News
The number of news found: 45.
03/31/2013 GRIEVING MOTHER DOLPHIN CARRIES HER DEAD CALF ON BACK
In one of the saddest videos, the video that speaks to animal sentience, a mother dolphin was filmed as she carried her dead calf on her dorsal fin. Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in California spotted the dolphin, witnessing the mother as she struggled to swim with the calf on her back. Captain Dave Anderson explains, "I believe this calf has been dead for many days, possibly weeks." He continues, "you can see the flesh is decaying. In my nearly twenty years on the water whale watching I have never seen this behavior. Nor have I ever seen anything quite as moving as this mother who refuses to let go of her poor calf."
03/30/2013 TORI SPELLING APALLED BY SCOTT DISICK'S ALLIGATOR HUNTING
Former "Beverly Hills, 90210" actress Tori Spelling is expressing her disgust over Scott Disick’s recently aired alligator killing on E!'s reality show "Kourtney and Kim Take Miami." On this past Sunday's episode, Disick visited an alligator farm – run by former "Bachelor" contestant Vienna Girardi’s family – where he shot and killed an alligator. As if that wasn't enough, he helped skin the creature and even ate fried alligator nuggets. "Any1 else upset by 2nite ep of K&K Take Miami? Taking alligators life on camera as a storyline&making a mockery of it sent me over the edge," Spelling tweeted. Alongside Spelling, PETA is also reacting harshly to the animal cruelty.
03/29/2013 MOBY CALLS UNDERCOVER ANIMAL INVESTIGATORS HIS HEROES
Musician and vegan, Moby, had a lot to say at the Humane Society of the United States' 2013 Genesis Awards. The animal advocate talked extensively about lawmakers attempting to stop animal activists from doing undercover investigations. In a joint interview with Ecorazzi and HappyCow with Ken Spector, Moby said, "Undercover animal rights operatives and workers are for me the most heroic people in the animal rights movement. Like to go and work in a laboratory or to work in a slaughter house or a feed lot and do undercover work. They are my heroes. I couldn't do that work. I'm too much of a sissy. But they have been so instrumental in... drawing attention to the worst abuses of animals... I think it's horrifying that you have well funded lobbyists who are able to shut down the constitution when it suits their corporate interests."
03/28/2013 CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS STARVING
Southern California sea lions, known for their intelligence, playfulness and noisy barking, are in serious trouble. A record 700 pups have turned up on shore emaciated and starving over the last three months, forcing the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) in Laguna Beach to declare a state of emergency as it scrambles to house the greatest number of sea lions in the center's 42-year history. "They're very sick," Keith Matassa, executive director of the PMCC, told CBS News. "A normal sea lion at this age - 8 to 9 months old - should be around 60 to 70 pounds. We're seeing them come into our center at 20 to 25 pounds, and really they look like walking skeletons."
03/27/2013 ABBATOIR WORKERS SACKED OVER ANIMAL CRUELTY
Five workers at an abattoir in Sydney's south-west have been sacked over animal cruelty captured in a video that emerged last week. Inghams, which runs the Tahmoor abattoir, where the abuse footage was covertly filmed, confirmed that it had sacked five employees involved in animal abuse. Company CEO Kevin McBain said that, "A full investigation of the incident at Tahmoor processing plant is ongoing." He also confirmed that the company would bow to calls from animal rights groups to install CCTV cameras in the "live bird handling areas" of its abattoirs to guard against future abuse. Animal Liberation - an animal rights group - released footage, recorded covertly at the Tahmoor plant over a two-week period in February, that showed turkeys being bashed, kicked and stomped. The group said 140 hours of footage was handed anonymously to the animal rights group several days ago.
03/27/2013 THREATENED LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES GET SOME U.S. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Habitats that could save threatened loggerhead sea turtles from extinction were identified by the U.S. government along 750 miles of Atlantic and Gulf Coast shoreline in six states. The habitats include islands and mainland areas in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, including 90 beaches, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said. Three environmental groups sued the U.S. government in January, accusing it of failing to take urgent steps to ensure survival of loggerhead turtles, as specified by the Endangered Species Act. Under the act, a species may be listed as threatened or endangered depending on its risk for extinction. The lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, Oceana Inc and Turtle Island Restoration said the marine turtles' long-term survival was threatened by destruction or degradation of nesting and foraging habitats, oil spills and other pollution, climate change, rising seas and erosion.
