Accounting for a Life
Intrinsic, defined as belonging naturally; essential, inherent and ineradicable. In the context of my work as the head of IFAW, we have a guiding principle: Individual animals possess intrinsic value. In other words, all wildlife has value — whether a "monetary"
Animal Lives Over Human Entertainment: Driving Change for ‘Big Cats’ in the U.S.
Like everyone in isolation at home perusing what to watch on Netflix I came across "Tiger King" and was instantly hooked. The most shocking part to me, though, wasn’t the eccentric characters or the sensationalism — it was the missed
Blue Whales are Making a Comeback in the Atlantic
Scientists have discovered large numbers of blue whales near the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia after years of exploitation, suggesting that decades of conservation efforts are paying off. The 21-day survey counted 55 animals, which was described by one cetacean specialist as
Soaring Cost of COVID for Communities and Conservation
"Global Guide to Ecotourism" was one of my published books when I was a young journalist in Japan. The premise now sounds obvious but in Japan at that time it was still a new concept. Tourism relies on its destination’s
Throwing a Lifeline
Why the UN’s SDGs are a blueprint to support small-scale tuna fisheries and the communities that depend on them. With a global market value that’s well in excess of $40 billion, tuna is a universally popular food. The quite considerable volume
Engaging the ‘Unusual Suspects’: An Interview With Azzedine Downes
Fifty years ago, activist Brian Davies founded the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in hopes of ending the commercial hunt for seals in Canada. Fifteen years later, in 1983 and in partnership with IFAW, Europe banned the importation of “whitecoat”
Working Towards a Cleaner Ocean: An Interview with Fabienne McLellan from OceanCare
The Impakter team, deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the airplane crash near Addis Ababa, joins the Secretary-General of the United Nations in conveying their heartfelt sympathies and solidarity to the victims’ families and loved ones, including those
Using Art to Combat Climate Change: An Interview with Louis Masai
Louis Masai is a British painter, sculptor, illustrator and street artist, perhaps best known for his murals of endangered species. A graduate of Falmouth School of Art, he aims to use his artworks as a means for spreading climate change
The Andean Region: a place to conserve
This is Part 1 of the Wetlands International article series. Part 2 on the growing issue of dried wetlands can be accessed here. Have you heard of the Puna region in South America? A few weeks ago, I had the chance to
Taking Responsibility for our Oceans: Policies and solutions
Policy Alternatives for Marine Conservation: Sustainable Fisheries, Geopolitics, and Solving Marine Plastic Pollution The ocean is an invaluable resource. Arguably the largest energy source on the planet. It's also one of the biggest sources of entertainment, hosting a myriad of water
Baboon Sanctuary: Women in Conservation and Gender Equality in Belize
It all started in the tiny village of Bermudian Landing, Belize District when a group of women decided to step out of their shells to face the challenges that were affecting their families, communities, and society. Women whose parents could
Defending Wildlife: The Road to SDG 16 in Mali
This is a story about eight ethnic groups and 300 elephants in a remote and lawless region of West Africa. It’s a story about what happens to 8 million acres of habitat when local people can work together to assert