Thank you for wanting to find out more about animals and the work WSPA does. Your support is really important to us and helps WSPA make the world a safer place for animals.

• Don‘t attend events that exploit animals or cause suffering, such as circuses, zoos or aquariums.

• Never pay to have your picture taken with a wild animal.

• Don‘t buy wild animals or products which are made from their body parts.

• Living corals take centuries to grow, and provide vital support for marine life.

• Never buy or take living organisms from the sea.

 
Asian elephants are easier to tame than their larger African cousins and have therefore been used as working animals for centuries. In more recent years, however, they have been exploited by the tourism industry, giving rides to tourists and posing for photos. Some elephants are exported to zoos and circuses around the world.

Did you know? People who own or look after elephants are called ‘Mahouts‘.

Asiatic elephants can be found in the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia and Southern China. They live in forests where they forage for leaves, shoots and roots, but can also be found roaming grasslands and marshes. Elephants are very sociable animals and live in family groups. They can live for 60-70 years in the wild.

Did you know? Female elephants are called cows, male elephants are called bulls and baby elephants are known as calves.

Asiatic elephants face many threats both in the wild and in captivity. Some of these include the destruction of their natural forest habitat, the illegal hunting of them for their ivory, and their capture for use in the entertainment industry.

Did you know? There are currently less than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild.

 
Green turtles are hunted for their eggs and meat which are considered to be a delicacy in many parts of the world. They are also hunted for their shell, which is used to make jewellery and other ornaments.

Did you know? All species of turtle are currently endangered. There are 7 species of marine turtle - four are classified as endangered and two are critically endangered. Over the last 50 years their population has declined from between 50 - 80%!

Green turtles can be found worldwide (where the sea temperature does not drop below 20 degrees Celsius). The largest green turtle can grow to over 1metre in length. Hatchlings (baby turtles) are 4 to 5 centimetres long when they hatch. They can live for over 75 years in the sea.

Did you know? Turtles have been on the planet for approximately 230 million years and were around during the time of the dinosaurs!

Even though turtles are protected by international law and the trade in turtle meat and products is banned, about 27,000 turtles are killed each year in Bali alone. Turtle souvenirs, such as these painted shells are popular with tourists, who are often unaware of the cruelty inflicted on these animals.

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. It is thought that we share 98.5% of the same genetic makeup as them. Chimpanzees are highly intelligent animals, and are often trained to perform in circuses and zoos. Some are also sold to people as pets.

Did you know? An adult chimpanzee is 3-4 times stronger than an average human.

There are two kinds of chimpanzee; the Common Chimpanzee, which can be found in the humid forest of Africa, and the Bonobo or Pygmy Chimpanzee, which can only be found in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They usually live in family groups made up of six to seven individuals. These family groups are then part of a wider community of between 12 to 50 individuals.

Did you know? Common Chimpanzees can be found in 21 African countries.

Chimpanzees are often hunted for their meat. This is known as ‘bushmeat.‘ Much of the hunting that takes place is illegal. Many baby chimpanzees are orphaned and left to die, after their mothers have been killed. The logging industry clears forests, and therefore destroys the chimpanzees habitat. When this happens chimpanzees are left with no shelter or food.

Did you know? Chimpanzees make nests from twigs and branches and sleep in the tree tops.

WSPA helps support the Mona Foundation in Spain, which is a chimpanzee rehabilitation centre. Once chimpanzees have been rescued from zoos or circuses, they are taken here to live out the rest of their lives, free from cruelty.

Humans have always had a special relationship with bears, probably due to the fact that most of us have grown up with a favourite teddy bear. Some people exploit bears to make money. Some make them ‘dance‘ for paying tourists and others make them fight against dogs in a ring. Others farm them for their body parts, which is then used in Traditional Chinese medicine.

Did you know? A male bear is called a boar, a female is called a sow and a baby bear is called a cub.

Polar bears live in the Arctic and only eat meat. They are the largest of all the bears. Brown bears, live in North America, Northern Europe, and Northern Asia. They are also known as Kodiak bears, the Eurasian brown bear or the Grizzly bear. These are actually sub-species of the brown bear.

The American black bear is found in North America and Mexico. These bears live in forests and like to eat roots, nuts, fruit and berries. The Asiatic black bear is found in places like China and Thailand. They are often hunted for their body parts, especially its gall bladder, which is used in many Traditional Chinese remedies.

The Sloth bear has shaggy fur and is found in parts of India and Pakistan. These bears often used in ‘bear baiting‘ events. The Giant panda lives in China and eats mostly bamboo. These bears are commonly found in zoos.

The Spectacled bear or Andean bear comes from the west coast of South America. It likes to eat insects, eggs, flowers, and even prickly cacti!

Did you know? Polar bears are left handed.

To find out more facts about bears click here.

One of the best ways to help protect animals is to help WSPA continue its fight against animal cruelty by holding a fundraising event. For further information, examples and ideas please see our Young Supporter Fundraising Guide.


Click here to find out about World Animal Week.