Author: Kristin Stone

Volunteering at a wildlife rescue center can be a great opportunity to gain experience working with and caring for animals. It is also an excellent way to support your favorite wildlife causes, as income from paying volunteers is often a major source of funding for wildlife rescue centers. However, it is important to be sure that you are not posing any risk to the animals and also that they are not endangering you.

You must also feel assured that the rescue center is accredited or moving towards accreditation by international standards such as the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. These standards take into account not just the physical health of the animals, but the emotional well-being of wildlife living in a temporary or permanent captive environment.

There are certain characteristics of a wildlife rescue center that should signal a red flag to anyone who is considering a volunteer opportunity:

• If the rescue center is hesitant to release charismatic animals and wants to keep them for captive breeding and sale
• If the rescue center allows too much contact with humans, allowing animals to become habituated
• If the rescue center releases animals into the wild but does so in the wrong habitat or in a way that puts animals and people in danger
• If the rescue center houses animals in dirty and/or small cages

While working with wildlife sounds ideal, the reality is that it can be dangerous, physically exhausting, and often unglamorous when help with duties such as cutting up food and cleaning cages in hot or humid conditions is the most needed. It is imperative to do your research on the rescue center or organization you are considering and make sure that it is truly helping animals, not harming them. With a passion for wildlife and a thorough understanding of the pros and cons, volunteering with a wildlife rescue center can prove the experience of a lifetime.

An example of a successful and reputable volunteer program is ARCAS in Guatemala.

It is likely that when traveling, you will want to purchase unique items or sample local/exotic cuisine to enhance your experience and create lasting memories. It is important to be well-informed so that your choices do not harm wildlife.

Products & souvenirs

Before you purchase that souvenir, stop to consider its composition and origin. Was it made from an animal product such as ivory, bone, shell, or fur? If so, an animal died—probably many animals—to make the many copies of that knickknack to be sold to tourists like you. Consider also that trade in products such as coral may involve destruction of habitat and threaten ecosystems. These products are natural resources and their removal is harmful to wilderness areas. Both animals and the environment will benefit if travelers refuse to purchase such items.

Coral

Coral reefs comprise only a small part of the marine environment, yet are home to more than 25 percent of the world’s ocean fish and are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. Collection of corals for the aquarium and jewelry industries typically targets rare, slow-growing, long-lived animals. Overharvest can cause localized destruction of reefs, increased erosion, and loss of habitat. It is estimated that around 1.5 million live stony corals, 4 million pounds of dead coral, hundreds of thousands of other invertebrates, and 65-110 thousand pounds of red and black coral are imported into the U.S. alone every year. The global trade volume is unknown.

According to a 2011 World Resources Institute analysis, human activities have put some 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs at risk. Many have been damaged beyond recovery. A global survey found that 90 percent of reefs were missing species of high value to international trade. The corals are collected by dragging iron bars along the ocean floor, wiping out entire eco-communities. The pattern of exploitation is clear: new, untouched coral beds are found and wiped out by collectors who leave a trail of destruction in their path. Check out our TankWatch mobile app to help lessen your impact.

Fur

HSI/HSUS investigations have found that real fur can be disguised as fake through use of dye or cutting/shaving techniques, or it may be used as a trim. It may also be mislabeled as fake or not labeled at all.

Trapping inflicts great pain and anguish, both to the target animals and to unintended victims such as pets and endangered species. The pelts of many species are made into full-length coats, linings in boots and gloves, figurines, pompons on sweaters, hair bows, and products allegedto relieve arthritis. This merchandise is sold all over the world.

Although sale of cat and dog fur is now illegal in the U.S. and the European Union, it can still be sold in other countries, often mislabeled with names such as gae wolf, sobaki, or Asian jackal for dog products and wildcat, goyangi, and katzenfelle for cat products.

Ivory

Buying and selling ivory drives the poaching of elephants. Objects are sold mostly in the form of carvings, but also as jewelry, unworked pieces, piano keys, hunting trophies, and individual tusks.

International trade in Asian elephant ivory was banned in 1975. CITES then tried and failed to regulate and control the ivory trade. By 1989, when CITES finally banned international trade in ivory from African elephants, it was estimated that 90 percent of ivory in the so-called legal trade was from poached sources. It was clear that permitting ivory trade was a death sentence for elephants. Individual nations passed laws to implement that ban.

