Domestic Violence - Cop on Dog Shootings - Extreme.
You’ve just arrived back from a beautiful crisp spring day walk in your local park with two of your canine family members in tow, happy and cheerful you then set about your daily routine tasks as your furry family wait by the gate in your garden.
You decide to quickly take a minute to get some water for the pooches only to arrive back to find a police officer standing at your door. The officer is then greeted by the family canines running up the garden path from the opposite gate happy as Larry, tails wagging. BANG! Your two beloved canines have just had four rounds pumped into both of them, killing them instantly.
The officer has just murdered your dogs for no reason at all, simply because they ran at him, with no aggression showed, no teeth showing, tails “wagging” filled with bundles of joy.
The officer explains he shot them as they ran at him in an aggressive manner from which he feared his life. He then walks away as you’re left to pick up the pieces. An investigation or complaint is launched which turns completely fruitless, your life has just been turned upside down, your companions that you brought up or rescued as pup’s, the bundles of furry joy have been violated and shot dead. Murdered by COP’S suffering from cop on dog syndrome better known as [Breed Specific Legislation]. Discrimination.
What has just been explained to you, is an edited extract from an emotional woman that pleaded with us International Animal Rescue Foundation back in 2012 December to help her get justice for the crimes committed against her dogs.
Name’s will not be given and nor will the incident be described further as she fears retaliation from the police unit or a possible threat from law enforcement officers within an American state for speaking up about the incident.
It almost seems unreal and totally blurred to not even factual to say the least, however it’s more than real and regrettably many canines located within the United Sates of America are being treated in this way if not even worse by law enforcement officers supposedly there to help you and keep the peace. Hell bent though on causing uprising by shooting dead your furry friends that simply barked or just ran up to the officer to greet him/her.
April 2013 saw 210 innocent canines shot dead by American law enforcement officers of which not one of them dogs even showed a threat to the officer, hadn’t bitten or aggressively attacked another human thus giving the officer no reason to shoot, so why shoot them for? This is what many United States citizens clutched with emotion and fear of reprisals to even scared witless into rescuing or purchasing another dog want to know. The debates are growing, people are angry and answers are wanted sooner rather than later with disciplinary proceedings brought against the real aggressor the United States Police Force.
One such case in Colorado back in 2012, involving a canine named Chloe sparked fierce criticism and copious anger over the spate of countrywide dog killing’s by cops.
The case of Chloe was recorded via a “very concerned” neighbour of which the dog showed no threat to the “acting dog warden” that should have been taking care of the dog, rescuing and reassuring the canine that was clearly uneasy with the presence of not just the warden but also cops that had their hands on their pistols as if the dog was armed and dangerous. The dog warden within the video [below] clearly had everything under control, Chloe gradually accepting the presence of the warden yet visibly still timid of the cops nearby.
The canine, named Chloe within the short video clip never flinched, nor really moved. Standing briefly before “shying away”. One could clearly evaluate that Chloe was “scared and worried” but never showed any signs of aggression, was not barking, nor out of control.
The wardens then managed to loop Chloe of which one of the Colorado Police officers tazered “then” shot the dog 4-5 times in the stomach. Chloe was under control though with a catch pole, and at a safe distance, the dog warden had “everything“ under control. Once shot the warden appeared to be shaken, as if to say “what the hell have you just done, I had everything under control“.
So what made the officer decide to then move closer to shoot Chloe?
There is no reason, no illness these officers are suffering and they certainly aren’t singling out just one breed of dog as we have seen in other videos and reports to emails news and media many other innocent canines simply shot dead. American police are taking the law into their own hands thus rendering the owners canine dead.
Many of these incidents are now being captured on video and sent to many domestic animal advocates, rescues and welfare corporations in an attempt to highlight these devastating and emotionally upsetting acts of violence.
May the 17th 2013 J D. Tuccille stated the following, which doesn’t make pleasant reading. The Houston Commanding officer seems arrogant in his manor in answering questions, to even reluctant in some case’s to even cooperate with simple reports of “cop on dog“ and not “dog on cop“.
Video below shows the cowardly attack by police officers on Chloe Dog
Below is the extract;
Most news stories of police shootings of dogs tend to be reported in a vacuum. Even when reporters interview outraged witnesses and discover that the offending pooches — almost invariably described as “pit bulls” — seem to attack officers lightning-fast, under improbably circumstances, after years of restrained behaviour, the shootings are usually treated as isolated incidents. But Scott Noll of KHOU did something a bit different by asking the Houston Police Department how often its officers felt compelled to shoot dogs, and what the outcome was in those cases. The answer? Well, Houston cops shoot a lot of dogs, and they never make mistakes.
The video above shows Star the Pit Bull “type” trying to help it’s owner, what did the police do wrong though?
- Failed to assess what was going on around them sufficiently and why the guy was actually shaking
- Within the 9.4 minutes never did they bother to help the dog, first aid, or sustain blood loss
- Acted correctly however not correctly, the dog could of bitten badly, however they have other weapons. Tazar, and pepper spray. They didn’t back of nor call for a warden. Within the 9 + minute video man nor dog was helped.
- They “knew of the man” they “knew of the dog” why didn’t they act weeks sooner to move any danger source away
- The screaming crowd made issues a lot worse
The report goes on to say;
In fact, the department said it has ruled all 187 officer-involved shootings of dogs since January 1, 2010 as justified. According to departmental records, 121 of those dogs died.
HPD declined to talk about the cases on camera, citing a pending lawsuit arising from one of the shootings. However, a police spokesman said departmental policy authorizes officers to use any force necessary to protect someone in imminent danger of an attack. But the 11 News I-Team found a trail of heartbroken dog-owners that stretches beyond city limits. A review of cases from across the Houston-area revealed at least 228 dogs shot by police and deputies since 2010. Out of that number, 142 dogs died.
All of the cases were justified? KHOU quotes Sgt. Joseph Guerra of the Precinct 6 Constable’s Department expressing a little scepticism of the clean bill of health the department and its neighbours give themselves. “We need to get those officers involved in some mandated training in how to defend before going to deadly force,” says Guerra, who demonstrates non-lethal techniques for distracting dogs.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is officially very down on police justifications for what has been a wave of shootings of dogs in recent years:
Policies that require only that an officer “feel” threatened set a very low threshold for justifying the killing of dogs. In virtually all cases we have examined, internal reviews of dog shootings have ruled them to be justifiable under existing policies, even though several cases have resulted in substantial civil judgments against police departments for wrongful destruction.
Such incidents not only jeopardize the lives of companion animals, but also undermine the reputation of law enforcement agencies in the community.
Police rarely receive any [training] that would allow them to rapidly and realistically assess the degree of danger posed by a dog; nor are they routinely informed about or trained to use any of the wide variety of non-lethal tools and techniques available to them as alternatives to shooting. And yes, police shootings of dogs have been a sufficient trend to elicit a formal report from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services last summer.
The Problem of Dog-Related Incidents and Encounters pointed out that “A recent poll revealed that approximately 53.5 percent of owners consider their dogs family members, another 45.1 percent view them as companions or pets, and less than 1.5 percent consider them mere property” on the way to emphasizing that Americans like their dogs and so killing them as a matter of casual policy upsets people.
The report also emphasized that serious dog bites are rare, and no particular breed is especially dangerous, so police have little reason to feel fear out of hand when encountering your average canine.
The report even offers some examples for interpreting doggy body language. It ultimately concludes that, dogs being an important part of American life, police might consider taking the time to learn how to deal with them. Shooting a dog should always be the option of last resort.
The safety of fellow officers and bystanders is put at risk in such situations, and when a law enforcement officer shoots a dog that does not constitute a serious threat, community trust is eroded and the department is opened to potential lawsuits and other legal action.
The report can be read here -
http://ric-zai inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P206 you can purchase the report, read the abstract or download the PDF formatted report written by the Department of Justice.
So now we know that Chloe never even posed a threat, was not out of control, nor was she vicious or had even attacked anyone what forced the police officer to then shoot the Chloe even after the dog warden had Chloe under control? What was going through the mind of the officer to make him pull his pistol and shoot not once, nor twice but over three times?
- Was the officer trying to show off?
- Acting on his macho ego?
- Did he feel threatened even though “he” approached Chloe and not Chloe approaching himself?
- Trigger happy?
- Police brutality?
- Breed Specific Legislation - Discrimination?
Please click on the link below to view the emotionally heartbreaking story and video - Cops shoot an old non-violent dog then decide to walk away leaving this poor defenceless woman crying her heart out on the grass next to her dead companion. The canine never committed a single offence, simply scared, and protective of mother and father.
Cowardly police officers shoot animals - Nothing but abuser’s. Please share this news and media page to make aware the hideous crimes being committed against our domestic species.
We ourselves cannot answer that question although we have a very reasonable idea from which stems from being completely uneducated on how to handle a canine that they have come across, to simply being trigger happy.
Moving away from Chloe and focusing on other cases the fact stands at this. There is a rising American trend in canine killings by cops, of which most of these dogs appear to be “pit bull types”. This is pure discrimination of which is most likely being fuelled by the Breed Specific Legislation factor or [BSL].
The problem’s are serious and the nature in which animals are shot is purely over the top and grossly extreme to completely unnecessary. May 2013 in New York it was reported a cop simply took his pistol out and shot the families dog in the face causing extensive injuries. Why the face? Why not the leg? A cop normally when tackling a human shoots to injure so what’s different here?
Police brutality and complete sadism ring’s more than alarm bells here, the rather disturbing report explains to us that the officer within the NYPD (New York Police Department) needs relieving of their duties for an assessment of themselves under the mental health act.
The report is below;
May 2013 - Rochester - New York
Teddy Padilla remembers his wife Ada calling him, but it’s what she told him which still seems surreal. “They police shot Choco!”, Ada told her husband, who raced home to find Rochester, NY Police officers in front of his 97 Bleacker St. home, on Rochester’s east side.
“I pull up to my home and I get out and the first thing I ask the officers is what’s going on, and the officer tells me we had to shoot your dog” Teddy Padilla, his grey long sleeve shirt showing smears of his Choco’s blood.
“I said what do you mean you shot my dog, and the officer, very nonchalant says ‘yep, we had to shoot your dog’, I couldn’t believe it.”
Here’s what is known.
Around 6:00 p.m., Ada Padilla was in her home when she heard Choco, a pit bull terrier, barking. Ada then looked out of an upstairs window and saw a Rochester Police cruiser in front of the house.
“I ran downstairs and the officer was saying ‘Get your dog, get your dog’, and I said to him I’m trying, but the officer kept moving all over the place, then Choco ran in the house and the officer walked up as if to talk to me and Choco came back out but he was never aggressive and he never charged at the officer, it was more like he was [excited but not aggressive] and then the officer that had stayed inside the police car all this time got out of the car, walked up, took out his gun and shot Choco”, said Ada Padilla.
“Then Choco ran inside the house crying and bleeding from his mouth, there was blood everywhere, and he ran inside his crate, scared.”
The Padillas rushed Choco to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic on White Spruce Blvd., where Choco underwent emergency surgery, which will cost the family between $950.00 and $1,200.00.
The officer in the video above could of stayed in his car, he chose to place himself in danger then simply shoot the dog dead in the head for no reason. The dog was nervous and was scared. The officer acted wrongfully and unprofessionally.
There are people who own dogs who should not own dogs. Then there are people like the Padillas. Responsible, loving, dog owners.
I’m sure the RPD officers thought that Choco was just another pit bull in the city. They were wrong. Very wrong. Choco is licensed and registered. Choco is not just a dog. He is a member of the Padilla family. And it shows.
At the clinic, the Padillas were besides themselves, completely distraught.
When I first spoke with Teddy Padilla, on the phone, he was crying, telling me “They shot my dog, they shot my dog, I love my dog!”
Later, back at their home, I met with the Padillas, and I learned something very interesting. Something which was yet more proof of just how responsible the Padillas are as pet owners. Teddy Padilla told me that he had installed a 6 foot high fence on his property. Then, the City of Rochester made him take it down, telling him that the fence could not be more than 3 feet tall. Somehow, Choco got out of his yard Thursday evening. Like dogs do. And two Rochester, NY Police officers showed up.
Then, ironically, the officer who stayed in the patrol car, is the one who gets out and shoots an innocent family dog. Not the primary officer who mistook an energetic dog, for a supposedly ‘aggressive’ one. And just like that, another trigger-happy RPD officer shoots an innocent family dog.
End of report ……
So are we seeing a case of trigger happy cops? Or are we seeing a deliberate set up that not only saw the 6ft fence reduced as it was apparently to high, but what appears to be a “disgruntled neighbour” that may of reported the fence being to high, knowing that there was a “pit bull type” lovable and sociable living within the boundaries of the families home.
Breed Specific Discrimination comes to mind, of which we would be rather interested as to whom reported the fence being to high to then reporting a canine that had bolted the fence later resulting in almost over $2,000 in veterinary treatment to it’s face. By simply reading the extract report above the officer within the car obviously knew something, or he had been tipped off. He knew what to look for, and went in gun’s blazing. We do hope that a Freedom of Information Request report is submitted here as it does regrettably appear that someone within the community has a problem with canines.
Moving back to 2011 we see an even more disturbing case, however this one actually resulted in a police officer being fatally shot at point blank range later resulting sadly in his death.
The officer attended a report of a “disturbance” however what turned out to be a disturbance partially concluded with the cop ordered to shoot “defenceless canines that hadn’t even been involved within the disturbance”. The officer pointed a stun tazar gun at the canines of which the officer was shot dead by the owner.
You can read more here at the Daily Mail UK report. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025812/Police-officer-Robert-Lasso-shot-dead-pointing-stun-gun-mans-dogs.html#ixzz1V83m5wOP
These cases although rare could as explained in the previous reports above show the United States Police force to be somewhat corrupt to even non-trusted which could result in another case such as the case in 2011 within the state of Pennsylvania. The Department of Justice must now get to grips with this gargantuan yet emotionally upsetting problem before another officer loses his life in the line of duty to an innocent canine or bystander hit by a shrapnel or stray bullet.
April 2nd 2013
The Colorado State Justice brought in mandatory proceedings of which all officers must undertake training to now prevent similar tragedies such as the tragic and most upsetting loss murder of Chloe.
Please read below.
The Examiner;
Colorado SB226 has passed the final house vote 64-0 requiring police officers to take mandatory training on dog behaviour. This bill, dubbed the [Dog Protection Act], passed the third reading on April 22 and is now on it’s way for Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to sign. SB226 was passed by the Colorado Senate on April 3, 2013.
Senators David Balmer and Lucia Guzman sponsored the bill which would make deadly force against family dogs an option of last resort. No longer will the police officers of Colorado be allowed to kill family dogs as a line of first defence.
Colorado was in desperate need of such a bill, as more than 30 dogs were shot by police over the past five years. Most of those shot had no prior history of aggression and showed no aggression towards officers at the time they were shot.
Colorado is the first state in the nation to pass this legislation, which will not only require law enforcement officers to attend mandatory training on canine behaviour, it will also allow the dogs owner to control the dog. This has been an issue not just in Colorado, but nationwide.
Family dogs have been killed without giving the owner the opportunity to take the dog to a safe place before speaking with law enforcement personnel. Colorado is known as one of the most dog friendly states in the country, with approximately 46 million households owning at least one dog.
Hopefully other states will follow suit and pass similar legislation to protect family dogs from law enforcement.
End of report……….
So now Bill SB226 is being brought in to the “state of just” [Colorado] we need to desperately push this into every state one at a time, this will then see any officer that decides to use unreasonable and non-justified aggression against a non-violent canine as a punishable offence that could lead to a police conviction, suspension or relived of duties, fined or in worst case scenarios imprisoned should a passer by, member of the household or other be injured by a Colorado Police Officer’s negligence.
Regratablly though even after this bill was passed to the Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper there was another shooting, which resulted in a “service dog” being shot by Dacono Police from which you can read the report below;
An internal police investigation is being conducted after a Dacono, Colorado police officer shot a 3-year old service dog on May 5.
Witnesses to the shooting say the shooting was unnecessary, and the family is demanding answers as their family dog recovers from a gunshot wound to the chest. Mongo, a “pit bull” belonging to Iraq war veteran James Vester, got loose Sunday evening as Vester was doing some work in his yard on MacDonald Street.
Mongo is a [certified emotional service dog] given to James to help alleviate PTSD after returning from the war. A neighbour called police after Mongo escaped and came to her fence and started barking at her dogs.
Since animal control officers are typically off on the weekend, two Dacono Police Department officers took the call. Those police officers have a very different story to tell than neighbours who witnessed the shooting.
According to officers, the dog became aggressive, barking and lunging at the officers.
That’s when officers fired one shot at Mongo, hitting him in the chest with a .45 calibre weapon. Police reported the dog as growling until they shouted and aimed a flashlight at it. After the dog was shot, police say they followed a trail of blood back to the owners home, where the dog allegedly lunged at them again.
Neighbour Heather Viera witnessed the shooting and said Mongo didn’t bark, didn’t growl and didn’t lunge. In an interview to KDVR News, Heather stated “There was no noise at first, I just heard the gunshot — then the dog started crying,” Police ordered her to go in her house.
Another neighbour, Jenny Stevens backed up Heather’s statement “There was no barking. It was dead silent — There was not a bark, there wasn’t a growl,” said Stevens. “The cop did not say stop to the dog, the cop didn’t yell anything.” Dacono Police Chief Matthew B. Skaggs told KDVR that the police have their own witnesses, who claim the officer’s were justified in shooting the family dog. The officer hasn’t been placed on any kind of leave while the investigation takes place. It will take approximately two weeks before the police announce whether the officer did or didn’t have the right to shoot Mongo.
Right now James Vester, who witnessed horrific events during his time in Iraq, is now dealing with the post traumatic stress of watching his best friend get shot when other non-lethal methods were available.
This shooting occurred on the heels of the Dog Protection Act being passed in Colorado, which will require police officer’s to undergo training on dog behaviour. Mongo is in stable condition and expected to survive the shooting.
International Animal Rescue Foundation is not just angered by this but furious and frustrated as we know exactly how these canines behave, how they are trained, from which we have been for over a year now currently fighting to have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome PTSS/PTSD sufferers provided with service dogs of which the USAF defence force stated to us that it wasn’t affordable.
We have though sent many communications and have a petition that one can sign below for ex-service men to be provided with these dogs. Since we have been fighting the Department for Veterans Affairs has now began providing USAF and USAForce with service dogs that are trained in the same manner as dog’s for the blind or other disabilities. We have never seen any such behaviour in any dog of this type that’s been extensively trained and bonded to, with the ex-service men and women that deserve love and kindness from a furry friend.
The petition can be viewed here
Police brutality against all canines now has to cease and all states no matter how tough and possibly corrupt the governor may be or not be must now accept the bill to ensure these killings and woundings with intent are ceased along with Breed Specific Legislation wiped out of the police force just as human racism should be too.
Moving back to Chloe shot dead in 2012 The officer that shot Chloe, Robert Price, is charged with felony animal cruelty and his arraignment hearing has been rescheduled twice. His arraignment was scheduled for May 6, 2013, 8:30 am, Brighton, Colorado. Reports will be updated on this once known.
Deputy Robert Price - Arraignment Hearing Rescheduled Again - For Monday, May 6, 2013 8:30 am Adams County Courthouse Brighton, CO - he actually pleaded NOT GUILTY.
Guided and Important information
Links are attached underneath;
Colorado’s Fraternal Order of Police’s initial positions on Chloe’s case and more shooting’s.
THE CHLOE CASE;
a. “To the untrained eye, and without knowledge of the factual details or the circumstances involved, any use of force by law enforcement is not easy to watch and is often not understood by the general public. This was no different. As a result of this video the officers’ actions were vilified by an uninformed public.”
b. “… criminal charge against a Commerce City police officer who shot and killed a dog “outrageous” and the result “of a sensationalized media event.”
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/01/16/police-union-calls-criminal-charge-in-dog-shooting-outrageous/
2. VIDEO: Denver Post January 22, 2013: Commerce City Officer Who Shot Chloe the Dog Has New Arraignment Date (includes info re: Chloe supporters and media members being sent to wrong courtroom on wrong floor)
3. VIDEO: Personal Video of January 22, 2013: Chloe Supporter Asking for Room To Be Seated: One Chloe Supporter Who Found Correct Courtroom Last Week After Media and Chloe Supporters Were Deliberately Sent To Wrong Courtroom
Up-dated information on Chloe dog’s case will follow;
Update on Chloe Dog case - Updated 1 June 2013 - Please view the link below for more information.
The Commerce City, Colorado police officer that shot Chloe, Robert Price, plead “Not Guilty” to the felony aggravated animal cruelty charges — here’s what happens next:
Read more in the link below and take time to view the raw emotions of what the killer caused to an entire nation of animal lovers. https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForChloeRIP/photos_stream
Read this if your dog was shot during a police raid.
http://www.examiner.com/article/read-this-if-your-dog-was-shot-during-a-police-raid
The National Canine Research Council (NCRC)
www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com
The (NCRC) follows all incidents of law enforcement shooting dogs and is keenly aware of the widespread nature of dog shootings by LE. NCRC’s August 2011 manual was co-authored by an NCRC staff member and advisor for the Department of Justice called “The Problem of Dog-related Incidents and Encounters”
http://cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/e051116358_Dog-Incidents-508.pdf
Law enforcements’ own publication “Law Enforcement Today” warns “Officers need to be concerned about the possibility of a lawsuit being filed if an officer is involved in a dog shooting.
http://www.examiner.com/article/law-enforcement-today-article-warns-police-not-to-kill-family-dogs
http://lawenforcementtoday.com/tag/dog-shooting/
Article titled “Shooting a Suspect’s Pet,” published Thursday, October 13, 2011 on the website called “Law Officer Police and Law Enforcement.”
http://www.lawofficer.com/article/leadership/shooting-suspect-s-pet
Osorio, a former cop, tells them there are dogs in about one in three households — nearly 80 million in all. He says officers shoot about 250,000 dogs a year… often needlessly.
http://www.wfaa.com/news/entertainment/pets/police-receive-animal-training-175691821.html
Quick Overview of Police Shooting Pets: Michigan State University College of Law, Animal Legal & Historical Centre
http://www.animallaw.info/articles/qvuspoliceshootingpets.htm
Damages for Death or Injury of an Animal: Animal Legal Defense Fund Resources.
http://aldf.org/article.php?id=244
What to do when your companion animal has been injured or killed: Animal Legal Defense Fund Resources
http://aldf.org/article.php?id=241
Villos v. Eyre (officers who shot a dog were denied qualified immunity claims).
http://www.animallaw.info/cases/causfd2008wl4694917.htm
Colorado’s “Dog Protection Act” aka SB 13-226, was unanimously passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and will be considered later by the full chamber. There was also a rally today at noon outside the capitol building in Denver, Colorado.
http://www.dailycamera.com/erie-news/ci_22933148/brittany-moore-whose-dog-was-killed-by-erie
Colorado’s “Dog Protection Act aka SB 13-226,
http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-common/mlib/636/03/636_1364211431.pdf
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=636977679652906&set=o.511482865538207&type=1&theater
ASPCA Support of Colorado’s Animal Welfare Legislation
http://www.capwiz.com/aspca/issues/alert/?alertid=62552396&type=ST
Tracking 2013 cases of Dogs Shot by Police on Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForLacy/posts/485995768138529
Part I Video Updated November 2012
Part II Video Family Pets Shot By Law Enforcement
Family Pets Shot By Law Enforcement Continued November 2012
Dogs Shot by Police Video Published on Apr 26, 2012
3. Hearts United In Hope 4 Animals
-GENERAL EDUCATION & SHARING OF INFORMATION TO HELP THE ANIMALS IN OUR WORLD
-COORDINATION OF EFFORTS W/OTHER ANIMAL ADVOCATES & RESCUE GROUPS WORKING TO ATTAIN THE SAME OR SIMILAR GOALS
-PROMOTING & ENCOURAGING REPORTING OF ALL ANIMAL ABUSE, NEGLECT & DOG FIGHTING TO AUTHORITIES
-SHARING OF ANIMAL WELFARE PETITIONS NEEDING SIGNATURES & CIRCULATION..
https://www.facebook.com/heartsunitedforanimals
4. This is a new article on Houston PD shootings of dogs. This news reporter does a very, very good job, very serious. Scroll to time mark about 3min (2min50sec) to get to where the story starts. Adds go until then.
http://reason.com/blog/2013/05/17/all-police-shootings-of-dogs-have-been-j
Travels With Lili - Compassionate animal welfare publication for children 6+
Recently we had the great pleasure of speaking to an inspirational American book publicist, Mr Carl Delvic from the United States that has published an exciting 128 page easy reading fictional children’s book called Travel’s with Lili that is currently on sale at http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Lili-Mr-Carl-Delvic/dp/1481108409 for $9.00 plus postage and packaging.
Carl Delvic based in Dallas, Texas, published the children’s book to highlight the importance of caring for animals within our domesticated and environmental world to the younger generation which is informative, witty and fun, and a great all round read for all budding young book worms from around the world.
We have read extracts from the book and I myself asked my own children what they thought. Their comments were Mum please, pleaseeeeee buy it, I love animals, with my younger daughter of the brood bubbling away at the pictures and smiling like a Cheshire cat.
Travels with Lilly is a must have in all children‘s libraries and upon bookshelves to night time reads too. Fun for both the budding young reader and parents wanting to teach their children both literacy as well as compassionate love for animals, Travels with Lily I and the team here recommend to all parents with children and schools too for furthering animal love, education, literacy and learning, species identification, to education on the importance of animal welfare
The proclaimed author explained to us that he was aiming his book at younger reader’s because he wants to see the next generation mature with a sense of compassion for animals and zero tolerance for abusers, of which we had to find out more about this appealing and very impressive glossy publication.
Travels with Lili is easy reading, filled with showy picture’s of many animals from duckling’s, Lili the authors cat, Chimpanzees, Skunks and many more species of domestic and wild mammals. Eye catching, informative, as well as educational at all reading level’s with easy species identification this is an all time good read for all age groups. Even adults. Small and exciting chapter’s easy to read words, understandable it’s one we most certainly agree is an all rounder.
Split in to easy to read short chapters and pictures we highly recommend this book to the individual reader, to schools and colleges, and parents that want to educate and demonstrate to their children easy reading and the importance of compassionate animal welfare, with a twist of fun and humour.
Travels with Lili doesn’t have long and hard to understand word’s but more the opposite from which also helps children with their reading, punctuation, grammar, whilst understanding ethical care of animals within the modern society that we live within.
Funny and heart touching, Lili the main lovable character takes you on an adventurous ride helping and rescuing her other furry animal friends, within the book Lili as Carl Delvic explains almost gives up the fight, heart touching and emotive she continues though and lives to tell the tale, but that’s all were saying as there is 128 pages of fun, exploration, challenges, and adventure, problem solving but most importantly love and lots of compassionate education. Have no worries too, this book is not extreme, and nor does it have extremist imagery or photographic pictures. Suitable from the ages of 6+
“Lili is a fighter taking no nonsense she save’s the day of many furry friends and fills you the reader with an abundance of joy, happiness and want for more of Lili’s adventure’s”
Here’s Lili
My name is Lili, you can read my adventurous travels, friends and much more within the main book by clicking on me. Hope you enjoy as there are going to be many more stories coming. Available on Kindle at Amazon too.
We interviewed the Author Carl Delvic, regarding his recent children’s publication of which his pet cat Lili is the main inspirational witty feline character that’s intelligent and adventurous. Please take a moment to click on the link above to view Travels with Lili available only at Amazon at a special low price and well worth the read.
Below is an extract from the interview from which we asked Mr Carl Delvic a native from Central Florida, and a graduate of Central Florida Metropolitan University what inspired him to write Travels with Lili and what he aims to gain from his publication. We also asked an of topic question that bugs many children that have been abused as children.
Interviewer;
Carl, what inspired you to write the book Travels with Lili ?
Author - Carl Delvic;
What inspired me to write Travels with Lili was first of all I have a cat named Lili who is very intelligent and adventurous. I was explaining to some friends about some of her exploits and one of them suggested that I write a children’s book about her. Which I did and embellished it for literary purposes. I have always been an animal lover and I have a passion for animal rights and protection of animals from abuse and mistreatment.
Interviewer;
Why did you chose to aim your book at the younger generation for?
Author - Carl Delvic;
I am aiming at younger readers because I want to see the next generation grow up with compassion for animals and zero tolerance for abusers.
Interviewer;
What do you want to achieve by writing and selling your book?
Author - Carl Delvic;
I am hoping to eliminate animal abuse and exploitation within a single generation and create a safe environment for animals and also an appreciation of the capabilities that animals possess. I don’t believe in the misconception of “dumb animals”. I believe that animals possess a type of intelligence that may differ from ours but is in no way inferior.
Interviewer;
Why did you choose Lili the cat to be the main leading figure within the publication and can you describe one of Lili’s most positive moment’s and sad moment’s within the book itself?
Author - Carl Delvic;
I chose Lili because she displays the qualities of intelligence, courage and kindness that are portrayed in the book. Within on of the chapters she rescues a small toad from oncoming traffic and treats him with kindness and compassion. There is also a scene where she is very close to death and it seems like there is no hope. Then there is a resolution and lili becomes stronger than ever.
Interviewer;
The chapter from which Lili is close to death yet fight’s on to tell the tale read’s like a perfect thriller, will you be writing any other books in hard back or soft back to narrated DVD’s based on subjects such as animal and environmental abuse?
Author - Carl Delvic;
I am planning to write sequels to this book involving Lili. I am also planning to devote several book’s to other characters who are in this book too.
Interviewer;
In your own word’s Carl, what’s your own thoughts on the modern conception and mislabelling of children that are abused at a young age, that then “may” later turn out to be an abuser of animal’s, to rapists and paedophiles? I wanted to ask you this question like I do many people as some doctors and criminal prosecutors to just members of the public automatically believe that if a child has been sexually or physically abused they then later abuse an animal which is not fundamentally factual. Proven by many Doctors and adolescent therapists. Kind of a taboo area however one we should all clear up within today’s modern world as it outcasts many children and teenagers as not every child that’s abused turns into an abuser which is common fact.
Author - Carl Delvic;
I have heard that rapists and paedophiles were themselves victims of abuse and many of them start out torturing animals. However I do believe that a fundamental concept of enlightened jurisprudence is the principle of
innocent until proven guilty, which is a tenet of any civilized society.
Interviewer;
Can you detail a small area that’s exciting within the book to a humorous part too, to our younger readers?
Author - Carl Delvic;
There is a humorous scene involving a chimpanzee driving a bus and crashing it into a liquor store, a must read.
Interviewer;
Carl, thank you for taking the time to provide to us and our supporters an insight into Travels with Lili, it reads well and is a fantastic book. Again to all of our supporters and viewers you can purchase Carl Delvic’s book (Travels with Lili) at Amazon by clicking this link http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Lili-Mr-Carl-Delvic/dp/1481108409
Interviewer;
Carl, do you have any plans to promote your book at book fairs, asking major public and private book clubs to schools to look into purchasing Travels with Lili and any near future publications that you explained regarding the other character’s in the book?
Author - Carl Delvic;
I haven’t no plan’s for book fairs at the present but I will not rule out any future ones.
Thank you Carl for the insight into Travels with Lili.
Travels with Lili is child friendly and easy to read with pictures and easy print available in English only on lightweight paperback that weighs only 13.9 ounces, Lili’s adventures is easy it fit into any budding young readers school back pack and on bookshelf’s.
Lili’s adventure’s can be purchased on Kindle http://www.videogamebox.co.uk/Kindle_4_Wi_Fi_Book_Reader_p/100011.htm gclid=CPaiwobxo7cCFc3HtAodkwYAYA
Travels with Lili is now available in Kindle format on request at Amazon. We will also be asking Water Stones and Riverside internationally renowned book distributors to push the book further as this is a rather good and informative fun, and adventurous read as well as being a good all round night time bed time story too.
Visit Carl Delvic the Author on Facebook.
Author Carl Delvic quotes;
“Travels with Lili is an exciting tale of a heroic and compassionate cat who travels across country rescuing her fellow creatures from abusive and distressful situations. This book is both informative and entertaining. It raises awareness of some of the suffering animals endure but it also has a touch of humour here and there in the chapters”
Carl Delvic has given us permission to publish his photographs, context and advertise his written book of which all rights and text to pictures are copyright protected under the Digital Millennium Copy Right Act 2008.
No unauthorised copying and/or distribution of pictures sent to ourselves is authorised without the author Mr Carl Delvic and our permission.
Travels with Lili is priced at $9.00 plus postage and packaging, free shipping on orders over $25.00
Paperback: 128 pages
Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
Language: English
Currently in stock
You can view through some of the “brief highlights of the book below.
http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Lili-Mr-Carl-Delvic/dp/1481108409
Please note that videos published below are not part of the book but for our own child awareness education of compassionate animal welfare;
Environmentalism Chapter 44 - Habitat Fragmentation
Habitual fragmentation is now the leading cause of concern regarding the nearing extinction of animals to colossal destruction of forests totalling exactly 80% of our flora and fauna internationally. This total is vast in size and there seems to be no decrease or plans implemented by governments to now slow the ever increasing environmental carnage down that’s killing and displacing many species of large and small mammals to tree‘s plant‘s, insects and micro-organisms that reside on 22.29% of the earths surface and 70% marine to fresh water. A total coverage of 196.9 million square miles of earth to date is under threat.
Habitat fragmentation is not being professionally addressed by government environmental agencies, ministries of water and affairs, transport authorities to public health. The Ministry of Defence too could also play a pivotal role in reducing environmental carnage that could cut human displacement down on a massive scale, by, “talking” instead of sending war head’s and troops to nuclear armed nations.
Conflicts only destroy more land, displace animals and human’s taking decades to rejuvenate these areas and increase economy thus decreasing crime. By this time the species of animals within these area’s have already been pushed to extinction. The Malian Elephant is now being poached although in small numbers due to their fairly small tusks as of the retched poverty stricken refugee camps that are set up when war occurs. Wildlife crime is seen as one of the only incomes.
Raging war’s regrettably displaces innocent civilians and animals caught in the middle of conflict zones thus moving them onto non-human non-habituated land that in turn pushes species of animals into other areas starting the ecological destruction circle of again, causing human and species conflict, thus increasing the destructive illegal wildlife trade ranging from Elephant’s to Rhinoceros, and Wild Felids to forests completely uprooted killing thousands of animals and medicinal plants.
Medicinal plants are important to both human and [animal] health of which also reduces the need for more species of primates, canines, felines to many more animals mostly domesticated being forced into a life of complete misery within experimental laboratories from which scientist’s and pharmacologists, to neurologists trial synthetic medication on.
The need for natural medicinal plant’s is so important within human and animal health too as they lack side affects of which “synthetic pharmaceuticals medicines” such as Dixarit, Chlorpromazine, Aripiprazole, NAISDS and more cause many secondary side effect’s within the human body, mostly gastrointestinal and central nervous system.
Knowing that habitual destruction and climate change that’s now more commonly known as “global cooling” is indeed affecting our environment and it’s natural inhabitants one would of believed that the not so caring government’s would now take this matter of serious concern up. However they are treating it as a taboo subject to merely passing the problems of on to non-profit and non-governmental rescue organisations and environmental units, universities and scientists alike that are struggling with public funding as it is or simply cannot cope with the spurge of destruction just for one species alone.
Picture below shows populations of Tigers and the historical loss of habitat that is now affecting many wild Tiger populations that are estimated in all at a depressing 3,600 if that. The Amur Tiger is only listed as 39 and has not been viewed within the wild for many years now feared possibly extinct. The Sumatran Tiger’s populations are decreasing because of palm, paper and pulp trade currently populated at a mere 500 although the last population census showed a “slight” increase since environmental investigations began within the area of Malaysia and Indonesia that had been conducted with the RSPO working to now eliminate violating companies although this is a very slow and costly process.
Habitat Fragmentation simply is;
Habitat fragmentation, as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism’s preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation can be caused by geological processes that slowly alter the layout of the physical environment (suspected of being one of the major causesof speciation, or by human activity such as land conversion, which can alter the environment much faster and causes extinctions of many species.
