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donderdag 6 augustus 2026
Safe Haven for Donkeys: a weekly update from the West Bank with 5 heartwarming photo's
woensdag 5 augustus 2026
10 photo's) Friendships are blossoming at Wildlife SOS India, finding comfort and joy in one another's company, these bonds have contributed to healing after their painful past
Coconut and Peanut friends for ever
The Heartwarming Friendships Wildlife SOS
Each friendship is unique and special. With some friends, you spend every moment talking, while some offer quiet comfort simply through their presence. There isn’t a strict definition to friendship, and that is what allows beautiful bonds to blossom.
Interestingly, animals too form meaningful connections. At Wildlife SOS centres, our caregivers have witnessed these remarkable friendships develop among the rescued animals who have overcome challenging pasts.
From inseparable companions to lifelong sibling-hoods, here are some of the friendships that make Wildlife SOS centres feel more like home.
Those Who Refuse To Drift Apart
At the Elephant Hospital Campus (EHC), Lakshmi and Pari share a bond that has become one of the most cherished friendships. Their closeness brings a smile to every observer’s face. Both elephants arrived at the centre in 2021 after facing years of neglect and hardship. Lakshmi was called the “skinniest elephant of India”, and Pari had suffered from painful foot ailments. The two developed an unexpected friendship while on their journey of healing, finding immense comfort in each other’s presence.
Their companionship began during their daily walks, when they would often meet and spend time together. Even when one or both their walks were suspended for health reasons, their bond remained strong. This connection became even more evident during their supervised visits arranged by their caregivers, when the two would greet each other with enthusiastic trumpets, soft rumbles and even subtle ground vibrations that elephants can detect through their feet. Seeing how they enjoyed each other’s company, caregivers would often allow them to spend additional time together.
The Centre’s Power Couple
Both having been rescued as cubs, Kamli and Suri have developed a close companionship over the years. Caregivers at the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) often describe them as a “perfect pair”, and there’s good reason for that. Though the two spend a lot of time together, it’s Kamli’s nature to pay close attention to Suri, making sure he is never out of her sight. If Suri is out there interacting with another bear, or begins exploring a different area, Kamli is only a short distance behind. She always seems to know where her partner is and what he is up to.
[Photo © Wildlife SOS/Mradul Pathak]
Their relationship has become familiar to caregivers, who can only separate the two during mealtime as both bears prefer to relish their own share all by themselves. Having been pulled apart from their families at an early age, both have found a sense of support in each other, forming a bond that continues to flourish today.
The Group That Everyone Wants To Join
At Elephant Conservation and Care Centre (ECCC), Maya, Phoolkali, and Emma’s herd perfectly captures the spirit of friendship. Maya and Phoolkali shared a strong bond long before Emma arrived. Initially, Maya, was hesitant to let anyone come close to her companion, but Phoolkali’s wise and welcoming nature helped bridge the gap, and over time, Emma became an inseparable part of the group. Phoolkali has also displayed remarkable wisdom. Recognising that Maya had grown into a capable leader, she gradually stepped back from her role as matriarch, allowing Maya to confidently take charge of the mini herd.
This story of friendship has more to tell. There was another elephant eyeing to enter this group, and this was Tara. Tara often seemed fascinated to see the three during their daily walks. Caregivers frequently observed her showing interest in joining the trio, hoping to be welcomed into an already established sisterhood. Eventually, Tara did become a loving member of the herd, and she joins them in their daily activities. Tara’s energetic and playful personality often encourages Emma to engage more during their walks. Although Emma has a quieter nature, the pair have formed a close bond that is reflected in their gentle interactions, often observed by their caregivers.
Their interactions offer a fascinating glimpse into the social intelligence and emotional complexity of elephants that we often forget to notice.
The Friends Who Always Check In
Another form of friendship thrives through simple gestures and just by being there in quietude. Holly and Kalpana share that while being in the same enclosure.
Holly, one of the EHC’s eldest residents, requires specialised care for her foot-related health concerns and is unable to take long, daily walks. Whenever Kalpana heads out for walks, Holly patiently waits for her return. Remarkably, Holly often seems to know that Kalpana is on her way back long before she comes into view. Caregivers frequently observe the pair exchanging loud trumpets when they reunite, almost as if catching up on everything that happened while they were apart, even if it has only been a couple of hours.
