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.

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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.

It’s also a day to show our appreciation for Mother Nature and all the wildlife she sustains. And, to highlight the vital work being done by climate scientists, activists, non-profits, and even plant-based food producers, to name a few, that takes us closer to restoring the planet. 

Earth Day is a reminder to do better. To learn from our mistakes, to carve out innovative ways forward, and an opportunity to look back on the progress we’ve made. And in that way, it’s also a reminder that together, change is possible. 

A disclaimer

It’s important to note that animals losing their endangered status isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes, the loss of such labels causes species to lose their government-instilled protections, too.

For instance, in 2020, when the gray wolf was no longer considered endangered, the Trump administration removed the species’ federal protections. This kickstarted hunts against the species, despite still having relatively unstable population numbers. (In February of this year, the animals were reintroduced to the Endangered Species Act and consequently regained protections).

The species on the below list are no longer listed as endangered. But, like many others, they still face threats (most of which are human-caused). So whilst we celebrate these wins, we must continue fighting for the survival of all species – in the wild, in labs, in our homes, and on farms.

Species that shook off their endangered status

Giant panda

Last year, Chinese officials announced that the country’s national animal, the giant panda, was no longer endangered. In the late 1970s, there were around 1,000 giant pandas living in the wild. But populations have since blossomed, nearly doubling due to government recovery schemes. 

Fun fact: according to WWF, to obtain estimates about panda population numbers, teams of researchers scale through mountainous forests looking for panda dung and chewed bamboo. The latter is particularly useful, because panda bite marks are all unique, like fingerprints.

Giant pandas still face threats, including poaching and habitat loss relating to farming and tourism.

Want to learn more? Check out Pandas International, a non-profit working to protect the species.

Southern white rhinoceros 

WWF considers the southern white rhino a “major conservation success story.”

The herbivorous subspecies – the second-largest land mammal after the elephant – was once thought to be extinct, chiefly due to hunters targeting them for meat and sport. But in 1895, a group of under 100 southern white rhinos were found in Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. 

Now, following a century’s worth of conservation efforts, there are more than 20,000 southern white rhinos on Earth. They live predominantly in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Kenya in protected areas and private game reserves.

They are the only subspecies of rhino that are not endangered. In fact, scientists are hoping that the southern white rhino will play a key role in boosting the population of the critically endangered northern white rhino, of which there are just two remaining (a mother-daughter pair, who live at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya).

Southern white rhinos still need our help. They’re especially at risk of illegal poaching for their horns, particularly in South Africa, to meet demand from Asia (mostly Vietnam and China).

Save the Rhino International is fighting to protect all five rhino subspecies. Learn more here.

Arabian oryx

In the early 1970s, things were looking grim for the Arabian oryx, when hunting had completely wiped out the species in the wild. However, a slew of reintroduction schemes steered population numbers upwards, so that by 2011, the animal became the first to regain vulnerable status after being listed as extinct in the wild. 

Today, there are around 1,200 Arabian oryx living freely in Saudi Arabia, with another up to 7,000 in captivity. 

The unique animals – which can actually smell rain in the distance, and lead their herds towards it for fresh grazing – are still hunted for their meat, horns, and skins.

Fauna & Flora International, thought to be the world’s oldest international conservation organization, had a helping hand in rescuing the species. Learn more about the charity here.

American alligator

Like most examples of animal populations making a comeback, it was a matter of humans undoing the damage we were responsible for in the first place. Still, the fact that American alligators reached the very edge of extinction in the 1950s – after spending 200 millions years on the planet – only to become one of the first endangered species success stories is worth celebrating. 

In 1967, after hunters and poachers drove American alligator numbers down to near-extinct levels, the species was granted federal protections, banning the hunting of the reptiles.

By 1987, they were officially dubbed fully recovered. Now, they’re classified as of least concern (the lowest status there is). There are currently an estimated five million American alligators in the southeastern United States (more than one million of them live in Florida). 

American alligators – which can grow up to 16 feet long – are mainly threatened by habitat loss caused by development. They are also still hunted for their meat and skins, though the trade is now regulated.

