A shark found off the coast of Greenland is the oldest known vertebrate in the world. The shark is an impressive 400 years old. To put this sharks life into the perspective, the shark was living when a lot of events in history were happening. World War 2. World War 1. The sinking of the Titanic. The Victorian Era. And even the Gunpowder Plot, which sought to dispose of King James of the United Kingdom. This shark is living history. And has lived a very long time! The future for the Greenland shark is not so optimistic though. According to the IUCN Red List, a group which monitors and lists species from endangered to threatened. Has said that the Greenland shark is threatened with extinction. Scientists have described the Greenland shark as an ''ionic species''. We won't argue with that. They are an iconic species. The fast food chain McDonald's is being urged to ban products, such as milk and meat, which come from animals which have been treated with antibiotics. Scientists have urged McDonald's to ban these products because they believe 23,000 Americans have been killed by such products. A new online campaign is putting pressure on McDonald's to ban animal products which use antibiotics, like cheese and meat. Scientists believe that using antibiotics in farm animals can cause superbugs. They also believe that it can kill people, therefore, pose a risk to human health. McDonald's has already made some development in this area. Last year they stated that they would stop using poultry which had been treated with antibiotics. They said in 2015 that poultry with antibiotics would be removed from their menu within two years. Now McDonald's has been urged to stop the use of other animals which have antibiotics give to them. They have issued a statement saying: "We continue to regularly review this issue," One such charity focusing on stopping antibiotics being overused, and used unnecessarily, is the charity Compassion in world farming. We now have to wait and see if McDonald's, and other restaurant chains, such as KFC, will stop using these products. Tomorrow is the 'Glorious Twelve'. The Glorious Twelve is on the 12th of August every year. It is a day were Grouse birds are shot. The day is called the 'Glorious Twelve' because it is a day which marks the start of the shooting season. Usually the birds which are shot are Red Grouse and Black Grouse. It is a day which is very big on the hunting and shooting calendar. The two well-known days on the hunting and shooting calendar are The Glorious twelve and the Boxing Day Hunts. Both of the events are controversial. The Glorious Twelve may be immoral, however, it is legal. Under the Game Act of 183. The only time when shooters are not allowed to shoot birds on the Glorious Twelve, is if the 12th falls on a Sunday. The Grouse shooting season starts with the Glorious Twelfth every year. And it ends in December. Therefore, bird shooting season runs fromAugust to December every year in the UK. The birds that are shot are not wild birds, but birds rared especially for the event. Given that the birds are essentially domesticated with no awareness to ope in the wild. And, they fall into a false sense of security, by trusting the humans who breed them. The birds have no chance of surviving when released. Despite the name of the 'Glorious Twelfth' the twelfth is not so glorious. Not for the birds anyway. Thousands of Grouse are killed every year through this sik event. In the 21st century UK, Grouse shooting shames us as a country. There is no need to inflict unnecessary cruelty onto creatures. Especially not in the name of 'fun'. The Victorians may have started Grouse shooting. But, like many things from the Victorian era, it should stay in the past. AuthorJennifer Johnstone A new study by scientists has found that farming harms wilflife and climate change, more than anything else does.
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Efforts to breed this bird are encouriging. It is also essential to their survival.
What is not so encouraging is the news of these two chicks death. It is sad for the animals. Ad, it is sad for conservation efforts to save these birds. Perhaps future attempts to save the bird will be more successful. |
The conservation effort was carried out by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. A charity which aims to protect wetlands. And rare wetlands birds.
This is the first that anyone has tried to breed this species of bird. Perhaps this is, or partly the reason why the chicks did not make it - due to inexperience.
However, they do not know what killed the birds. So, it may have been a natural cause of death. The wildlife charity will be carrying out postmortems o both of the chicks to determine the cause of death.
The Borneo Orangutan is now a Critically Endangered species. New studies have found.
The study was done by the International Union For Conservation(IUCN). Who document species from all over the world.
The IUCN said that the Borneo Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus) have an ''extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.''
