Officially established in 1998, Animals Asia campaigns for improved conditions and rights for various species across Asia. It operates award-winning sanctuaries in Vietnam and China (and is the only organization with a bear sanctuary in the latter).

These sanctuaries are home to hundreds of bears who were rescued from the bile trade.

What is bile farming?

In order to extract bile from their gallbladders, bears are subject to invasive, painful procedures. The bile, thought to have healing properties, is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It also appears in some household products like shampoo and toothpaste.

Demand for bile products comes predominantly from Asia, but such items are also found in Australia, Canada, and the US.

According to Animals Asia, the “cruel” trade is a source of “extreme suffering” for thousands of bears across the world’s largest and most populous continent.

One of the most “humane” bile extraction methods involves creating a permanent open passage in the animals’ gallbladder via their abdomen. The surgery – rarely performed by a veterinarian – often results in infections, many of which become fatal.

The way the animals are housed is similarly disturbing, the charity says. Bears are permanently kept in metal cages; many are so small that bears are left unable to turn around or stand on all fours.

Some bears are caged as cubs, and held captive for up to 30 years.

Rescuing bears from bile farms

Animals Asia has rescued 640 bears from the trade to date. With its bear rescue center in Tam Dao, Vietnam, approaching capacity, the nonprofit has announced a new sanctuary that will take in all of the remaining farmed bears in Vietnam.

The 12-hectare sanctuary, situated in the mountainous surroundings of the Bach Ma National Park, will be unveiled tomorrow (May 27). And when all farmed bears in Vietnam are freed and released into the sanctuary, the country’s bear bile trade will officially be history.

“This is a proud moment for humanity, Animals Asia, Vietnam, and our supporters around the
world”, commented Animals Asia founder and CEO Jill Robinson. “Together, in collaboration with the Vietnam government, we bring about this milestone in protecting wildlife across the country.”

In 2017, Animals Asia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Vietnamese government, committing to the closure of all bear farms in Vietnam.

The MOU outlined an agreement between the two parties, which would see them working together to free the then-1,000 animals who were still in the industry.

Speaking on the new sanctuary, Robinson added: “Today we show that courage, empathy, tenacity, and determination have brought about significant change, as we step up and demonstrate the way forward in helping to save the world’s vulnerable species.”

Celebrity support

A wealth of high-profile names have thrown their support behind Animals Asia and its efforts, including Dame Judi Dench, Alan Cumming, Stephen Fry, James Cromwell, Slash, Kesha, and Peter Egan.

Actors Tara Buck (True Blood), Torrey DeVitto (The Vampire Diaries, Chicago Med), and Marina Squerciati (Chicago P.D) are all in Vietnam to celebrate the unveiling of the sanctuary. They’re joined by television personality Josh Packham (Love Island), photographer Katarina
Benzova, and actor Tang Thanh Ha (Mỹ Nhân Kế).

In a video seen by Plant Based News, Ricky Gervais (who just donated £142,414.47 to Animals Asia), asked the public to “stand by them in this mission” and “raise their paw for the moon bear.”

Dr. Jane Goodall offered her “warm congratulations” to the nonprofit. “Animals Asia is ending bear bile farming in Vietnam,” she said. “To protect these beautiful moon bears, please help Animals Asia build this last bear sanctuary and make sure that in Vietnam, there will be no bear left behind.”

The post Vietnam’s Bile Trade Will Soon Be History As Last 310 Bears Are Rescued appeared first on Plant Based News.

In 2017, following expensive animal abuse-focused court cases and amid falling attendance, the circus shut down its big top for good. But now it’s back. And it seems to have learned its lesson, because its new traveling show is totally animal-free.

According to Ringling Bros, the new show will launch next year in September, before embarking on a 50-city tour in North America.

The circus ran for nearly 150 years before it shut down in 2017. But, with a new and improved approach, the updated version hopes to match that legacy.

“We are innovating all aspects of the live show and modernizing the franchise,” said Kenneth Feld, the CEO of Feld Entertainment, the company that owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. “[We want] to create an engaging property that is built for today’s families and will last another 150 years.”

According to Feld Entertainment, the new circus will focus purely on human acts, and its entertainers will “push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments.” It is currently searching for new talent, with rehearsals beginning at the end of June 2022.

An animal-free circus industry

Feld Entertainment’s decision to focus on human acts over animals isn’t just an ethical one, it’s also a smart business move. Including wild animals in its acts again would limit the states it could visit with its new traveling show, as several (including California, Illinois, and New Jersey) have outright bans or restrictions on circus animal acts.

Entire countries have also banned the use of wild animals in the circus. Most recently, the French parliament voted in favor of legislation that would protect wild animals from becoming circus acts.

The French ecology minister said of the move: “To act in support of animal well-being is the mark of a conscious society and of its responsibility towards a fragile natural world. It is a sign of mature civilization.” 

