classed as endangered in the wild, while 25% were not threatened at all. In fact, all zoos only accommodate a tiny fraction of the 22,000 + species threatened with extinction.
With only 3% of budgets being spent on conversation projects, we can see why wildlife continues to disappear. Zoos show little interest in tackling the root causes of wildlife destruction. Species-rich habitats are being converted to pasture and feed crops as the human appetite for meat swells. Many of the places expected to see the greatest shift in land use from forest to livestock are in 15 ‘megadiverse’ countries, which harbour the largest number of species. As wildlife disappears, zoos ignore the problem. Instead, they contribute to it by feeding millions of customers meat.
The Education Myth
Zoos rebranded in the 1970s as the public became informed to the suffering of zoo animals. UK legislation in the form of 1981 Zoo Licensing Act forced zoos to promote ‘public education and awareness in relation to conservation’. Advocates will say zoos inspire the next generation of conservationists.
This has been categorically debunked by a number of studies, while little information is required to meet the standards of legislation. A 2014 academic study in the Conservation Biology Journal surveyed 2800 children following visits to London Zoo. 62% of the 2800 children were deemed to show no change in learning or, worse, experienced negative learning during their trip to the zoo. It was concluded that the zoo’s impact on children’s belief in their ability to actively do something about conservation was ‘weak’.
In what way could this sad image of a Bear be considered educational?
Do children need to see the animals up close to learn about them? Many children seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge about dinosaurs, far more so than Lions and Tigers. Perhaps the general public wish to see exotic animals up close as we attach closeness to care. But why, then, do they tap on the windows and show disappointment when the Lions are asleep? This is a misplaced, harmful interest, surely.
A Lion Is Taunted By Zoo Visitors At Animal City In Lebanon
In reality there is nothing sufficient in the mainstream that educates the public about animals and their conservation. Zoos, school, television – they all fail in this respect. The evidence is very clear: the World Wildlife Fund report that the planet’s fish, bird, mammal and reptile populations plunged 52 per cent from 1970 to 2010. That’s a stunning 52% of all fish, bird, mammal and reptile life lost in 40 years.
Human encroachment is destroying wildlife, but zoos do not consider that information entertaining and, as mentioned, entertainment is the only real driver of ticket sales. Paul Boyle, senior vice president for conservation and education at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says “People leave their homes, and the intent is not to save animals in Africa—it’s to have a family outing.”
The Imprisonment Of Animals
An Oxford University study based over four decades of observing animals in captivity and in the wild found that animals such as Polar Bears, Lions, Tigers, Cheetahs show the most evidence of stress and/or psychological dysfunction in captivity. In the same study, 80% of carnivores show abnormal repetitive behaviour. This is a major problem for zoos as these animals are the most popular with visitors.
There are approximately 3200 Tigers left in the wild. In the United States alone, there are over 5000 Tigers in captivity. This is not the result of successful breeding programmes. These Tigers are being born in captivity and they die in captivity. They are the star attraction. It’s hard to imagine a zoo without a Tiger. One particular zoo in the US houses dozens of Tigers. They let visitors handle cubs and have their picture taken while talking up their conservation programmes, despite the fact that their average Tiger enclosure is about 18,000 times smaller than the animals’ natural roaming range. It is simply impossible for these poor Tigers to express instinctive behaviour.
Tourists watch a Tiger cub play with a stuffed toy during a petting and photo opportunity at Myrtle Beach Safari. Photo Credit: Steve Winter, Nat Geo Image Collection.
In two extensive studies, it was found that the lifespan of Elephants is more than halved by living in zoos. A government-funded study of Elephants in UK zoos found that 54% of the Elephants showed behavioural problems during the daytime. In 2016 18 African Elephants, a species designated as threatened within their natural habitats in Swaziland, were captured and transported to three zoos in the US to entertain the public there.
Despite the best intentions of zoo employees to create a happy environment for an animal, zoos are fundamentally unable to recreate the wild setting. Cheetahs cannot run at maximum speed, Elephants cannot walk hundreds of miles (except in circles), birds cannot migrate and fly long distances. Animals are unable to hunt, choose who to spend time with and find their suitable home. Another problem is privacy and noise levels. Human interaction is not normal and constant noise can cause problems. Animals often become depressed and obsessive.
