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Arctic Seals Edge Closer To Extinction As Sea Ice Vanishes

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A hooded seal pup in the Netherlands. Image by Michael Bakker Paiva via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Arctic Seals Edge Closer To Extinction As Sea Ice Vanishes

Three Arctic seal species have moved closer to extinction, as rapid sea ice loss continues to erode their breeding and feeding grounds, according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The update, released Oct. 10 during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, “uplists” the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) from vulnerable to the higher-threat category of endangered, and the bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) and harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) from least concern to near threatened.

Arctic seals depend on stable sea ice to breed, raise their pups, rest and access feeding areas. As temperatures climb globally, they are rising about four times faster in the Arctic than elsewhere and sea ice is thinning and melting earlier every year. This loss has undermined reproduction across multiple species.

“The major driver of the declines that we are seeing is breeding habitat deterioration as a direct result of climate change,” Kit Kovacs, co-chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission Pinniped Specialist Group, told Mongabay. Kovacs participated in the uplisting decision.

When sea ice melts or breaks apart too soon, pups may drown, freeze or be killed by predators or collapsing ice. “Sea ice is disappearing and ice-dependent species of all sorts are threatened by these losses,” said Kovacs, a marine mammal biologist who lives in Tromsø, Norway, and travels regularly to the country’s Svalbard archipelago for fieldwork and to teach at the University Centre in Svalbard. “Recruitment of youngsters into the populations are failing.”

Moreover, she said, the retreating ice also makes it harder for seals to rest and feed, which compromises their overall health and survival.

Expanding crisis at both poles

Kovacs told Mongabay that IUCN’s current assessments of all pinniped species began in 2021 and she expects her working group to complete them in 2026. The three are part of a broader pattern observed over several assessment cycles. She noted that other ice-dependent species of various taxa already moved into higher threat categories in the previous assessment in 2015-16, and the trend is expected to continue.

Warning signs are now emerging in the Southern Hemisphere, where sea ice loss in the Southern Ocean is beginning to affect both ice-dependent predators and their prey, Kovacs said. The Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), currently listed as least concern, may soon be classified as endangered, she said. The species has declined by more than 50% over the last three generations, a drop she said is likely linked to sea ice loss affecting krill and other ice-dependent prey.

“The impacts can be direct — or indirect — but track back to a changing cryosphere,” she said.

Global urgency, local actions

Kovacs said reversing seal population declines requires tackling the problem at its source. “The most important actions we could undertake to protect ice-dependent animals involve large-scale efforts to slow or reverse climate change,” she said.

In a news release announcing the Arctic seal uplisting, the IUCN said governments have an opportunity at the next global climate summit, coming up in November in Belém, Brazil, to “accelerate action that protects biodiversity, stabilises our climate, and builds a future where people and nature flourish together.”

Beyond the loss of sea ice, the IUCN noted, Arctic seals face additional pressures from shipping, underwater noise, oil and mineral exploitation, hunting and bycatch in fisheries. Safeguarding key habitats from human activities, reducing bycatch, ensuring sustainable hunting and curtailing noise impacts are critical to minimizing Arctic seal declines, the group stated.

Kovacs added that it’s also important to avoid overfishing species the seals and other predators rely on for food and to reduce pollution levels.

Beyond their own survival, ice-dependent seals are integral to the wider Arctic ecosystem, the IUCN noted in the news release. They serve as prey for polar bears and as a subsistence resource for Indigenous communities, while also regulating marine food webs by consuming fish and invertebrates and recycling nutrients. Scientists describe them as keystone species — animals whose survival underpins the stability of the entire marine environment.

“Protecting Arctic seals goes beyond these species; it is about safeguarding the Arctic’s delicate balance, which is essential for us all,” Kovacs said.

Citation:
Rantanen, M., Karpechko, A. Y., Lipponen, A., Nordling, K., Hyvärinen, O., Ruosteenoja, K., Vihma, T., & Laaksonen, A. (2022). The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the globe since 1979. Communications Earth & Environment, 3(1). doi:10.1038/s43247-022-00498-3

Source: WFA & Mongabay

Fireworks and Pet Anxiety: A Community Call to Action

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Fireworks and Pet Anxiety: A Community Call to Action

FOUR PAWS South Africa appeals to communities to prioritise animal safety during informal Guy Fawkes activities

As 5 November approaches, FOUR PAWS is urging communities to be mindful of the distress fireworks cause to pets and wildlife. While Guy Fawkes Day is not officially recognised in South Africa, informal firework activity still occurs in many neighbourhoods often with serious consequences for animals.

