Category Archives: Wildlife

When Wolves Lose Endangered Species Act Protection, We Lose Wolves!

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The United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) has announced a plan to delist all wolves throughout the United States (except Mexican wolves) who are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act. This reckless and politically motivated plan will intensify the ongoing slaughter of wolves. We have already seen tragedy in western states where hateful anti-wolf rhetoric and politics trump ethics and science.

wolf in creek, credit Jim Robertson

When wolves lost their ESA protection in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, these states immediately began to allow a recreational slaughter. Wolves are being injured and killed by bow hunters, gunned down by trophy hunters, tortured by trappers in steel-jaw foothold traps and snares, and subjected to other brutal “management” methods, including aerial gunning. More than 1,100 wolves have been killed in these states since Congress took ESA protection away from them in 2011.

Has the human behavior that caused the endangerment of wolves and made necessary their protection changed? No! This question, not just numbers, should determine whether this species can afford to lose ESA protection. Wolves are still discriminated against and misunderstood, their role as important top carnivores for the integrity of ecosystems is not sufficiently valued, and they are hated by the livestock industry, ranchers and hunters.

Learn more and sign the petition at the IDA site.

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Clearing Ban Renewed in Indonesia’s Tropical Forests

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About a third of the world’s remaining tropical forests are to be found in Indonesia. They include some of the world’s most biodiverse rainforest, home to countless species of animal, including the orangutan, elephant and Sumatran tiger. Between 2000 and 2010, Indonesia lost almost 3 million acres of forest each year. A two-year moratorium on felling forests in an effort to halt deforestation (deforestation that benefits timber, paper and palm oil companies) cut this to 450,000 acres a year. The moratorium recently expired, leaving plantations and loggers legally free to expand into new areas (although they are expanding ILLEGALLY all the time anyway). Indonesia is already the world’s third-largest carbon emitter.

On Monday 13th May, Indonesia’s president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, signed a two-year extension of the moratorium, which bans new logging permits for primary, or virgin, forest — i.e. forest not logged in recent history. The moratorium was vehemently opposed by — big surprise – palm oil planters. A spokesman for the Association of Indonesian Palm Oil Producers said the ban caused Indonesia to be overtaken by Malaysia as the world’s biggest producer of palm oil. (And who will care when the rain forest is GONE??)

“We firmly reject any proposal to extend this moratorium because we stand to lose more than we gain from it,” the spokesman said. Profit NOW is apparently more important than the fact that carbon dioxide emissions were found this week to have reached the highest atmospheric concentration in recorded human history. If emissions continue to rise the world will experience devastating degrees of warming within several decades — apparently still too far in the future for the palm oil companies to care.

Environmentalists say the moratorium is, while better than nothing, still far from sufficient. It excepts projects already approved by the forestry minister and others considered vital, such as for power production, and leaves many glaring loopholes. For example, the province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra has overturned its own deforestation ban at the local level and plans to open up a million hectares of protected forest for exploitation despite the moratorium — and despite a petition with almost almost a million signatures.

It is a good point to mention (again?) that none of us should be using palm oil. It isn’t in anything crucial, it isn’t in anything you can’t do without. I know we were all delighted to find Earth Balance….but it contains palm oil, so ditch it. Spectrum Canola Oil Spread (at Vegan Haven) and Saffola margarine (at QFC) are both vegan and palm oil-free. You can do it.

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Protest Wolves Losing Endangered Species Protection

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From IDA, In Defense of Animals

The United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) has announced a plan to delist all wolves throughout the United States (except Mexican wolves) who are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act. This reckless and politically motivated plan will intensify the ongoing slaughter of wolves. We have already seen tragedy in western states where hateful anti-wolf rhetoric and politics trump ethics and science.
When wolves lost their ESA protection in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, these states immediately began to allow a recreational slaughter. Wolves are being injured and killed by bow hunters, gunned down by trophy hunters, tortured by trappers in steel-jaw foothold traps and snares, and subjected to other brutal “management” methods, including aerial gunning. More than 1,100 wolves have been killed in these states since Congress took ESA protection away from them in 2011.
Has the human behavior that caused the endangerment of wolves and made necessary their protection changed? No! This question, not just numbers, should determine whether this species can afford to lose ESA protection. Wolves are still discriminated against and misunderstood, their role as important top carnivores for the integrity of ecosystems is not sufficiently valued, and they are hated by the livestock industry, ranchers and hunters.
Take action now:Don’t allow wolves to be delisted – they cannot afford it!
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END DOLPHIN CAPTIVITY THROUGHOUT INDIA

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THIS CAN BE DONE. Don’t skim though this and think, hmm…yeah…mm…will do it later…I’ll just…and then think about other things. READ THIS and do it NOW. There ISN’T any better use of your time for the next 5 minutes. I’ll be honest: ten, because I want you to get a piece of paper and write a paper letter. (If you have forgotten how to write because it has been such a long time, or if you want to do BOTH, you can also email the minister directly at mosefgoi@nic.in).

