WWF’s Ming Yao on why China’s ivory trade ban matters

WWF’s Ming Yao on why China’s ivory trade ban matters

China made it illegal to buy and sell elephant ivory at the end of last year, and the law is already producing positive results.

Among 2,000 people surveyed across 15 Chinese cities with ivory markets, those who previously said that they’d either bought ivory products in the past and planned to do so again, or wanted to buy ivory products for the first time, dropped substantially now that the law is in full force, according to two new studies by WWF and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.

Additionally, all pre-ban legal ivory shops visited by wildlife trafficking experts in 2018 had stopped selling ivory, and the magnitude of illegal ivory trade in most of the cities and online platforms surveyed had dropped.

Despite these promising results, there’s still more work to do. Ivory trafficking hotspots remain in China, including along its border with Vietnam. Awareness of the ban is also low.

WWF spoke with Ming Yao, a member of WWF’s wildlife conservation team who has worked closely on ivory demand reduction projects, to learn more about her point of view on China’s ivory ban and how it has influenced consumer behavior in her country.

Read the studies here and here.

Ivory has always been part of the Chinese culture and often considered a symbol of achievement. What kind of conversations have you had with friends in China regarding the ban?
My first personal experience with an ivory product was five years ago, when my older sister got an ivory bracelet as a gift from her friend who had recently traveled to South Africa. I clearly remember that the piece of jewelry was stunning, and her friend told us she paid approximately $3,000. At the time, her friend knew it was illegal to bring ivory into China, but there was no explicit ivory ban at that time, so she took the risk and got away with it. Since the inception of the ban, many awareness-raising campaigns have launched and many Chinese citizens have come to realize the importance of protecting elephants.

My friends and I are excited to hear that the ban is having positive impacts. We think that if no one buys ivory, elephants have a great chance or survival. It’s important to raise more awareness on the existence of the ban because I still have friends who don’t know about it and its importance for conservation.

You’re a millennial. Were you surprised by the research findings that millennials are one of the groups most interested in buying ivory in China?
I was very shocked by the results of the recent surveys because I thought young Chinese would have more knowledge of elephant conservation and would not be inclined to buy ivory products. Nevertheless, they are still attracted by the beauty of ivory and what it represents to own it.

We need to work harder to change perceptions and behaviors of millennials and help them see that not by not buying ivory they give hope for elephants.

Have campaigns raising awareness that buying ivory is detrimental to the survival of elephants generated impact on consumer habits?
Yes, most of my friends will not buy ivory products after learning that over 20,000 African elephants are poached every year because of consumer demand for ivory products. They are also very mindful of the legal implications that can occur if they buy ivory.   

Many conservation organizations are working hard to stop the demand. Celebrities like actress Li Bingbing have also been key in raising awareness among consumers—but changing mindsets can be hard. We need to continue to inform people so that China can reduce the demand for ivory and instead become a champion for elephant conservation.

What else can we do to stop the demand to buy ivory products?
In the immediate future, we can take advantage of Golden Week, China’s biggest travel holiday. Many people travel to nearby countries where elephant ivory is not illegal and bring back ivory products. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness and reduce people’s desire to purchase ivory during their trips. We can also engage travel industry leaders and influencers to deliver our campaign messaging to outbound Chinese travelers in popular destinations. This is also a great time to share awareness-raising messaging about legal penalties and law enforcement for ivory smuggling through information placed at key locations, including airports, online travel sights, shopping sites, and other transportation hubs.

Are you taking any personal steps to help stop demand?
I want to use my upcoming wedding as a platform to raise awareness of the ivory ban in Tongling City, a small city south of the Anhui province. We will have around 1,000 guests attending and my fiancé and I want to use this opportunity to have elephant motifs throughout the venue (and even on my dress) that highlight the importance of protecting these animals. We are also working on creating a compelling video with a powerful message that encourages our guests to help stop the demand for ivory products so we can preserve this species.