The post The Infamous Ringling Bros. Circus Is Back Again – This Time, Without Animals appeared first on Plant Based News.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Vegetarian Society (@the_vegetarian_society)

Are Brits giving up meat?

It is easier than ever for people to choose meat-free options in the UK, with more vegan products on supermarket shelves and more menu items in restaurants. But Richard Mcllwain, the chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, believes more can be done.

He said in a recent statement, “we want to see more vegetarian and vegan options included front and center on all menus,” before arguing that vegetarian options, in particular, are appealing to flexitarian consumers.

Previous data released by YouGov indicated that most flexitarians will not go vegan, but instead see reducing meat as a “conscious” and “deliberate” long-term choice. 

But other reports indicate a different trajectory for people who reduce their meat consumption. Earlier this year, a survey by Veganuary revealed that more than a third of people who gave up animal products for January intended to stay vegan. 

Veganuary’s international head of communications Toni Vernelli said: “These incredible results show that Veganuary is so much more than a one-month pledge as taking part leads to lasting diet change for most participants.”

The post Over 25% Of Brits Want To Reduce Meat Intake, Says New Study appeared first on Plant Based News.

The Glad Cafe – also an award-winning music and arts venue – will remove all meat, dairy, and eggs from its menu from tomorrow (Wednesday, April 6). 

Taking to Instagram last week, the cafe wrote: “From next week The Glad Cafe will be 100 percent vegan.

“Keep your eyes on our feed and stories this week for new menu updates. We’ll also be running down some stock through the week in preparation for a few switches, starting with Staropramen – £4 a pint from tomorrow; also £10 pizza and drink deal every night!”

The eatery is renowned for its pizza, which it serves every evening from Wednesday through to Sunday. While the menu did previously offer three vegan options, toppings like mozzarella and fennel sausage were also available.

The venue assured a customer on Instagram that the pizzas will be sticking around, but that they will all be plant-based from now on.

Glasgow has long been known for its good range of meat-free restaurants, and the Scottish city was recently ranked seventh on Happy Cow’s list of the most vegan-friendly cities in the UK.

The Glad Cafe hasn’t yet announced details of its new vegan menu, but it is expected to be unveiled soon. Plant Based News has reached out for comment.

Businesses going vegan

The Glad Cafe isn’t alone in its efforts. Earlier this year, a country pub in Wales removed animal products from its menu and went vegan. The Cwmbran pub made the decision after a wildly successful trial, which saw the business experiencing its “busiest month ever,” plating up nearly 1,500 plant-based meals.

A similar story unfolded when a cafe in north London, called The Fields Beneath, updated its menu to be fully plant-based. “[The gamble] paid off, with sales up and a much improved menu,” owner Gavin Fernback said at the time.

Across the pond, in Idaho in the US, a cafe owner turned her eatery vegan after watching Dominion, a documentary that pulls back the curtain on the meat industry.

“I do promise to still serve excellent food that everyone can enjoy. If it works out, great, if it doesn’t and costs me my livelihood, then so be it. I can no longer go forward knowing that I have supported great suffering and inexcusable practices by the meat/egg/dairy industry,” the general manager commented.

“I’m terrified, but I know I’m doing the right thing.”

The post Scottish Cafe Ditches Meat, Dairy And Eggs To Turn Menu Completely Vegan appeared first on Plant Based News.

Interestingly, whether the new versions catch on is influenced by the density of the local community.

Dr Adriano Lameira, author of the research from the department of psychology at the University of Warwick says:

“The way I see it is that low densities [of] orangutans have a slang repertoire that they constantly revisit and use. They are ‘conservative’, but once a new call variant is used, everyone hears it and the variant is quickly incorporated, enriching the slang,”

“In high density [communities of orangutans], communication is more like a cacophony. It seems ‘novelty’ is at a premium, much like in songbirds, and that individuals want to show off their coolness and how [much of a] rebel they are,” he said.

Origins of human language

Social influences have been found in songbirds and marmosets, but it had been unclear whether the same was true for non-human apes, until now.

Lameira added that there is growing evidence that great ape repertoires are composed of consonant- and vowel-like calls that can be controlled and combined to make syllable-like combinations, similar to human languages.

These sounds can even be used to communicate about past events.

“This new evidence cements a new view that great apes are highly desirable and unique model species to improve our [understanding] of language origin and language,” said Lameria.

The new findings support the theory that human language evolved gradually, with communication among our ape-like ancestors also heavily influenced by social factors.

Palm oil

Lameira added the new study also highlighted the importance of conservation.

“Great apes and their habitat must be preserved if we are to hold any chances of unveiling further pieces of the puzzle of language evolution,” he said.

Palm oil is the leading cause of extinction for the critically endangered species. More than 6,000 of the great apes die each year.

According to The Orangutan Project, nearly 80 percent of orangutan habitat has disappeared in the last two decades.

