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The number of news found: 42.

08/31/2012 FOOD SHORTAGES COULD FORCE WORLD INTO VEGETARIANISM

Leading water scientists have issued one of the sternest warnings yet about global food supplies, saying that the world's population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages. Humans derive about 20% of their protein from animal-based products now, but this may need to drop to just 5% to feed the extra 2 billion people expected to be alive by 2050, according to research by some of the world's leading water scientists. "There will not be enough water available on current croplands to produce food for the expected 9 billion population in 2050 if we follow current trends and changes towards diets common in western nations," the report by Malik Falkenmark and colleagues at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) said. "There will be just enough water if the proportion of animal-based foods is limited to 5% of total calories and considerable regional water deficits can be met by a ... reliable system of food trade."

08/31/2012 DRY, HOT SUMMER IMPACTS WILDLIFE

The prolonged drought conditions have had negative impacts on many fish and wildlife species across the United States.  Fish kills have occurred in areas where bodies of water have dried up, water temperatures have risen, or dissolved oxygen has decreased. Drought conditions are also impacting wildlife populations in many ways, including increases in disease outbreaks, reductions in food sources, water, and habitat, and increases in human-wildlife conflicts as animals search for limited resources.  Increased funding for population management efforts, habitat maintenance, water hauling, and responses to nuisance calls may be necessary as future droughts negatively impact wildlife. 

08/30/2012 EATING EGG YOLKS NEARLY AS BAD FOR HEART AS SMOKING

We've known for quite some time now that eggs (more specifically egg yolks) are not the healthiest food in the world - but according to a new study, regular consumption has nearly the same adverse effect on the arteries as smoking cigarettes. The paper, published online in the journal Atherosclerosis, found eating egg yolks regularly increases plaque buildup about two-thirds as much as smoking does. Patients who consumed three or more yolks per week showed "significantly more plaque" than those who ate two or less per week.

08/30/2012 CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY VOTES TO BAN HUNTING BEARS WITH DOGS

The state Assembly was divided as much between rural and urban lawmakers as it was along party lines Wednesday as it debated and then approved a ban on using hounds to hunt bears and bobcats in California. Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills) led the charge for a bill that would outlaw what he called an "inhumane and savage" practice of using dogs to chase bears and bobcats for hours until they are cornered in trees where the hunter can shoot them. "This is about an acute brutalization of wildlife for no reason," said Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) before the Assembly voted 44 to 29 to send SB 1221 to the Senate for action on amendments. Several lawmakers from more rural areas, including Assemblyman Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber), blasted the bill as an attack on the state's outdoor tradition.

08/29/2012 SEA SHEPHERD EXPOSES SLAUGHTER OF 90,000 BABY SEALS

Sea Shepherd has dispatched the Oceanic Research and Conservation Action (O.R.C.A.) Force unit to Namibia to expose one of the biggest marine wildlife crimes known to man - the slaughter of 90,000 baby seals. A team of five committed and passionate activists were carefully selected to execute this dangerous mission. The Namibian seal slaughter starts each year at the beginning of July and continues until the license holders reach their quota of 90,000 baby seals. The Turkish/Australian fur trader Hatem Yavuv buys all the pelts and processes them in his factory to provide haute couture fashion for his clientele, without a conscience. The O.R.C.A. Force team has successfully crossed the Namibian border carrying high-tech equipment and is currently operating from an undisclosed location in the vast Namib desert.

08/29/2012 NATIVE LANDSCAPING IN URBAN AREAS CAN HELP NATIVE BIRDS

A recent study of residential landscape types and native bird communities in Phoenix, Ariz., led by a University of Massachusetts Amherst urban ecologist suggests that yards mimicking native vegetation and wildlands offer birds "mini refuges," helping to offset the loss of biodiversity in cities and supporting birds better than traditional grass lawns and non-native plantings. The study, led by Susannah Lerman with her advisor Paige Warren at UMass Amherst, and Hilary Gan and Eyal Shochat at Arizona State University, is one of the first to use quantitative measures and a systematic approach, with 24-hour video monitoring, to assess and compare foraging behavior of common backyard birds in yards in Phoenix, at the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert. It is also one of the first to conduct experiments to compare different types of a single urban landscape form (residential yards), Lerman says. Overall, the study found that desert-like, "xeric" yards had a more even bird community and superior habitat compared to moist, or "mesic," grass lawns in the Phoenix area. 

