endangered habitats

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Save the Wild Mustangs – important petition!

July 10, 2008 in Uncategorized, activism, advocacy, conservation, endangered habitats, endangered species, petitions, politics | 1 comment

Majestic wild mustangs have roamed the American West with a history that predates modern land use. They are part of our national heritage symbolizing our country’s freedom and independent spirit. Today, there are less than 30,000 wild horses on the range.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced an outrageous plan to kill these wild horses, potentially driving them to extinction, claiming that it can no longer afford to round up wild horses and confine them until it finds people to adopt them. The government agency wants to euthanize or sell these wild beauties to the highest bidder “without limitation” – i.e., sell them to anyone, even if the bidder also plans to kill these horses.

Why do they need to round them up in the first place? Good question. The BLM states that it can’t “allow horses to multiply unchecked on the range without causing an environmental disaster.” But, there are at least 3 million grazing cattle vs. 30,000 wild horses.

These wild horses have a right to inhabit the public lands they have roamed for centuries. The BLM should manage the land effectively to preserve these free-roaming beauties, rather than killing them. Instead, the BLM would seemingly rather placate corporate cattle ranchers who view these horses as foraging competition – despite the environmental damage being caused by cattle overgrazing.

Please oppose this outrageous plan and stand up for our wild horses today. Remind the government to abide by the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burro Act of 1971.

– You can make a difference. -

Send a comment to the BLM today, call or write your government representatives, &
« Sign the petition to save our wild horses! »^*

[*] – Thus far, Care2’s petition has garnered ~~7,141~~ 35,443 signatures with a goal of 50,000.

Wild Horses & The BLM – a selection of videos about wild horses and the current crisis.

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Palm-Free Campaign

June 30, 2008 in Uncategorized, deforestation, endangered habitats, endangered species, environmentalism, sustainable development | 1 comment

LUSH Cosmetics has decided to replace palm oil as an ingredient in their products in light of the habitat destruction taking place in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Borneo.

Rain forest is being cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. This conversion of habitat is putting the Sumatran orangutan at serious risk.

The Sumatran orangutan is currently listed as critically endangered. At present, there are less than 7,300 in the world; and, if their numbers continue to decline at the present rate, it is projected that the orangutan could be extinct in as little as five years, which would make it the first Great Ape to become extinct in the wild.

Besides the harm to orangutans and other various animals (including Sumatran elephants & tigers, and as-yet-undiscovered species), the palm oil industry is also negatively impacting indigeneous peoples. Further deforestation is a serious problem in itself and a major contributor to global warming.

Palm oil is used in food products, but is widely used in cosmetics – particularly in soap-making.

The videos selected below cover Lush’s insight on the Palm oil situation as well as info on their Palm Oil Campaign.

For more information on LUSH Cosmetics, their natural skin care product line, and other charitable projects & governing principles, visit.

Orangutans threatened by Palm Oil Industry

June 29, 2008 in biodiversity, conservation, deforestation, endangered habitats, endangered species, environmentalism, sustainable development | 1 comment

The Sumatran orangutan is listed as critically endangered. Currently there are less than 7,300 in the world. If their numbers continue to decline at the present rate, it is projected that the orangutan could be extinct in as little as five years – making it the first Great Ape to become extinct in the wild.

The primary threat to the orangutan is habitat destruction. The rain forests of Indonesia are being cut down in illegal logging operations and to make way for palm oil plantations. This conversion of habitat has dire consequences for the native wildlife, as well as for the indigeneous peoples. Further, the deforestation contributes to global warming.

Palm oil is used in food, but also widely in the cosmetics industry. It is a main ingredient in many soaps, including some of those produced by natural skin care companies. (Click here to read about the “Palm Oil Campaign” being sponsored and promoted by LUSH Cosmetics.)

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil met recently in Singapore to address these issues relating to the palm oil industry.

The World Wildlife Fund has projects in Borneo and Sumatra aimed at “effectively manag[ing] a network of protected areas, productive forests and other sustainable land uses to maintain the biodiversity and natural resources for the prosperity of the people who rely on them.” (Click here to read more about their work there.)

You can also “adopt” an orangutan through their website.

Galápagos Islands Suffering Environmental Crisis – Ecuadorian president calls for habitat to be added to UNESCO’s Endangered List

June 24, 2007 in Galápagos, Uncategorized, United Nations, advocacy, alternative energy, biodiversity, conservation, endangered habitats, endangered species, environment, environmentalism, green, nature, politics, sustainable development | No comments

The president of Ecuador, Rafeal Correa, declared yesterday (June 22, 2007) that the Galápagos are at high risk and should be considered a national conservation priority. He claims that the islands are suffering an environmental crisis and is seeking restrictions on tourism. He has also asked that the habitat be added to UNESCO’s Endangered List – a request which will be considered at a week-long meeting of the UN agency’s World Heritage Committee being held in New Zealand beginning this Saturday.

The Galápagos lie in the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles west of Ecuador at the confluence of several ocean currents and are comprised of some 19 islands. The isolation of these striking volcanic isles has produced one of the highest concentrations of endemic species in the world, and the archipelago is considered “a natural museum of geological, ecological and evolutionary processes”. The seismic and volcanic activities that formed the islands are still going on today.

The habitat’s unusual animals, including the land iguana and giant tortoises, helped to inspire Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (He visited the islands in 1835 on the HMS Beagle.) 30% of the marine life in the surrounding seas are endemic, as are roughly 1/3 of the island’s vascular land plants, all of the reptiles with the exception of two species of marine turtle, and almost half of its bird species. Among its unique species is the marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus – the only sea-going iguana in the world.

As a place of “outstanding universal value”, the Galápagos Islands were added to UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) list of Protected Areas and World Heritage Sites in 1978 and designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1984.

This extraordinary archipelago of unrivaled beauty is an “almost pristine” treasure trove of biodiversity, but is being threatened today by large-scale tourism and unsustainable fishing practices by mainland fishermen whose activities are financed by foreign companies. Visitation by tourists has increased three-fold in the past 15 years with an annual growth rate of about 14% for the tourism economy. The consequences of this growth include threats to endemic species by introduction of non-native invasive species, pollution, over-harvesting, and greater pressure on valuable marine resources. Partially as a result of these changes, 24% of the endemic plant species and 50% of the vertebrate species are considered endangered.

Click here for an image of the Galápagos Penguins on Bartolomé Island.

The islands are subject to the 1998 Special Law for Galápagos but have been neglected by previous management, and the rapid economic growth of the islands, coupled with increased immigration, has taxed the capacity of the Galápagos’ management authorities. The president’s solutions will focus on the proper implementation of this special law and will include strengthening Galápagos management authorities, ensuring the development of sustainable businesses, strengthening the work of the Galápagos National Park Service and CDF (Charles Darwin Foundation) to manage endangered species and control invasives, and educational reform.

The declaration of the Ecuadorian president addresses concerns that have been held for many years regarding the future of this fragile ecosystem.

For more detailed information on the Galápagos, visit UNEP’s (United Nations Environment Programme) World Conservation Monitoring Centre page at http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/galapago.html
or the Charles Darwin Foundation at http://www.darwinfoundation.org