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You guys remember Illinois Animal Rescue (the charity my cousins volunteer for) that I mentioned in yesterdays' post? Well, guess who turned up on the front page of today's Chicago Tribune? W00t! Too bad the story didn't make it into the Sunday edition (when most people that still read the paper actually read the paper), but hey - it's still very cool that IAR is getting the recognition they deserve for their wonderful work. Give the article a quick read and see where some of your donations are being put to work! Tags: animals, cats, dogs, friends, pet rescue
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I gotta say, you guys are absolutely amazing...  I'm delighted to report that - thanks to your kindness - my daughter's food drive for homeless shelter dogs & cats has raised enough money for 54 bags (432 pounds) of food, more than halfway toward her goal of 100 bags! Needless to say, the little lady is absolutely beaming, and - once again - sends her heartfelt thanks to everyone that has participated so far. (When the drive is over, I'm handing the keyboard over to her to write you all a personal wrap-up on the project.) If you've not had a chance to donate yet, please consider lending Jessi (and the countless pups n' kits she's doing this for) a helping hand this holiday season. All donated food will go to no-kill shelters only. In this economy - with charitable donations down across the board - heaven knows they need all the help they can get. Thank you again. ☺Tags: animals, cats, dogs, fatherhood, holidays, pet rescue, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood:  Very Grateful
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The senseless scourge of rhino poaching continues to grow, with poaching levels at 15-year highs. Part of the reason according to WWF is rising demand in Asia, where the horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine, but Mongabay points out an undoubted contributing factor. Rhino horn is now worth more than gold... 
(Hat-tip Matthew McDermottA kilogram of rhino horn now goes for $60,000 on the black market, whereas that much gold is currently worth a bit over $40,600. That's $1610 an ounce for the rhino horn. Back in July, WWF reported that from 2000-2005, about three rhinos were killed per month in Africa as a whole, with that figure rising to 12 per month in Zimbabwe and South Africa. At least in the case of Zimbabwe, an utter lack of law enforcement, not helped by virtually no funding for rangers to protect rhinos, and weak penalties for poachers who are caught doesn't help the situation. In fact, 25% of Zimbabwe's rhinos have be killed just in the past three years, as evidence mounts that poachers are linking up with international crime syndicates to sell the horn. Poaching in Asia isn't much better, with at least ten rhinos being killed in India and seven in Nepal since the start of 2009. There are only five remaining rhino species left in the world and, according to the UCN, three are classified as critically endangered (Javan, Sumatran, and black rhino), the white rhino is listed as 'near threatened', while the Indian rhino is 'vulnerable'. Learn more (and get involved) here.Tags: africa, animals, crime, endangered species, extinction, greed, india, loathsome people, poaching, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood:  Damned, Dirty Apes
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Hey kids - My daughter and her friends are organizing a holiday pet food drive to benefit a number of local no-kill shelters, and they could really use a helping hand...  If your holiday budget allows, please consider pitching in for one or more 8-pound bags of high quality dog or cat food, which we're getting a discounted price ( $6 for one bag, $14 for three bags or $21 for five bags). Our goal is to distribute 800 pounds! Thanks in advance for your kindness & generosity... and for caring about homeless cats and dogs this season. I'll keep everyone posted on our progress. :) P.S. If you prefer, you can also purchase a copy of my Calendar of Horrors, and I will donate all of the proceeds (minus postage) to the girls' food drive. Tags: animals, cats, dogs, food, friends, holidays, pet rescue, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood: Grateful
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I've been to this place a few times when I was younger, and it always pinched my gut afterward (a whole 'nother topic altogether)... Please pass this on to anyone that may be able lend a hand:
 Michigan-based Allies for Greyhounds (AFG) - a nonprofit group that helps find homes for "retired" greyhounds - is in a real bind. The Dairyland Greyhound Race Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin will shut down at the end of the year, and between 400 and 600 greyhounds will need homes or face the possibility of being put down. "There's a great need to get these dogs adopted out to different adoption agencies," said AFG volunteer Anna Silvers. "We're working with them to find them homes, get them adopted out or into foster homes." Those who have already adopted the animals, or have found foster homes for them, say they're a special breed and they have a special place in their hearts for them. "They're really low-maintenance dogs," said greyhound owner Kelly Marchand. "They're very gentle. They walk into your house almost as if they've always lived there. They're usually housebroken when you get them. They're very obedient dogs that listen very well." "They're really, really friendly," adds Sage Marchand, whose family adopted a greyhound. "I just think they're beautiful dogs. The best part I like about them is that they are oddly lazy, even though they used to running." For more information, please contact AFG here, or call (866) 929-DOGS. Reposts in your LJ, Facebook, MySpace and/or Twitter accounts appreciated. Tags: animals, dogs, friends, pet rescue, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood:  Hopeful
Now Playing: Sorry, Blame It On Me' - Akon
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From rhinos to redwoods, this decade has spelled the end for myriad species of plants and animals. Many have not been sighted in their natural habitat for some time, while others, quite sadly, have been declared officially extinct... 