The Nature Conservancy restores the wetlands in which alligators reside. You can visit the non-profit’s website here.

Humpback whale

Earlier this year, the majestic humpback whale was removed from Australia’s threatened species list. The whaling industry had pushed numbers down drastically over several decades; at one point, just 1,500 humpbacks were living in Australian waters. Now, an estimated 40,000 individuals reside there, and that figure is still climbing. 

Australia’s ​​Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley assured that despite the listing change, the species will continue to be protected from whaling. Ley named it an example of “what can be achieved through coordinated action.”

“It is a message of hope for the welfare of a number of species,” they said.

Sea Shepherd works tirelessly to protect whales and other marine life in all corners of the world. Learn more about the charity here.

Lake Erie water snake

This water snake only calls one destination home: Lake Erie – which spans 9,910 square miles (25,667 square kilometers). But, in the 1990s, habitat-destroying development and resident-led culls (since locals considered the Lake Erie water snake a pest) saw the species reach the brink of extinction.es is exclusive

In response, the federal government added the water snake to the Endangered Species List in 1999. This made it illegal to kill or injure the snakes, which can live for up to 12 years in the wild. 

In 2011, the Lake Erie water snake population had slithered up to 12,000, and was removed from the list. 

Advocates for Snake Preservation aims to change the way the public view snakes, and promote peaceful coexistence with the animals. You can learn more about the organization on its website.

Bald eagle

The US’ iconic national bird was nearly wiped out after decades of hunting, habitat loss, and the use of DDT, a toxic pesticide that had severely contaminated waterways, then fish, then the animals consuming those fish, including the bald eagle.

By the 1960s, just 487 nesting pairs of bald eagles were alive in the US. The species (which can dive at speeds of 100 miles per hour, or 160 kilometers an hour) was included in the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s, and DDT was banned. 

Populations soared, and bald eagles were federally delisted in 2007. 

“The bald eagle is one of the original species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act,” conservation biologist Margaret Fowle told myChamplainValley.com. 

“It was kind of a wake up call with this decline that the bald eagles went through for us to realize some of the things we’re doing to the environment and how they affect the wildlife and the ecosystem.”

The American Eagle Foundation is one non-profit working to keep the national treasure flying high. It also livestreams 24-hour “nest cams,” which can be viewed online for free.

Still want ways to help?

There are a wealth of avenues we, as a society, can take to better protect non-human animals. Global bans on poaching, hunting, and trading wildlife, for example, and heightened penalties for those who violate such laws, are integral approaches.

Comprehensive animal protection legislation and policies are also an important part of the equation. But besides signing petitions and (when possible) donating money, individuals carry more power than one might think.

A report published last month found that eating less meat could help reverse the decline of hundreds of plant and animal species. Researchers stated that increasing intake of fruits and vegetables whilst lowering meat intake could bring “significant health and environmental benefits.”

In fact, if the population of the UK ate an additional handful of vegetables a day, an estimated 407 to 536 species could be protected, the report said.

Indeed, a range of environmental studies have linked animal products to significant deforestation, habitat loss, ocean acidification, and pollution. One sizeable meta-analysis on farming’s environmental on the planet uncovered that plant-based eating is one of the most effective ways to help protect the planet.

The post Animal Species That Are No Longer Endangered, And How To Help Them Stay That Way 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.

Take OMNI, which has seen its vegan pet food fly off shelves in the last six months, with sales soaring by 600 percent. 

The UK-based start-up, founded in 2020, has sold nearly 90,000 vegan meals for dogs since September 2021, OMNI revealed in a press release.

The environmental implications of these sales are far-reaching, given meat production’s role in the climate crisis. OMNI estimates that it has saved 112,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions so far – equating to 590 return flights from London to New York.

Sustainability benefits are just one factor drawing consumers in. A report released today by The Vegan Society looked at the snowballing vegan animal care market. 

One survey included in the report found that nearly half (45 percent) of people living with dogs were interested in feeding their companion animal(s) vegan food, with nutrition and ethics being focal points.

Further, one in four (24 percent) of survey participants living with dogs reported purchasing vegan pet food in the past. 