The Indian Minister of Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan, is considering a ban on dolphin captivity in India, with a decision to be made in the coming weeks. India has no dolphins at present, but there are numerous proposals to begin, and it must be stopped before the whole subcontinent is opened to such a trade in misery. (What a great reasons for the Taiji drive fisheries to continue!) We need an OUTPOURING, an AVALANCHE, a DELUGE of letters from everywhere, to convince her that a decision to ban captive dolphins is right, and that people the world over are behind her.

PLEASE MAIL YOUR LETTERS — your friends’ letters, your relatives’ letters, your kids’ letters and drawings –TO YOUR LOCAL INDIAN EMBASSY OR CONSULATE. 

 A list of embassies can be found here. 

LETTER TEMPLATE: 

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing you to express my sincerest gratitude that the Indian Minister of Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan, is considering a nationwide prohibition on dolphin captivity.

It is known that dolphins suffer in captivity. They are extremely intelligent, self-aware beings with emotions, feelings and close relationships to one another and their ocean home. Removing dolphins from the sea and putting them into small tanks or sea pens is removing a huge part of who they are as dolphins and forcing them to endure a life of misery.

India is a culture of compassion. In a world where animals are treated so poorly, India represents a beacon of hope. By enacting a total ban on captivity, not only will thousands of dolphins over the years be spared a life of torture and misery, but people will be encouraged to think about who dolphins truly are – as beings who deserve our respect.

As Mahatma Ghandi famously said, you can judge a society by the way it treats its animals. The Minister has the chance to show the world how compassionate and kind India truly is by denying dolphin-exploiting industries to become established within their borders. I hope she makes the right choice.

Yours truly,

 

(Your Name)

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Hopefully These Drones Will Save Lives

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PETA will soon be getting one or more drone aircraft with which to monitor hunters.  Drones are already being used to carry out elephant counts in the African nation of Burkina Faso, because they are cheaper and easier to operate than planes. The World Wildlife Fund will also be using anti-poaching drones (paid for by Google) in Africa and Asia. PETA’s drones will not be weaponized (you can’t hear it but my voice is regretful) and will only be used to film illegal hunting activity, information that will then be turned over to law enforcement.  Illegal deer and dove hunters, bighorn sheep hunters and bowhunters will be targeted, as well as hunters who are drinking and out to maim for fun. Eventually, the drones will also be used to check on factory farms and fishing spots on or off shore as well — anywhere “animals routinely suffer and die.” One drone, put into action by an AR group in South Carolina last year, was shot down. The upside is a slightly increased risk of hunting accidents.

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Time for the Elephants at Woodland Park Zoo

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After years of diligent work, the Friends of the Woodland Park Zoo Elephants have still not gotten the zoo to even consider releasing Bamboo, Chai and Watoto to a sanctuary – making it clear that the zoo leadership cares more about revenue than the lives of the elephants themselves.

Elephants are genetically wired to spend up to 20 hours a day roaming across hundreds of miles. At Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) the elephants must share less than a single acre of outdoor space. Depriving Bamboo, Chai and Watoto of adequate space causes them serious mental and physical harm.

In the wild elephants live in tropical and subtropical regions. Seattle’s cold climate forces the elephants indoors for an unacceptable amount of their lives. Bamboo, Chai and Watoto are locked in small barn stalls, barely able to move, for 16 to 17 hours a day for nearly 7 months of the year.

The elephants suffer from painful arthritis and bouts of colic. Chai and Bamboo endure chronic foot infections—the leading cause of death in zoo elephants—caused by lack of space. A complex social life, critical to elephants’ well being, is denied them and Watoto, the lone African elephant, is frequently kept in solitary confinement. All three elephants display neurotic repetitive behavior caused by high levels of stress and boredom—including pacing, swaying, and head bobbing.

Watoto indoors

Finally someone else has taken notice: The Seattle Times has published a story about the lives that these beautiful creatures face behind our bars: http://seattletimes.com/elephants. The article focuses on the horrific attempts for zoos to create more baby elephants, because they create such huge draws of patrons. More than 100 artificial insemination for the two girls. It also shares how zoos “train” these wild creatures.   Please read the piece and share this story with your friend and family who still support zoos so they can understand the cruelty behind their summer visits. Make sure that you and your family all write letters to the zoo asking them to release the elephants and put the elephants lives ahead of profit.

Now is this time. With this very public article,  the tragedy of captive elephants is revealed, but the zoo must hear from us too. They must become stewards of compassion for animals. Please:

Write to:  Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59th Street, Seattle, WA  98103

Email: woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org and zooinfo@zoo.org

Address letters to:
Dr. Deborah B. Jensen, President and CEO
Bruce Bohmke, Chief Operations Officer
Jamie Creola, VIce President of Education
Dr. Darin Collins, Director of Animal Health
Dr. Nancy Hawkes, General Curator
Valerie Krueger, Director of Finance
David Schaefer, Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Gigi Allianic, Media and Public Relations

Thank you for taking time out of your weekend to make a difference!