In the U.S., only antique ivory can be bought and sold. However, a border agent faced with a shipment of ivory cannot tell by sight if that ivory is antique or if it comes from an elephant versus a mammoth whose ivory may be legally traded. Fraudulent paperwork adds to the confusion.

Leathers and skins

Watch bands, shoes, bags, belts, wallets and other exotic leather items are found in tourist shops, even in places where there may be laws against selling products of endangered species. Retailers will often tell customers what they want to hear , claiming that the animal was humanely caught and killed, or that it is legal to take the item home. Additionally, many leather objects may not be properly labeled and it is not always obvious that the item is made from an exotic or endangered animal.

Be on the lookout for leather articles that could be made from elephant, lizard, kangaroo or snake skin, or even from sharks, rays or sea turtles. These animals may have been wild-caught and illegally traded, or farmed in inhumane conditions.

Traditional Chinese medicine

Throughout Asia, you may come across exotic potions or salves referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Despite claims that they can aid in sexual potency or cure certain illnesses, these animal-derived medications are rarely tested by scientists and evidence of their success is limited. Unfortunately many wild animals used in these products are in danger of extinction. Animal parts used in TCM such as rhino horn and tiger penis are extremely valuable on the black market, and demand for them drives poaching.

Bear bile is a form of TCM that involves long-term inhumane treatment of thousands of bears. The Asiatic black bear, listed as threatened by the IUCN, is the species most commonly used. Taken from the wild, these bears spend the remainder of their lives in tiny, barren cages where their bile is periodically extracted from their gall bladders using a syringe. It is estimated that around 12,000 bears are in captivity all across Asia because people believe that their bile can treat fever, liver conditions, and poor eyesight.

Avoid purchasing TCM medicinal products unless you are absolutely sure that they do not contain any animal parts. Instead, look for synthetic or herbal alternatives.

Turtle shells

For centuries, hawksbill sea turtles were killed for their beautiful mottled “tortoise” shells, which were used to make jewelry, decorative combs and hairpins, forks and spoons, and statuettes. The hawksbill population crashed, and has never recovered. Since 1975, hawksbill sea turtles have been fully protected from international trade by CITES (aside from an exception to this rule which allowed Japan to trade in hawksbill shells until 1993). Regardless, many hawksbills are still killed, and products made from hawksbill shells are still sold in tourist markets worldwide.

Food items & dishes

You may have traveled only as far as your corner restaurant, or you may be dining in an eatery halfway around the world. However far you have roamed for your meal, you can make choices that affect wild animals.

There is a growing trend in fashionable restaurants: exotic fare. Lions, monkeys, turtles, sharks, frogs and snakes are only a few of the species that may appear on global menus. In some cases, restaurants are offering species on the brink of extinction because of overhunting or overfishing. Even if they aren’t rare, their capture may have damaged habitat. And in many cases, individual animals have suffered in captivity prior to being killed for food. Avoid frequenting establishments that advertise and serve these dishes and be sure to let these restaurants know why you have chosen not to patronize them.

Bushmeat

Bushmeat is meat from terrestrial wild animals found generally in tropical areas like South America, Asia and Africa. Wildlife is killed for subsistence purposes but also for commercial trade. The meat may be exported to countries where people value exotic food such as monkey limbs or tiger paws as delicacies. All kinds of wildlife are killed for their meat, including threatened and endangered species. Elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, antelopes, crocodiles, porcupines, bush pigs, tigers, hippos, lions, leopards, kangaroos and more are all victims of the bushmeat trade.

Primates make up only a small percentage of the bushmeat trade, but the effect on their already vulnerable populations is devastating. Additionally, the use of wire snares to capture wildlife is widespread, especially in Africa. Snares are incredibly painful and can also kill non-target wildlife. Not only is bushmeat inhumane and harmful to wildlife populations, but it is harmful to humans as well since the hunting, butchering and eating of bushmeat puts people at an increased risk of contracting zoonotic diseases.

It may be difficult to figure out what is on the menu if you are traveling in a foreign country, but if it seems exotic, make sure to ask questions or simply avoid it altogether.

