Hydroelectric Dams Take a Toll on Jaguars, Tigers and Lions
As reigning apex #predators of a variety of ecosystems, #bigcats like tigers, jaguars and lions are vital for ecosystem health. Yet forest loss for hydroelectric dam building is a real threat to these majestic big cats. Aside from depriving wildlife of a home, forest loss also contributes to #climatechange. It’s ironic then that hydroelectricity, which is being developed worldwide (especially in South American and Asian countries) as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, is a big cause of deforestation. Alternative energy is important however shouldn’t come at the cost of species under threat. Better protections are urgently needed. #Boycott4Wildlife
Big cats are among the most widespread top predators on Earth. Lions stalk zebra in the African savanna, tigers ambush antelope in the forests of Asia and jaguars hunt deer in the jungles of South America. They play an important role in ecosystems by regulating the numbers of these herbivores, in turn, reducing the deterioration of vegetated habitats and maintaining species diversity. Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock Tigers, lions and jaguars must cover large areas to find food, so they need a lot of energy. As with many large carnivores, big cats are under threat from habitat loss, which leaves them with less to eat. Their spread-out populations and slow reproductive rates make them particularly vulnerable. While the habitats in which big cats live range from boreal forests at high latitudes to tropical rainforests at the equator, the causes of habitat loss are largely the same: logging for wood and fuel, plantations, farming and urbanisation.
Building hydroelectric dams has caused extinctions and spread diseases in rivers globally, but the threat to ecosystems on land has largely been overlooked. In a recent study, researchers from China and Portugal investigated how existing and planned hydroelectric dams might affect two carnivores: the near-threatened jaguar (with an estimated global population of 173,000) and the endangered tiger (thought to number between 3,200 and 3,500 worldwide).
Jaguars, currently deemed Near Threatened, face a substantial habitat reduction of up to 25% in just over two decades. This decline stems from rampant deforestation for palm oil, soy,… Keep reading by Palm Oil DetectivesAugust 28, 2022August 7, 2025
Of all the great cats prowling the wild, few inspire as much awe and fascination as the leopard Panthera pardus. Sleek, powerful, and enigmatic, leopards are found across a staggering… Keep reading by Palm Oil DetectivesMarch 11, 2021April 19, 2025
The distribution of jaguars and tigers has shrunk 50% and 93% respectively, but the researchers found that hydroelectric plants pose a substantial risk of further declines. They found 164 dams that already intersect the jaguar range and 421 dams that do the same for tigers. This equates to one in five tigers that are likely to be affected by dams, compared with one in 200 jaguars. Since tiger numbers are already so low, this could have a considerable influence on the population’s capacity to recover and may even result in local extinctions. A dam on the Narmada River in India, where the endangered Bengal tiger is native. Ankit K Sinha/Shutterstock
Damning developments for big cats
Large expanses of land are flooded to create reservoirs when building hydroelectric plants in low-lying, relatively flat areas. Although tigers and jaguars can and do swim, they mainly hunt species such as deer that live on land. Sites chosen for dams typically incorporate floodplains and areas along rivers that are important for both species, since they tend to contain lots of prey.
The flooded area will force both predators and prey into surrounding areas. If the vegetation here can support the influx of herbivores, tigers and jaguars will probably persist. But if it cannot, the predators may be forced further afield in search of food, potentially drawing them into conflict with people who may kill them.
Relatively pristine habitats are under threat. The number of hydroelectric dams is set to quadruple across the jaguar’s range with a further 429 planned, while 41 are expected where tigers roam. Aside from the direct loss of habitat, these new constructions can increase the presence of people in remote areas. Roads built to access new dam sites consequently open up areas that were previously impenetrable. Roads can be a barrier to some species and kill those that try to cross. Roads can also encourage new towns and villages, which divide the habitat further. A road in Brazil which drives deep into jaguar habitat. Ricardo de O. Lemos/Shutterstock
Mitigating the damage
Where dams exist, the researchers suggest habitat loss could be limited by incorporating the surroundings into a protected area with suitable enforcement. Any new dams, though, especially in conservation areas or areas where top predators prowl, should be avoided. Sadly, most of the dams planned in Asia overlap with significant portions of the tiger’s range.