Published September 28, 2018 at 05:00AM

How sustainable honey helps a community and precious forest in Sumatra

How sustainable honey helps a community and precious forest in Sumatra

Around 10pm one night in October 2017, in the rain forests of central Sumatra, Feri grabs a hammer, loops it over his shoulder, and scales a tree so massive it makes him look the size of a squirrel. The ladder he’s using is a chain of bamboo poles lashed to wooden pegs. Flashlights from the ground cocoon his figure in light as he reaches the uppermost pole, whacks a new peg into the trunk, and waits for another climber to carry up the next length of bamboo.

The tree, in Feri’s language, is a sialang, meaning “big tree with honey.” He and three other climbers—who belong to a community of indigenous Talang Mamak people—have been building the ladder for hours. Once it reaches the bees’ nests hanging from the sialang’s branches, they’ll use a smoking torch to drive out any bees.

The Talang Mamak have been harvesting honey and a host of other natural products from these forests, located in a region known as Thirty Hills, for generations. But they just began collaborating with a PT Alam Bukit 30 (ABT), a new business aiming to help them improve their production and profits--while also keeping the trees standing.

The company was launched in 2015 by WWF-Indonesia, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and The Orangutan Project to protect a large forest concession of land in Thirty Hills. A pulp and paper company had been trying to acquire and clear the concession for plantations, but ABT won the license to it as an “ecosystem restoration concession.” Now, the company is working with local communities there to create a sustainable business plan to create revenue from the intact forest, from everything from sialang honey and rubber to rugs, baskets, and other handicrafts made from rattan and bamboo.

Some of those communities, like Feri’s, live inside ABT’s concession. While they don’t legally own their land, they have deep roots in Thirty Hills. “We believe this forest is ancient, and that it is a family member of the Talang Mamak,” says Fahmi, the head of Feri’s village. ABT wants the indigenous communities to stay in the concession and prosper from its sustainable production model.

Other settlements, like the village of Suo Suo, lie just outside the concession’s boundaries. “We were already making these products before,” says Adnan, a 69-year-old Suo Suo resident, sitting cross-legged in one of the village houses as she works a new strand of bamboo into a woven basket. “But ABT can help us sell them to bigger markets so we can make more income.”

Eventually, the local communities partnering with the company will be invited to become shareholders in it--an uncommon move for a company in Sumatra. “These communities are used to being marginalized,” says Jan Vertefeuille, who leads wildlife conservation advocacy for WWF-US and helped realize the creation of the ABT concession. “Usually, if a pulp and paper or rubber or palm oil comes in, the local communities can’t tell them to leave because they don’t have land tenure.”

Not all of the villages in Thirty Hills are convinced yet that ABT is a company they can trust. But Anto, who lives in Feri’s village, says most of the people there have decided to give the partnership with the company a try.

“We initially rejected ABT because we weren’t aware of what it was and how it was supposed to help local people,” he says. “But now, 85% of the village supports it. We need a change, a good change. We need to improve our livelihoods. Having a partnership with ABT can help us have a better life.”

Published September 20, 2018 at 05:00AM

Eerie animals?

Eerie animals?

Bats and spiders, black cats and owls—can you imagine a spooky Halloween without them? Though they may give you goosebumps on the year’s most frightful night, these animals actually help keep our planet—and all who live here—healthy and safe.   

WWF works to protect landscapes where these animals live and helps both wildlife and people thrive.

Spooky spiders?

Spiders often get a bad rap because their eight legs, multiple sets of eyes, and signature fangs seem a bit…well…spooky. But contrary to the narrative of some horror flicks, these web spinners are a huge plus to have around. Found all around the world except in the coldest places, spiders serve as major predators of insects—including those that pester humans, transmit disease, or eat food crops. We know of more than 40,000 different species of spider, and likely still have thousands more to discover.

Bone-chilling bats?

