‘Wild Animals’ Category

« Older Entries

EXPOSED: Japan buys votes for whaling!!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

British newspaper ‘The Sunday Times’ led an investigation in to allegations that Japan has been bribing smaller nations to vote in favour of allowing commercial whaling to recommence after a 24 year ban!

Many land-locked and/or poor countries have recently joined the International Whaling Commission after receiving large sums of  ‘aid’  from Japan and several countries have admitted they vote ‘pro-whaling’ because of the ”help” Japan has given them.

You can read the article in full here.

It appears that Japan is recruiting small nations in need of financial aid to join the whaling commission to bolster the number of pro-whaling votes. When the ban came in to place in 1986 anti-whaling countries far out-numbered pro-whaling nations. However over the years more pro-whaling nations have joined the commission – some of them completly land-locked.  Most of the anti-whaling nations are European with the notable exceptions of Denmark and Norway. However Europe must vote as a block and if they can’t agree all 22 European members will have to abstain from the vote – further bolstering Japans chances of success!

Tags:
Posted in Animals & Politics, Uncategorized, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Give Whales A Voice @ IWC

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) will be meeting on 21st June to discuss a possible lifting of the commercial whaling ban. The IWC regulates the whaling industry and is responsible for the ban on commercial whaling which came in to force in 1986.  However the commission is largely focused on regulating the whaling industry so that it can be sustainable and the ban had little to do with animal welfare. Whale stocks were hunted to near extinction and a ban was necessary.  However three countries; Japan, Norway and Iceland have continued to hunt whales. Iceland and Norway have objected to the ban and set their own hunting quotas – ignoring international law. Japan operates it’s whaling industry under the guise of ’scientific’; research – the ban allows for limited whaling in the interest of scientific research. Australia have recently filed a suit claiming that Japanese whaling has nothing to do with science and is more commercially motivated.

At the upcoming meeting members will vote on a deal which will see the end to the ban and legitimize commercial whaling. The proposal would allow the three countries that have defied the ban to hunt legally provided they kill less whales than they have been doing illegally. This is a ridiculous proposal, it’s like telling a criminal that their activities are no longer illegal but as a trade-off they can no longer commit the crime so often. Firstly they probably won’t listen because they have already shown they have no respect for the law. Secondly, the international community should not bow to bully nations throwing their weight around. Thirdly, it completely disregards the fact that whaling is inherently inhumane and as such should not be inflicted on any number of whales.

How to Help

I have scouted around the net for various ways you can show governments and the IWC that you do not want to lift the ban on commercial whaling:

1. Everybody can sign this petition to the Norwegian Government  here

2. Everybody can join WSPA Australia’s campaign to give the whales a voice. They are asking everyone to record messages to the International Whaling Commission which they will take to the meeting on June 21st here

3.  In America you can write a letter to your senator asking them to support the International Whale Conservation Protection Act here. The USA is as ever a key decision maker and it id vital that they vote against lifting the ban.

4.  Email the International Whaling Commission to tell them what you think at secretariat@iwcoffice.org

5. In this international community it is important that we all show our national representatives how we feel.  You can find the name of the representative of your country in the IWC  here.  Please contact them and tell them how you would like your country to vote.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Animal Welfare in Action, Animals & Politics, Animals in the News, Wild Animals | 1 Comment »

Australia Files Law Suit Against Japan over Whaling

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

Australia took a decisive step to protect whales, filing a suit in the International Court of Justice against Japan’s “scientific whaling” in the Southern Ocean. The suit seeks an injunction to bar Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean Whaling Sanctuary a 50-million square kilometer area surrounding the continent of Antarctica, where the IWC has banned all types of commercial whaling.

This news comes as the International Whaling Commision meet to discuss a possible compromise with whaling nations that would allow them  to resume commercial whaling with the understanding that they abide by quotas. The IWC is the body responsible for the management of whaling and its main purpose is to regulate the whaling industry. Established in 1946, in 2008 it has over 79 member countries.

Australia claims that Japan has abused its right to conduct scientific research whaling under Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, which provides for a scientific exemption. They also assert that Japan has breached the terms of CITES by hunting endangered whale species.  In 2008-09 Japan killed 1,004 whales, including 681 in the Southern Ocean. Since the moratorium came into effect, more than 33,000 whales have been killed under the scientific exemption clause.

The Australians are willing to call Japanese whaling what it is — a mockery of science and a crime against nature. Lets hope the rest of the international community back them up on this one!

Tags: ,
Posted in Animals in the News, Uncategorized, Wild Animals | No Comments »

What does new British government mean for fox-hunting?

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

Ok, so bad news first – the Conservative party are the largest party in British government with 307 seats. The good news is that they needed at least 323 to form a majority government and therefore had to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Why is this good news? Well, because the Conservatives and Liberals couldn’t be further apart ideologically. The conservatives look after the landed classes and people with money in general, wanting to lower taxes on the rich, cut back on public spending and most importantly to me, repeal the fox-huting ban – favourite past time of the ‘old money’ landowners. On the other hand the Liberal Democrats care about people and to some extent animals too.

