Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Experiences From A Wildlife Volunteer
Written by Alma Wallin Hedén, Hanna Träff (both from Sweden) and Elise van der Heijden (The Netherlands). Ever since the first day on our project we have been feeding the elephants, Kidibone and Selati. It was a little bit scary at first, but it only took that first day and it had grown on us.…
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Hong Kong Announces Ivory Ban
All eyes may have been on the US with President Obama delivering his last state of the nation address but the leader of Hong Kong was also delivering his annual speech and it offered hope and a future for elephants. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying in his annual policy address announced that Hong Kong…
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As Speculators Dump Ivory Can Elephants Recover in 2016?
May 2015 was a turning point for ivory prices according to an unpublished report commissioned by the China office of a major international wildlife charity. Since that time the price of illegal ivory has more than halved. The study indicate that dumping of ivory by speculators is the cause of the price drop. International efforts…
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Killing Veerappan releases in New Year
LUSH Cosmetics may choose to romanticise and use Veerappan as a model for a range of hair care, perfume and other glamour products but the real story behind Veerappan is one of murder, torture and killing of animals, especially elephants, on a grand scale. Hunting him down took over 20 years and he was subject to…
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6 Jailed in Tanzania for Total of 122 years for Wildlife Trading
In less than a week the Tanzanian courts have made a bold and strong statement in order to protect the country’s wildlife. Six people involved in wildlife trafficking have been jailed for a total of 122 years. In one court case, yesterday (Monday 22 December 2015), two ivory traders were sentenced to 21 years each for…
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Sri Lanka to start New Year with Ivory burn
Sri Lanka has made an unexpected and sudden U-turn in its resistance to destroy its ivory stockpiles. The government has announced that on 26th January it will burn a stockpile of 5,000 seized tusks to put them beyond economic use. Sri Lanka has always resisted pressure to destroy its stocks and had announced that seized…
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Four Dead as International Forces Turn their Backs on Rangers in Need
It is with deep regret that African Parks announces the death of Garamba rangers Anselme Kimbesa Muhindo, Andre Gada Migifuloyo and Djuma Adalu Uweko, and Colonel Jacques Sukamate Lusengo, the member of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), who was assisting with patrols. The four men leave their wives and a total of 14 children. The…
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Lions Return to Rwanda
People know lions as the most dangerous prey eater in the wild but when it comes to beauty, no one can resist its naturally sport light yellow-brown coats which out shine the green grass and vegetation in the jungle. The most desired encounter in Africa game viewing are the lions especially if moving as a…
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More Seals Saved from the Threat of Ghost Fishing Nets
Many marine wildlife groups working in Cornwall often get calls about sighting of seals who are injured, or entangled in fishing gear, or marine litter. Over the last month, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and the National Trust received several calls about a seal entangled in lost fishing gear but despite repeated search attempts…
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New Report Examines $2 billion Bear Trade
A new report assessing the $2 billion a year trade in bears and their parts reveals the scale of the illegal trade. Produced by Interpol the report demonstrates some of the methods that illegal traffickers use to get their products through borders and to their customers. It’s not just dead products and bear parts that…
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