Once one of the most common large mammals of northern Africa, the Scimitar-horned oryx
(Oryx dammah) was overhunted for its meat, hide and magnificent horns. Combined with
habitat loss and other factors, the species simply crashed, and by the end of
the 20th century, none were known to remain in the wild.
And so it goes...P.S. The backbone of all life on Earth, including our own, is biodiversity – the intricate network of animals, plants and the places where they live. To learn more about what you can do to help conserve and protect this most basic element of life itself, please visit the IUCN web site, and help spread the word. Tags: animals, ecological disaster, environment, extinction, overpopulation, poaching, pollution, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood:  Ashamed
Now Playing: 'Am I Losing You' - Jim Reeves
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Baxter, the beloved therapy dog, has passed away at age 19 after years of volunteering at San Diego Hospice, where he brought comfort and affection to people at the end of their lives. In the end, Baxter needed to be pushed into the patients' rooms on a cart because he suffered from arthritis, but his vulnerability at the end of his life helped him bond even more to the people he helped let go of theirs. Please take a few minutes to watch this beautiful tribute to a very special animal: P.S. A Baxter book and plush toy are both available for purchase here, with all proceeds going to charity. Tags: animals, death, dogs, dying, farewell old friend, health care, mortality
From: Chicago
Mood: Touched
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Black-tailed prairie dogs are currently being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act because they have declined by more than 95% from their historic numbers. So why would the EPA even consider approving two deadly new poisons to help speed their decline? Because EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is either an incompetent technocrat, or she's got a special nod/wink relationship with the cattle ranching lobby (à la Ken Salazar at Interior). Or both.  Rozol and Kaput-D, the two anti-coagulant poisons that the EPA just approved to kill prairie dogs in ten states across America, cause the animals to slowly bleed to death. These poisons also set off a chain reaction of secondary poisoning that kill other imperiled animals tied directly to prairie dogs on the food chain, including black-footed ferrets, swift foxes, badgers, golden and bald eagles, burrowing owls and ferruginous hawks (among others). Please join me in urging Jackson and the EPA to ban these poisons once and for all: http://action.defenders.org/saveprairiedogsP.S. Please pass this forward in your LJ, Facebook, MySpace and/or Twitter. A copy of your petition letter may also be sent directly to Jackson at jackson.lisa@epa.gov. TIA. Tags: animals, environment, epa, friends, greed, thank you, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood: Disappointed. Again.
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After suffering myriad personal catastrophes and financial crises, the cruel hand of fate has once again fallen upon the sweet and wonderful ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) rediscover_me, this time in the form of her autistic little brother's dog, Phoenix, getting hit by a car. Liza rushed Phoenix to the emergency vet to see him initially, stabilize him, give him pain meds, and do x-rays. Total tab so far: $350+, and the vet won't proceed with treatment until the tab is settled. Meanwhile, all Liza (and Phoenix) can do is wait for a small miracle. Having to tell her little brother that the dog has to die would be heart-wrenching, to say the least, especially when Phoenix has such a good, fighting chance to make a full recovery. If you can spare even a single dollar or two to help out, Liza's PayPal ID is liza.michelle@gmail.com. I've already tossed in what I could, but she's going to need to all the help she can get from good folks like you. Thanks in advance for your kindness and consideration, and may it come back to you tenfold. Tags: animals, dogs, friends, pet rescue, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood: Hopeful
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Please take a few minutes to review and sign any (or all) of the following petitions, sponsored by the Greater Good Network...  ( Petitions Here )Kidney Update: Today's CT scan and blood work yielded less-then-encouraging findings, i.e., more blockage and continued pyelonephritis, despite last week's shock wave treatment, stent, antibiotics, etc. I've spent the last 48 hours (literally) on the sofa with excruciating abdominal/back pain, unable to ingest anything but water, broth, juice and Gatorade. Looks like I'll be going back into the hospital on Thursday for yet more surgery - this time ureteroscopy... As much as I dread saying it, our long-awaited father-son hunting trip (scheduled for the 25th) is becoming more and more unlikely with each passing day. Two broken hearts for the price of one. FML. Tags: afghanistan, animals, cancer, children, coal mining, dog fighting, dolphin slaughter, friends, kidney stones, poverty, thank you, wolves, women
From: Chicago
Mood:  Drained
Now Playing: Oxycodone
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The wholesale slaughter of the gray wolf is now back in full swing, thanks to Obama's decision to continue Bush's irresponsible environmental policies... 