Unfortunately as part of the coalition agreement, on page 18 it states,  ”We will bring forward a motion on a free vote, enabling the House of Commons to express its view on the repeal of the Hunting Act.” So it appears likely that a vote on the issue will come up in parliament at some point in the next five years – provided the coalition makes it that far. However the Liberals are anti fox-hunting and don’t have to vote with the conservatives to repeal the ban. Labour brought the ban in to place and won’t want to see it repealed either. Hoever there may be other marginal parties that will side with the conservatives on the issue and it could be a very close contest.

As luck would have it a timetable for such a vote failed to materialise in the Queen’s Speech, effectively indicating that it was no longer a priority and had been shelved! This is possibly because they would be heavily criticised for prioritising a law that affects few people and is effectively about a past-time  when the country is facing a massive financial deficit and their are more universally important issues to address. It also might cause unnecessary friction with the Liberals.

So, it looks like the foxes are safe to live another day – for now! But we must not get complacent and we must continue to show that many more people oppose fox-hunting than support it. The country-side alliance is making more noise on the issue because they don’t have their way, we must not let them manipulate the issue. So 4000 members of the country-side alliance want fox hunting back – there are 70 million people in the UK!

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Animals & Politics, Animals in the News, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Middle-east animal trade can ‘no longer be ignored’

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

The trade in endangered animals is flourishing in the Middle East, fueled by corruption, ineffective legislation and poor law enforcement.

“It’s a problem in the Arab world that we can no longer ignore,” said Marguerite Shaarawi, co-founder of the animal rights group, Animals Lebanon. The group is pushing for Lebanon to join the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), whose signatories are meeting this month in Qatar. It is the first time the 175-nation convention is meeting in an Arab country. Lebanon and Bahrain are the only Arab countries yet to sign the convention.

John Sellar, chief enforcement officer for CITES, said it is difficult to estimate the extent of the illegal trade in the Arab world, but Animals Lebanon estimates that it is the third largest illegal trade in the region, after weapons and drugs.

“Much of the illegal trade that takes place here is of a specialized nature,” Sellar said, citing the example of prize falcons, kept by many Arab sheiks in desert encampments, particularly in the United Arab Emirates. “We’ve also seen some smuggling of very exotic species … like very rare parrots, young chimpanzees, gorillas and leopards that seem to be for the private collections of some of the rich individuals in the Gulf area,” he said.

In September, a 2-year-old lion cub was rescued by members of another local animal welfare organization after he was apparently abandoned off the main road in Beirut by the owner of the pet shop that imported him. The severely dehydrated animal was malnourished with open sores on his body, Attempts were made to save the animal, but it died shortly after it was found.

Find out more about the work of Animals Lebanon here.

Source: Y Net News

Anna Claxton

Tags:
Posted in Animals in the News, Uncategorized, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Cold hearts of Iceland revealed in illegal exports of whale meat

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Icelandic government records state that the country is exporting meat from slaughtered whales to Latvia and Denmark, as well as Japan – in defiance of international law and a global whaling ban.

Data from Statistics Iceland, the source for official Icelandic government statistics, show a number of recent exports of whale products from Iceland to the three countries. Exports to Denmark and Latvia are contrary to EU law, even if the products are re-exported. International trade in whale products is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Exports to Latvia have been confirmed by the Latvian authorities, which have promised a full investigation, which is welcomed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which is deeply concerned about illegal international trade in whale products, particularly due to current discussion over a relaxation of the worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Although both minke and fin whales have been hunted by Iceland in recent years, the products concerned are likely to be from fin whales, an endangered species.

As one of the world’s leading animal welfare organisations, IFAW has representation in 16 countries and carries out its animal welfare work in more than 40. IFAW works from its global headquarters in the United States and focuses its campaigns on improving the welfare of wild and domestic animals by reducing the commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats and assisting animals in distress. IFAW works both on the ground and in the halls of government to safeguard wild and domestic animals and seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of both animals and people. Visit their website here.

Source: PR Canada.net

Anna Claxton

Tags:
Posted in Animals in the News, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Bodge-up and badger

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

The Badger Trust is seeking a judicial review of the Welsh assembly’s decision to begin a trial cull of badgers as part of an attempt to eradicate bovine TB in Wales. Among the supporters of the challenge is the Queen guitarist Brian May, who claimed the decision was based on a “clear misunderstanding” of the science, and said people did not have a right to kill “these beautiful creatures”.

The cull is planned for parts of mid and south-west Wales, and is part of a package of measures including more testing of cattle and stricter restrictions on cattle movement. A high court judge sitting in Swansea is hearing arguments from the trust in favour of a judicial review, which would take place at once if granted.

The trust argues that badgers may only be culled if:

• Such culling would eliminate or substantially reduce the incidence of TB in cattle

• There are no other satisfactory alternative ways of achieving that elimination/substantial reduction

• The cull complies with the international Bern convention, which promotes the protection and conservation of wildlife such as badgers.

Gwendolen Morgan, of Bindmans LLP, which represents the trust, said that the cull would cause a marked increase in bovine TB, as badgers tended to range more widely or to emigrate when their numbers were threatened.

To find out more about badgers and TB, please click here.