“Fireworks may be a thrill for some, but for animals, they’re a source of panic and trauma,” says Fiona Miles, Director of FOUR PAWS South Africa. “Every year, we see pets go missing, injure themselves, or suffer severe anxiety due to the noise and chaos. It’s time we prioritise compassion over spectacle.”

Practical tips to support your pet, your neighbours, and their animals

FOUR PAWS offers expert advice to help communities protect animals during this high-risk period:

For your pet:
  • Create a calm zone: Set up a quiet, enclosed space with familiar bedding and toys. Play soft music to mask outside noise.
  • Avoid leaving pets alone: Stay with your pet during peak firework hours. Your presence is reassuring.
  • Microchip and tag: Ensure your pet is microchipped and wears an ID tag in case they escape in fear.
For your neighbours:
  • Communicate openly: If you’re aware of informal firework activity, inform neighbours so they can prepare and report it to your nearest authorities.
  • Offer support: Check in with elderly neighbours or those with anxious pets. Share tips or offer help if needed.
For family and friends:
  • Educate children: Help kids understand how fireworks affect animals. Encourage empathy and safer forms of celebration.
  • Plan pet-safe gatherings: If hosting guests, ensure pets have a secure retreat away from noise and unfamiliar faces.
Say No to irresponsible firework use

FOUR PAWS also reminds the public that many municipalities, including Cape Town, have strict regulations on firework use. Unauthorised displays not only endanger animals but can result in fines or legal action. “Let’s shift the culture,” Miles adds. “Celebration doesn’t have to come at the cost of animal welfare. By choosing kindness, we create safer, more inclusive communities.”

This 5 November, let’s make a different kind of noise that speaks for the voiceless. Whether you’re a pet owner, neighbour, or concerned citizen, your actions matter.

For more information, please visit our website at www.four-paws.org.za

Source: FOUR PAWS

South Africa Sets Legal Lion Bone Exports Quota To Zero

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South Africa Sets Legal Lion Bone Exports Quota To Zero

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has announced that it will not allow any legal exports of lion bones or derivatives, effectively setting the quota at zero for 2025.

This is a decision that sends a powerful signal to the captive lion breeding industry.

What the change means

The lion bone export quota determines how many lion skeletons (or parts) may be legally exported from South Africa in a given year. With the quota now set to zero, no commercial exports will be permitted under the law.

Lion bones are in demand for use in traditional medicine markets in China and Southeast Asia. Allowing legal trade can serve as a cover or incentive for illegal trade in wild-sourced lion bones or related parts. This change, therefore, is intended to cut off that potential legal pathway.

Advocacy, evidence, and pressure

This decision follows sustained advocacy and research. There has been evidence documented for years that links captive lion breeding, welfare abuses, and the illegal big cat bone trade.

Our report, Putting a stop to cruelty, lays out evidence that the industry is deeply problematic for animal welfare, conservation integrity, and public health.

“South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has sent a strong message to the captive lion breeding industry by setting the export quota for lion bones to zero.

This decision stands firm against industry pressure and marks a vital step toward ending the exploitation of lions in South Africa.

While this is a victory for lions and a decisive step toward closing the cruel captive lion breeding industry, the work is not yet over.

The next step must be for the South African government to mandate a full and compulsory end to commercial captive lion breeding, and ensure that existing lion bone stockpiles are managed and responsibly disposed of as part of this phase-out.”

– Angie Elwin, representing World Animal Protection
Next steps and ongoing risks

While this zero export quota is a huge win, it’s not the end of the illegal wildlife trade.

The captive lion breeding industry remains active in South Africa. To prevent loopholes or covert trade, we encourage the government to now legislate a full ban on commercial captive lion breeding.

It is also crucial that existing stockpiles of lion bone or skeletons be accounted for and disposed of responsibly, so they cannot enter illegal markets.

We will continue to monitor this policy shift and advocate for its full implementation, enforcement, and expansion toward a permanent end of captive lion exploitation.

Source: World Animal Protection

Americans love grizzly bears—so why do elected officials keep failing to protect them?

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Americans Love Grizzly Bears — So Why Do Elected Officials Keep ailing To Protect Them?

Most Americans value grizzly bears and want them federally protected, a 2025 survey shows. Across the U.S., 85% of Americans support maintaining safeguards for grizzly bears under the Endangered Species Act. Conservatives, rural residents, hunters and ranchers support maintaining endangered species protections by supermajorities: the rural residents of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming by 78%, conservative Americans by 81%, hunters by 82%, and farmers/ranchers by 81%.

With so much favor, some even consider the grizzly the Great American Bear. And yet, the clear meaning of the survey results—which were published earlier this year by Dr. John Vucetich, distinguished professor at Michigan Technological University, and Dr. Jeremy Bruskotter, professor at Ohio State University—are directly undermined by the harmful actions some lawmakers have taken in regard to grizzlies. They are determined to strip federal protections from grizzly bears and hand off their management to states like Idaho and Wyoming, which have terrible track records when it comes to coexistence. In advancing these reckless policies, elected officials are ignoring the explicit will of substantial majorities who want grizzly bears protected. 

