Pauline Verheij
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paulineverheij.bsky.social
Pauline Verheij
@paulineverheij.bsky.social
Environmental lawyer working for ecological justice. Interests: wildife crime & conservation, animal welfare, land regeneration, permaculture. All lives matter
Puerto Rico: 4 Dominican nationals sentenced to 8-12 months prison for smuggling over 100 birds from Puerto Rico to Dominican Republic by sea. When the US Coast Guard approached their vessel they threw the birds overboard, hoping to avoid detection. All birds drowned. www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-...
March 12, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Another chapter in the senseless killing of protected wildlife in Europe: Sweden is launching an illegal hunt of 87 lynx, a strictly protected species in Europe, in blatant violation of the Habitats Directive swedensbigfive.org/2025/02/26/8...
February 27, 2025 at 11:36 AM
In case you needed to see two pine martens playing around on an icy pond in The Netherlands 😍https://nos.nl/regio/gelderland/artikel/604159-unieke-beelden-van-op-het-ijs-glijdende-boommarters
February 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Hell yeah - time to put an end to the senseless, barbaric, testosterone-driven wildife killing contests of western North America therockies.life/is-it-time-t...
Is It Time To Stop Wildlife Killing Contests in Alberta?
Although thought to be a thing of the past, killing contests of wolves and coyotes are common and still happening in Alberta.
therockies.life
January 25, 2025 at 10:12 AM
California: baby spider monkey seized from car along with bags of marijuana. It was likely smuggled from Mexico, where spider monkey trafficking for the pet trade is rife, fuelled by influencers on social media. As a result, spider monkeys are critically endangered www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEJ-...
Spider monkey confiscated during CA traffic stop of Rolls Royce Ghost
YouTube video by ABC7
www.youtube.com
January 7, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Today, Sweden opens its shameful annual hunt on wolves: 30 wolves will be slaughtered with the aim of halving the country's wolf population. Since 2010 the Swedish government has been blatantly violating EU law, allowing a yearly licensed quota hunt www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Sweden begins wolf hunt as it aims to halve endangered animal’s population
Five entire families can be killed, totalling 30 wolves, in move campaigners say is illegal under EU law
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Pauline Verheij
The war against wolves in Europe ratchets up a notch in 2025 as Sweden seeks to further decimate its already endangered wolf population.
January 1, 2025 at 9:32 AM
The dead zone is real’: why US farmers are embracing wildflowers www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘The dead zone is real’: why US farmers are embracing wildflowers
Strips of native plants on as little as 10% of farmland can reduce soil erosion by up to 95%
www.theguardian.com
December 26, 2024 at 3:53 PM
Here’s the badger who frequents our garden in France, in apparent response to my efforts to attract wildlife. Isn’t (s)he beautiful?
December 24, 2024 at 12:52 PM
Turkish Customs at Istanbul airport seized a baby Western Lowland gorilla that was shipped from Nigeria en route to Bangkok. The poor animal most likely witnessed its mother and other family members being slaughtered for their meat www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/baby...
Baby gorilla found during smuggling attempt at Istanbul Airport
Customs enforcement teams from the Ministry of Trade intercepted an attempt to smuggle an endangered baby gorilla via Istanbul Airport. According to a...
www.dailysabah.com
December 24, 2024 at 8:49 AM
www.thehindu.com/news/nationa... Another disgusting incident highlighting the limitless nature of human greed. Four agile gibbons smuggled in suitcases from Malaysia were seized at Bangalore airport. Agile gibbons are endangered and listed in CITES Appendix I
Two caught smuggling agile gibbons from Malaysia to Bengaluru in suitcases
The Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) of Customs at Bengaluru International Airport unearthed a wildlife smuggling trade and caught two people, including a businessman, allegedly tr...
www.thehindu.com
December 20, 2024 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Pauline Verheij
Saving individuals matters for #species survival, and the memories of older #animals play a crucial role.

An often overlooked, but vital, aspect in debates on trophy #hunting, #extinction, and #biodiversity.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists
Hunting bigger, more experienced animals eradicates memories and knowledge crucial to group survival, research suggests
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2024 at 10:43 AM
The report I wrote for IFAW on wildlife crime in Hispanic America is out: www.ifaw.org/au/press-rel...