Sometimes zoos are nothing but cages on concrete. Here in the UK, zoos have higher welfare standards, yet its employees and its visitors are still blissfully ignorant to the damage we cause to them. Zoos are well-versed in spreading misinformation and exaggerating the small areas of conservation they achieve to placate the public, ensuring visitor numbers stay high.
Today, the decisions relating to the conservation of animals fall under the power of Western organisations and trusts, not with local communities in Africa or the Amazon. So not only does the money firmly stay within the West, but so does the decision making process. Wildlife can only be saved by empowering their protection in their natural habitats.
If you really care about putting an end to poaching, saving wildlife and keeping wild animals where they belong then pound for pound, your donation should be going to conservation organisations that protect animals in their natural habitats. You won’t receive anything in return and you will have to find somewhere else to visit on your Saturdays, BUT you will be directly saving wild animals. They are the FUTURE: zoos are the PAST.
An Original Article By Andy Davidson, Vegan Society.
Stereotypic behaviors, also known as “zoochosis” are performed sometimes for hours each day, sometimes endlessly. It is unnatural & indicates underlying stress. Credit: In Defence Of Animals
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We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
Chernobyl has become a refuge for wildlife 37 years after the nuclear accident
The Chernobyl disaster happened on April 26, 1986. The city of Pripyat was evacuated, but animals remained in the area. Over 37 years later, some species have thrived, others have been severely affected, and even new species have been introduced. But how did these animals respond to radiation exposure? What were the effects of living in and around the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone?
The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent a radioactive cloud across Europe. Within weeks, nearly 100,000 people who lived in a large zone surrounding the disaster site had been evacuated, never to return to the poisoned land.
Today, the relics of their past — hollowed-out hotels, empty swimming pools, crumbling farming villages and oxidized ferris wheels — stand in ghostly abandonment across a contaminated region larger than Rhode Island
But time has not stood still. Nature has reclaimed the area, and new photographic data show the 1,600 square-mile Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is now “basically an incredibly large sanctuary” for animals large and small.
Wildlife in the area surrounding Chernobyl seems to be thriving in the radiation-contaminated exclusion zone, according to a new study. Many large mammal populations were found in the area including Grey Wolves, Wild Boar, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Moose, Bison, Red Foxes and Elk.
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, finds that a nuclear disaster may be less threatening to wildlife than habitation, reports The Los Angeles Times.
The results show that the exclusion zone supports wildlife, “regardless of potential radiation effects on individual animals,” the study authors wrote.
These results demonstrate for the first time that, regardless of potential radiation effects on individual animals, the Chernobyl exclusion zone supports an abundant mammal community after nearly three decades of chronic radiation.
The 1986 Chernobyl incident was one of the world’s most catastrophic nuclear disasters. An explosion and a fire at the nuclear power plant in Ukraine released radioactive material into the air, which spread over several countries. An estimated 116,000 people were permanently evacuated from the 1,622 square-mile Chernobyl exclusion zone.
The study shows that the numbers of wildlife are “much higher than they were before the accident,” according to BBC News.
Professor Jim Smith of the University of Portsmouth said that these findings do “not mean that radiation is good for wildlife.” Rather, the “effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming, and forestry, are a lot worse,” explained Smith, lead author of the study.
It’s just that the effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming, and forestry, are a lot worse.
Smith and his colleagues from the Polesky State Radioecological Reserve in Belarus examined data from aerial surveys that counted the large mammals in the area. The number of these animals “in Chernobyl is similar to the populations in uncontaminated nature reserves,” Smith said.
The numbers of animals we see in Chernobyl is similar to the populations in uncontaminated nature reserves.
Most surprising was the number of wolves in the exclusion zone – up to seven times higher than the number on nature reserves of a similar size. Smith attributes this to the lack of hunting – and humans – in the area.
The study of the exclusion zone shows what happens to wildlife conservation “when you take humans out of the picture,” said Smith.
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It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
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After Whales and Dolphins, Ottawa intends to ban keeping Elephants and great Apes in captivity in the country “because of the cruelty they represent”.
A new bill, calledThe Jane Goodall Act, was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday to ban anyone from taking an Elephant or a great Ape, a term that includes Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans.