There are several looming threats to grizzly bears at this moment, and this is a good time for all of us to speak out in support of protecting these animals:

  • In July, the House Natural Resources Committee greenlit the Grizzly Bear State Management Act (H.R. 281) for a full House vote in the future. This bill, and its Senate counterpart, would direct the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear and also block judicial review of this action, a move that would strip Americans of their right to hold that decision accountable in federal courts. We’re also fighting to overcome an attempt to delist grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem through a policy rider in the FY26 House Interior bill (H.R. 4754).
  • Under the last administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had proposed a rule maintaining Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears living in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. However, it also proposed granting ranchers and state and federal agents increased flexibility to kill grizzly bears—and the finalization of this rule could mean even more bear deaths.
  • The current U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director has reportedly indicated that transferring management of grizzly bears from the federal agency over to individual states is a priority, suggesting that delisting grizzlies from federal protections could be on the horizon.

All of this could not come at a worse time. This year, ranchers and state and federal agents killed Yellowstone-area grizzly bears in record numbers, and for the second year in a row. As of September 22, we know at least 63 bears were killed in 2025.

Then the government shutdown stopped the release of new data, even as grizzly bears enter their deadliest time of year, when many leave the safe confines of national parks to forage for food to survive wintertime hibernation. Outside of the safe zones afforded by national parks, bears face armed hunters and ranchers. From the 63 dead bears, we know this:

  • The biggest category (28%) of bears were killed to “protect” farm animals. Very few farm animals (less than 1% of states’ cow and sheep) are killed by all carnivores put together, bears included;
  • 19% were killed as perceived threats when they came into human-dominated areas,
  • Of the total dead, eight (12%) were adult females, which is a significant conservation and ethical concern, especially if they had dependent cubs.

Killing bears does little to stop conflicts—but removing bear attractants does. Ranchers, landowners and recreationists can employ a wide range of tools to prevent conflicts with bears. Homeowners can bear-proof their garbage and take down bird feeders and farmers can put electric fences around vulnerable areas. Hikers and elk hunters can carry bear spray.

Without intervention, these developments could set the stage for extinction if trophy hunting of grizzlies is permitted. It would be a devastating outcome—and not just for bears and bear lovers.

Even those who do not consider themselves bear lovers can see reason for protecting these animals: Grizzly bears, as well as other charismatic species, like black bears and wolves, greatly benefit the economies of the Yellowstone-area states. A new economic analysis published by the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that in Yellowstone, grizzly bear sightings are valued at $6.9 million annually. The analysis also indicates that each grizzly bear viewing was worth about $16 per visitor and that one grizzly bear contributes $46,000 per year to Yellowstone-area economies.

A University of Montana economic study shows that in 2023 and 2024 the average total spending by tourists amounted to $5.28 billion, with Yellowstone and Glacier-area counties receiving the largest share of tourism revenues. 

If states are granted the authority to manage grizzly bears, we know what fate awaits them based upon black bears’ treatment: an institutionalization of trophy hunting—year after year—with some of the cruelest methods imaginable, including hounding and baiting (which sometimes takes place during the springtime, when bears are just emerging from hibernation and are weak and most vulnerable).

It’s no wonder people care so much about bears—they are fascinating animals who feel deeply and are devoted to their families; they offer tremendous social and practical value to our wild ecosystems and national parks.

It is time to confront and stop the callous disregard of lawmakers who privilege the values of the small special interest groups who want to kill bears and other animals for trophies and bragging rights. We must all work together to protect grizzly bears from extinction.

Authors: Kitty Block and Sara Amundson

Source: Humane World For Animals

15 Fascinating Maned Wolf Facts

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15 Fascinating Maned Wolf Facts

Maned wolves are commonly mistaken for foxes and wolves. But this unique animal species is neither. Read our top maned wolves facts to learn about these elusive, long-legged creatures.

Learn more about these ‘foxes on stilts’

Maned wolves belong to the canine family and are the largest canine in South America. They play an important role in their grassland habitat, helping to spread seeds and control small mammal populations.

But few people know much about these striking but solitary animals. Here, we put that right, with 15 fun facts about maned wolves, revealing maned wolf habitat, diet, behaviour, and some of the threats they face in the wild.

1. Maned wolves aren’t actually wolves – or foxes

Maned wolves are often mistaken for wolves (owing to their name) and for foxes (owing to their appearance). Maned wolves do look like a cross between a fox and a wolf, it’s true.