One way to mitigate the damage from building new hydroelectric plants may be to do it on slopes outside of areas that are crucial for conserving tigers and jaguars. The amount of flooded area needed to produce electricity from these plants when they’re on a slope is smaller compared to those built on lower ground, reducing the overall damage to the surrounding habitat. But impact assessments would need to confirm the plant wasn’t simply creating new issues elsewhere.
Alternative sources of energy are important for a sustainable future, but their benefits should not come at a substantial cost to species already under threat. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – A Bengal tiger drinking at a river Written by Tara Pirie, Postdoctoral Researcher, People and Wildlife Research Group, University of Reading. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This #WorldWildlifeDay take action for animals great and small! Reptiles insects, mammals and birds deserve better than palm oil ecocide and extinction. Make sure you Boycott palm oil Read more
Critically endangered Phayre’s langurs and endangered capped langurs of Bangladesh, are interbreeding raising concerns about their survival, take action! Read more
The legal trade is largely to blame for African grey parrots becoming endangered. Regulator CITES is broken allowing exploitation, massive reform needed now! Read more
In fragmented forests of Mexico, big cats find it hard to locate prey ungulates instead seeking tree-dwelling #monkeys – that’s bad news for primates! Read more
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Hydroelectric Dams Take a Toll on Jaguars, Tigers and Lions
As reigning apex #predators of a variety of ecosystems, #bigcats like tigers, jaguars and lions are vital for ecosystem health. Yet forest loss for hydroelectric dam building is a real threat to these majestic big cats. Aside from depriving wildlife of a home, forest loss also contributes to #climatechange. It’s ironic then that hydroelectricity, which is being developed worldwide (especially in South American and
... show more
Hydroelectric Dams Take a Toll on Jaguars, Tigers and Lions
As reigning apex #predators of a variety of ecosystems, #bigcats like tigers, jaguars and lions are vital for ecosystem health. Yet forest loss for hydroelectric dam building is a real threat to these majestic big cats. Aside from depriving wildlife of a home, forest loss also contributes to #climatechange. It’s ironic then that hydroelectricity, which is being developed worldwide (especially in South American and Asian countries) as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, is a big cause of deforestation. Alternative energy is important however shouldn’t come at the cost of species under threat. Better protections are urgently needed. #Boycott4Wildlife
Big cats are among the most widespread top predators on Earth. Lions stalk zebra in the African savanna, tigers ambush antelope in the forests of Asia and jaguars hunt deer in the jungles of South America. They play an important role in ecosystems by regulating the numbers of these herbivores, in turn, reducing the deterioration of vegetated habitats and maintaining species diversity. Ondrej Prosicky/Shutterstock Tigers, lions and jaguars must cover large areas to find food, so they need a lot of energy. As with many large carnivores, big cats are under threat from habitat loss, which leaves them with less to eat. Their spread-out populations and slow reproductive rates make them particularly vulnerable. While the habitats in which big cats live range from boreal forests at high latitudes to tropical rainforests at the equator, the causes of habitat loss are largely the same: logging for wood and fuel, plantations, farming and urbanisation.
Building hydroelectric dams has caused extinctions and spread diseases in rivers globally, but the threat to ecosystems on land has largely been overlooked. In a recent study, researchers from China and Portugal investigated how existing and planned hydroelectric dams might affect two carnivores: the near-threatened jaguar (with an estimated global population of 173,000) and the endangered tiger (thought to number between 3,200 and 3,500 worldwide).
Jaguars, currently deemed Near Threatened, face a substantial habitat reduction of up to 25% in just over two decades. This decline stems from rampant deforestation for palm oil, soy,… Keep reading by Palm Oil DetectivesAugust 28, 2022August 7, 2025
Of all the great cats prowling the wild, few inspire as much awe and fascination as the leopard Panthera pardus. Sleek, powerful, and enigmatic, leopards are found across a staggering… Keep reading by Palm Oil DetectivesMarch 11, 2021April 19, 2025
The distribution of jaguars and tigers has shrunk 50% and 93% respectively, but the researchers found that hydroelectric plants pose a substantial risk of further declines. They found 164 dams that already intersect the jaguar range and 421 dams that do the same for tigers. This equates to one in five tigers that are likely to be affected by dams, compared with one in 200 jaguars. Since tiger numbers are already so low, this could have a considerable influence on the population’s capacity to recover and may even result in local extinctions. A dam on the Narmada River in India, where the endangered Bengal tiger is native. Ankit K Sinha/Shutterstock
Damning developments for big cats
Large expanses of land are flooded to create reservoirs when building hydroelectric plants in low-lying, relatively flat areas. Although tigers and jaguars can and do swim, they mainly hunt species such as deer that live on land. Sites chosen for dams typically incorporate floodplains and areas along rivers that are important for both species, since they tend to contain lots of prey.