08/28/2012 BRITAIN'S BIGGEST WILD ANIMAL CIRCUS SELLS ITS ANIMALS

The largest wild animal circus in the UK is selling off its animals. Martin Lacey, owner of the Great British Circus told Horse and Hound magazine that he plans to go animal free. Jan Creamer, President of ADI said: "We have shown incidents of animal cruelty and suffering at the Great British Circus on a number of occasions, so we are pleased that animals will no longer suffer in this circus. (...) We can only hope that this provides an incentive for the Government to bring in a ban, while there are so few wild animals in UK circuses. The public and parliament both want it, and it would draw a line under this archaic use of animals once and for all." The Great British Circus' group of four Friesian horses, a zebra and two other horses that perform a "little and large" act are advertised for sale in Horse and Hound.  Mr. Lacey said four other zebras had gone to a private collector along with some camels. A Great British Circus worker recently informed an ADI investigator that the tigers currently with the circus are to be sold to an Italian Circus, although this has yet to be confirmed. 

08/28/2012 PET GUARDIANSHIP IN DECLINE

The American Veternary Medical Association surveyed 50,000 U.S. homes and found that pet guardianship has decreased by 2.4 percent since 2006, in other words Americans had 2 million fewer dogs and 7.6 million fewer cats at the end of last year than at the end of 2006. Given the country's current economic troubles, and as fewer Americans live in family situations, individuals are much less likely to care for a companion animal nowadays.

08/27/2012 SUBWAY TO OFFER VEGETARIAN MENU IN INDIA

Subway, the world's biggest restaurant chain with 37,000 outlets (including 280 in India), is planning to roll out its first ever all-vegetarian outlet in response to Lovely Professional Univ., a private state university in Jalandhar. According to a report in The Times of India, the restaurant was expected to be operational in August of this year. The university, operated by a strict Hindu Mittal community known to promote vegetarian meals on the campus, signed the agreement with Subway in November 2011.

08/27/2012 SEABIRDS EATING MORE PLASTIC THAN EVER BEFORE

A new study by U.S. and Canadian scientists has found that seabirds may be eating much more plastic trash than they have in the past, and that seabirds studied off the coast of Washington State and British Columbia are ingesting plastic at rates that are "among the highest" in the world. The report was authored by Stephanie Avery-Gomm of the University of British Columbia and five other researchers. The study was carried out in 2009 - 2010 and involved the analysis of 67 Northern Fulmars that washed up dead on the shores between Long Beach, Washington, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 

08/24/2012 POACHERS POSE NEW THREAT TO BENGAL TIGER CUBS

Royal Bengal tigers have been under threat from habitat destruction, illegal trade for body parts, natural calamities and angry villagers, but their cubs are now facing a new danger - poachers. Three frail tiger cubs lying in an iron cage in a Dhaka zoo are the first live cubs to be recovered from poachers, who had planned to smuggle the animals out of the country. There are an estimated 300 to 500 majestic Royal Bengal tigers in the 10,000 square km (6,213 miles) Sundarbans forest, which stretches across part of Bangladesh and India and has been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. The numbers of the striped cats, which usually weigh over 200 kg (440 pounds) when fully grown, have been falling steadily.

08/23/2012 NEW LEGISLATIVE BILL COULD BAN FUR SALES IN ISRAEL

The legislative branch of the Israeli government (the Knesset) recently introduced a bill that would forbid sales of fur in Israel, with exceptions made only for science, traditional customs, and to express cultural identity. Animal-rights activists are praising the move. "This legislation may yet save millions of animals. Israel may well become the first country to ban fur sales nationwide," said Jane Halevy, executive director and founder of the International Anti-Fur Coalition. The bill implores that fur is not a necessity item, but simply a fashion item or status symbol to which there are many suitable synthetic alternatives. While Israel would be the first country to ban the sale of fur nationwide, some cities across the globe have already adopted anti-fur stances, including Dublin and Fingal in Ireland, and West Hollywood in California.