Shark fin soup

Every year, tens of millions of sharks are hunted to meet the demand for shark fin soup, a cruel and wasteful “luxury” dish. After their fins are removed, the animals are thrown back into the water to die slowly and painfully. Finning is not only inhumane; it allows sharks to be caught in unsustainable numbers. Curbing the demand is the best way to stop finning—do not purchase or consume products made with shark fins.

Whale and dolphin meat

A handful of countries still kill thousands of whales and dolphins annually, despite international protests. While some of the hunts are done under the guise of ”research,“ the meat still ends up for sale in markets. Not only are the killing methods inhumane and many of the quotas unsustainable, meat from many of these species is contaminated with mercury and other toxins and therefore unhealthy for human consumption. Countries where you are likely to find whale and dolphin meat for sale include Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, and even some Caribbean islands, such as Bequia.

Exotic pets

Each year, millions of animals are captured from the wild and sold in the international live wildlife trade. The commercial uses of these animals include the exotic pet trade, biomedical research and teaching, and stocking of public or private game farms and hunting ranches. The trade in live wildlife results in the injury and death of a large percentage of the animals captured. Mortality rates vary depending on the type of animal, the country of origin, the capture and transport techniques used, and—ultimately—the ability of the species to withstand extreme physical and psychological trauma and adapt to a captive environment. The trade in live animals represents depleted wild populations, damaged habitats and the suffering of countless animals. Do not be tempted to contribute to demand by purchasing a wild creature that is being sold as a pet – even if you want to “save” him. He will only be replaced with another animal.

To download a simplified and portable version of our Don’t Buy Wild Guide, click here. [PDF]

Sea turtle conservation, seal and dolphin protection, animal health and food safety, and humane sustainable agriculture are examples of environmental- and animal- related issues discussed, negotiated, and sometimes disputed at the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

The WTO is comprised of 159 member countries, and is the world’s preeminent organization governing international trade.  While its principal mission is free and open trade, environmental protection, sustainable development, and animal life and health are objectives woven into the WTO Agreements.  Despite this, there is not always agreement among WTO Members on how to prioritize these objectives vis a vis commercial concerns.  

Recognizing this, HSI strives to promote animal welfare and respect for the environment, natural habitats, and endangered species as issues that must be at the forefront of ongoing international trade negotiations at the WTO.  HSI is active on a number of fronts:

• Through its role on the Trade and Environmental Policy Advisory Committee (TEPAC), HSI advises the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on policy issues involving trade and the environment (including animals).
• HSI attends WTO ministerial conferences, such as the one held in 2013 (Bali, Indonesia) where HSI Vice President Kitty Block was selected to represent TEPAC as a U.S. government advisor. 
• HSI frequently provides comments and/or testimony to Congress and USTR regarding the intersection of animal protection and international trade issues. 
• HSI closely follows and prepares amicus curiae briefs in WTO disputes involving animal issues. 

WTO Negotiations

The current round of WTO negotiations, called the Doha Development Round, began in November 2001 and is focused on lowering trade barriers while encouraging sustainable economic development. Although controversial issues such as agricultural subsidies have hindered recent progress, the passage of the Bali Package—which addresses some of the Doha Round agenda—at the Ninth Ministerial Conference in December 2013 may be a sign that the tide is turning.  A number of significant issues involving animal protection have been discussed, including promotion of humane sustainable agriculture and elimination of global fisheries subsidies.  Resolution of these two issues prior to conclusion of the Round would likely not only have myriad benefits for animals, but would also assist with economic development in developing and least developed countries.

Agriculture

One of the biggest obstacles to conclusion of the Doha Round is the need for agriculture reform in developed countries; specifically, the elimination of government subsidies given to agricultural producers in the United States and the European Union.  This reform has great potential to help alleviate poverty and level the playing field for the developing world, however, it must not be achieved at the expense of the welfare of farm animals in either developed or developing countries.

The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) allows governments to make unlimited payments for environmental programs as long as they are not trade distorting.  These are called “Green Box” subsidies.  To ensure animals are not victims of agricultural reform, HSI would like explicit acknowledgment that government payments to farmers or ranchers, which offset the costs of increasing animal welfare standards, are permissible “Green Box” subsidies.  