Canadian zoos won’t be able to bring in new elephants or apes under new federal legislation introduced this week, except under specific circumstances. Bill S-15 looks to ban all new captivity of the species except where a licence is granted for conservation, research or an animal’s best interest.
“The recapture of any Elephant or great Ape in Canada must meet very strict criteria demonstrating that the activity is for animal welfare, conservation or science,” commented the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault.
Senator Marky Klyne of Saskatchewan sponsored the bill that was introduced on Tuesday. “It is upsetting to know that according to current standards, a person does not need to hold a permit to own a chimpanzee in some regions of Canada,” he lamented to explain the interest of his fee.
Elephants, for their part, are very intelligent animals that suffer when kept in captivity or presented to the public in an unnatural environment, added the senator in the second reading of the law on Thursday.
Minister Guilbeault announced the ban on the import of ivory from Elephant tusks and Rhino horns, including hunting trophies and articles carved from ivory, for which it is necessary to obtain a permit. Few exceptions are planned for museums and scientific research.
Elephant ivory and rhino horn imports have been banned by Ottawa
Tightening the laws
The law banning the captivity of great Apes and Elephants is part of a series of laws adopted to better protect animals in Canada and elsewhere in the world.
In 2019, Canada also banned the keeping of Whales and Dolphins in captivity.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
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The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals. We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
Concerns have been raised that the science behind the killing is untenable, and that killing Wolves could lead to harmful behavior against humans.
Estonia has once again begun culling its Wolf population.
A certain number of Wolves are killed every year in the Baltic country, although this time conservationists are worried.
Estonia’s environment agency has set the killing quota at 144, claiming there are more wolves in the country than conservation plans allow.
However, Wolf researcher Maris Hindrikson at the University of Tartu told Euronews that he and fellow scientists are “not convinced” about their data.
She claims that Wolf populations are being counted based on “old-fashioned” and “messy” techniques – such as hunter observations – that may not accurately reflect their numbers.
This means that the killing quota may be much higher, given the already threatened speciesunder even more strain.
A pair of Estonian Gray Wolves
“The problem is we don’t know how many Wolves there are,” Hindrickson says, estimating that the cull could wipe out 30 percent to 50 percent of the country’s entire Wolf population.
In a statement sent to Euronews, the Estonian Environment Agency said its “method was in use in Nordic countries such as Sweden, Finland and Norway.”
“We find the current methodology comprehensive, objective and reasonable,” he said.
Even though Wolf numbers have recovered in recent years, their total number is considered “stable/decreasing” by the International Wolf Centre. Estimates put their total population at between 150 – 300 in Estonia.
Officials claim their culling is necessary because Wolves attack livestock, especially sheep, causing economic losses to the country’s farmers.
According to the Environmental Board of Estonia (Keskonamet), a total of 946 sheep were killed by predatory Wolves in 2022.
It said the figure has crossed 1,100 this year, with several weeks left for 2023.
One particularly grizzly attack at a farm in southeastern Tartu County killed an entire breeding flock of more than a dozen ewes in October, with farmer Rein Mirka telling Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) the incident had cost him between €15,000 to €20,000.
Hindrickson still questions whether killing is the best approach to the problem. “Science has always shown that culling doesn’t actually help reduce sheep deaths”.
As habitats are destroyed – limiting available food resources – Hindrickson claims lethal solutions could be counterproductive, driving Wolves to prey on livestock in the first place.
Killing is a really big problem because it destroys herds. Wolves are very social animals and we know that large packs hunt larger animals such as deer. But generally, small herds seek out smaller prey because they cannot develop cooperative methods of hunting,” she explains.
The researcher says another problem is that when older Wolves are killed younger Wolves do not experience and learn more complex hunting strategies, meaning they resort to eating livestock. . Hindrickson likens it to “fast food” for wolves.
“What I’m against is killing that kills a lot of wolves. We don’t really know how many wolves we have and what impact actually killing them has. It seems like they create a pattern Where we kill so many wolves, they affect how the herds are structured, they go after the sheep, then sheep attacks increase. So then people say yes, sheep are in danger. Please more wolves. kill.
“It’s a continuous cycle,” she adds.