[Photo © Wildlife SOS/Vineet Singh]
Kalpana has also been a great source of support for Holly during her medical checkups, often standing by her side like a pillar of strength. When Holly prefers to sleep in the pool due to her leg pain, Kalpana is quick to stand by the poolside to guard her. Their companionship demonstrates that some friendships are defined not by grand adventures, but by simply being there for each other during difficult times.
Partners In Play
Meanwhile, at the Bannerughatta Bear Rescue Centre (BBRC), Swati and Gubbi showcase a different kind of friendship. Both the bears were rescued from human-wildlife conflict and were introduced to each other due to their amiable personalities. The pair has become inseparable since then. Their day is spent together, exploring enrichments made in the form of wooden structures and enjoying peanut butter-based treats. One of the most endearing examples of their companionship is a cave that they created together, transforming a simple space into a shared retreat.
Sibling Coded Energy
At the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC), we are witnessing young leopards forming exceptional bonds that have grown over the years. Although leopards are naturally solitary, the sibling groups at the centre have formed close relationships and are rarely seen apart.
Born at the centre, Disha and Khushboo are sisters who have shared their lives from the very beginning. Raised alongside their mother, Brinda, the two continue to coexist playfully and peacefully, spending most of their time with each other.
Aditi and Shivshree share a different story. The two orphaned cubs were rescued from the same location and arrived at MLRC just days apart from each other. They were barely eight months of age and needed expert care. The two found comfort and confidence in one another’s company. Growing up together has allowed the two to freely explore their enriched habitat. They climb on platforms, navigate trees, and engage in long and wonderful interactions while they are together.
[Photo © Wildlife SOS/Akash Dolas]
And then, there are Disney and Flash, siblings born to rescued and pregnant leopard Greta at the centre. Though Flash occasionally displays a more assertive and frisky personality in comparison to Disney, particularly around feeding time, the young two-year-old siblings remain closely bonded. Together, they spend their days playfully, growing into healthy young leopards.
These stories serve as a reminder that companionship, even among siblings, can play an important role in the growth and development of young ones.
Happy Friendship Day, every day!
Animals are not cargo: Victory for animals Brittany Ferries ends live animal export of unweaned calves 18 hours without milk from Ireland to France
Brittany Ferries to Stop Live Animal Transport:
This is a date, not a statement of intent. What makes it more striking is that Brittany Ferries had only recently entered this business again. In March 2025, after a 30-year pause, the company resumed carrying live animals, a decision that provoked international outcry. Less than eighteen months later, it has been reversed.
These are the animals at the centre of the case: unweaned calves that spent over 18 hours without feed during the crossing.
The detail that broke it open: 18 hours without feed
The campaign focused on the calves, for a specific and legally consequential reason.
Unweaned calves still need milk. They cannot process solid feed and depend on regular milk feeds. According to Compassion in World Farming, by the time the ships reached France these calves had gone more than 18 hours without food.
That is not only cruel. According to the organisation, it is a breach of EU animal welfare law. This is precisely where the campaign gained traction: the argument was not a moral appeal but a practice that left the company legally exposed.
One point belongs in this piece because we are a plant-based magazine. These calves do not appear by accident. They are a by-product of dairy production. A cow only gives milk after giving birth, and a large share of those calves, particularly the males, has no economic value to a dairy operation. Ireland therefore exports them to the continent in large numbers.
Freight is core business for the company. Live animals will not be part of it after September. Photo: © Brittany Ferries
How the pressure was built up
The campaign is worth studying as a method, so here are the tools it used.
It was carried by a broad alliance: Compassion in World Farming, Ethical Farming Ireland, WELFARM, FOUR PAWS, L214, Eyes on Animals, Eurogroup for Animals, Southampton Animal Action and Dorset Animal Action. Organisations from Ireland, France, the UK and EU level, aligned behind a single demand.
What came together:
- More than 100,000 emails to the company
- Two petitions totalling over 100,000 signatures
- Regular demonstrations in Ireland, France and the UK
- A coordinated social media storm aimed directly at the company's customers
- As a direct result, the Brittany Ferries Trustpilot page was temporarily taken down
That pressure produced four rounds of talks between the company and the NGOs. The commitment followed.