03/26/2013 150,000 DEAD IN MALAYSIAN MONKEY SLAUGHTER
Nearly 100,000 free-living long-tailed macaque monkeys have been killed per year in Malaysia, during 2011 and 2012. And the extermination is continuing. This massive "culling" has been conducted by Malaysia's own Department of Wildlife and National Parks.
03/26/2013 STRAY DOGS FROM SPAIN END UP AS ANIMAL FOOD?
Stray and abandoned dogs taken from the streets of Spain may have ended up in pet food and farm animal feed, it has emerged. A criminal gang in Spain apparently took the bodies of dogs and other animals from animal sanctuaries, vets, zoos and farms, which should have been incinerated, and then processed them to create protein and fats that could be sold on. Evidence has been found at warehouses and processing plants in Galicia and Salamanca. The authorities in Spain have not ruled out the possibility that protein or fats from the carcasses may even have been used in some processed human food. Britain's Food Standards Agency says it is aware of the investigation and it is liaising with its counterparts in Spain.
03/25/2013 COLBERT, "IVORY WARS" AND "BIG MIRACLE" WIN AT GENESIS AWARDS
On March 23 the stars gathered for the 27th annual Genesis Awards, an evening to honor news and entertainment media for bringing attention to animal issues. Put on by animal protection powerhouse, The Humane Society of the United States and hosted by Carrie Ann Inaba, the event raises funds for HSUS's lifesaving work. This year's winners included "Big Miracle" in the feature film category, "The Colbert Report" for his brilliant take down of dog fighting defender Representative Steve King, "Ivory Wars" for best TV documentary and so many more. Humane Society International ambassador Ke$ha was also in attendance to accept the Wyler Award, an honor given to one celebrity each year who has used their voice to speak up for animals. In the last year alone Ke$ha has advocated for lions, sharks and spoken out against animal testing. Past winners include Sir Paul McCartney, Hayden Panettiere, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Kristin Davis, and Ian Somerhalder.
03/25/2013 TWO MEN SAVE A STRANDED DOLPHIN IN AUSTRALIA
Paul Burt, a reporter for 9News in Australia, and a friend found what they believed to be a dead dolphin on a tidal river flat of Tweed River. But when they approached and the dolphin looked at the two humans, they sprung into action to save the cetacean. Burt said, "We thought he was dead to start with. But when he saw us it was like, 'The rescuers (are) coming to get me'. He was excited." Burt and his friend grab the dolphin from the top and bottom of its body and drag it back into the water. From there, the dolphin needed no help.
03/22/2013 THREATENED SHARK USED IN KMART COMMERCIAL DIES ON SET
It's become an unfortunate blemish on the television and film industry: Animals exploited and suffering for entertainment. This fall, we reported that production of the movie, "The Hobbit," resulted in the death of 27 animals. On March 6, a white-tip shark, who was placed into a backyard pool in Los Angeles for use in a Kmart commercial, died after showing signs of severe distress. The American Humane Association (AHA), the organization that certifies film and TV productions with animals, had a representative at the scene of the shoot and claims that everything possible was done to maintain the shark's well-being.
03/22/2013 IAN SOMERHALDER SAYS "GO GET YOUR OWN GRUMPY CAT" BY ADOPTING
Grumpy Cat has become an Internet sensation. She even made it to South by Southwest and met with a very famous cat lover. Ian Somerhalder talked to People.com about the adorable kitty and how the fact that she was mentioned 52 million times in a 24 hours period online just shows the power of social media. However, he also talked about how he wished feline adoption was as popular a topic as the unhappy looking kitty. He said, "I wish we could have that many mentions for, you know, adoption... If you love Grumpy Cat, and you can't get a munchkin Siamese with blue eyes, go get another cat... They're all adorable and at times grumpy. Go get your own grumpy cat."
03/21/2013 HUNTERS SLAY 3,500 REINDEER ON ISLAND NEAR ANTARCTICA
Hunters have slaughtered 3,500 reindeer on a British island near Antarctica in a step to get rid of animals that were brought from Norway a century ago and are an increasing threat to native wildlife. The reindeer on South Georgia were corralled into pens and slaughtered by a 16-strong team, mostly Sami reindeer herders from Norway, officials said on Monday. Marksmen shot animals in remote areas with rifles. Up to 1,500 reindeer remain for a final cull in 2014.