Vampire bats may send a shiver down your spine, but out of about 1,200 species of bats in the world, only three carry that label. The majority—two-thirds—serve as nighttime pest patrol, snacking on mosquitoes and other insects. Other bat species act as pollinators and seed dispersers. By feeding on flowers and fruits, bats pollinate wild bananas, the saguaro cactus, and durian.

Creepy cats?

A black cat crossing your path on Halloween seems like a bad omen. However, catching a glimpse of a much bigger black cat—the elusive black jaguar—would be quite the stroke of luck. They’re the same species of jaguar found in the Amazon, but with a rare color variant. This color adaptation may aid them in catching prey. WWF helps protect the Amazon and tracks jaguars to learn more about their habitat and needs.

Ominous owls?

Just because most owls fly through the night doesn't mean they’re ominous. In fact, the snowy owl hunts mainly during the day, using both sight and sound to locate prey. This white-feathered bird is usually monogamous and often pairs for life. Snowy owls live mainly in Arctic regions, but are known to fly south into the United States during the winter months.

Learn more about WWF's work to protect wildlife.

Published September 24, 2018 at 05:00AM

Nepal nearly doubles its wild tiger population

Nepal nearly doubles its wild tiger population

In an amazing show of progress for wildlife, Nepal is on track to become the first of the world’s countries to double its wild tiger population since 2010. According to results from the country’s most recent tiger survey, there are now an estimated 235 wild tigers, nearly twice the number of tigers counted in 2009.

It’s exciting and unprecedented news for this small Himalayan country, one of 13 tiger range countries that pledged to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022—part of an initiative known as TX2.

“Nepal is a great example for other tiger range countries to step up and commit to the same level of political will and excellence said Ginette Hemley, senior vice president of wildlife conservation at World Wildlife Fund.  While this is a huge story for tiger conservation, it also highlights the constant need to ensure the protection of key habitats and the value of a landscape approach for this species to recover and thrive.”

The results

The expansive tiger survey, conducted between November 2017 and March 2018, was led by Nepal’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department of Forests in partnership with WWF-Nepal. Monitoring efforts included 4,387 camera trap images, line transects, and occupancy and prey density surveys. The project covered more than 1,700 miles across protected areas and wildlife corridors in the Terai Arc Landscape—an important transboundary ecosystem with India that’s also home to rhinos, elephants, and nearly seven million people.

Tiger country

Nepal’s happy news arrives at a time when many  of the world’s tiger populations are in decline from habitat loss and widespread poaching. As an intrepid leader in tiger conservation, Nepal demonstrates what’s possible when governments, law enforcement, local communities and NGOs work together to support robust protections for this critically endangered species.

In recent years, Nepal joined forces with WWF to strengthen community-based antipoaching and monitoring efforts. The government has also increased its commitments to protect and restore vital tiger habitat—including important wildlife corridors—to ensure tigers have the space and prey base they need to thrive.

Doubling tigers

With fewer than 4,000 wild tigers left in the world, more must be done to ensure tiger numbers keep trending upwards. “Every tiger counts, for Nepal and the world,” said Dr. Ghana S. Gurung, Country Representative of WWF-Nepal. “While Nepal is but a few tigers away from our goal to double tiger numbers by 2022, this survey underscores the continued need to ensure protection and improved and contiguous habitats for the long-term survival of the species.”

Two years ago, WWF shared that, based on the best available data, global tiger numbers had increased for the first time in more than a century. But while countries like Nepal, Bhutan, India, and Russia have made significant gains in recovering their populations, tiger conservation remains a challenge in Southeast Asia, where rampant poaching and deforestation are an ever-present threat. 

WWF is working with governments, scientists, rangers, and local communities to put an end to tiger poaching across Asia and prevent habitat loss, and to help communities better address human-tiger conflict.  

We’re confident that together, we can double the number of tigers in the wild.  

You can help save this incredible species. Pledge to Save Tigers Now.

Published September 23, 2018 at 05:00AM

WWF to help Starbucks build better stores for the planet

WWF to help Starbucks build better stores for the planet

Imagine a future in which buildings are designed specifically to help the planet become a healthier place for all of us to live. That’s the vision WWF will help Starbucks achieve through the company’s new “Greener Stores” plan.