Source: BBC

Anna Claxton

Tags:
Posted in Animals in the News, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Palm oil killing orangutans

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Contributed by, Nicola Gothard

This week Green Peace launched a campaign to force Nestle to stop sourcing their palm oil from Sinar Mas – an unethical palm oil supplier which cuts down areas of prime rainforest without government permits for palm oil plantations.

Palm oil is the single biggest threat to the rainforests and the animals which live in them (including the orangutan). The United Nations Environment Programme says palm oil production is the main cause of deforestation, which is occurring at a rate of about 2% per year. The industry could drive the orangutan to extinction within 12 years.Vast tracts of forest are been cleared every year to make way for lucrative palm oil plantations. This kills many animals and displaces others from their homes. In Indonesia, the area of land occupied by palm oil plantations has doubled in the last 10 years. Over the past 60 years Indonesia has lost an area of rainforest three times the size of the UK.  Indonesia is also the world’s third largest carbon emitter, largely as a result of deforestation and the burning of peatlands.

Most UK supermarkets, importers and manufacturers have refused to take action to get their palm oil from less destructive sources.A Friends of the Earth survey showed that 84% of UK companies don’t even know where their palm oil comes from.

In late 2009, Greenpeace released a report alleging that Sinar Mas was clearing rainforest and peatland without permits from the government. Unilever and Kraft both suspended contracts with Sinar Mas subsidiaries as a result. At the time, Nestlé said it would make its own investigations into the matter.  This prompted Greenpeace to target their campaign action on Nestle this week. Nestle have responded by saying that they do not source their palm oil from sinar mas but they did admit to purchasing it from Cargil who source their oil from Sinar Mas. They said they will take corrective action if Sinar Mas don’t answer Greenpeace’s allegations by the end of April. It seems to me like they are  just stalling for more time. If you would like to take action and force Nestle’s hand please visit greenpeace’s website and send their letter to Nesle’s CEO and share on Facebook.

Although other companies have made more of an effort than Nestle; none appear to be blame free. A lot of top brands have made a commitment to source sustainable palm oil by 2015 – this is not really good enough! If  deforestation continues at current rate and doesn’t increase – another 10% of rainforest will have been destroyed by then!  Panarama recently conducted an investigation aptly named ‘dying for a biscuit’ – if you are interested in what they found out, including the results of surveys anwered by top companies click here.

My advice would be to boycott all products containing palm oil until you can be sure that the supply chain is ethical and sustainable!


Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Ethical Eating, Uncategorized, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Bear-faced fight over polar trophy hunting

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Despite recently imposing new quotas on the number of polar bears allowed to be killed, a cross-border dispute is looming between Canada and USA over proposed measures to protect polar bears. The U.S. wants to ban the trade in polar-bear body parts, a proposal that will be considered at a meeting beginning next week of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Canada is currently the only country allowing the sale of bear skins and trophy hunting of the animals, but has sought to improve their record on conservation with more strict quotas and a banning of exports from the Baffin Bay area, which was recognised as an area where hunting was especially prevalent.

Trophy hunting was developed in the 1980s by local governments to promote tourist revenue, and bears were not widely taken by Inuit before the arrival of Europeans. A study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Humane Society International suggests that trophy hunting nets Nunavut Inuit communities only about $1.5-million, or less than 0.1 per cent of the economy. The U.S.-based groups also said only a few dozen people, “at most,” benefit from the hunt.

As further studies are conducted into the possible effects of global warming, the need to get conservation policy relating to polar bears organised correctly becomes all the more apparent, with estimates by USA government biologists suggesting that populations could crash by two-thirds by 2050 because of declining sea ice.

Adopt a polar bear with WWF here.

Source: Goallover.org

Anna Claxton

Tags: , ,
Posted in Animals in the News, Wild Animals | No Comments »

Let them eat seal

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Forget the Winter Olympics, nothing unites Canada’s officials like some bacon-wrapped seal loin. MPs and senators from across the partisan spectrum enjoyed a special luncheon Wednesday, brought together by a menu that featured Canada’s best known furry sea mammal. All the double-smoked bacon wrapping, port reductions and organic vegetable medleys couldn’t mask the meal’s true intention: telling animal rights groups and the European Union to get stuffed, following an EU-wide ban on seal imports, including their pelts, meat, organs and seal oil.

Eating seal meat – which isn’t even an occasional culinary curiosity on most Canadian dinner tables – has become politically fashionable in Canada since Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean sampled a slice of raw seal heart during an Inuit community feast last May in Rankin Inlet. The act set off a storm of protest in Europe while garnering largely positive reviews across Canada, guaranteeing it would be repeated in some form or other.

The Brussels-based International Fund for Animal Welfare dismissed it as a “media stunt” at which “desperate politicians trip over each other to eat seal meat. The fact that the meat is only being consumed for political purposes, and that it needs to be wrapped in double smoked bacon to kill the taste, clearly demonstrates that it is not particularly palatable,” the animal rights group said in a press release.

Source: The Canadian Press

Anna Claxton

Tags: , ,
Posted in Animals in the News, Wild Animals | No Comments »

« Older Entries