Demand for wild pets driving surge in wildlife crime
New report reveals incidents of poaching and trafficking across 18 Hispanic American countries are on the rise: a significant threat to biodiversity.
www.ifaw.org
December 6, 2024 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by Pauline Verheij
As expected, the downlisting of the #wolf Canis lupus at the Bern Convention Standing Committee was approved. A thread on some ins and outs. 1/

ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
EU proposal to adapt protection status of the wolf adopted by Bern Convention, paving the way to more flexibility in managing wolf populations
Today, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention voted in favour of the EU proposal to adapt the protection status of the wolf from ‘strictly protected' to ‘protected'.
ec.europa.eu
December 3, 2024 at 2:27 PM
Today, the Bern Convention adopted the EU proposal to downlist the grey wolf. A sad day for wolves and other wildlife considered a nuisance to farmers and hunters, when conservation decisions are driven by politics rather than science www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
Wolves to lose protection as EU secures support for status downgrade
Change in status under Bern Convention on nature protection could expose burgeoning wolf populations to culling and hunting for sport. #EuropeNews
www.euronews.com
December 3, 2024 at 3:51 PM
Hopeful news from the UK! London fashion week is the first of ‘big four’ to ban exotic animal skins. Designers must commit to ditching skins of animals such as crocodiles and snakes from 2025. Now for the New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks 💪 www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024...
London fashion week first of ‘big four’ to ban exotic animal skins
Designers must commit to ditching skins of animals such as crocodiles and snakes from 2025
www.theguardian.com
November 30, 2024 at 2:37 PM
A rallying cry is currently circulating amongst scientists and experts, in response to the EU proposal to downgrade the grey wolf's protection. The proposed downlisting is flawed and points to a need to question the integrity of the European decision-making process www.euractiv.com/section/eet/...
Overruling science is a cause for concern for both wolves and EU decision-making
Could a fear of predators, an innate need for human control and a demand to do as one wishes be behind the wolf's reduced protection?
www.euractiv.com
November 27, 2024 at 9:57 AM
Yet another case of invertebrate trafficking: Customs officers in the Philippines have intercepted an air parcel with 178 spiderlings contained in glass vials declared as “hairclips” from Indonesia. Of the 178 spiders 21 had not survived their ordeal interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-iss...
Big spiders flown in and declared as 'hairclips' intercepted by Customs
Spiders flown from Indonesia that were deceitfully declared as "hairclips" were confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Pampanga. The BOC-Port of
interaksyon.philstar.com
November 25, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Thailand is set to return 963 wild animals to their native country Madagascar, including ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, spider tortoises, and radiated tortoises. They were confiscated from a wildlife smuggler in Chumphon in May 2024 thethaiger.com/news/nationa...
Thailand to repatriate 900 seized lemurs and turtles to Madagascar
Thailand is set to return over 900 lemurs and rare turtles to Madagascar, following a significant seizure from the illegal wildlife trade.
thethaiger.com
November 25, 2024 at 2:07 PM
Customs officers at Lima Airport, Peru, arrested a South Korean man who tried to smuggle out 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and 9 bullet ants in plastic bags wrapped around his body with adhesive tape. He was discovered due to his huge belly www.seattletimes.com/nation-world...
Man hiding tarantulas, centipedes and ants is stopped from boarding flight
Something about a man who was trying to board a plane last week in Lima, Peru, caused customs officers at the international airport outside the capital to do a double take: He had an extraordinarily swollen belly. They asked him...
www.seattletimes.com
November 20, 2024 at 5:34 AM
Reposted by Pauline Verheij
Making space for #nature:
The government called the agreement "the biggest change to the Danish landscape in over 100 years." US$6.1 billion have been earmarked to acquire land from farmers over the next two decades, the government said.
www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-... #reforestation 🌎
Denmark will plant 1 billion trees and convert 10 per cent of farmland into forest
Danish lawmakers on Monday agreed on a deal to plant one billion trees and convert 10 per cent of farmland into forest and natural habitats over the next two decades in an effort to reduce fertilizer ...
www.ctvnews.ca
November 19, 2024 at 7:40 PM
Oh and here’s a photo of my dog Maya. Have a wonderful day!
November 19, 2024 at 7:08 AM