Announced last week at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, Starbucks has committed to design, build and operate 10,000 Greener Stores globally by 2025. But before Starbucks customers can step into a Greener Store there’s some work to be done—and that’s where WWF is getting involved.

Over the next year, WWF will work closely with Starbucks and a team of experts from Green Business Certification, Inc.—an organization that independently certifies environmentally friendly buildings—to develop a plan that not only sets a new standard for sustainable practices in stores, but also ensures new Starbucks stores will be built and operated in a way that significantly reduces environmental impacts.

Collectively our partnership will develop a plan that protects the future health of our natural resources and provides an open-sourced road map to the entire retail industry to make similar advancements—a win-win for both business and nature.

“When companies step up and demonstrate leadership, other businesses often follow with commitments of their own, driving further positive impacts,” said Erin Simon, director, research and development, WWF.

As market demand for food increases, so too does the impact on natural resources and important wildlife habitat. WWF recognizes the enormous potential to improve how we produce food and other products—all while creating opportunities for business.

“We know that designing and building green stores is not only responsible, it is cost effective as well,” said Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks. “The energy and passion of our green apron partners has inspired us to find ways to operate a greener store that will generate even greater cost savings while reducing impact.” 

Learn more about WWF’s work to transform business.

Published September 20, 2018 at 05:00AM

In central Sumatra, the Talang Mamak people work to build a sustainable honey business and protect precious forests

In central Sumatra, the Talang Mamak people work to build a sustainable honey business and protect precious forests

Around 10pm one night in October 2017, in the rain forests of central Sumatra, Feri grabs a hammer, loops it over his shoulder, and scales a tree so massive it makes him look the size of a squirrel. The ladder he’s using is a chain of bamboo poles lashed to wooden pegs. Flashlights from the ground cocoon his figure in light as he reaches the uppermost pole, whacks a new peg into the trunk, and waits for another climber to carry up the next length of bamboo.

The tree, in Feri’s language, is a sialang, meaning “big tree with honey.” He and three other climbers—who belong to a community of indigenous Talang Mamak people—have been building the ladder for hours. Once it reaches the bees’ nests hanging from the sialang’s branches, they’ll use a smoking torch to drive out any bees.

The Talang Mamak have been harvesting honey and a host of other natural products from these forests, located in a region known as Thirty Hills, for generations. But they just began collaborating with a PT Alam Bukit 30 (ABT), a new business aiming to help them improve their production and profits--while also keeping the trees standing.

The company was launched in 2015 by WWF-Indonesia, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and The Orangutan Project to protect a large forest concession of land in Thirty Hills. A pulp and paper company had been trying to acquire and clear the concession for plantations, but ABT won the license to it as an “ecosystem restoration concession.” Now, the company is working with local communities there to create a sustainable business plan to create revenue from the intact forest, from everything from sialang honey and rubber to rugs, baskets, and other handicrafts made from rattan and bamboo.

Some of those communities, like Feri’s, live inside ABT’s concession. While they don’t legally own their land, they have deep roots in Thirty Hills. “We believe this forest is ancient, and that it is a family member of the Talang Mamak,” says Fahmi, the head of Feri’s village. ABT wants the indigenous communities to stay in the concession and prosper from its sustainable production model.

Other settlements, like the village of Suo Suo, lie just outside the concession’s boundaries. “We were already making these products before,” says Adnan, a 69-year-old Suo Suo resident, sitting cross-legged in one of the village houses as she works a new strand of bamboo into a woven basket. “But ABT can help us sell them to bigger markets so we can make more income.”

Eventually, the local communities partnering with the company will be invited to become shareholders in it--an uncommon move for a company in Sumatra. “These communities are used to being marginalized,” says Jan Vertefeuille, who leads wildlife conservation advocacy for WWF-US and helped realize the creation of the ABT concession. “Usually, if a pulp and paper or rubber or palm oil comes in, the local communities can’t tell them to leave because they don’t have land tenure.”