They have long, slender legs and bodies, fluffy tails, and a mane that runs down the back of their necks. Their colouring is similar to that of a fox but their size is similar to that of a wolf. They are sometimes referred to, affectionately, as a ‘fox on stilts‘.

So, what are maned wolves? Neither wolf nor fox, maned wolves are the only members of the genus Chrysocyon, which means ‘golden dog’ in Ancient Greek. A maned wolf’s scientific name is Chrysocyon brachyurus.

2. Maned wolves are speedy and agile

Maned wolves measure about 90cm (2.95ft) high at the shoulder, making them taller than grey wolves and German shepherds, and the tallest wild canid. A lot of their height comes from their long legs.

‘Why do maned wolves have long legs?’, we hear you ask. Maned wolves tend to live in grassland habitats. Their long legs help them move through tall grasses while hunting, running, and leaping to catch their prey.

3. Maned wolves only live in South America

Maned wolves are unique to central and eastern South America. They live in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and possibly Uruguay – although they may now be extinct there.

Maned wolves’ habitat typically includes forest, savannah, and grassland.

4. Maned wolves’ habitat is being destroyed by devastating fires

In Brazil, fires are set deliberately to clear land for factory farming. Once cleared, the land is used to grow crops that feed livestock for the meat and dairy industry.

Land is being set on fire at record levels in areas like the Cerrado and Pantanal which are known for their biodiversity. Millions of wild animals are at risk of injury or death, including maned wolves.

Sorry, we should have warned you, not all maned wolf facts are fun!

5. Maned wolves aren’t picky eaters

But next on our list of maned wolf facts is something cheerier: their omnivorous eating habits. Maned wolves diet on birds, fish, and small mammals like wild guinea pigs, rabbits, and burrowing rodents. Maned wolves usually hunt alone, between sunset and midnight, to avoid the heat of the day and interactions with potential predators or competitors.

Maned wolves also eat vegetables, sugarcane, tubers, and fruit. One of their favourite foods is a berry called lobeira (or wolf apple), which looks a bit like a tomato. These apples can grow up to 20cm in diameter and weigh up to 900g.

Scientists believe maned wolves have a mutually beneficial relationship with lobeira berries. These fruits help maned wolves to expel life-threatening kidney worms from their digestive systems. In turn, maned wolves help the lobeira plant by spreading its seeds as they drop faeces across the savannah.

6. Maned wolves are highly intelligent, sentient beings

Just like people, maned wolves are sentient beings. They have thoughts, feelings, and personalities which can be seen in their complex and caring behaviours.

When a female maned wolf is pregnant, she and her partner work together to find a den for her to give birth in. Females have litters of between two and five pups who communicate with their mother by making scratchy, rasping sounds.

During the first few weeks of the pups’ life, their father protects the den and brings food. Then, when the pups are older, both mother and father teach their offspring how to hunt. Out of the den, maned wolf parents also warn their pups of danger by howling and barking.

As part of our work with Onçafari, a conservation charity in Brazil, we’re getting a privileged insight into maned wolf behaviour. We get to see the close family bonds and varied personalities of the maned wolves we’re tracking and supporting in the wild.

7. Maned wolves mate for life

Can we get an ‘awww’ for this maned wolf fact?

Pups stay with their parents for up to a year but then the family disbands, meaning maned wolves tend to live on their own. Despite this solitary lifestyle, maned wolves mate for life and return to the same partner each breeding season. Outside this period, couples communicate with typical maned wolf sounds, including loud vocalisations described as ‘roar-barks’.

8. Maned wolves help conserve their natural habitat

Did you know that the largest remaining population of maned wolves lives in the Cerrado region of Brazil? This is the largest and most biodiverse savannah in the world. But it’s also one of the most threatened. The Cerrado is at risk from factory farming, with land being cleared to make way for crops to feed livestock.

Protecting maned wolves helps conserve maned wolf habitat – like the Cerrado. As a keystone species, maned wolves keep pest populations under control and disperse the seeds of native plants, which keeps grasslands growing healthily.

Without maned wolves, savannahs like the Cerrado and the other wildlife that lives there will find it even harder to thrive.

9. Maned wolves have pungent urine

Here’s a fun fact about maned wolves: their pee is really smelly! Some people say it smells like the spray from a skunk or even marijuana – to the point that police were called to Rotterdam Zoo to investigate the source of the stench.

Maned wolves use their urine to mark their territory. This smelly substance warns predators to stay away and helps wolves retrace a hunting path or return to buried prey.

10. Factory farming and soy production threaten maned wolves’ survival

You know what we said about not all maned wolves facts being fun? You can add this to the list of sad ones.