(Hat-tip Chris in Paris)What a disappointment and waste of years of recovery efforts by the federal government. After being on the endangered species list for years (and with wolf populations slowly coming back), it's all gone, quicker than you can say "special interest." At least Obama can wrap up those critical rancher votes which he covets so much, eh? Melanie Stein, a Sierra Club spokeswoman, said that the wolf populations "are just on the cusp of recovery and that we are almost there." But she says the hunts represent "a step backward and away from recovery" of the wolf populations.
Defenders of Wildlife, one of several groups urging the court to stop the hunt, detailed the ecological role of the wolves on its web site.
"In what is known as the cascade effect, wolves are exerting influence over a multitude of species within the park's ecosystem. Elk, wary of the reintroduced top predator, have altered their grazing behavior... With less grazing pressure from elk, streambed vegetation such as willow and aspen is regenerating after decades of overbrowsing. As the trees are restored, they create better habitat for native birds and fish, beaver and other species..." More good reading on the topic — from a former Montana hunting guide, no less — right here. Tags: animals, barack obama, disgrace, dumb americans, endangered species, environment, greed, hunting, wildlife, wolves
From: Chicago
Mood:  Pyew
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(Ganked from ms_daisy_cutter)• In a rather cunning move to force the GOP to put up or shut up on health reform, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) introduced an amendment this week that would have repealed Medicare, thereby forcing the 'Pugs to show their support for the largest form of government-run healthcare in the U.S. Watch Weiner's exchance with Rachel Maddow here. • Speaking of shrewd moves, our friends at Media Matters (who've been critical of CNN for not reining in Lou Dobbs’ birther obsession) have purchased air time to run a TV ad attacking “CNN’s Lou Dobbs problem” — during Dobbs’ show — leaving CNN in a quite a pickle. • Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he dealt a fatal blow to the funding-starved Yucca Mountain Project, announcing that President Obama and Energy Secretary Chu both have agreed to eliminate all money for pursuing a license for the nuclear waste disposal project in 2011. Congratulations to the people of Nevada on not being turned into this nation's nuclear toilet. • Hats off to the government of Bolivia for outlawing the use of all animals — wild or domestic — in circuses. Every little bit helps! • GOP Lizard Queen Michele "Re-Education Camps" Bachmann finds herself facing an ethics violation complaint filed by a group on Minnesota citizens and bloggers. One way or another, this whackjob needs to be ousted. This might just help. Tim Bradley and Nate Campbell square off for the WBO Jr. Welterweight belt tonight on Showtime. Youth vs. experience. Oughta be a very interesting match-up. • More shameless idiocy from the teabag nutters, this time on health care. These people are not only stupid, they're insane. • Speaking of health care (and dirty tricks), the GOP — in direct league with the usual suspects in right-wing talk radio — is elbow deep in some pretty twisted shit, telling our nation's seniors that Obama's plan will lead to "government-encouraged euthanasia." • Yet another phony "pro-life, pro-marriage" 'Pug resigns after he's caught screwing an intern behind his (second) wife's back. Family values FTW! And finally - a few more pics from our July charity event, during which we raised close to $8,000 to help send seriously ill and disabled kids on the hunting, fishing and outdoor adventures of their dreams. Thus far, we've been able to send more than 3,000 kids on these dream trips, thanks to the generosity of corporate sponsors, hunting & fishing lodge owners/outfitters and individual donors. Very rewarding, indeed. ( Click for Pics )Tags: animals, boxing, children, family values, fatherhood, gop lizard queens, photography, politics, republican sex scandals, republican smear, right-wing lunatics
From: Chicago
Mood:  Fight Night!
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I was going to post an angry, foul-mouthed rant about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstating this piece of shit, but zombiegoat pretty much covered all the bases (without the foul-mouthed part)...  As project_mayhem_ suggests: Email roger.goodell2@nfl.net and tell this greedy shitstain what a disgusting mistake this is. Let him know you won't be attending any games or purchasing any NFL merchandise- since the only thing he cares about is profit, hit him where it hurts- the bottom line of his accounting pages.