03/21/2013 SNAKE OIL THREAT TO THE WORLD'S RHINOS
As the rhino poaching crisis, hits new troughs, some snake oil salesmen from South Africa want to enrich themselves by selling "snake oil" to the Vietnamese. In this case, the snake oil comes in the form of rhino horn, which some rhino farmers in South Africa want to sell legally to Vietnamese businessmen who will sell it in Vietnam as a cure all for cancer. Aside from the rights and wrongs for the rhinos of making them into a commodity, the ethics of selling, at vast expense, rhino horn, which is made of keratin, the same as your hair and mine, to ignorant and misguided people who believe it will cure them of cancer and various other ills, is as disgusting as any peddling fake drugs to any gullible member any public.
03/20/2013 CRYING COWS CONVINCED CARRIE UNDERWOOD TO BE A VEGETARIAN
So you know that Carrie Underwood is a vegetarian, famously so, and she reveals some reasons why in a slightly unusual interview in The Guardian in the U.K. Carrie said her experiences growing up on the family farm raising cattle in Oklahoma turned her off to beef. "The worst part of the year for me was when we took some off to sell, because they would cry for each other for a couple of days," Carrie said. "That’s why I don't eat meat." The interviewer then asked, "Did you decide to be a vegetarian when you saw your parents castrating a bull?" "No, well sort of, yes," Carrie said. "That's when I stopped eating red meat."
03/20/2013 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST SEES DELUGE OF SICK SEA LION PUPS
Sick and malnourished sea lion pups are stranding themselves on Southern California beaches in some of the largest numbers seen in over a decade, perplexing scientists and leading one care facility to declare itself near capacity. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California, have said they are in emergency mode. The last time they saw such an onslaught of the mammal pups this early in the year was 1998, when an "El Nino" weather pattern warmed the waters off the California coast. Fish migrated away from shore, which forced adult sea lions to swim farther to chase them and made it harder for mother sea lions to care for their young. Animal rescuers believe adult sea lions are again foraging deeper into the ocean this year, but the reasons are unclear. What has been evident is the poor health of the many sea lion pups stranding themselves on beaches.
03/19/2013 BILLIONAIRES SEE VALUE IN PLANT-BASED FOOT TECHNOLOGY
Animal activists have for decades railed against the meat industry for its inhumane treatment of animals on factory farms. More recently, environmentalists have attacked intensive livestock farming because of its contribution to global greenhouse gases and its degradation of soil, water and air. Health advocates have piled on with warnings about the serious detrimental effects of the overconsumption of meat. It appears Bill Gates has been listening to all the evidence accumulating against meat production and has seen not only the threat it represents, but also the opportunity. And he's just one capitalist entrepreneur whose not-so-invisible hand is behind an embryonic high-tech industry that might help save billions of animals from suffering and slaughter. Gates is among several investors and venture capitalists supporting Silicon Valley startups working on "sustainable food innovation" - new firms creating imitation meat and eggs that are not only animal-friendly, but are also cheaper, better for the environment and just as tasty. Referred to as eco-food innovators, the companies are using plant-based ingredients to mimic the texture and taste of animal products, along with their properties in food production.
03/19/2013 CAPTIVE DEER BEING HUNTED IN NORTHERN IRELAND
A recent BBC report has highlighted the practice of "carting" deer. Carting refers to the practice of hunting deer, usually on horseback, that have been kept in captivity for that purpose. An undercover BBC film crew filmed a deer being kept in a trailer, and then in a shed, for several days, before being released minutes before the hunt appeared outside the shed. Ulster Society Prevention Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) have pointed out that this has happened in an area where authorities are currently testing badgers for tb in an effort to prevent tb in cows, yet this deer was kept on a farm with cows.
03/19/2013 CAPTIVE DEER BEING HUNTED IN NORTHERN IRELAND
A recent BBC report has highlighted the practice of "carting" deer. Carting refers to the practice of hunting deer, usually on horseback, that have been kept in captivity for that purpose. An undercover BBC film crew filmed a deer being kept in a trailer, and then in a shed, for several days, before being released minutes before the hunt appeared outside the shed. Ulster Society Prevention Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) have pointed out that this has happened in an area where authorities are currently testing badgers for tb in an effort to prevent tb in cows, yet this deer was kept on a farm with cows.