Only 3% of maned wolves’ habitat is inside Brazil’s protected areas. The rest is claimed by farmers and agriculture businesses to grow soy and grain, which is then used to feed the billions of animals kept on factory farms worldwide.

Not only do the factory-farmed animals suffer in cruel, cramped, and unnatural conditions but Brazil’s wild animals – including the maned wolf – suffer as a result, too. They have to escape from fires set deliberately by the farming industry, sometimes relocating their pups and dens under extreme stress.

Maned wolves also become trapped in irrigation ditches created by farmers. These have steep sides and are lined with slippery plastic that prevents fallen maned wolves from escaping. Instead, they drown in the ditch.

11. Maned wolves face many other threats too

Maned wolves are becoming increasingly rare and are listed as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List. That means the maned wolf is likely to qualify for an endangered category in the near future.

Without urgent action, their situation is unlikely to improve. Besides factory farming and habitat loss, maned wolves face other challenges to their survival, particularly as they are driven closer to human populations.

Other maned wolf threats include human persecution. These animals are killed as retaliation for livestock losses. Some people also kill them because of long-standing cultural beliefs.

Many maned wolves are killed by vehicles, as roads increasingly encroach on maned wolf habitat. They are now more likely to contract disease from domestic animals, including dogs. Water scarcity and food availability, thanks to climate change, are also making things tougher for maned wolf populations.

12. Maned wolves are excellent runners

Maned wolves can run very quickly in short bursts. They can reach speeds of up to 48 km/h when chasing prey or escaping predators like pumas and domestic dogs.

13. But they aren’t natural climbers

Maned wolf adaptations – including those long legs, their great eyesight, and excellent hearing – make them well-suited to hunting small prey in open environments. And despite there being plenty of food in the rainforest, maned wolves aren’t able to climb trees to reach it. This is why you’re more likely to find them in grasslands than in forests.

14. Maned wolves belong in the wild

Maned wolves may be cute to look at but you can’t keep them as pets. Maned wolves are wild creatures who prefer a solitary existence and don’t enjoy living alongside humans.

In captivity, maned wolves are susceptible to diseases and parasites spread by domesticated dogs. It’s also very difficult to recreate the natural maned wolf diet, which can lead to bladder and kidney problems for the animal.

The exotic pet trade is cruel. Whether animals have been taken from the wild or bred in captivity, forcing them to live alongside humans restricts their natural behaviours and instincts.

15. There are fewer than 17,000 maned wolves left

We hate to end on a concerning note but this maned wolf fact can’t – and shouldn’t be – ignored.

According to the IUCN, there are fewer than 17,000 mature maned wolves. The largest population can be found in Brazil – and there are just a few hundred maned wolves in countries like Argentina and Paraguay. In Peru, there are less than 40 individuals.

Scientists believe that several hundred wolves are needed for a population to maintain its genetic diversity and long-term survival. And losing just one maned wolf is a tragedy because this species doesn’t find it easy to reproduce. Females can go up to two years without breeding and pups experience a high rate of infant mortality.

 

How to help maned wolves

We hope this maned wolf information has helped you get to know and appreciate these unique animals a little better.

At World Animal Protection, we’re working hard to protect maned wolves. We launched a two-year maned wolf monitoring project alongside our partners at Onçafari, donating vital equipment, including radio collars, camera traps, and a drone.

With this equipment, we’re monitoring maned wolf populations in Brazil’s Bahia state and the Cerrado biome. We’re learning where these animals can roam and supporting the Onçafari team to respond quickly in case of emergencies.
The data we gather about maned wolves and the threats they face will be critical in convincing the Brazilian government and farming industry to do more to protect this near-threatened species and the grassland habitat they call home.

With our support – and with the support of wildlife lovers around the world – we can ensure the survival of maned wolves, so they can continue to support their savannah ecosystems.

Wondering how to help maned wolves and protect them from the many threats they face? You can support maned wolf conservation by subscribing to the World Animal Protection newsletter.

Join our global community of animal protectors today.

Source: World Animal Protection

A Statement from the Executive Director of CAAWO on the Passing of Dr. Jane Goodall

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A Statement from the Executive Director of CAAWO on the Passing of Dr. Jane Goodall

Tribute to Dr. Jane Goodall

From the Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organisations (CAAWO)

It is with the deepest sorrow that we at CAAWO mourn the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall, a true titan of conservation and a lifelong champion for the voiceless. The world has lost a guiding light, and her absence will be profoundly felt across the African continent and around the globe.

Dr. Goodall’s pioneering research in Tanzania not only revolutionised our understanding of chimpanzees, but also redefined the relationship between humanity and the animal kingdom. Her work demonstrated the profound intelligence, emotion, and social complexity of the beings with whom we share this planet. She was a visionary who saw the intricate connections between the welfare of animals, the health of our environment, and the well-being of human communities.