Pass this on to as many people as possible. I couldn't agree more. Tags: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animal fighting, animals, asshole, crime, dog fighting, dogs, loathsome people, michael vick, nfl felons, scumbags
From: Chicago
Mood: Bitter
Now Playing: Thom Hartmann
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A little good news to end the week (h/t Dorian Block)...  17-year-old animal abuser Cheyenne Cherry reportedly "hissed" at protesters outside Bronx Supreme Court Wednesday, grinning widely as she took credit for stuffing a kitten into a 500-degree oven. Cherry was confronted as she was led from the courthouse after her guilty plea in to charges of animal cruelty and attempted burglary in the May 6th killing at her former roommate's apartment. "It's dead, bitch!" she snapped, sticking her tongue out after a plea bargain that will put her behind bars for a year in the May 6th killing of tiny Tiger Lily. Tiger Lily was left to die inside the oven after Cherry and her unidentified 14-year-old accomplice trashed the apartment of Valerie Hernandez, destroying furniture before stealing DVDs and food. After her arrest, Cherry told police the cat killing was "just a joke." In court, Cherry admitted to Judge Margaret Clancy that the younger girl put the cat in the oven - and "I didn't let the cat out." The pair fled the apartment because they didn't want to hear the dying cat's cries or desperate scratching at the oven door, authorities said. Prosecutor Jennifer Troiano said Cherry was granted a plea deal because her cohort was "more culpable" for the crimes. Under the agreement, Cherry pleaded guilty to two charges in a six-count indictment. She waived her right to appeal and agreed not to keep a pet for the next three years. Currently jailed on a probation violation, she faces formal sentencing July 31st. The second girl is facing trial in Family Court because of her age. As she exited the courtroom, Cherry passed a row of protesters outraged by her crime. One of them, Sharon Tuerlings, extended both her middle fingers and kissed them. Cherry grinned widely, stuck out her tongue and responded with her profane retort. Turns out this little princess is not new to scumbaggery. Just last year, she was busted for using a BB gun to kidnap a dog with her boyfriend, and was also arrested for robbing a man of his iPod at gunpoint. The protesters who attended the hearing said they represented more than 20,000 people who signed an online petition supporting harsh punishment for Cherry. They were thrilled by the deal that guaranteed Cherry would do time for the killing. Tuerlings said she wanted to get a glimpse of the monster behind the cat execution. "It felt so good to look at her ugly face," she said. "Those evil eyes that she has." My guess is that she'll get protective custody because of her age. Too bad, really. Better, IMO, to toss her into gen pop and see her chewed up and spit out like a piece of gristle. Either way, being a convicted felon will likely destroy whatever (already-dim) future she might have had. Tough shit. Tags: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animals, crime, justice, loathsome people
From: Chicago
Mood: Shank You Very Much
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Thanks to your support, our pal Sydney here has made it to Round Two of the Arizona's Top Pet Pageant! Now, I'm coming to you once again, asking that you take just a minute to help her win the crown... 
Please Vote Now!As with round one, there is no cost, and you can vote once per email address per day (up to three e-mail addresses per IP address). Entering your valid e-mail is required once you cast your vote, but only to prevent ballot-stuffing, not for marketing purposes. If you'd like to bookmark the link and stop by to vote daily, all the better! Thank you as always, my friends!P.S. Please drop me a "done" in the comments so Sydney's dad m_fallenangel & I can put you on our "Pass It Forward" roster. ☺ Tags: animals, dogs, friends, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood: Grateful
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While I'm certainly no big fan of PETA's on several fronts, I commend them on this one. Yet another reason I would never bring my kids to a fuckin' circus...  The infamous Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus is in hot water — yet again — after new undercover tapes show trainers beating their elephants before they go on stage. The graphic video, captured by a PETA worker who posed as a stagehand for six months, has sparked new allegations of animal cruelty against the circus and provided fodder for the campaign against the spectacle known as "The Greatest Show on Earth." The tapes show the giant animals wearing head-dresses, packed together as handlers strike them with bull hooks over their face, ears and bodies. The harsh, loud smacks of the whips are heard in the background. At one point, a handler wearing a black costume stalks up to one of the elephants and randomly smacks it in the head with his baton — apparently for no reason at all. The surveillance video captures four heart-wrenching minutes of elephants being whipped, sometimes curling their trunks, opening their mouths and making noises in protest. Workers sink bull hooks — sharp, fireplace poker-like tools — into the elephants' sensitive skin and yank hard as the animals trumpet in pain. Forced to perform night after night, one of the elephants in the video — 25-year-old Tonka — frequently sways back and forth, bobs her head and kicks her right foot — all behaviors indicative of severe psychological stress, and the verbal abuse appears to be as bad as the physical abuse. One trainer is overheard cursing at the behemoths, saying "Fuck you, fat ass. Back up." The undercover worker got a job with the circus and traveled with it across seven states. He shot video between January and June at various venues, including