Not all of the villages in Thirty Hills are convinced yet that ABT is a company they can trust. But Anto, who lives in Feri’s village, says most of the people there have decided to give the partnership with the company a try.

“We initially rejected ABT because we weren’t aware of what it was and how it was supposed to help local people,” he says. “But now, 85% of the village supports it. We need a change, a good change. We need to improve our livelihoods. Having a partnership with ABT can help us have a better life.”

Published September 20, 2018 at 05:00AM

How to standup paddle board—and help wildlife at the same time

How to standup paddle board—and help wildlife at the same time

Standup paddle boarding promises a unique and harmonious way to explore our planets rivers, lakes, oceans, and more. And while the sport may intimidate first timers, it becomes far less daunting with a few quick tips and tricks in mind.

Former professional standup paddle boarder Anthony Vela offers some insight to get newbies started.

The best part? Once you’ve got the hang of it, you can use your new standup paddle skills to fundraise for the wildlife and wild places that you love. Enjoy a day on the water with other paddlers—beginners, pros, and everyone in between—at WWF’s Panda Paddle, sponsored by Target, on Oct. 20 at Bonita Cove in San Diego.

Take a look!

1. Take a lesson
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth highlighting again. A certified instructor can offer you simple instructions that will make your first time on a standup paddle board successful—and more fun. Many accredited businesses that rent out the equipment you need to get started also offer lessons; the key is to confirm that the instructor went through a training and certification process before heading out on the water.

2. Use the right equipment
One of the reasons standup paddle boarding is such a fast-growing sport is that anyone can do it, anywhere there is water. Just remember that the equipment is not one-size-fits-all. Boards and paddles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and you need to choose the right ones. Think of it like riding a bike—an adult would struggle to ride a child’s bike, and vice versa. Wider boards provide stability and work well for beginners, while narrower boards require precise balance and move faster. A certified instructor from an accredited business can match you with the right equipment.

Here’s a tip for SUP success

Getting started on the board starts with using the right equipment.

Posted by World Wildlife Fund on Friday, September 14, 2018

 

3. Learn in flat water
The easiest place to paddle is in calm, flat water. Lakes, bays, and harbors are best because there are no waves, currents, or other factors that make the water choppy. Mornings are usually the best time to paddle because there’s typically less wind. You will have much more fun in water that looks like a sheet of glass—nice and smooth. As you improve your paddling skills, waves, wind, and even currents in rivers can add excitement. 

4. Have fun
Lastly, keep in mind that it is scientifically proven that you have 80% more balance when you are smiling. (Okay, maybe we made that part up.) But it is true that you don’t need to be an expert standup paddle boarder to have a great time on the water. Falling off and getting back up again is A-Okay and all part of the fun!

5. Paddle for wildlife
There’s no better time to practice standup paddling than at WWF’s Panda Paddle! Panda Paddle blends a world-class standup paddle boarding competition with a world-changing cause: protecting the natural world. Whether you’re just starting out or already an expert paddler, Panda Paddle is a great way to hone your skills while protecting and preserving nature.

Join us Saturday, Oct. 20, at Bonita Cove in San Diego for WWF’s Panda Paddle!

Published September 20, 2018 at 05:00AM

In Mozambique, banning fishing leads to a bigger catch

In Mozambique, banning fishing leads to a bigger catch

It’s still early in the morning as our small boat speeds across a sea of brilliantly blue water. Bouts of pounding rain have kept us on shore in the city of Angoche for days, but with clearer clear skies and calmer seas, our small group—a team of researchers and conservationists from WWF and CARE—can finally make its way to Pulizica, a small fishing community in Mozambique’s Primeiras e Segundas archipelago.