08/23/2012 BIG PORK BENEFITS FROM SUBSIDIES, BUT FIGHTS FEDERAL REFORM FOR ANIMAL WELFARE

On Aug 13, the Obama administration announced yet another massive give-away to the pork industry – in the form of a $100 million buy-up of surplus pork. This latest government bail-out is in addition to hundreds of millions already given to the pork industry by this administration. Ironically, this same sector of agribusiness is lobbying against the egg industry reform bill backed by HSUS and the United Egg Producers, which has made passage of that bill its top priority. The NPPC is willing to subvert the work of a different sector of animal agriculture, under the guise of opposition to federal standards, but for itself, it's willing to rake in hundreds of millions of federal dollars. This sort of hypocrisy is mind-bending. The NPPC says one thing, but does another when it comes to federal involvement. This is the same pork industry that sued the state of Calilfornia to invalidate a state law to ban the mistreatment of downer pigs because it said the Federal Meat Inspection Act preempts state laws. It seems to like certain federal laws, especially when it suits the industry's profit motives. 

08/22/2012 LADY GAGA APOLOGIZES TO FANS FOR FRENZY OVER FUR COATS

She refers to her fans as "little monsters," but after repeatedly wearing fur following her public denouncement of it, the term may be applicable to the superstar herself. Always controversial, Lady Gaga has been spotted recently wearing fur, drawing ire from PETA and animal-loving fans alike. Many assumed the furs were real and some assumed the pelts were faux. Rather than clarify, when asked about the furs, the singer defiantly responded, "For those press and such who are writing about whether or not my fur is actually real, please don't forget to credit the designer Hermes. Thank you!" Her callous response prompted PETA to suggest a flour-bombing a la Kim Kardashian was in her future. Gaga has finally addressed the controversy, which she dubs "Furgate," on her website and you can see it by clicking here.

08/22/2012 THAILAND WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING SEIZURES INCREASE TENFOLD, BUT CORRUPTION STILL PERSISTS

Squealing tiger cubs stuffed into carry-on bags. Luggage packed with hundreds of squirming tortoises, elephant tusks, even water dragons and American paddlefish. Officials at Thailand's gateway airport proudly tick off the illegally trafficked wildlife they have seized over the past two years. But Thai and foreign law enforcement officers tell another story: Officials working-hand-in-hand with traffickers ensure that other shipments through Suvarnabhumi International Airport are whisked off before they even reach customs inspection. It's a murky mix. A 10-fold increase in wildlife law enforcement actions, including seizures, has been reported in the past six years in Southeast Asia. Yet, the trade's Mr. Bigs, masterful in taking advantage of pervasive corruption, appear immune to arrest and continue to orchestrate the decimation of wildlife in Thailand, the region and beyond.

08/21/2012 INTERPOL ISSUES RED NOTICE FOR PAUL WATSON

Paul Watson's ability to move around the world has just become a lot more complicated. The 61-year-old founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has just been placed on Interpol's "Red Notice" – which is the highest bulletin the international policing body issues; but does not necessarily constitute an automatic arrest warrant. In other words, Watson is going to have to pick the countries he travels to very carefully. Interpol's action stems from Watson's decision to skip bail in Germany and flee the country; a move that almost certainly avoided the ocean conservationist from extradition to Costa Rica – or worse – Japan. "For me it is obvious that the German government conspired with Japan and Costa Rica to detain me so that I could be handed over to the Japanese," Watson wrote from an unknown location. "For me it is clear that they made the political decision to turn me over to the Japanese even before a court decision was made."