The Trustpilot detail is the most instructive one. It shows where a passenger ferry operator is genuinely vulnerable: not in the freight division, but with the holidaymakers who read reviews before booking a crossing.
“Animals are not cargo”
Charlotte Reid, Deputy Director of Global Campaigns at Compassion in World Farming, put it this way:
This is a landmark victory for animals. After months of campaigning by NGOs, with the support of hundreds of thousands of supporters across Europe, Brittany Ferries has finally listened. Animals are not cargo and they should not be forced to suffer on these gruelling, stressful journeys.
She added that campaigning will continue until the practice is consigned to the history books entirely.
The Ireland to France route is not closed. It now has one operator.
Irish Ferries is the only remaining company carrying unweaned calves and other live animals on this crossing. The campaigning organisations have said they will now redirect the pressure. Being the last operator standing is an uncomfortable position: it also means being the only one visible.
The Guillaume de Normandie, one of the newer LNG hybrid vessels in the fleet. Photo: © Brittany Ferries, photographer: Patrick Hughes
One aspect gets little coverage but explains why this particular company proved so sensitive.
Brittany Ferries has positioned itself on sustainability for years. Its newer ships run as LNG hybrids, the wording is painted large across the hull, and fleet modernization is a fixed part of its public image. A company that builds its brand on environmental credentials cannot comfortably be known as the carrier of starving calves. The campaign aimed straight at the gap between self-image and practice.
LNG bunkering in port. The company promotes its fleet modernisation prominently. Photo: © Brittany Ferries, photographer: Brian Barcher
What this says about the law
Here the comparison turns uncomfortable.
Great Britain banned live exports in 2024. At EU level, a Commission proposal to revise the animal transport regulation has been on the table since December 2023. A political compromise was announced first for summer 2025, then autumn, then the end of the year. By early 2026 it still had not materialised, partly because a shadow report from the parliamentary groups was missing. The process has stalled.
That produces an awkward calculation. A citizens' campaign moved a shipping company in roughly eighteen months. EU legislation has failed to reach a compromise on the same question in the same period.
None of which is an argument against legislation. A ban applies to everyone, a corporate commitment applies to one company. But it does show that commercial pressure is currently faster
We report on wins like this because they show change is possible. If that matters to you, you can support This Is Vegan here.
What to learn from it
The value of this story lies less in the individual case than in the method.
Emails to companies work. Not individually, but in volume and sustained over weeks. A hundred thousand messages cannot be absorbed by a customer service department.
Review platforms are the pressure point. For any business with a consumer-facing side, public ratings drive bookings. That was the measurable moment things became uncomfortable here.
Alliances beat solo efforts. Nine organisations across four countries with one clearly worded demand, and no arguing over side issues.
And the quietest lever remains the shopping basket. Unweaned calves are a by-product of the dairy industry. Lower demand means fewer animals that ever need shipping in the first place.
Public pressure works in other corners of animal welfare too, though not always this quickly. We have looked at how platforms handle cruelty content in Clicks built on animal suffering, and at what happens when prosecutors finally get a usable law in the US monkey torture prosecutions.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly did Brittany Ferries commit to?
Ending the transport of all live farmed animals, explicitly including unweaned calves, from Ireland to France, by September 2026 at the latest.
Why are unweaned calves a particular problem?
Because they still need milk and cannot process solid feed. On these crossings they went more than 18 hours without food, which according to Compassion in World Farming breaches EU animal welfare law.
How long did the campaign run?
Brittany Ferries resumed live animal transport in March 2025 after a 30-year pause. The withdrawal was confirmed on 3 August 2026, roughly eighteen months later.
Who still carries live animals from Ireland to France?
Irish Ferries is the only remaining operator on this route.
Are live exports banned in the EU?
No. Great Britain banned them in 2024, but they remain legal in the EU. A proposal to reform the animal transport regulation has been pending since December 2023 without a political compromise.
What can I do?
Sign the petitions run by the organisations involved, write to companies directly, and reduce demand. Unweaned calves are a by-product of milk production.
Source: Compassion in World Farming, “Victory: Brittany Ferries to stop live animal transport”, published 3 August 2026. Information on the status of the EU animal transport regulation follows reporting by PROVIEH. The vessel photographs were supplied as press material, © Brittany Ferries. The images of the cow and calf are symbolic and do not show the transports described.