03/18/2013 CIRCUS ANIMALS GET A BREAK IN SLOVENIA
Slovenia recently banned the use of wild animals in circuses, making it the fourth European Union nation to impose such a ban. In the United States, at least 55 communities have some ban or restriction in place on the use of animals in circuses or for elephant rides. In December, the City Commission of Hallandale Beach, Florida voted to ban bullhooks, bucking straps and other cruel devices used to train and dominate animals to perform tricks for entertainment. And the Los Angeles City Council will soon vote on an ordinance that would ban the use of elephants in traveling circuses, and also prohibit use of the bullhook.
03/18/2013 DOG RACES COMPLETELY OUTLAWED IN CROATIA
At Parliament session on Friday the modified Animal Protection Act of Croatia has been adopted. Thanks to the amendments from Mirela Holy and the members of the Croatian People's Party which the government has referred to the Parliament as their propositions, the law retains very important prohibition of animal experiments for the research and development of chemicals for washing and disinfection products that are for general use as well as for drugs and general radiation outputs, which the Ministry of Agriculture had inserted earlier into their proposition to change the law. The Act has also been upgraded with the Amendment because it completely forbids dog races, which had only previously been forbidden on hard grounds. The upgrade to the law prevents any possible dog torture or killing which is a big problem in the countries that have not yet adopted that law because lots of greyhounds suffer as they are converted into living running machines and bets.
03/17/2013 POLAR BEAR TRADE BAN REJECTED
A U.S. proposal to end the global trade of polar bear parts has been shut down at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. The ban proposal met opposition from Canada, Greenland, and Norway, countries that all have a financial stake in this sad trade. Approximately 800 bears are killed each year - most of them in Canada - and their pelts and heads, among other things, are sold internationally. Canada is also the only nation home to polar bears that allows hunting the animal for sport. It’s a shame that despite the major decline in polar bear populations due to climate change, these animals are still being killed for their skin.
03/16/2013 EIGHT COUNTRIES TO FACE TRADE SANCTIONS OVER IVORY TRADE
Eight countries have been given until this week to submit new management plans to reduce ivory trading or face the prospect of trade sanctions. The countries concerned are Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and China. They must produce more effective plans to control ivory trading both domestically and internationally by next week and commit to enforcing those plans to avoid the sanctions. If the countries fail to meet targets set by the new management plans by next year then they will be faced with trade sanctions with other member states. This will mean that other countries will not be able to trade legally in any species listed in any of the CITES appendices.
03/15/2013 EUROPE URGES U.S. AND CHINA TO MATCH BAN ON ANIMAL-TESTED COSMETICS
The European Union wants to persuade countries such as the United States and China to adopt its ban on the sale of new cosmetics tested on animals that came into force on Monday. The ban applies to all new products and their ingredients sold in the 27-member union, regardless of where in the world the testing is carried out. It was agreed a decade ago, but delayed several times to give Europe's cosmetics industry, worth an estimated 70 billion euros ($91 billion) a year, time to devise alternative tests. The Commission, the EU's executive body that oversees consumer policy, said the ban was in line with the view of many EU citizens that developing new cosmetics does not justify the need for animal testing, which they regard as cruel. It would try to convince trading partners in other parts of the world to follow Europe's example, and to share the costs involved in developing and validating alternative testing methods.
03/15/2013 ENDANGERED SHARKS TO BE PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW
An international conference voted on Monday to ban trade in some shark species whose populations have fallen to crisis levels due in part to demand from China, the world's biggest consumer of shark fins for use in soup. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) agreed to ban international trade in the oceanic whitetip, the porbeagle and three types of hammerhead sharks unless shipments are accompanied by documentation showing they were caught legally. Around 7 percent of sharks are killed each year, according to a paper in the Marine Policy journal this year, an unsustainable amount that is threatening certain populations with extinction. Governments will have 18 months to comply with the restrictions, agreed by a two-thirds majority of the countries at the CITES conference in Bangkok. If countries are found to be non-compliant, they may be subject to sanctions that can cover trade in all CITES-listed species.