A booming industry

This shift in consumer attitude has not gone unnoticed by investors. With a projected market value of US$15 million by 2028, a surging number of entrepreneurs are dipping their toes in the vegan pet food scene. 

OMNI, for example, pocketed $1.5 million (£1.1 million) last year in its first-ever funding round. 

One of its investors, Shio Capital, expanded on its support of the start-up. “It is clear the alternative protein space is not just limited to human consumption,” Shio Capital said in a statement. “As the vegan pet food space continues to gain traction among pet owners and pets, we view OMNI as being well positioned to lead this change.”

OMNI isn’t alone in the cruelty-free pet food movement. London-based food-tech company THE PACK closed a pre-seed investment round of its own last year, attracting financial support from a host of high-profile figures. 

English footballer Chris Smalling, former Liverpool and Hull footballer Kevin Stewart, and vegan celebrity chefs Henry Firth and Ian Theasby of BOSH! all chipped in to support THE PACK’s mission of disrupting the meat-based pet food system. 

Co-founder of THE PACK, Damien Clarkson, elaborated on this vision in a statement.

“We’re on a mission to encourage pet parents to start thinking of the climate crisis when making purchasing decisions for their dogs and it starts with what we plate up ourselves and our pups,” Clarkson explained. 

“We are all living through an ecological crisis and a seismic shift in the pet-food industry can make a positive contribution to tackling the climate crisis.”

To read more about plant-based diets for dogs, see here

The post Vegan Dog Food Sales Surge By 600% In Just 6 Months At UK Start-Up appeared first on Plant Based News.

It was prompted by research that found that people in the UK consider bacon one of the “sexiest smells.”

The plant-based start-up referenced data collected from 1,000 Brits. Around one in three (32 percent) of them said the smell of sizzling bacon is sexy.

That’s what motivated THIS to create an all-vegan bacon perfume, called THIS Eau Du.

The fragrance features smokey, woody, and savory scents, which are “guaranteed to seduce even the most carnivorous” people, a press release said.

“It’s the underdog of aphrodisiacs and one of the best things you can get your hands on this Valentine’s Day,” it stated.

Andy Shovel is the co-founder of THIS and a self-confessed former “meat fanatic.” He elaborated on the campaign in a statement: “We’ve had quite a few lewd and inappropriate proposals from customers who’ve tried our Isn’t Bacon; so it makes sense to us that users of our Eau Du Isn’t Bacon could instantly become more attractive.”

The company crafted 120 bottles of the fragrance, but it was nowhere near enough to meet demand. THIS revealed in an email to Plant Based News that the quirky product sold out in just 20 minutes.

All up, it received more than 25,000 requests for the perfume.

THIS vs the meat industry

THIS – which produces realistic meat alternatives like bacon, chicken, and lamb – launched a similarly coy campaign just yesterday.

It’s a response to one of the world’s largest farmer unions, Ulster Farmers Union. The organization is pushing for vegan and vegetarian companies to be banned from using terms like burger, sausage, and chicken.

Monikers like vegan leather have also come under fire; this week, Portugal banned the term over consumer clarity concerns.

Supporters of such bans maintain that these labels are misleading and could confuse consumers.

In a thinly veiled swipe at the concept, THIS created a fake manifesto from the union that calls for action against multiple other words too.

The spoof manifesto states that butterflies should pay an annual tax to the dairy lobby, and should be renamed “spread flies.”

All guinea pigs are also at fault, since they are not real pigs, the manifesto says. Similarly, catfish should be forced to change their name.

Finally, crisps should not be allowed to have meaty terms on their packaging. So flavors like Roast Beef would have to change to Roasted Bovine-Inspired, THIS joked.

“It’s mind-blowing that the Ulster Farmers Union reckons that UK consumers could pick up a pack of our ‘THIS ISN’T CHICKEN’, and think it was previously feathered and clucking,” Shovel said about the campaign. “The massive, massive clue is in the name. Other brands in our category have equally not-at-all-confusing product names, like meat-free sausages.”

The post THIS Vegan Bacon Perfume Sells Out In 20 Mins, With 25,000 People Trying To Buy It 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.