A Wolf killed in a previous cull.
Better alternatives Hindrikson proposes are “ensuring adequate numbers of natural prey in the wild”, such as Deer and Wild Boar, and taking steps to deter Wolves.
“Farmers should build more fences and get guard dogs to scare off Wolves. This is something that has worked all over Europe. We get news of a sheep attack, but often farmers haven’t prevented a thing. We always blame the Wolves, it is easy, but actually, people do everything.
“Prevention and making society understand where this problem comes from and how to mitigate it are very important,” she continues.
Bizarrely, in 2018 Estonia chose the Wolf as their national animal and symbol of Estonian nature and culture.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
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The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals. We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
As the number of Rhinos killed by poachers keep rising and more traumatized orphaned calves are in need of care, Kirsten Everett, a volunteer at Nikela, takes us on a touching journey as she looks at the horrors of a poacher attack though the eyes of a young Rhino calf.
LIMPOPO, SOUTH AFRICA: Karen Trendler cares for Ntombi, a two-month old White Rhino. Ntombi survived a brutal attack, when poachers killed her mother earlier in the week. She sustained severe head injuries and was cared for in a rhino orphanage. Credit: Kevin Sutherland.
“My mother and I were contently filling our hungry stomachs when we heard a strange noise. I carried on eating but she smelt the air for unknown scents. I saw the terrified look in her eye before she managed to control it; the unnatural smell meant something. A few minutes later we heard the ‘whop, whop’ of a metal monster flying closer towards us. Just when my mother focussed on it the men crept out of the bushes with a crunch of sticks. Something seemed to hit her and she grunted in surprise. The birds abandoned their posts heading away from the danger. I stood helplessly as she tried to run but ended up falling to the ground. The men surrounded her and tried to chase me away. I ran forward scared enough to not care about the men as they had done something to my mother, I needed her and they must go away.
Out of nowhere one of the big men spun on me and hit me hard with something sharp. Blood oozed from my wound as my mother answered my cry for help with a weak beg, ‘Away, away’. I backed away nursing my wound, how could I get to her?? She grunted again so I didn’t give up. I ran forward again but this time the angry man was merciless, determined to get his message across. As quietly as possible I took the cuts to my poor head trying not to worry my mother even more.
Confused I backed away into the bushes calling to her to get up, but the eerie silence dragged on and she didn’t move a muscle. Fear glued me to the floor as I felt my young heart pulsing with anger and fear. A breeze blew, as I waited for the monsters to go so I could go to my poor mommy and find out what was wrong. My heart skipped a beat when I realised this was what my cousin had gone through only a full moon ago. It was terrible, my body couldn’t stop shaking and I couldn’t think clearly, I felt lightheaded from all my blood loss.
Finally when the monsters left I ran to her side, ‘Mom wake up.’ My voice cracked with emotion but still she didn’t respond. I took a step back and saw the pool of blood. Her horn had been brutally cut off and she lay lifeless. Above me a crow flew over.
I turned to run then I asked myself some important questions… where would I go? I wasn’t old enough to know the way to the dam yet. Who would protect me from predators? The truth was that I wasn’t strong enough to survive by myself yet. Would I be with my mother in the sky sooner than I thought? The last question scared me the most; out in the wild without my mother I might just be able to survive a week.
I heard the snap of a twig, I wasn’t alone. This time I didn’t have the strength to care what these humans wanted with me. I collapsed and slept for a few hours. I was almost completely unconscious though I sensed kindness near me. Too traumatised to do anything I lay as they treated my wounds. The people who tried to comfort me planted a seed of hope. Hope that I could survive and hope that the rest of the human race would come to its senses and help my species and all the others out there”.
Let’s stop the babies’ cries! Let’s Save The Last Rhin0!
Written by Kirsten Everett. Based loosely on the story of “Ntombi” who was rescued by Karen Trendler and her team.
Ntombi bears the poacher’s scars
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
You can support our work by donating as little as £5 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need.
Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.
The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals. We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
A dead Elephant found in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, Aug. 29, 2020. Credit: AP Photo
Elephants that dropped dead in Zimbabwe were victims of an obscure bacteria combined with extreme heat. Scientists fear more Elephants – and other species – could suffer the same fate
No one knew precisely what caused the unexplained tragedy in which 35 African Elephants in Zimbabwe mysteriously dropped dead in August/September 2020.