They went on to say in their published paper about the Orangutan that:
“This is full acknowledgement of what has been clear for a long time: orangutan conservation is failing,”
There are several reasons why the Borneo Orangutan is now Critically Endangered. Mostly, they have became endangered through hunting and habitat erosion.
Habitat erosion is the main driving force behind the species decline. It is happening through logging, both illegal and legal. But also through forest fires being started deliberately, to clear the land. Which has led to 59% of the forests not being suitable for the Orangutans.
The IUCN found that there would be an 86% decline in the Borneo Orangutan by the year 2025.
Orangutans now face a real threat of extinction in our life time. It is estimated that there are now only around 45,000 Borneo Orangutans left in the wild.
Written and researched by Jennifer |
New research from Queens University has found thatGoats are as clever as dogs.
The research found that goats were as good at communicating with people, just as much as dogs were. They found that goats respond to humans and communicate with them.
The researchers also shed light on the intelligence of goats. Showing that goats were good at problem solving. And, they tried to problem solve WITH the help of humans.
The research sheds light on how intelligent goats are. But, those of use who pay attention to animals, realize animals are intelligent. You just have to be around animals to see and know how intelligent they are. :)
Why and how such an event can exist in the 21st century is beyond mind-boggling. I can't even begin to imagine which monsters attend such an event. What type of person gets their kicks out of terrifying a defenseless bull? What type of person likes to torture a bull? What kind of person gets a sick kick out of guiding a bull to a bull ring to see a bull so violently and helplessly being stabbed to death? I can't begin to relate to a person which functions on that mentality.
For normal people death and suffering are things which sadden us. Which makes us feel pain and gloom. No normal person thinks that suffering is something to get excited about. But, those who attend bull fights and runs seem to get excited about the suffering and death of fellow sentient beings.
Not only are these people a danger to animals, but, I believe that such monsters are dangerous to other people.
You get the feeling that these types of people, who attend bullfights, are also the types of people who would get some morbid kick out of watching people being burned at the stake, or seeing people swing to their death.
The people who 'enjoy' bull fights or bull runs are psychopaths. The definition of a psychopath is someone who lacks empathy (and remorse). If someone gets a kick out of watching a bull being stabbed to death, then clearly they are a psychopath.
The opposite of a psychopath is someone who can empathize with others, man and animal. And, I think that is where many of us are, we fall into sharing empathy with animals, particularly the bull in this case. That empathy makes me feel deeply sad for the fear, pain and death that these animals will face in the coming days. I wish I could save these bulls, prevent their death, it pains me that I can't. All I, and others who share my few can do is make a future world which does not see such barbaric activities happen.
When we think of humanity as a 'civilized' group, we need to stop and think about whether we really are or not. When we have blood bath activities like bullfights/runs then quite clearly we are not civilized. Neither are we intelligent. Because, intelligence requires us to see that animals are like us in many ways, they share our emotions and they are consciously aware of their surroundings. Do those who support bullfights not see that? Or, do they see that? And, if they do see that, that makes their quest for bloodshed and torturing a sentient being even more terrifying and alarming.
Bullfights are not natural. They are a callous attempt to inflict as much harm on an animal as possible. It is where spectators go to an event to see an animal suffer. Seeing pictures of bulls in this way is enough to make me feel sick and sad. Watching such an event is something I couldn't do. Seeing pictures and reading about what happens is enough for me, more than enough. But, that doesn't mean I, or we shouldn't work to end this barbaric blood bath activity.
Bullfight or bull runs is not an activity. It is not culture. It may be tradition, but, like other traditions, it should be consigned to the history books. And, one day, that is what will happen. It is with deep regret that day can't be today.
China has defended its use of wild animals in what it calls'traditional medicine'.
In China the law on wild animals being used in traditional medicine is complex. In 1993 the Chinese government banned the use of Rhino horns and Tiger horns. Despite the ban, the illegal trade still continues. However, the Chinese government does not go far enough to stop wild animals being used in medicines. For example, it is totally legal in China that Tiger farms exist.