There are many other factors that are responsible for habitat fragmentation too that are listed below;
Human overpopulation - 1960 saw an estimated world population size of only 3 billion in 1960, moving up to 1980 saw 4.65 billion. The increase really took of in 1995 at 5.47 billion persons then increased per five years of 1 billion more people. 2000 saw over 6.9 billion person’s with 2011 at 6.97 billion. 2012 saw an estimated whopping 7.9 billion with 2013 now standing at an estimated 8.1 billion (2013 still has to be officially tallied). The increasing figures though are not on the decline and every day see’s a rough estimated figure of 250.000 to 300,000 people born into the world.
Agriculture is also playing a massive role in habitat depletion. Looking at governmental data the total amount of square kilometres of land that was being farmed for 1961 stood at 38.93 million square kilometres. From 1961 the increase was rather slow although still noticeable that saw in 1975 39.58 square kilometres of land farmed displacing many species and killing of much green belt land and forest’s. Then the real uphill hike was viewed.
From 1985 the total land farmed both arable and cattle skyrocketed from 41.66 million square kilometres, to 1995 that stands at 49.38 million square kilometres farmed. The increase took of from 1991 shooting up to 1992 at almost 50 million square kilometres of land farmed for the entire planet. The only real small decrease was viewed in 2003 at 49.2 million square kilometres and from then on to date the total land farmed for the entire planet has fluctuated that stands at for 2013 50.1 million square kilometres farmed of land. The figures above are at “correct levels” now take a look again at the size of the earth that is “inhabitant by human and animals” standing at 22.2% exactly 196.9 million square miles of earth . We are most certainly looking at half of the worlds land taken by agriculture being the number one contributor to climate change/cooling, deforestation, habitat depletion, human species conflict, pollution, species extinction and more.
Evidence of habitat destruction through natural processes such as volcanism, fire, and climate change is found in the fossil record. For example, habitat fragmentation of tropical rainforests in Euramerica 300 million years ago led to a great loss of amphibian diversity, but simultaneously the drier climate spurred on a burst of diversity among reptiles.
The great causes of concern for habitat depletion known as fragmentation should be noted
Land clearance for roads and building’s.- Two such continents spanning from Kenya to Tanzania that boast’s a colossally high 1.5 million hectares of land in Africa holding an abundance of native and non-native mammals and non-mammalians is the Serengeti of which a massive stretch of land is now being looked into to plough an unnecessary road through that will not just see many animals murdered by speeding traffic, but migration route’s effected, slowed down, but most importantly the road is opening the land up for easy access to poachers and hunters.
Palm oil and on-land static oil drilling - Listed above as land clearance to, palm oil plantations both sustained and non-sustainable are playing a pivotal role in reducing wildlife such as the Bengal and Sumatran Tiger, Pygmy Elephant, to Orang-utans and many smaller primates, avian and reptilian species. Natural forestry is being reduced on a massive scale of which should both the palm oil and pulp and paper trade not decrease then 80% of all green forestry land from Indonesia, Malaysia, China to North and South America will lose thousands of animals, plants and trees from both palm oil and greed for demanding oil and petroleum want by governments and industries wanting to a quick buck.
Rural development/Urbanization - Housing has increased dramatically from 1960 to 2012 and that can clearly be seen by looking at the colossal levels of human overpopulation recorded by the (WHO) World Health Organisation and United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). There can be no official data actually seen for the “entire planet” with regards to rural development as not every nation undertakes an annual or five yearly census such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom for example. The estimated number of homes upon the planet from 2012 stands at 2.0 billion. To date and increasing rapidly.
One must also take into consideration that whilst wars are raging, poverty is increasing, and human rights are being updated of which more people are going to require homes from which a rough estimated tally of homeless people for the entire planet stands at 100 million (Still not re-homed). Add that to the 2.0 billion for the average 2-4 bedroom family homes and we’re looking at gargantuan problems with habitat depletion now and within the on-coming future decades. - The most depressive factor is urbanization. By 2050 it is predicted that 64.1% and 85.9% of the developing and developed world respectively will be urbanised. So in theory and looking at the statistics scientifically we are almost over 70% of land usage inhabited by many species internationally used [just for humans] and there is still no signs of decrease that the governments are “failing to acknowledge” to even taking seriously.
Transport and highways - 4.7M roads on 6% of the worlds’ land surface), this amount’s to around 80,000,000 roads. The more auto-mobiles and increase in population then sadly this figure is going to sky rocket rapidly. Roads are being built internationally on a vast scale depleting small rodents, reptiles, organisms, ripping up hundred year old trees, and, forests displacing avian species and bats that are most important to the ecological system.
Picture below shows how habitat fragmentation appears in the eyes of the wildlife that’s just had their homes removed. What would YOU do if someone now tore through your city in this manner leaving a trail of destruction? You would most likely go berserk. Can you understand why we become so angered at irresponsible humans that are not just Hippocratic they also destroy anything that lives that is merely not human. “Animals in some human’s lives” are simply least important. You can stop this however are you, that’s the question? Or are you prepared to view the “factual” 109.09 million square miles of earth destroyed for your children and their children to live within a concrete jungle with no wildlife? You wouldn’t treat you family in this way, so why treat Mother Nature like it?
The following data below is simply for 2003 of which shows a massive coverage of road surface that is in “miles”.
US - 3,905,000 total miles
Mexico - 153,000 miles
Canada - 528,000 miles
UK - 225,000 miles
Sweden - 85,000 miles
Germany - 395,000 miles
France - 504,000 miles
Japan - 704,000 miles
International Animal Rescue Foundation has applied for an up to date census from the top ten largest continents regarding road coverage so that we can formally update this thus working out mathematically exactly how much land has been depleted that’s pushing animals from their homes and uprooting green belt land, forests and more.
The depressing depletion of other land’s must also be noted as below.
The creation of hydroelectric reservoirs. Habitats which were once continuous become divided into separate fragments. After intensive clearing, the separate fragments tend to be very small islands isolated from each other by cropland, pasture, pavement, or even barren land.
The latter is often the result of slash and burn farming in tropical forests. In the wheat belt of central western New South Wales, Australia, 90% of the native vegetation has been cleared and over 99% of the tall grass prairie of North America has been cleared, resulting in extreme habitat fragmentation.
By 2100 we are seriously looking at an estimated 80-85% of animal land literally vaporised or human use and production unless professional controlled and monitored sustainable agriculture, urbanization, ruralisation is implemented with immediate effect to decrease this copious out of control destruction down.
Should immediate action not be taken to reduce vast habitat fragmentation then we will be looking at a 100.10% of the earth’s “land” left. This is based on scientific mathematical and environmental analysing of current and past trend’s from governmental, organisational, and industry past and present data.
Habitat fragmentation is serious and it will effect more of our larger species of animals first plus land that is non-human habitable such as forests and green belt land.
How does habitat fragmentation effect our nature though?
Habitat fragmentation in all aspects as defined above effects all flora and fauna both large scale and small, by pushing the species to extinction to forcing them into other inhabitant areas that then “moves them species on” effects the ecological cycle greatly or creates “species on species conflict”.
Habitat depletion also has unwanted effects for both animal and human by pushing the species into “rural or humanized areas” from which we then see human species conflict” as the species natural source of food has been destroyed because of human negligence and greed, demand and want.
Regrettably the animal’s are then punished most likely by being shot to death or recently within India we have seen since 2011-2013 a spurge of Leopard’s, Tiger’s and Bears roaming into rural areas looking for food thus tragically seeing conflict and sadly fatalities.
The animals are always seen as a threat in most cases and this is an area that International Animal Rescue Foundation’s Environmental teams within New Delhi are working to help as best they can utilising new technologies, educating and making aware in the rural areas out of the city on how to preserve the natural environment, working to now install communication’s that will alert prepared forestry rangers/or/ trained certified villagers with tranquiller rifles, to teaching and demonstrating what not to do and what to do in the event of a wild animal such as Tigers, Bear’s and other big cats roaming into “humanized zones”.
Picture above shows Wilder-beast and Zebras migrating through the national parks that also move through the Serengeti Should the road be built scenes such as this will simply be destroyed. Take action now and sing the petition here http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_maasai/
Working and communicating with forestry rangers and the governmental environmental departments we must clearly demonstrate and encourage professional wildlife management instead of taking the laws into one’s hands. Boundary fences, canopy trip nets, cell’s and even camera traps, double two way mirrors and much more are being utilised as best we can to preserve wildlife thus reducing extinction, whilst educating on the do‘s and don’ts.
Until we start an official funding programme for this particular phase of wildlife management then the programme will still only run slowly yet effectively and professionally. The last call came yesterday when enough was enough for us of which we received the most heart breaking news of two Bear cubs and one Mother cub plus eight humans murdered.
Sadly ignoring this area end’s up with both animal and human fatalities that could and can be avoided. Only Yesterday within a rural poor district of India (May 9th 2013) we was informed of two bear cubs that had strayed into a humanised residential area in search of food. They where caught then set on fire. Mother Bear then retaliated some days later which the park wardens took over eight days to take action on.
Eight people were killed by the Bear with the Bear later beaten to death by the angry mob of villagers. We are seeking action on this and will not allow this tragic accident and animal abuse to drop until those that were responsible for the killing of the two Bear cubs are brought to justice. Both animal and human life could have been preserved had the correct procedures been adopted instead of using and acting upon anger and rage.
Asiatic Lions, Orang-utans, Pygmy Elephants, African Elephants and African wildcats are also under attack as they again are either roaming within residential area’s, or farms looking for food that would normally of been within their own home. With no homes, and no food source then unfortunately they are tragically treated as pests. Traps and poisons are laid down thus seeing these species plundered further into extinction.
Asian and African Elephants are taking a serious battering from both the illegal wildlife trade as well as hunted as the hunter still believes “there are to many of them that are causing damage to one‘s land”. This is complete nonsense and should the hunter look further a-field and not use the “sustainable living” weapon then possibly we could all work together to now help these species before they are all pushed to extinction.
Our ecological world both plant and mammal to non-mammal, marine and micro-organisms are of the utmost important to us and Mother Nature. Should we lose our big five of Africa, wild felids, Whales, Dolphins, Seals and more all because of human negligence then we have seriously failed Mother Nature.
Failing to take the mass depletion of land seriously will eventually turn humans on to humans killing all of mankind and the most sensitive animal kingdom. For more information on how you can help you can contact us here at info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
International Animal Rescue Foundation.
All rights reserved, all “names” of the Foundation and Speak Up for the Voiceless belong to the us of which no copying or transmission, abuse of our organisational “names” is permitted. 2013.
Act or view forced action to preserve our environment and children - Thank you
Environmentlsism Chapter 43 - The Polar Bears Last Stand
The polar bear formally identified as the Ursus maritimus back in 1774 was last spoken on with regards to it’s current environmental state at the Conference of Parties (CoP16). Listed as vulnerable we hoped and prayed this magnificent bear that is living in a warped environment attacked by both man and “environmental climate change” would of at least been given some form of acknowledgement to preserve it’s environmental status that is currently listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature RED LIST (IUCN).
Regrettably for the Polar Bear this turned out to be negative and has now placed many populations of gentle snowy giants within danger from damaging environmental change, poaching, trophy hunting, to illegal pseudo hunting, pollution and more.
Currently we are fighting two factors here that concern the Polar Bear. Hunting/poaching and environmental change, these two factors are the main threat to the Polar Bear with human and species conflict third. Environmental change is what we believe although cannot prove led the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna better known as the Washington Convention to no longer play any real part in conserving this ionic and well known species that has inhabited the Antarctic for hundreds of years.
Back in the 1970’s there was a moratorium on Polar Bear hunting that saw the numbers increase on an incredible scale, then with the numbers back on trace the ban was then formally lifted. We cannot though simply blame hunting and/or poaching for the now decreasing numbers of the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) and exactly how does one solve this gastronomically large environmental problem that is unfortunately pushing the Polar Bear form “extant” to (extinction).
Firstly lets look at some basic facts that need to be addressed that we “believe” the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (Washington Convention) may be not addressing simply because of the size and scale of the problem to re-homing an Antarctic Marine Polar Bear.
In total and led by Marine Biologists from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) there is a rough population to the nearest figure based on the last census 23,000 to 25,000 Polar Bears within the wild listed in nineteen units of “ sub-populations”.
Of those, the latest data from the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group show that 8 sub-populations are in decline and there is a high estimated risk of future decline due to climate change being the main player here.
Climate change and “species population preservation” is not as easy to undertake as one is led to believe within this region. On dry soiled land or within the oceans it can predominantly seem rather straight forward however the Polar Bear that is also a marine mammal and the third largest doesn’t just reside on normal static land. The furry white bear lives on a melting and moving ice pack that is being destroyed by human negligence that in reality is protected under the 1975 Antarctica Treaty. Regrettably environmental warming doesn’t fall within this area “as such”.
So in reality we and many other conservationists would of believed that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna would of acted with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as well as all Cites signatories to conserve this species sooner rather than later.
Because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the U.S., across their range, under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. However this is not ceasing their population decline and it’s estimated within the next eight to possibly twelve years or even less we will lose these magnificent bears for good.
Polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform from which to hunt seals, rest and breed. In the southern range of polar bears, the shorter sea ice season has decreased the amount of time bears can hunt for their prey. Sea ice break-up forces them to spend the summer without significant feeding, relying on their fat stores from the previous summer to survive.
Many polar bears now suffer from malnutrition and others face starvation, especially females with cubs. There have been many emotionally touching stories too of individuals viewing polar bears trapped on literally a small detached ice sheet over one hundred miles from their main native land from which they stay clutched to in the hope that small piece of ice will not melt thus killing them.
Traditional prey species may be less accessible in a new sea ice environment, and seals that use the ice are also predicted to fare poorly in a warming Arctic. Climate change is also resulting in more habitat fragmentation, creating more opportunities for oil and gas development and increased shipping which we MUST acknowledge now.
At this current moment International Animal Rescue Foundation and many more organisations of which one in particular Greenpeace International a well renowned peaceful environmental organisation orchestrated the activist movement on America’s plans to drill within the Arctic that would of caused more atmospheric warming, climate disruption and change as well as noise and marine pollution to loss of the Polar Bears prey from marine sonic seismic disruptions caused by drilling that’s been linked to many Whale, Dolphin, and fish deaths internationally before, regarding non-Arctic floating rig and inshore drilling platforms located globally.
In the Arctic, most industrial development has been on relatively small pieces of land. As summer sea ice retreats, a new ocean is emerging, which allows more opportunities for industrial development at sea and on larger parcels of land. At the same time, the retreating ice is resulting in more polar bears spending longer periods on land for denning. These factors combined are putting polar bears and industrial activities on a potential collision course.
Offshore petroleum installations and operations in the Arctic are expected to increase in number. This would likely affect polar bears and their habitat in many ways including:
- contact with spilled oil would be fatal
- an oil spill would affect the entire food chain
- noise generated from onshore and offshore oil operations would cause disturbance Increased Arctic shipping represents a risk to polar bears. As traffic by barges, oil tankers and cargo ships in Arctic waters increases, so do the risk of oil spills and human disturbance to polar bears.
For the present time, drilling for oil in Antarctica has been suspended however not halted which is concerning us greatly. We have seen many disasters within the last two decades involving rig explosions and leaks of which the largest so far to date was the BP explosion. In April 2010, the Deep water Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 people and resulted in 4.9 million barrels of oil being discharged, that threatened marine life and hundreds of miles of coastline. that caused massive loss of maritime life, polluted thousands of miles of shorelines and reef beds, affected tourism and trade, and is still damaging the oceans to date.
Picture below details the catastrophic environmental damage a simple mistake could make from drilling within the Arctic ocean thus killing of hundreds of land and marine animals and potentially seeing the Polar Bear banished.
The damage that oil spills cause to land and marine life is completely catastrophic, and although this “suspended” operation is in what the government states as “a safe to drill area” it technically is not safe at all when we have seen history repeating itself many time’s resulting in a combined discharge of a trillion barrels of oil spewed into the oceans that doesn’t just vanish after clean up operations begin and conclude. The oil sadly sit’s within the silt beds and sea floor to intoxicating many marine shelled species.
2010 we saw the Deep sea Horizon spew hundreds of barrels of oil into the ocean, then 1979 Ixtoc 1 saw 2.3 million barrels of oil released from it’s well.
Nowruz field well back in 1983 saw over 2 million barrels of oil pumped into the Gulf. The Castillio de Bellver saw the South African coast line tragically ruined in 1983 destroying masses of maritime land and oceans rendering many businesses that rely on marine tourism finically ruined and left uncompensated.
Amoco Cadiz Tanker released in 1978 a total sludge of 1.4 million barrels of oil with the Odyssey Tanker in 1988 spewing a smaller 1 million barrels into the highly sensitive Canadian oceans killing hundreds of marine mammals and non-mammalians.
Furthering this Atlantic Empress Tanker released over 1.1 million barrels of oil into the oceans within Trinidad and Tobago, then the Torrey Canyon Tanker released into the British oceans just over 1.2 million barrels back in 1967.
The largest shipping oil disaster was indeed Exxon Valdez that spilled a gastronomically vast deluge of 3 million barrels of oil within our sensitive American oceans back in 1989. So we all have a right to worry when history has repeated itself many times and should it happen again which it will, it would not just result in the Polar Bear being wiped out but hundreds of other species of flora and fauna to sensitive areas of environmental scientific importance that we must rely on to “decrease” the impending environmental destruction that is ongoing yearly.
For the past one hundred years and even right up to only this January 2013 Antarctica has been the subject of many maritime scientific excursions of which holds locked deep within the ice mile down structured ice layers many fascinating facts of how the last ice age began and ended, important scientific data that has been collected that shows to scientists the “structure of human and animal life to evolution” to (climate change patterns) and how one can predict weather changes to future environmental patterns.
So should an oil spill occur we will not just be viewing our Polar Bear to Arctic Fox, Gulls, Arctic Hare, Seals Whales and Dolphins, and many more species of fish and mammals to invertebrates and botanical species destroyed, the potential for damaging “unknown much needed” scientific data on how we can preserve the environment will be wiped out and/or damaged for centuries if not for ever.
A clean up operation within this area that see’s temperatures drop to a staggering -70 would be totally out of the question as of the harsh Antarctica storms, and marine changes.
Many Arctic areas have strong polar bear management and monitoring plans. But there are a few places where unsustainable hunting appears to be happening, including unreported and illegal hunting, and hunting in areas where the sub-population status—stable or declining—is uncertain.
Although the Polar Bear is listed as vulnerable and are in so many ways being protected we are losing many through poaching, of which some poaching incidents are being linked again to the Traditional Chinese Medicine culture.
The Indigenous Inuit Tribes of Antarctica that reside and have lived within the Arctic hemisphere are also poaching/illegally hunting the bears as their own natural food supplies that are usually large fish, whales, fox to seals are being depleted to moved on due to the vast changes regarding climate warming. A Polar Bear fur coat can fetch some $10,000 USD (United States Dollars) that also feeds the local people too for some months.
Polar bears are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. Over thousands of years, polar bears have also been an important part of the cultures and economies of Arctic peoples. Polar bears depend on sea ice for their existence and are directly impacted by climate change—serving as important indicator species.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna we believe did not act on many experts opinions and scientific analysis to now list the Polar Bear as endangered thus placing an immediate moratorium on hunting due to “climate effects and changes” thus not being able to handle or even know how to decrease climate change tackling it head on.
Does Cites know what we know? Or are they still yet unaware how they are going to control climate change that is the main destructive factor here killing the species off. You see as explained the ice caps are melting. So the more they melt the more the Polar Bear has to hunt for longer periods off time at longer distances/ranges “hence why some have appeared malnourished” as their own prey is also looking further a field for food to survive. This simply cannot go on.
The Polar Bear is a marine animal however it’s not a marine swimmer in same ways as Seals and Whales, they cannot continuously swim in search of food. So this leaves the Polar Bear at a stale mate. Die of starvation or go inland.
They are like any living species on earth, they will not simply give up so thus taking great risks to move inland or swim for miles in search of land from which some will make it ashore or they will swim continually, exhausting themselves to the point they most regrettably drown and this is what has angered International Animal Rescue Foundation This is NOW why we need to act and must NOT fail this bear WE need YOU to act NOW to preserve this species and demand that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, the United Nations Environmental Programme, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature are now lobbied and pressured on a massive scale never seen before or we will lose all 25,000 left within the Antarctica wild.
The main problems we see here is that preserving the decreasing population of Polar Bear is going to be more difficult than one is led to believe as of the melting ice caps. Should the ice fields completely melt down which is going to take some years to the point where translocation of the species of Polar Bear is needed then where on earth is one to place the remaining estimated 25,000 species?
Translocating a Rhinoceros or even an Elephant is relatively straight forward as we have miles of still unpopulated dry land, however we cannot just move an entire population of [marine] Polar Bear as of their dietary needs and the remaining ice fields melting.
To even undertake such a task would be monumentally mammoth in proportion. We cannot simply place them within Zoological Gardens neither as some environmentalists have stated and even put forward to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (Cites).
The Polar bear is also facing human and species conflict of which when roaming onto land in search of food the Inuit indigenous people to locals shoot the animal dead. Scientists believe that a natural “safety net” of ice in the High Arctic of Canada and Greenland, ice covering 500,000 square miles, or twice the size of Texas, may persist longer than the ice anywhere else. Work has since the 1990’s already began to preserve this region ready for such translocation, however we are talking about many individual Polar Bear’s here in an area the size of Texas that stands at 268,820 sq miles and if it works what’s to say that this area with regards to the ever increasing environmental warming is not going to be damaged too leading us back to square one.
The Polar Bear at this moment is at threat from
- Environmental change and climate warming.
- Human and Polar Bear conflict
- Illegal poaching and non-sustainable hunting
Should we fail on all three of these most important issues then we will lose the Polar Bear. I have included some videos below for your attention and shall update on the Polar Bear and environmental destruction in due course.
Thank you for reading
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
All rights reserved - The name[s] of International Animal Rescue Foundation belong to and are registered under the DMCA Act 2008 - No unauthorised copying, or copyright of both Speak Up for the Voiceless and International Animal Rescue Foundation’s named is authorised without the strict consent from the Board of Directors. Contacts for the board are listed within America Sacramento and France. Please email for further information.
Please share to make aware the plight of our Polar Bear before it’s to late. We haven’t time to fail or lose, we MUST fight for their future.
WE MUST NOT FAIL THE POLAR BEAR AND NOW IS THE TIME TO PRESERVE THEM, THEY IS NO IF’S OR BUT’S (CITES) ARE WRONG ON THEIR JUDGEMENT IN MARCH 2013 AND NOW WE MUST LOBBY THEM TO FORCE CHANGE. WE HAVEN’T MUCH TIME LEFT …. ENVIRONMENTAL CLIMATE CHANGE IS KILLING THIS SPECIES OFF.
THANK YOU FOR READING AND VIEWING THE VIDEO’S.
Environmentalism - Chapter 42 - Say no to AG-GAG
Counter surveillance operations are normally something that one can rely on in gauging proof and evidence regarding a crime based on primary intelligence or complaints whether it is on public or private property on engaging in over border reconnaissance missions by drone’s, satellites or armed military personal to governmental intelligence seekers and submariners.
However seeking intelligence doesn’t apply to animals no more within the United States of America from which the government have made it a felony in five states for “anyone” to undertake surveillance operations.
Ag-gag laws regarding on land abuse that has been reported to be violating the laws of the Animal Welfare Act or Food Safety Legislation now make it crime to record and document animal abuse or if there is strong enough suspicion to suggest that a crime has or is taking place to public health being placed at serious risk through the mismanagement and deliberate cruelty of agricultural animals.
Ag-Gag laws are in reality protecting “an individual abuser and/or company” from being documented, recorded, photographed to even eavesdropping or “reporting a violation of food safety” by an investigative officer. Ag-gag laws ARE ANIMAL ABUSE!
We must also clear some issues up here too, Ag-Gag doesn’t just infringe on the whistle blower or investigator it has been enacted to silence those within media and journalism from recording, photographing or documenting, printing data, labour issues, and/ or freedom of speech.
So Ag-gag it’s not “just” aimed at the animal activist or employee that has reported previously many violations to then going public with them it’s aimed at anyone that has within the governments eyes had in theory more than enough time to report to the appropriate agencies animal abuse of food violations. The government of the US has categorically protected the criminal in yet “allows paedophiles to be named and shamed” BUT not animal abusers? Something seriously is wrong here if the government allows the naming and shaming of sex offenders yet not the recording of animal abuse. Could it be to loss of income to affecting the nation’s meat and dairy industry?
However Ag-gag laws in turn make the reporter then “the criminal” as the law state’s more or less that you knew and have had plenty of time to take action against the violation[s] thus in turn makes you the whistle blower “the abuser that could of halted it within the set time of 48 hours”. (That is in our eyes unfair and basically in support of repeat cooperate offenders or high profile individuals that are either corrupt or have friends in high places that will just blatantly turn a blind eye to falsifying documents.
The law has also ripped to shreds the first and second amendments of US state legislature. We are all literally being crushed by the oppressor which we believe is for nothing more than money.
We can name two large corporations within the European Union however we are waiting for the correct time in which that “repeat violation” then harms a human or animal of which as yet it hasn’t. (Please don’t think for one moment that that is unprofessional, as we ourselves have reported two [un-named] corporations persistently to the directors and health and safety executive of which we documented what the “individuals” behaviour was upon “five” separate random inspections.
For legal reasons we are not at liberty or allowed to disclose that information regarding the company names however we will state that the “food supplier” is more than involved. It’s directly involved and the violations are being ignored as the companies are short staffed, are under pressure from head offices, have over spent their budget, and have for the past seven years had nothing but poor unprofessional management to high sickness records and falsified “legal binding documentation”.
On one such inspection our investigator reported the violations before the Health and Safety investigators moved in [in-depth] of which when the buildings were inspected staff were automatically “ordered” by management that knew where the violating materials where located and what to instigate to even [keeping the executives talking whilst the issues where covered up] the investigator was ALSO ordered to hide “materials that was not fit for human consumption or even sale”.
So can you see why Ag-gag laws are in fact damaging the welfare of also the human that could potentially become seriously ill or even die should their immune systems be week, or they are old and frail from super food bugs such as E-coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter Enteritis, Cholera, Ciguatera (Fish Poisoning) to even listeria with up to eight more serious food borne virus that can be contained and halted via professional management.
In 2011, bills to prohibit undercover videos of farms were introduced in several state legislatures including Florida, Iowa, Minnesota and New York. These “Ag-gag” laws, a term coined by Mark Bittman, all prohibited the making of undercover videos, photographs and sound recordings, although they differed in terms of penalties and which other activities were also prohibited. None of the bills passed in 2011, but Iowa’s Ag-gag bill passed in 2012 and other Ag-gag bills have been introduced in other states until recently.
On April 30, 2013, the Animal Legal Defence Fund (ALDF) sent a letter to the Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) regarding claims AAA Communications Director Emily Meredith has made when discussing the highly-controversial Ag-gag legislation. Meredith has asserted that some animal advocates manipulate footage of factory farm animal abuse, and on the radio program To the Point, the AAA spokesperson and avid Ag-gag supporter stated that “we [the AAA] have evidence that these videos have been manipulated.” ALDF, the national non-profit also fighting for the rights of Tony the truck stop tiger, is demanding that AAA produce the evidence the industry group claims to have of the manipulated footage. The anti-Ag-gag legal organization has emphasized the severity of these allegations which ultimately defame investigators and misinform the public.
This is what frustrates us to a degree, as investigations are to be kept [non-manipulated] at all times and under no circumstances should the code of private investigative documenting be breached or made to appear that a crime looks far worse than it actually is. No one investigator should ever portray a singular act of abuse to look like multiple acts, and nor should they if they are professional ever allow suffering to go on more than necessary.
It must also be noted that before any investigation is undertaken within the farming, agricultural, animal or food production business that a primary source of surveillance is planted to gather intelligence so that the secondary source can locate “the investigative officer” can then document, then report in time thus minimising abuse “and keeping your head above the law” as well as ensuring that the case is not thrown out of court. Anyone that breaches these acts are then on their own as well as being labelled the abuser “because you allowed the suffering that YOU knew was wrong to continue”.
Investigative manipulating is grossly unprofessional and it should never be portrayed in such a manner hence why the government have brought the Ag-gag law that one step further in more states of America. Such manipulations of evidence via phone tapping, recording, and long unnecessary investigations saw in 2011-2012 and 2013 many tabloids, journalists and media writers actually sentenced to prison to one tabloid banned with all staff that were not even a apart of the corrupt investigation sacked on the spot.
A professional investigator wouldn’t allow a child to be abused for any longer than is necessary so why allow an animal or “even more animals” to be abused, and should the investigator have a personal problem with the organisation/company and or individual then they should by practice and code of conduct be removed from the investigation and another investigator then placed within to document professionally the wrong doings.
Ag-gag bills that criminalize whistleblowing on factory farms are now sweeping the US nation. Five states have already implemented these types of laws with many others considering similar legislation. Undercover investigations on farms and slaughterhouses have played a crucial role in exposing animal abuse in the agricultural industry, yet these same investigations have been criticized for manipulating footage ultimately harming farm owners and workers “which in turn allows the abuse to go on” and the aggressor to walk away scot free laughing.
On Democracy Now!, a daily, independently-syndicated news program which airs across North America, Amy Goodman and Aaron Mate moderated an important debate on Ag-gag laws. Their guests were Will Porter, a freelance reporter and author who is very familiar with the controversial legislation, and Emily Meredith, the Communications Director for Animal Agriculture Alliance. Porter and Meredith addressed many of the pros and cons associated with these new laws during the debate. Several of their arguments are discussed in the points below:
Independent animal abuse investigations have made an enormous impact on today’s factory farming industry. Many companies have been forced to implement more humane practices due to criminal charges brought on by these studies. In addition, the largest meat recall in U.S. history is a direct result of these undercover investigations.
Ag-gag bill supporters are reporting a different side to the story. They are claiming that animal rights activists are not taking the incriminating footage directly to the authorities and are releasing them to media outlets. They argue that this independent research is somewhat disingenuous and not solely about bringing lawbreakers to justice.
This argument ignores the fact that there is very little government regulation when it comes to industrial farming. Animal activists feel the need to expose what is really going on in slaughterhouses, because so many Americans are completely in the dark about this topic. Furthermore, many of these Ag-gag bills cover such a broad scope of investigation that they criminalize certain forms of investigative journalism and documentation.
A key point for Ag-gag bill defenders is the claim that recording on private property is an infringement on the right to privacy and should not be permitted in any way, shape, or form. Yet, if one runs a legitimate business, where is the need for privacy? What needs to be kept in secret and what should the public not be allowed to see?
The Ag-gag bills want to hide what is happening in the animal agriculture industry. Big business and the bottom line have become legitimate reasons to turn a blind eye to animal treatment. For example, recently in North Carolina, a slew of Butterball employees pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges. Shortly after, the North Carolina Legislature introduced an Ag-gag bill that criminalized the same type of investigation used to indict the Butterball employees. This, in turn, led to the ousting of a North Carolina agricultural official for obstruction of justice.
The country is caught in the crossfire of the great Ag-gag bill debate. This type of legislation is on the table in many states and is an issue that is not going away anytime soon.
Kansas was the first state to enact an ag-gag law, in 1990. Montana and North Dakota followed in 1991.
These bills are troubling not only to animal protection activists, but also to those concerned with food safety, labor issues, free speech, and freedom of the press. The bills would apply equally to journalists, activists and employees. By prohibiting any type of undercover recordings, a farm’s own employees would be prohibited from attempting to record food safety violations, labor violations, sexual harrassment incidents or other illegal activity. First Amendment concerns were raised because the MN bill would have prohibited the broadcast of undercover videos, and the FL bill originally prohibited any unauthorized photos or videos of a farm including those shot from a public street.
Undercover photos and videos have been used extensively by the animal protection movement to expose farming cruelty, whether the activity is legal or illegal. These bills are a reaction to the bad publicity that erupts whenever a new undercover video is released.
Proponents of the bills claim that they are necessary to protect agricultural interests, and if animal cruelty or any illegal activity is taking place at a facility, the employees can notify authorities. There are several problems with this argument. Notifying authorities and waiting for authorities to get either a warrant or permission to enter the premises gives the wrongdoers a chance to cover up the problem. Cruel practices that are legal will likely not be reported or exposed. Also, employees won’t report themselves to authorities and might be hesitant to report their co-workers and supervisors.
However, if the farms treated the animals better, they wouldn’t have to worry about undercover videos. Matt Rice of Mercy for Animals points out:
Legislation should focus on strengthening animal cruelty laws, not prosecuting those who blow the whistle on animal abuse . . . If producers truly cared about animal welfare, they would offer incentives to whistle-blowers, install cameras at these facilities to expose and prevent animal abuse, and they would work to strengthen animal abuse laws to prevent animals from needless suffering.
Paul Shapiro, senior director of farm animal protection for The HSUS, states, “These draconian bills to silence whistle-blowers show just how far the animal agribusiness industry is willing to go, and just how much the industry has to hide.”
Undercover videos are important not just for educating the public, but also because they can be used as evidence in animal cruelty cases. According to Katerina Lorenzatos Makris of Examiner.com, “Castro County DA James R. Horton said that without the footage from Mercy for Animals (MFA) ‘we wouldn’t have anything’ in terms of evidence against the suspects in the beating deaths of dairy calves at E6 Cattle Co. in Hart, Texas.” In West Virginia in 2009, three employees at Aviagen Turkeys were charged with felony animal cruelty as a result of an undercover video by PETA.
While some members of the public will demand animal welfare reforms after seeing factory farming videos, animal rights is about whether humans have a right to use non-human animals for our purposes, regardless of how well the animals are treated.
Just though when you though one was safe in Europe “think again” as the Ag-gag laws may be coming to Europe and they mean business which is going to make investigating a crime more difficult, the investigator will be subject themselves to criminal charges “for not reporting the crime in a certain length of time” whilst the corporation gets of scot free just to recommit the same offence.
Large, intensive factory farms have shown significant growth in the US and Europe over the past 20 years. Between 2002 and 2007 the total number of livestock on the biggest of just US farms grew by more than 20%.
But concerns over the conditions in which cattle, pigs and poultry are raised and slaughtered have prompted many animal welfare groups to mount undercover investigations. (Which we wholeheartedly support) 100% so as long as the investigations are;
- Investigated in the correct manner
- There is more than sufficient evidence that can bring the perpetrator to justice within the set time allocated by law
- The investigator does not interfere with the raw evidence that could potentially place the surveillance operation into disrepute and animal’s in danger should edited surveillance be proven that would then allow the criminal to walk free
- Communications from the primary source are kept up to date, the investigator within the thick of the crime immediately and/or a low key undercover operation is conducted such as placing an “individual” within the working business to ascertain all areas of abuse, whom is involved, times and dates, to names, and any other areas of key interest. Then a formal investigation can be implemented that the detective knows from the “reconnaissance mission” where to go to, what to look for, and record within the allocated time thus reporting this. This then 1) allows for a sufficient conviction under the animal welfare act and 2) does not see or allow any furthering of animal abuse. By allowing animal abuse to continue when one has more than enough data then the investigator has overstepped the “line” and is bordering animal abuse charges themselves for allowing it to happen.
- After the investigation has been reported allow the law enforcement team to then take over.
- Never place within the public domain investigative reports that are in the process of court action, are being looked at by law enforcement, or “incite a criminal action” to take place. A good investigator is a private and quiet one that does not give out location, names, or personal details of which these companies fear the most. A good investigator always ensures that they have plan A, B, C, D, and E, to always being two steps ahead of the abuser.
Welfare groups say that the American Legislative Exchange Council is the moving force behind these laws. This group supports conservative causes and promotes legislation to limit the role of government. They have described animal rights campaigners as [terrorists]. They support the laws because they believe investigators are threatening the privacy rights of individuals and businesses.
While the “Ag-gag” laws are primarily designed to have impact within the US, many feel they will also have an impact outside the country.
