Pictured: Mila having fun at Carolina Tiger Rescue with a giant cardboard "jar" of Thailand-inspired Lum Lum Thai Curry nut butter.
Saving and protecting wild cats in captivity and in the wild through rescue and education. We work toward a day when wild cats are living in their native habitat and are not exploited by humans.
That is the noble mission of Pittsboro, NC-based Carolina Tiger Rescue, an organization we have partnered with on this World Tiger Day to raise awareness about the palm oil industry and how its rampant destruction of wildlife habitats throughout Southeast Asia is threatening the survival of not only the majestic tiger, but thousands of other species.
To help celebrate World Tiger Day and shine a light on the incredible work of this local organization, we’re offering our Good Food Award Winning Lum Lum Thai Curry Peanut & Cashew Butter at 20% off and proceeds from all of today’s online sales (July 29, 2024) will benefit Carolina Tiger Rescue.
The Palm Oil Problem
Thanks in large part to a growing demand for “no stir” nut butters and shelf-stable cosmetics, worldwide demand for palm oil is expected to double again by 2050 to 140 million tons. New plantations are being developed and existing ones are being expanded in Indonesia, Malaysia, and other Asian countries, as well as in Africa and Latin America. Unfortunately, little regard is being given to sustainability in palm oil production, and this expansion comes at the expense of tropical forest – which forms critical habitat for many of the Earth’s endangered species.
Even by conservative estimates, it is estimated that equivalent of 300 football fields of pristine wilderness is cleared every HOUR to make way for more palm oil production (source: World Wildlife Fund). 90% of orangutan habitat is gone, and those gentle creatures have been given 5-10 years before they go extinct at this rate. The Sumatran Tiger has been given 3 years.
What You Can Do: Vote with Your Dollars
By supporting businesses that exclude palm oil from their products, you are taking market share away from those that use palm oil. It’s all about supply and demand. If there is demand for the products with palm oil, there will be an industry to supply it. About 70 percent of palm oil is used in foods, such as nut butters, cooking oils, margarine, chocolate, bread, pizza, ice cream, and animal feed. It can also be found in packaged chocolate drinks, instant noodles, and frozen desserts made with vegetable oil instead of milk. Palm oil is also used in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, cleaning products, toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorant. It can also be found in liquid shampoos and conditioners, sometimes under ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES).
More About Carolina Tiger Rescue
When Megan and I first visited Carolina Tiger Rescue for a guided tour of their animal sanctuary, we were so moved that we had to do more to support their work, which is focused on three primary areas:
Rescue
This means they rescue animals in need across the country. Every animal that comes to Carolina Tiger will spend the rest of their life in a beautiful, protected, and spacious area on the organization’s land in Pittsboro. They rescue animals from private individuals who have realized that wild animals do not make good pets. Some of the animals come from facilities that have closed due to financial issues. Others were confiscated by law enforcement and needed a new home. Sometimes they are just abandoned. Though each animal had a different story before they came to them, they all share the same story of being happy and healthy for the rest of their lives.
Education
Education is one of their most important activities. They educate the public through tours, community presentations, and exhibits. They educate children and students through field trips and summer camps. They also educate college students through alternative spring breaks and pre-professionals through internships. They do a wonderful job of helping people understand what they can do to protect wild cats, both in captivity and in the wild.
Advocacy
Carolina Tiger Rescue primarily focuses on educating groups and businesses about the ways their activities and decisions impact wild animals, particularly wild cats. For example, a business bringing in wild animal entertainment for an event may not understand the implications. Traveling entertainment acts perpetuate the wild pet trade, including the indiscriminate breeding of wild animals (fueling the need for wild animal sanctuaries), generally poor animal-welfare practices, and risk public safety. Marketing depicting wild animals interacting with humans or in cutesy ways belies how dangerous they really are.
They also encourage people to refrain from cub petting or cub photo businesses, to refrain from visiting facilities that breed wild animals or use them in commercial ways, and to advocate for ordinances and laws that ban neighbors from privately owning wild cats. On occasion, Carolina Tiger contacts particular businesses or groups and requests that they not use a wild cat for an event, that they change the way an ad or publication appears, or to take some other action to support the respectful treatment of wild cats.
When called upon, they also assist legislators and other policy-makers as they pursue legislation and ordinances that ensure public safety and animal welfare.
Carolina Tiger Rescue is a non-profit, and their work is only possible through donations and year-round fundraising efforts. We hope you will consider learning more about their work and the animals they protect.
-Mark