08/20/2012 JAPANESE ISLAND DECLARES DOLPHINS TO BE CITIZENS WITH FULL RIGHTS

On a small island 100 miles from Tokyo islanders, mostly fishermen, have declared resident dolphins to be citizens, fully protected while in the island's waters. This tiny island is called Toshima Island. The fishermen there want to show the world how some Japanese revere and protect wild dolphins. A long time Japanese ally, Elsa Nature Conservancy, has pledged to help the Toshima Islanders educate Japan about the wonders of wild dolphins. The Toshima Dolphin Project as it is known will expand knowledge of this unique island and the relationship between the people of the island and its 16 resident dolphins. The project will provide a vision that will inspire their fellow countrymen and bring to them an understanding of the importance of allowing dolphins to remain free and safe from hunters' blades.

08/20/2012 MILK GROUP AGREES TO PHASE OUT TAIL DOCKING

On July 23, the Board of Directors at dairy group National Milk Producers Federations approved a resolution to officially designate its oppositional stance toward the practice of tail docking. Now included in the new documentation of the group's National Dairy FARM Program is the recommendation that farmers discontinue tail docking by the year 2022, except in the case of traumatic injury to an animal that necessitates the procedure. NMPF represents many of the largest dairy cooperatives in the nation, and its position now corresponds with that of the American Veterinary Medical Assocation and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. In 2009, California banned the practice entirely, and Ohio followed suit in 2011. 

08/18/2012 RINO POACHERS SENTENCED TO 28 YEARS

The prospect of making a substantial amount of money was what attracted two KwaZulu-Natal farmers to the illegal hunting of rhinos. Ewart Potgieter, 34, of Louwsberg, and Riaan Vermaak, 32, of Newcastle, pleaded guilty in the Vryheid Regional Court this week to charges of conspiracy to hunt rhino and attempting to hunt rhino and the possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Potgieter was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment - six years for conspiracy to hunt rhino and attempting to hunt rhino, 10 years for possession of illegal firearms and two years for possession of illegal ammunition. Vermaak received 10 years and six months - six years for for conspiracy to hunt rhino and attempting to hunt rhino, four years for possession of illegal firearms and six months for possession of illegal ammunition. They will serve an effective 11 years and seven-and-a-half years respectively. 

08/18/2012 COVER-UP CLAIMS HIT FREE-RANGE EGG SURVEY

The Australian Egg Corporation has been accused of a cover-up and survey shopping in its bid to find consumer support for its preferred new definition of ''free-range eggs'' - 20,000 hens per hectare, or eight times the limit most free-range egg producers recommend. An initial survey conducted in 2010 found just 7 per cent of 5000 consumers believed a density of 16,000-20,000 hens could be classified as ''free range''. However, the survey results were not published on the corporation's website until last month, after a follow-up survey in May had recorded the far more favourable result of 84 per cent support for the 20,000 hens per hectare density limit. Phil Westwood, of the Free Range Egg and Poultry Association of Australia, accused the corporation of covering up the results of the earlier study.

08/17/2012 WILD ANIMALS HELP KANGAROOS BREAK OUT OF ZOO

The Rheinböllen Wildlife Park in western Germany isn't exactly Alcatraz, but getting out isn't easy either. The word around the troughs at mealtimes is that you need to get through two fences to reach the freedom of the surrounding forest. Three kangaroos made it at the weekend with the help of a young fox and a wild boar that were trying to break in. The boar made a hole in the fence surrounding the park and the fox dug its way under another fence into an enclosure where the kangaroos were kept. The marsupials, whose names are Jack, Mick and Skippy, didn't hang around. They hopped off into the night and managed to get 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the park when a passerby spotted them. The last one was caught late on Monday. 

08/16/2012 REPRESENTATIVE PAUL RYAN IS AN AVID HUNTER

One of the strong opinions held by the presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, is that he is very, very pro-gun. His passion for hunting and for gun rights could make a critical difference in battleground states. His firearm credentials are unimpeachable. When the Wisconsin congressman announced his engagement to be married in 2000, the New York Times reports, the notice in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel stated: "Ryan is an avid hunter and fisherman who does his own skinning and butchering and makes his own Polish sausage and bratwurst." Ryan reportedly slays deer with bow and arrow as well as rifle. Doubt not, however, his fidelity to firearms and opposition to tougher gun control. The Times reports: "He voted in 1999 against a proposal that would have established more stringent requirements for background checks on people buying firearms at gun shows. He voted last year for a gun-rights bill under which a permit to carry a concealed firearm in one state would be valid in almost every other state." 