As factory farming spreads like a plague around the world,” said Matt Rice from Mercy for Animals, “international agribusiness interests will certainly attempt to import America’s Ag-gag laws along with its tainted meat and animal abuse.
The UK and other nations should be on high alert. In the UK, Peta the animal welfare charity said these US laws were “shameful”. Such atrocious public policy sets a dangerous precedent for UK industry, as does the introduction of US-style mega-farms,” said Peta’s Ben Williamson. Legislators should instead be passing laws to require cameras in all abattoirs and factory farms in order to catch animal abusers.
Others are concerned that if these laws are passed, consumers around the world will no longer be able to trust that exports of US agricultural products are produced without cruelty. A significant amount of meat, dairy and eggs produced on US factory farms goes to foreign countries,
Anyone who consumes animal agricultural products imported from the US should be scared. This prevents them from knowing what’s going on - it blocks an entire industry from transparency.
We will update on this law and what impacts it is having on all those that are affected by it, there should be no secrecy with regards to large scale agricultural businesses, everyone should have the right to know how their food has been produced, how the animals are being treated, and if the food chain is being infested with “mafia meat”. Had a tip of not been sent to DEFRA then the UK and EU customer would still be consuming large quantities of horse/donkey meat along with the powerful analgesics that was located within the meat products.
International Animal Rescue Foundation does not under any circumstances support the Ag-gag law nor do we support the slaughtering of animals, so called “humane slaughter”. Should we locate or know of animal abuse we will continue within the nation that the law stands undertake surveillance “within the law” that shall be documented swiftly so as not to allow the suffering of animals to continue for any longer than is necessary and to bring the perpetrators to justice for breaching and/or violating the codes of the Animal Welfare Act and Food Safety Legislation.
We take all abuse seriously and we will act on that abuse whether it is directed at us or within the animal kingdom. No innocent person or animal must be subjected to abuse and all farming communities must if they are to now push this law upon to all states educate their staff, monitor their staff, and discipline them or we and others will come knocking law or no law ABUSE is ABUSE.
Please sign the petitions here;
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/criminalize-ag-gag-laws/KQWSvsKr
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/939/520/404/stop-ag-gag-laws-across-the-united-states/
Why do we need the Ag-gag laws gone? View the videos please which we warn you are disturbing and graphic.
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Director
For a healthy vegan and vegetarian eating guide please view our page below, brain foods, energy foods, herbs and spices to lots of healthy green and tasty recipes.
Why do we investigate? We investigate for yours and animal’s welfare you’ll understand in the video below.
Please sign the petitions above and allow us and others to continue our work unhindered by international governmental terrorists that wish to protect the abuser and corporate organisations for money, greed, and political control over all of us and species alike. We are not domestic terrorists we are environmentalists, animal lovers, caring, compassionate individuals, those that care those, that have a heart for all.
Environmentalism - Chapter 41 - The Lions Last Breath
The Panthera leo more commonly known as the king of the jungle, Lion king or just the Lion that is now under serious threat of endangerment of which if the depleting populations of Lions doesn’t cease then we will see the Lion possibly in five to ten years if less pushed to extinction which will affect the African ecosystem gastronomically.
The King of the jungle of which its own roar can he heard from up to five miles away has roamed the African, Asian, American and European continents for over thirty two thousand years which its name the “king of the jungle” derived from BC (Before Christ) the Greek storyteller Aesop, the lion was also referred to as the “king of the beasts” and there is no mistaken why.
Lions are super camouflaged carnivorousness hunter’s that live within a pride, hunting within the night and morning of which both female and male are sexually active mainly during night, the most dominant male will fend of others in order to gain it’s desired mate the Lioness.
By the age of “four years” old most Lionesses’ will have reproduced on average a total of sixteen cubs within that four year time frame, the Lioness will produce four to five cubs a year with a possible three only surviving as of other predatory attackers, or the male Lion becoming aggressive to hunters and farmers that steal the cubs to use within the canned hunting business. The average healthy female Lioness will normally have a ratio of four to five cubs per litter.
Related to the Jaguar, Leopard and Tiger the Lion has evolved within Africa and is most certainly endemic to the African continent which it is suggested that the Lion species Panthera leo is roughly around 800,000 years old, although some speculators state their species can be located as far back as one million years.
Living within groups of around ten to fifteen cats the pride can normally host around forty felids or less although this is dropping as of adverse climatological atmospheric disruption and disease, habitual carnage, farming, poaching, pseudo hunting, canned hunting, human species conflict and regrettably like the Rhinoceros yet again the Traditional Chinese and Indian medicine markets.
Lion’s, Clouded Leopard’s Ocelot’s, to Jaguar’s and Puma’s both distributed over large swaths within Asia and Africa with the exception of the Lion which are illegally hunted or hunted from which their bone’s or whole carcass are used as a substitute for the most expensive Tiger bone wine that can fetch for one bottle or customised case within China, Vietnam, and Thailand up to but not over $10,000. The hunting and exportation of Lion bones is not though “illegal” and this is concerning us.
The skeletal bones of lions that are legally hunted or naturally die are also sold on to Asian continents mainly being China to make pseudo pharmaceuticals that have no curing properties to the human at all. Exportations of Lions from our beloved Africa are also on-going depleting the populations more.
In prides the females do most of the hunting and cub rearing. Usually all the lionesses in the pride are related mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and sisters the Lion is one of twenty seven extant species of wild felid that is crucially important to keep within the ecosystem to preserve Mother Nature.
Should we lose this main African predator then their prey being mostly the Antelope, Buffalo, Zebra, Wildebeest and Waterbuck that make up the bulk of their diet along with Springbok and small to large rodents will then overpopulate the African grasslands and forests to fields a like thus placing farm’s and other highly important ecological areas in danger of species over population.
Farmland over grazing will increase that will result in crop loss and damage, and areas of high botanical, forestry and agricultural importance will be placed in jeopardy. Destroying the species of Panthera, formally identified in 1758 through human want and greed would be a complete environmental nightmare which would eventually have a colossal knock on effect to many other species to even species encroachment within human residential or rural areas that would then result in more culling, and hunting.
We simply cannot afford to allow this to happen and nor will allow such a majestic wild cat be pushed to extinction.
Back in the 1940’s within Asia and Africa the estimated population of Lions stood at just under five hundred thousand species of both African Lion and Asiatic Lion, it is now known that the species of Asiatic Lion only resides within Zoological Gardens and the numbers are not even within the hundreds. Populations of the Lion species have deteriorated so rapidly that from 1950 to 1990 we saw a gargantuan decrease of around 200,000 Lions just within these two continents.
Click the image above for more information
The Panthera leo’s last stand is now within Africa and their fight for survival now lies within ours and your hands from which the numbers stand a mere thirty two thousand if that (that’s correct just 32,000) and most of these lions are male. The female species can only mate when she is ovulating similar to the domestic canine and non-wild feline “not felid” species.
Gestating at a rate of only one hundred and ten days the populations cannot simply keep producing with the on-going spurge of many threats that are listed below for your information.
- Climate change
- Disease such as distemper can cause death in just under a few days and once a pride is infected the likelihood of their survival is slim unless veterinary attention is sought. Distemper hit many Lions from 1991-1994 and although it is seen a rarity it can still affect the species. With populations being so small it then makes the veterinary officer and rangers job more difficult to monitor and locate.
- Drought can affect many species of animals and not just the Lion. From the late 1990’s to 2000’s droughts brought on by carbon pollution and high intense summers had a severe knock on affect for the Lion that was also linked to distemper.
- Drought can also have a disastrous effect on the Lions prey thus moving prey on that then result in food shortages. Should a further severe drought during the gestation period of which the Lioness is the most predominant hunter then we could view a massive decline as the mothers cannot simply move from the den to rehouse during gestation to follow prey which in turn would equal Lion depletion.
- To date more than 680,000,000 humans reside within Africa with South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and neighbouring nations around the Democratic Republic of Congo gradually increasing. The estimated birth rate of humans per nation is thirty two a second with over 300,000 (estimate) to the nearest figure born internationally a day. Overpopulation is a serious international threat to our 8.1 billion species of mammals, aquatics, reptilians, anthropoids and botanical species. At such large numbers this then reduces land mass, thus reducing the species of Lion and pushing it onto other lands.
- Human and Species conflict is again another problem mostly caused 9/10 times by overpopulation. When the land Lions resided on is then overtaken by humans and cooperation’s, Lions need to locate food rapidly. There are many reports of which Lions have invaded farm land which tragically see’s the farmer shoot the Lion dead.
- Hunting and canned hunting (canned hunting is more or less the same as hunting) the Lion though is not given a fair chance to escape. Hunting is not playing a pivotal role within conservation upkeep or preservation of the wild felid species. Canned hunting has to be the most grotesque sport that see’s the Lioness bred like battery chickens. Her cubs are then ripped away from her thus then used as a human petting option for safaris. Once old enough and fed well the 1-2 year old Lion is shot dead in a cage type hunt by careless hunters that lack empathy and thought for the conservation world not even realising the dangers they are placing our wild felids within. Once both the Lion and the Lioness have been used and abused they are then shot dead at a discount price of around $20,000+ the fresh caned hunted mature cats usually sell for $40.000 to $50,000 maximum.
- Poaching is a major concern from which the Lion bones are used within Traditional Chinese Medicine as a substitute for Tiger bone wine. Many reports are flowing into us weekly regarding Lions that have been located dead in the trunks of vehicles that Mozambique’s have hunted thus supplying the syndicates and kingpins with the carcass and bones that are then used as substituted Tiger bone wine. Lions found skinned and deboned, to cubs that have been stolen from the prides den with both mother and father shot dead by the poacher[s] have also been reported.
- Poisoning is again another great concern that is also laid to keep many species of animals out of farmers land, inhumane steel traps and trap cages are also used to catch the Lions or other species that wander onto farms or ranchers. Should the poison or traps not kill then the farmer or rancher with the gun will most certainly kill to protect his/her crops and cattle.
Defenders of Wildlife stated of which we International Animal Rescue Foundation Africa © have been quoting for a long time now.
The steepest challenge that lions currently face is that farmer and ranchers have no economic reason for not poisoning or killing them. Conservation groups are working to develop strategies such as lion proof bomas, which are natural thorny enclosures where ranchers keep their livestock at night, and prevent livestock deaths, reducing or eliminating the need to kill lions because of livestock depredation.
Lions are also becoming more economically viable as a tourist attraction, bringing in revenue to these countries. Conservation groups are using the rising tourism to see if they are able to allocate ranchers a percentage of this tourist money as an incentive to let lions continue to roam and flourish once again.
Tourists please watch the video below - When you travel to South Africa or any nations within Africa that have “any Lions” that you pet or view in a cage you’re not viewing what your lead to believe. You’re viewing a canned hunting farm of which “some or many” are now named as “safaris” that you provide money to. Please don’t support this - Please view the video’s and educate yourselves and others.
Will the rise in tourism and percentage of revenue given to ranchers and farmers to reduce the Lions death work? Yes we believe so, Boma’s have also been proven to work in more similar methods/practices across Europe, Asia and America regarding other species of predatory mammalians. A Lion Proof Boma is more or less similar to a natural controlled cattle “safe spot”.
Boma’s have been used successfully within Kenya that saw before they were implemented angry and frustrated farmers, ranchers and villagers placing inhumane traps and poisons down that the Lion would then consume from a dead carcass “its favourite food”.
Subsequently the cat then perishes a horrid and painful death or worse in worst case scenarios the gestating mother that normally forages for food within her mating season would consume the toxins thus sadly killing her and the unborn cubs.
Description of a Boma
A boma is more or less a safe area that the rancher and farmer can use to keep their cattle safe at night thus reducing to halting predatory attack. The boma consists of a wired fence with strong thorn brambles around the side of the fence that acts as a double measure in keeping not only the Lion away from the fenced area but also the cattle too thus creating a “safe barrier” within the boma reducing any potential attack.
Regrettably though with poaching and canned hunting on the increase that we are working on to ban the substituted Tiger bone wine trade then unfortunately we still have a long way to go.
It does at times feel as if we are all fighting one battle after the other however there are many other environmental organisations and AVVAZ a collective community of many millions of people that now want like ourselves and other wildlife institutions Lion hunting banned and bone trade “banned”. You can sign their petition here https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_lion_slaughter_for_sex_aides_d/
Lion bone wine trade
Breeders and hunting operators who offer trophy hunts for lions are reportedly, in addition to a R100 000 fee paid by hunters for the shooting of one lion, fetching R1500 per kilo by selling bones to Chinese dealers.
After a dramatic decline in tiger numbers in Asia, traders have turned to selling lion bones for medicines in the form of soups, teas and powders.
Drinking tiger bone wine is thought to enhance sexual prowess. But because there is no perceivable difference between tiger and lion bone, Asian users are now turning to lion bones to satisfy the high demand that exists in these countries. The bones are also believed to cure conditions such as rheumatism, cramps, stomach aches and malaria. This has never been proven and is complete and utter nonsense exactly the same as the illegal Rhinoceros hone trade.
Conservationists are trying to stop the decline in lion numbers by 2015 and gradually restore the population to at least double the present level, which currently stands at an “estimated” 30,000 lions, down from 100,000 just 50 years ago.
Andrew Parker, CEO of Sabi Sands Game Reserve in Mpumalanga, said that he believed trade in animal products should be limited to animals which had died from natural deaths. However we believe no trade should be given the go ahead as this creates demand thus increasing want for more that consequently then ends up with poaching and corruption that increases the market potential.
It is unacceptable to kill animals in order to trade in their parts. Unfortunately rhino poaching has started a trend and opened up well established channels to markets. The Sabi Sand’s Game Reserve believes the market should be opened up for animals that have died of a natural death.
We will though categorically disagree with this and will continue to stride forward for a full trade ban, or, moratorium on hunting near threatened or vulnerable species that are in danger as well lobbying for sanctions to be implemented against the offending and repeat offending nations.
Trade in lion bones is currently legal in South Africa, with authorities issuing permits allowing breeders to kill lions, turn them into bones and export them to the Far East. This needs to be stopped and nipped in the bud sooner rather than later as it is creating a “market” and evidence in most if not all illegal wildlife trade has proven time again that while there is a “market” and buyers are purchasing into it then the more “desire for want and demand” is there. We’re trying to stop the bloody demand not keep it flourishing.
Official figures show that more than 600 lions were killed by hunters in 2012 and that there have been 92 carcasses exported to Vietnam and Laos alone since 2009.
In South Africa recently, the authorities in one province issued permits for a farmer to kill 44 of his lions and turn them into bones (This is just bloody disgraceful).
In 2010, international civil activism organisation Avaaz appealed to President Jacob Zuma in a petition to ban the trade of lion bones of which the petition is listed above. We ourselves have petitioned the South African government 2012 from which the president has neither acknowledged the petition or even the points within it. - http://www.sahunters.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=210:media-release-by-the-south-african-hunters-and-game-conservation-association-on-measures-to-stop-rhino-poaching&catid=87:press-release&Itemid=288 - http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/boycott-threat-to-save-rhino-1.1215893#.UXttX7Usm1U
Dr Herman Els, manager for conservation at SA Hunters challenged us quoting;
We challenge the International Animal Rescue Foundation to ask the alleged 11,500 signatories of their petition against trade to donate US$100 each to reimburse South African conservation authorities for some of the expenses incurred in the anti-rhino-poaching effort. This can generate R9,2 million for the noble cause for which they have yet to make a financial contribution,’ said Dr Herman Els, manager for conservation at SA Hunters. –
What Dr Herman Els is forgetting that even before this petition was launched and consequently ignored that the Rhinoceros and Lion was already in vast danger with predictions set for a massive poaching increase for 2012 and now 2013 seeing a possible 1,000 poached dead.
We have yet to view any form of “hunting activities whether it be taking out species of mammalians or funding to preserve our Rhinoceros and Lion population”. As we are not as vast and spread out as the hunting fraternity then this argument or challenge is utterly pathetic that PHASA (Professional Hunting Association of South Africa) could have achieved more with their lousy $10 voluntary donations.
“We are asked to present $100USD though? The hunter still cannot acknowledge that (overpopulation) is the main issue that’s killing our species. PHASA was also emailed by ourselves twice from whom we pointed our many wrong doings, and wildlife violations with regards to their terms and conditions and environmental violations, on emailing they changed their site information one month later and seem to have “broken more rules”.
I challenge Dr Herman Els to provide to me in writing a full manuscript informing me of how much funding per year has gone into conservation preservation, and exactly what was undertaken to obtain them funds. I am sure that no more than five paragraphs of simple English can answer his email when I view it upon one’s desk.
Moving on-
The email that AVAAZ currently has running quotes “as citizens with great respect for South Africa, we appeal to you ban the cruel and senseless trade in lion bones, which is encouraging an industry that could drive lions to the brink of extinction,” the petition stated.
Click the poster and please sign the petition - Donations are needed for more posters such as these in international and local airports and shipping ports - postcards and more to get the message across that we will not tolerate this utter disgrace that President Zuma is allowing within his nation of South Africa -
The lobbying movement has attracted over 753 917 signatures to date 27th April 2013 10:57 ZA time.
There is an overlap between people who trade lion parts and those who trade in rhino horn illegally, and the end user demographic in Asia is also the same. I am in favour of the South African government as quoted.
Thai rhino horn trafficker, Chumlong Lemtonghai, who was sentenced to 40 years in prison last November, admitted in affidavits that he had planned to purchase 300 sets of lion bones on his next trip to South Africa.
Professor Pieter Potgieter, chairperson of the South African Predator Breeders’ Association defended the industry in a LionAid blog, by saying that there is little difference between the killing of lions and killing of other animals.
Breeding animals for human exploitation is a natural human process. A sympathetic myth has been created about the lion as the king of the animals,” Potgieter said.
“It would be better to let us cater for growing demand. Chickens are killed by humans. How are lions different from them?” he asked.
What Potgieter doesn’t realise is that there are more chickens than there are Lions on the planet the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that in 2002 there were nearly sixteen billion chickens in the world, counting a total population of 15,853,900,000.
The figures from the Global Livestock Production and Health Atlas for 2004 however there are a mere 30,000 Lions with only 15,966 Rhinoceros. (Potgieter’s argument is seriously flawed and not worth the paper one has written it on). In 2009 the annual chicken population in factory farms was estimated at 50 billion. With 6 billion raised in the European Union, over 9 billion raised in the United States and more than 7 billion in China.
To compare livestock bred on a gastronomically high level to Lions or even Rhinoceros or other species of wild animal that is under serious threat from poaching, hunting, poisoning, and climatological atmospheric destruction then we have problems with education and awareness or is it just one want’s to ascertain more pocket money to supporting the hunting murderous fraternity.
The Lion and the Rhinoceros is in great danger and we need your help. You can fund many organisations of which Born Free and many other welfare organisations are doing a fantastic job in now helping to purchase fencing and boma’s.
You can also donate to our main African/European wildlife preservation within the link below that goes straight to Funding African Wildlife Survival our second emergency funding operation African funding scheme of which all donations will be used to fund and secure farming land, to purchase more Anti-Poaching equipment, cattle security, informing networks, and pushing more Anti-Poaching Personnel into the field. For more information please contact Jenny below African Affairs officer of environmentalism and wildlife preservation operations.
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Your donations will purchase;
- African anti-poaching equipment
- Fencing and security for farmers and ranchers to sustain our Lion populations
- Emergency veterinary medications and help for injured/sick Lions
- Education and awareness posters
We must preserve the Lion species, should we fail we will see them pushed to extinction within ten years if that. African wildlife is under serious pressure, we haven’t time to wait or debate anymore we must strive forward and do our utmost best professionally and constructively to preserve our species now rather than later. Your help is much appreciated.
Donate to funding African Wildlife Survival
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Please help us all save them - Funding African Wildlife Survival - Thank You
Environmentalism - Chapter 40 Chemtrail Exposure Part 2
Just as we believed and predicted although cannot prove on publishing the first document 20th April 2013 with regards to our own concerns with chemical trails a document was released by the American government stating that chemtrails were nothing to be of any concern and all the hype was over a few misconceptions and ill-informed individuals that were “paranoid”.
However the United States Government and the Environmental Protection Agency along with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) still refuses to acknowledge why they feel it is necessary to pollute our skies with more toxic chemicals that have been proven past and present to be harmful to one’s health, and environmentally damaging although yet again this is still to be ascertained.
Within the team at International Animal Rescue Foundation © all staff paid and voluntary have extensive educational and professional backgrounds of up to forty to fifty years and are now in the process of challenging all governmental environmental agencies (within this training programme) into providing validating information via the freedom of information act on the usage of over forty chemicals.
Forty chemicals that are frequently sprayed from military tanker planes over America and Europe, why they are spraying, why they have lied to the public as seen within the video of our first document paragraph (16) first video 20th April 2013, why they stipulated at first that chemical trail programmes were part of weather pattern modifications to now being used as stated within the first video for military training programmes.
We are fully aware that obtaining this valuable yet crucial information is going to prove extraordinarily difficult so we have asked our own environmental, climatological and marine biology researchers within continents that are being sprayed to gather after spraying has been viewed water, soil, air and live botanical samples to establish exactly what other chemicals are being used and what dangers these could pose to human, animal and aquatic life.
The first nation we have already approached of which we are now releasing this information is the United Kingdom under section 2000 of the Freedom of Information Act.
The reasons for this request under Sec. 2000 of the FOIA Act are listed below;
- Chemicals that are being sprayed.
- Why these chemicals are being sprayed
- Any proven evidence to establish if these chemicals pose a health risk that could reduce fertility, increase or bring on the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, environmental pollution to marine and land mammals
- Evidence to prove that these chemicals are used for weather modifications
- Confidentially and secrecy involving weather modification
- What companies are involved and who is providing these chemicals
- Why are military jet liners undertaking these missions with global positioning systems disabled within civilian airspace
- Biochemical species experimentation
We are more than aware that the questions and concerns raised will most likely not be acknowledged so, because the United Kingdom falls under one of the nations that are being sprayed then we have contacted as of the 16th April 2013 other organisations/companies of which should we be refused this information that in theory should be placed within the public domain then we will use these companies at our disposal as well as other individuals that we are not naming for privacy, confidentially and security reasons.
Within paragraph 16(first video) one American scientist blatantly admits that the chemicals that are being sprayed at an altitude of just under 40,000 feet “have not been researched on whether they are a danger to public health” so for that reason the public under section 2000 of the FOIA Act has every reason to be informed on the short term or long term health risks of such chemical trail exposure - exposed to them.
Conspiracy theories are and have been circulating the World Wide Web along with much misunderstanding and governmental cover ups to corruption and wrong data published on many sites that show many misconceptions and errors to non-proven factual evidence. International Animal Rescue Foundation © must and will only under our mission statement provide the truth and only factual data and not theories, maybe’s, if’s or buts.
As stated in part one of the chemtrail exposure we briefly explained an operation named as Operation Black Swan of which much if not most of this data has vanished or been removed from Google, Facebook forums, to private forums and YouTube videos with no reasons made public as to why the content was removed.
Normally when content is removed one has to provide to a “company” although it’s not legally binding in Europe or America [as such] a DMCA: Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice, “WIPO Copyright and Performances and Phonograms Treaties Implementation Act of 1998, “Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act.
The law creates limitations on the liability of online service providers for copyright infringement when engaging in certain types of activities, “Computer Maintenance Competition Assurance Act,” creates an exemption for making a copy of a computer program by activating a computer for purposes of maintenance or repair.
There is also Title IV that contains under the Clinton Treaty 1998 six miscellaneous provisions, relating to the functions of the Copyright Office, distance education, the exceptions in the Copyright Act for libraries and for making ephemeral recordings, “webcasting” of sound recordings on the Internet, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreement obligations in the case of transfers of rights in motion pictures. ! Title V, the “Vessel Hull Design Protection Act,” creates a new form of protection for the design of vessel hulls.
When we viewed all information on Operation Black Swan thus then reporting on this coincidentally “although not evidentially proven” our own information then other’s was removed immediately without warning.
As stated in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice the company that removed[s] must provide information on who removed that data and the informer[s] name be published whether it be a court order, complaint or simple removal for theft of materials should there be a specific order placed that states no name is to be provided then under international law this indicates that the informer and/or company/organisation/government maybe a high profile figure that has to be subject to a secrecy gagging order.
As explained though this does not imply to every one of which we do believe the government are exempt which is why we are extremely suspicious. The content that was removed derived from “American sources”.
The subsequent information that was published on Operation Black Swan that involved millions of animals both land and marine being washed up and located dead in mysterious circumstances still remains just that, a complete mystery with many theories circulated and still in circulation although limited to quantity and data “for now”.
The persons that “informed” the domain[s] host[s], company[s] to remove all data from the networks is still as yet non-identifiable. So for that reason we will still formally investigate into and ascertain as to what caused these mass deaths and why no one was accountable or disciplined to no formal data released to what this “phenomena was” or if chemical trail weather modification technology had been used. It is blatantly obvious that this technology is however no evidence as yet can back this up with Operation Black Swan and extremely touchy subject with regards to the United States Government.
We do believe that this was an international military exercise of which all nations that have been implicated in chemtrail usage also saw a colossal death rate of birds, fish, and other mammals and non-mammalians.
We also have a right to be more than concerned because if the governments or whomever was involved within this exercise are spraying deadly chemicals that can on a gargantuan level kill millions of animals then what’s to say they “cannot do the same to human life” which then brings into question as explained in the first video (document 1 paragraph 16) video (1) that this is a form of “population control and/or new military biochemical weapon being devised” for the use in modern warfare to eliminate an enemy rapidly.
Ruling out all other theories for this moment in time we have placed below evidence of mammal and non-mammal deaths that “could be related to Operation Black Swan” although as yet not proven.
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/lake-erie-dead-fish-birds-_n_1860723.html
- http://www.fourwinds10.net/siterun_data/environment/destruction/news.php?q=1336612320
- http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/110121.html
- http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pages/unexplained/did-HAARP-kill-thousands-of-brids-and-fish.htm
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343605/1-000-blackbirds-fall-Arkansas-sky-New-Years-Eve.html
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344913/Animal-death-mystery-8k-turtle-doves-fall-dead-Italy-blue-stain-beaks.html
- http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2011/01/06/40000_crabs_join_slew_of_animaldeath_mysteries.html
- http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/12/31/green-chemical-in-b-c-river-not-toxic-study-confirms/ (interesting case as the river turned fluorescent green – then an update stated after a fountain beside the veterans memorial parkway in Langford also turned green) so this was not a natural occurrence and the only way the fountain could possibly had turned the same colour is if the same chemicals within it and but not connected in “anyway” to the river is if someone or a large drop of chemicals had been placed within it via spraying. Again all cases are reported or noticeable within the early mornings and never in the evenings or night indicating that areas are/or maybe under monitoring by the government of which they know that more reports would come in of odd irregularities.
- http://beforeitsnews.com/mass-animal-death/2011/01/operation-black-swan-killing-birds-fish-people-352025.html (When we reported on Operation Black Swan our documents and other sites vanished of line along with other mysterious events. The main governmental whistle blower was also found dead along with one other Russian individual – Cause of death’s) – Suicide, many documents and videos where subsequently removed from social media sites, one of our main environmental investigation intelligence sites was shut down immediately by “unknown organisations” of which we was sent a message stating that we had broken the Freedom of Speech Act, to this day we have never known of such law.) – We simply documented on a military operation that had no explanation to conclusive data to explain why many thousands of animals perished internationally. To this day the Government of the United States of America have still refused to acknowledge FOIA’s to even scientific emails from our own environmental unit. International Environmental Investigations Committee (IEIC)
- http://news.sky.com/story/1067659/thousands-of-dead-prawns-washed-up-in-chile
- http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/china-reports1-fourth-death-from-h7n9-mystery-deepens-on-how-virus-is-spreading/
- http://beforeitsnews.com/mass-animal-death/2012/08/900-white-tailed-deer-across-eight-michigan-counties-this-summer-600-more-than-last-summer-2430224.html
- http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/local/article_bb5e589d-61b8-5a05-985b-c63f00f49329.html
- http://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-blackbirds-fall-sky-beebe-arkansas-years-eve/story?id=15269793#.UXSpALUsm1U
- http://abcnews.go.com/US/bird-deaths-louisiana-911-calls-released-arkansas-blackbird/story?id=12544093#.UXSpGLUsm1U
The list of mysterious environmental animal deaths have gone fairly unnoticed to the international public, however some cases as stipulated by federal investigators and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that’s coincidentally working with (HAARP) have been reported to have been started deliberately by agriculturists administering ground poisons all of which the cases were mostly within the early mornings.
This would give us reason to believe on a professional status that should the governments of the United States and Europe be using some form of High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program technology, then the most likely time of day to be conducting experimental frequency research would be early morning when more animals are mostly active and members of the public can report thus then informing environmental agencies that consequently then report to (HAARP) High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program Unit in Alaska of the outcome of such environmental experimental activities.
Any furthering investigations by members of the public or questions/debates on why such events are occurring have been placed down to “disease or human/species interference” from which no evidence is placed within the public domain.
It is not the first time mass birds deaths have occurred on American soil.
Just before the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 2010, thousands of birds started to rain down on the small town of Beebe, Arkansas. (Would this be because of the party celebrations increasing noise pollution of which if (HARRP) did fire the high frequency fields up then no one would be none the wiser)?
Up to 5,000 red-winged blackbirds fell in a short stretch no more than 800 yards wide, sprinkling roads, rooftops and lawns. In some places, the ground was turned almost black. Officials initially blamed high-altitude hail or lightning hitting the birds.
Then preliminary lab tests concluded they had died from ‘multiple blunt force trauma’, implying they had flown into something. (Birds don’t just fly into blunt objects and it is very rare for any species of blackbird to be flying to at night FACT) The black birds are not nocturnal hunters and feed mostly of insects, small tree fruits and seeds to worms and snails. (Why was there no predatory birds found dead)?
The prime suspect was New Year fireworks, which could have startled the birds from their roosts thus sending them crashing into houses, trees and each other. (Non-proven) The U.S. Geological Survey has said it knew of 16 cases over the past 20 years of large numbers of blackbirds dying at once. Investigators admit they may never discover what happened.
Within our mission statement we must provide factual evidence and not “theories or conspiracies” as by doing this it misleads the public and thus creating panic and misconceptions. HAARP is of a concern to us and we have raised the following questions;
- If HAARP was being used to for environmental protection then why has climate destruction disaster increased from a rate from 1980 to 2011 skyrocketing from $100 billion USD to over $400 billion USD that’s gradually increasing yearly with more cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes or tropical storms, extensive catastrophic flooding, and some of the most harshest winters and summer’s and extraordinarily unpredictable weather patterns?
- America and Europe have both been implicated in using High Frequency Active Auroral Research technology HAARP, so if we look back at the recent firestorms and damage created if HARRP was being used to alter weather patterns thus moving clouds then why did we not see this technology used within America and Europe within 2011, 2012, 2013 when summer fire storms hit the many continents. Surely HARRP would then use this so called weather adapting technology to then erase these colossal fire damaging storms thus decreasing government expenditure, economic crisis, and insurance claims and death?
- It was quoted - HAARP would be the largest ionospheric heater in the world, located in latitude most conducive to putting Eastland’s invention into practice.” Furthermore, from this northern latitude, the energy could be aimed into the ionosphere so that it would bounce back down to the earth so it would come down wherever the scientists wanted it to come down. The secret was to learn how and where to aim it to hit the earth where they wanted it to hit creating the type of disaster or whether they desired. So if they can and most certainly have manipulated the weather then why has Africa been hit by vast drought effecting millions of citizens, claiming animal and people lives, displacing individuals too. HAARP is present in the US, UK, Canada and Europe to Russia and China so looking back at the United states of America from 2011 and 2012 of which saw some of the worst heat waves and “tropical type storms” then why wasn’t HARRP used to manipulate these climatological high and low pressure fronts that subsequently if used moved cloud formations in the stratosphere over these affected states thus providing rains?
- Weather manipulation has been used as far back as 1969 as described in [part 01] of chemtrail exposure presented by www.infowars.com narrated by the first ever military weather manipulator from Western Texas – United States of America – retired Pilot Captain Ben Livingston from the United States Air force (USAF) that stated categorically he was able to manipulate cloud formations over Asia within the stratosphere that caused extensive wind and tropical hurricane damage, washing away bridges, resulting in flooding causing many deaths. This technology Captain Livingston used placed chemical liquids within the clouds to freeze them thus forming the “cloud or better known as the eye of the storm” the first ever pilot to view and alter Mother Nature. Why then has HARRP been implicated in weather adaptions utilising High Frequency Active Auroral Research technology with the “United States Air force” military tankers still seen within the stratosphere spraying chemicals? Surely we don’t need both? Or is it factual that HARRP is using the United States Air force base that is using High Frequency Active Auroral Research technology as a high grade weapon of mass destruction? But then why allow others such as the Americans worst enemy Russia and China to the use “similar technology”?
What is HAARP?
The following is purely based on HAARP’s “about section” which we do not accept as factual or non-factual at this moment based on many climate issues from renowned physicians, environmental critics, and investigative media.
HAARP is a scientific endeavour aimed at studying the properties and behaviour of the ionosphere, with particular emphasis on being able to understand and use it to enhance communications and surveillance systems for both civilian and defence purposes.
The HAARP program is committed to developing a world class ionospheric research facility consisting of: The Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a high power transmitter facility operating in the High Frequency (HF) range. The IRI will be used to temporarily excite a limited area of the ionosphere for scientific study.
A sophisticated suite of scientific (or diagnostic) instruments that will be used to observe the physical processes that occur in the excited region.
Observation of the processes resulting from the use of the IRI in a controlled manner will allow scientists to better understand processes that occur continuously under the natural stimulation of the sun.
Scientific instruments installed at the HAARP Observatory will be useful for a variety of continuing research efforts which do not involve the use of the IRI but are strictly passive. Among these studies include ionospheric characterization using satellite beacons, telescopic observation of the fine structure in the aurora, and documentation of long-term variations in the ozone layer.
How is HARRP related to Chemtrails?
HAARP has been claimed to be a weapon of mass destruction.
Radio Waves strong enough to cause earthquakes are controlled by the U.S. military. It’s the largest ionospheric heater in the world capable of heating a 1000 square kilometre area of the ionosphere to over 50,000 degrees. It’s also a phased array. Which means it’s steer-able and those waves can be directed to a selected target area. What they have found is that by sending radio frequency energy up and focusing it, as they do with these kinds of instruments, it causes a heating effect. And that heating literally lifts the ionosphere within a 30 mile diameter area therein changing localized pressure systems or perhaps the route of jet streams. Moving a jet stream is a phenomenal event in terms of man being able to do this. The problem is we cannot model the system adequately. Long term consequences of atmospheric heating are unknown. Changing weather in one place can have a devastating downstream effect. And H.A.A.R.P. has already been accused of modifying the weather.
HAARP has been implicated within the following;
Create Earthquakes on demand wherever and whenever you wish on the earth. However, the military discovered, by accident, how to create earthquakes using slightly different technology (this is a blatant lie as this technology was devised from oil rigging companies in the 1960’s)
The planetary-scale engineers tried to replace a ten by forty kilometre section of the ionosphere with a ‘telecommunications shield’ of 350,000 copper needles tossed into orbit … when the military sent up a band of tiny copper wires into the ionosphere to orbit the planet so as to ‘reflect radio waves and make reception clearer’, we had the 8.5 Alaska earthquake and Chile lost a good deal of its coast. That band of copper wires interfered with the planetary magnetic field. (Does this sound NORMAL and SAFE to YOU?)
Magnifying and focussing sunlight, called ‘Sky busting. This process could burn holes in the protective ozone layers, thus allowing intense sunlight to pour through, burning mankind severely.
(For this time being we are leaving out mind control theories and conspiracies) that have been placed before the European Union Courts of Justice and have been shown to work, however as yet have not been implicated within any form of technology at the Alaskan Air force base that has some extreme security for a so called “climatological research station” of which the locals that are living within the village will not speak about HARRP which explains to us that they have either been approached by federal agents and forced to sign documentation or something more sinister.
Barium – what is it?