This incident followed the death of approximately 350 Elephants in neighbouring northern Botswana from May to June 2020, which triggered much international concern.
Aerial views of of some of the Elephants that were been found dead in Botswana Credit: National Park Rescue
At first, anthrax was a possible contender, along with poaching or intentional poisoning, but they were all ruled out early on.
Three years later, a new study by a group of scientists has found that a rare bacterium that causes organ inflammation is responsible for the Elephants’ untimely deaths.
A variant of the Pasteurella bacteria, namedBisgaard taxon 45,was identified by the scientists in their study of samples from six of 15 dead Elephants that they analysed.
This variant of this bacteria showed up in their sample, making the scientists conclude that the Elephants died from the lethal infection.
At first, scientists reviewed the possibility of Pasteurella multocida, which is known to cause hemorrhagic septicemia, a common disease amongst cattle and buffaloes that is highly fatal.
However, after further testing, they found that the findings were more complicated than thought.
“It became clear from the culture samples that we did not have P. multocida but something else similar,” Laura Rosen, an epistemologist who worked on the study, said, according to Science News.
While samples from the other elephants were not obtained due to rotting or not being able to get permits quick enough, six of the samples they did get showed this rare bacteria.
Little is known about this bacteria, as a few rare cases have only been documented so far.
The study cites that Bisgaard taxon 45 has in the past been linked to bite wounds on humans from tigers and lions.
It was also previously found in a chipmunk and a captive health parrot.
However, the researchers suspect this is not the first time that an outbreak of the disease has caused mass fatalities within Elephants.
In 2019, 14 Elephants were found dead in Zimbabwe within the same time period as this group was a year later.
While no bacterial samples were taken at the time, the noted conditions of the deceased animals were similar to those of the 2020 group.
It is unclear what caused this bacteria to enter the Elephants’ body, whether it is part of its “normal flora,” but the researchers believe that stress and heat would have contributed to the outbreak.
“It’s premature to say that climate change has influenced [this], but it may do so in future if we get more and prolonged droughts, or the rainfall patterns [change] and we have a much harsher dry season,” Dr Chris Foggin, a researcher on the study said.
“I do think that if that is the case, then we are more likely to see this sort of mortality event occurring again.”
This study is essential for organisations that seek to conserve these Elephants, who are already an endangered species.
Earlier that same year, around 350 Elephants dropped dead within the space of three months in neighbouring Botswana.
African Elephants are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Credit: GMFER
According to the World Elephant Day organization, Elephant numbers have dropped by 62% over the last decade. They estimate that 100 African Elephantsare killed each day by poachers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
You can support our work by donating as little as £5 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need.
Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.
The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals.
We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
An Abrupt End To The Jumbo Life Of Iconic Bull Elephant Edison.
Edison in Samburu National Reserve Credit: Alice Clark/Save the Elephants
We are deeply saddened to report that one of our best-known and most beloved bull Elephants, Edison, has died. Edison’s carcass was found in Westgate Conservancy in Samburu, northern Kenya. We suspect his untimely death could be yet another tragic outcome of the rising cases of Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) across Africa. Investigations into the cause of death are still continuing. Edison’s death marks the third loss of one of our Samburu study bull Elephants within the span of just under a year. In December, bull Elephants Sarara and Yeagar were both killed in conflict with herders.
Matt, Samburu’s biggest tusker, who faced off with Edison in Samburu National Reserve, Credit: Sarah Jacobson/Save the Elephants
Edison was estimated to be approximately 37 years old and in the prime of his life at the time of his death. Born into the Royals family and known to our researchers since he was a teenager, Edison was a feisty wild bull and quite the mama’s boy too. Most bulls venture out for a life of their own when they are around 10-12 years old but when Edison dispersed, he kept coming back to visit his family on and off for the next couple of years.
Edison’s fearless, spirited nature was well-known to many. He was never one to shy away from confrontation, even challenging older and much larger bull Elephants like the late Matt – then Samburu’s biggest tusker who died in 2019. During one dramatic stand-off between the two-testosterone-fueled bulls in 2016, Save the Elephants’ founder, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, got caught in the middle and found himself face to face with Edison who charged his vehicle.