And now, more than 50 percent of orangutans live in unprotected forests that are managed by palm oil, timber, and mining companies.

The post Orangutans ‘Show Off Their Coolness’, Using Slang, Study Finds appeared first on Plant Based News.

The decision was made following a public consultation and “detailed assessment” by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee, an independent committee of scientists appointed by the Minister for the Environment.

“This is not about removing safeguards for humpbacks, which are still a protected migratory species, but it is a recognition of the success of the outstanding conservation efforts that are in place,” Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said in a statement.

She continued: “At the height of the global whaling industry there were as few as 1,500 humpback whales in Australian waters, today that population is believed to be as many as 40,000 individuals and growing.”

Humpback whales generally live for around 50 years in the wild, growing up to 18 meters in length. In Australia, the animals migrate along the east and west coasts every year, typically from May to November, journeying for up to 10,000 kilometers.

Whaling in Australia

The country’s humpback whale population has been hit hardest by the whaling industry (although the accelerating climate crisis is also expected to take its toll on the species in the coming years).

According to Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, whaling and the export of whale products was the country’s first primary industry following European colonization.

By 1963, when the International Whaling Commission banned humpback whaling in the Southern Hemisphere, the humpback population was estimated to sit at just 3.5-5 percent of pre-whaling numbers.

Speaking on the species’ newly updated status, minister Ley stresses that this is evidence of “what can be achieved through coordinated action.”

“It is a message of hope for the welfare of a number of species,” she stated.

Ley notes that the government is exploring a long-term monitoring program for humpback whales to see that their population numbers remain stable.

The post ‘Message Of Hope’ As Humpback Whales Shake Off Endangered Status In Australia appeared first on Plant Based News.

Under the planning condition, all new buildings higher than five meters (16 feet) must include bird boxes for local swifts to nest, as well as “bee bricks.”

Bee bricks come in various shapes and colors, with some being the same size as a standard brick. But the insect-friendly version is solid at the back with small holes at the front.

The circular gaps differ in size, and are said to mimic the kind that solitary bees nest in. They can be placed in a garden as is, or be built into the brickwork alongside conventional bricks.

There are around 270 species of bee in the UK, and roughly 250 of them are solitary bees. As their name suggests, these creatures fly solo and do not live in colonies like honeybees do. Although, solitary bees still tend to nest near one another.

“Bee bricks are just one of quite a number of measures that really should be in place to address biodiversity concerns that have arisen through years of neglect of the natural environment,” councilor Robert Nemeth told Dezeen. Nemeth first proposed the bee brick concept to the council in 2019.

“Increased planting, hedgehog holes, swift boxes, and bird feeders are all examples of other cheap and simple ideas that, together, could lead to easy medium-term gains.”

Bee and insect populations

The UK’s bee population has suffered for decades, although data is lacking for many pollinator species. But according to the Royal Society of Biology, managed honeybee hives in England dropped by 50 percent in just two decades.

Further, a 2019 study published in the journal Nature Communications, found that a third of British wild bees and hoverflies are in decline.

“Every square kilometre in the UK has lost an average of 11 species of bee and hoverfly, between 1980 and 2013,” Dr Lynn Dicks of the University of East Anglia told the BBC at the time.

A scientific review, also released in 2019, found similarly alarming figures. Researchers discovered that two-fifths of insect species are seeing “dramatic rates of decline.” Moreover, bees, beetles, and ants are being wiped out eight times faster than mammals, birds, or reptiles.

Climate breakdown, intensive agriculture, pollution, and pesticide use are said to be driving down population numbers.

Why are bees important?

Bees and other insects play key roles in maintaining prosperous ecosystems.

Journalist David MacNeal, author of Bugged, considers insects the “level pullers of the world.” Speaking to National Geographic, MacNeal explained: “[Insects] are the invisible force working throughout the world to keep it running.

“Almonds in California or watermelons in Florida wouldn’t be available if it were not for bees. Insects also return nutrients to the earth. If they weren’t around, the amount of decay and rot all over the place would be terrible.”

According to World Bee Day, bees and other pollinators are responsible for pollinating nearly three quarters of the plants that produce 90 percent of the world’s food.

“A third of the world’s food production depends on bees, i.e. every third spoonful of food depends on pollination,” the organization summarizes.

How to help the bees

Bee bricks are just one approach that could help protect the species. Planting a bee-friendly garden – brimming with nectar-rich plants, native wildflowers, and long grass – can offer sources of food and shelter.

DIY “insect hotels” are cropping up in people’s gardens more all the time. And a rising number of consumers are seeking out chemical-free products to avoid pesticides, herbicides, and neonicotinoids.

Meanwhile, some companies sell keychains and necklaces with sugar water to help revive bee populations on the move.

The post New Policy Mandates ‘Bee Bricks’ In Brighton, UK, To Protect Biodiversity appeared first on Plant Based News.