08/14/2012 SPANISH PUBLIC SAY "NO" TO CAPTIVE DOLPHINS

More than 9 out of 10 Spanish citizens want a ban on keeping dolphins in captivity. A massive 87% believe that dolphins are "happier" in the wild. July 2012. International NGOs from across Europe launched "SOS Delfines," a campaign aimed at convincing the Spanish Government to phase-out the country's captive dolphin facilities and raising greater public awareness of the plight of captive dolphins in entertainment-focused marine parks. Spain has the largest number of captive dolphin facilities in the European Union, with 90 dolphins, 2 beluga whales and 6 orcas in 11 facilities. The majority are located in popular tourist resorts such as Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands, as well as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga.

08/13/2012 EPCOT FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL TO DEBUT FIRST VEGAN MARKET

Walt Disney World's 17th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is getting a little fresher and greener this year by debuting its first ever vegan marketplace. Epcot, known for celebrating different cultures and countries from all over the world, is embracing all sorts of food and beverages at their festival and this time the park is implementing veganism into its Marketplace. Terra Marketplace will offer vegetable-based culinary dishes with help from Gardein, a company that offers plant-based foods that taste similar to meat. Dishes such as, chili Colorado with chips and cashew cheese with Gardein beefless tips and chocolate cake with passion fruit sorbet and coconut foam will be provided. Organic and sustainable wines created by Paul Dolan will also be available, including a sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. Silk, known for its soymilk products, will also offer a berry smoothie at Terra. Epcot festival begins on Sept 28 and will end on Nov 12 at Epcot, located in Orlando, Fla. 

08/11/2012 "BONES" TO AIR EPISODE ABOUT KEEPING EXOTIC ANIMALS AS PETS

FOX's popular forensic anthropologist/FBI thriller "Bones" starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz is planning an episode about the issues behind keeping exotic animals as pets in Season 8, Vegetarian Star reports. Stephen Nathan, executive producer of the hit series, revealed to TVLine his plans to craft an episode around the topic. "It's a story about smuggling endangered species into the states as pets. In fact, what is horrifying is that there are more tigers as pets in Texas than there are in the wild. So we’re doing a story about animal smuggling that takes place in one of those pet expos." Deschanel, who plays "Bones" aka Brennan on the show, will surely take kindly to this episode as she is a huge animal advocate and vegan. She has stuck to her guns when it comes to not eating meat and protecting animals. In April, she was even honored for her farm animal advocacy by Mercy for Animals. No word on when the episode will air, but be sure to tune in and watch the Season 8 premiere on September 17 at 8 P.M. EST. 

08/10/2012 IAN SOMERHALDER BACKS UN'S AGENDA AGAINST ANIMAL SMUGGLING

Actor and animal activist Ian Somerhalder is probably one of the most influential voices on Twitter, and this time he used his huge platform to praise a discussion on animal issues at the the United Nation's agenda meeting. Issues such as the smuggling of elephant ivory and rhino horn, tiger conservation and illegal trading of great apes were being talked about at the United Nations-backed meeting in Geneva. Somerhalder tweeted, "YES! It should be! RT @actionforplanet: Elephant ivory and rhino horn on the agenda at United Nations-backed meeting." Around 350 participants were in attendance for the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The week-long meeting continued to discuss the matter of poaching these unique creatures, in addition to the over-exploitation of freshwater turtles and tortoises, frogs and plants from Madagascar and Asian snakes used in the leather industry. 