Barium is a chemical element with symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in Group 2, a soft silvery metallic alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity barium is never found in nature as a free element. Its hydroxide was known in pre-modern history as baryta; this substance does not occur as a mineral, but can be prepared by heating barium carbonate.
The most common naturally occurring minerals of barium are barite (barium sulphate, BaSO4) and witherite (barium carbonate, BaCO3), both being insoluble in water. Barium’s name originates from the alchemical derivative “baryta”, which itself comes from Greek βαρύς (barys), meaning “heavy.” Barium was identified as a new element in 1774, but not reduced to a metal until 1808, shortly after electrolytic isolation techniques became available.
Barium has been implicated within the usage of chemtrails that we ourselves find slightly nerve-racking and worrying because of such environmental use it could also be used to excite the molecules within the atmosphere thus when charged with an electromagnetic force alter or excite fields of energy to become erratic. This then places the HAARP and weather modification within the field of suspicion and if one is spraying this chemical then they must inform the public.
The following highlighted information extracted from Wikipedia is most concerning;
Barium has only a few industrial applications. The metal has been historically used to scavenge air in vacuum tubes. It is a component of YBCO (high-temperature superconductors) and electro ceramics, and is added to steel and cast iron to reduce the size of carbon grains within the microstructure of the metal. Barium compounds are added to fireworks to impart a green colour. Barium sulphate is used as an insoluble heavy additive to oil well drilling fluid, and in purer form, as X-ray radio contrast agents for imaging the human gastrointestinal tract. Soluble barium compounds are poisonous due to release of the soluble barium ion, and therefore have been used as rodenticides.
Keeping conspiracy theories and he said this they done that “out of this second part documentation” the above [has] been implicated within chemical spraying which then takes us back to the following points that one has raised.
- Barium is toxic to rodents and has been used as a poison – could this be a reason why so many small species of mammals and non-mammalians have perished in fourteen separate continents of which no formal autopsy results have ever stated factual autopsy results.
- We know that the technology HAARP used was not formulated by them originally it was in fact drawn up by oil well drilling companies that the United States Military then purchased all plans, so is it a coincidence that barium has again been implicated within protect HAARP?
- Barium has been used within pyrotechnic displays - Barium compounds are added to fireworks to impart a green colour is this coincidental then that HAARP that is firing into the atmosphere via the Alaskan military site and by chemical spraying planes barium to form what has been stated by many people “glowing skies of green, red, black, and rose colourisations?. http://transmissionsmedia.com/haarp-creates-artificial-aurora-lights-up-the-sky/
Moving back to the aerial chemical trail’s that are frequently spotted all over the states of America is Barium being sprayed on the people of America from which the American government claim is weather modification. There are many other compounds that can react in the ways described above however the pinpointing evidence clearly states that;
- The metal is being used as a (high-temperature superconductors)
- Has been and still is used within fireworks to impart a green or other colour
- An insoluble heavy additive to oil well drilling fluid of which this technology “to a degree” as stated in video documentaries on part one of chemtrail exposure clearly states that the USA government purchased the technology that was used by oil drilling companies that then subsequently established into HAARP - High Frequency Active Auroral Research technology, could this be just coincidental too?
- Soluble barium compounds are poisonous due to release of the soluble barium ion, and therefore have been used as rodenticides – Barium can and will kill rodents however is it factual that barium can kill other mammalians http://rense.com/general21/tox.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20807132 http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0010.htm
- The Environmental Protection Agency quote “Barium used over a long period of time is not a risk to humans” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185434/Top-doctor-tried-poison-wife-FIVE-MONTHS-putting-barium-morning-coffee.html
Barium is just as dangerous as arsenic, mercury and lead. It shows up regularly in public water supplies and yet there is almost no awareness of it.
Exposure to small amounts of barium, dissolved in water, may cause a person to experience these problems:
1. Breathing difficulties
2. Increased blood pressure
3. Heart rhythm changes
4. Stomach irritation
5. Muscle weakness
6. Alterations in nerve reflexes
7. Damage to your brain, liver, kidney and heart
http://www.carnicom.com/flame1.htm
http://www.bariumblues.com/haarp_patent.htm
Although there is much evidence to read through as an animal and environmental programme/investigative unit we have to be seen to show the factual evidence and not conspiracies and/or lies.
This would be detrimental to our mission statement, could or would misguide the general public, could or would be open to a law suit from the government, to creating many misguided misconceptions of the truth and what we really need to obtain to and that us why HAARP and the United States Government and European Union feel it is relevant to spray the harmful chemicals within the ozone to conducting stratosphere and aerial bombardment exercises.
We have to ask ourselves the following the questions;
- If weather modification is being undertaken via the air force using tanker planes internationally then where does HAARP come into the equation?
- Is HAARP really being used a weather modification site?
- Are the scientists at HAARP really making a weapon of mass destruction?
- Has HAARP really been used to create earthquakes, cyclones, hurricanes?
- Should HAARP be shut down?
The institute of High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program Unit in Alaska are concealing much information based on weather modification and exactly what they are undertaking at the Alaskan Air force base.
Surely if HAARP was just simply helping to solve weather problems or better them then why have we not seen any changes within the African or other continents where millions are perishing and/or being misplaced by famine brought on by environmental climatological change? Why within the states of America has environmental destruction skyrocketed from $100 1990 billion to over $300 billion 2011 in damages as published in many environmental journals? Surely HAARP and chemtrail technology would have decreased this?
Stay tuned for more in-depth scientific analysis – Many questions unanswered and many worried citizens internationally.
Board of Investigative staff – Ukraine and Moscow
Conservation Investigations Crime Unit (CICU)
http://www.international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk/investigations-and-formal-contact/
Environmentalism Chapter 39 - Chemtrail Apocalypse - Part I
Chemtrails better known as chemical trails and the theories to conspiracies have been circulating the networks now for some years, however documentation on these “governmental training exercises” didn’t really pick up until around 1996 when many people, mostly environmental activists, animal welfare activists and members of the public became extremely concerned as to what these chem trails were and why many governmental organisations failed to give reasonable explanations as to why they felt it necessary to spray over civilian airspace and sensitive aquatic and land regions too.
International Animal Rescue Foundation’s © Animal Protection Front documented on this case in 2011 of which within literally three hours the entire forum and documents were removed, which was documented under (Operation Black Swan) that we are not going to document about on this site. You can Google Operation Black Swan and analyse whatever data you may find if it is still present however we must warn you that you may be subjected to a removal order without notice.
Operation Black Swan an international military governmental operation lasted two to three years of which chemicals were sprayed from military and “some” adapted passenger planes that involved over twenty seven nations globally.
Although not proven to a degree millions of aquatic life, avian life, reptilians, large marine and land mammalians were washed up dead within the oceans or fresh water streams, land mammals found dead with no official conclusive autopsy results ever released or located, and what was vaguely recorded pointed to apparent natural occurrences to pollution or simply overhead jet liners flying below normal altitude levels causing noise disruption.
Chemtrails are causing much concern internationally and the governments that are releasing these chemicals have still yet to acknowledge Freedom of Information Requests [FOIA] as to why they had been flying military tanker jets in civilian airspace at just below or at cruising altitude that civilian aviation companies never knew had been in the airspace.
Questions raised as to what chemicals the governments were using, why they were spraying thousands if not millions of litres of [unidentified] toxic or non-toxic substances within the atmosphere, to not informing civilian airspace of such exercise’s that has resulted in now some thirty five passenger and military avian near misses at altitudes of over or just under 25,000 feet that could if the plane’s both collided at some hundreds of kilometres an hour caused catastrophic death and pollution.
We have been watching many forums of which we have viewed many photographic evidence of jet liners flying with civilian aerospace, along with some confusion “not all” of which members of the public have mistakenly identified cloud formations, contrails to jet [stream’s] as actual chemtrails from which I have formally identified the difference below so that you can log and document actual chemtrails in the hope that we can all finally get to the bottom of why governmental aviation tankers are releasing millions of litres in colossally large payloads over land and sensitive marine biodiversity areas.
Identification of a jet stream;
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere (where temperature decreases with altitude) and the stratosphere (where temperature increases with altitude)
Jet streams are caused by a combination of a planet’s rotation on its axis and atmospheric heating (by solar radiation and, on some planets other than Earth, internal heat). Jet streams form near boundaries of adjacent air masses with significant differences in temperature, such as the polar region and the warmer air towards the equator.
Other jet streams also exist. During the northern hemisphere summer, easterly jets can form in tropical regions, typically in a region where dry air encounters more humid air at high altitudes. Low-level jets also are typical of various regions such as the central United States.
Meteorologists use the location of some of the jet streams as an aid in weather forecasting. The main commercial relevance of the jet streams is in air travel, as flight time can be dramatically affected by either flying with the flow or against the flow of a jet stream. Clear-air turbulence, a potential hazard to aircraft passenger safety, is often found in a jet stream’s vicinity but does not create a substantial alteration on flight times. (Chemtrails can appear as jet streams as of the vast spread and “type” trails they leave behind covering some hundreds of miles.
Identification of contrails;
As explained above we have viewed many forums that have shown much photographic evidence of trails in the skies. However one must not be confused by the “jet stream-chemtrail-cloud formations” to that of the “contrail” that is naturally formed condensation and/or exhaust vapour only viewed at certain altitudes mostly being 40,000 feet and within changing atmospheric temperature’s, contrails are mostly seen in the summer months too being mainly daytime and never night.
Contrails or vapour trails are long thin artificial clouds that sometimes form behind aircraft. Their formation is most often triggered by the water vapour in the exhaust of aircraft engines, but can also be triggered by the changes in air pressure in wingtip vortices or in the air over the entire wing surface. Like all clouds, contrails are made of water, in the form of a suspension of billions of liquid droplets or ice crystals.
Depending on the temperature and humidity at the altitude the contrail forms, they may be visible for only a few seconds or minutes, or may persist for hours and spread to be several miles wide. Persistent spreading contrails are thought to have a significant effect on global climate. The common “contrail” has been confused by many people as a “chemtrail” which must be ruled out when identifying to presenting evidence to governments in asserting the Freedom of Information Request.
Cloud formations
As an environmentalist and climatologist I never knew myself just exactly how many different forms of cloud formations were in the skies, at what altitudes, what the formations were informing us of with regards to climatological weather fronts of low and high band depressions moving in until qualifying. The formation’s described below are cloud example’s that could/can also be linked to misidentification of “chemtrails”.
The Cirrocumulus formation mostly located at an altitude of 50,000 feet can alternate between pattern formations. Cirrocumulus usually forms in large upright blocks indicating a low pressure that is normally about to move over the atmosphere bringing with it large rain, wind and storm disruptions. However the Cirrocumulus can also at these extremely high altitudes along with the stratus formation can be disrupted by high velocity winds and incoming high/low pressure current thus giving the impression upon cloud dispersal that a “chemtrail” has been dispersed.
I must though also point out that the altocumulus formation mostly located at aviation cruising level can easily be misidentified as a “chemtrail” especially as it has large tail’s and spread over some seven to ten miles that appears to be a “trail” when in fact it is merely a formation of disrupted cloud.
Chemtrails would most likely viewed at these levels too and would most certainly be released at these altitudes due to the altocumulus formation cloud being able to spread over large swathes of land and marine areas.
Most military and civilian aviation aeroplanes, tankers or jets would normally fly around 1,000+ feet above the altocumulus formation of which a “chemical release” would most likely be viewed thus identified correctly.
I would suggest that when one is viewing or searching for chemtrail dispersals that one checks with local or international climatological agencies and weather stations. The altocumulus formation can easily hold and thus disperse these unidentified chemicals once released in minute vapour droplets exactly suitable for mass land coverage once a low depression moves within.
Identification of chemical trails [chemtrails];
There is limited information in terms of why the military government agencies are dropping large quantities of chemicals over civilian and non-populated land, however with regards to identifying and documentation there is much information highlighted although denied to not formally or even informally acknowledged by governmental scientists to provide a transparent response as to why they believe polluting the atmosphere with billions of litres of unknown substances is acceptable.
The most concerning yet “disturbing” issue that we at International Animal Rescue Foundation © must point out that such large dispersal of chemicals at high altitudes is not, based, on our own educations and qualifications in environmentalism, environmental science, ecology, agriculture, climatology and more is that these chemicals are not under any circumstances “safe” and nor are they any form of [direct contact] with any botanical or agricultural plant to animal.
Under the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) plus other PH1 and PH2 analytic studies we ourselves are more than aware that to apply a “direct contact agent” would have to be dropped at a level of almost 100 feet such as crop spraying by fixed or rotary wing aircraft. Applying direct contact chemicals at this level is considered in the “agricultural and botanical” industry under the European laws of COSHH and the Health and Safety Act to be safe.
Direct contact pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, to fertilisers are normally sprayed at close contact more commonly known as [direct contact chemicals] when no high winds are present as to avoid polluting or harming others and the environment.
Chemtrails though have been around for a long time and not as some members of the public have been led to believe from blogs to other sites simply because these individuals are young or their elders never knew of why such chemtrails were evident in the skies to what the purpose of using high compound chemicals.
The earliest we knew of such continental governmental military practices was back in the 1970’s just after the Vietnam war ended in 1975, although rare it was believed and still is that these types of aviation atmospheric experimentation’s were being undertaken in the event of a probable Ariel military strike on enemies to subdue them should a direct hit of nuclear, chemical or biological (NBC) warfare be used against Europe or America.
Why chemtrail warfare would be used though when we have fleets of aircraft and underwater submariners that can fire instantly missiles from hundreds of miles away to take out communication, fuel and transport locations thus then moving in ground forces to then illuminate the enemies is baffling to say the least.
The chemtrail conspiracy theory holds that some trails left by aircraft are chemical or biological agents deliberately sprayed at high altitudes for purposes undisclosed to the general public in clandestine programs directed by various government officials. This theory is not accepted by the scientific community, which states that they are just normal contrails, as there is no scientific evidence supporting the chemtrail theory.
NOAA http://www.noaa.gov/ publishes a list of silver iodide projects and the companies that perform the atmospheric releases. Reporting weather modification is required by US Federal law. There is no scientific evidence silver iodide leads to chemtrails in the sense that fire would produce smoke but it is the only reported weather modification of significance. http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=noaa.gov&v%3Aproject=firstgov&query=silver+iodide+projects+&x=-1091&y=-84
We are aware that NOAA and the other Environmental Agencies internationally have been trying to modify the weather patterns which “could” give reason as to why such chemicals are being sprayed at high altitudes and not via “direct contact” however [why the secrecy]?
Releasing these chemicals within the altocumulus cloud formation to any formation or within atmospheres that have no impending storm surges oncoming doesn’t make sense thus increasing our own professional suspicions.
We was then led to believe that as chemtrails are viewed more within the summer months then maybe they are experimenting on creating rains using high volatile chemicals. However as some may not know in order for that to occur one needs cloud formations.
Many photographic data has shown no cloud formations though, so in theory these chemicals would then be scattered over many nautical land miles via wind dispersal thus ending up inhaled by the public to laying on public or agricultural land, could this be why so many species of animals perished during Operation Black Swan?
We are all looking into the helping the environment and researching more alternative methods of improving atmospheric conditions however what NOAA seems to be forgetting is that the military are releasing these chemicals of which their planes had all GPS transmitting units turned off so that civilian airspace traffic control didn’t know they were within civilian airspace. In 2012 several VERY near misses with tanker planes was recorded by FEDEX and other airliners that had to perform emergency manoeuvres at high speeds to avoid a mid-air collision.
The following was recorded 2012 December;
Two United States Air Force KC-135 Tankers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:100225-F-3252P-617.jpg spraying thick plumes of material from their wing ducts pass within 2,000 feet of the FedEx craft. The FedEx pilot immediately requests a different altitude from Air Traffic Control, only to be met with a third near-miss collision - with yet another USAF KC-135 Tanker, spewing tons of chemicals from its ducts.
Clearly, Air Traffic Control was oblivious to the presence of these three USAF tankers, which were operating at commercial altitudes. This may have happened if the military planes had their transponders turned off. Also, it appears that the Air Force planes were not detectable by radar.
The shocking episode is followed by footage taken by a passenger of a commercial jet, showing a tanker clearly dumping a thick toxic substance which does not resemble a contrail. This footage is followed by a sequence of even more amazing shots of unbelievably thick plumes of stuff being dumped by Air Force jets, accompanied by serious daredevil flight manoeuvres.
Following extract from NOAA;
Subject: C4) Has there ever been an attempt or experiment to reduce the strength of a hurricane?
Contributed by Chris Landsea
The U.S. Government once supported research into methods of hurricane modification, known as Project STORMFURY. For a couple decades NOAA and its predecessor tried to weaken hurricanes by dropping silver iodide - a substance that serves as effective ice nuclei - into the rain bands of the storms.
During the STORMFURY years scientists seeded clouds in Hurricanes Esther (1961), Beulah (1963), Debbie (1969), and Ginger (1971). The experiments took place over the open Atlantic far from land. The STORMFURY seeding targeted convective clouds just outside the hurricane’s eye wall in an attempt to form a new ring of clouds that, it was hoped would compete with the natural circulation of the storm and weaken it.
The idea was that the silver iodide would enhance the thunderstorms of a rain band by causing the super cooled water to freeze, thus liberating the latent heat of fusion and helping a rain band to grow at the expense of the eye wall.
With a weakened convergence to the eye wall, the strong inner core winds would also weaken quite a bit. For cloud seeding to be successful, the clouds must contain sufficient super cooled water (water that has remained liquid at temperatures below the freezing point, 0°C/32°F). Neat idea, but it, in the end, had a fatal flaw.
Observations made in the 1980s showed that most hurricanes don’t have enough super cooled water for STORMFURY seeding to work - the buoyancy in hurricane convection is fairly small and the updrafts correspondingly small compared to the type one would observe in mid-latitude continental super or multi cells.
In addition, it was found that unseeded hurricanes form natural outer eye walls just as the STORMFURY scientists expected seeded ones to do. This phenomenon makes it almost impossible to separate the effect (if any) of seeding from natural changes.
The few times that they did seed and view a reduction in intensity was undoubtedly due to what is now called “concentric eye wall cycles”. Thus nature accomplishes what NOAA had hoped to do artificially.
No wonder that the first few experiments were thought to be successes. Because the results of seeding experiments were so inconclusive, STORMFURY was discontinued. A special committee of the National Academy of Sciences concluded that a more complete understanding of the physical processes taking place in hurricanes was needed before any additional modification experiments.
The primary focus of NOAA’s Hurricane Research Division today is better physical understanding of hurricanes and improvement of forecasts. To learn about the STORMFURY project as it was called, read Willoughby et al. (1985).
Operation STORMFURY;
Project STORMFURY was an ambitious experimental program of research on hurricane modification carried out between 1962 and 1983. The proposed modification technique involved artificial stimulation of convection outside the eye wall through seeding with silver iodide. The invigorated convection, it was argued, would compete with the original eye wall, lead to reformation of the eye wall at larger radius, and thus, through partial conservation of angular momentum, produce a decrease in the strongest winds.
Since a hurricane’s destructive potential increases rapidly as its strongest winds become stronger, a reduction as small as 10% would have been worthwhile. Modification was attempted in four hurricanes on eight different days. On four of these days, the winds decreased by between 10 and 30%, the lack of response on the other days was interpreted to be the result of faulty execution of the seeding or of poorly selected subjects.
These promising results came into question in the mid-1980s because observations in unmodified hurricanes indicated:
- That cloud seeding had little prospect of success because hurricanes contained too much natural ice and too little supercooled water.
- That the positive results inferred from the seeding experiments in the 1960s stemmed from inability to discriminate between the expected results of human intervention and the natural behavior of hurricanes.
Reference; Willoughby, H. E., D. P. Jorgensen, R. A. Black, and S. L. Rosenthal, 1985: Project STORMFURY, A Scientific Chronicle, 1962-1983, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 66, 505-514.
One can view past and present on-going atmospheric and storm research experiments here http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/programs_sub/science_proj.html
Chemicals used;
Toxic Chemicals & Metals in Chemtrails:
Aluminium Oxide Particles
Arsenic
Bacilli and Molds
Barium Salts
Barium Titanates
Cadmium
Calcium
Chromium
Desiccated Human Red Blood Cells
Ethylene Dibromide
Enterobacter Cloacal
Enterobacteriaceae
Human White Blood Cells-A
Lead
Lithium Salts and Chemtrails
Mercury
Methyl Aluminum
Mold Spores
Mycoplasma
Nano-Aluminum-Coated Fiberglass
Nitrogen Trifluoride
Nickel
Polymer Fibers
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
Pseudomonas Florescens
Radio Active Cesium
Radio Active Thorium
Selenium
Serratia Marcscens
Sharp Titanium Shards
Silver
Streptomyces
Stronthium
Sub-Micron Particles
Sulfer Dioxide
Unidentified Bacteria
Uranium
Yellow Fungal Mycotoxins
Toxic Chemical List from U. S. Navy
Aluminium Coated Fiberglass Particles (CHAFF)
Acenaphthene
Aromatic Hydrobarbons
Barium Chromate
Benzene
Cadium
Chlorides
Chromium
Copper
Flouranthene
Hydrogen Cyanide
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Naphitalene
Potassium Perchlorate
Perchlorate
Rocket Fuels
Toluene
Jet Fuel Emissions
Xylene
Zinc
Source of information - http://www.stopsprayingcalifornia.com/index.php
Exposed - http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1636bj/www.hangthebankers.com/a-massive-and-ill
What would be the purpose of releasing these chemicals or biological agents?
Weather Modification
Humans have had the ability to physically affect the weather since learning how to seed clouds in 1946, or possibly 1880. The popular conception of weather manipulation is limited to cloud seeding, but the possibility that the extents of our abilities may have progressed in the meantime is definitely plausible. The fact that the military is very interested in weather control is no secret and many propose that the Chemtrail Phenomena is a part of this. If true, what is the goal of the weather modification and what negative effects could it have on the environment? NASA is currently conducting several programs that are studying the effects of contrails on weather and the effects do not appear to be beneficial.
Population Control
The use of chemical and biological agents by a government against its own people is, unfortunately, a historical fact. Even unintentional accidents can occur. But, some people suggest that Chemtrails could actually be part of a program to reduce the population and many feel Chemtrails have caused them to become ill and perhaps they are right. If the Chemtrails contain biological agents then people already weakened by other factors may have even died as a result of the additional strain on their systems, but could such a diabolical purpose be the ultimate goal? History has taught that even the most unconscionable schemes can be made into reality by men filled with fear and hate, and with such weapons in the hands of government we must remain vigilant until answers are forthcoming.
Inoculation Program
Chemical and biological weapons have been used for centuries but have recently entered the world stage as a primary threat. Biological agents have the ability to spread and multiply in casualties. These bioweapons are easy to produce and difficult, but possible, to defend against. The recent actions of the military to require anthrax vaccines for all service personnel show that this matter is of high importance. Some propose that the government may be quietly releasing bio agents to vaccinate citizens via the air. This could account for reported illnesses since a vaccine sometimes makes a person sick. Municipal water supplies might not be universal enough and could be easily sampled and tested, but everyone breathes the air. And the federal government rules the air.
No concrete proof yet exists and no governmental admissions have been issued for the Chemtrail operation. It has been openly admitted by the Pentagon that the U.S. military has performed many biological warfare tests on unknowing servicemen in the past, additionally the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post have even reported that civilians may have died as a result of exposure to live agents sprayed by the Army and Navy during biological warfare tests.
There are thousands of reports and hundreds of photos. You must decide for yourself what they amount to. Some people think it is just contrails, but many are saying that there is more, that something unusual is happening.
New research indicates that there may be a unique type of trail. Using atmospheric soundings and Flight Explorer, the trails over Houston, TX were observed, measured and analysed.
The largest number of reports seems to be from the US, followed by Canada. Several other countries have some reports, often noted by western visitors. Since reports are coming from multiple countries, it seems to transcend individual governments. But with no obvious controlling body the answer remains to be seen.
Countries involved;
America
Canada
United Kingdom
France
Germany
Netherlands
Italy
Sweden
Croatia
Australia
Mexico
New Zealand
Haiti
View the full summary here http://www.chemtrailcentral.com/report.shtml#summary
Until we are able to obtain more information from more reliable sources and the Freedom of Information Requests then as an animal and Environmental International Unit we cannot comment further on any forthcoming or on-going investigations.
What we can clearly quote is that weather modification on this level is just never going to work and if the government haven’t got anything to worry about in the United States or other nations as listed above from which we will be applying for the FOIA’s then what is the big issue?
We are more than aware too that when the main whistle blower on Operation Black Swan informed the public that then aroused what was going on, he was later found dead via suicide. A second man a Russian governmental agent was also found dead.
Many questions many answers, and much information to source however as an environmental and animal rescue company we can only and will only print the factual data as it stands of which we will not rely on unreliable blogs, internet articles, to uneducated thoughts to misinform the public thus creating hysteria.
We will be updating on this area of interest soon.
Dr J C Dimetri and Directors
www.speakupforthevoiceless.org
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Environmentalism - Chapter 38 Europe Faces Superstorms - Climate Change Denial (Exposed)
International Animal Rescue Foundation © has been reporting for some time now on many climatological events and environmental weather disruptions to extremely rare climate phenomena that have been occurring since 2000 when the planets climate behaviour started to fluctuate hitting us with unpredictable weather events that has caused vast environmental and economical damage and will continue too unless we all start to take imminent action in reducing our carbon emissions internationally.
The (WHO) World Health Organisation, most signatories of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild Flora and Fauna better known as the Washington Convention to the IUCN and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to governments alike are not taking the planets proceeding/forthcoming climate change seriously.
With the summer now over in Africa and most parts of the Quarter and Arabian region we have now been warned that America and Europe will soon be under immense climatological attack from what has been described as a catastrophic cycle of weather patterns that will cause mass loss of life and colossal economic disruption effecting tens of thousands of business’s and hundreds of thousands old and newly constructed domesticated homes.
The homes and businesses that will be mostly affected are those constructed on low graded land to flood plains that holds the rivers excess waters once flood defences or barriers have been breached.
That was the good news though, the bad news is, all recent and past weather and climate change predictions and events measured by climatologists, meteorologists, environmentalists, marine biologists, botanists and environmental agencies have proved Europe now in for an extreme battering.
Up to date environmental reports stipulating the high amounts of carbon emissions, global temperature increases of just over 3.4oc by 2050-2100 international global census reports of human population that is rapidly increasing now to almost 8.9 billion with one child born every minute which “will” reach 9 billion by 2014, and the overuse of atmospheric pollutants, continuous deforestation and illegal logging, and still gargantuan usage of fossil fuels has now concluded that Europe is and will be under immense environmental atmospheric attack causing mass carnage on a colossal and worrying scale never seen.
George W. Bush, ex-president of the United Stated of America should be held officially accountable for this now impending carnage that could have been lessened had American governmental scientists informed the public of the real impending dangers of environmental change however were instead ordered to concoct lies and asking many non-profit organisations to push their compulsive and arrogant damaging non-factual misinformation further from which they have since rebutted their claims and stated they were indeed in the wrong when working in the Bush Administration.
The now irreversible damage has already been done and with all European and International scientists and experts providing the most up to date and accurate data we are now aware that Europe is going to face the harsh identical extremities as the United states is.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © is now 100% certain this is why Operation Black Swan undertaken by over 27 continents and kept strictly confidential until a whistle blower of the United states Government blew the cover when viewing millions of dead land and marine animals washed up and found dead worldwide with human health affected too. Coincidentally he and a further Russian military advisory were found dead months later of which both analysts had apparently committed suicide. No further investigations were uncovered on this and all reports that we did locate on Operation Black Swan have since vanished of the World Wide Web, although there is come data it is little and mostly taken of the original domains.
Come the end of the century super storm Sandy’s could be battering the European nations and beaches. Hurricanes usually form in the western tropical Atlantic and normally head north-west to the United States. Occasionally they will make it to Europe by piggybacking on the jet stream. Simulations of these impending hurricanes were undertaken by the Netherlands Meteorological Institute that conducted further examinations based on current predictions. A detailed climate model for 2094 to 2098 assuming modest future greenhouse gas emissions was conducted that showed startling trends and conclusive results.
Meteorologists and scientist’s found that future hurricanes formed further east within the tropical Atlantic, as that area had warmed sufficiently to provide enough heat and moisture to power them massively. As a result, many didn’t hit the United States of America and instead hit the European Union with devastating consequences mostly hitting and damaging Western Europe.
The storms weakened once they left the tropics but significantly powered up again when they entered cold and windy areas that then culminated into “hybrid storms” like Sandy, halfway between winter storms and hurricanes.
Within the Bay of Biscay the climate model quite accurately predicted the average number of yearly hurricanes will increase in Europe from one to six increasing massive environmental carnage, increased flooding from both river and sea, will have a detrimental yet damaging impact and effect on the European economy, thus leading to loss of life both animal and human and effecting farming communities to displacing species and human population. Diseases and infections will increase, mental illness and suicide caused by such major environmental damages will rise and yet we as humans still aren’t taking enough notice to eve reducing our carbon emission and greenhouses damage.
Abnormal weather patterns that are already amongst us within Europe have ranged from heavy spring snows killing thousands of agricultural animals with a total loss of over 335 human lives. After a brief tease of spring-like weather Europe has been hit with cold temperatures and heavy snow. Keeping in mind that “cold” and “heavy snow” are relative terms — these storms were one of the worst of the season for 2013, not to mention among the worst in years.
Airports across Europe were either closed, or had traffic reduced dramatically. And even the trains were stopped. In Germany, there was traffic accidents on the autobahn involving over 100 vehicles, though fortunately nobody died during that wreck.
In Paris, we had roughly 4 inches of snow — which may not sound like much, but for Paris it’s unusual, and it’s been like this for several years now (snowing when it shouldn’t). Earlier this season we had about twice as much snow as last night, which was also a surprise. As I mentioned before, Paris is not equipped for snow — we just never get that much (or at least we didn’t) — so any snow that sticks will cause major problems mostly affecting transportation thus cutting off the entire country and leaving it at vulnerable security threat.
The melting Arctic ice is also to blame here which is causing the North Atlantic to warm, which is bringing a lot more precipitation to the region. That means the miserable weather of northwest Europe has gone from bad to worse with even more rain and snow because of the warming seas. As the Arctic ice melts, the situation is likely to become worse.
In addition to the warming ocean, the jet stream is unusually far south at the moment, which means that the cold northern air is dipping to the south.
One cannot quote we was never forewarned about these forthcoming events as that is nonsense, the problem is that many governments don’t want you to know about these events because it causes;
- Panic buying
- Over usage of fossil fuels thus draining the grid
- Economical breakdown
- Tax raise
These are one of three reasons why the United States Government paid scientists to quote that climate change was all myth and no evidence because the government wanted you the average $200 a week purchaser of basics fuel’s and groceries kept motivated and moving so they can continue raging political wars, to ensuring the nation is not left at vulnerable level from a potential terror threat or more.
Regrettably though American and international news agencies the very people that are to be trusted to this very day are still compulsively lying to the public of which FOX news was caught with publishing very “dodgy unsound information” on climatological change.
Rupert Murdoch’s companies have been found to be grossly misleading the US public over climate change, with Fox News ‘coverage classed as giving dodgy info 93% of the time. In the report, compiled by the Union of Concerned Scientists, Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal comes a close second in the inaccuracy stakes, with a massive 81% misleading coverage in their opinion pages. The Wall Street Journal Opinion Page’s coverage of climate change was categorically proven to be 81% misleading with only 19% accurate. However Fox’s news channel on climate change was proven to be a massive 93% misleading with and only 7% accurate.
The WSJ, whose commentary include such beauties as “No Need to Panic About Global Warming“, claim that the alarmism created by global warming is something of a conspiracy, offering “an excuse for governments to raise taxes“.
Fox News, who evidently can’t even muster a one in ten success rate of accurate reportage, has certainly got a somewhat dubious record when it comes to accuracy and fairness of their journalism. Readers may recall:
Reporting the death of “Obama Bin laden” http://politicalscrapbook.net/2011/05/fox-news-obama-bin-laden/
Making up new section of the US constitution http://politicalscrapbook.net/2011/12/fox-news-fabricate-constitution/
Describing David Cameron as “President” of the United Kingdom http://politicalscrapbook.net/2011/08/fox-news-president-cameron/
Although this is just mumbo jumbo it still proves that not only the government but also the media provide little accuracy when reporting real life affairs that the international community need to be informed off. Lying and asking others to lie is tantamount to global extinction caused my human negligence.
We truly believe that the spin doctors and non-profit organisations as listed in Greenpeace’s leaked document that the government conveniently paid over 100 (NPO’s) to lie to hundreds of thousands of supporters is still to this date on-going.
Non-profit organisations are the government’s most desired weapon within the area as organisations contain followers both online and offline with some one billion just on Facebook that view many “governmental non-profits”. So by quietly paying them off to place every now and then reports that climate change is all myth” then the United States Government of the Bush and Obama administration must be held fully accountable for loss of life, economic damage and mass environmental carnage that could have been reduced in the past and now present.
This private musing between two climate scientist colleagues first surfaced along with a whole raft of embarrassing material in 2011, when the anonymous Climate gate leaker who calls himself “Mr FOIA” leaked his second set of emails from Britain’s disgraced Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia, Norfolk. Now, Mr FOIA has emerged for a third time, sharing with the world not only his entire batch of 220,000 encrypted emails and documents but also, for the first time, his thoughts. We are fully aware of Mr FOIA whom is a godsend to science and critics alike.
Mr FOIA had previously released two batches of 5,000 files each in 2009 and 2011. This enormous third batch went to a network of friends for decoding, sorting and publication within East Anglia and Cambridge, of the United Kingdom.
The first and second email batches contained conversations among “scientists” who appear to have dishonoured a once respectable discipline, documenting that their claims of a “man-made global warming crisis” look exactly like deliberate contrivances for academic career gain, research funding and positions of political power in “the cause.” Some big-name players are playing games with people’s lives and livelihoods.
The biggest player The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the scientific panel whose reports contain the work of Climate gate figures – and are highly politicized and publicized to increase fear of Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW): “imminent catastrophic man-made climate change.” Many horrendously expensive and needless local, state, federal and international policies have flowed from IPCC’s flawed reports.
The most powerful symbol Professor Michael Mann’s “Hockey Stick Graph” was featured prominently in the 2001 IPCC Third Assessment Report. It alleged that global temperatures were flat for a thousand years before 1900, but then radically increased because of AGW. The chart looks like a hockey stick, a long straight line that bends sharply upward at the end. With recent IPCC admissions that temperatures have not increased for at least the past 16 years, the curve has now plunged downward to become as flat as the rest of the hockey stick, which is where public trust in climate science is headed.
The Game: “The game is communicating climate change; the rules will help us win it,” says an astounding, horrifying UK government-funded booklet leaked by Mr FOIA titled “The Rules of the Game: Evidence base for the Climate Change Communications Strategy.” Written by the UK public relations firm Futerra for six UK agencies – including The Carbon Trust – for use by ethics and public relations tone-deaf scientists,
“The Rules” teaches sophisticated behaviour change tactics, including: “Climate change must be ‘front of mind’ before persuasion works” … “Link climate change mitigation to positive desires/aspirations” … “Beware the impacts of cognitive dissonance” and “Use emotions and visuals” (e.g., scare people with the Hockey Stick Graph). It treats the public like gullible idiots who can be frightened and manipulated by seemingly trustworthy scientists to believe in AGW. For a long time, it worked.
The Team: Phil Jones, head of the CRU; Peter Thorne of the UK Met Office (the national weather service, originally the Meteorological Office) was joined by Kevin Trenberth, climate analysis section head of the U.S. National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR); Tom Wigley, also of NCAR; and the litigious Penn State University Hockey Stick originator, Michael Mann.
James M. Taylor, senior fellow for environment policy at The Heartland Institute, sums their actions up this way. The team consciously distorted and actively suppressed critical knowledge, then furiously tried to hide their actions by conducting a vicious smear campaign to discredit critics.
Consciously distorted: NCAR’s Wigley once complained to Mann, “Mike, the Figure you sent is very deceptive … there have been a number of dishonest presentations of model results by individual authors and by IPCC..”