The flooded area will force both predators and prey into surrounding areas. If the vegetation here can support the influx of herbivores, tigers and jaguars will probably persist. But if it cannot, the predators may be forced further afield in search of food, potentially drawing them into conflict with people who may kill them.
Relatively pristine habitats are under threat. The number of hydroelectric dams is set to quadruple across the jaguar’s range with a further 429 planned, while 41 are expected where tigers roam. Aside from the direct loss of habitat, these new constructions can increase the presence of people in remote areas. Roads built to access new dam sites consequently open up areas that were previously impenetrable. Roads can be a barrier to some species and kill those that try to cross. Roads can also encourage new towns and villages, which divide the habitat further. A road in Brazil which drives deep into jaguar habitat. Ricardo de O. Lemos/Shutterstock
Mitigating the damage
Where dams exist, the researchers suggest habitat loss could be limited by incorporating the surroundings into a protected area with suitable enforcement. Any new dams, though, especially in conservation areas or areas where top predators prowl, should be avoided. Sadly, most of the dams planned in Asia overlap with significant portions of the tiger’s range.
One way to mitigate the damage from building new hydroelectric plants may be to do it on slopes outside of areas that are crucial for conserving tigers and jaguars. The amount of flooded area needed to produce electricity from these plants when they’re on a slope is smaller compared to those built on lower ground, reducing the overall damage to the surrounding habitat. But impact assessments would need to confirm the plant wasn’t simply creating new issues elsewhere.
Alternative sources of energy are important for a sustainable future, but their benefits should not come at a substantial cost to species already under threat. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – A Bengal tiger drinking at a river Written by Tara Pirie, Postdoctoral Researcher, People and Wildlife Research Group, University of Reading. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This #WorldWildlifeDay take action for animals great and small! Reptiles insects, mammals and birds deserve better than palm oil ecocide and extinction. Make sure you Boycott palm oil Read more
Critically endangered Phayre’s langurs and endangered capped langurs of Bangladesh, are interbreeding raising concerns about their survival, take action! Read more
The legal trade is largely to blame for African grey parrots becoming endangered. Regulator CITES is broken allowing exploitation, massive reform needed now! Read more
In fragmented forests of Mexico, big cats find it hard to locate prey ungulates instead seeking tree-dwelling #monkeys – that’s bad news for primates! Read more
Load more posts Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
The Sumatran tiger is teetering on the brink of extinction. Recent findings underscore the urgency of protecting the last remaining populations of these majestic apex predators. Deforestation for palm oil and illegal poaching are wiping out their homes. In the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, a recent study detected only 11 tigers, highlighting severe population stress from snares and habitat loss. Without immediate action, they face the same tragic fate as the extinct Javan and Balinese tigers. Strict global rainforest laws, enforcement of anti-poaching units, and a consumer boycott of palm oil hold the key to protecting Sumatra’s last living tigers.
Tesso Nilo National Park in Sumatra has lost an alarming 78% of primary forest between 2009 and 2023. The primary driver of this devastation is the expansion of illegal palm oil plantations. This rampant deforestation threatens the homes of critically endangered species like tigers, orangutans, and elephants. When palm oil companies build roads, they increase accessibility for poachers, further endangering the animals who live there. Advocating for indigenous-led conservation efforts and adopting a plant-based lifestyle are vital steps to protect these ecosystems.
The destruction of wild ecosystems continues to push thousands of obscure species towards extinction finds a study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Researchers used advanced machine learning algorithms to assess the survival probability of thousands of under-researched animals, predicts that a staggering fifty-six percent of all “data deficient” species are currently threatened with extinction. 85% of unassessed amphibians face immediate existential threats, primarily driven by anthropogenic habitat degradation such as the unchecked expansion of palm oil plantations, meat agriculture, mining and timber logging. Right now is the time to fight for all life and reject products linked to ecocide. Always remember them and share out their posts! Start here on the forgotten animals page. These are the forgotten animals of the secretly destroyed forests
In Indonesia’s North Aceh district, Sumatran elephants find themselves increasingly encircled by shrinking patches of forest, hemmed in all all sides by massive palm oil expansion. Just 924 to 1,360 individual Sumatran elephants remain alive. They are trapped in dead lands, surrounded by the very industry that is eradicating their food sources. Ongoing attempts by researchers to measure their populations have been hampered by the Indonesian government, which attempts to hide the truth from the media. Boycott palm oil when you shop to protect these irreplaceable beings.