08/10/2012 JAMES CAMERON'S VEGAN NEW ZEALAND FARM

Earlier this year James Cameron scooped up more than 2,500 acres of pristine New Zealand paradise. His new property not only includes one of the largest, privately-owned fresh water lakes in the country, but also a massive former dairy farm. As part of the purchase agreement, the New Zealand government required that Cameron and his family continue to run part of the property as a farm. The expectation was that 57-year-old might pick up the dairy operation but in a new interview with the NY Times, he's decided to go in the opposite direction. From the article: "But the current operation - built mostly around cows - poses a problem for Mr. Cameron, who said his wife, Suzy Amis, had pushed him and their children toward a plant-based diet. 'So we're looking for something more crop based,' Mr. Cameron explained. 'I don't want to be a hypocrite.'" Cameron also added that he’s already looking into improving the soil quality on his property for his new crops.

08/09/2012 POLAR BEAR MOM HELPS HER CUB CLIMB ONTO THE ICE

The necessity of environmental protection has arguably never been more apparent, but at least the sobering warning comes with a warm fuzzy. During a recent scientific excursion to the Arctic, a video taken by the RRS James Clark Ross captured an adorably tender moment between a mother polar bear and one of her cubs. In addition to studying the effects of surface ocean acidification on organisms such as bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton, on its the sojourn the crew studied "how the sea interacts with the atmosphere to influence global climate." Because they hunt on ice, climate change is particularly important to polar bears, whose populations were classified by the US Department of the Interior as "threatened" in 2008. Persistent melting ice has resulted in loss of polar bear habitats and is thought to be a contributing factor to reports of uncharacteristic cannibalism among polar bears.

08/09/2012 SKIN CANCER APPEARS IN AUSTRALIAN FISH

Strange lesions are showing up in coral trout in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. In a new paper in the journal PloS One researchers found that 15% of reef fish tested showed signs of melanomas. This is a high occurrence, given that many of the fish with this condition may have already been eaten by predators or perished due to the illness. This is the first time skin cancer has been documented in a wild marine fish species, but in the laboratory another species exposed to high UV radiation showed similar lesions, and they lived greatly reduced life spans. The authors note that the occurrence of the melanomas was likely due to increased UV radiation and the proximity of the fish to the hole in the ozone layer which occurs over portions of Australia and Antarctica. The people of Australia already suffer huge health risks from skin cancer, topping the world in the occurrence of this illness.

08/08/2012 DRIVERS OF HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES CLASH WITH ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Tourists and shoppers in central Rome looked on in astonishment at the weekend as horse-drawn carriage drivers traded blows with animal rights activists in the busy Piazza di Spagna. Three people were arrested – reportedly including the president of a European animal rights group – and five were taken to hospital. The other two arrested were drivers of botticelle, the horse-drawn carriages that have become an increasingly anachronistic sight on the streets of the Italian capital. Sticks and bottles were said to have been in used in the fight, which began after animal welfare activists protested over a lack of thermometers in come carriages. Under a recently approved by-law, botticelle are not allowed to take on passengers if the temperature is above 40C (104F).Two of the carriage drivers were fined as a result.

08/08/2012 CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON SENDS FIRST MESSAGE TO SUPPORTERS SINCE DEPARTING GERMANY

For the first time since the world began speculating why Captain Paul Watson made the decision to forfeit his bail and depart Germany after being held there under house arrest for 70 days, the Captain himself is speaking out. He relayed a message to Sea Shepherd headquarters over the weekend, asking that it be provided to his supporters. You can read the complete message here.

08/07/2012 ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER WALRUS CALF CHARMS CARETAKERS

The Pacific Walrus calf, who's believed to be between four and six weeks old, was spotted floating on a patch of ice by a local fisherman in Barrow, Alaska, on July 21. Once a clearance was secured from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he was flown to Anchorage, and then loaded onto a special truck for the final, 125-mile leg of his journey to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. If there's one thing that the dedicated staff has learned already, it's that this calf sure isn't crazy about alone time. According to Zooborns, not only is he not shy about seeking out affection, but he's quick to vocalize his displeasure when he's left alone. Veterinarians at the Alaska SeaLife Center say that this calf appears to be in good condition, but they are continuing to address some concerns. But his future looks promising, given how eager he is to drink from a bottle, gulping down about 1.5 liters of formula every three hours!