Peter Thorne of the UK Met Office warned Phil Jones, head of the CRU: “Observations do not show rising temperatures throughout the tropical troposphere, unless you accept one single study and approach and discount a wealth of others. This is just downright dangerous. We need to communicate the uncertainty and be honest. Phil, hopefully we can find time to discuss these further if necessary.… I also think the science is being manipulated to put a political spin on it, which for all our sakes might not be too clever in the long run.”
Suppressed critical knowledge: Phil Jones wrote, “I’ve been told that IPCC is above national FOI Acts. One way to cover yourself and all those working on the IPCC 5th Assessment Report would be to delete all e-mails at the end of the process. Any work we have done in the past is done on the back of the research grants we get – and has to be well hidden. I’ve discussed this with the main funder [the U.S. Department of Energy] in the past and they are happy about not releasing the original station data.” The U.S. government was colluding with the hiders, who received tens of millions of dollars over the years.
Jones wrote to Mann, “Mike, can you delete any emails you may have had with Keith Briffa re AR4 [the IPCC 4th Assessment Report]? Keith will do likewise. … We will be getting Caspar Ammann to do likewise.”
Tom Crowley, a key member of Mann’s global warming hockey team, showed crass disregard for the lying and hiding: “I am not convinced that the ‘truth’ is always worth reaching, if it is at the cost of damaged personal relationships.” It’s more important to keep the career back-scratching team happy.
The distortion, spin, suppression and smear campaign went on for years. In fact, the revelations sparked a furious “hide the lies” denial campaign that ironically calls sceptics “deniers.” What the sceptics actually deny is that there has been much honest science involved in the IPCC process; that there is any evidence to support claims that we face an imminent climate crisis; and that humans are primarily responsible for weather and climate variations that have always been controlled by hundreds of complex, inter-related natural forces and processes.
“Hide the lies” generated lawsuits between climate science “believers” (what kind of real science requires belief?) and sceptics of “dangerous man-made planetary warming” – along with ridiculous conspiracy theories such as “Big Oil hired evil hackers in a plot to discredit angelic climate scientists.”
Mr FOIA denies these absurd allegations in his 3.0 message. “I took what I deemed the most defensible course of action, and would do it again,” he said. “That’s right; no conspiracy, no paid hackers, no Big Oil. The Republicans didn’t plot this. USA politics is alien to me, neither am I from the UK. There is life outside the Anglo-American sphere.”
“The first glimpses I got behind the scenes did little to garner my trust in the state of climate science – on the contrary,” Mr FOIA continued. “I found myself in front of a choice that just might have a global impact.” Reveal what he had discovered, or keep it to himself and let the lies continue?
Didn’t he fear discovery? “When I had to balance the interests of my own safety, the privacy and career of a few scientists, and the well-being of billions of people living in the coming several decades … millions and billions already struggling with malnutrition, sickness, violence, illiteracy, etc. … the first two weren’t the decisive concern.”
Why did he do it? His answer was both angry and anguished: “Climate science has already directed where humanity puts its capability, innovation, mental and material ‘might’ …. The price of ‘climate protection’ with its cumulative and collateral effects is bound to destroy and debilitate in great numbers, for decades and generations,” he wrote. “We can’t pour trillions in this massive hole-digging-and-filling-up endeavour and pretend it’s not [taking] away from something and someone else.”
That’s the most important statement so far in the decades-old climate debate: You’re forcing us backward into poverty and ignorance – for nothing, except to further your careers, funding and power. Less than a week later, London’s Mail on Sunday’s newspaper ran an outraged feature based on the British Meteorological Office’s recent admission that global surface temperatures haven’t risen in more than 15 years. Citing a chart of predicted and actual temperatures, the Mail noted: “Official predictions of global climate warming have been catastrophically flawed. The graph they produced blows apart the ‘scientific basis’ for Britain reshaping its entire economy and spending billions in taxes and subsidies in order to cut emissions of greenhouse gases. The chart shows in incontrovertible detail how the speed of global warming has been massively overestimated. Yet those forecasts have had a ruinous impact on the bills we pay, from heating to car fuel to huge sums paid by councils to reduce carbon emissions. The eco-debate was, in effect, hijacked by false data.”
Is it improper to label the people responsible for this costly, miserable catastrophe as “eco-thugs”? And should we worry that the latest no-real-energy “energy security” proposal from the White House is telling us that President Obama has become America’s “Eco-thug in Chief,” who will continue to peddle fraudulent science and nearly worthless renewable energy to further his agenda? It’s worth pondering.
A set of pro forma “investigations” claim to have exonerated PSU’s Mann. The internal PSU inquiry – with no impartial truth-seekers involved – was not going to harm their grant-getting cash cow Mann; instead, it whitewashed the evidence to ensure the preferred conclusion. Professional science groups that relied upon public funding for their financial survival fell in line behind a huge Tom Sawyer campaign of “exoneration.” There was no exoneration.
Summaries presented in court filings for the case of American Tradition Institute v. University of Virginia and Michael Mann – which demands release of Michael Mann’s emails – say, “Mann has never been exonerated…. Exoneration requires investigation; investigation requires pursuit aimed at discovering material facts. Mann’s employer since 2005, Penn State University, has conducted no such thing. Neither has the University of Virginia.”
The same conclusion applies to the UK’s Muir Russell and Oxburgh inquiries, which didn’t even mention Mann, because they were “investigating” only employees of the CRU.
I asked Christopher C. Horner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and attorney in the ATI v. UVa/Mann lawsuit for his take on the leaker’s message. He told me, “Whatever prompted ‘Mr FOIA,’ I take it as a statement that, so far, the courts have failed us, as have our political institutions – and he has concluded that those in the public who have resisted the climate industry agenda should now have a chance to review these taxpayer-financed records, which are the subject of a remarkable campaign to subvert transparency laws.”
We ourselves can’t avoid blame for the science disaster uncovered by Mr. FOIA. As Peter Foster of London’s Financial Times noted, we didn’t heed President Dwight Eisenhower’s warning. “Most people are aware of Ike’s warning in 1961 about the military-industrial complex,” Foster wrote. Our fatal error was to ignore what he said next: “In holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of scientific-technological elite.” [Emphasis added]
Americans won’t take captivity. It’s time to demote our climate masters to our humble servants. We won’t kill them. But we should sentence them to prison – or Siberia, where they’ll wish the climate was warming.
Should we continue to not open our eyes and view what is on-going around us for ourselves such as peculiar weather patterns, plants blooming at the wrong time of seasons, reliable metrological reports, heat waves, and flooding then we will all be a major victim to the lies that have been consequently spread and still are being spread to this day.
April 15th 2013 –
Millions of people will die of starvation across the world as agricultural yields are expected to tank and the price of food is expected to double by 2050 scientists warned in a new report released this week. The culprit? Extreme temperatures, floods and droughts brought on by climate change and scientific negligence, modern scientists though warned in this year’s US National Climate Assessment that you can view here - http://www.globalchange.gov/home and for Europe http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/climate
Lead researches of the study told The Observer that food insecurity risks turning parts of Africa into permanent disaster areas. Frank Rijsberman, head of the world’s 15 international CGIAR crop research centres, stated:
Food production will have to rise 60% by 2050 just to keep pace with expected global population increase and changing demand. Climate change comes on top of that. The annual production gains we have come to expect … will be taken away by climate change. We are not so worried about the total amount of food produced so much as the vulnerability of the one billion people who are without food already and who will be hit hardest by climate change. They have no capacity to adapt.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to keep global warming below 2 °C, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) must be halved by 2050 (compared with 1990 levels). Developed countries will need to reduce more – between 80 % and 95 % by 2050; advanced developing countries with large emissions (e.g. China, India and Brazil) will have to limit their emission growth.
Agreed in 1997, the UNFCCC’s Kyoto Protocol is a first step towards achieving more substantial global emission reductions. It sets binding emission targets for developed countries that have ratified it, such as the EU Member States, and limits the emission increases of the remaining countries for the first commitment period from 2008 to 2012. The 15 pre-2004 EU Member States (the EU-15) have a joint emission reduction target of 8 % below 1990 levels. Through the internal EU “burden-sharing agreement”, some EU Member States are permitted increases in emissions, while others must decrease them. Most Member States that joined the EU after 1 May 2004 have targets of -6 % to -8 % from their base years (mostly 1990).
EU emissions represent about 10 % of total global emissions. The United States, which has a large share of total global GHG emissions, has not ratified the protocol. China and several other countries with large GHG emissions do not have binding emission targets under the protocol. Countries are expected to meet their target mainly through domestic policies and measures. They may meet part of their emission reduction targets by investing in emission-reducing projects in developing countries (the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)) or in developed ones (Joint Implementation (JI)). The CDM is also meant to support sustainable development, e.g. by financing renewable energy projects.
The Cancún Agreements, adopted at the UN Climate Conference in Mexico (December 2010), include a comprehensive finance, technology and capacity-building support package to help developing nations adapt to climate change and adopt sustainable paths to low-emission economies. The agreements also include a time schedule for reviewing the objective of keeping the average global temperature rise below 2 °C. The agreements confirm that developed countries will mobilise USD 100 billion in climate funding for developing countries annually by 2020, and establish a Green Climate Fund through which much of the funding will be channelled.
The ‘Durban Platform for Enhanced Action’, adopted at the UN conference in South Africa (Dec 2011) agreed a roadmap towards a new legal framework by 2015, applicable to all Parties to the UN climate convention. It also foresees a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, starting in 2013. Agreement was also reached on the design and governance arrangements for the new Green Climate Fund.
Many European countries have adopted national programmes aimed at reducing emissions. Similar EU-level policies and measures include:
1) Increased use of renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass) and combined heat and power installations;
2) Improved energy efficiency in buildings, industry, household appliances;
3) Reduction of CO2 emissions from new passenger cars;
4) Abatement measures in the manufacturing industry;
5) Measures to reduce emissions from landfills.
This is sounds all good and positive news however is it going to work? The Abatement measures should have been implemented a long time ago when the European Union and America knew of these problems.
These measures give authorities the power if companies pollute or break environmental laws to close an entire company down to protect our vulnerable environment to flora and fauna. This type of order is more or less an anti-social behaviour order. Should the abatement team ascertain enough data and believe that a crime is being committed or rules are being flouted then action will be taken immediately to preserve our natural environment.
Current unpredictable weather patterns that have been hitting the Europe from 2013;
January
Insurance companies were faced with a flood of claims yesterday following Tuesday’s freak hail storm that hit the north and east of Malta. Certain crops can be replanted but some will have lost everything Middlesea Insurance said they received a flurry of claims for damage at property located in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, St Andrew’s, Għargħur, Mosta, Naxxar and San Pawl Tat-Tarġa. These came in the wake of reports of tennis ball-sized hailstones lashing certain localities around midday on Tuesday.
Claims under property insurance policies were submitted for damage to solar water heaters, photovoltaic panels, glass and water pipes, said Middlesea’s chief claims officer, Patrick Muscat. A number of private motor vehicle claims were also filed under comprehensive policies. Asked if hail was considered an ‘act of God’ by insurance companies, Mr Muscat said the term was an old misnomer that should be avoided. “It is now standard practice to have storm cover under most, if not all, property insurance policies,” he explained. Mile-End car repairs and towing services said it was busier than usual when the storm hit. “We were called to accidents in Rabat, Mosta and Naxxar. The water on the road was a big problem,” a spokesman said. However, they did not have an unusually high number of repairs yesterday – “just a few for spark plugs caused by water damage”.
The hail mostly caused slight cosmetic damage to vehicles, the spokesman added.Farmers also suffered with some having their crops destroyed by the hail, according to Joe Galea, president of the Rural Manikata Cooperative.
Although the farms around Manikata were unaffected, Mr Galea said farmers in the Mosta, Rabat and Ta’ Qali areas were not so fortunate, with potatoes and onions badly hit. “The storm did not hit everywhere but some farmers were very unlucky. Certain crops can be replanted but some will have lost everything,” he said.
“It’s too early to say if they will ask for compensation from the Government,” Mr Galea said. There were widespread reports of the hailstones denting solar panels even though a spokesman for Solar Solutions in Naxxar said they had received no calls about damage to products they had sold as of 11am yesterday. “Our solar heaters have thick security glass and are designed to withstand some punishment. Good quality solar panels would not normally be damaged by hailstones,” he said.
In Għargħur, which bore the brunt of the storm, locals enjoying morning refreshments in San Bartilmew band club said many cars belonging to residents were dented and windows were broken.
One woman said her adult son was distraught after his 35 racing pigeons, costing some €2,000, were caught in the hailstorm.
“Lots of them did not come home and the ones that did were badly injured. One lost an eye,” she said. The parish priest also suffered extensive damage to his home, according to locals, but he was not available to comment when The Times visited his house.
February
A woman died and numerous commuters were left stranded in Athens after the Greek capital was hit by its worst storm in 50 years on Friday.
At least 900 calls were made to the fire department requesting for aid to pump water out of homes, with many basements being inundated. Another 90 rang asking for assistance after being ensnared in their cars. Many cars were seen to be swept and overturned by the deluge.
A 27-year-old woman died from a suspected heart attack after being extracted from her marooned vehicle by other motorists, in the northern suburb of Halandri.
The Greek city suffered power outages overnight, after a river bank bursting. Early commuters were brought to a standstill as a result of the flooding. A house collapsed in the city centre, but no injuries were reported.
The flooding culminated in havoc for public transport as the tram system was stalled for an hour while rail schedules were temporarily postponed after a tree fell on the tracks.
March
Many parts of Europe are struggling to return to normal after a freak snowstorm caused travel chaos. On Tuesday the Eurostar trains had to be suspended as severe weather in Northern France and Belgium forced operators to close sections of the railway. Other high speed train services were also halted.
Even Jersey, normally one of the warmest parts of the British Isles, was not spared from the severe conditions. Residents had to cope with 100 kph winds as snow covered the island. Meanwhile more snow fell on central Germany. North of Frankfurt the Autobahn had to be closed after a 100-car pileup injured dozens of people. Nearby, Europe’s third largest airport also had to close forcing more than 355 flights to be cancelled.
Italy - A strong tornado hit Italy’s Venice and its lagoon causing big damage to local environment. Hundreds of trees were destroyed by the storm which hit the renowned northern city and some small islands of its lagoon including Sant’Elena, Sant’Erasmo and Certosa.
April
Britain’s impending cold snap could cause hundreds of millions of pounds of damage as a result of frozen or burst pipes, householders were warned. British Gas is predicting that the plummeting temperatures expected next week could trigger more than 20,000 emergency calls a day.
Forecasters have warned that a cold blast from the Arctic is on its way, beginning with snow showers in Scotland on Sunday and gradually spreading south. It is estimated that one in five homes could be at risk from damage caused by frozen and burst water pipes, British Gas said.
Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that burst pipes across the UK cost insurance companies more than £415 million in 2002 - three times as much as the total cost of river flood damage to UK homes that year. And in 2003, British Gas reported more than 15,000 call-outs on the coldest day on January 8, when average temperatures fell to just below minus 3C (27F).
As a precaution, the company has cancelled all routine visits in the early part of next week. Dave Kendle, director of British Gas home service operations, said: “The message is simple - never underestimate the misery caused by burst pipes and no heating.
“Colder weather puts added pressure on your heating systems as they work harder to keep homes warm. Not only this, but the damage caused by torrents of water from burst pipes could run into thousands of pounds.” The company advises householders to check that their main stopcock works and that all pipe work, cisterns and tanks are well insulated.
April 2013 – Colossal Climate Destruction is no longer confined to the United States of America;
Current Hurricane Historical Data;
Europe’s hurricane history
Only once since accurate records began in 1851 has an actual hurricane with full tropical characteristics hit Europe. This happened on September 16, 1961, when Category 1 Hurricane Debbie hit north western Ireland. Wind gusts reached 106 mph at Bally Kelly and 104 mph at Tiree and Snaefill, and coastal radio stations reported the airwaves were jammed with calls for help from small ships and fishing craft. Eleven people were killed and 50 injured in the storm. The only other tropical cyclone recorded to have hit Europe since 1851 was Hurricane Vince of 2005, which hit southern Spain as a tropical depression on October 11, 2005. Historical documents also suggest a hurricane hit Spain on October 29, 1842.
Britain’s history of ex-hurricane strikes
Hurricanes that transition to powerful extra tropical storms hit the British Isles several times per decade, on average. In 2011, Hurricane Katia brushed by Newfoundland, made the transition from a tropical system to a powerful extra tropical storm, and maintained strong winds of 50 - 65 mph as it crossed the Atlantic.
Ex-Katia hit northern Scotland on September 12, 2011. Glen Ogle, Scotland, at an elevation of 1500 feet (546 meters), received sustained winds of 60 mph, gusting to 86 mph. Cairngorm, in the Scottish Highlands at an elevation of 4085 feet, reported sustained winds of 67 mph. With the trees in full leaf, tree damage was much higher than a winter or springtime storm of similar ferocity would have caused.
One person was killed by a falling tree, and heavy tree damage and numerous power failures were reported throughout Britain. Other gusts experienced in Britain included 76 mph at Edinburgh Blackford Hill, 75 mph at Capel Curig in Wales, 72 mph at Glasgow Bishopton, and 71 mph at Loftus, North Yorkshire.
As reported by UK Met Office forecaster John Hammond in a post on the BBC 23 degrees blog, Britain has been affected at least eight times in the past twenty years by extra tropical storms that were once tropical storms or hurricanes. Before Katia of 2011, the most recent such storm was Hurricane Bill of 2009, which hit Ireland as an extra tropical storm on August 25 with sustained winds of 45 mph. Bill was a Category 4 hurricane northeast of the Lesser Antilles five days prior. In 2006, a record three extra tropical storms that had once been tropical cyclones hit Britain.
Extra tropical Storm Alberto, which had been a strong tropical storm that hit the Florida Panhandle, hit northern Ireland and Scotland as an extra tropical storm with 35 mph winds.
Extra tropical Storm Gordon hit Ireland on September 21, 2006, with sustained winds of 65 mph. Gordon brought record warm temperatures as tropical air pushed north across the UK, and also strong winds that brought down power lines in Northern Ireland. Wind gusts to 60 mph (97 km/h) occurred in the Isles of Scilly off the southwest coast, and 81 mph (130 km/h) on the mainland.
Other post-tropical cyclones that have the U.K. in the past twenty years include Hurricanes Isaac and Leslie of 2000, Hurricane Karl of 1998, and Hurricane Lili of 1996. The most severe of these storms was Extra tropical Storm Lili, which hit Ireland on October 28, 1996, with sustained winds of 65 mph. Lili caused $420 million in damage, in the U.K; Lili produced a 92 mph (148 km/h) gust at Swansea, South Wales, while bringing a 4′ (1.2 meter) storm surge that inundated the River Thames.
In Somerset, 500 holiday cottages were severely damaged. A U.S. oil drilling platform, under tow in the North Sea, broke loose during the storm and nearly ran aground at Peterhead. On the Isle of Wight, a sailing boat was beached at Chale Bay; luckily all five occupants were rescued. It was the most damaging storm to have struck the United Kingdom since the Great Storm of 1987, which killed 22 and caused $660 million in damage. However, Lili also broke a four-month drought over southwest England. All but one of these storms hit during the peak part of hurricane season, mid-August - late October. The only exception was Ex-Tropical Storm Alberto of 2006, which hit Britain in June.
Hurricanes in the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa has experienced several damaging hybrid subtropical storms in recent decades, but has never experienced a fully tropical hurricane in recorded history. However, global warming may cause the Mediterranean to start spawning hurricanes by 2100, according to a 2007 study by a research team led by Miguel Angel Gaertner of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo, Spain.
They ran nine different climate models with resolutions of about 50 km and found that some (but not all) of the models simulated hurricanes in the Mediterranean in September by the end of the century, when ocean temperature could increase by 3°C, reaching 30°C.
Though the Mediterranean may start seeing hurricanes by the end of the century, these storms have been quoted to be rare and relatively short-lived for three reasons as one independent American scientists claimed below;
- The Mediterranean is quite far north and is subject to strong wind shear from jet stream activity.
- The waters are shallow, and have relatively low heat content. There is no deep warm water current like the Gulf Stream.
- The Mediterranean has a lot of large islands and peninsulas poking into it, increasing the chances that a tropical storm would weaken when it encountered land.
Can one rely on these three climatological unproven theories though?
- December 14th 2010 - A luxury cruise ship has been left in disarray - and dozens of its passengers hurt - after it encountered unexpectedly heavy seas in the southern Mediterranean. The Brilliance of the Seas is now limping to Malta after being assailed by giant waves - which caused it to rock dangerously from side to side - while sailing to the Egyptian port of Alexandria.
- February 2012 – NASA Space Agency quoted a nasty looking storm was spotted by a satellite today (Feb. 23) as it spun over the Mediterranean Sea. The cyclonic, counter-clockwise spin of a low pressure system was viewed from the NOAA-19 AVHRR satellite sensor taken on Feb. 23, 2012. This system has brought up to 4 inches (10.2 centimetres) of rain over the last 24 hours to coastal areas in Europe and Africa. NOAA-19 is the last of the POES line of polar-orbiting satellites run by NOAA. Its successor, the Suomi-NPP satellite, was launched late last year and is currently undergoing its check-out phase as the sensors are gradually turned on.
- January 8th 2013 - Stormy weather, including snow, high winds and heavy rainfall, lashed the eastern Mediterranean coast, downing power lines and trees and causing several injuries in a number of countries. Heavy snowfall blanketed Turkey’s commercial hub Istanbul, a city of 15 million, paralysing daily life, disrupting air traffic and land transport. Officials said the snow is expected to continue until late tomorrow, according to the weather forecast. Syrian refugees in a Jordanian camp attacked aid workers with sticks and stones on Tuesday, frustrated after cold, howling winds swept away their tents and torrential rains flooded muddy streets overnight. Police said seven aid workers were injured.
- March 2010 - Earlier in the week transport in Barcelona ground to a halt as snow covered the Catalan capital and the snow storms have continued, passing over the Balearic Islands and the Costas, both popular with holiday makers hoping for some spring sunshine. Roads were closed as up to four inches of snow fell across Majorca and many residents and holidaymakers stayed indoors.
There are still to this very day much confusion and irresponsible lies that are being regurgitated to the public so that panic is not started, not creating panic is within our eyes a professional manner to adopt. However to completely lie, and to pay scientists and non-profit organisations that we are supposed to trust “not naming any names” but if I quote [certain climate and environmental groups] is dangerous and dicing with people’s lives as well as affecting our next generations future and economy.
Scientific data has long been out within the open that proved this climate prediction would eventually occur however the government wish to censor this and/or take legal action against these proof writers to keep their counties economy stable, to push people into purchasing more products, and, and to rage transnational wars as without the tax payers money then wars cannot be fought. The governments then cannot obtain oil and petroleum via occupying foreign continents that they believe to be of a high security risk to them.
The lies are still continuing and being raged even as I document more on sporadic climatological change.
Evidence is out there that proved and “proves” climate change is more than real. We only have to look at the mass shifting ice sheets within Antarctica to viewing the Polar Bear now facing extinction to now understand that climate change is now a “domestic and international terror threat to life” that the American government could have taken seriously and acted upon rapidly reducing loss of life, economic instability, agricultural damage, and species extinction.
That time regrettably has since passed and now we are the ones that are too now pick the pieces up caused by deliberate governmental negligence. Had the PUBLIC been informed correctly and NOT lied to then we could of all back within the early 1980’s when air and marine temperatures noticeably began warming could of taken action to reduce the now forthcoming climate carnage.
Climate carnage is going to hit Europe hard thus then moving us all into economic meltdown the current cost of climate change destruction has risen in the United states from $100 billion (1989) to now (2013) $390 billion and climbing fast. 730 million European citizens and “non-European” the most vulnerable are now in danger, can they afford these types of “hurricane Sandy” hurricanes?
I finish with more lies that the United States Government are still spouting;
Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT) is the chair of the subcommittee on the environment, the congressional group in charge of the EPA, climate change research, and “all activities related to climate.” It is therefore extremely troubling that Stewart denies the basic findings of climate science. (What’s new though the EPA support’s sustainable hunting) Stewart has said that he is “not convinced” that climate change is a threat, despite the fact that the EPA, NOAA, and all of the climate science and scientists that he now oversees, disagree with him. In fact 98% of actual climate scientists disagree with his views on climate science.
At a recent town hall meeting, a group of activists confronted Stewart on his ill-informed views on climate science. The activists, working with the group Forecast the Facts, presented Stewart with a 17,000 signature petition demanding “the Chairman of the Science Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment stop using his seat to promote climate denialism.” They also held up banners reading “Believe It Or Not Climate Change Is Not Going Away,” “97% of Say Climate Change is Human Caused. We Trust Them,” and “Stewart Denies While Utah Burns.”
The group of activists included high school student Sara Ma. “Many people think climate change is a future problem for my generation to solve later, but it’s not. The data shows that it is here, it’s happening and it has a cost,” said Ma, a 17-year-old senior at West High School. Utahns are particularly upset by Stewart’s ignorance on climate issues due to the record wildfire season they endured last year. Wildfires did over $50 million dollars in damage to Utah in 2012.
Stewart’s climate denial is made more suspicious by his close ties to carbon polluting industries. His brother and campaign manager, Tim Stewart, is a Washington, DC lobbyist for fossil fuel corporations. In addition, he has received more campaign donations from oil and gas companies than any other single source.
Cyclones causing wind storms in the Mediterranean: characteristics, trends and links to large-scale patterns
Climatology studies of cyclones with a focus on their relation to wind storm tracks in the Mediterranean region (MR) are presented. Trends in the frequency of cyclones and wind storms, as well as variations associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the East Atlantic/West Russian (EAWR) and the Scandinavian variability patterns (SCAND) are discussed.
The study is based on the ERA40 reanalysis dataset. Wind storm tracks are identified by tracking clusters of adjacent grid boxes characterised by extremely high local wind speeds. The wind track is assigned to a cyclone track independently identified with an objective scheme.
Areas with high wind activity – quantified by extreme wind tracks – are typically located south of the Golf of Genoa, south of Cyprus, southeast of Sicily and west of the Iberian Peninsula. About 69% of the wind storms are caused by cyclones located in the Mediterranean region, while the remaining 31% can be attributed to North Atlantic or Northern European cyclones.
The North Atlantic Oscillation, the East Atlantic/West Russian pattern and the Scandinavian pattern all influence the amount and spatial distribution of wind inducing cyclones and wind events in the MR. The strongest signals exist for the NAO and the EAWR pattern, which are both associated with an increase in the number of organised strong wind events in the eastern MR during their positive phase. On the other hand, the storm numbers decrease over the western MR for the positive phase of the NAO and over the central MR during the positive phase of the EAWR pattern. The positive phase of the Scandinavian pattern is associated with a decrease in the number of winter wind storms over most of the MR.
A third of the trends in the number of wind storms and wind producing cyclones during the winter season of the ERA40 period may be attributed to the variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation.
The full article can be read here http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/10/1379/2010/nhess-10-1379-2010.pdf
International Animal Rescue Foundation © will continue to document on the recent spurge of climate patterns and the “on-going” negligent speeches of government officers in the hope that we can now start to educate the public into now taking evasive and firm action into now protecting our environment, themselves and our future generations of eco-warriors.
Thank you
Dr JC Dimetri
Director and Founder
International Animal Rescue Foundation & International Delegates
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
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Environmentalism - Chapter 37 Endangered Species Watch
When the Conference of Parties 16th meetings was hosted in Bangkok, Thailand on the 4th March 2013 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention attended by some one hundred and seventy seven nations we believed that Cites would instigate with immediate effect the safe guarding and preservation of some of the worlds most endangered and critically endangered to nearing extinct species of both flora and fauna that are mostly located and distrusted within Africa and Asia, with the Amazonia rainforest and now Antarctica under serious threat from both poacher’s to hunting and the search for oil, and environmental carnage.
We and other organisations are still awaiting for direct and imminent action to now bring under control the colossal poaching epidemic that is seeing some hundreds of animals slaughtered for the illegal wildlife trade feeding the Traditional Chinese Medicine market’s, aiding cultural and religious beliefs to funding the war on terrorism. Furthering this we have still yet to view any formal positive actions to regain control of the catastrophic implications of atmospheric environmental carnage and climate change.
The global clock is ticking, and since the CoP 16th meetings there has been an unprecedented surge in the amount of poaching of which we can only believe is due to “possible or nearing sanctions that could be implemented” on African and Asian nations should they not take firm and decisive action to quell this destruction immediately.
So we look at some of the worlds most endangered species that are listed below hoping soon that Cites and other larger Non-Profit Organisations along with United Nations Environmental Department and (WHO) The World Health Organisation, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature now start to initiate what was preached at the meetings to safe guard and preserve our species before we see by 2050-2100 the entire species listed below pushed from extant to extinction.
One must also remember that were not just working with the preservation of mammalians and aquatics too, looking within Malaysia and Indonesia to Amazonia and the Antarctic atmospheric pollution, shifting ice plates, habitual destruction, plantations of artificial rainforests for palm oil production and manufacturing, agriculture to deforestation and illegal logging is also another disquieting yet prodigious quandary that the entire environmentalist and activist movement “must confluence immediately” for the sake of our younger generation and theirs to come.
Species of concern;
Gorilla
Populations: Listed to date: Listed below
Located deep within central Africa the Virunga National Park in eastern Congo holds the diverse species of Gorilla. The entire species are under threat from habitual destruction, civil war, and honour killings, to the illegal charcoal trade, bush meat and illegal exportations to African Zoological Gardens.
Eastern Lowland Gorilla – See’s a population rate of just less than 3000
Mountain Gorilla – See’s a population rate of just less than 720
Western Lowland Gorilla – See’s a population rate of just less than 100,000
Cross River Gorilla – See’s a population rate of just less than 300
Please view the video documentary; - Please note the video below may not be available in your nation. The title the video is Gorilla Murders - Virunga National Park that is hosted by National Geographic. Alternatively one can view the other documentary below on Mountain Gorillas.
Sumatran Orang-utan
Populations to date: 7,000
The Sumatran orang-utan is the more endangered of the two orang-utan species. Found only in the northern and western provinces of Sumatra, Indonesia, the species is fast losing its natural habitat to agriculture and human settlements.
Palm oil plantations and species encroachment onto human land looking for food that was once within their homes sadly view’s the species attacked or murdered. They are also considered pests within the plantations workers eyes of which poisons and traps are laid “which is difficult to prove whom is to blame” that regrettably also hinders their survival. There have also been reports of illegal tropical pet trade and zoophilic sexual attacks.
Mountain Gorilla
Population to date: 720
The mountain gorilla became known to science on 17 October 1902, and is a subspecies of eastern gorilla. Although explained above we are seeing a rapid decline in numbers within the Congo region better known as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since the early 1990s civil war has destroyed much of the mountain gorilla species along with its habitat from the illegal trade in charcoal. Unfortunately we also see the mountain gorillas used sporadically within the Traditional Chinese Medicine market too.
Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna
Population information: Species is estimated to have declined at least 51% over the past three generation lengths (39 years) and is listed as Endangered under Criterion A2. In the Eastern Atlantic stock, current fishing mortality is far above maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and estimated SSB is far below MSY.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna – Tuna is perhaps the most high profile victim of unregulated and uncontrolled overfishing. Bluefin tuna populations have declined alarmingly over the past few decades. Europe and International Continents were all warned that should over fishing and non-moderation of stock mainly that of the “young” not be controlled or enforced then we would view a humungous depletion of tuna stock levels. Only now when the species has almost been pushed to extinction have nations finally taken notice.
Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna’s main threats are over fishing, the use of mass trawler drag nets, pollution, climatological change and marine temperatures fluctuating. Atlantic Bluefin tuna spawn just once a year and do not reach reproductive maturity until they are 8-12 years old. This makes Bluefin tuna more vulnerable to overfishing than some of the smaller tuna species that can spawn several times in a year. Female Atlantic Bluefin can produce up to 10 million eggs per year, but just a small fraction survives to adulthood
According to information collected by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), the Eastern Pacific stock of yellow fin is overfished and some overfishing is occurring in the Indian Ocean. The northern and southern Atlantic Ocean stocks of albacore are also overfished. The skipjack tuna, while quite resilient, could easily slip into a vulnerable state due to overfishing if improperly managed.
Big eye tuna are prized in Asia for sashimi as well as frozen and fresh in other markets. As Bluefin tuna populations shrink around the world, pressure on big eye fisheries is increasing. According to information collected by the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee, overfishing is occurring in Eastern and Western Pacific Oceans. Bluefin tuna populations have declined severely from overfishing and illegal fishing over the past few decades –not just Atlantic Bluefin tuna, but also Pacific Bluefin tuna and Southern Bluefin tuna. Population declines have been largely driven by the demand for this fish in high end sushi markets.
Illegal fishing of Atlantic Bluefin tuna is a big problem and the fishery has been plagued by lack of enforcement and control.
Leatherback Turtle
Population to date: Females 2,400 (Total population including females 34,000)
The leatherback turtle has survived for more than a hundred million years, but is now facing extinction. Recent estimates of numbers show that this species is declining precipitously throughout its range.
Leatherbacks and their young have taken a vast battering over the past ten years with more Turtles pushed further to extinction from 2010-2013. The Costa Rican government simply allows the eggs of this reptilian to be dug up from the breeding grounds of which their eggs are then sold in the hundreds of thousands to Asian black market peddlers.
The Leatherback also faces gargantuan threats from trawler nets and pollution to also being poached for “Turtle soup” mainly used as a pseudo aphrodisiac within most continents of Asia.
Tiger – Sumatran – Bengal – Siberian
Population to date: 3,200+ Amur 300 (If that)
Less than 3,200 remain in the wild, we have lost 97% of our wild tigers in just over a century. The tiger population faces a number of threats from illegal poaching, habitual destruction caused by over population and palm oil trade within Indonesia and Malaysia, India, China, Thailand and Russia being the main number one continents form which we believe that we are going to see them banished within the next two or three years unless the Asian and Russian environmental departments to law enforcement do not take immediate action.
The Tiger population is mostly hunted for its pelts (skin) that can fetch once processed some $100,000 on the black market. Tiger penis soup, Tiger claw, to just Tiger meat is all used within the Asian medicinal market with Tiger bone wine deriving from Tigers that have been breed within Chinese (hell holes) then left to starve. The Tigers are then slaughtered or die an agonising pain from malnutrition of which the entire carcass minis the pelt and some flesh is placed within the a vat of rice wine to produce the illegal Tiger bone wine that can fetch some $10,000 and upwards on the Asian black market.
Snow Leopard
Population to date: 5700
Snow Leopard – There are up to 6,000 snow leopards in the wild across 12 countries, but its numbers are gradually declining, with hunting and habitat loss just some of the reasons that it is endangered. The WCS Wildlife Conservation Service also sent ourselves a census that they carried out on military troops that had also been purchasing “some” Snow Leopard parts not actually realizing from camp markets and of camp markets within Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Eastern Russia. They have all since been educated on the illegal wildlife trade with much thanks and appreciation to the WCS for undertaking this survey.
The Snow Leopards habitat is under extraordinary pressure from climate change, and over grazing of cattle such as Elk that are pushing the Snow Leopards prey further away as of “their own prey’s” food source being depleted. The Snow Leopard is mostly hunted for its pelt (skin) that can fetch many thousands on the black markets that then subsidise the war on terrorism.
Vaguita
Population to date: 500-650 (If that)
(Last population was under 200, however conservation efforts have increased their numbers)
The Vaquita is a very small porpoise that lives solely in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The species is critically endangered primarily as a result of entanglement in fishing nets.
The vaquita’s population has been in decline since at least the 1940s, and could be declining by as much as 15% each year. At current rates, the vaquita population may be reduced by more than 80% over the next 10-30 years and is in danger of extinction.