Madison Square Garden, reports the Daily News. And elephants aren't the only animals abused by circus handlers in the video. The tape also shows tigers being whipped and smacked around in rehearsals. Ringling Bros. officials said they didn't know about the existence of the video and couldn't comment on it, but said their animals are treated properly. This isn't the first time Ringling Brothers has been caught abusing animals on tape.. PETA has recorded other videos of workers beating animals — and some handlers have even spoken out against the company's abusive practices. A judge is expected to rule as early as this summer on whether Ringling's use of steel-barbed bullhooks, electric prods and shackles on the elephants violates federal law. In light of the most recent video, a formal complaint has now been filed with the Agriculture Department under the Animal Welfare Act. The group also plans to file complaints today in seven states where the circus performed, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Watch the video for yourself (if you have the stomach for it), then feel free to share your thoughts with Ringling Brothers via: Feld Entertainment
8607 Westwood Center Drive
Vienna, VA 22182
(703) 448-4120
customerservice@feldinc.com P.S. If you get anything other than a robo-response, please share it in the comments section. Let's see their PR people try to explain this away. Tags: animal abuse, animal cruelty, animals, crime, elephants, justice, loathsome people
From: Chicago
Mood: Bastards
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Many of you already know about the Animal Rescue Site, where you can visit daily and — at no cost to you — contribute food to homeless pet shelters simply by clicking the big purple button. (Note: You can also sign up for a daily e-mail reminder once you've clicked through.)... Well, I just found out about a similar set of sites called http://www.freekibble.com/ (for dogs) and http://www.freekibblekat.com (for cats). Simply stop by either (or both) sites every day and answer the daily trivia question, and — whether you answer the question correctly or not — the sponsors will donate nutritious, high-quality food to shelters (again, free of charge to you). From the site: "(Site founder) Mimi Ausland, a 12 year-old girl from Bend, Oregon, wanted to help feed the hungry animals at her local animal shelter. [...] In addition to providing free kibble to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, we've added 13 new shelters to the program (from Oregon to Florida!) and plan to expand the program to many more... every piece of kibble counts! We’re very happy to say that we’re partnering with Castor and Pollux to feed these hungry dogs and cats a very high quality, all natural kibble - a very decent dinner!" I find this most admirable, especially coming —as it does— from a 12-year old. And yes, her site also has a daily, automatic e-mail reminder that you can sign up for. P.S. Speaking of pets, please be sure to stop by and help Sydney win the "Arizona's Top Pet 2009" competition. You can vote once per day from up to three different e-mails per IP address. No cost, and e-mail addresses are required only to prevent ballot stuffing, not for marketing purposes of any kind. TIA, you guys. As always. Tags: animals, cats, dogs, friends, pet rescue, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood: Upbeat
Now Playing: 'The Beast In Me' - Nick Lowe
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A small, quick favor to ask, if you'd be so kind... This here is Sydney, and she's running for the title of Arizona's Top Pet 2009. If you would take just a moment to stop by and vote for her, both I and her dad m_fallenangel would be very grateful. There is no cost, and you can vote once per email address per day (a valid e-mail is required, but only to prevent ballot-stuffing, not for marketing purposes). If you'd like to bookmark the link and stop by to vote daily, all the better! Thank you in advance, my friends!P.S. Please drop me a "done" in the comments so Angel & I can put you on our "Pass It Forward" roster. ☺ Tags: animals, dogs, friends, thank you
From: Chicago
Mood: Grateful
Now Playing: Girls Making Brownies
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Tip o' the hat to Mark Morford...  Oh, how easy it is to laugh and mock and sigh with savage delight. How easy it is to point at extremist groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as they come out and admit, in public, to an actual reporter, that they wish President Obama had not killed that fly, that tiny little hunk of bacteria and regurgitated food bits and death, but had instead taken a moment to capture it gently between his loving presidential palms like it was universal health care reform and then set it free outside, so it could go spread germs and fecal matter and disease to various flowers and small children and Republicans. How delightful it is to point out how this group is, once again, so laughably insane and out of touch, how they have jumped the shark once again, which they seem to do with delightful, if obnoxious, frequency. But hang on a sec. Maybe there was something in that hilarious little story that gave you pause. Maybe you decided to drill down into the idea for just a moment, just to see, and then perhaps realized, well, yes, OK fine, there is an actual point to be made in there, somewhere, just behind the roaring ludicrousness of it all... ( Good stuff )Tags: animals, environment, peta
From: Chicago
Mood:  Contemplative