Improved animal welfare standards will benefit animals, respond to consumer demand, protect the environment, mitigate the spread of diseases hazardous to public health, and improve economic output.  (See HSI’s 2008 submission to the WTO Animal Welfare, International Trade and Sustainable Development.)  For example:

• Studies demonstrate that mistreating or withholding adequate veterinary care from animals results in reduced economic output; 
• Consumers have a vested interest in how animals are treated and have increasingly expressed a desire to purchase humanely produced chicken, beef, pork, dairy products and cage-free eggs; and
• There is a need to improve animal welfare standards in light of livestock diseases, such as outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, and avian influenza (bird flu).

Fisheries

Over time, government subsidies have facilitated overcapacity of global fishing fleets, which in turn has led to a depletion of fisheries resources.  Not only is this type of unsustainable fishing devastating to marine life, but it is also detrimental to many local fishing communities, particularly in developing countries, that rely on these resources for their livelihoods.

WTO Members are negotiating an agreement to address these subsidies.  Through its role in TEPAC, and in its individual capacity, HSI has been urging the U.S. to continue playing a leadership role in these negotiations and pushing for a strong agreement that substantially reduces subsidies and eliminates overfishing.

WTO Disputes

To date, some of the most well-known disputes at the WTO, and the WTO’s predecessor the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT),  have involved animals. These disputes tested the flexibility of the WTO Agreements to allow members to impose trade-restrictive measures based on environmental and animal protection concerns.  It is clear from the outcomes that the Agreements do allow for such measures, as long as they comply with certain WTO rules. In the 1990’s, several disputes concerned measures taken to protect dolphins from injurious tuna-fishing methods (Tuna-Dolphin) and to protect endangered sea turtles from deadly shrimp-fishing practices (Shrimp-Turtle). In the 2000s, a WTO dispute explored the impact on animal life and health from hazards resulting from the disposal of waste tires (Brazil-Tyres).

More recently, two disputes involving animals have brought these issues into the spotlight again.  The first was a resurrection of the prior disputes involving dolphin protection.  Mexico challenged the U.S. dolphin-safe label, which is only available for countries that opt not to intentionally set on dolphins while fishing for tuna in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. At both the panel and appellate stages, HSI submitted amicus briefs to the WTO supporting the US label, which ensures strong dolphin protection and continued consumer confidence in tuna products. Although the appellate body found the US label in violation of international trade rules for providing “less favorable treatment” to Mexican tuna products, the US decided to strengthen instead of weaken the law in order to come into compliance with the report, leaving intact a strong prohibition on setting on dolphins.  Unfortunately, Mexico has begun the process for sending the dispute back to the WTO for another round of hearings.  

The second involves the European Union’s (EU) ban on the gruesome seal products trade, which its citizens do not want to contribute to and vehemently oppose. Canada and Norway challenged the EU seal ban at the WTO as discriminatory and overly trade-restrictive, arguing that an animal welfare certification scheme for seal products would be preferable and more effective. In November 2013, the WTO dispute panel released its report upholding the general ban on trade in seal products, merely finding fault with the ban’s exceptions.  The larger import of the ruling is the WTO’s acknowledgement that animal welfare is an issue of moral concern that a country may legitimately use to justify trade-restrictive measures.  HSI made a significant contribution to this victory by providing video evidence during the WTO hearings of the inherent cruelty of commercial sealing and by filing an amicus brief that the EU lawyers attached to their submissions for consideration by the panel.  Canada has already vowed to appeal the ruling, and HSI will continue to do whatever possible to help the EU defend the ban.  (See seal recent timeline here.)   

Latin America is home to many hotspots for the illegal wildlife trade, due to its rich biodiversity and the difficulty of enforcing of wildlife protection laws. Here you can find endemic species such as the pink boa, and other endangered or threatened species, such as leatherback turtles, red-lored Amazon parrots, and howler monkeys. HSI Latin America is at the forefront of protecting these unique animals from poachers who would smuggle them across borders in a dangerous trade throughout many Latin American countries and beyond.

Located in San Jose, Costa Rica, the HSI LA office is well-situated to run hands-on programs in the border areas as well as work with government officials to strengthen wildlife laws and enforcement throughout the region. Since it opened in 2004, HSI LA has worked with to safeguard wildlife in Latin America, advocating for strong wildlife protection policies and creating programs that promote the rehabilitation and re-release of victims of the illegal wildlife trade, educational campaigns, and networking.