At CAAWO, we have always been guided by the principle that the destinies of humans, animals, and the environment are inextricably linked. Dr. Goodall’s life and work embodied this philosophy. Her community-centred conservation efforts, which placed local populations at the heart of environmental protection, continue to inspire our mission to foster sustainable development that benefits all sentient beings.

Her legacy lies not only in her scientific breakthroughs, but also in the millions of lives she touched through her advocacy, the founding of the Jane Goodall Institute, and the creation of the global youth program Roots & Shoots. She ignited a passion for conservation in generations of young people, empowering them to be compassionate leaders and stewards of our planet.

As we reflect on her extraordinary life, we are reminded of the responsibility we bear to carry her work forward. We must continue to advocate for the welfare of all animals, protect our shared environment, and build a more compassionate and sustainable future. Her unwavering spirit and her profound love for the natural world will continue to guide us.

On behalf of the entire CAAWO family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Goodall’s family, friends, and the countless individuals whose lives she touched. May her legacy of hope, compassion, and dedication to our planet continue to inspire us all.

With deepest sympathy,

Tozie Zokufa

Executive Director

Source: CAAWO

No Future For Factory Farming

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No Future For Factory Farming

Factory farming is a global problem that requires a global solution

Every year, factory farming condemns billions of animals to lives of cruelty and suffering for a fast profit.

Farm animals experience relentless suffering at the hands of factory farming – trapped in cages, mutilated, and pumped full of antibiotics to stay alive.

The problem will get worse before it gets better.

The rapid growth in demand for cheap meat and dairy means large increases are expected globally including in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the imminent future.

At World Animal Protection, we work tirelessly to ensure farmed animals live good lives by transforming the global food system and attitudes towards farm animal welfare.

A moratorium on factory farms is urgently needed to safeguard farm animal welfare, our climate, health and the environment.

Wild animal habitats

Cruel factory farming is destroying wild animal habitats to grow crops to feed farmed animals, this is having a devastating impact by:

  • Killing wildlife
  • Worsening the climate crisis
  • Poisoning our rivers
  • Creating superbugs and diseases that can transfer to humans

We believe that the welfare, treatment and attitude towards farmed animals’ lives across the world must change. Forever.

Farm animal welfare focus: Stopping the destructive animal feed trade

Cruel factory farming relies on a global trade in crops to feed farmed animals. Tropical forests are destroyed to make way for crops destined for factory farms around the world.

The special dietary needs of factory-farmed animals bred for profit drive the global trade in destructive animal feed.

Almost 80% of the world’s soybean crop is fed to farmed animals, not people. Pesticides are also used extensively, contaminating rivers and killing people and wild animals.

A moratorium on factory farming and a shift in farm animal welfare legislation would:

  • Free up land for communities to grow food for people
  • Support global food security and address the climate crisis
  • Relieve growing pressure on wild animal habitats and give wildlife a fighting chance

Factory farming is putting an extreme risk on public health and the planet’s future. Click the link below to read more in our latest report: Five worst health impacts of factory farming

Factory-farmed animal treatment

Animals in factory farms are bred to grow fast, have large litters, lay high numbers of eggs, or produce a maximum amount of milk. This causes great suffering over their short lifetimes.

Chickens are bred to reach their slaughter weight about twice as quickly as 40 years ago, and their legs cannot keep pace with the rapid body growth. As a result, many chickens suffer from painful, sometimes crippling leg disorders.

Ending irresponsible antibiotic use in farming

Three-quarters of the world’s antibiotics are used in animals, most on factory farms to stop stressed animals from getting sick. Antibiotic overuse causes superbugs to emerge. These can escape from farms via workers, into the food chain and our environment and waterways.

Already, the superbug crisis is responsible for 1.27 million deaths every year due to antibiotics no longer being effective.

The same low farm animal welfare conditions that give rise to superbugs can also cause diseases like bird flu or swine flu to emerge from factory farms and transfer to humans.

A moratorium and shift in farm animal welfare legislation on factory farming is the most effective way to safeguard public health and our environment.

This will lead to fewer farmed animals living in high welfare conditions, and no longer being subjected to harmful antibiotics.

Putting a stop to the future of factory farming

We protect the welfare of farmed animals by raising awareness of the harmful host of activities that are causing them to suffer.