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Alaska's infamous Rat Island is finally rat-free, 229 years after a shipwreck spilled the hungry rodents onto the remote Aleutian island, decimating the local bird population...  After dropping tiny poison pellets onto the island from helicopter-hoisted buckets for a week and a half last autumn, there are no signs of living rats and some birds have returned, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rats have ruled the island since 1780, when they jumped off a sinking Japanese ship and terrorized all but the largest birds on the island. The incident introduced the non-native Norway rat — also known as the brown rat — to Alaska. The $2.5 million Rat Island eradication project, a joint effort between the U.S. federal government, the Nature Conservancy and Island Conservation, is one of the world's most ambitious attempts to remove destructive alien species from an island. Now there are signs that several species of birds, including Aleutian cackling geese, ptarmigan, peregrine falcons and black oystercatchers, are starting to nest again on the 10-square-mile island. It is too soon to say that Rat Island is definitively rat-free, however. That can only be established after at least two years of monitoring, said Bruce Woods, a spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage. "We don't know that there's not a couple of happy rats hiding away that are going to spring out and repopulate the island," he said. Sadly, there was some collateral damage caused by the operation. Last week, a seven-member survey team collected 186 glaucous-winged gull and 41 bald eagle carcasses on the island. Most were juveniles, many in advanced stages of decomposition. "Certainly, the numbers are far higher than we would have anticipated," said Woods. "It's not clear why. We'll have to wait for the lab results." Woods said it's unlikely carnivorous eagles ate the rodenticide pellets themselves, but may have devoured some dead rats that had consumed them. The nature Conservency's Randy Hagenstein estimates there are at least a dozen more other islands in Alaska, mostly in the Aleutians, where such a program would be useful, although some islands are too big to ever get a grip on, including Unalaska and Adak. "With this program we are looking at stepping up to progressively larger islands with an eye to eventually get to Kiska," which got rats when used as part of the military theater, in World War II, he said. Tags: alaska, animals, ecology, environment, invasive species, science
From: Chicago
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A $15,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and/or conviction in the shooting death of a Florida panther, one of the world's rarest big cats...  The dead female panther was found near the Hendry Correctional Institute on private property bordering the Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) special agents and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) investigators are jointly investigating the case. There are only about 100 Florida panthers left in the world, protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, making it unlawful for a person to ‘take' one without a permit. ("Take" is defined as "to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct.") If convicted, the federal penalty is up to one year of imprisonment, $100,000 fine per individual or $200,000 per organization. In addition, State of Florida makes it a third degree felony to kill or wound any species designated as endangered or threatened, carrrying a penalty is up to five years in jail and/or up to a $5,000 fine. "The FWC encourages anyone with information that leads to an arrest in this case to come forward, so we can bring the person or persons responsible for this crime to justice," said FWC Capt. Jeff Ardelean. "It is our agency's mission to protect and preserve the rare and magnificent panther, the state's official animal, for future generations." Anyone with information regarding this case should call the USFWS's Office of Law Enforcement at (239) 561-8144. Those wishing to stay anonymous should call the FWC's Wildlife Alert Line at 1-888-404-3922. You can help up the bounty here, as the Defenders of Wildlife is currently matching all contributions made toward the reward fund. Tags: animals, crime, endangered species, extinction, florida everglades, justice, loathsome people, poaching
From: Chicago
Mood: Pissed
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A mysterious and deadly fungus attacking America's bats could spread nationwide within years and represents the most serious threat to wildlife in a century, experts warned Congress last week...  Displaying pictures of bats speckled with the white fungus that gave the disease its name — white-nose syndrome — experts described to two House subcommittees Thursday the horror of discovering caves where bats had been decimated by the disease. As a state wildlife biologist from Vermont put it, one cave there was turned into a "morgue," with bats freezing to death outside and so many carcasses littering the cave's floor the stench was too strong for researchers to enter. They also warned that if nothing more is done to stop its spread, the fungus could strike caves and mines with some of the largest and most endangered populations of hibernating bats in the United States. At stake is the loss of an insect-eating machine. The six species of bats that have so far been stricken by the fungus can eat up to their body weight in insects a night, reducing insects that destroy crops, forests and carry disease such as West Nile Virus. "We are witnessing one of the most precipitous declines of wildlife in North America," said Thomas Kunz, director of the Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology at Boston University, who said that between $10 million and $17 million is needed to launch a national research program into the fungus. Merlin Tuttle, a world-renowned bat expert and president of Bat Conservation International in Austin, Texas, said that white-nose syndrome was probably the most serious threat to wildlife in the past century. He also called for more research to determine its cause and how it was being spread. "Never in my wildest imagination had I dreamed of anything that could pose this serious a threat to America's bats," Tuttle told the panel. "This is the most alarming event in the lifetime of a person who has devoted his life to recovering these populations." ( Read more )Tags: animals, disaster, disease, ecology, environment, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood:  Damn
