Author: Arjun Awasthi

Planning a vacation? Perhaps you are looking forward to visiting a different country and experience cultures, music and food like you have never before. Maybe you want to go to a museum, or even be a daredevil for a day and try something outrageous like bungee jumping or skydiving. Maybe you heard about an nature tour with dolphin encounters or elephant rides, and it was sold to you as a part of a region’s “unique cultural experience.” For a high price, these wild animals can bring wonder and amazement to tourists, but the price they pay in exploitation is far…

Have you ever wondered why Dr. Jane Goodall carries a stuffed animal around with her? Did you know that his name is Mr. H, and that he is not a chimpanzee (he has a tail, chimps are great apes and do not) but a monkey instead? Mr. H was given to Jane by Gary Haun, a man who lost his vision at the age of 21 and beat the odds to become a successful magician. Many people told Gary that he could never practice magic because of his blindness, but he proved them wrong and he never gave up. Now not only does…

Can the greatest weapon to combat wildlife trafficking be a microscope? Scientists and researchers believe that the use of forensics can actually save endangered animals from their current plight. The site where an animal has been killed is a crime scene, and every article such as a rhino horn or the dust from an elephant’s tusk, are all evidence related to the crime. By using DNA analysis, researchers can track individual animals – where they were poached even – and at times can also pinpoint the exact poacher based on traces of evidence found on them or among their articles.…

With scales instead of fur, a wobbly gait and a penchant for eating insects and ants, it’s no wonder that the pangolin is one of the most unique animals on the planet! Unfortunately, the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts has made life for the pangolins extremely dangerous. Thousands of pangolins are seized every year by authorities in raids to capture poachers and traders. Due to extensive hunting and smuggling of pangolins they have become the most illegally traded species in the world. In many countries such as Laos and Vietnam, the pangolin populations have crashed by almost 90%…

Between September 24th – October 5th 2016, The Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) is meeting for its 17th conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s the biggest deal for wildlife that you may not know about, and this year is a turning point unlike any other. Wildlife protection is one huge arm of the fight to end illegal wildlife trade – what is decided and discussed here will determine survival, or not, for 500 species. Mighty CITES CITES is perhaps the most renowned, as well as the oldest, international treaty in existence…

A very special all girl group of retired research chimpanzees is living large for the first time in their lives, and if they could sing they would probably be doing a rendition of “You Don’t Own Me,” with slightly more pant-hooting (chimp vocalization). These new beginnings are the direct result of a buildup of years of work to list captive chimpanzees as endangered, and also thanks to NIH declaring that their time using chimps for research was over. Because of this, former lab chimpanzees are finally beginning the process of retirement. 9 New Lives After spending most of their lives…

Jane says ALOHA The IUCN World Conservation Congress met just a few weeks ago in Hawa’ii. Many esteemed speakers such as our very own founder, Dr. Jane Goodall, were invited to speak on a range of topics related to conservation. The conference also included programs, events, workshops and important discussions surrounding the future conservation and preservation of our natural heritage. Islands of Hope Hawa’ii is home to one of the most important conservation sites in the United States. The islands themselves are a biodiversity hotspot and have some of the most unique plants and animals found nowhere else on the…

It is without question that many have been inspired, learned from or have taken action because of Dr. Jane Goodall’s tireless commitment to conservation. Sadly, great apes across the world continue to face the looming threat of habitat loss and poaching. For example, the Eastern Gorilla has lost almost 70% of its total population in the past 20 years. That is almost 13,000 individuals. This is not only terrifying, but tells us that now, more than ever, we need to create widespread awareness about the gravity of what losing these species truly means for our world. Understanding this need, and…

People throw the word “endangered” around a lot. But what does that actually mean, and why is it something we should all be thinking about everyday? What’s in a Threat? The IUCN, or the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, sets the standards for measuring the condition of species in the wild and ascribes a conservation status to these species. This conservation status serves as an indicator and educational tool for scientists, policy makers, other experts and the general public in understanding which species face what level and kind of stress or threats to survival. The IUCN lists all…

The African Grey Parrot is a beautiful and highly intelligent bird that comes from parts of Central Africa*. These parrots consistently show up on television shows and in viral videos performing tricks or solving complicated puzzles. Unfortunately, due to their social nature, remarkable emotional and cognitive abilities and willingness to learn, many people believe that they make excellent pets. The exotic pet trade around the world is creating an absurd demand for animals. Many people love the novelty that comes with owning an animal that isn’t exactly your average pet. These animals are inhumanely handled, mistreated, shipped and often die…