Breeding endangered species in zoos is a noble enough goal, but it is a quixotic effort if there is no remaining wild to introduce them back into. Habitat loss is the major cause of endangerment for many species, as more people claim the few remaining wild places left on earth. For many Southeast Asian species - orangutans, clouded leopards, Sumatran rhinos, and tomistoma, to name a few - a leading cause of habitat loss is clear-cutting for palm oil plantations.
It wasn't until I began talking with other zookeepers years ago at a workshop that I learned about the palm oil crisis. Ever since then, I've tried to change my buying habits at the grocery store. It's tough - palm oil is in a lot of things that I bought, many of which I was sad to have to give up (i.e., a favorite dessert). In some cases, the palm oil free products that I buy now are more expensive than the ones I used to get. In other cases, I haven't been able to find a substitute product. It's not made easier by the fact that palm oil can be listed under half-a-dozen names on ingredients lists.
A good cause-action campaign should do two things. First, it should convince its audience that there is a problem (both what the problem is and why it is, in fact, a problem). Secondly, it should tell them what steps to take to help. In many cases, this means telling them what not to do (i.e., don't buy certain products). Ideally, it also means directing them towards a more positive action ("Don't buy bottled water, get a reusable water bottle!"). To learn more about how to make a difference, check out the Palm Oil Crisis page, provided by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
October is here, and many zoos are having/have just had their Halloween events. Halloween means candy. Candy means palm oil. And for many species, palm oil can mean extinction... Now that's scary...
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