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A new report, “Meat on the menu and fins for exports: Latin America’s shark trade with Asia,” sheds light on the role of Latin America and Caribbean countries in the global shark trade. Based on analysis of customs data over 17 years, the report exposes the region as a key shark meat consumer and a consistent source of shark fin products. “Global demand for shark products has expanded at an unprecedented rate over the past few decades,” said Barbara Slee, senior program manager at IFAW. “By mapping trade flows, highlighting discrepancies, and increasing transparency of the global shark trade, we are able to support countries in halting their contribution to the extinction of shark species.” With shark populations already under threat from overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, and pollution, every individual matters to protecting the delicate ecosystem of our oceans. Read on for more on the findings from the report.

📣 UK residents: If you’re still undecided or unconvinced about voting in the general election tomorrow, consider this: your vote is the voice for our planet and its inhabitants who cannot speak for themselves. By casting your ballot for candidates who prioritise wildlife conservation and animal welfare, you’re advocating for the well-being of the world and all its creatures. Learn more:

🚨 BREAKING: 100 dolphins saved from stranding IFAW’s marine mammal rescue teams, along with volunteers and partners, have been working 12–16-hour days every day since Friday to prevent some of the animals from coming back and more dolphins from being stranded in the area. This mass stranding of 125 dolphins marks the largest dolphin stranding in IFAW's history. The full story: Early on Friday, over 125 dolphins were stranded in mud flats off the coast of Cape Cod during low tide. The mass stranding occurred in the Herring River Gut which is an area with 11–13-foot tidal fluctuations, treacherous mud, and razor-sharp oysters that can easily cut through dolphins’ delicate skin. Conditions were especially difficult given the sheer number of animals, and how spread out they were. IFAW staff, partners, and 70 trained volunteers immediately leaped into action and worked late into the evening to help the stranded dolphins back into open waters. Over 100 dolphins were saved by the end of Friday, but because there is a high likelihood of dolphins re-stranding, our staff and volunteers have been in the field for several long, stressful days, continuing to herd dolphins away from the shallow waters, and rescuing dolphins when they do become stranded. We are continuously monitoring the situation. For more details:

You know vessel strikes are a major threat to whales, but you may be surprised to learn that ship size isn’t the real problem. It’s all about vessel speeds. 🐋⛴️🛥️🐋 40% of known whale strikes are from vessels 35 to 65 feet, who can reach high speeds and seriously injure both calves and adult whales. A speed rule amendment is under consideration, and we believe it could be a critical step forward to protect North Atlantic right whales from extinction. Click the link to help us continue to fight for slower speeds to save whales. https://g.ifaw.org/4eA5k7I

Artificial Intelligence is making waves around the world, including a new tool to better help us tackle wildlife cybercrime! IFAW’s China team recently concluded an Artificial Intelligence for Combating Wildlife Crime Workshop with WWF in collaboration with United Nations University Institute in Macau, KPMG, and Atos, uniting a group of experts to share cutting-edge practices and strategize collective action. We know that AI can be a helpful tool to tackle wildlife crime, and with the help of partners and other like-minded organizations, we can bring about powerful change!

⚠️Our valiant marine mammal rescue team is in the midst of what may be the largest single mass stranding event in our response history. 125 Atlantic white-sided dolphins stranded this morning in Wellfleet in an area called the Herring River Gut - the epicenter of our mass strandings. At least 25 IFAW staff and 100 volunteers are on scene attempting to use three small vessels and underwater pingers (noise) to herd the dolphins back out to deeper waters. They used the rising tide to refloat the animals, and now the tide is in their favor as they work with partner organizations and volunteers to herd the animals out of the estuary and into deeper waters offshore. There is no set reason for why these dolphins strand. Cape Cod is a global stranding hotspot due to the curvature of our shores and the fluctuation of our tides. Stay tuned for more.

"AI for Combating Wildlife Crime" Workshop concludes with success! The "AI for Combating Wildlife Crime" workshop, hosted by #WWF and ifaw in collaboration with United Nations University Institute in Macau, KPMG, and Atos, concluded successfully on June 26, 2024. The two-day event harnessed the power of AI to revolutionize the fight against wildlife crime. The event, held on June 25-26, brought together experts from various fields to share cutting-edge practices, strategize collective actions, and explore new funding opportunities. A key outcome was the launch of the #UNU_Global_AI_Network, a global platform uniting academia, private sector, policymakers, and civil society to tackle #AI_challenges. #Wildlife_trafficking is the fourth most prevalent criminal activity worldwide. As illegal wildlife traders adopt sophisticated tactics, traditional monitoring methods are no longer sufficient. #AI_technologies offer a game-changing solution, providing insights into biodiversity changes, detecting illegal activities, and assisting frontline officers in identifying trafficked wildlife. The successful event marks a significant step forward in the global fight against the devastating impact of wildlife crime on biodiversity and ecosystems worldwide. #AIForWildlife #WildlifeConservation #ConservationTech

Seeing the problem is often easy so let's focus on the solutions? Here are 4 solutions how ifaw helps safeguard coastal ecosystems in Kenya through community-led species protection and conservation initiatives. 1: Improving capacity for conservation of marine species by supporting specialized training to government agency personnel and local community members. 🌊 2: Supporting population studies of key marine species, including marine mammals, sea turtles, and sharks and rays. 🐋 🐢 🦈 3: Diversifying local community livelihoods to reduce reliance on over extraction of marine resources. 🐟 4: Improving waste management as a strategy to reduce and manage marine debris along the coast, helping to decrease entanglements and ingestion by marine animals while improving coastal habitats and the lives of communities in these areas. Through IFAW’s approach to coexistence, our work will directly contribute to not only the wellbeing of Kenya’s awe-inspiring marine ecosystems, but also those communities that depend on it for their livelihoods. Photo Michael Zomer / © IFAW

The update we have all been waiting for! 🦁👏💙 Thanks to your support and the dedicated care of the team at Wild Animal Rescue Center, Yuna has made tremendous growth in the last few months. She has finally been deemed healthy enough to be evacuated from Ukraine! We are so excited to share more about those plans very soon and will continue to support Yuna’s care until she is moved to her new home. Click the link below to learn how you can help Yuna and other animals who have been affected by the war. https://g.ifaw.org/3WaS4iZ

From the concert stage to a Cape Cod beach, our friends Bill and Tom Kaulitz are taking audiences along for the ride in their Netflix series “Kaulitz & Kaulitz” streaming now! In episode six, Bill & Tom visit our marine team on Cape Cod to learn about IFAW’s work with North Atlantic right whales and our marine rescue and research program—and even do some dolphin rescue training! We’ve never seen anyone look so cool in a dry suit before. Stream “Kaulitz & Kaulitz” this weekend!