Pulizica is home to the newest fish sanctuary established by the WWF-CARE Alliance, a global partnership to address the root causes of poverty and environmental degradation, and today we’re seeing how well the protected area is recovering declining fish stocks in the region. As one of three community-governed, no-take fishing zones in the area, the Pulizica sanctuary is part of larger efforts by the Alliance to improve local livelihoods by helping communities better manage their natural resources.

Spanning 4,020 square miles, Premeiras e Segundas is a coastal marine reserve comprised of 10 barrier islands, mangrove forests, coastal estuaries, coral reef complexes, and seagrass beds—all of which support an astonishing array of species. Mozambique’s largest concentration of endangered green, hawksbill, and olive ridley turtles swim in these waters, alongside everything from tropical fish to dugongs.

And the 340,000 people who live in the region are intimately tied to the land and sea as well; about two-thirds of households depend on the archipelago’s diverse fisheries for food and income.

Unfortunately, once plentiful fish stocks in Premeiras e Segundas have declined rapidly in the last decade, largely due to overfishing and poorly managed resources. Coastal communities are now plagued by increasingly unreliable sources of income and chronic food insecurity, putting already strained marine ecosystems under even more pressure.

The no-fishing paradox

The idea of not fishing to catch more fish seems contradictory. But when done right, no-take zones—areas in which people cannot fish—can help recover ocean life. Such sanctuaries protect fragile reefs and prevent fishers from hauling in the wrong species of fish or fish that are too young, giving fisheries the chance to repopulate and grow.

And it works. In Pulizica, the abundance and size of fish in the no-take zone greatly increased, and the diversity of species tripled.

Local fishers support the sanctuaries, too. At least 10 boats sit just outside the zone as we pass by, waiting for the falling tide to bring fish swimming into their nets, which was once an unthinkable occurrence.

We stop to chat with the community monitors who ensure that no one fishes illegally. One says he spotted dolphins in the estuary for the first time in years—a sign that recovering fish stocks are again abundant enough to attract larger predators.

These conversations are good reminders that community-protected, no-take zones aren’t just effective conservation tools; they’re also learning tools that help people understand that better ecosystem management can improve their lives, and that their actions make a difference.

Word about the success of fish sanctuaries has spread along the coastline, and WWF and CARE are now collaborating with the Mozambican government and local communities to enforce no-take zones in the coral reef ringing the Primeiras e Segundas islands. With the help of fishers who have seen these sanctuaries succeed, we’re showing that choosing not to fish—and turning to farming or other alternatives for income instead—can benefit both people and wildlife. Their voices and actions can drive change and ensure the survival of this unique and vital place.

Published September 11, 2018 at 05:00AM

Musician Tristan Prettyman to headline at Panda Paddle

Musician Tristan Prettyman to headline at Panda Paddle

Local San Diego singer-songwriter, Tristan Prettyman, has joined forces with WWF to perform at their upcoming fundraiser Panda Paddle at Bonita Cove, San Diego on Oct. 20, 2018.  

Panda Paddle, WWF’s first-ever athletic fundraising event, blends a world-class stand-up paddleboard competition with a world-changing cause—protecting the natural world and all it gives us.  

When describing her passion for nature and desire to support WWF, Tristan quotes environmentalist John Muir: ‘“The clearest way into the Universe is through the forest wilderness,’ says Muir. For me, any excuse to get outside in nature is a good enough reason for me. I am honored and extremely excited to join forces with WWF for the upcoming Panda Paddle in my hometown of San Diego. It's going to be great day, spent outside in the So-Cal sunshine. I cannot wait!  Please come out and join us!”  

Want to see Tristan perform? Be the paddler nature needs by signing up for Panda Paddle. Not able to paddle? That’s okay! The performance is open to all residents who come out in support of WWF.  Tristan’s performance is scheduled to occur after the paddle boarding races are complete in the afternoon on Oct. 20 at Bonita Cove in San Diego.  

Join us at Panda Paddle!

Panda Paddle blends a world-class stand-up paddleboard competition with a world-changing cause: keep nature in balance for people and wildlife.

Sign up today h

Published September 03, 2018 at 05:00AM