Earthtrust

Earthtrust is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to wildlife protection. Located in Hawaii, Earthtrust has been involved in many high-profile activities, notably around using genetic analysis to demonstrate the prevalence of pirate whaling as well as public information campaigns around drift net fishing. Earthtrust serves as an official observer at the International Whaling Commission.

Earthtrust was founded in 1976, and continues to be directed by Don White who also was involved in the founding of a related NGO, Greenpeace.

Accomplishments and History of Earthtrust

  1. Kuwait Wildlife Campaign
  2. Ohana Kai Campaign: Confronting Soviet Whalers
  3. Penghu: Stopping the Dolphin Slaughters
  4. North Pacific Driftnet Expedition
  5. Stopping the Japan Drive Kills
  6. Whale Watching Industry Naturalist Program
  7. The Hector Protector
  8. Tiger Campaign
  9. The UNCED "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro
  10. Korean Pirate Whaling Expose
  11. Rhino Campaign
  12. United Nations Campaign for Driftnet Moratorium
  13. Investigation into the Trade in Bear Gall Bladders
  14. Earth Journal (Taiwanese Publication)
  15. River Dolphins
  16. World's Largest Tuna Firm Adopts Earthtrust's Flipper Standard

Programs

DriftNetwork

Earthtrust's DriftNetwork program is an effort to stop pirate driftnetting, as commercial driftnetting has been stopped. This is also to avoid the ecosystem damages caused by driftnetting In terms of biomass, species, fish populations, and number of creatures saved which would have been otherwise destroyed.

Endangered Wildlife Initiatives

Strategies to support the reduction of wildlife trade, and the protection of endangered species and their habitats.

Rhino Campaign

Keith Highley and Suzie Chang Highley, the managers of Earthtrust's field office in Taiwan created an awareness and education campaign to inform the public about the threat to African and Asian rhinoceros species resulting from the popularity of rhino horn-based medicinals.

Tiger Campaign

An extensive market survey of tiger parts in Taiwan was completed in March 1993. Earthtrust efforts have included providing information and documentation to Washington DC State Department and USFWS officials, regarding Taiwan's promises to take concrete steps to shut down the trade in rhino horn and tiger parts. They also developed a five-point Action Plan for Taiwan, which emphasizes effective law enforcement and education as necessary steps toward ending the consumption of tiger parts.

Bear Campaign

Earthtrust, in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States, has done extensive field work to document the trade in bear parts, particularly bear gall bladders and bear paws, which are parts of the Chinese medicine and the "exotic gourmet" trend in East Asia, respectively.

Marine Activities

Driftnetting and dolphin-drive fisheries are also monitored on a regular basis. In the spring of 1990, Earthtrust campaigners from Hawaii, California, New Zealand, and Taiwan met on the island of Penghu, Taiwan to document the traditional capture and slaughter of migrating dolphins. Many of the dolphins and pseudorcas captured were released after Earthtrust recruited the support of educational, religious, and political leaders in negotiating with the local fishermen. Because of Earthtrust's activities to focus international attention on the issue, the Taiwan Council of Agriculture added dolphins to the list of protected species covered by their Wildlife Protection Law.

Project Delphis

Dolphin Cognition Research

See also

References

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