The safeguarding of farm animal welfare is paramount. We must put an end to the devastation caused by factory farming to ensure farmed animals live better lives, we achieve this through raising awareness of:

  • The animal feed trade: The spike in cruel factory farming growth has a devastating impact on farmed and wild animals. There’s no bigger threat to the world’s animals, farmed and wild, than the expansion of factory farming
  • Improving animal welfare on farms: We work with the food industry to improve animal welfare and keep animals in an environment where they can benefit from a life worth living
  • Meat reduction: Encouraging less consumption of animal products to reduce animal suffering and protect our planet
  • Sustainable finance: A shift in attitude from fuelling destructive factory farming to investment in humane and sustainable systems
  • Promoting humane slaughter of farmed animals: To reduce animal cruelty and suffering

We are taking strides towards tackling the global problem with a global solution by:

  • Proactive campaigning to help safeguard farm animals and encourage a global food system shift
  • Producing and distributing animals in the wild and animals in farming reports
  • Forming strategic alliances with like-minded supporters that want change
  • Developing and building the case for humane sustainable alternatives
  • Raising awareness and knowledge of animal cruelty and protection
  • Ending the commercial exploitation of wildlife and farm animals

Our ambition

Factory farming and animal cruelty caused by current global food systems must end. For good.

Through shifting attitudes, safeguarding the way farm animals are treated, and implementing sustainable investment and practices, we can protect farm animals ensuring they live better lives as well as protecting our planet.

Are you ready to take action?

Join our mission and change the way the world works through people’s power. Take action today and support our efforts to stop farm animal cruelty and suffering. Forever.

Find out how you can get involved

Take Action

Source: World Animal Protection

No License to Kill: NSPCA Rejects Fresh Push for Dog Hunting and Greyhound Racing

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No License to Kill: NSPCA Rejects Fresh Push for Dog Hunting and Greyhound Racing

The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has again slammed fresh attempts to legalise the cruel “sports” of hunting with dogs and greyhound racing. A memorandum recently submitted to the Presidency by the Amaphisi Hunters’ Association (AHA) proposes the legalisation of both.

The NSPCA has firmly opposed greyhound racing and hunting with dogs for decades. For over 32 years, the NSPCA has collated extensive evidence demonstrating the abuse, neglect, and cruelty inherent in these activities. Since dog racing was banned in 1949, multiple court cases, commissions, and draft policies – from a 2003 Free State High Court ruling to a 2014 Department of Trade and Industry review – have all rejected attempts to resurrect it.

Now, yet again, calls for the legalisation of these exploitative practices have resurfaced. In August 2025, the AHA demanded revisions to a wide range of laws, including environmental and animal welfare legislation such as the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 (NEMBA) and the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 (APA), respectively. Alongside the South African Dog Racing Association (SADRA) and GFA, the AHA argues for legalisation on the grounds of economic benefit, job creation, and the promotion of culture and tradition.

These claims hide a harsher truth: a small, elite group profits while dogs pay the price. The AHA even went as far as to propose that it should become the sole legally authorised body for hunting with dogs, with exclusive rights to both hunt with dogs on state-owned land and breed hunting dogs, all of which is to supposedly be funded by the greyhound racing industry.

The NSPCA fully respects cultural practices and economic opportunities that protect both people and animals and do not involve cruelty. Our opposition is to practices that deliberately inflict suffering.

The association attempts to allay animal welfare concerns by suggesting that when hunting, dogs would remain restrained until a “target” is identified, that hunting seasons would be regulated, and that only a select number of licenses to hunt would be issued annually. It further calls for organisations such as the NSPCA, which they term “unauthorised”, to immediately cease their “harassment.”

Cruelty is inherent in these practices. Dogs used for racing and hunting are frequently deprived of adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary treatment. These activities contribute to overbreeding and overpopulation, and they contravene the APA, which prohibits baiting or inciting one animal to attack another. The dogs used in hunting will decimate the prey species, leading to the depletion of our natural fauna.

It is not only the dogs that suffer: the prey animals often endure the worst cruelty. Frequently, the dogs do not kill instantly, leaving the targeted animal to experience prolonged pain before being killed – sometimes by brutal beating.

“We cannot use the facade of tradition and job creation to justify what is ultimately the deliberate and cruel commodification and exploitation of animals,” says Grace de Lange, the NSPCA’s Chief Operations Officer. “These lucrative activities only benefit the human patrons. The welfare of the dogs and the preservation of the prey species are at significant risk.”

The NSPCA has submitted an urgent letter to the Office of the Presidency, and the Department of Agriculture, strongly opposing the application by the AHA to legalise these unethical and inhumane practices, which are in direct conflict with South Africa’s animal protection laws and the NSPCA’s legal mandate to prevent cruelty. This mandate is not a matter of opinion: the NSPCA is fulfilling its statutory duty under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 (APA) to investigate, prevent and act against cruelty to animals.

We call on all South Africans to stand with the NSPCA in rejecting these attempts to legalise cruelty and to support the protection and welfare of the dogs and the wild animals they are forced to hunt.