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Funeral Motorcade for the Sea Lions

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On Friday, April 2, the Northwest Animal Rights Network welcomed the Global Anti-Hunting Coalition as they stopped into Seattle in their first stop on their 40-state Compassion for the Animals Road Expedition. Together they held the Funeral Motorcade for the Sea Lions in light of the recent new stories of sea lions having been shot to death in Puget Sound. The culprits were fishermen, shooting seals who were guilty merely of the crime of eating. In light of such wanton killing, NARN and GAHC are taking a stand against such a gross display of greed and arrogance, not only for the plight of the sea lions, but for all animals who end up having their lives sacrificed with no regard whatsoever.

Eulogy delivered for the sea lions shot to death in Puget Sound

Despite the weather bringing blustery winds reaching 30 mph, rain bursts, and a high of no more than 45 degrees, 20 cars took part in the motorcade, drawing Q13 News to the scene. After a eulogy in Volunteer Park given by Peter Keller of NARN, as well as a speech by Anthony Marr of GAHC, the motorcade assembled and drove across the 520 floating bridge, dodging the cresting waves splashing over the sides of the bridge driven by high winds, and reconvened in Bellevue at the Bellefields Park. There another speech was given and the participants networked together to continue this work forward to give voice to all animals being killed at the hands of human self-interest.

Funeral Motorcade being assembled in Volunteer Park

The common argument that fishermen give is that the sea lions “eat too much salmon,” so to them it’s OK to kill sea lions so that fishermen can kill the salmon instead. However, salmon comprise less than 5% of the sea lions’ diet, and that sea lions in fact benefit the salmon by targeting the other two dozen species of predatory fish that prey upon salmon in far greater quantities–if anything needs to be sacrificed, it should be fishing, not sea lions.

group photo of motorcade participants

In our grief we speak, that all killings of sentient beings must end!

The eulogy given was as follows:

Greetings ladies and gentlemen,

We are gathered here today to honor ten individuals whose lives have been tragically cut short over these past three months. Here in Puget Sound, ten of this region’s most distinctive animals were found shot to death, their only crime being that they were born as sea lions, and merely living as nature intended.

No longer will they be able to experience the joys of the open sea, of lounging in the sun, playing on the shore, of catching fish. They were killed by predators, an invasive species not native to this region, one who thinks fish was theirs and theirs alone. Humans were responsible, the only species of animal that is motivated by greed, and it was greed that motivated them to shoot to death these unfortunate creatures.

Many top minds throughout history hace said the greatness of a society can be judged by hoe well they treat animals, and the fact that we deem it appropriate to kill animals simply because we feel they are inconvenient really calls into question how far we’ve advanced.

Today we grieve not only the tragic death of these indiviuals, but we are here to pay homage to all animals who have paid the ultimate price in service of mankind’s greed and arrogance.

The next time anyone encounters a dead animal, whether it be on the shores or fields with a bullet in its body, or it be shrinkwrapped on a grocery shelf, they should bow their heads in reverence to the life that was sacrificed, and make a pledge to stand up and say–the killing has got to stop!

Let us now give a moment of silence to honor the dead.

(pause)

Thank you very much, and let peace be with you.

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News of Note

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December 27th, 2009

Landmark Investigation Announced: “The Blueprint”
After five months of research and investigation, I am announcing the release of a landmark document: The Blueprint – the largest update of fur farm addresses in nearly 15 years.

Foie gras given away
“French producers have given away 14 tonnes of foie gras to charity after hugely overestimating the demand for the delicacy this Christmas.  After a decade of growth, sales of foie gras stagnated last year but production levels rose, leading to a surplus, according to Les Marches, a French food trade magazine.

Animal welfare victories force farmers to use PR
The suffering cow covertly taped by the Humane Society of the U.S. prompted the biggest beef recall in U.S. history and contributed to sweeping legislation over the past 13 months designed to improve the lives of farm animals. But more important for farmers, it awakened the masses to the stark reality for many animals raised for food.

Bow hunters shoot elk in Wash. pasture
The herd would run from one end of the pasture to the other, led by the ranking elk cow. A few of the animals had arrows embedded in their hides and were bleeding but were still upright and running…The state wildlife agency declared an elk hunting season in an area roughly bounded by Highways 9 and 20, east to the intersection of 20 and Cape Horn Road.

Controversial roundup of wild horses underway
Mustangs are herded into corrals as Bureau of Land Management begins a two-month operation to capture 2,500 of Nevada’s wild horses. Equine activists say the action is unnecessary.  A controversial roundup of 2,500 wild horses from public and private lands in Nevada began on Monday amid protests from activists who call it needless and inhumane.

Racehorse’s plight shines light on illegal slaughter farms
Freedom’s Flight’s racing career ended before it had even started…That “worst” farm in America turned out to be an illegal slaughter farm in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Couto, working for the South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, participated in a raid on the farm and rescued Freedom’s Flight.

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