And, many Tiger farms do exist in China. These farms are damaging for two reasons. The first is that it puts pressure on an already endangered species. And secondly, the issue of animal rights. The Tigers of these farms are not being breed and do not exist to help preserve the species. They exist to use Tiger bones in things such as wine, Tiger wine and their skins are used for rugs.
These farms do not only encourage the abuse and killing of Tigers, they are thought to also contribute to the traditional medicine industry in China. Meaning that parts of these Tigers from Tiger farms end up in medicine.
The Chinese government have said that they will be 'substituting' Tiger products. The head of China's environment and resources protection committee said:
"If in the future original products from wild animals are all substituted, our Chinese medicine perhaps won't be of any use anymore. This issue needs to be discussed by us Chinese people,"
Wildlife laws in China have banned the use of wild animals being used in things such as medicine. However, the gesture is meaningless. The law useless. There is no punishment for those who violate such laws. Tiger farms exist. In theory, wild animals, such as Tigers are banned from being used in China. In practice though, wild animals, including Tigers are still used and exploited.
Baby animals keep dying because people keep picking them up, officials claim.
One animal which had recently being killed because of a misunderstanding, was in Washington America, were a woman picked up a seal, thinking it was abandoned.
This follows another story about a seal which was picked up but a couple, who thought the seal was abandoned. They took the seal away to look after him/her, and returned the seal the following day to the sea. But however, the seal died.
Many times people will picked up baby animals thinking that the baby animal has been abandoned. However, it is most likely that the animals mother is very nearby, and therefore looking after the animal.
If you see a baby animal, it is advised by officials to leave the animal alone, as the animal is not abandoned. And there mother is likely not far away. If the animal appears injured, then of course take the animal to a nearby veterinarian. But, if not, just leave the animal alone, the mother will return.
This seems to be a new trend which has occurred. Where people are taking animals such as dolphins, or baby sharks out of the water, and taking selfies with them.
People are increasingly taking marine animals, especially mammals, out of the water, carrying them about, or pinning them down to take selfies. This is cruel, and should be avoided. The animal also could die, either with being taken out of their environment, or die from the stress of the interaction from humans.
The animal is also particularly vulnerable if they are a baby. The mother, or the group of the particular animal could and probably will abandon the baby, because of the interaction with humans it's had.
So, unless a wild animal is injured and needs a vet, please do not pick them up, and take selfies with them.
Each night too many cats are put on death row. These cats are not put on death row by Action For Earth, but, mainly by government bodies. And, surprisingly enough, animal charities themselves.
It is usually the most well known, well respected and well funded animal charities which put cats (dogs and other animals) on death row. Or, kills them.
It is surprisingly common that the most well known animal charities tar themselves with the brush of killing pets who are; homeless, disabled or sick. PETA is probably the most well known animal charity, who campaigns publicly that it is against the killing of animals. Yet, it is not. PETA publicly states that they are in favour of killing pets who are homeless, arguing that no kill shelters are worse. This comes from a charity who receives around $60 million annually. An amount which could save the majority of animals that it kills.
They are not very transparent on the nature of their euthanasia policies. Silent are there social media accounts on the matter. Probably because there would be a backlash against them. And there funds would decline. Can these charities truly champion for animals when behind the scenes death is such a common feature. Euthanize, the short term easy solution, rather than putting the funds and the efforts into solving the problem long term.
To euthanize these pets is not only immoral, it simply doesn't work. If it did, then decades of killing homeless pets would have worked by now. It hasn't. Advocating that a kill-policy works for homeless pets is like a hamster running around a wheel, the wheel is moving, but it's not going anywhere. While major animal charities such as PETA, campaign against no-kill shelters, they actually just encourage kill shelters and people to dump their pets in kill shelters.
If animal charities are to be taken seriously as a champion for animals and animal rights, then, they must practice what they preach. Meaning, saving cats on death row. If they do not, then how can they perused people to stop eating meat? They can't. Because commonly you see on articles is that 'If PETA can kill pets, then why can't I eat animals which have been killed for food?'
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