08/07/2012 THE MILITARIZATION OF AFRICA'S ANIMAL POACHERS

Driven by growing demand from China and Asia, the illegal trade in ivory, rhino horn, tiger bone and other endangered species is skyrocketing. In Asia, seizures of tiger parts have quadrupled over the past decade - a figure that reflects increasing trade as much or more than it does improved law enforcement. With an estimated global value of at least $8 billion annually, the trade in endangered species has long been linked to organized, transnational crime. However, as demand escalates and prices rise, the poaching that supplies the trade has become militarized in ways that pose a serious security threat to weak governments, particularly in Central Africa. Increasingly, militias, insurgents and even terrorist groups are using the easy money from wildlife crime to buy arms and fund insurgencies that claim lives, hurt economies, and sow instability in states that lack the military capacity to respond.

08/06/2012 VEGAN TOURS OFFERS PLANT-BASED EATERS A CHANCE TO SEE NEW YORK CITY VEGAN STYLE

When dining out, locating vegan fare that consists of more than just a piece of lettuce with a spritz of vinegar and olive oil can be daunting. It's really too bad someone in the plant-based culinary know doesn't offer a service in which they could show you the local vegan eateries. Well if you either live in or are visiting the upper west side of New York City you are in luck, thanks to Vegan Tours - a company that "introduces people to amazing vegan cuisine." For starters it's a three hour walking tour that begins with a little green juice to help patrons prepare for the plant-based food extravaganza that follows. While on the tour you will enjoy a slice vegan style, an entrée sampling, the best vegan burger, chai and a croissant and will conclude with a "surprise." Tours occur on Fridays 4 to 7 P.M. and cost $90 per person. 

08/06/2012 COSMETICS COMPANIES BACKSLIDE ON PLEDGE TO BE CRUELTY-FREE

Actor, comedian, and HSUS/Humane Society International supporter Ricky Gervais spoke out against cosmetics companies that are sacrificing their principles in order to access the Chinese market. Yves Rocher, L'Occitane, Mary Kay and Caudalie have now been removed from the internationally recognized Leaping Bunny.org list of cruelty-free companies for their change in policy. To their great credit, Urban Decay and Paul Mitchell have maintained their policies and vowed not to sell products there until China flips its position. "Like me, most people will be shocked to learn that testing cosmetics on animals is often still a legal requirement in China," Gervais said. "By law, rabbits must have cosmetic chemicals dripped in their eyes or spread over their sensitive skin, causing sores and bleeding. It makes me really angry that this is still going on, and it makes me particularly angry that some previously cruelty-free companies are abandoning their principles and returning to animal testing in order to profit from the Chinese market."

08/04/2012 AIR CHINA STOPS SHIPPING MONKEYS TO LABORATORIES

Following a vigorous PETA campaign that included complaints to the government, thousands of e-mails and phone calls, and public protests, Air China has confirmed to PETA that it is joining China Southern Airlines, China Airlines, and dozens of other leading companies in the cargo and passenger airline industry worldwide in refusing to transport monkeys to laboratories. "China is the source of more than 70 percent of monkeys imported to the U.S. for use in cruel experiments - and now that Air China is no longer participating in this bloody trade, U.S. experimenters will find it harder to get their hands on more victims," says PETA Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "PETA will continue to pressure airlines worldwide to follow Air China's lead and stop delivering primates to certain suffering and death."

08/04/2012 HOW TAR SANDS EXTRACTION IS DESTROYING THE PLANET

If you were to fly over the Canadian boreal forest, you'd come across an environmental manmade disaster that stretches for hundreds and hundreds of miles, and is large enough to be visible from space. Bituminous sands, also known as tar sands or oil sands, are found naturally occurring in the Earth. They are mixtures of water, sand and clay that are saturated with extremely thick bitumen petroleum, and they have become commonly known as "tar" sands due to the thick, tarry appearance, smell and color of the bitumen. Besides the environmental and human impact, there is no doubt that the natural wildlife of the boreal rainforest is suffering too due to the expanding tar sands industry. Aside from the mass deforestation which has occurred, animals that require large expanses of forest to survive, such as caribou populations, have also declined in recent decades. One report estimated that the impact of strip mining on bird life due to habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation could harm as many as 14.5 million breeding birds, or 76 million birds over a 30 to 50 year period. 

