Recent World Wildlife Fund News
Microchips and Rhinos: In Nairobi, Kenya the World Wildlife Fund has continuously worked to protect the declining Rhino population. The WWF is going to provide over 1,000 microchips and several scanners to Kenya. These scanners will help wildlife services better monitor Rhino populations within the country and allow for increased tracking abilities. Unfortunately, poachers are still harming the Rhino population and with this new tracking system, wildlife services will be able to more effectively stop this horrible practice. These tracking systems will also help investigators when suspected poachers are brought to justice.
Polar Bears: Forty years ago a polar bear conservation treaty was signed by five countries to deal with the many threats that harm this species. Unfortunately hunting and commercial harvesting of these animals have impacted the species for many years. Since this treaty was signed the polar bear population has bounced back and has increased by 20,000-25,000 additional animals. With global warming as a major issue today, polar bears will still be facing major hardships over the next several decades until a solution is reached.
Oil Drilling: Lofoten, one of the largest cod fish environments will not open to oil exploration and oil extracting. The World Wildlife Fund has successfully campaigned the Norwegian Government into protecting this important natural habitat. By arguing its importance in the region, by providing home to many important ecosystems, it was ultimately saved by the WWF.
The Shark Trade: Illegal shark hunting has been an issue for many years mostly in the areas of Hong Kong and Singapore. Both Hong Kong and Singapore have had issues with shark fin consumption by the population. These governments issued a ban on these fins when dining. This caused more than 250 restaurants and catering companies to remove shark fin from their menus. This incredible movement was brought about by World Wildlife Fund campaigns and promotions to seek alternative seafood choices. Because of this, Singapore has also dropped shark related seafood products from its major grocery stores and hotels.
Mangrove Forests: In September 2013, Fiji began support to protect its countries Mangrove forests. Deforestation issue have occurred in the past which originally began a formal investigation into the matter. These Mangrove forests are extremely important for the coastal ecosystems of Fiji. They provide safe breeding areas for fish and shrimp and help protect the coastline. Without these forests, Fiji could be at a greater risk for disaster due to losing this protective layer to combat extreme storms.
Tiger Surveys: The World Wildlife Fund is urging countries to perform regular census reports on Tiger populations through the year 2022. The WWF is calling for increased tiger numbers from an agreement during the latest Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg Russia. Newer traps are being used that allow for more accurate counts to be made. Tigers are very elusive creatures by nature and are very difficult to track and count.