Commercial fishing is by far the greatest threat to individuals, their habitat, and the species overall survival. In the 1920s, a commercial fishery using gillnets for the now-endangered totoaba (a large sea bass) was established (Reeves et al. 2002). While the commercial fishery for totoaba ceased in the 1970s, other fishing still continues. Vaquitas are incidentally taken as “by catch” in local gillnet and trawl fisheries. It is estimated that at least 30-85 individuals are taken incidentally each year. Other possible threats to this species include environmental pollution, habitat degradation, and inbreeding due to low population numbers.
Irrawaddy Dolphin
Population to date: 7,000-8000
Irrawaddy Dolphin – Some populations are close to extinction such as those in the Mekong River and Malampaya Sound in the Philippines. The main threats are from fisheries by catch and habitat loss. Although the Irrawaddy dolphin is not directly exploited, it is exposed to incidental mortality in fisheries (e.g., gillnets in Australia and in Malampaya, explosives), the principal cause of depletion. Habitat degradation due to development of dams, deforestation and mining also continue to undermine the species to a lesser extent.
The small population of the Mahakam River (Indonesian Borneo) and possibly that of the Ayeyarwady River (Myanmar) are also live-captured for display purposes.
Javan Rhinoceros
Population to date: (Currently unknown) however reports this March 23rd showed that the Javan Rhinoceros is still present with us confirmed by WWF (World Wildlife Fund) within an undisclosed location of which we are not placing any geo-geographical location for security and preservation reasons. We can confidently quote though that 25 have been documented although it was at first only a family of five. This number has now increased from camera traps installed at key location points within (un-named) areas and continents.
The current threats to the Javan Rhinoceros a ten million year old prehistoric dinosaur that is a little smaller than the White and Black Rhinoceros are habitual destruction from deforestation, pulp and paper trade to palm oil too, climate and pollution carnage are also causing mass loss of life with poaching always the ultimate number one factor in this region to any that the Rhinoceros “species” populate.
The Javan Rhinoceros just like the Indian one horned Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros and the Black Rhinoceros are regrettably poached for counterfeit Asian traditional pharmaceuticals that do not under any circumstancescure diabetes, cancer, headache, migraine, AIDS (Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome or HIV) improve sexual arousal, libido, erection, tachycardia, hypertension, skin disorders, dermatitis, opiate withdrawal, nor does the Rhinoceros horn help with conception, help to quit smoking, nausea, vomiting, ADHD, ADD, or any other form of neurodegenerative disease.
Rhinoceros horn does not and never did cure cancer in any Vietnamese government member’s wife which was a complete compulsive lie. Rhinoceros horn does not cure physiological or psychiatric illness.
The horn of Rhinoceros is made up of mainly Keratin that is more related to Cockatoo beak, Parrot beak, or Horse hoof, the horn also contains a combination of non-active non-medicinal properties from phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, keratin, and compacted hair.
Rhinoceros horn is similar, but not identical, in chemical composition to water buffalo, cattle and yak horns, which are frequently used to “substitute” for rhinoceros horn in traditional medicinal formulas.
Rhinoceros horn has not been well researched in comparison with other ingredients in traditional medicine. Only one study was found (2012) testing rhino horn for pharmacological effect in humans using the best-practice method of a randomized double-blind trial. That study found a short-lived significant effect on fever in children, but did not recommend its use as acetaminophen (a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) performed better.
More testing has been done in the laboratory, using lab animals as well as in vitro techniques. Most of these studies have been done in China, where rhinoceros horn is permitted to be used in research only to identify viable substitutes for it, and all found statistically significant pharmacological effects for rhino horn: anti-pyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, procoagulant, among others.
The same studies also found significant pharmacological effect for animal horn substitutes. In contrast, two studies done outside Asia (in the UK and South Africa) found no pharmacological effects at all for rhino horn or other animal horns; significant effect was found for some traditional medicinal plants tested which were being explored as potential substitutes for rhinoceros horn.
A few different suggestions as to which components of rhino horn might be responsible for the observed pharmacological effects have been put forward, although the potential mechanisms of action were not elucidated.
Worldwide population 22,200 (Not confirmed within Africa of which the last census was undertaken in 2010 quoting a number of 18,800) However with the current poaching increase and demand taking into account the gestation period using mathematical studies shows a total of no more than 15,500 of which ¼ of South African Rhinoceros are owned on private farms and reserves. http://www.cites.org/eng/com/sc/62/E62-47-02-A.pdf
Population to date for the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros: 2,000 and rapidly decreasing within the Assam National Park.
Please note there are no more Javans within this national park -
Asian Elephant
Population to date: 20,000 and declining
Sacred but exploited, the Asian elephant has been worshipped for centuries and is still used today for ceremonial and religious purposes.
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE
Even where suitable habitat exists, poaching remains a threat to elephants in many areas. In 1989, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned the international trade in ivory. However, there are still some thriving but unregulated domestic ivory markets in a number of countries which fuel an illegal international trade. Although most of this ivory comes from poaching of African elephants, Asian elephants are also illegally hunted for their ivory, as well as for their skin. In some countries, political unrest is disrupting anti-poaching activities.
GENETIC THREAT
Conservationists are concerned that a loss of male big tuskers due to poaching could lead to inbreeding and eventually to high juvenile mortality and overall low breeding success. The loss of tuskers also reduces the probability that these longer-living lone males will mate and exchange genes with females of different sub-populations.
CAPTURE OF WILD ELEPHANTS
The capture of wild elephants for domestic use has become a threat to some wild populations, seriously reducing some numbers. India, Vietnam and Myanmar have banned capture in order to conserve their wild herds, but in Myanmar elephants are still caught each year for the timber and tourist industries or illegal wildlife trade. Crude capture methods often result in elephant deaths. Efforts are being made not only to improve safety, but also to encourage captive breeding rather than taking from the wild. With nearly 30 per cent of the remaining Asian elephants in captivity, attention need’s to be paid to improve care and targeted breeding programs.
HABITAT LOSS
The main threat facing Indian elephants, like all Asian elephants is loss of habitat, which then results in human-elephant conflict. In South Asia, an ever-increasing human population has led to many illegal encroachments in elephant habitat. Many infrastructure developments like roads and railway tracks also fragment habitat. Elephants become confined to “islands” as their ancient migratory routes are cut off. Unable to mix with other herds, they run the risk of inbreeding.
Habitat loss also forces elephants into close quarters with humans. In their quest for food, a single elephant can devastate a small farmer’s crop holding in a single feeding raid. This leaves elephants vulnerable to retaliatory killings, especially when people are injured or killed.
TOURISTS PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THESE PARKS - YOUR MONIES ARE KEEPING THIS TRADE GOING DON’T FEED THE TRADE - PRESERVE THE SPECIES.
For more information or to ask for a species to be added to the Endangered Species Watch please contact us here http://www.international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk/general-enquiries/
Director and International Delegates and Ambassadors
Environmentalism - Chapter 36 Bird Flu
In China eight people have so far died and at least 16 are seriously ill in the latest outbreak of bird flu H7N9. However as this information went to press today 13th April 2013 it is now feared that the death toll could even be higher than expected to even rising now out of control.
The death toll could even rise higher because the virus has already three of the five mutations that we know would allow another bird flu outbreak H5N1 to spread between mammals which is now seen by ourselves and others as a “category 1 environmental concern” the highest warning level given for this type of virus outbreak within the environmental, agricultural and medical world.
No one knows for sure if the five mutations discovered last year by Dr Ron Fouchier and colleagues at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands will do the same thing in H7N9. But we do know that some form of the mutations helped viruses from three other influenza families go “pandemic” which is very concerning as this explains to us that the virus is traveling rapidly and will soon if not brought under control cause a catastrophic loss of mammal and non- mammal life.
Chinese authorities are at this moment tracing contacts of known cases to see whether the infection has already spread between humans. Two more people with H7N9 only show mild symptoms, so the authorities are trying to establish how often it makes people seriously ill.
Most recent pandemic viruses have been hybrids of birds and mammalian flu, and therefore relatively mild because mammalian influenza tends to be less severe in people than bird flu. Pure bird flu viruses, like H5N1, and H7N9, are more potentially dangerous. The most lethal pandemic we know of, which spread across the world in 1918, was a pure bird flu that acquired mutations that allowed it to spread in humans, Virologists fear that the H5N1 has spread widely in birds, but it has not evolved the ability to spread rapidly between mammals (as yet).
Dr Fouchier’s work – which came under fire because of fears that it would allow bioterrorists to engineer an H5N1 pandemic shows that in principle, is can spread between ferrets, with no obvious loss of virulence.
To get transmissible H5N1, Fouchier first had to prime the virus with three mutations known to adapt bird flu to mammals, and then allow the other two requisite mutations to evolve within the animals. Two of the three deliberately added mutations allow the HA surface protein from bird flu in the H5, H2 and H3 families to bind to cells in mammalians noses. The viruses that broke out in 1918 from the H1 family – had similar mutations with the same effect.
Such binding mutations have never have never been seen in the wild H5N1 – but H7N9 already has one of the two. If the H7N9 can bind to mammalian cells it could adapt even further to mammals, just as Fouchier’s primed H5N1 did in his ferret experimentations.
If what we know about these mutations in other flu subtypes is also the case for this virus, then it’s already part way there, of which the University of Cambridge confirmed too which now has many environmentalists, scientists and medical practitioners to hospitals extremely worried and we have a right to be concerned now as of this evidence and further investigations that are still continuing.
The viruses also has a second of Fouchier’s mutations in a polymerase protein which allows the powerful replicating enzyme that makes bird flu so virulent to work at mammalians temperatures. This mutation has been present in all pandemic viruses.
The third mutation in H7N9, which led to the spread of the H5N1 in Fouchier’s work removed a sugar group from the HA. That leaves only two more mutations, both in HA, before this H7N9 has Fouchiers five.
All pandemic viruses have acquired this [mammalian cell] binding and polymerase activity stated “Fouchier”. “The H7N9 has these characteristics so the question now is what else does it need - if anything?
General Viral Information
Many experts warn that the world is overdue, and unprepared, for a global influenza pandemic. The next outbreak could well be as deadly as the Spanish flu, also known as H1N1, and potentially leave tens of millions dead.
Currently experts can’t determine exactly which viruses might spark pandemics, though the Spanish flu data may help to identify which strains bear close observation.
H5N1, a strain of avian influenza called the bird flu, is the most likely candidate. The largely Southeast Asian disease is commonly found in birds but also occurs in mammals like pigs, cats, and humans. It has killed several dozen people, but as of yet it cannot be easily transferred from person to person and so has not developed into a pandemic outbreak.
MIT researchers have explained why two mutations in the H1N1 avian flu virus allowed the disease to spread during the 1918 pandemic that killed at least 50 million people. The work could help scientists detect and contain a future bird flu outbreak among humans.
The team showed that the 1918 influenza strain developed two mutations in a surface molecule called hemagglutinin (HA). This, in turn, allowed it to bind tightly to receptors in the human upper respiratory tract.
This new work could aid researchers in monitoring the HA mutations in the H5N1 avian flu strains currently circulating in Asia. Epidemiologists fear these mutations could enable the virus to jump from birds and spread between humans-a possibility that could trigger millions more deaths than the 1918 pandemic.
Ram Sasisekharan, the Underwood Prescott Professor of Biological Engineering and Health Sciences and Technology, is the senior author of a paper on the work published in the Feb. 18 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In January, Sasisekharan and colleagues reported in Nature Biotechnology that flu viruses can only bind to human respiratory cells if they match the shape of sugar (or glycan) receptors found on those cells. The glycan receptors found in the human respiratory tract are known as alpha 2-6 receptors, and they come in two shapes-one resembling an open umbrella, and another resembling a cone. To infect humans, the MIT team found that avian flu viruses must gain the ability to bind to the umbrella-shaped alpha 2-6 receptor.
In the current study, the team discovered that two mutations in HA allow flu viruses to bind tightly or with high affinity to the umbrella-shaped glycan receptors. “The affinity between the influenza virus HA and the glycan receptors appears to be a critical determinant for viral transmission,” said Sasisekharan.
The researchers used the 1918 influenza virus as a model system to investigate the biochemical basis for hemagglutinin binding to glycans, which leads to viral transmission. They compared the virus that caused the 1918 pandemic (known as SC18) with a strain called NY18, which differs from SC18 by only one amino acid, and also the AV18 strain, which differs from SC18 by two amino acids.
Using ferrets (which are susceptible to human flu strains), researchers had earlier found that, while SC18 transmitted efficiently between ferrets, NY18 is only slightly infectious and AV18 not at all infectious.
These earlier findings correlate with the viruses’ ability to bind to umbrella-shaped alpha 2-6 glycan receptors, demonstrated in the current PNAS study. NY18, which is only slightly infectious, binds to the umbrella-shaped alpha 2-6 receptors, but not as well as SC18, which is highly infectious.
AV18, which does not infect humans, does not have any affinity for the umbrella-shaped alpha 2-6 receptors and binds only to alpha 2-3 receptors. Another strain, TX18, binds to alpha 2-6 and alpha 2-3 but, because it binds with high affinity to the umbrella-shaped alpha 2-6 receptors, is much more infectious than NY18.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on the varying infectiousness of these strains last year, but the PNAS study is the first that explains the exact biochemical reason underlying these differences.
Other authors of the PNAS paper are Aravind Srinivasan and Karthik Viswanathan, postdoctoral associates in MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering (BE); Rahul Raman, research scientist in BE; Aarthi Chandrasekaran, graduate student in BE; S. Raguram, visiting scientist in BE; Viswanathan Sasisekharan, visiting scientist in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology; and Terrence Tumpey of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The research was funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).
Influenza H5N1 Threat to the Environmental World
In nature, influenza viruses circulate continuously among animals, especially birds. Even though such viruses might theoretically develop into pandemic viruses, in Phase 1 no viruses circulating among animals have been reported to cause infections in humans.
In Phase 2 an animal influenza virus circulating among domesticated or wild animals is known to have caused infection in humans, and is therefore considered a potential pandemic threat.
In Phase 3, an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks. Limited human-to-human transmission may occur under some circumstances, for example, when there is close contact between an infected person and an unprotected caregiver. However, limited transmission under such restricted circumstances does not indicate that the virus has gained the level of transmissibility among humans necessary to cause a pandemic.
Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause “community-level outbreaks.” The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.
Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.
Picture above indicates deaths and seriously ill so far to date 13th April 2013 (12:08pm)
Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way. During the post-peak period, pandemic disease levels in most countries with adequate surveillance will have dropped below peak observed levels. The post-peak period signifies that pandemic activity appears to be decreasing; however, it is uncertain if additional waves will occur and countries will need to be prepared for a second wave.
Previous pandemics have been characterized by waves of activity spread over months. Once the level of the disease activity drops, a critical communications task will be required to balance this information with the possibility of another flu outbreak wave, pandemic waves can be separated by months and an immediate “at-ease” signal may be premature.
In the post-pandemic period, influenza disease activity will have returned to levels normally seen for seasonal influenza. It is expected that the pandemic virus will behave as a seasonal influenza A virus. At this stage, it is important to maintain surveillance and update pandemic preparedness and response plans accordingly. An intensive phase of recovery and evaluation may be required.
Biological Terrorist Threat
Could the below information be related to the recent high poaching rate’s in South Africa?
Report received 9th April 2013;
Colonel Sr. Col. Dai Xu
A Chinese Air Force officer on Saturday accused the U.S. government of creating the new strain of bird flu now afflicting parts of China as a biological warfare attack.
People’s Liberation Army Sr. Col. Dai Xu said the United States released the H7N9 bird flu virus into China in an act of biological warfare, according to a posting on his blog on Saturday.
The charge was first reported in the state-run Guangzhou newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily and then picked up by several news outlets in Asia. State Department spokesman Jason Rebholz dismissed the claim. “There is absolutely no truth to these allegations,” he told the Washington Free Beacon. Seven deaths from the bird flu outbreak were reported as of Tuesday in state-run Chinese media. As many as 24 people reportedly were infected by the disease in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui.
Chinese authorities are trying to calm public fears of a major epidemic, claiming there is no evidence the virus can be transmitted between humans (this is untrue though and why was the American government so angered at Dr Fouchier’s work?). The government also is claiming that the outbreak is not related to the recent discovery of thousands of dead pigs floating in a river in China.
The accusation of U.S. biological warfare against China comes as the Pentagon is seeking closer military relations with China. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is set to travel to China for talks with Chinese military leaders later this month.
Dai is a military strategist who in the past has been outspoken in seeking to foment conflict between China and the United States. He told the Global Times in August that China should go to war over U.S. support for Japan’s claims to the disputed Senkaku Islands.
Writing on Sina Weibo, a Chinese micro blogging site akin to Twitter, Dai stated that the new bird flu strain was designed as a biological weapon similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which he also claimed was developed as a U.S. bio-weapon that affected the country in 2003. http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/al-nisr-portfolio/weekend-review/mystery-prevails-over-sars-like-condition-1.1166534 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARS_conspiracy_theory the whistle blower is now in fear of his life http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Kolesnikov_(whistleblower) along with others. Many whistle blowers have either had to exile or have been found dead such as the whistle blower of Operation Black Swan (we have kept this information of line) however you can Google research that. http://now.msn.com/dai-xu-chinese-colonel-says-us-is-behind-bird-flu-outbreak-in-china
According to Dai’s posting, the new flu outbreak should not be a cause for concern. “The national leadership should not pay too much attention to it,” the PLA lecturer at the National Defence University wrote. “Or else, it’ll be like in 2003 with SARS!”
“At that time, America was fighting in Iraq and feared that China would take advantage of the opportunity to take other actions,” he said. “This is why they used bio-psychological weapons against China. All of China fell into turmoil and that was exactly what the United States wanted. Now, the United States is using the same old trick. China should have learned its lesson and should calmly deal with the problem.” Dai said that even if “a few may die” from the flu outbreak, it will not equal one-thousandth of the deaths caused by vehicle accidents in China.
Dai in the past has called for China to punish the United States for U.S. arms sales to rival Taiwan, by selling arms to U.S. enemies. “China recognizes that a few perfunctory protests will not have any effect,” Dai said in 2010. “China can’t directly sanction American arms companies since they did not do business with China … but China can sanction companies that are doing business with China directly, like Boeing or General Electric.”
Dai also has said the United States has used crises with North Korea and offers of cooperation on the issue as a plot to drive a wedge between Beijing and its fraternal communist ally. Dai also has said U.S. efforts to counter Chinese espionage and intelligence-gathering were part of a U.S. “plot theory” of “western countries threatening others by [releasing] information gained through spying in order to damage the reputations of other countries.”
A State Department official said China notified the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 31 about its first detected human cases of H7N9 infection. Fourteen cases were confirmed by the WHO by April 5, of which six were fatal. The organization said there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
“U.S. Embassy Beijing and U.S. Consulate Shanghai are monitoring the situation, working closely with counterparts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and the Beijing and Shanghai municipal governments,” the official said.
The colonel’s accusation provoked a widespread response on Chinese websites. One post in reaction joked that Dai’s comment about auto deaths must mean that the United States and Germany are responsible for a conspiracy to produce cars, according to a report in Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post.
Luo Changping, deputy editor of Caijing, said most PLA soldiers would not support Dai’s comments and he urged the colonel to resign and apologize to those who have died from the current bird flu outbreak.
A defiant Dai then said in a new posting Sunday that “it is common knowledge that a group of people in China have been injected with mental toxin by the United States.” “Now, a group of fake American devils are attacking me,” he wrote in another post. “I will not retreat even half a step.”
Analysts say the colonel’s remarks are a reflection of the growing xenophobic atmosphere within the Chinese military that views the United States as its main enemy.
Former State Department intelligence analyst John Tkacik said China’s military was largely to blame for mishandling the 2003 outbreak of SARS. Tkacik said there was speculation when the epidemic began that “the PLA suspects SARS had emanated from its own biological laboratories and was all the more eager to keep it secret.” China is known to have a covert biological arms program.
“Col. Dai Xu is a shameless liar when he accuses the United States of using bio weapons,” Tkacik told the Free Beacon. “He’s probably motivated by a desire to exculpate the PLA for their mishandling of the epidemic—no doubt most Chinese have happily forgotten the episode—as much as by a cynical xenophobia. But, that’s what passes for deep strategic thought at China’s National Defense University these days.”
The Pentagon has been trying with varying success to develop closer ties to the Chinese military as part of a strategy aimed at building trust. However, China’s military leaders believe the U.S. offers of closer ties are a ruse designed to contain China’s growing military build-up. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke by phone with China’s Defence Minister Gen. Chang Wanquan on April 2. Chang is the No. 4 defence official after Chinese President Xi Jinping and two other generals who run the Central Military Commission, the Communist Party’s ultimate power organ. “The leaders both expressed their intention to work together to continue to build a military-to-military relationship that serves the vision of both President Obama and President Xi,” Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement after the call.
“The secretary discussed the importance of focusing on areas of sustained dialogue, practical areas of cooperation, and risk reducing measures,” he said. U.S. ties with China are strained due to China’s reluctance to rein in neighbouring North Korea.
China provides North Korea with large amounts of fuel oil and other goods. However, Beijing has not taken steps to pressure Pyongyang using its economic leverage during the on-going crisis.
The flu has lit up China’s thriving Internet, according to analysts. Over 945,600 micro blog postings addressed the flu between April 8 and 9. Since the outbreak began some seven days ago, between 1.3 million and 3 million postings were put online on outlets including Sina Weibo and QQ Weibo.
Tens of thousands of users expressed doubts about the official Shanghai municipal government’s denial of any link between the dead pigs found floating last month in the region’s Huangpu River.
The proximity to the initial outbreak in Shanghai and the river has led to speculation that the pig deaths may have been linked to the flu virus jumping from animals to humans. That speculation was fueled by reports that one of the victims of the flu was a pig butcher.
The avian flu strain is similar to an earlier outbreak with a significant difference: The current strain does not kill the birds it infects, making it more difficult to identify infected poultry. The Shanghai government waited 20 days before announcing the first H7N9 infection on March 31.
Threat to human life
13th April 2013
A genetic analysis of a bird flu strain responsible for at least nine human deaths in China suggests it could evolve to adapt to human cells, researchers say.
A study led by researchers from Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases with colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison examined the genetic sequences of the H7N9 pathogen from four of the human victims as well as samples derived from birds and the environs of a Shanghai market.
“The human isolates, but not the avian and environmental ones, have a protein mutation that allows for efficient growth in human cells and that also allows them to grow at a temperature that corresponds to the upper respiratory tract of humans, which is lower than you find in birds,” UW-Madison researcher Yoshihiro Kawaoka said.
Although it is too early to predict its potential to cause a pandemic, Kawaoka said, signs the virus is adapting to mammalian and, in particular, human hosts are unmistakable. Avian influenza rarely infects humans but can sometimes adapt to people, posing a significant risk to human health, the researchers said.
“These viruses possess several characteristic features of mammalian influenza viruses, which likely contribute to their ability to infect humans and raise concerns regarding their pandemic potential,” Kawaoka and his colleagues reported.
The first human cases were reported on March 31 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the new virus has sickened at least 33 people, killing nine.
Dr J C Dimetri Director & International Delegates
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Environmentalism - Chapter 35 Seal Pup Massacre - Canada
The Canadian seal hunt is again under way, that started on the 10th April 2013 that regrettably and most shockingly will see many hundreds of seal pups no older than two to three weeks old beaten over the head with a pick fork then left to die slowly in agony choking to death on their own blood and mothers milk.
There is no justification for such barbaric and senseless inhuman and inhumane slaughter that the Canadian government should know better than to allow this continues yearly blood fest to carry on just to fill the Chinese and Eastern European market “not non-Eastern European” with baby skin pelts leaving the floating ice ridges and caps a mess with blood and dead flesh.
Europe banned the imports of seal pelts and any form of seal meat from Canada of which the Canadian Fisheries and Oceans Ministry is now trying to overturn from which we and other organisations will not allow protesting and communicating at the highest level to spreading awareness and education of this disgusting and repulsive trade that Canada calls conservation.
General History
Seal hunting is currently practiced in six countries: Canada, where most of the world’s seal hunting takes place, Namibia, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Russia. Canada’s largest market for seals is Norway (through GC Rieber AS) listed here http://www.gcrieber.no/ GC Rieber is a private company that operates within the fields of marine oils, pelts, salt including for agriculture and nutrients.
The seal hunt though is slowly but surely coming to an end although the Canadian government are fighting to keep it alive there is now over 95% less trawlers and hunters moving out onto the ice flows to kill of which should the fight to preserve out aquatic seals a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals continue then we will eventually win this barbaric and bloody war preserving Mother Nature’s finest aquatic sea life.
Harp seal populations in the northwest Atlantic declined to approximately 2 million in the late 1960s as a result of Canada’s annual kill rates, which averaged to over 291,000 from 1952 to 1970. Conservationists demanded reduced rates of killing and stronger regulations to avert the extinction of the harp seals.
In 1971, the Canadian government responded by instituting a quota system. The system was competitive, with each boat catching as many seals as it could before the hunt closed, which the Department of Fisheries and Oceans did when they knew that year’s quota had been reached. Because it was thought that the competitive element might cause sealers to cut corners, new regulations were introduced that limited the catch to 400 seals per day, and 2000 per boat total. A 2007 population survey conducted by the DFO estimated the population at 5.5 million just knowing these numbers are so high is nauseating.
It is illegal in Canada to hunt new born harp seals (white coats) and young hooded seals (blue backs) however the Humane Society of the United States has many times proven that the sealers are violating these rules time again that see’s many two to three week old pups bludgeoned over the head in what can only be described as a brutal and vicious bloody beating leaving the seal in extreme prolonged pain just for it’s for that can fetch up to $60.00 each on the market.
The main “weapon” used to beat then drag the seals to by their skin to waiting vessels just to be skinned alive is known as a hakapik which is more or less a club, of Norwegian design, used for killing seals. The hakapik is roughly around 1 or 2 meters in length that’s produced using the wood of oak, teak, or strong pine depending on what the sealer requests when purchasing form hunting stores.
There has been much confusion over the hakapik with some “activists” and even sealers quoting that it is banned this not necessarily true. The Canadian government in 2009 was ordered to clean up its act regarding the brutalization of the seal using this medieval “tool of the trade”.
Sealers were forbidden to use the hakapick on seals more than a year old who have not already been shot”, however again this is not always the case, and as the pressures are there to meet killing quotas along with the sealers being hit finically hard then the hakapick will be used wherever possible.
Monitoring the hunts is not always as easy as one may think, with shifting ice flows, the fast pace at which the sealers move, and the hunt carried out in remote land then policing this law set out in 2008-2009 and the misuse of this weapon on 2-3 week old seal pups is not as easy as it looks. The Humane Society has documented many times the deaths of 2-3 week old pups that have been beaten senseless then left to suffer for one to two hours if not more before finally succumbing to death via chocking or skinned alive.
Canada also issued new regulations for its annual seal slaughter, banning the skinning of live seals and forbidding the use of the spiked weapon called a hakapik on seals over one-year-old, again this law is being flouted by the sealers that reside in remote villages with little evidence of any one sealer being brought to justice for violating these rules. It was also quoted that some seals are killed with a single blow to the head using a wooden club or hakapik again as one can view in the videos provided this is untrue.
American veterinary scientists actually suggested that the hakapik was the most professional tool used to slaughter seals. They quoted on the use of the hakapik on the seal hunt carried out on Pribilof Islands of Alaska suggested that it is an “efficient tool designed to kill the animal quickly” and (humanely) when used correctly. A report by members of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association in September 2002 confirmed this claim.
We know that the sealers are now feeling the pinch of regulations and nations that are turning their back on Canada’s sick and repulsive tradition. 2009 not one pelt from that years’ Nunavut seal kill sold at the 2009 Toronto auction says the Northern News Services as the European Union considered then implemented a full ban on all seal products. Canadian officials then vowed to clean up the seal hunt by banning the use of the club with a hook on one end called a hakapik “on seals more than a year old that have not already been shot.” That’s 11,000 pelts, counting that year’s unsold inventory, which were “taken” for no reason.
Sealers are not the only ones feeling the pinch of the law implemented in 2010 by the European Union Finland’s infamous fur farmers are also feeling the crunch from low demand and low prices Pirrko Rantanen-Kervinen of the Finnish Fur Sales Co. Ltd explained to the Helsingin Sanomat Farmers are placing pelts in freezers to wait for better times and wondering if “there is any point” at selling at depressed prices. So we are winning but we still have a long push ahead of us to now ban this ridiculous and nauseating hunt for consumer greed. Photos of bloody pelts and animals struggling in traps have not done much for fur’s image too.
Neither do stories of the actress Lindsay Lohan being flour bombed in Paris for wearing fur or the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame belonging to actresses Sharon Stone, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and singer Aretha Franklin being defaced with “fur hag.”
But just as damaging to the fur “brand” is when it leaves its Town and Country context and appears as bling on hip-hop musicians in neon blue bomber jackets.
Climate change is also having a knock on effect in reducing the sales of seal fur as of the “warmer winters” which is a good factor although not so on the rest of the aquatics and land mammalians that consequently suffer from climate destruction, that being the Polar Bear, Artic Fox, and Artic Hare too that are unfortunately being pushed into nearing extinction every year as the earths temperature heats up thus melting ice caps and flows on a rapid basis and increasing marine and fresh water levels.
Harp Seal;
Harp seal (Pagophilus, or Phoca, groenlandica), also called saddleback, medium-sized, grayish earless seal possessing a black harp-shaped or saddle-shaped marking on its back. Harp seals are found on or near ice floes from the Kara Sea of Russia west to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. The harp seal is both the best-known and among the most abundant of all seal species. Worldwide, the total population of harp seals is estimated at nearly 7.5 million animals, which are separated into three distinct populations. The largest population (approximately 5 million animals in 2000) inhabits the north-western Atlantic and breeds both near the coast of Newfoundland and within the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The second largest population occurs in the vicinity of the Barents Sea, numbers between 1.5 million and 2 million animals, and breeds on the ice-covered White Sea in northwest Russia. The smallest population (approximately 300,000 animals) inhabits the area between Norway’s Jan Mayen Island and the eastern coast of Greenland, and its mating grounds are mainly located near Jan Mayen Island. Each population is considered by some authorities to be a separate subspecies.
The colloquial names for harp seals vary by age and coloration. At birth, pups are known as “whitecoats” because of their pure white pelage. This stage lasts approximately two weeks. The subsequent growth of dark hair under their white fur produces a grayish coloration, and they are called “graycoats.” Once the white coat is completely shed, the seals become gray with dark spots and are often referred to as “beaters” because of the sound made by their tails as they learn to swim. At 13–14 months of age the seals molt again, and their spotted pelt remains. At this stage they are called “bedlamers.” The transition from bedlamer to adult coloration arrives with the onset of sexual maturity, which usually occurs at four or five years of age.
Harp seals spend most of their lives in the water, though some have been known to ride bits of drifting sea ice for short distances during migration. All harp seals must come up on land or ice to give birth, rear their young, and molt. From late February to March, seals relocate to the southern limit of their range to breed and give birth.
Pups are born on the short-lived seasonal platform of pack ice. Each female gives birth to only one pup; twins are extremely rare. Pups weigh 11 kg (24 pounds) at birth, but they lack the thick layer of blubber present in adults. Instead, they are insulated by their thick fur and obtain energy from their mothers’ milk, which is rich in fat. During their 12-day nursing period, pups gain about 2 kg (4.4 pounds) per day of blubber, which allows them to attain a weight of approximately 36 kg (79 pounds) at weaning. Weaning is abrupt as females stop nursing their young in order to mate with males. During this time, since the pups do not feed for up to six weeks, they may lose over 50 percent of their body mass. Eventually, hunger motivates the pups to enter the water and start feeding on their own.
Average-sized adults of both sexes measure 1.8 metres in length (6 feet). Male harp seals typically weigh 135 kg (300 pounds), females weigh 120 kg (265 pounds), and the largest adults may reach 180 kg (400 pounds). The face of an adult harp seal is completely black, while the gray coloration of its body is accented by a black harp-shaped marking on its back. Adults typically hold this coloration between five years of age and the end of their lives. The maximum life span for the harp seal is 35 years.
Adult seals mate either within the water or on top of ice floes. When fertilization occurs, the egg develops into a blastocyst, which floats freely within the uterus for four months until it implants itself in the uterine lining for active development. This delay in implantation stretches gestation time to 11.5 months and effectively postpones the birth of young to the period when enough pack ice is available to act as a whelping platform.
Harp seals are not strong divers compared with other seal species. Their maximum dive depth is 370 metres (1,200 feet), and they may stay underwater for only 16 minutes before resurfacing. Though they consume a wide variety of prey, their diet is centred on small fishes such as capelin (Mallotus villosus), Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), or polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis). They also eat numerous invertebrates. Contrary to popular belief, harp seals rarely consume the commercially important Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Polar bears (Ursus maritimus), killer whales (Orcinus orca), and large sharks are the natural predators of harp seals.
Proven history of neglect;
Canada has a proven history of neglecting the environment & of ignoring valid scientific information. The Canadian government claims that a wild population of a species is healthy until the moment that harvesting is no longer profitable. It is only after the economic advantage of a hunt is lost and that the population is decimated that the government chooses to protect an endangered species by that time its beyond preservation and this is why the European Union must never allow ban on the sales of any seal products to be lifted.
Beluga Whales - In 1982 Canada left the IWC which is the International Whaling Commission. The Canadian government had been repeatedly warned about the unsustainability of whaling, yet the government neglected to stop this practice.
As taken from the Government of Canada’s website below are statistics about the ‘harvest’ of Beluga whales.
The total cumulative numbers of belugas caught for commercial purposes, uncorrected for sunken animals, were about:
- 9,000 in western Hudson Bay (1949-1970);
- 9,900 in eastern Hudson Bay (1752-1916);
- 14,500 in the St. Lawrence Estuary (1868-1960).
The current population of Belugas in the St Lawrence Estuary is approximately 1000 which are less than 10% of the original population prior to whaling. 1000 is far from a healthy population size, especially considering that Belugas are one of the most susceptible species to environmental pollution. Many whales have to be disposed of as toxic waste due to the high level of pesticide and chemical contamination.
The Hudson Bay area fared a little better, the current population there is estimated to be 25000. This still means that 50% of the population in this area was wiped out.
The global Beluga population has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species since 1994. Yet Canada still allows 800 Beluga whales to be harvested annually by aboriginals. This is why Canada is one of the few developed countries that is not a member of the IWC.
Clearly Canada has failed Beluga whales, but Belugas have been lucky compared to other whales.
Humpback Whales - ‘These giants of the deep are slow swimmers—making them easy targets for whalers in the first half of the 20th century. They were killed by the thousands for their blubber. Now protected, humpback populations have grown to nearly 20,000 worldwide—about 20 per cent of their original numbers. Roughly 2,000 live in the northern Pacific today. But the protections must be maintained to ensure the long-term survival of this majestic species.’
The above quote has been taken from the government of Canada’s website. What the government of Canada’s website buries near the bottom of its page is that Humpbacks had been protected by the IWC since 1955, regardless of this the Canadian government continued to allow humpback whaling for an additional 10 years. This was 10 years after world opinion had indicated that the Humpback was endangered and should be protected at all cost. Whaling did not cease until 1965. The population was so low that it was not economically feasible to continue whaling this species.
Fin Whales - At least 7605 fin whales were taken by the province of British Columbia between 1908 and 1967.Fin whales dine primarily on Capelin Stock which is a fish species that crashed in the 1980s due to over fishing. On the eastern side of Canada the ‘harvestable’ population near Nova Scotia was 1600 animals in 1964. In 1973 it was reported that only 325 members still survived in this area.
Before whaling the North Pacific Fin Whale population was estimated at 45000. By 1975 this number declined to 8000.The fin whale is now highly endangered and is protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA)
Other Whales - The whales listed above are some of the healthiest in population. Blue Whales at one time numbered 200 000 in the worlds ocean. Canada helped to reduce this number to 6000. Canada also participated in the hunting of the Right Whale, Bowhead Whale, Gray Whale, Sei Whale, Minke Whale, Killer Whale (also known as Orca Whale) and other whales. Clearly the point has been made that Canada practiced whaling until it was impossible to continue doing so.
