Did you know that the Illegal Wildlife trade is the fifth
most profitable trade in the world? It is estimated to be upwards of $10
billion annually.
On July 5th
Justin and I will be hiking the 170km Mont du Blanc trail over the course of 10
days. We want to use this hike to raise money to donate to a cause that is dear
to both of our hearts. But, most importantly, we want to raise awareness about
many issues we are learning more and more about – animal exploitation and the
current state of our world. We want your help to spread the word and to become
the critical change needed in this world. At the end of this blog I have two
birthday requests of you. But first, let me explain:
My thoughts for this blog
began in Thailand where I witnessed heartbreaking animal abuse and
exploitation. Many animals are used as a form of financial gain in Thailand.
They are often poached from the wild and are made to live a life of misery.
They are passed from tourist to tourist all day and then spend the rest of
their time in terrible living conditions, confined to cages and chains. Sadly,
to the average traveler, this life of misery may not have been noticed – all we
see are the “happy” animals that we get to take our photos with. I certainly
don’t judge people I know who have been a part of this. In fact, just two year
ago I myself was naïvely snapping photos of elephants in a circus. How many of
us wouldn’t love to have our photo taken while riding an elephant? Or while
you’re cuddling a baby tiger? Or holding a cute monkey? The sad reality is – by
doing this we are supporting this industry. We are supporting the kidnappings, the
tearing babies away from their screaming mothers, the murders, and the
torturing. Are these photos and “experiences with wild animals” really worth
it?
The Animals of Thailand
Gibbons
In the wild where the belong
photo taken by Chantal Tremblay
After asking a traveler
why they would get their photo taken with a gibbon they responded: “The monkey
was treated very nicely by the owner”.
Fact 1: This poor
monkey was poached from the forest while he was still a baby.
Fact
2: It is likely that 5-6 family member were murdered in this traumatic
kidnapping.
Fact
3: When the baby reaches approximately 5 years of age, it will become violent
and aggressive – often resulting in it either being locked in a cage for life
OR being murdered or tortured. One gibbon we heard about at the Gibbon Sanctuary
in Phuket had his arm ripped off from his previous owner.
Tigers
Visiting the “Tiger
Temple Sanctuary” one might be able to fool himself that he is helping save
tigers, given the name “sanctuary”. And who wouldn’t want a cute photo with a
tiger? I love tigers! I don’t blame people for having this desire – however,
once knowing the truth, I assume not many people would be visiting these tiger
temples. Yet hundreds of tourists visit this temple daily, making it a very
lucrative business. The sanctuary’s claim is to “eventually free the tigers and
retrain them to live in the wild”. Great claim if it were true…
Fact
1: The cubs are taken from their mother as early as 2 weeks. In
the wild, tigers are often 2 years of age before they reach independence.
Fact 2: Tigers at the “Sanctuary” have been reported by many
visitors and investigators to be
extremely lethargic during photo sessions, leading to concerns they may be
drugged. (Really, how else would these otherwise aggressive, WILD animals be
tame enough to pose for photo after photo?)
Fact 3: Investigators have reported that tigers at the facility are being regularly beaten with wooden
sticks and clubs, being forced to sit in direct sunshine for hours, and being
kept in poor conditions with inadequate food.
Fact 4: When tigers are not obedient before, during or after
the photo-sessions they are sprayed by the keepers with urine from bottles in
their eyes and faces.
photos from www.aroundtheworldin80jobs.com
Elephants
As many of you know, my visit with the elephants touched me
deeply. Before visiting, I did my research on this one and the word “sanctuary”
truly means sanctuary. They have acres upon acres to roam freely and just be
elephants. These magnificent creatures have gone through torture, abuse and
hard labor before being rescued. They are often rescued from years of tourism. Sadly, that elephant we so badly want a ride
on has very likely been taken from its mother - who often scream and cry for
hours – and will often grieve for months. That elephant we get to ride likely spends it's nights chained by it's ankle to a pole, rocking back and forth all night to ease it's own stress.
raw puncture wound from her previous owner before being rescued
photo taken by me
Fact 1: It takes 2 years to make a baby elephant.