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 A Dutch tourist on safari was trampled to death by a wild elephant in India's Kaziranga Park today. The victim, 60-year-old Robert Goldbach, was part of a group looking for birds and rare monkeys in the park when they saw the bull elephant approaching, said park director S.N. Buragohain. Eight other tourists ran for safety, but Goldbach tripped and was quickly stomped to death by the angry beast. The group was accompanied by a guide and armed guards from the park, which is famous for its rare one-horned rhinoceroses. "The guards opened fire at the elephant... but could not avert the tragedy," said Buragohain, adding that it wasn't immediately clear if the elephant was wounded. Human-animal conflicts are rare but not unprecedented in India's national parks. In 1999, an elephant trampled an American tourist to death while she was on a safari to see rhinos. Tags: animals, elephant vs. human, habitat loss, nature bats last
From: Chicago
Mood: Survival of the Fittest
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The Russian government has announced a complete ban on hunting “whitecoat” harp seal pups — the first step in an agreement to end the killing of all baby seals in Russia after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin condemned the practice as a "bloody business."  Rules allowing a six-week window for hunters to target pups after their coats start turning from snow white to gray will be amended to protect all harp seals less than a year old, according Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev, adding that Russia's harp seal population has dropped by a third in the past decade as thawing Arctic ice shrinks their breeding grounds and hunting takes its toll. Said Professor Aleksey Yablokov of Russian Academy of Science: "This is a real biological catastrophe. At the current rate, in a few years the seal could become a rarity in the White Sea." "This is a bloody business that should have been banned long ago," Putin told ministers at a meeting last month, the state-run paper Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported. In the White Sea breeding grounds, pups are born at the end of February and beginning of March and spend about three weeks on the ice before they take to the water. Hunters traditionally club the pups to death before they're two weeks old to avoid damaging their snow-white coats, which are used in the fur industry. The skinned remains of the pup corpses are usually dumped into the sea or simply left to rot on the ice. Putin acknowledged the importance of the hunting industry in the region and said that he would require the government to compensate incomes of the White Sea people in connection with the ban on hunting. "This is one of their means of existence. Therefore, simply banning is inadequate. A system of support measures must be worked out to secure employment and income of those who live and work there," said Putin. News of the agreement is sure to infuriate Norwegian sealing interests (the same bastards that burn unsold seal pelts to keep market prices in check) who were prepared to subsidize 80% of the Russian hunt in the hope of propping up the industry which is in a worldwide free fall. European opposition to commercial sealing has already resulted in national bans on all seal products in Belgium, Slovenia and The Netherlands, and the European Commission has adopted a proposal to ban the trade in seal products altogether. Note to Canada & Norway: Tick-tock, motherfuckers.P.S. Still lots of work to do, and you can lend a hand. Tags: animal cruelty, animals, environment, greed, hunting, marine life, sea shepherd, seal hunt
From: Chicago
Mood:  Never Give Up
Now Playing: 'Closing Time' - Leonard Cohen
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For the first time, a newborn blue whale has been captured on camera, according to a National Geographic documentary to air this coming Sunday... The baby is believed to be the first scientific proof that a blue whale "hot spot" in the Pacific is a birthing ground for the endangered species. During a January 2008 expedition to the "Dome" — a warm-water region off Costa Rica that draws blue whales from hundreds of miles away — the researchers had begun to lose hope of finding a calf. Then two telltale spouts began erupting at the sea surface. "Oh, tell me that one of them is a small blow, please," Bruce Mate, of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, says in the documentary. One of the spouts did turn out to be that of a calf, which approached the research boat — surprising the scientists, given blue whale mothers' protective reputations. A photographer and videographer dived in and soon had the visual evidence needed: fetal folds establishing the whale as a newborn blue. Averaging 25 feet long at birth, blue whale babies nurse for about seven months until they double in size. Gaining about 200 pounds a day, they are the biggest babies ever known to have roamed the Earth. The species was heavily hunted until a worldwide ban in 1966. Today, they still face a very high risk of extinction. Tags: animals, ecology, endangered species, environment, marine life, science, whales
From: Chicago
Mood:  Neat-o