Polar Bears - The polar bear population is threatened by global warming. This is due to melting ice. Canada has refused to sign the Kyoto protocol which would commit them to lowering the emission of greenhouse gases. Polar bears also suffer from high levels of PCBs and other chemical pollution. Canada has refused to effectively monitor corporations and force them to reduce the level of pollution and chemicals that are released.
Canada sells up to 700 polar bear hunting licenses annually. These are sold to trophy hunters. The meat is not used. The sole purpose of the hunt is for a trophy, and this only serves the very wealthy and the Canadian government in collecting additional taxes. ( For more information concerning this please visit our sister website ( Stop Polar Bear Hunting ) The current polar bear population is estimated to be as low as 22 000 which classifies this species as ‘threatened’. It’s not until this species becomes endangered that the hunting quotas will be reduced. Canada likes to wait until a species is nearly extinct prior to taking protective action.
Other Species - According to the committee on the status of endangered wildlife in Canada, there are currently 516 plant and animal species at risk in Canada. Another 13 species are all ready extinct. Canada does nothing to halt the spread of pollution, to prevent ongoing habitat loss, or to attempt to reverse climate change. One of the major factors behind many species in Canada becoming endangered is due to over harvesting and excessive trade.
Over Harvesting - Once plentiful due to over harvesting these species are now extinct: Passenger Pigeon, Great Auk, & Eskimo Curlew.
Harp Seals - Canada claims that the seal hunt is needed otherwise the seal population will grow out of control. This is the same rhetoric that is used for hunting deer, and any wild population. Truth is Canada ignores reports that are economically counterproductive. Reports about the collapse of the cod industry were predicted 30 years in advance, but these reports were ignored. If there is an endangered species in Canada, odds are this species was hunted for economical purposes
An over population of seals oddly enough was never considered a problem until it was discovered that ‘culling’ the seals could be profitable. The seals are not used for food. No one eats seals in Canada except for aboriginals, and they hunt their own seal and have nothing to do with the commercial seal hunt. Sealers like to bring up the fact that aboriginals eat seals to confuse people. They pretend that aboriginals and the commercial seal hunt are the same. They are not.
When Canada was discovered there was an estimated seal population of 30 million. The most optimistic estimate of the current population numbers it at less than 20% of that. If this is the case then the overpopulation reasoning is a hoax. Who decides what a population should be? Is 500 million humans too many? What about 6.5 billion? The human population is predicted to hit 9 billion in 2050.
Picture above is what the Sealers use to slaughter 2-3 week old pups - Hackapick
The current population for 2013, stands at a whopping 8.1 billion so 2050 is VERY out of the equation.
Assuming there is an ‘out of control’ seal population of 5 million which is a very optimistic number that is thrown around by sealers, then what of it? The web of life is interconnected; predators and a healthy environment will work to keep a population in check without human intervention. The intervention of the Canadian government in the past has caused nothing but endangered and extinct species. A more reasonable estimate is that the population is at 2 million.
In Summary - The Canadian government with the aid of sealers likes to misuse information. They throw words around like aboriginals, sustainability, and culling in order to confuse the public and to distract them from the fact that the seal hunt is simply there to earn money. It is politically popular in Eastern Canada to hunt seals. To oppose this hunt or to pass legislation against it would lose votes. For people who hunt and for their families this is a voting issue. For the rest of Canada it isn’t.
Commercial sealers do not consume seal meat. They are not aboriginals. They do not live traditionally. They live like the rest of North Americans. They have houses, garages, automobiles, and super markets. The idea that they are protecting a way of life is foolish. The idea that they need to make a living is ridiculous. They have the same opportunities as anyone else. You can bet if the whale population was high they would continue to practice whaling, or if the polar bear still survived in that area of Canada they would continue to hunt it.
One argument of desperation that they like to use is the following. Apparently environmental organizations like to publicize the seal hunt in order to collect donations. It should be noted that all of the reputable organizations are run by individuals who are committed to saving wild populations and ending needless animal suffering. They would love for this issue to be over with, there are other problems such as polar bear hunting, whaling, endangered wild cats, the loss of rain forests, pollution, road side zoos, and bear farming, to worry about.
Sealing is done for one reason and one reason only. Greed. Sealers hunt seals to earn money. The seal is used exclusively for the fashion industry. New products are subsidized by the Canadian government but these are never profitable. One example would be seal oil capsules. Seal pelts are sold to high end fashion houses. Seals are killed for money and for fashion. Any mention of culling, aboriginals, traditional life, and eating are simply invalid arguments.
People are always willing to believe that an atrocity is reasonable if it happens in their backyard. Sealers believe it’s all right to kill seals for fashion because they need to make a living. Kenyans also believe that it’s all right to kill elephants for money, Rwandans believe it’s all right to kill Mountain Gorilla’s because they need to earn a living, and the Japanese believes it’s all right to hunt whales for money. There’s a trend here and the above examples could go on for pages. The main difference is that Canada is one of the most developed and wealthy countries in the world and there is no need for savagery.
Predictions on when the slaughter of seals will end are listed below;
The annual bloodbath that comprises the largest kill off of marine mammals in the world, the Newfoundland seal “hunt” (a misnomer if ever there was one), is now upon us again.
For years, world leaders including Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, scores of international stars (going back to that famous photo of Brigitte Bardot cuddling a seal on the ice), and multitudes of people whose blood runs cold seeing a cudgel raised to a baby seal have implored the Canadian government to end the annual slaughter.
One bumper sticker read, “If you aren’t outraged, you aren’t paying attention,” but everyone was outraged — except the Canadian government, which has stalwartly defended the seal slaughter and gone to great lengths to find a market for the pelts that no one wants and that many countries, including the U.S., will not accept within their borders. Now even Canadian lawmakers might finally be listening.
While Member of Parliament Ryan Cleary says that it’s the “official” position of the New Democratic Party to support the seal hunt, he is now questioning whether it should continue. “Part of our history is also whaling, for example, and the day came when the whaling industry stopped,” he said a few days ago. “Now, is that day coming with the seal hunt? It just may be.”
Cleary points out that Canada is drawing massive worldwide criticism for an industry that only earned $1 million last year, almost the same amount that must have to be paid to throw the rotting pelts in warehouses, given the fact that almost anyone you ask would rather be seen dead than in a sealskin anything. Thanks to videotapes that have increased awareness of how sealers hook baby harp seals in the eye, cheek or mouth so as not to damage the fur and drag them across the ice alive or beat them to death with a club that has a spike or sharp nail on one side of it, the markets for seal products are slamming shut faster than Stephen Harper’s door on a PETA protester. Just last month, Russia, Canada’s largest seal-pelt market, followed the lead of the U.S. and European Union and banned the import of sealskins. “We know that the world appetite is not there for seal meat, but the world appetite for seal products — I don’t know if it’s there,” said Cleary. “And you know what? I may be shot for talking about this, and for saying this, but it’s a question we all have to ask.”
Canada calls this “humane” slaughter that’s oddly supported by American Governmental Scientists
And while Cleary is coming under heavy fire from greedy sealers and certain politicians who are beholden to them, Canadian residents who oppose the cruel slaughter (and they are the majority) are dancing a jig. Responding to the controversy in a news release, Cleary said, “We cannot hide behind the debate and pretend that the market for seals is not in trouble. Facing this reality head on is the only way to address this situation.”
Every February, as the seal slaughter draws near, I think of these words of the Chinese poet Su Tung-P’o: “Life passes like a spring dream without a trace.” Soon, I hope, the seal mothers will no longer have to endure what must be a spring nightmare, seeing their pups’ lives battered into oblivion, the “trace” being the line of blood on the ice that leads from bludgeon site to commercial vessel. That will change if more forward-thinking MPs find the courage to join Cleary and suggest to their colleagues that there are more ethical and savoury ways to make a living.
Russia and other Eastern European nations have categorically stated that they are not selling seal skins anymore from Canada http://www.arctic-info.ru/News/Page/rossia-belarys_-i-kazahstan-otkazalis_-ot-tulen_ih-skyr this article in Russian that you may need to translate if you’re not Russian clearly states that seal skins are “not and no longer for sale”.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © undertakes regular and daily checks on all buy and sell sites and although “Russia and other far Eastern European” states have quoted “they do not sell Canadian Seal materials” that may not necessarily be true;
Actions;
http://www.yktrader.com/classifieds/details?AN=27545 Harp seal fur on sale
http://www.yktrader.com/classifieds/details?AN=25201 Seal and Beaver fur on sale
http://www.furcanada.com/skins-furs-and-hides-harp-seal.html (Canada Harp seal/animal part sale)
http://www.furcanada.com/seal-skin-boots-ladies.html (Seal pup fur/animal parts sale)
Fur Canada is addressed here
Contact Fur Canada,
Fur Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia Canada
Tel: 1 (250) 585-1800
Fax: 1 (250) 585-1802
Geographical Location Address;
Address;
Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0128764914
96 Mowat Ave
Toronto, ON M6K 3M1
Full domain internet protocol;
http://www.ip-adress.com/whois/furcanada.com
Email them to demand a stop to this repulsive trade here;
furcanada@.com@contactprivacy.com
The Harp seal slaughter will eventually come to an end but we need everyone and anyone that is against it to now ensure that the remaining 5% of what Canada calls “tradition” is now wiped out. Harp Seals do not and ever have reduced Cod stock in the sea. Mass human over obsessive consumerism is reducing cod and other marine stocks.
The end of Canada’s annual baby seal slaughter is near. Over the last few years, all major markets have banned seal-fur imports, including the U.S., the European Union, Mexico, Taiwan, and even Russia, which had been importing 95 per cent of Canadian seal pelts. There are no remaining markets for seal fur—the only reason the Canadian government continues to defend this dead industry is because political parties crave Newfoundland’s swing seats in Parliament. But as this editorial shows, even local sentiment is turning, and lack of markets has led Canadian officials to seriously examine whether the slaughter should end.
Boycott the following and continue to boycott until this disgusting and barbaric cruelty is finished.
Who to Boycott:
1) Avoid all Canadian seafood. This is to apply economic pressure to Canada. Some of the largest consumers of Canadian seafood are Red Lobster, Long John’s Silvers, and Costco. All of these companies should therefore be avoided.
2) Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd society is calling for a boycott of Costco. Costco sells seal oil capsules. Costco has refused to remove these from their shelves. We fully endorse this decision.
3) Avoid traveling to Newfoundland. This is to apply economic pressure to this province.
4) Boycott fashion houses that profit from seal pelts. These are: Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Birger Christensen, New Vogue, and Vogue Furriers.
5) These companies all profit from selling Canadian sea food and should be boycotted: Acadian, Atlantic Pearl, Bay Shore, Blue Royal, Breakwater, Brunswick, Cape Cod, Canadian Cove, Century Seafood’s, Classic (from Beothic), Clearwater, Deep Sea, Doyle, Fisherman’s Finest, Fishery Products International (FPI), Fogo Island, Harbour View, Highliner Foods, Island Pride, Luxury (from Beothic), Northland, Notre Dame Seafood’s, Ocean Choice, Ocean Elite, Ocean Leader, Ocean Queen, Ocean Select, Oram’s Choice, Quinland, Quin-Sea, Sea Best (from Beaver Street Co.), Seafreez, Sea Fresh, St. Paul’s, World Catch, and, lastly, Violet brand.
6) Boycott any store that sells herbs that are made from seals. These products are Terra Nova, Canomega, and Omegavite.
Sign the petitions now;
You can also take action by signing the petitions below too;
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-seal-slaughter-in-our-world
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/14/SAVE-the-SEALS/
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/818/254/058/
http://www.unleashed.org.au/take_action/petitions/canadian-seal-hunt/
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/seal_hunt/
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy/cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1657
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/against-baby-seal-hunt/
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Seals_Of_Nam_End_the_seal_hunt_in_Namibia/
http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/petitions/canadian-seal-hunt/
http://www.causes.com/actions/1641420-stop-the-canadian-seal-slaughter
Contact the Government;
Contact the following ministries too that are responsible and now pile the pressure on to end this repulsive sicking trade;
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Keith Ashfield,
Email: info@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
(Please include your postal code and email address)
Address
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Communications Branch
200 Kent Street
13th Floor, Station 13E228
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6
Canada
Telephone: 613-993-0999
Fax: 613-990-1866
TTY: 1-800-465-7735
Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird,
Address
2249 Carling Ave
Suite 418
Ottawa, Ontario
K2B 7E9
Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/honjohnbaird
https://twitter.com/honjohnbaird
Minister of International Trade Ed Fast
Abbotsford Office
#205 - 2825 Clearbrook Rd.
Abbotsford, BC V2T 6S3
Phone: (604) 557-7888
Fax: (604) 557-9918
E-mail: ed@edfast.ca
Ottawa Office
Room 105, East Block
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Phone: (613) 995-0183
Fax: (613) 996-9795
E-mail: ed.fast@parl.gc.ca
https://www.facebook.com/EdFastMP
“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”
― Albert Einstein
Thank you for reading
Director Dr J C Dimetri and Team of the International Animal Rescue Foundation
Proud to be serving Mother Nature – Preserving our children’s future
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Animal-Rescue-Foundation-Community/137316969702280
Together we can make change happen – Together we can achieve the impossible
Environmentalism Chapter 34 - Tree Planting for Earth Day April 22
International Animal Rescue Foundation © takes conservation and botanical horticulture seriously, and seeing the recent deforestation over the past two decades with little in the way of governmental action to replant tress and medicinal plants back within our society to replanting rainforests that would sustain our ecosphere.
Tree plant back also rebuilds natural wildlife havens and creates a much cleaner atmospheric environment, slows soil erosion, reduces pollution, increase’s oxygen to even softening the lines of large structural buildings and much more.
So we thought it a good idea to encourage people whom view our pages, news and media site to the general World Wide Web to now undertake a simple task of planting “one tree” for Earth Day April 22nd 2013.
We launched Operation Plant Back this year January 7th 2013 and have already seen a staggering 11 educational unit’s respond back to us that will be planting trees on the 22nd April 2013 for World Earth Day, how amazing is that?
So we have all decided that tree planting would be the most beneficial, positive and a constructive eco-friendly challenge to give back to the earth from which we take from everyday with regards to palm oil, pulp and paper, home and commercial wood furniture, and much more that see’s our forests and medicinal plants to wildlife pushed further to extinction with wildlife displaced because of obsessive human consumerism, human over population to even wildlife murdered as they have no homes to go to thus encroaching on to human territory that was once their home.
The removal of trees is one of the largest threats to our current wildlife, environment and air quality. At this present time, and should we continue to ignore this environmental catastrophe then regrettably we will view a staggering 80% of all medicinal plants and green forest wiped out for human greed. So let’s take action now put our trees back on the global map where they so rightfully belong.
We are not asking you to plant a forest or even a woodland glade were merely asking you to take a trip down to your local arboretum or garden nursery and purchase anyone of the trees that we have listed below.
We have also picked the most important species of tree’s that encourage wildlife into the area or garden that range in price from $10.00 to $50.00 depending on whom you purchase from.
We recommend that you also purchase from well-known suppliers that have expertise within botanical horticulture and are not the average Joe that’s grown saplings incorrectly thus seeing the tree that you and your loved one’s will nurture and tend to later perish within a few weeks or years.
Planting and then watching your own tree grow to encouraging children to become involved is also rewarding. You can keep charts, diary’s, to documenting on the new wildlife that enters your garden from butterflies, squirrels, to bees, bats and aphids, even foxes, and wild birds such as Sparrow Hawks, Starlings, Owls and Hawks that love hiding out amongst the canopies.
Starting from scratch is also educational for many children and families alike and proven studies have shown that our youth treat that tree or plant like one of their own. My own children engage in botanical horticulture every day and they adore viewing the wildlife visiting in the daytime, evening or night, to collecting fruits from the trees that they then sell at local farmers markets, to documenting on what they have planted thus presenting this in a thesis at school which encourages their friends to also become involved thus creating a mini yet educated “youth environmental group.
Medical benefits – Children that suffer from Autism, Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder or ADD, Downs Syndrome, to other Neurodegenerative disorders actually benefit from what we call therapeutic horticulture which has been proven many times to stimulate their senses through touch, sound, sight, smell to texture.
A simple grassy plant such as the Black Zebra Grass to Bamboos actually stimulates children’s senses that suffer from a wide range of N.D.D’s, the sounds of rustling leaves and grasses to wild birds chirping aids their conditions too.
Below is a small comprehensive guide on some of the best tress within our Mother Nature guide that will encourage wildlife within your garden. Most importantly though by planting just one or more tree’s your also actively participating in reducing your carbon emission footprint as well as preserving the natural environment for years to come.
Listed below are ten tree species that will encourage the following wildlife to enter your garden along with promoting botanical education and aiding the environment;
- Foxes and Badger’s
- Wild birds and bats
- Insects
- Aphid
- Bees (Currently under threat)
- Decrease noise pollution
- Soften structural design
- Decrease your environmental carbon foot print
- Filter out toxic air pollution
- Preserve shade loving plants
- Increase home privacy
- Protect the family home from wind damage
The ten trees below include the common names and bionomical names too plus a rough price tag in Euros, happy planting everyone.
Sea Bukthorn - Hippophae rhamnoides
Wild cherry - Prunus avium
Field maple - Acer campestre
Whitebeam - Sorbus aria
Elder - Sambucus nigra
The next five tree’s that I have included within this index are “sub-tropical to tropical” that may or may not be suitable to the European Environment as of the harsh changes in atmospheric pressure, extreme arctic winds, intense persistent rains and drought to high / extreme hurricane winds winds too. One can grow these species but I would highly recommend that in colder nations you at least incorporate a “microclimate” protection that encompasses the species[s]. Within the normal climate though such as Asia to Africa, Australia to New Zealand then this is not of any issue to the species and growing to planting would no different to the above native European species.
Tree fuchsia - Halleria lucida
Averrhoa carambola – Star fruit tree
Thai custard apple fruit tree - Annona reticulata
Dragon fruit tree - Hylocereus undatus
Sausage tree - Kigelia pinnata
There are many species of tree that one can plant for earth day April 22nd 2013, and you can pick from thousands of different species that range from large “sub shrub tree’s” to actual tree’s themselves. The ten above are native to Europe, Asia and Australia and Africa. There are some important things you must remember though before planting a tree.
- Never plant a deciduous tree above a pond – Never plant a tree to close to neighbours houses that could later on obscure their view/infringe on their human rights
- Trees that have a large spread and can exceed 20 feet – We advise that you DO NOT plant within 20 metres of your home
- Never plant trees next to gas, water, electric, sewage or underground telecom lines as damage to them from the tree’s tap or lateral roots could end up with you facing a hefty bill
- Before you plant a tree in a public park you MUST always obtain permission of the parks officer or local municipality council/s
- Don’t plant trees to close to “structures” such as house’s or fences
- Please make sure that you care for tree, you plant it correctly as shown in the video below, and that you always maintain the tree as to not cause neighbour or other conflict from over hanging branches
- Do not disturb ANY bat or WILD BIRD populations that nest within the tree’s as of protection orders and Animal Welfare Act
- Do not plant trees that have very small girths (thin main trunk circumference) next to houses such as Birch, Cherry or Eucalyptus. High winds could cause the tree’s to topple onto you’re or your neighbours’ homes causing damage to loss of life or human injury
- Trees are not plants, you cannot just prune a tree or dig it up, we recommend that you educate yourself on how to maintain trees or every year after the tree is at a semi mature height (20 feet) that you call in an arboriculture expert (tree surgeon) that specialises in trees, pests and diseases
- Never spray weed killers next to the tress or on them
- Should you notice pests and diseases, strange leaf discolouration, leaf mites, sudden trunk death that you call you tree surgeon immediately
- Water your sapling in the summer 2-3 times a week of at least 5-6 gallons of water
For more information you can contact our botanical teams at
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Director and International Team of Delegates and Ambassadors
Environmentalism - Chapter 33 April 22nd EARTH DAY
Good day everyone, thank you all that took part in Earth Hour March just gone internationally and locally however don’t forget that we have another world event day just a few weeks around the corner and that is Earth Day April the 22nd which we celebrate in style but was a little disappointed that some international and European governments didn’t celebrate to even few non-profit organisations.
Planet earth is suffering dearly and just making these simple yet large small environmental changes every now and then or even every day you’re contributing to slowing climate change destruction and reducing you carbon foot print all of which helps to increase a much healthier planet and soul.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © believes that Earth Day should be an everyday event and just imagine if we could utilise these simple changes below every day that would not just benefit ourselves and our children but also our flora, fauna, water, forestry and air quality too as well as a more comfortable way of living.
So were going to keep the write up very simple whilst demonstrating a few out of the one hundred and thirteen simple changes that we have chosen from our own events of which we would like you to practice.
Utilising these everyday changes will help to decrease and increase the following if we all band together and work as an international team of united citizens, conservationist’s and youth alike. Together we can make change happen and together we will.
Practising these every day simple steps below will help you and Mother Nature by;
- Decreasing atmospheric, land and marine pollution.
- Increase healthier oxygen intake and overall air quality.
- Decrease the melting of glaciers within Canada and Antarctica.
- Decrease landfills and marine wastes sites.
- Increase wildlife from insects, mammals, organism’s, plants to bees and bats and aquatics.
- Decrease your weight thus increasing your immune system and overall health.
- Reduce your energy consumption by almost 40% or even more.
- Preserve our tropical rainforests and endangered species of primates, Elephants and more
So how can we make these changes happen? Well your already utilising them now by reading and educating yourself and also these easy to adjust and adapt steps are cost effective of which is light on the pocket too thus giving you more money for your children and future retirement.
Mother Nature is crying and has been damaged by irresponsible governments and those that show negativity. Thirty years ago could of easily slowed down “global warming” however because of government ignorance and human overpopulation to mass increase in carbon emissions regrettably global warming has now altered thus changing to “climate change” from which there is no (stopping this trend now). However we can as united global green citizens slow the change.
International Animal Rescue Foundation’s © mission statement on climate change is simple we learn to adapt and not to fight the change, by fighting the change we will only lose thus increasing damage to Mother Nature more and ourselves. The damage has been done, and if you view the documentation through this site you will view how our atmospheric and climate change destruction has worsened since the early 1980’s that’s caused billions of dollars in economic damage thus pushing many species of mammalians to reptilians and aquatics plants and trees to extinction.
We have placed a handful of simple changes that you can utilise below; make sure you’re ready as April the 22nd 2013 is almost upon us;
Preserving energy within the home and business;
- Block gaps under doors to stop draughts.
- Turn off the lights when you’re not using them.
- Buy energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights when you replace bulbs.
- Use a power strip to turn off stand-by power in electronics and appliances.
- Select the most energy-efficient appliances.
- Walk, ride your bike, take public transportation or carpool when possible.
- If purchasing a vehicle, choose an energy-efficient one to reduce gasoline bills and emissions.
- Choose efficient windows and insulation for your home to save energy and money.
- Maintain proper tyre pressure to maximize your vehicle’s gas mileage.
- Learn more about your government’s actions to improve energy efficiency.
- Add energy performance to your selection criteria when buying or renting a house or apartment.
Preserving water loss in the home and business;
- Check faucets and pipes for leaks
A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
- Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.
- Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food colouring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the colour begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
- Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
- Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators
Inexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. Also, long, hot showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. “Low-flow” means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute.
You can easily install a Shower Start showerhead, or add a Shower Start converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower once it gets warm. Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This single best home water conservation method is also the cheapest!
- Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank
To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day.
Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly. If there is not enough water to get a proper flush, users will hold the lever down too long or do multiple flushes to get rid of waste. Two flushing’s at 1.4 gallons is worse than a single 2.0 gallon flush. A better suggestion would be to buy an adjustable toilet flapper that allows for adjustment of the flush per use. Then the user can adjust the flush rate to the minimum per flush setting that achieves a single good flush each time.
For new installations, consider buying “low flush” toilets, which use 1 to 2 gallons per flush instead of the usual 3 to 5 gallons.
Replacing an 18 litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6 litre flush model represents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.
- Insulate your water pipes.
It’s easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
- Take shorter showers.
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.
- Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.
- Rinse your razor in the sink
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.
- Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing soap recommend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water savings.
With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 litres (5 gallons) for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes washers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 - 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you’re in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.
- Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units
In-sink ‘garbage wasters’ require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.
- When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing
If you have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. Dual-swivel aerators are available to make this easier. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.
- Don’t let the faucet run while you clean vegetables
Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water. Use a dual-setting aerator.
- Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle. If you are filling water bottles to bring along on outdoor hikes, consider buying a Life Straw personal water filter which enables users to drink water safely from rivers or lakes or any available body of water.
Taking the 30 day Vegetarian challenge;
Vegetarian or not, change the way you think about food, experiment and try new “meat-free” dishes in your diet.
Studies have shown that vegetarians (following a well-balanced low-fat high-fibre vegetarian diet) often have lower incidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity and some forms of cancer.
A vegetarian diet tends to be lower in total fat, and vegetarians tend to eat proportionally more polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat compared with non-vegetarians. (Animal products are the major sources of dietary saturated fat).
Vegetarians avoid meat, poultry, game, fish and slaughterhouse by-products such as gelatine and animal fats. The staples of the vegetarian diet are fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts. Most vegetarians eat dairy products and free-range eggs.
- Fruitarians: Avoid all animal products and processed foods.
- Vegans: Avoid all animal products.
- Lacto-vegetarians: Eat dairy products but not eggs.
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarians: Eat both dairy products and eggs.
- Semi-vegetarians: Eat fish and/or chicken but no red meat. They are not officially classed as vegetarians. (International Animal Rescue Foundation © has placed this option for those that are still unsure on this diet, are located within geographical continents where purchasing non-meat foods is not readily available daily, or for our younger generation that are wanting to start gradually) We see this as the most professional start for those that are concerned or may have eating disorders and/or phobias. However if you’re still unsure you can view our page here and speak to our expert nutritionists https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-and-Vegetarian-foods-to-promote-healthy-living/193221637452747?fref=ts Just simply log in to Facebook.
Please note that International Animal Rescue Foundation is a non-extremist veganism or animal rights “group”. We are an animal and environmental organisation that has to be seen as being fair and helping those that want to change thus not forcing change upon them. We have managed to help since forming our health eating page 94 people turn to a healthy vegan and vegetarian diet since founding the main healthy eating organisation. You can also check our scrumptious thirty brain foods that are not just good for one’s brain but also your immune system. Take a look - http://www.international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk/brain-food-for-thought/ You can also view and read in more detail the photographic album devised by our African Ambassador Miss Shaka Farthing here https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.306429822798594.71607.193221637452747&type=3
Credits Mr Phil Muriel - With much thanks and appreciation to this wonderful artist below.. Please log on to I Tunes to purchase his music. This is a fantastic piece of music incorporated with a story too and picturesque video. Thank you Mr Muriel
A vegetarian diet can be a very healthy option but it is important to ensure it is well balanced. You could stuff your face with chips and chocolate at every meal and be vegetarian but you wouldn’t be doing your health much good.
- Staples of a Vegetarian Diet
- A balanced vegetarian diet should include:
- Grains and cereals: Wholegrain bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, muesli.
- Legumes, nuts and seeds: Soya beans. kidney beans, split peas, lentils, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds
- Fruit and vegetables: As much as you want - think variety. Try new fruits and vegetables and include them in your diet every day
- Dairy or soya products: Look out for fat free and reduced calorie options for milk, yoghurts, and cheeses.
A typical vegetarian diet closely matches expert dietary recommendations for healthy eating, being low in saturated fat and high in fibre, complex carbohydrates, and fresh fruit and vegetables. As long as you eat a variety of foods you will be getting all the nutrients you need.
Try A Little Vegetarianism (for those that are unsure)
Abandon the idea that you have to eat meat every day and try a couple of meat-free days each week. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian dishes.
Supermarkets, restaurants and fast food outlets all are now stocking a wide range of vegetarian options. Many “meat-free” dishes still have the meaty consistency, and are significantly lower in fat and calories than their counterparts. (Our panel of tasters have often failed to spot the hidden vegetarian option!)
Reducing carbon emissions;
- Buy organic and local.
When possible, buy organic or “fair trade.” There’s a better chance the food was grown in an eco-friendly way, and if it’s locally grown, it didn’t have to travel that far. This also goes for those double lattes — coffee often has a large carbon footprint because of the distance those beans had to travel to get here, and how they were produced. Also, try eating at restaurants that serve locally produced or seasonal foods.
- Pay attention to packaging.
When out shopping, try to go to stores or co-ops that keep packaging to a minimum. For example, you may choose to buy the loose tomatoes rather than boxed or plastic-wrapped tomatoes. Also, take reusable bags to the grocery store. When it comes to resources, plastic is better than paper — but a reusable cloth tote-style bag is better still.
- Ditch bottled water.
Bottled water has a huge carbon footprint — it’s bottled at one location in small plastic bottles and shipped all over. Try buying a reusable water bottle or canteen for your water. Also, a lot of restaurants have made the move from offering fancy bottled water, usually imported from an exotic source, to using in-house filtration systems that make tap water a good choice. Many plastic water bottles are recycled, but most are not, making the footprint even bigger.
- Energy-proof your home.
We’re not talking major upgrades here… Make sure your entire windows close properly and that the attic in your home is properly insulated. This can save you big bucks on your energy bill. Also, keep your heating and cooling systems properly maintained, and switch to reusable filters when possible. Try switching from incandescent to compact florescent light bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs use about 75 per cent less energy than our normal light bulbs and last much longer. Compared to regular bulbs, the fluorescents are more expensive, but they will eventually pay for themselves due to lower energy costs.
- Go native.
Use native plant species to landscape around your home or business. The plants will probably grow better in a familiar environment, and the plants may also get shipped a shorter distance to get to your local nursery. Also, use organic soil when planting — it’s made using more eco-friendly methods, and uses less resources. And remember, green plants are a good way to offset carbon. So plant something, anything — it helps.
- Window shop.
If you have the urge to spend, try window shopping or browsing first. This helps ensure you are only buying things you really need, or really want, and you’re not just impulse buying. Remember, every item in a store, no matter how small, has a footprint — so if we are conscious consumers, we can reduce our own footprint and the overall footprint of our nation.
- Take a direct flight.
If you need to travel by airplane, try taking a direct flight when at all possible. Your impact is reduced when you take one flight, as opposed to hopping on a couple or more passenger jets to reach your final destination. You might also feel a little less harried when you arrive, because changing planes can be a real hassle.
- Switch water heaters to vacation mode.
Most water heaters have a “vacation” setting for when you are away from home for an extended period of time. Switching to that “away” mode still keeps the water warm, but will not use the energy it takes to keep a tank full of piping-hot water. Enjoy your vacation even more, knowing that you’re saving money and reducing your footprint.
- Unplug it!
Unplug appliances that you don’t use frequently. Most electronics have a standby mode that siphons energy even when not in use. Cell phone chargers, laptops, televisions, stereos — there’s a whole list of items that should be unplugged when not in use. Try using a power strip for groups of electronic items. One flick of the switch and it’s all off.
- Chuck your microwave.
Admittedly, this is a bit drastic. But this speaks more to those convenient frozen dinners some rely on because of their busy schedules. A freezer full of HEALTHY meals is actually more energy-intensive (FACT) — it costs more to freeze foods, ship them cold, display them frozen in the grocery store and keep them frozen in our homes. So while the modern convenience of the microwave and the Lean Cuisine is enticing, it’s much more resource-intensive. Cook fresh food when you can, and you’ll also find yourself eating out less often.
- Use cold water.
No, not in the shower but maybe in the washer, try using cold water to launder things that don’t need to be cleaned in hot or warm water. It takes a lot of energy to heat up water — multiply that by the number of loads, and that’s a big footprint. Most major detergent makers sell detergents designed to have the same cleaning power as with regular soap. Try washing mixed loads in cold water, too.
- Have the family over.
Family gatherings are a good way to spend some quality time with loved ones, with very little carbon impact. Cooking and entertaining for larger groups is more efficient and, per person, a lot less expensive. And who can put a price on these “carbon freebies”?
- Make time for errands.
A lot of us try to run errands in-between work and other commitments. Try bundling errands together to reduce how far you need to travel. Going back-and-forth to the same part of town on different days to run errands uses more gas than if you planned and did everything in the same area all at once. And if you really want to make it a “carbon freebie,” try carpooling and running errands with a buddy.
- The Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle – International Animal Rescue Foundation’s © environmental mission statement.
It seems like something from a kid’s sing-a-long, but sometimes we lose sight of just how much we buy. Try buying less, and reusing and fixing things when you can instead of buying new. And for a lot of people, recycling is as easy as rolling the trash bin to the curb. Just remember to do it at work, too.
Celebrate how your ancestors would off
Grow your own organic vegetables;
Growing your own organic vegetables decreases agricultural pollution, pesticides, insecticides, to CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) that’s resulted in billions of European, American and Asian honey bee’s perishing;
- A VEGGIE/FRUIT GARDEN REDUCES THE CARBON FOOT PRINTAND GLOBAL WARMING.
- REDUCES THE CONSUMPTION AND THEREFORE PRODUCTION OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AS LESS DEMAND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LESS SUPPLY.IT INCREASES THE CHEMICALLY FREE PRODUCE THOUGH!
- IMPROVES ON THE HEALTHY DIET OF ALL THE FAMILY AS IT INTRODUCES HOME GROWN ORGANIC FOOD HARVESTED RIGHT FROM THE BACKYARD.
- SAVES ON THE GROCERY BILL -AND MEDICALL BILL AS HEATH IMPROVES -AND GROCERY SHOPPING DROPPS.
- BEAUTIFICATION IMPACTS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD INCREASES AS MORE GARDENS ARE PLANTED.THEY BEAUTIFY YOUR CITY!
- QUALITY FAMILY TIME INCREASES AS MORE MEMBERS COME ALONG WORKING THE GARDEN .COMMUNICATION AND SOCIALIZATION EFFECT PAYS IN BETTER FAMILY INTERACTION.
- COMMUNITY GARDENS AS WELL AS HOME GARDENS FOSTER BONDS BEYOND THE FENCES.THEY PROMOTE DIALOGUE, CULTURAL DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE AND PROVIDE HEALTHY GREENS TO FAMILIES OF LESSER INCOME AND MEANS!
- GET THE LOCAL YOUTH AT SCHOOLS AND HOME ENGAGED IN PRODUCTIVE SOCIAL PROJECTS WITH LESS TIME SPENT ON TV, INTERNET GAMES ETC. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT RECYCLING, LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY, SUSTAINABILITY ETC
- PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL GROUND TO LEARN ABOUT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PRODUCTIVE LIKE GARDENING SKILLS, COMPOSTING.
- SUPPORT THR ECHO-SYSTEM,CREATE BIODIVERSITY AND BE A PRO-ACTIVE MEMBER IN THE NEW PARADIGM OF PERMACULTURE,SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN ECOLOGY
Plant a tree or even a hedgerow thus increasing wildlife to your area;
Tree planting is the most popular Earth Day event and one of the most common activities people associate with helping the Earth. Millions of trees are planted by Canadians each year. Planting is an act of putting down roots and contributing to the future. The simple act of planting a tree, helps the environment in so many ways.
Trees undertake the following;
- Filter pollution from the air
- Help recycle water
- Prevent soil loss
- Create shade
- Give shelter from wind and rain
- Provide homes for animals
- Make food for humans and wildlife
- Provide an interesting, soothing, learning environment for children and your community and much more!
Smart cars;
Purchase a smart car if your living in city centres, this reduces your carbon footprint, increases your chances of parking, decreased road tax, no road tolls (Please check with the toll service) London, United Kingdom will not charge you that we are aware off;
Smart Cars are the vehicle that looks like they are small enough to be put into the back of an SUV and carried around. They are designed for maximum fuel efficiency, and regularly get 55 to 60 mpg. Although, due to their small size and delicate appearance, some people assume they are unsafe, they perform similarly to other small sedans in crash tests.
Mileage
- The primary advantage of a Smart Car, and the main attraction for the people who purchase one, is its gas mileage. According to the owners of the Southeast Smart Centre, they achieved 75 mpg with a Smart Car. While mileage during every day driving with loads, crosswinds and weather conditions is not likely to reach this level, the Smart Car is still one of the most efficient vehicles on the road today.