03/14/2013 VICTORY FOR FRESHWATER TURTLES AND TORTOISES AT CITES
At the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Bangkok, Thailand, proposals were put forward to restrict trade in 44 Asian turtle and tortoise species, as well as three North American pond turtle species. These proposals were mostly led by the U.S., although some of the suggested amendments were presented jointly by the U.S. and China, marking the first time that these two countries have worked together to conserve reptiles. Government negotiators at the meeting have accepted the proposals, which have now been adopted under the CITES agreement. This has been viewed as a victory for the conservation of reptiles, and is a welcome step towards saving these threatened species.
03/14/2013 RARE BLACK SEAL PUP RESCUED IN SCOTLAND
A rare black seal pup is recovering in the Scottish SPCA's care after being found struggling to survive on Aberdeen Beach. The pup, known as "Liquorice," is actually a young male grey seal that was discovered by a member of the public; he was very weak and thin when discovered. His coat is jet black, which is very unusual for a seal of his kind. Scotland's animal welfare charity is now rehabilitating Liquorice at its National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross near Alloa. Centre Manager Colin Seddon said, "Liquorice weighed only 14kgs when he was rescued and we'd expect a pup of his size to be at least 20kgs or more. It's common in grey seals for the male to be darker than the female, but Liquorice's coat is jet black which is very unusual. This is the first pup of this colour to come into our care for many years. All going well we hope to release him back in to the water within the next month."
03/13/2013 800 WHALES SAVED
More than 800 whales escaped the harpoon this season because of anti-whaling activists Sea Shepherd, its director Bob Brown said. "This is the lowest whale kill in the 10 years that the Sea Shepherd has been operating and that's something to celebrate," Mr Brown said. Sea Shepherd has claimed victory in the Southern Ocean as Japan's whaling fleet heads home with an estimated 75 whale carcasses on board, Sea Shepherd said.
03/13/2013 CHINESE ACTIVISTS STOP TRUCK CARRYING 900 DOGS TO SLAUGHTER
Animal welfare activists in China have stopped a truck carrying 900 dogs due to be slaughtered for their meat. The truck was spotted in the Qijiang District of Chongqing, and the driver was forced to pull over. Of the wide array of pedigree and mixed breeds discovered on board, many still had tags or collars, meaning they are likely to have been stolen from their homes. The dogs are believed to have been on route to Zhanjiang in Guangdong province to be slaughtered.
03/12/2013 MOTHER BEAR KILLS CUB AND SELF TO ESCAPE LIFE OF BILE "MILKING"
A mother killed her baby and herself to end the torture of life on a bear bile farm. She hugged her cub until it suffocated, then drove her own head into a wall. Bear bile is prized in traditional Chinese medicine, and the demand for it has led to mass production. Bear farmers lock moon bears into "crush cages," so small the bears can’t move. Then farmers puncture their gall bladders to siphon off their bile. The resulting wound stays open because farmers force needles or shunts into it so often. It becomes "susceptible to infections and diseases which can cause the animals unbearable pain," according to the Daily Mail. Also common are broken teeth from biting on the bars of cages, painful foot conditions and even malignant tumors. This can go on for 20 years, until the bear stops producing bile and is killed. More than 12,000 bears are caged on bile farms.
03/12/2013 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE BRINGS SNL ON DOWN TO VEGANVILLE
Justin Timberlake returned to "Saturday Night Live" for the fifth time as host and musical guest. Some of SNL's long-time celeb hosts including Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, and Dan Akroyd showed up to welcome him to the "Five Timers Club." Timberlake showed up as a dancing block of tofu, interrupting a salesman from Sausage Depot who wasn't too happy about his "Bring it on Down to Veganville" songs, calling the vegans "hippie morons"... at least at first. The Timberlake tofu sang veganized parodies of songs from Rhianna "We Found Love in a Hopeless Place" (We Found Love in a Meatless Place), Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself" (Thinking About My Health) and more, and ultimately convinced the Sausage Depot guy, who broke down in tears thinking about the movie "Babe," to give up meat.
03/11/2013 SALAMI SUICIDE: PROCESSED MEATS LINKED TO HEART DISEASE AND CANCER
Bacon and bologna are hardly health food. But a huge new study offers the strongest evidence yet that eating processed meat boosts the risk of the two big killers, cancer and heart disease. A multinational group of scientists tracked the health and eating habits of bacon-loving Brits, wurst-munching Germans, jamon aficionados in Spain, as well as residents of seven other European countries - almost a half-million people in all. They found that people who ate a lot of processed meats - more than 20 grams a day, the equivalent of one thin strip of bacon - were much more likely to die of heart attacks and stroke, and also had a higher cancer risk. The more processed meats they ate, the greater the risk.
