Happy International Women's Day 2024

International Women's Day is a special occasion celebrated worldwide on the 8th of March. It's a day to appreciate and recognise the wonderful things women have done throughout history and today.

Here are 5 remarkable women who have made a difference for animals and the planet:

Sangduen "Lek" Chailert

I never think ‘elephant is an animal,’ I think they are a person, so that is why when I talk to them, I treat them like my family. We understand, even if we speak a different language.

Chailert is a passionate advocate for the well-being of Asian Elephants. She is the founder of Elephant Nature Park (ENP), a sanctuary located in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, spanning 250 acres. This sanctuary serves as a safe haven for mistreated Asian Elephants, offering them a home and essential care. Over the years, she has rescued more than 200 elephants and various other animals.

Her journey began when she witnessed elephants being forced to carry logs in the jungle, prompting her to take action. 

A key focus of Chailert's work is to educate people globally about the well-being of elephants. She emphasiaes the importance of sharing this knowledge to raise awareness and advocate for the welfare of animals. 

Ruth Harrison

If one person is unkind to an animal it is considered to be cruelty, but where a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of commerce, the cruelty is condoned and, once large sums of money are at stake, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people.

Ruth Harrison was a British author and animal welfare advocate who significantly influenced the animal rights movement. In 1964 she published a groundbreaking book called Animal Machines, which exposed the harsh conditions of factory farming and the inhumane treatment of animals in modern agriculture.

Animal Machines played an important role in raising public awareness about animal welfare in industrial farming. Harrison's work encouraged discussions and debates around the topic, leading to increased scrutiny and, eventually, changes in animal welfare regulations.

Her efforts contributed to the broader movement for the ethical treatment of animals and the establishment of laws and regulations aimed at improving conditions for farm animals.

Sylvia Earle

It takes 25 years or so for a male sperm whale to reach the edge of social maturity, when it attains the size and weight of those I saw being butchered. It took less than four hours to transform those once vibrant creatures into the basic ingredients of candle wax, lubricating oils, cosmetics, fertilizer, ivory trinkets, and food for domesticated animals.

Sylvia Earle, born in 1935, is a pioneering marine biologist and oceanographer renowned for her groundbreaking contributions to underwater exploration and environmental advocacy.  

In 2009, she established Mission Blue, an initiative aiming to create marine protected areas called "Hope Spots" globally.

Earle's advocacy extends to her support for the 30X30 movement, seeking to protect 30% of the world's seawaters by 2030. She is also a proponent of recognising ecocide as a crime, emphasising the critical need to safeguard our planet.

Jane Goodall

We discussed conditions in captivity and I couldn’t sleep for nights after seeing our closest relatives, social beings, in the cages 5ft by 5ft square, only 7ft high... I went to that conference as a scientist. I left four days later as an activist.

Jane Goodall is a British primatologist and ethologist renowned for her groundbreaking research with wild chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park during the 1960s.

Her work challenged conventional scientific beliefs, unveiling the intricate social structures, tool-making abilities, and non-verbal communication among chimpanzees.

Beyond her scientific contributions, Goodall is an influential conservationist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, established in 1977, which focuses on wildlife research, conservation efforts, and community development.

Joy Adamson

Freedom is not just the absence of chains, but the ability to live and express yourself authentically.

Joy Adamson is most famous for her association with Elsa the Lioness, which most of as associate with the film 'Born Free'.

After Elsa's successful release back into the wild, Adamson continued her conservation efforts, writing acclaimed books like "Born Free," "Living Free," and "Forever Free," which chronicled Elsa's story and the challenges faced by her cubs.

The success of "Born Free" brought international fame, enabling Adamson to dedicate her life to wildlife causes. She traveled globally, delivering speeches and raising funds for conservation. In addition to her literary contributions, she painted over 500 artworks, portraying wildlife and indigenous populations.