Source: NSPCA

World Animal Day 2025: “Save Animals, Save the Planet!”

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© FOUR PAWS

World Animal Day 2025: “Save Animals, Save the Planet!”

Use the FOUR PAWS Animal Welfare Advocacy Guide to take small steps of Kindness this World Animal Day

On 4 October, South Africans will join the global community in celebrating World Animal Day, a time to pause and reflect on the animals who share our lives, our land and our homes. This year’s theme “Save Animals, Save the Planet!”, reminds us that animals are not just part of our environment, but part of our communities and caring for them is our shared responsibility.

 Instead of a physical gathering outside Parliament this year, FOUR PAWS is calling on individuals, schools, organisations, and communities across the country to mark the day in their own way, using the Animal Welfare Advocacy Guide for a Kinder World. This guide is a simple, practical tool that helps South Africans advocate for stronger animal protection laws while making more compassionate choices in everyday life.

 From our wildlife in the Kruger National Park to our beloved dogs and cats in our townships, this year’s theme honours all animals, wild, farm and companion as rightful co-inhabitants of our land. The day is a gentle reminder for us that highlights urgent issues like wildlife exploitation, factory farming, and the safe and humane care of stray animals. World Animal Day inspires us to respect animals’ rights to live freely and safely and to push for stronger protections in law and practice.

 The Advocacy Guide: Your Toolkit for Change

The Animal Welfare Advocacy Guide, launched by FOUR PAWS South Africa, offers:

  • Steps to engage with local and national government.
  • Templates for letters and petitions.
  • Tips for hosting awareness events in your community.
  • Guidance on ethical choices in food, fashion, and travel (#LiveKinder, #EatKinder, #WearItKind & #TravelKind).

 Fiona Miles, Director of FOUR PAWS shares: “Making animal welfare a focal point of our purpose is a powerful way to create positive change for animals, whether through daily acts of kindness or broader lifestyle adjustments. Small, committed actions truly matter, and with a collective effort, we can build a future where animals are treated with the respect and compassion they deserve”.

World Animal Day is more than a celebration, it’s a reflection of Ubuntu, reminding us that our humanity is deeply connected to how we treat all living beings. This year, let us recommit to building a South Africa where animals are treated with respect, empathy and understanding.

The Animal Welfare Advocacy Guide is available for download here. Like, follow and tag us at FOUR PAWS South Africa with your activities for the day. For more information, please visit our website at www.four-paws.org.za

Source: FOUR PAWS

Woolrich: Still Ignoring Animal Cruelty

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© FOUR PAWS | Fred Dott

Woolrich: Still Ignoring Animal Cruelty

The last big outdoor brand to sell fur from raccoon dogs and other species – Will Woolrich’s Arctic Parkas soon be without animal fur?

Woolrich is one of the last international fashion brands without a fur-free policy even though most of its competitors – including Canada Goose, The North Face, Parajumpers, Patagonia, Fjällräven, MAMMUT, Jack Wolfskin and Napapijri – are already or have gone fur-free. Fur production is cruel to animals, bad for the environment, a risk to public health and completely unnecessary since quality alternatives are available.

URGE WOOLRICH TO GO FUR FREE

While the Italian brand offers a wide range of clothing, their parkas are the only items with fur. They use fur from raccoon dogs, coyotes and foxes as trim for the hoods of their parkas – even for children’s jackets. Woolrich purchases most fur from Finnish auction house Saga Furs, which prides itself with only selling fur coming from certified farms. But the voluntary certification scheme of the European fur industry (WelFur) is designed around the cruel cage system that we all know. Animals on Saga certified fur farms endure a short life in tiny wire mesh cages without opportunities to fulfil their basic needs. Only to be inhumanely killed after a few months and end up as trim on a Woolrich parka.  

And it’s not just farms. In North America, wild animals like coyotes are caught in brutal traps that rarely cause immediate death and result in immense pain and stress before the animals are killed by either drowning, suffocation or bludgeoning.  

The cruel devices do not discriminate. Pets, deer and countless other animals are often maimed or killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and many suffer for days without food or water before dying.

The truth is simple: every fur product is rooted in animal suffering.  

While Woolrich emphasises its sustainability efforts, they fail to address the environmental impact of using animal fur for fashion. While the fur industry try to position fur as a sustainable product, in truth the practice has a severe impact on our environment, especially on ecosystems close to fur farms. Keeping thousands of animals on fur farms requires many resources: water, feed, and energy. The accumulating animal waste often drains into local soil and waterways, polluting both. 

But there’s also good news – fashion is evolving. More and more iconic brands and retailers are embracing cruelty-free style by going fur-free. You don’t need fur to make a statement – your values are your boldest accessory.