Vegan Life Magazine

16 January 2020

Welcome to the new issue. February is synonymous with love and Valentine’s Day is the pinnacle of this most romantic of months. If you’re looking to celebrate, we’ve got some great ideas for unusual dates, gifts and ways to show your appreciation for animals, too — it’s always important to remember it’s not just humans who need love and affection. This month we take a look at the tropical fish trade (p86), shining a light on the cruel treatment of these exotic and interesting species. Many people believe that fish have limited cognitive and emotion-bearing abilities — the stereotypes of ‘memory like a goldfish’ don’t help their reputation. However, many studies have shown that fish are sentient, with cognitive abilities that equal, and sometimes surpass that of non-human primates. We need to raise awareness of the plight that faces tropical fish, and all marine life, before we lose some of these beautiful breeds for good. Lex Rigby also shares with us her incredible experiences working with Sea Shepherd to help save whales (p28). From her participation in Southern Ocean whale defence campaigns to driving pods of pilot whales to safe waters and chasing poaching vessels, it’s a riveting and inspiring read. We’re also getting really excited about Vegan Life Live coming up on March 14th–15th and can’t wait to see you all there. What better place to share the love than a venue of like-minded people enjoying great conversation and sensational food? Make sure you get your tickets — a Valentine’s gift, perhaps? Have a great month, Phillipa Smith Editor