Save the Elephants has been observing and studying the lives of Elephants for more than three decades, gaining fundamental insights into how they behave and make decisions. By analysing the data from Edison’s GPS tracking collar, STE researchers were surprised to discover that while this adventurous bull spent much of his time travelling north to far flung places such as Kipsing, Westgate, Kalama and Ol Donyiro, he would always return home to Samburu National Reserve at full speed when in musth to find mates.
Edison was collared by our team multiple times after his collar either dropped off or the batteries ran out – GPS collars only have a lifespan of around three years. While most collaring operations proceed without a hitch, there’s one incident which is forever etched in our minds.
Our Director of Field Operations, David Daballen, remembers running for the hills during one particular collaring mission when Edison, an enormous bull by then, suddenly awoke just as he was about to be fitted with the tracking device. The whole team, including the vet, had to abandon what they were doing and run for safety. It turned out that the anaesthesia hadn’t fully kicked in and Edison had momentarily woken up. Fortunately , Edison dropped back to sleep and the team were able to complete the mission successfully.
Edison’s last collaring in April 2023 was just as nail biting. Edison went down on his chest, the worst position for an Elephant to be in as they risk suffocating. This time, the STE collaring team were able to push him onto his side and he was again successfully fitted with his new collar.
STE researchers, including David Daballen (below in this picture ) recollaring Edison in Samburu National Reserve in April 2023. Credit: Gilbert Sabinga/Save the Elephants
Says David Daballen, “Losing Elephants like Edison, whom we’ve observed throughout their entire lives, is always a profound loss. Their actions and interactions offer valuable insights into Elephant society. By closely tracking and monitoring these intelligent beings, we also gain a deeper understanding of their distinct personalities and characteristics. Edison, in particular, was a bold, maybe even an audacious Elephant, unafraid to assert himself, as demonstrated when he once challenged the venerable Elephant elder, Matt. We will sorely miss his presence in the reserve and following his remarkable adventures.”
Watch the epic confrontation between Edison and Matt below.
An exotic wildlife preserve owner who gained notoriety on the popular Netflix series “Tiger King” pled guilty on Monday to animal trafficking and money laundering, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle oversaw the sale or purchase of Cheetah cubs, Lion cubs, Tigers and a juvenile Chimpanzee that were all protected as endangered species, according to a Justice Department release. Officials said the 63-year-old man featured in a documentary mini-series about the Tiger trade tried to hide animal payments as “donations” to his nonprofit organization.
“The defendant held himself out as a conservationist, yet repeatedly violated laws protecting endangered animals and then tried to cover up those violations,” Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement.
Antle On The Tonight Show Credit: Paul Drinkwater
Antle faces a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, fines up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release for each count. He is also the owner and operator of the Myrtle Beach Safari, which is also known as The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species, or T.I.G.E.R.S., prosecutors said. The safari is a 50-acre nature preserve that offers tours and the chance for private encounters with wildlife, prosecutors said.
Antle faces a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, fines up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release for each count.
Investigators found evidence that Antle and a coconspirator had also used cash acquired through the transportation and harboring of immigrants who illegally entered the country.
It’s the latest fallout for the subjects of “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” Joe Exotic, the show’s star, is serving a 21-year prison sentence for trying to hire two different men to kill animal welfare activist Carol Baskin. The ongoing feud between Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage — and Baskin featured prominently in the show. Maldonado-Passage had one year shaved off his penalty last year as he began treatment for early-stage cancer.
“Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED
You can support our work by donating as little as £5 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need.
Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.
The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals.
We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.
It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.
Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations make our work possible.
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, finds that a nuclear disaster may be less threatening to wildlife than habitation, reports 
These results demonstrate for the first time that, regardless of potential radiation effects on individual animals, the Chernobyl exclusion zone supports an abundant mammal community after nearly three decades of chronic radiation.
The study shows that the numbers of wildlife are “much higher than they were before the accident,” according to 
Most surprising was the number of wolves in the exclusion zone – up to seven times higher than the number on nature reserves of a similar size. Smith attributes this to the lack of hunting – and humans – in the area.
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