08/03/2012 BOUVRY EXPORTS PLANS TO REOPEN U.S. HORSE SLAUGHTER PLANT

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), Animal Law Coalition has learned that Bouvry Exports, which has the largest horse slaughter operation in Canada, has obtained an application for FSIS inspections. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act the inspections are required in the U.S. for horses that are to be slaughtered for human consumption. FSIS approval and agreement to provide inspectors would be an important step for Bouvry Exports in opening a U.S. facility to slaughter horses for human consumption. Washington animal welfare organizations representing thousands of state citizens have come together in an effort to prevent a horse slaughter facility from opening. Legislation is likely to be introduced soon at the county as well as state level.

08/03/2012 MERCY FOR ANIMALS "WHY LOVE ONE BUT EAT THE OTHER?" CAMPAIGN TOURS US

Mercy for Animals took the Northeast by storm over the past few weeks, conducting a series of thought-provoking "Why Love One but Eat the Other?" demonstrations - featuring a massive inflatable puppy crammed inside a hamburger bun - to spark debate over why we call some animals pets and others dinner. At each stop, MFA's national campaign coordinator Phil Letten was joined by local activists wielding signs that read, "Boycott animal abuse. Choose vegetarian." The Northeast tour took our compassionate message to the Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg, and Providence, and the Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York cities of Boston, Hartford, Albany, and Binghamton, as well as the New York City borough of Brooklyn, where our crew held a protest against Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

08/02/2012 SHARK PARADISE FOUND IN AUSTRALIA

A human hunger for shark fin soup, fisheries and other human-related activities threaten sharks worldwide, but researchers have identified one place where sharks appear to rule, living out their lives in tropical splendor. The location, Cleveland Bay, is a coastal habitat located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park on the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia. The bay is home to numerous different shark species, but the study, which will be published in the August issue of Fisheries Research, focused primarily on two: pigeyes (Carcharhinus amboinensis) and spottails (Carcharhinus sorrah). Sharks at Cleveland Bay are doing so well, according to lead author Danielle Knip, because of the success of two large Conservation Park zones established in the region.

08/02/2012 YOUNG GORILLAS WORKED TOGETHER TO DISMANTLE THE POACHERS' TRAP THAT KILLED THEIR FRIENDS

Just days after a poacher's snare had killed one of their own, two young mountain gorillas have been spotted working together to take apart poachers traps. Staff at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund were stunned when they spotted the plucky young duo, called Dukore and Rwema, destroying a trap in their forest home. "This is absolutely the first time that we've seen juveniles doing that," Veronica Vecellio, gorilla program coordinator at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund's Karisoke Research Center told National Geographic. "I don't know of any other reports in the world of juveniles destroying snares. We are the largest database and observer of wild gorillas ... so I would be very surprised if somebody else has seen that. Today we can proudly confirm that gorillas are doing their part too!" Staff at the park were still reeling from the death of a young gorilla called Ngwino who was caught in a snare. The young animal was found too late by workers from Karisoke, and died of snare-related wounds. 

08/01/2012 KRISTIN BAUER CREATING DOCUMENTARY TO END POACHING

The actress Kristin Bauer is extremely passionate about animals and is currently creating a documentary to educate others about elephant and rhino poaching, in addition to finding a solution that will finally end this horrific act. "Out for Africa" is a documentary created by van Straten and her husband to tell a story "about the people, the land and the horrific Elephant Ivory and Rhino horn poaching that is at an all time high since it was banned in 1989," she reveals on Kickstarter. With assistance from a camera crew, they will speak with Kenyans, experts and heroes about what is happening, solutions and how others can lend a hand. 

The number of news found: 42.

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