03/11/2013 STARS CELEBRATE EUROPEAN BAN ON ANIMAL-TESTED PRODUCTS
Stars including actress Joanna Lumley, former model Twiggy, and singers Kimberly Wyatt and Chrissie Hynde were celebrating after winning their fight for a European ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetic products. Officials at Cruelty Free International (BUAV) have been campaigning to end the sale of toiletries and other beauty products which have been tested on animals, and the new law will be rolled out across the continent today on March 11, 2013.
03/09/2013 HARLEM SHAKE FOR ANIMALS' SAKE
After the YouTube sensation Harlem Shake spread through the Internet, Animal Friends filmed their version in order to promote animal rights. A wacky Harlem Shake can be seen on the Animal Friends website, in which costumes from Animal Friends Croatia's actions and campaigns have been used. Some of the costumes come from the following actions: the ban on breeding animals for fur, the ban on experiments on primates, the ban on plastic bags, against animal transport, ZeGeVege Festival, Real Bears Don't Wear Somebody Else's Fur, Veggie Oasis, tasting of donuts without eggs, against bull running and bull fights, while two masks are from the video Call 911 by the Croatian rapper IFEEL. More animal rights videos are on Animal Friends Croatia's YouTube channel www.youtube.com/afcroatia.
03/08/2013 FUR IS HISTORY IN SLOVENIA
On March 7, 2013, Slovenian parliament voted for a ban on breeding and hunting animals for their fur, feather or skin, and a ban on animals in circuses and similar shows. This is a result of intensive campaigning, petitioning and educating.
03/07/2013 MOBY AND PETA SUPPORT UNDERCOVER ANIMAL ABUSE INVESTIGATIONS
Singer and animal activist Moby tweeted in support of protection for those fighting animal abuse through undercover investigations. According to PETA, a new bill is set to go into effect that will stop undercover investigations from exposing cruelty to animals. The bill, Senate Bill (S.B.) 373, would prevent future undercover work that shows how the factory-farming industry is abusing animals. Investigators and whistleblowers will be restricted from documenting such actions. In the past, these secret investigations, like those conducted by PETA, have put a stop to horrible animal cruelty including sexual abuse, kicking and electro-shocking and even stomping on animals. S.B. 373 has already passed through the state Senate, so if you want to protect animals then head on over to PETA and sign the petition showcasing your opposition, before the House passes it.
03/07/2013 PRINCE WILLIAM CALLS FOR ACTION ON IVORY TRADE
Prince William this week became the latest big name to call upon world leaders to address the growing crisis of the worldwide ivory trade. The 30-year-old Duke of Cambridge, a patron of the wildlife conservation charity Tusk Trust, addressed via video more than 2,000 delegates attending the 12-day CITES Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. "We know from the data and analysis presented to this meeting that the illegal killing of the African elephant and rhino, and the related illegal trade in their ivory and horn, has reached shocking levels in the past few years," he said. "We must do more to combat this serious crime if we are to reverse the current alarming trends. If not, we could soon see some populations of these creatures, or even an entire species, disappear from the wild."
03/06/2013 THAILAND TO END DOMESTIC IVORY TRADE
Thailand will end its domestic ivory trade, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced on Sunday, promising legislation that could help the country avoid international trade sanctions after criticism by environmental groups. The announcement of legislation to end the ivory trade came at the opening ceremony of a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) conference in Bangkok. "This will help protect all forms of elephants including Thailand's wild and domestic elephants and those from Africa," Yingluck said in a statement. The CITES conference runs until March 14.
03/05/2013 U.S. APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS PROTECTION FOR POLAR BEAR
A federal appeals court on Friday upheld Endangered Species Act protections for the polar bear. The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit means the bear will remain listed as threatened, the lower of two levels of federal protection. That designation was originally challenged from two sides. Environmental groups said the bear should be listed as endangered, the highest level of protection, while industry and sporting groups and Alaska said it didn't merit any protection. Only some of the parties in the latter group joined Alaska in appealing a lower court ruling that upheld the threatened designation. They claimed that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finding should be thrown out because of deficiencies in the rule-making process.
