AFI Protect Endangered Gorillas

February 8th, 2010

Profits from Animal Insurance Protect Endangered Gorillas in the Congo

Last December, Animal Friends Insurance chose to support the charity Gearing Up For Gorillas (G4G – www.g4g.co.uk), by helping with funding for vital projects to save the majestic mountain gorillas in the war torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). AFI report that they are already making a difference. Funding has enabled the feeding and care of three orphan baby gorillas at a sanctuary in Goma. Ndeze and Ndakasi are two mountain gorillas and Mapendo an eastern lowland gorilla.

G4G representative Linda Nunn commented, “The milk powder for baby gorillas is very expensive (especially at the moment with insecurity and travel issues), and the ranger/care givers have to go further to fetch forest food for them every day. They’re obviously having to go further to quieter areas or pay local people to fetch it from afar for them and that all takes money. Funds from AFI will keep Ndeze, Ndakasi and Mapendo fed and looked after for some time.”

The UN has declared 2009 to be the official “Year of the Gorilla” to raise awareness of their plight and the efforts of rangers who risk their lives to protect them. Animal Friends is proud to support this cause and aims to assist in the campaign.

G4G works to assist park rangers who have limited resources and whose work place is one of the most dangerous in the world. Many rangers and their families have been living in trenches because of the war. Over the last decade, more than 100 rangers have been killed while on duty in DRC.

Five National Parks in DRC are classified as ‘World Heritage Sites – in Danger’. These five sites are the last refuge for many of the worlds endangered and threatened species. In eastern DRC, the Virunga National Park is home to around half of the last remaining mountain gorillas. The gorillas are under intense threat – as are the brave rangers who work there. In January, ranger Safari Kakule was attacked and killed. AFI has started to provide funding to directly help these courageous rangers.

Animal Friends Insurance can help protect your pet against the rising costs of pet insurance – you can buy pet insurance online quickly and easily, and they have a range of policies to suit every need and budget. As an ethical insurer, Animal Friends Insurance is the only UK pet insurance company which donates one hundred percent of its net profits to helping animal charities and welfare organisations all over the world.

More Information:

Christopher Fairfax, Marketing Director Animal Friends Insurance – Tel. +44 (0) 844 557 1255

E-mail: chrisf@animalfriends.co.uk Web: www.animalfriends.org.uk

Animal Friends Insurance, London Road, Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7RT

Linda Nunn, Tel. +44 (0)1725 553149 and +44 (0)7801 531205

E-mail: linda@g4g.co.uk Web: www.g4g.co.uk

Gearing Up For Gorillas, 87 Chapel Farm Cottage, Gussage St Andrew, Blandford, DT11 8DL

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Behind The Scenes In The Pet Trade: A PETA US Undercover Investigation

February 8th, 2010

PETA:

For seven months, a PETA US investigator went undercover at a massive international animal wholesale warehouse in Arlington, Texas, called US Global Exotics (USGE), which is one of the top dealers in animals sold in pet shops. USGE ships mammals, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids and other species all over the world, including to UK-based companies Coast to Coast Exotics, Peregrine Livefoods Ltd and PM Aquatic Imports. From there, they no doubt end up in pet shops in numerous towns…

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Fewer Than 50 Wild Tigers Left In China

February 8th, 2010

AFP:

Fewer than 50 wild tigers remain in China, a conservation group said Monday, voicing hope that the Year of the Tiger would not be the last for the endangered cats.

Xie Yan, director of the China programme for the US-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), said that just 20 years ago tigers still roamed across large swathes of China…

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Anti-Whaling Activists Face Jail

February 8th, 2010

ABC News:

Two members of Greenpeace are facing up to 10 years’ jail in the latest skirmish to erupt over Japan’s whaling activities.

While the whaling fleet and militant activists battle it out in the Southern Ocean, two men in Japan have been charged with trespassing and stealing whale meat…