Fact 3: The capture of wild elephants for domestic
use has become a threat to some wild populations, seriously reducing numbers.
Fact 4: The tourist elephants we see that offer rides or perform in circuses once had it's spirit broken. This is done so it will be submissive to humans for the rest of its life. The elephant is tied up in a confined pen and beaten mercilessly with sharp instruments. This disgusting practice is used when an elephant is around 4 years old. The calf is usually never reunited with its mother.
photo from PETA
The bigger picture – beyond the tourism trade in Thailand, let’s take a look at
a few other facts:
Fact: The last of Indonesia's tigers - now fewer than 400 - are holding on for survival. They could be extinct - GONE FOREVER - if this does not stop. Why? Habitat loss and poaching - due to humans of course
Fact: In 2012, the Sumatran elephant was deemed "Critically Endangered" because half of its population has been lost in one generation - mostly due to habitat loss (caused by what? Humans yet again are destroying habitats to build pulp, paper and palm oil plantations - for products we likely use daily.)
Fact:
The African elephant population is falling rapidly. The Forest Elephants of
Central Africa are nearing total annihilation, and many former Elephant Range
States have been left with none at all!
Fact: Orangutans have lost well over 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years due to extreme habitat loss due mostly to palm oil plantations. They will be extinct in 5-10 years if this does not stop. Palm oil is used is many everyday products we use today. In fact, it is used in so many products, we likely don't even know we are using palm oil. 
photos from www.rainforest-rescue.org
What is the cause of all of these tragedies? The human race of
course. To illustrate my point of the
selfishness of the human race I want to tell you about Qumquat. She was a famous
Matriarch (meaning wise elephant). She was born in l968. Below you will see her recent brutal killing.
For what? Simply her tusks. The rest of her remained intact. It is estimated that this happens to 104 elephants every day.
Photo from Sheldrick Wildlife Foundation
Now onto my point.
These visits really got me thinking about the bigger picture. When
did it become normal for us to view these wild animals as a source of
entertainment? And when did our desires to consume and consume matter more than their environments? When did our wants become priority over every other species? And
to take it further- over the state of our environment? The way we view animals
is just the tip of the iceberg. It goes
so much deeper than this. From the way we treat animals to the way we
over consume to the way we don’t care much for conservation. We don’t care how
our actions greatly affect the very earth we live on. The behaviour of many repulses us all – who
could kill so many elephants that they are named a “critically endangered”
species? Who could kill and skin beautiful tigers simply for their fur? Who could destroy an entire forest just for some palm oil? The
answer is simple – someone who has placed their want before all else. And while
our actions aren’t nearly as repulsive, they are just as damaging.
We are killing this world. Many of us hardly know the state of our current world and the species that live in it. There is a separation between what we purchase and what we consume and where it comes from. We hardly know that we are supporting this destruction with our daily choices. Do we even know what our country is doing to contribute to the world's greenhouse gas emissions? By not doing anything to stop this, and by not educating ourselves, we are contributing to this problem. This is due in part to our misconceptions about the news we watch – if we don’t hear about it on national news we often don’t think of it as a big deal. Does it not frighten you that so many things happen in this world that we have no idea about? That should say something about our news right there. The fact is, this is so important it should be on every news station in every country!
We are killing this world. Many of us hardly know the state of our current world and the species that live in it. There is a separation between what we purchase and what we consume and where it comes from. We hardly know that we are supporting this destruction with our daily choices. Do we even know what our country is doing to contribute to the world's greenhouse gas emissions? By not doing anything to stop this, and by not educating ourselves, we are contributing to this problem. This is due in part to our misconceptions about the news we watch – if we don’t hear about it on national news we often don’t think of it as a big deal. Does it not frighten you that so many things happen in this world that we have no idea about? That should say something about our news right there. The fact is, this is so important it should be on every news station in every country!