By holding to account the powerful corporations that control the world, we have the power to fight back against this ecocide. Here is how you can stand up for rainforest animals, farmed animals, indigenous people, and rainforests:
Next time you are in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these on social media to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use it. Congratulate brands when they go completely palm oil-free.
A viable path forward is to champion indigenous-led agroecology. Indigenous peoples possess the deep ecological knowledge required to protect forests and the intricate web of life that includes insects, birds, mammals and reptiles. Stand strongly with indigenous land defenders to protect what remains of the wild.
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Despite decades of promises to end deforestation for palm oil PepsiCo (owner of crisp brands Frito-Lay, Cheetos and Doritos along with hundreds of other snack food brands) have continued sourcing p…
Political accounts would love to close comments after publishing (derailment of the discussion). I think this would boost the network further in times of bot comments and lack of real argument over complex subjects.
Across Sumatra, satellite images and field surveys traced two decades of clearing from park edges toward its core, tied to expanding oil palm plantations.
Our mushrooms growing workshop sold out fast. There's going to be another mushrooms growing workshop, in the Fall. All the participants today, were delighted to make their own blue oysters grow bucket to take home.
Our next workshop at the community orchard is a fruit tree grafting workshop - which is sold out with a waiting list.
Some delighted participants with their take home blue oyster mushrooms grow bucket. Lots of smiles & great energy shared at the mushrooms growing workshop, this afternoon ✌️🙂
Forests offer climate protection and safeguard indigenous peoples, endangered animals and rare plants. Deforestation is a major threat. Boycott palm oil!
Revel in the marvels of the universe. We are a collective of forward-thinking individuals who strive to better ourselves and our surroundings through constant creation.
imo, this feels to me like an indicator that the rule was too broad, given the thought and nuance behind the post. I do understand also that 99% of engagement on the topic is not high-effort/high-value, and that most instance members welcomed the new rule, and that part of being in a community is yielding on some things to maintain cohesion. but there is a part of me that is pretty disappointed that we totally banned a topic of such relevance (regardless of the perceived value), and that the creative and critical minds of the extended merveilles community won't be part of this conversation moving forward. I'm not really suggesting the rule be changed given its reception, but am just sort of publicly lamenting the fact that this piece of writing, which feels important and very much like it should belong here, is no longer welcome here, and that I'm not really sure there's an alternative community for it to live within.
for context, I didn't report this myself, but had two reports made on it from members of the instance. I read the post, it does have a bit of nuance, but folks on here(me included) are just exhausted of having these circular arguments on topics we've decided collectively that we want to avoid. I agree with the reports, it should have been unlisted. The local feed is just not the place to discuss about Claude and Chatgpt, whether they're great or terrible.
The whole rest of the internet is that place right now.
@jakintosh @neauoire I do agree with you jak that it feels wrong to ban a topic of discussion. However, I see the rule as a way to keep (only) the local feed free of AI in a time when it’s practically impossible to avoid the topic elsewhere, which I like. At the same time, I can’t really say that e.g. my operating system endeavors are more interesting/thoughtful and worthy of the local feed than a well thought out post on AI.
it's not really about a post being necessarily interesting to everyone. It doesn't have to be, it's about topics of conversation that actively harm the mental well-being of members, like the no-gore post on the timeline for example.
You'd think it's a very low bar to clear, but the same point can be made, why ban the discussion on carnist views in a time when the beef tallow business has never been better.
For the sake of people who come here to escape all that, let's use unlisted. 😀
@neauoire @gustav @jakintosh this sounds a lot more clearcut than how I'd personally interpreted the rule. Maybe the jackpotmaxxing rule could be clarified to literally say 'no AI discussions on public local timeline', else I think this will be a recurring issue.
