Protecting Our Wildlife
How to ensure wild animals’ rights to live wild and free
Often, wild animals are seen as commodities to be used, rather than sentient beings who can feel fear and pain. We have a responsibility to protect wildlife and their habitats.
Tricia Croasdell CEO, Wild Animal Protection
We must make this the last generation of wild animals to suffer the cruelty of human actions or the indignities of captivity.
Exploitation of wild animals
Our research shows approximately 5.5 billion wild animals are exploited commercially on wildlife farms to meet demands in tourism, fashion and other industries. These animals are bred, raised and sold, for human greed and exploitation. There is an astonishing lack of transparency or adequate monitoring across these global industries. The poorly regulated multimillion-dollar wildlife farming industry is catastrophic for animal welfare and has links to our own health.
Investing in animal welfare
The wellbeing of animals, people and the planet are all interconnected. Improving animal welfare is a valuable investment in protecting nature, biodiversity and global health. As we face a warming planet and a need to address our future on this earth, we need to put animal welfare at the centre of our future economies. Most emerging infectious diseases in humans originate
Protecting vulnerable ocean ecosystems with science, data and technology
Marine protected areas (MPAs) and other conservation measures are increasingly being used by governments to protect fish stocks, fragile ecosystems and endemic marine species.
Marine protected areas can play a vital role in helping to reach the 30x30 goals, through which nearly 200 governments have committed to protecting 30% of the earth’s land and sea by 2030. Knowing where to locate these areas and, crucially, to ensure their longterm success, depends on reliable data.
Overseeing marine protected areas with data
As those responsible for overseeing MPAs don’t always have enough of this data, such insights are invaluable for helping them make effective plans and sound decisions in the waters they are overseeing.
from wildlife, with human actions increasing the risk of disease emergence and transmission. Wildlife exploitation, biodiversity loss and climate change are closely linked: wildlife exploitation accelerates biodiversity loss by depleting populations and disrupting ecosystems, which reduces carbon sinks and further accelerates climate change.
Our role in changing how we treat animals
Fortunately, we have the power to change how we treat animals. Choosing humane tourist attractions, avoiding products made from wild animal parts and not purchasing wild animals as pets are impactful steps that will not only protect animals but also help improve biodiversity, reduce pandemic risks and mitigate climate change.
Governments and the private sector have a significant responsibility to introduce policies to phase out wildlife farming and support alternative livelihoods for the communities who rely upon it. We all have a vital role to play to stop the cruelty and ensure no more wild animals are bred for profit. We all have a right to live free from harm — wild animals included.
Conservation measures are vital for helping to future-proof a fast-changing world. As the links between oceans, biodiversity loss and climate change become more apparent, any work done to manage marine environments better will have positive impacts on other global issues too.
Although oceans tend to be overlooked at UN climate conferences (COPs), this started to shift last year and it’s hoped that the Brazil-hosted COP30 will drive further progress, especially as it follows multiple chances to set ocean commitments in 2025, from high seas governance to reducing plastic pollution.
Online portal supports marine conservation
To support improved designation and management of protected areas, we co-founded Marine Manager with ocean advocate Dona Bertarelli. Using satellite technology and accessible data, this online portal is being used by governments, conservationists and researchers to monitor and analyse commercial fishing, shipping and other industrial activity. When information is overlaid with environmental, biological and zoning data, it offers invaluable insights into ocean health and human impacts.
Using Marine Manager, we analysed ongoing fishing activity in the Mediterranean’s Otranto Channel to understand where and when fishing vessels, particularly trawlers, were present and to highlight risks posed to vulnerable marine ecosystems. This analysis helped to inform the designation of a Fisheries Restricted Area, where bottom trawling is now banned.
Making progress in marine protection
We want to continue working with marine specialists to develop and iterate Marine Manager, so the portal addresses more concerns in this Ocean Decade. This World Wildlife Day, we can feel inspired by the progress made in marine protection — but there’s always more to do.
Charles Kilgour Director of Program Initiatives, Global Programs, Global Fishing Watch