Do we stop to think about the products we are buying or the
organizations we are supporting? Where do they come from? How do they get here?
How many animals had to die or how much of our environment had to be ruined for
us to get it? What about the food we eat? What about the cars we drive? What about the companies our government supports and their devastating impact on our world?
Do we really want to be responsible for the end of all of these life forms? What about the end to earth as we know it? We have our children and our children’s children to think about here.
This could be the greatest tragedy of our generation.
Final Facts: The selfishness of our species is contributing to the loss of species, the cruel treatment of animals and the destruction of our own world:
If everyone lived like we do in the developed Western world,
we'd need six Earths to sustain life.
Scientists believe that the
Earth has gone through 5 major extinctions.
Biologists predict we are
in the midst of the 6th mass extinction.
Scientists predict we will
lose half of all species by the end of this century.
Now, my
birthday requests:
I’m not asking you to instantly change your
life. I understand that things like this need to trigger or touch you
personally.
However, my most important request - I am asking you to watch the documentary “Revolution” filmed by Rob Stewart. A regular Canadian who wanted to be the change. It is full of information, insight and some inspiration. (You’ll also be surprised at how much air time Canada gets in this video). And as they say, knowledge is wisdom and you will learn much more from this documentary than from my blog.
However, my most important request - I am asking you to watch the documentary “Revolution” filmed by Rob Stewart. A regular Canadian who wanted to be the change. It is full of information, insight and some inspiration. (You’ll also be surprised at how much air time Canada gets in this video). And as they say, knowledge is wisdom and you will learn much more from this documentary than from my blog.
I would also like you to personally message this
request/blog to one other person that you feel it will touch. Please be
the change with me.
Lastly, please research the product you use and the companies you support. Find ways to make changes - write to companies, political leaders, reduce your own carbon footprint and try to make educated choices.
Lastly, please research the product you use and the companies you support. Find ways to make changes - write to companies, political leaders, reduce your own carbon footprint and try to make educated choices.
“It’s better to light one candle than curse the
darkness. There are so many people that sit back and say ‘we’re screwed’. But
with that one candle, maybe someone else with a candle will find you. And
that’s where movements are started.”
If you would like to donate to our cause, you can do so at:
http://www.gofundme.com/94ubsc
All money will be going towards:David Suzuki Foundation – this one hits home as David Suzuki dedicates his life to improving Canada and bettering the world:
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/donate/what-we-do/
The Orangutan Project – one of the many species to be critically endangered of becoming extinct in the next few years:
http://www.orangutan.org.au/
While I don’t have all of the answers about
what we can do to be the change here
are some resources to help and inspire your journey:
http://www.therevolutionmovie.com/ - click
“world issues” to read about how you can help make changes
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/ - amazing resource with links on the side that advise us how to take action in Canada. From how to reduce our carbon footprint, to what we should be requesting of our current government.
http://6themovie.opsociety.org/ - a new documentary set to come out this year about the earth's sixth great extinction. It also has many links and resources on this site
- Or google any issue I spoke about to read hundreds of articles: Earth's sixth extinction, deforestation and habitat loss, palm oil problems, etc.
To watch Revolution:http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/ - amazing resource with links on the side that advise us how to take action in Canada. From how to reduce our carbon footprint, to what we should be requesting of our current government.
http://6themovie.opsociety.org/ - a new documentary set to come out this year about the earth's sixth great extinction. It also has many links and resources on this site
- Or google any issue I spoke about to read hundreds of articles: Earth's sixth extinction, deforestation and habitat loss, palm oil problems, etc.
Purchase it:
On itunes
Stream it for free on:
-
Download it for free on:
-
Will need the utorrent player downloader on your
computer first.