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Y'see this cute li'l fella here?  That's a Worcester's Buttonquail ( Turnix worcesteri), native exclusively to the island of Luzon in the Phillipines, and thought to be extinct since about 1902 or so. So scientifically extinct, in fact, that - until this photograph was published - he and his kind were previously identifiable to modern wildlife biologists only by drawings based on (long-gone) museum specimens. Pretty amazing discovery, am I right? So, where do you think this picture was taken, hm? At a Filipino poultry market, just before he was sold and eaten. *headdesk*P.S. Leading environmental scientists say they have concrete evidence that the planet is undergoing the largest mass extinction in 65 million years, due largely in part to human overpopulation, pollution, habitat loss and global warming. One of them, Professor Norman Myers, says the Earth is experiencing its "Sixth Extinction," and predicts that up to five million species will be lost this century. Says Myers: "We are well into the opening phase of a mass extinction of species. There are about 10 million species on earth. If we carry on as we are, we could lose half of all those 10 million species." In 1993, world-renowned Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson estimated that our planet was losing 30,000 species per year... approximately three species per hour. And that was 16 years ago. Tags: animals, ecology, environment, extinction, greed, jesus fucking christ, science
From: Chicago
Mood: Bring Me A Plague
Now Playing: 'God's Gonna Cut You Down' - Johnny Cash
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The folks at NAVS have just announced their 20th Annual Art for Animals Classic, a competition that animal lovers of all ages with the opportunity to send a creative message about respect and compassion for animals.  Your work of art could be chosen to illustrate NAVS’ publications, posters, cards, stationery and or web site, and there are cash awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in three age categories, as well as Best in Show. If you’re an artist, photographer, painter, graphic artist, poet, musician, filmmaker, or just want to show you care about animals, please get involved. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2009. Click here to see last year's winner's gallery, and here (PDF) to download the 2009 entry form. If you have questions (or would prefer to receive an entry form by mail or fax), call (800) 888-6287. P.S. The thing I like about these guys is that they're not sign-waving "animal rights" fanatics. Rather, they work with physicians, scientists, researchers and legislators to find and implement sound, humane alternatives to household product, cosmetic and biomedical animal testing. I've met and worked with them in the past, and they're definitely good people working toward a worthy goal. Tags: animals, arts & crafts, friends
From: Chicago
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(Hat-tip Michael Markarian)When it comes to animal protection, more than a dozen federal agencies have a direct impact on the lives of millions of pets, farm animals, laboratory animals and wildlife. In years past, many of these agencies have functioned largely as an annex to industry, and have been inattentive (if not outwardly counteractive) to the wishes of Americans who care about animal welfare, food safety, and environmental protection. Rather than politics as usual, it's time for change. The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund have developed a change agenda for animals (PDF), with 100 immediate steps the executive branch can take to advance the humane treatment of animals. Here are just a few of the most critical ones... ( Read more )
President Obama has already indicated his support for many of the issues on the HSLF agenda when he filled out the a presidential questionnaire on pending animal welfare bills and funding matters. Now it's time for him - and the agencies he ultimately oversees - to put these ideas into action.Tags: animal cruelty, animals, barack obama, ecology, environment, factory farming, marine life, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood: Hopeful
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At feeding time, it's not just the odd pint of milk that's needed for these hungry mouths - it's gallons...  Every one of these elephant calves lost its parents to the poacher's gun or snare. Rescued from all corners of Kenya and brought to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, 30 minutes outside the capital of Nairobi, they're cared for with every intention of returning them to the wild. But this year there are more orphaned elephants than ever, because poaching has increased dramatically. The poachers have been encouraged by the Convention for Trade in Endangered Species' decision to allow China and Japan to buy 108 tons of ivory in African stockpiles. 74-year-old Dame Daphne Sheldrick, who runs the orphanage, believes there is a link between legal ivory sales and the number of newly-orphaned calves. "Every time ivory is auctioned legally, there's a rise in poaching," she says. "We estimate that the number of elephants killed in Africa this year has risen by almost 45% last year" said Daphne, who has worked with her staff to protect Africa's wildlife for over 50 years. "At the beginning of 2008 the total number of infant elephants that had been hand-reared through the Trust's Nairobi Nursery was 75. By the end of 2008, the number of orphans number over 90."  The elephants are fed a special formula milk every three hours day and night and are not weaned until they are three years old. Eventually, they graduate to a 'rehabilitation facility' in Tsavo National Park to enable them to rejoin wild elephant herds. "Gradually the orphans pluck up courage to mingle with wild herds while the keepers maintain a safe distance," says Daphne, "but before they get to that stage, they'll take their jumbo milk breaks every three hours. You can help.Tags: africa, animals, ecology, elephants, endangered species, environment, poaching
From: Chicago
Mood:  Pessimistic
Now Playing: Kitchen Chaos
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Chilly
Ouch
Unnerved
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