As currently written the rule reads to me as only 'AI promotion' or 'AI good' posts forbidden.
if you have a need for a cinema film scanner (or can give it a good home!), and can arrange to have it transported from the Seattle area, message me on fedi or e-mail me at hello@alyx.sh
if you have a need for a cinema film scanner (or can give it a good home!), and can arrange to have it transported from the Seattle area, message me on fedi or e-mail me at hello@alyx.sh
I wonder if it would be possible to make a charitable organisation that receives and buys stock in companies and holds it on behalf of their workers, letting the workers vote with that stock. That might be a small avenue to workplace democracy. If it ever gets enough of a company, it could turn it into a proper co-operative. #economics #socialism #marketsocialism
Yeah, ESOPs are a version of that, abeit often with a pretty constrained view of worker interest. A charity, also, might encounter tension between a charitable charter and worker interest. Why not just do it as a cooperative to start with?
Grown up adults on my timeline right now, who weren't supposed to build the torment nexus are also like, y'know what, the end bro, I think, it totally justifies the means-
Habe heute was Seltsames auf meiner Instanz: Bekam eine Mail, dass ein Benutzerkonto gelöscht wurde. Als ich dann in der Benutzerkontenverwaltung nachgesehen habe, wird mir kein gelöschtes Konto angezeigt. Wie kann das denn sein?
Eli decided to gather some folks for a spring edition of #Decadv, I only just finished the proof-reading of No Bears None, I'm aching to do a bit of gamedev and I'm always willing to jump on an occasion that forces me to document things. So let's go!
I'm hoping to make a whole new implementation of Donsol with Rek's gorgeous new sprites. I'm tired of the NES look n' feel of our first implementation, I want something that has animations and effects and lives up to the capabilities of Varvara.
@silktree it'll work on everything, it's a uxn rom, I just design it with playdate's constraints, but I'll put it in upon itch so anyone can play it on the page 😀
Starting more seriously on the interface now, I think I got everything down where I want it. Through all my years of programming in #Uxn, I've managed somehow to never learn much about emulating larger numbers and just lived within the boundaries of 16-bits, but I do skirt pretty close to the boundary sometimes. For example, if I want a little progress bar 0x32 pixels wide, to display a value between 0 and 0x15, I have to do a little bit of finessing to have enough resolution in a short to emulate what in other languages you'd use decimal points for.
This thesis presents the design and implementation of ok, a stack-based virtual machine intended for educational use that prioritizes ease of implementation and minimal resource usage.
So I gave my "Permacomputing: A Humane computing paradigm" talk yesterday at minidebconf, kanpur. We had to face lot of difficulties due to the local organizers . But in the end my talk went fine 😁 , I at least made one person curious about permacomputing and had lots of fun, So I guess We can conclude "Nodus Tollens" was Introduced to the world successfully
MAJOR ANNOUCEMENT!!!
I along with @kishy have started Indian Permacomputing Collective called Nodus Tollens, and we are gonna kick things off by presenting "Permacomputing: A Humane Computing Paradigm" talk in the upcomping minidebconf, kanpur² .
@neauoire so basically, we were planning the conference for this 6 months, and the local organizers didn't have a good team, so everything was finalized and booked but at the day of the conference, our booked classroom was given to some other conference, and we were supposed to had accommodations inside the campus itself, but it was canceled and some hotels were booked, the hotels booked by the organizer was so bad, people booked hotels on their own :/
@neauoire quite curious what your plans are for the xteink4 os. My old kindle voyage screen broke and I was wanting a new e-reader. This thing looks like something I'd actually have on me enough to use it!
I don't have big plans, I was thinking of making a "file view" homescreen that lists every txt on the SD card, and clicking on one picks back at the scroll position it was last at.
A dam on the Narmada River in India, where the endangered Bengal tiger is native. Ankit K Sinha/Shutterstock
A road in Brazil which drives deep into jaguar habitat. Ricardo de O. Lemos/Shutterstock
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – A Bengal tiger drinking at a river
These are the forgotten animals of the secretly destroyed forests
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talk yesterday at minidebconf, kanpur. We had to face lot of difficulties due to the local organizers 
. But in the end my talk went fine 😁 , I at least made one person curious about permacomputing and had lots of fun, So I guess We can conclude "Nodus Tollens" was Introduced to the world successfully 
Karl Auerbach
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