03/05/2013 SHARK OVERFISHING PUSHES MANY SPECIES TO THE BRINK
Protection measures have failed to stop around 100 million sharks being fished every year and a third of all shark species are now threatened with extinction, conservationists say. An estimated 97 million sharks, or 1.41 million tonnes, were caught in 2010 compared to 100 million in 2000, according to a study in the journal Marine Policy, the first to estimate the number of sharks killed annually. A meeting of 170 nations in Bangkok from March 3 to 14 will consider limits on trade in hammerhead sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks and porbeagle sharks to curb over-fishing. Great white sharks, whale sharks and basking sharks already have protection. "More has to be done. Some species are really hanging on by a thread," said Boris Worm, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Canada.
03/04/2013 SOUTH AFRICA RHINO POACHING BREAKS 100 BARRIER
Rhino poaching in South Africa has broken the 100 barrier for the year with the latest figures released by the Department of Environmental Affairs. So far in 2013 102 rhino have been killed by poachers for their horns. In the last week alone 4 rhino were lost in the Kruger National Park and another 2 at a private reserve close to Polokwane in Limpopo Province. The Kruger National Park continues to bear the brunt of the killings with 70 rhino now being killed this year.
03/04/2013 CHINA'S TIGER FARMS - ANIMALS TURNED INTO WINE
China is allowing the sale of captive-bred tiger skins and body parts – flouting a UN agreement which calls for such trade to be banned, according to an environmental lobby group. Huddled in filthy cages and starved to the extent their fur is hanging off their jutting bones, these once majestic creatures are mercilessly being killed to decorate the homes of the elite, while their bones are ground down to make "tonic" wines. As few as 3,500 tigers survive in the wild, yet more than 5,000 captive-bred tigers are held in sickening Chinese "farms" and "zoos". Investigations by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) have uncovered a legalised domestic trade in the sale of tiger body parts, with skins alone being worth up to £25,000. Although a 1993 State Council order in China banned the use of tiger bone for medicinal purposes, new evidence suggests a "secret" Government notification on the use of the bones of captive-bred tigers is being used to justify the manufacture of "tonic" wines, which can sell for as much as £130 a bottle.
03/02/2013 PUPPY GETS THROWN AWAY AND SAVED BY GARBAGE MAN
Michael Upchurch, a garbage man in Indiana, saved a small pup now named Garby. Upchurch was doing his rounds and picking up trash on Main Street. When he tipped one can into the trash he heard an indescribable sound, something resembling fear and whimpering. When he looked closer to inspect, he saw a small dog enclosed in a blue plastic bag. He ripped open the bag and freed Garby who barely had any energy to move. Upchurch took Garby inside the truck, turned the heat up in order to warm the dog. He took him to the sanitation department and gave him a warm bed and care. The puppy then spent the day at the animal shelter where he healed up nicely, and was adopted by Upchurch and his wife. Turns out, Garby's previous guardian believed the animal to be dead from parvo. The dog had been starving, so was apparently not cared for at his previous home.
03/01/2013 DICAPRIO PROTECTS WILDLIFE WITH "HANDS OFF MY PARTS" CAMPAIGN
Leonardo DiCaprio helped unveil the new World Wildlife Fund campaign "Hands Off My Parts", working to end the illegal trade of wildlife. The environmentalist and WWF board member hopes to use his voice and star power to help bring awareness to the issue, and get people to sign a petition asking Thailand to ban the trade of ivory. DiCaprio has been a longtime advocate for animals and the environment. He's previously spoken out to defend tigers, the Antarctic waters which are home to millions of creatures, elephants and so many more.
03/01/2013 FIRST-EVER "VEGNATION" RACE CAR TO PROMOTE PLANT-BASED DIET
Professional race car driver and environmental activist Leilani Münter is once again using her spotlight on the racetrack to inspire action for the planet. The 37-year-old is teaming up with 1% for the Planet, VegNews Magazine and Wildlife Works to get a "VegNation" race car on the track, encouraging millions of race fans to adopt a more plant-based diet. "By adopting a more plant-based diet, we can each help curb climate change while also doing something good for our health, for animals, and for our taste buds," said Leilani in a statement. "With more meat-free meals than ever being eaten today, we’re on the right track toward a more sustainable diet."
The number of news found: 45.
