RESCUE STORY: Bears tortured and forced to dance are finally safe

A dramatic rescue of two tortured sloth bears took place in Nepal on 19 December, 2017 by the Jane Goodall Institute of Nepal, with support from World Animal Protection and Nepali police.

These are the last two known Nepali owned, illegal ‘dancing bears’. Rangila (19 years) and Sridevi (17 years) were taken from their mother at an early age and forced to perform. Their owner pierced their noses with a burning hot rod and shoved a rope through it – to retain control of the large animals. Harsh training methods are used to make them submissive enough to perform for tourists.

With the help of local police, the bears were found in Iharbari, Nepal. The rescue was emotional for all involved. The bears were in an extremely distressed state; showing signs of psychological trauma such as cowering, pacing and paw sucking.

The bears are now on their way to be placed in the temporary care of Parsa National Park.

This is not the first time using bears for entertainment has been eradicated in an area and World Animal Protection has a 20-year history of working with local partners to end such cruelty. Seeing an end to bear dancing in Greece, Turkeyand India, the NGO is also close to phasing out bear baiting in Pakistan.

Neil D’Cruze, World Animal Protection said:
“Rangila and Sridevi have suffered for too long in captivity since they were poached from the wild. It’s extremely distressing to see animals being stolen from the wild and the sad reality is there are more wild animals suffering across the world, purely for the entertainment of tourists. I am pleased that for these two sloth bears at least; a happy ending is finally in sight.”

Manoj Gautam, Jane Goodall Institute of Nepal says:
“We are thrilled that the last two known Nepali dancing bears have been rescued from their lifetime of suffering. After a year of tracking them, using our own intelligence and in cooperation with local police, our hard effort and dedication has helped to bring an end to this illegal tradition in Nepal.”

 

$25 Million to Support Conservation and Environmental Education Programs

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Duke University announced a $25 million gift from Jeff and Laurie Ubben.

Of the total, $20 million will support WWF’s wildlife conservation programs, and $5 million will support environmental research and education at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.

The Ubbens’ gift will allow WWF to act on some of the most urgent global conservation issues, such as reducing the demand for illegal ivory in China, protecting wildlife and strengthening the ability of local communities to conserve the natural resources so critical to their livelihoods.

The gift also supports a partnership between WWF and Duke’s Nicholas School to identify novel solutions that support conservation and sustainable development, and make these new tools and approaches accessible to conservationists and environmental managers worldwide.

Jeff and Laurie Ubben are both alumni of Duke, and Jeff is a member of Duke’s Board of Trustees. They said their gift is inspired by their love of nature and their desire to leave a better planet for their children.

“Jeff and I feel strongly about protecting the environment,” said Laurie Ubben. “We’re energized by the important work WWF and Duke are doing to safeguard our planet. Now more than ever, we believe these initiatives must be supported.”

“Jeff and Laurie do not mess around when it comes to conservation,” said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. “You can see the difference their philanthropy has made in bringing the ivory trade to an end in key markets, and in bridging research with real world solutions. The Ubbens have sparked some of our most promising initiatives and partnerships. I’m grateful for their generosity and for their vision in driving sustainability at a scale that matters.”

“This far-sighted gift from two of Duke’s most dedicated alumni will enable us to pioneer a new model of collaboration between a university and a global conservation organization,” said Jeffrey Vincent, Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School. “I am especially excited by the opportunities it will create for our students, to be part of research and practice coming together to devise solutions for our planet’s toughest conservation problems. I am grateful to Jeff and Laurie for this remarkable investment in Earth’s future.”

my favorite animal welfare organizations

If you are interested in learning about threatened, endangered, and critically endangered species or if you want to know what you can do to help animals in need, I have developed a list of my favorite animal welfare organizations:

Big Cat Rescue 

Located in Tampa, Florida, this animal sanctuary is committed to rescuing and rehabilitating injured or orphaned wild cats. They also help to educate the public on the private trade and ownership of exotic cats in order to avoid exploitation of these animals.

World Wildlife Fund

The World Wildlife Fund is the world’s leading conservation organization. They operate in 100 countries and are supported by more than 6.1 million members worldwide.

Center for Great Apes 

The Center for Great Apes is a nonprofit organization that houses Orangutans and Chimpanzees. At this sanctuary, 100% of donations go to supporting the animals. Their overall mission is to provide a permanent home and lifelong care for great apes who have been rescued or retired from the entertainment industry, research, or from the exotic pet trade.

World Vets

World Vets helps thousands of animals each year by providing free veterinary care around the world. Their programs also manage international veterinary and disaster relief in underprivileged communities.

World Animal Protection 

World Animal Protection works on projects around the world, helping governments and communities to learn to protect and care for animals.

The Animals Rights Kollective 

This organization seeks to promote and protect the rights of all animals, while encouraging the public to get involved in animal rights activism through their public awareness campaigns.