Article Publications
National Geographic: How GPS Can Help Save the World’s Most Endangered Sea Turtles
Wildlife Watch Tracking hawksbill turtles by satellite is yielding information crucial to the fight to save them from poachers, traffickers, and hunters. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED July 14, 2016 Hawksbill sea turtles, named for their pointed beaks, are teetering on the edge of extinction. With populations down to perhaps 10 percent of what they were…
Read MoreMongabay.com: Unknown, ignored and disappearing: Asia’s Almost Famous Animals
Often called the most beautiful of the monkeys, the Red-shanked Douc langur of Southeast Asia hasn’t benefited much from its good looks. It is barely known to the public or most conservationists and is Endangered. Photo by Art G. on flickr CC BY 2.0 The Sumatran rhino, like the orangutan and tiger, is an example…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Hong Kong Starts Countdown to Ivory Trade Ban
Hong Kong’s five-year plan for closing its ivory market will eliminate a legal loophole exploited by smugglers. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED June 27, 2016 Today Hong Kong has taken a major step forward in phasing out its ivory trade. The government submitted its proposed plan to the Legislative Council, which began debating the details. This is a…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Palm Oil’s Human Cost Alleged in New Report
Indonesian plantations are accused of exploitative labor conditions and other harmful practices by a coalition of nonprofit groups. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED June 8, 2016 Palm oil has oft been criticized for its alleged destructive impact on the environment—including clearing of tropical forests and peat swamps, destroying critical habitat for endangered species like orangutans, and contributing…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Rescued Circus Lions Airlifted to Safety in Africa
First posted on 2016-06-27 Wildlife Watch Rescued Circus Lions Airlifted to Safety in Africa Lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia are set to arrive back home in Africa. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 28, 2016 This lion and 23 others removed from circuses in Peru are being airlifted to South Africa, where a…
Read MoreHuffington Post: The Secret Trade That Threatens Rare Birds
By Laurel Neme Author and freelance journalist The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds, especially African greys. Photograph by Edward Echwalu, Reuters Singapore plays a key role as a…
Read MoreHuffington Post: Orangutan Rescue in Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem
By Laurel Neme Author and freelance journalist Medical check of orangutan. Photo courtesty of Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP) The adolescent orangutan was on his way to becoming the illegal pet of a police lieutenant in Jakarta in 2004 when a team from the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP) and the Ministry of Forestry’s Conservation…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Abused Circus Tiger Gets Fairy-Tale Ending
His name is Hoover, and this big cat is about to enjoy a new life in Florida. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 21, 2016 Photograph by Animal Defenders International Alongside crates of asparagus, Hoover the tiger will be airlifted Friday from Peru to Florida, where he’ll settle into a new home in Tampa after…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Remembering the Woman Who Helped Bears in Distress
Bears smile just like we do, said Else Poulsen, who understood what makes them tick. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 20, 2016 Few people know bears as intimately as author and bear behavioralist Else Poulsen, who died on April 15 in her home in Ontario, Canada, after a battle with cancer. She was 61. If ever…
Read MoreHuffington Post: By Legal Means: Protecting Key Orangutan Habitat Through the Courts
04/19/2016 By Laurel Neme Author and freelance journalist Many developing countries have fairly good environmental laws against deforestation and to protect threatened species, such as orangutans. However, environmental crimes are often not prosecuted.A key example is Indonesia’s Tripa peat swamp forest, which from 2007 was actively cleared by oil palm companies in direct violation of…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Inside the Secret Trade That Threatens Rare Birds
Singapore is a major transit hub for trade in threatened birds, especially African grey parrots. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 19, 2016 The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds,…
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