Coordinating with governments

The HSI LA office is centrally located and bilingual. Staff work directly with Latin American governments to offer assistance in complying with the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and act as liaisons between governments and local NGOs.

Outreach campaigns

HSI LA works with graphic designers and NGOs to create bilingual outreach campaigns that focus on keeping wildlife in their habitats by targeting certain segments of the population. Ecotourism campaigns, educational materials and advertisements to the general public must all be approved before going to print, and HSI LA ensures that the campaigns are appropriate to their areas, and the messages are conveyed clearly and succinctly.

Providing economic alternatives

Community ecotourism projects are a good way to highlight local wildlife and culture to travelers, and to show community members a non-extractive method to support themselves through the unique environment around them. HSI LA acts as a resource for communities looking to implement ecotourism programs by arranging for instruction on small business practices, sustainability plans, biology and wildlife classes, and guide training. 

Building capacity of local NGOs/supporting rescue centers

HSI LA works closely with International Trade & Development to support local rescue centers. Together with Trade, HSI LA conducted a comprehensive field survey of the illegal wildlife trade in Peru, and an additional study in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, including an examination of the status of wildlife rescue centers in each country. Both offices are currently working towards building the capacity of the rescue centers to adequately care for, rehabilitate and re-release, when possible, the victims of illegal wildlife trade; as well as creating a strong network of rescue centers throughout Central America.

Training of government personnel

Staff from HSI LA coordinate trainings for the customs officials, police officers and other law enforcement representatives who are on the front lines in the war against illegal wildlife trade. They attend every training to ensure the material is received and to bring feedback to HSI in DC.

Lasting legacy:  animal-handling curriculum

The HSI LA office helped to create an interactive CD and curriculum on animal handling, and has traveled to border areas throughout Central America to teach the curriculum and leave copies of the CD behind, with the idea that the curriculum will circulate for many years in the future. HSI LA was also instrumental in creating a curriculum for Colombia to be used at a joint workshop with Interpol, thereby broadening the scope of the animal welfare message.

To access the content of HSI’s animal handling interactive CD and curriculum (now available online), please click here [in Spanish].

For many, the idea of overhauling a lifetime of dietary habits can be intimidating. Not everyone is willing to switch from eating meat every day to becoming a vegetarian overnight.

But it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Whether your primary incentive is helping the environment, improving animal welfare, or addressing health concerns, you can take a significant first step by becoming a flexitarian. The term blends “flexible” and “vegetarian” to describe those who take a part-time approach to avoiding meat.

“A flexitarian is waking up every day and trying to be more vegetarian,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and author of The Flexitarian Diet. “It’s not going to be perfect; it’s about progress.”

In promoting conscientious eating, HSI embraces the Three Rs—reducing the consumption of animal products; refining the diet by avoiding foods created in the worst production systems (for example, switching to cage-free eggs); and replacing animal products with plant-based foods. Popular programs such as Meatless Mondays—adopted by colleges and school districts around the world—have helped people see, one day a week, how easy and delicious vegetarian cuisine can be.

Whatever your approach, there is an abundance of tasty and easy vegetarian recipes. There are also easy ways to substitute the dairy and eggs in your favorite recipes with plant-based ingredients. Check out our meat-free recipes from Latin America, China, India and elsewhere, as well as our Guide to Meat-Free Meals for more tips on humane eating.

Mark Jones is executive director of Humane Society International/UK, and is based in London.

After qualifying as a veterinarian from the University of Liverpool in 1985, Mark spent three years in companion animal practice before gaining a master’s degree in aquatic animal heath and working for 15 years in association with Scotland’s fisheries and aquaculture industries.

In 2003, Mark headed overseas with his wife Melanie, and spent several years traveling and working in wild animal rescue and rehabilitation centers in South America and Southeast Asia before returning to the UK in 2007 to complete his master’s degree in wild animal health at the Institute of Zoology in London.

Most recently, Mark held senior management positions at animal welfare NGOs based in Hong Kong and the UK.

Mark brings with him a passion for the welfare of all animals, along with extensive experience in wild and aquatic animal health and conservation. He also has a keen interest in bringing animal welfare issues to the forefront of the political agenda. His primary focus will be to help develop HSI’s profile in the UK and beyond, and to extend the organization’s work with wildlife and the rapidly expanding aquaculture sector.