Environmental Benefits
- Along with the financial benefits of high fuel efficiency, Smart Cars emit fewer pollutants and particulates in the air, causing less damage to the environment than larger and less-efficient vehicles. Smart Cars still damage the environment, but their impact is less. In addition to their efficient gas mileage, they require fewer materials to manufacture due to their small size, and require less space and energy to dispose of when they are scrapped.
Parking
- The Smart Car truly shines when the driving is done and it’s time to park. Because it’s only 2.5 meters long, the Smart Car can fit into any standard parking spot with room to spare. In some areas with wide parking spots, a Smart Car can even be pulled directly into a parking space and parked perpendicularly, leaving space for another Smart Car.
Solar energy;
You already pay a lot for electricity today. In the future, you’ll pay even more. Nationwide, electricity rates have been increasing 6% per year over the last thirty years. When you go solar, you take control of your electricity costs and opt out of utility rate increases. You’ll save money with solar by locking in a lower rate for your electricity than you will pay for the next thirty years. Many customers start saving money right away.
If you use a lot of electricity and have a really high electric bill, you are likely to save a lot with solar right away. People who have smaller electric bills might not see substantial savings until a few years out.
Solar leases and PPAs allow you to invest just a small amount upfront and pay monthly, which means you, can start saving immediately. With a lease or a PPA, most people save a little bit immediately, and a lot over the long term. If you purchase a system or prepay a lease or PPA, your upfront investment will be bigger, so you won’t start saving until later.
- Is solar a good investment?
Yes. Of course, you’ll want to compare the return you’ll get from getting home solar to your other investment opportunities. When you get a solar proposal for your home, you’ll be able to see your projected monthly savings for twenty years. Those monthly savings will combine to surpass your original investment. All the money you save after that becomes your return on investment. Your return on investment will depend on the rate you pay upfront and some additional factors. You’ll be able to calculate your specific return on investment from any home solar proposal.
- How will solar affect my home value?
Adding solar panels can increase the resale value of your home and help it sell faster. (Please check though that by adding solar panels that you can take them with you, they do not decrease the price of your home should the second purchasers not want solar energy) Always read the small print and ensure that you shop and read online with regards to “solar panels and when you eventually come to selling or remarketing your home) International Animal Rescue Foundation © will answer these questions for you should you be unsure. Please email us at;
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Help the environment with solar energy today
The electricity that most of us use is dirty. The majority of power in the United States is made from dirty fossil fuels including coal, gas, and oil. Burning fossil fuels releases toxic emissions, such as nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, and heavy metals like mercury, along with soot, smoke, dust, and dirt. They contribute to smog and acid rain.
Electricity is the leading man made contributor to global warming in the U.S. Forty per cent of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions come from power plants, with an additional fifteen per cent from home electricity consumption. This makes electricity the leading man made contributor to global warming. Every time we turn on our lights, we are creating pollution.
Solar allows you to power your home with clean, renewable energy. You can make a huge difference just by getting home solar. Over 15 years, solar on an average 3-bedroom home will offset over 80,000 lbs of carbon dioxide. This is the same as not driving 100,000 miles.
Going solar helps reduce dependence on foreign energy
Our increasing demand for energy has led to foreign wars, price spikes, and disasters like the Gulf oil spill. Aside from renewable sources, these sources are going to become more expensive and dangerous, and eventually run out. As we increase our dependence on foreign energy sources and funnel more money overseas, our national security and economy suffers.
These are some of the hand-picked yet useful energy efficient and environmentally friendly earth day events and jobs that you can now prepare for, for April 22nd Earth Day 2013. Utilising these useful and green alternatives doesn’t just save on the pocket it also preserves our earth thus decreasing climate change.
Please feel free to look through the sites documents on other environmentally friendly alternatives you’ll be amazed at the impacts you and your family can have on Mother Nature.
Thank you for reading
Dr J C Dimetri Director & International Nation Ambassador’s
Working for a greener future – Preserving natural biodiversity for generations to come.
Environmentalism - Chapter 32 NO ICE NO BEARS
March saw the CoP 16th meetings held in Thailand from which 177 nations attended for the three yearly summit held by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora also known as the Washington agreement founded in 1975.
Most of the meetings held did have some positive conclusions regarding some of our most known to species to critically endangered and endangered species of mammals and non-mammalians to botanical species. Talks on the environment were also held with regards to the earths increasing temperatures and the colossally high Co2 emissions by third world and industrialised nations.
Many species of aquatics were listed proving that we have more conservation work to undertake in these areas along with upgrading wildlife security to awareness and education with other mammal and non-mammal species up listed that shows conservation has been a complete success within the areas in bringing numbers of species back up to safe green levels.
The Polar Bear though was hit with a bad report, and by not protecting this majestic gentle giant then we could be looking at the Polar Bear in the next three years within the critically endangered category. The Polar Bear is at this moment listed as vulnerable from there the next listing is “endangered”. Can we honestly wait for the next the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora meetings to be held in South Africa to know of its fate?
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world’s largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak bear, which is approximately the same size. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,500 lb.), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size.
Although it is closely related to the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting the seals which make up most of its diet. Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time at sea. Their scientific name means “maritime bear”, and derives from this fact. Polar bears can hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © is frustrated at the lack of public awareness and propagandists of which I have listed a comment below of such wrongful information in the public domain;
Propaganda;
Yet despite the Canadian government’s $150-million commitment February 2013 to fund 44 International Polar Year research projects, a key question is not up for detailed scientific assessment: If the polar bear is the 650-kilogram canary in the climate change coal mine, why are its numbers INCREASING? The latest government survey of polar bears roaming the vast Arctic expanses of northern Quebec, Labrador and southern Baffin Island show the population of polar bears has jumped to 2,100 animals from around 800 in the mid-1980s.
As recently as three years ago, a less official count placed the number at 1,400. The Inuit have always insisted the bears’ demise was greatly exaggerated by scientists doing projections based on fly-over counts, but their input was usually dismissed as the ramblings of self-interested hunters.
As Nunavut government biologist Mitch Taylor observed in a front-page story in the Nunatsiaq News last month, “the Inuit were right. There aren’t just a few more bears. There is a hell of a lot more bears.” Their widely portrayed lurch toward extinction on a steadily melting ice cap is not supported by bear counts in other Arctic regions either. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is collecting feedback on whether to declare the polar bear “threatened” under its Endangered Species Act, joining the likes of the rare red-cockaded woodpecker, the lesser prairie chicken and the Sonoran pronghorn, which are afforded official protection and species recovery management. The service held its first public hearing on the polar bear project last night in Washington D.C.
But background papers for the debate hardly justify a rush to protect the bear from extinction if its icy habitat fades to green. The service identifies six Arctic regions where data are insufficient to make a call on the population, including the aforementioned Baffin shores area.
Another six areas are listed as having stable counts, three experienced reduced numbers and two have seen their bears increase. Inuit also argue the bear population is on the rise along western Hudson Bay, in sharp contrast to the Canadian Wildlife Service, which projects a 22% decline in bear numbers.
Far be it for me to act as a climate- change denier, but that’s hardly overwhelming proof of a species in peril in Canada, which claims roughly two thirds of the world’s polar bear population. Reading international coverage of the bear, it’s obvious Canada has become home to the official poster species for extinction by climate change.
Everywhere you look, the “doomed” polar bear’s story is illustrated with the classic photo of a mother and cub teetering on a fragile-looking ice floe, the ice full of holes and seemingly about to disappear into the sea. “The drama is clear: This is truly the tip of an iceberg, the bears are desperately stranded as the water swells around them,” according to a recent article in The Observer magazine carrying the photo. Something’s always bothered me about that photo, which has been vilified on the Internet as a fake.
Even if it’s the real thing, the photographer was clearly standing on something solid not far from his forlorn looking subjects. For a species that can swim dozens of kilometres to find a decent seal dinner, a few hundred metres to shore is a leisurely doggie paddle to safety. Of course, tracking polar bear populations is an inexact science.
They roam about, which lends itself to double counting, and they’re not easy to identify from any distance. Besides, polar bears do live on ice and satellite photos show the sea ice is down 7.7% in the last decade. So something is happening up there.
End of report -
There were many unhappy conservationists at the CoP 16th meetings held this March 2013 regarding the Polar Bear that is concerning ourselves greatly as they face major threats of which one is not so easy to tackle and this could explain why CITES didn’t upgrade the Polar Bear as they may know more than they are actually letting on, although to most educated conservationists and maritime scientists it’s blatantly obvious that climate change could/will see them gone with or without them being upgraded to ensure their survival.
Polar Bear’s primary threats;
- Poaching and illegal animal parts trade
- Over hunting via foreign trophy hunters
- Inuit hunting and poaching for /food/income
- Climate change which is the fore front and most serious threat to our white bear
The day may soon come when some of the 19 polar bear populations in Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Norway, and Russia will have to be fed by humans in order to keep them alive during an extended ice-free season or prevent them from roaming into northern communities. Some bears may have to be placed in temporary holding compounds until it is cold enough for them to go back onto the sea ice. In worst-case scenarios, polar bears from southern regions may have to be relocated to more northerly climes that have sufficient sea ice cover.
Far-fetched, draconian, and unlikely as some of these scenarios may sound, 12 scientists from Arctic countries are, for the first time, suggesting that the five nations with polar bear populations need to start considering these and other management strategies now that sea ice retreat is posing serious challenges to the bears’ survival. In worst-case scenarios, the scientists say that polar bears with little chance of being rehabilitated or relocated may have to euthanized. Zoos, which are currently having a difficult time acquiring polar bears because of stringent regulations that prevent them from doing so, will at some point likely be offered as many animals as they can handle, according to the scientists.
This crisis management plan for polar bears as Arctic sea ice disappears was laid out in February in an article in Conservation Letters, the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology. Polar bear experts Andrew Derocher, Steve Amstrup, Ian Stirling, and nine others say that with Arctic sea ice disappearing far faster than originally estimated, it’s time for Arctic nations to begin making detailed plans to save as many of the world’s 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears as possible.
“We really never have been here before,” says Amstrup, chief scientist for Polar Bears International and a lead author of a landmark U.S. government-appointed panel that predicted in 2008 that two-thirds of the polar bears in the world could disappear by mid-century.
The University of Alberta’s Derocher added, “We have covered the science side of the issue very well, but the policy and management aspects are locked in the past. We still manage polar bears in Canada like nothing has changed. Other countries are moving on some aspects of future polar bear management, but it is glacial compared to the actual changes we’re seeing in sea ice and the bears themselves.”
The alien-sounding concepts presented in this week’s paper — with names like supplemental feeding, diversionary feeding, translocation, and intentional population reduction — may become increasingly put into practices as Arctic sea ice, continues to disappear in spring, summer, and fall. Forty years ago, when the first International Polar Bear Agreement was ratified, the threats facing polar bears were chiefly hunting and mining and oil development. But the overriding threat now is climate change.
Without adequate sea ice for enough of the year, many bears will not be able to use the ice as a feeding platform to hunt their favoured prey, ringed seals. As a consequence, polar bears will be forced to spend more time fasting on land, where they pose a greater risk to human populations in the Arctic. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Polar Bear Specialist Group recently concluded that only one of the 19 polar bear subpopulations is currently increasing. Three are stable and eight are declining. For the remaining seven subpopulations, there is insufficient data to provide an assessment of current trends.
Derocher and some of his colleagues have been thinking about the need for dramatic rescue plans for polar bears for at least five years. The scientists say a record disappearance of Arctic summer sea ice in 2007 increased the urgency for emergency planning, as did research by Peter Molnar — Derocher’s one-time graduate student and now a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University — suggesting that the collapse of some polar bear populations may occur sooner than climate models predict.
Over the past two years, scientists began considering a specific list of actions to save polar bear populations. A draft paper by Derocher and others was circulated last August just as Arctic summer sea ice hit striking new lows, with sea ice volume dropping 72 percent from the 1979-2010 mean, and ice extent falling by 45 percent from the 1979-2000 mean.
“If you talk to any of the polar bear biologists, you’ll find that the public is already asking us about the issues we cover in the paper,” Derocher said in an interview. “I’ve had well-positioned conservationists waiting to start the fund-raising to feed polar bears.
“I don’t view the options we lay out as a way of not dealing with greenhouse gases,” he added, “because without action on that front, there’s little that could be done in the longer term to save the species, and we’ll see massive range contractions and possibly extinction.”
Two key ideas in the current paper are supplemental feeding, to make up for the loss of ringed seals that polar bears can kill on ice, and diversionary feeding to draw hungry polar bears on shore away from human settlements. Supplemental feeding is nothing new; it is done for numerous species, from elk in the United States to brown bears in Eastern Europe. But feeding polar bears poses major challenges.
Derocher said in an email that the goal would be to distribute food, such as seals, in sufficient quantities over large distances so that hungry bears, forced ashore by lack of ice, would not come into conflict by vying for the same food. The goal would be to keep bear populations widely scattered, as attracting too many bears to central locations could increase the risk of disease transmission. Helicopters could be used to deliver the seals, but the logistics and expense of such a plan would be daunting. Thousands of seals would have to be killed by wildlife officials every summer to meet the needs of hungry bears, who each consume up to five seals a week.
“There is not a lot of experience with any of these issues, so it would take coordination and learning from the east Europeans, who already feed brown bears,” said Derocher. Still, he is convinced that we will someday be feeding polar bears in the wild. “The public pressure will be intense to do so,” he says, “and the public influences policy.”
Another possible measure would be to relocate bears from more southerly regions, such as Hudson Bay, to more northerly regions, such as M’Clintock Channel in Nunavut in the high Canadian Arctic. The number of bears in the icier M’Clintock Channel area has been significantly reduced by overhunting, so there is room to relocate bears from Hudson Bay and James Bay without creating territorial conflicts, scientists say. Cubs from one population could also be flown to more northerly regions and placed with females that would rear them as “foster” cubs, Derocher said.
In Derocher’s view, feeding and relocation will only work for polar bears so long as they have some habitat remaining, which is unlikely in the next century if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed dramatically. “Keeping hundreds of semi-wild bears on a diet of bear chow doesn’t fit my personal philosophy, but perhaps centuries from now, it will be viewed as visionary, if we eventually control those greenhouse gases,” Derocher says.
The paper notes that another option is holding polar bears temporarily in the Arctic in enclosures during low sea ice periods. A similar thing is now done with problem bears around Churchill, Manitoba on western Hudson Bay.
The report acknowledges that in a worst-case scenario, where the primary goal is to preserve the genetic structure of the species, zoos around the world could play an important role. Amstrup, the U.S. zoologist, says there are signs that the U.S. is at least considering the idea of easing restrictions on the importation of orphan cubs found in the wild.
“Regardless of whether reintroducing polar bears or their genes ever is practical, we cannot overlook other ways zoos may contribute,” he says. “Dozens of species are healthier and more abundant in the wild today because of captive breeding and other zoo programs.”
As a last resort, the paper mentions “intentional population reduction’” — the killing of starving bears. “Controlled reduction of population size through harvest might be necessary to ensure both human safety and a viable but smaller polar bear population as a result of declining habitat,” the paper said. “Euthanasia may be the most humane option for individual bears in very poor condition that are unlikely to survive. Under these circumstances, it will be important to develop clear guidelines for identification of starving animals.”
Amstrup emphasizes that the purpose of the article is not to promote one management strategy over another or to suggest that they will all work. “The purpose is to remind the readers, and hopefully policy people, that the long-term future of polar bears is in jeopardy,” he says. “It makes managers and policy people aware of the various kinds of on-the-ground actions that may be applied and makes them begin to think of the varying levels of cost that may be involved in the different options they may choose.”
Stirling, a biologist at the University of Alberta, said in an e-mail that the paper is “a starting point that clarifies the need to be developing some preliminary plans for dealing with such problems.” The scientists realize that it will be difficult to sell these controversial management strategies to the public and to policy makers. One impetus for action will likely be an increasing threat to humans in the Arctic from hungry bears being forced off the ice and onto land. “The sooner we consider the options, the sooner we’ll have a plan,” said Derocher. “The worst-case scenario is a catastrophically early sea ice break-up with hundreds of starving bears, followed by inappropriate management actions.
“It has always seemed that we’ve been behind the curve on climate change and polar bears,” he said, noting that conservation planning for polar bears has typically extended several decades into the future. “That time frame leads one to think you’ve got time. But the science is clear that this is a fallacy.”
So what do we do is the next question, we simply cannot just move into the Artic and start euthanizing them, and moving them to zoo’s is merely not the answer to solving the main problem of which climate change has to be addressed and rapidly. Translocation could be seen as a viable solution, but to where? and if we move them then as with other species that are moved or become critically endangered to extinct we could be looking at the Polar Bears prey then effecting other smaller mammals and fish.
This is a serious problem and one which is more serious than that of the Rhinoceros to Elephant as much as that is difficult to quote with regards to the catastrophic poaching levels that see’s eleven African Elephants slaughtered for their teeth (ivory) every one hour and every thirteen hours one to two Rhinoceros are also slain for their horn to produce fake Asian medicinal cures. Poaching is also funding terrorism and it has now been quoted that more “highly sophisticated criminals are in touch with this quick money maker” being that of narcotic gangs and the mafia.
Startling facts;
- Longer stretches without food were impacting the predators’ health, breeding success and population, as for polar bears, “it’s survival of the fattest”.
- Previous studies have shown that the western Hudson Bay polar bear population, recently estimated at about 900 animals, has declined since the 1990s, as have their body condition and the number of cubs surviving to adulthood.
- Polar bears are arriving on shore earlier in the summer and leaving later in the autumn.
- The longer the bears spend on land, the longer they have to go without their energy-rich seal food, with consequent impacts on their health and survival.
The main proven and scientific fact though is changes to the timing of migration that have resulted in polar bears spending progressively longer periods of time on land without access to sea ice and their marine mammal prey = Climate change is going to kill them faster than hunting, poaching and Inuit tribes.
How do we address this problem though?, well that’s what should have been addressed more thoroughly at the CITES meeting instead of talks of upgrading them to ensure their survival. The Born Free Foundation’s CEO was most upset that CITES hadn’t placed a more stringent protection order on the Polar Bear. As explained though CLIMATE CHANGE that we have all ignored as well as being lied to by American government scientists and governmental non-profits paid by government to compulsively lie and spin much propaganda by the United States SHOULD HAVE BEEN taken into consideration a lot sooner which now leaves us in a stalemate predicament.
Stay tuned for our three part Polar Bear and Artic talks working towards preserving the Polar Bears future and it’s homes.
To stay up to date with our environmental and animal welfare news and media page please click the follow button at the bottom right of the screen. You will be emailed automatically all new news and media investigations hot of the press.
Dr J C Dimetri V.M.D, B.E.S, Ma, PhD, MEnvSc
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Director and International Delegates
For more information please email us at;
Environmentalism Chapter 31 - Temperatures rising
New climate record date released this month shows the true reality of global warming which is now worrying ourselves International Animal Rescue Foundation © climatologists and meteorologists to and finally politicians that have now seen the light from which they knew this data was to be proven evident anyway, they just paid spin doctors and sceptics to scientists alike to lie to the public thus keeping revenue high and insurance claims down to benefit their own pockets and agendas. (Not anymore).
One of the most extensive analyses’ yet of the past temperatures shows that the world is warming faster than any time in the last 11,300 years. The study has produced the first detailed extensions of the famous – and sometimes contentious “hockey stick” temperature graph right back to the end of the last ice age.
It suggests that earth is not out of its natural range of temperature variation yet, but will be by the end of the century. The finding comes as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels made their second biggest leap on record which is rather concerning and shows that we aren’t doing enough when it comes to climate change reductions.
Monitoring stations in Hawaii recorded them rising by 2.67 parts per million between January and December 2012. The biggest jump was in 1998 when they rose by 2.93 ppm up from 315.97 ppm in 1959when records began.
Climatologists estimate that CO2 needs to plateau at 450 ppm for a 50% chance of avoiding dangerous warming as we ourselves predicted of 2oc or more. (The stated increase for 2100 is in between 2oc and 5oc) which would cause a catastrophic destruction of flora and fauna to our most precious Antarctica, and Polar bears alike.
Building a high resolution picture of how temperatures have changed is no mean feat. Thermometer readings only go back to around 1860 so we have to use proxies to delve back. Tree rings, for instance are thicker during warmer years when trees can grow faster.
Scientists at the Oregon States University in Corvallis and colleagues used 73 proxies to reconstruct temperatures throughout the Holocene http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocene the epoch that began 11,300 years ago, after the ice age.
Their analysis shows that over thousands of years, temperatures rose and fell by less than 1oc. It took 8,000 years to go from “warm to cold”. Agriculture and communal life and societies various forms of government all rose during this period.
Then in the late 19th century temperatures skyrocketed to tremendous levels of which is when the industrial revolution took off, the car engine was in vast production along with a vast increase in population trend that began to steadily grow out of control to what we have to date some 7,107,615,709 covering exactly 510,072,000 square kilometres.
With an increase of 211,757 people born into the world which is roughly one born every minute, the yearly growth is 1.10% of which yesterday’s population rate was 7,107,403,952 so looking at these figures it just shows that we are damaging our environment through over population of which the average “hunter aka animal environmental population controller as the new (politically correct name states)” states wildlife is the “problem” regarding environmental welfare. The numbers are accurate to today’s 21st March 2013 count based on the last census and governmental records including death rates too.
The late 19th century’s temperatures were driven by exasperating greenhouse gas emissions. The rate of recent warming is unlike anything that happened in at least 11,000 years confirmed by the Pennsylvania State University Park, who created the original “hockey stick” graph. Rapid change is the real issue of warming because it challenges our ability to adapt in time.
The gradual drift before the 19th century was driven by changes in the earth axis of rotation, the planets tilt increased early in the Holocene before decreasing again, it sort of “wobbles”. A greater tilt leads to more sunlight at the poles in the summer, and this keeps the planets warmer.
If humans ha not began warming the planet by releasing greenhouse gasses, earth would eventually return to an ice age. However if we were following the orbital trend we’d still be cooling.
Figures suggest that the planet is now nearly as warm as its warmest point in the last 11,000 years. Some climatologists have claimed that it is even already hotter which we ourselves are within the 50/50 mark as of the past five years off global climate change and atmospheric disturbances.
However “for now” we can most certainly state along with other leading scientists, climatologists and environmentalists that the uncertainties in the data make it difficult to say for sure.
Dr Micheal Mann has come under Vicious attack from government to even sent “death threats” who by though? well governments representatives to non-profits CEO’s and Non governmental Organisations that “was paid by the American government” to LIE TO THE PUBLIC that climate change was all a myth. Greenpeace later exposed the governments and the scientists that were PAID to LIE and rip apart scientists like Dr Mann’s work. You can view that in our rolling scripts from December 2012 to January 2013 on-wards with all date proven by INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION and placed within the public domain.
Ex-president George W.Bush should of been held accountable for allowing these lies to be processed into the public domain, however as normal like most political leaders he is “immune from such actions”.. Dr Mann told the truth, he gave the full accountable data that was evident even to the naked eye. Surely if the public cannot view the damage that is being done, agricultural damage, major weather disruptions, third world food and water shortages, and more then it’s blatantly obvious the public has been blinded by these lying skeptics that attacked Dr Mann.
Only YOU can change this world. Only you can see the difference. Review each and every piece evidence and study it in-depth then challenge each and everyone of us.
Dr J C Director
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Environmentalism Chapter 30 - CoP 16 Report on Wildlife Crime
Environmentalism Chapter 30 - CoP 16 Report on Wildlife Crime.
Environmentalism Chapter 30 - CoP 16 Report on Wildlife Crime
International Animal Rescue Foundation © is pleased with the overall majority of the meetings at the 16th conference of parties (CoP 16th) held in Bangkok, Thailand from the 4th March to the 14th March 2013, although a handful of critics state otherwise regarding Tiger, Elephants and Rhinoceros, Polar Bears and other species listed within the 34,000 species that are brought up within the meetings every three years.
We are though somewhat disappointed in other decisions of which Asia was seen to group mostly together with nations that deal in illegal ivory, Rhinoceros horn but mostly illegal weaponry taking most of the floor.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), also known as the Washington Convention adopted in 1963 and then consequently signed March 3rd 1973 by the then 177 nations which some sceptics seem to be forgetting Cites are not law makers as such. Cites is simply a “signed agreement” that consisted of 177 parties or countries with the majority of them nations from the European Union with one new nation entering four days that now consists of 178 parties in total.
Cites and the IUCN’s aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 34,000 species of animals and plants.
In order to ensure that the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was not violated, the Secretariat of GATT was consulted during the drafting process. The agreement has also as of the 40th anniversary implemented and founded new adoptions such as task forces M.I.S.T from which nations will now work on forming an international conservation rescue unit to combat illegal poaching, pseudo hunting, illegal wildlife trade in plants and animals to the preservation of our water ways, soil and natural environment.
Should a serious event of poaching or natural disaster happen placing species in critical danger of extinction or other then transnational agencies will reach out to help other continents in dealing within in a multitude of tasks of which will be effective we hope within the next forty days. Forwarding on from the 15th March 2013, new Deoxyribonucleic acid laboratories will be set in place and internationally recognised departments dispatched and organized to now hit poaching and wildlife crime harder than before, although this is going to take some time to establish we will await and view what the outcomes of M.I.S.T and how effective other orders implemented will come about.
Cites and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature DO NOT see “hunting as a crime” or major problem from which it clearly explains that “sustainable utilization” to protect species is a must as explained in part of their mission statement above to not threaten the survival of the species in the wild http://www.cfr.org/natural-resources-management/convention-international-trade-endangered-species-wild-fauna-flora-cites/p21750 http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/cec/cec_how_we_work/
Sharks, Tiger, Elephants and Rhinoceros;
Much confusion is floating on the international networks that Cites has been caught with its pants down as is only thinking of monetary gain, this is complete utter nonsense. CITES is an international agreement to which States (countries) adhere voluntarily. States that have agreed to be bound by the Convention (‘joined’ CITES) are known as Parties. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework to be respected by each Party, which has to adopt its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.”
In laymen’s terms each nation has to engage in protection of some 34,000 species from which they can ignore such as most of Asia has. However should the “signed parties” FAIL then sanctions can and will be placed of which evidence is shown by the nation’s effected to those that are want action or are concerned with crime in their continent.
The states then voluntary agree by VOTING that sanctions will be implemented. By applying these sanctions this then BANS the aggressor nations from importing, or exporting any of the listed 34,000 species of plants and animals that would see the violating the nations revenue hit drastically.
Sharks
The 16th meetings of the Conference of Parties (CoP) finally after much debate and disapproval by Asia and some African nations, listed the Ceanic White-tip sharks, three species of Hammerhead Sharks, Scalloped Hammerhead, Great Hammerhead, and Smooth Hammerhead, Porbeagle sharks and manta rays. We are very pleased by this as some 100 million Sharks and Rays a year are slaughtered for their fins to produce Asian Shark Fin soup and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Had this very historical move by all nations not of been implemented then the Sharks explained above would have been pushed to near extinction from over fishing, poaching, hunting, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine trade which in turn would also have seen a mass over population of their prey thus placing more small species of marine aquatic life in danger we would also of seen a colossal loss of such amazing species effecting marine biodiversity more.
Asia are the main number one offenders and should such nations NOT abide by the ruling that will come into place after the honey moon period of 40 days then sanctions could be placed at any alternative meetings plus17 Conference of Parties (CoP) thus seeing ALL trade banned.
Tiger
Although the Tiger species was not mentioned much about in the meetings it was actually spoken about on the just before the meetings of which Cites quoted the following;
Police and customs heads from 13 Asian countries agreed today to tighten controls and improve cross-border cooperation to curb the illegal smuggling of tigers and other critically endangered species. The accord came at the conclusion of the two-day international “Heads of Police and Customs Seminar on Tiger Crime”, which brought together top Police and Customs Officers from countries that still have tigers living in the wild.
Hosted by the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), and organised by INTERPOL, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), and with the technical and financial support from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat and the World Bank, the Tiger Seminar objective was for participants to agree on a robust set of law enforcement-based solutions to protect tigers and other rare and highly threatened species.
“The tale of the Tiger is not simply about conservation, it is also about crime,” said Mr. Yury Fedotov, UNODC Executive Director. “It concerns transnational organized crime, high profits, widespread corruption, money laundering, fraud, counterfeiting, and violence.”
The Tiger Seminar brought together 26 delegates from 13 tiger range countries as well as senior representatives from ICCWC members and key partner organisations operating in the field of tiger conservation and wildlife crime. A critical Tiger Seminar activity was to raise awareness among Police and Customs authorities of the impact wildlife trafficking has on wild tigers.
“We must take immediate and urgent action to save these magnificent animals from extinction,” said Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, WCO Secretary General. “The global Customs community is firmly committed to working closely with its partners to stop criminal trafficking in endangered species and other environment sensitive goods, by ensuring more vigilant and effective border enforcement among a range of measures.”
Environmental crime is a serious international problem with a detrimental impact on the global economy and security. Criminals violate national and international laws through increasingly sophisticated techniques and highly organised networks. Their activities directly affect human health, and threaten the environment and global biodiversity.
“Our efforts to fight tiger crime must not just result in seizures - they must result in prosecutions, convictions and strong penalties to stop the flow of contraband,” said Mr. John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General. “If we get the enforcement system right for the tiger, we will help save countless other species together with their ecosystems.”
Tiger conservation experts presented an up-to-date situation analysis of wild tiger conservation threats, particularly worldwide and Asian trans-national organized crime links to wildlife crimes, including the trade in tigers and tiger parts.
“Wildlife and other environmental criminals too often operate in remote areas with impunity, evading detection, and circumventing full prosecution under the law,” said Mr. Keshav Varma, Program Director, World Bank Global Tiger Initiative. “The World Bank and Global Tiger Initiative fully support the resolve of the police and customs officials from tiger range countries to collaborate on intelligence. We applaud efforts to intensify pressure on the organizers of criminal networks and corrupt officials who shield them.”
Working with environmental crime experts, participating tiger-range country police and customs senior officials agreed on cross-border action points, opportunities and cooperation strategies, after discussing national priorities, challenges, and reviewing best practices.
“This important seminar has highlighted the environmental crime challenges facing senior law enforcement officers and the need for enhanced international cooperation.” said Mr. Jean-Michel Louboutin, INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services. “Criminals cannot prosper from abusing our shared natural heritage.”
Tiger Seminar attendees discussed the need to develop a coordinated response to combat tiger crime.
“We need to work collectively through our respective environmental programmes,” said INTERPOL’s Mr. Jean-Michel Louboutin. “In this context, the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore will from 2014 provide a key platform to fight environmental crimes in the 21st century.”
The Seminar also recognised INTERPOL’s Project Predator, which aims to develop the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies and form National Environmental Security Task Forces.
“If we lose an emblematic species like the Tiger, mankind will be acknowledging that it is prepared to lose any animal on the planet. This must not be allowed to happen.” said Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of UNODC. “By our actions, we must show that we have the capacity, the ability and the commitment to protect other species living on this planet.”
Compelled by the need to urgently respond to the burgeoning threat of environmental crime, five inter-governmental organisations formed in 2010 the International Consortium to Combat Wildlife Crime or ICCWC (read I-Quick). These organisations are: the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank and the World Customs Organisation (WCO). The consortium seeks to scale up wildlife law enforcement effectiveness, by intelligence-led interdiction and advanced investigative methods.
The “Heads of Police and Customs Seminar on Tiger Crime” is one of the Consortium’s first activities. It is a follow-up to the November 2010 St. Petersburg Summit on Tiger Conservation, during which Heads of Governments of 13 tiger range countries committed to increase their cooperation to eradicate poaching, smuggling, and the illegal trade in tigers and tiger parts. Addressing illegal trade is an essential part of the Global Tiger Recovery Program, a comprehensive 12-year strategy endorsed by all 13 countries to double the population of wild tigers by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger.
The Seminar also addressed Decision 15.48 made at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held in Doha in 2010, which states: “The Secretariat shall seek funds to convene, as soon as possible, a seminar involving senior-level Customs and police officers from tiger range States, to brief them on the threatened status of this species, particularly the impact wildlife crime has upon it. The officials shall also be briefed by the Secretariat regarding the Global Tiger Summit, planned under the Global Tiger Initiative, so that the law enforcement community throughout tiger range States is prepared to engage in efforts to safeguard this species and respond to measures adopted at the Summit. The Secretariat shall collaborate with ICPO-INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization in preparing the seminar.”
Cites recognises that the PAOCHING crises is more of a challenge and by hitting this hard and also WARNING the offending nations that should they NOT cease or tackle poaching then by CoP 17sanctions will be placed and that will effect over twenty three nations. Cites and the signed nations have also agreed to input more Tigers into the wild, which would boost their number up by 3,000. Should the violating nations then not ACT sanctions could be placed on all nations.
Placing sanctions would be seen as catastrophic to those that deal in animal and plant part trade, many people rely on animals and plants that brings in on the “legal market millions” in revenue on the illegal market though the entire animal part trade is bringing in an estimated $25 million a year with the illegal plant trade taking in over $12 million. Think of it like a school child being given a warning “misbehave again and all your pocket money is removed”. However in order for all nations to agree on FIRMLY on this at the next meeting then the Tiger and other big cats need highlighting more.
With regards to Tiger bine wine it has been suggested in many reports and those reports from ourselves that most Tiger bine wine is now counterfeit, or is in fact a substitute. Other wildcats are being used for such non-medicinal liquors from the Lion to the Ocelot. The same applies to the Tiger balm and Rhinoceros horn of which 80% of Rhinoceros horn is indeed fake/imitation made up of fine resins and minerals.
Rhinoceros and Elephant;
The ivory trade is the commercial, often illegal trade in the ivory tusks of the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, mammoth, and most commonly, Asian and African elephants.
Ivory has been traded for hundreds of years by people in such regions as Greenland, Alaska, and Siberia. The trade, in more recent times, has led to endangerment of species, resulting in restrictions and bans.
While African elephants have been hunted for several centuries, the exploitation of elephant herds on a massive scale began in the 1970s. Organized gangs of poachers used automatic weapons, profited from government corruption, and laundered tons of elephant tusks through several African countries to destinations in Eastern and Western countries.
Threatened with extinction, the elephant is theoretically protected from international trade by their listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1989. The enforcement of this ban, the level of compliance adhered to by CITES Parties, the response of non-CITES members, as well as the policy question as to how trade “interventions” best serve the environmental objective of species preservation, are all key concerns of this dispute.
Both Asian (Elephant maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants are listed on Appendix I of CITES The Asian Elephant is now heavily endangered. Male Asian elephants have small tusks and Asian females are tuskless.
Remaining herds are located in small numbers in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Sumatra and are now populated for 2012-13 at 22,000. The Asian species once was found throughout Southern Asia, was severely over-hunted. Although ivory trade has experienced sustained growth since the 1940s, the huge increase that occurred during the 1970s was the result of automatic weapons availability and widespread government corruption in many exporting countries which decimated elephant populations across Africa.
In the 1960s, raw ivory prices remained between $3 and $10 per pound. In 1975, the price reached $50 because ivory was perceived as a valuable hedge against rising inflation. By 1987, the price was $125 per pound. The relative price inelasticity of ivory also fuelled demand.
New manufacturing techniques which enabled the mass production of ivory carvings along with rising demand in East Asia led to increased elephant kills.
Hong Kong was the primary consumer of raw ivory from 1979 to 1987 and probably remains important today. Japan was the second largest consumer in this time (whose market share dropped markedly during the period), followed by Taiwan (whose share rose). For both Hong Kong and Taiwan, there is significant trans-shipment of product to China. In 1979 the EC began was a major consumer, but by 1987 its share dropped to 4 per cent. At the same time, the United States market share rose from 1 to 6 per cent
Cites quoted at CoP 15 the following;
“There has been increasing willingness within the Parties to allow for trade in products from well-managed populations. For instance, sales of the South African white rhino have generated revenues that helped pay for protection”. “Listing the species on Appendix I increased the price of rhino horn (which fuelled more poaching), but the species survived wherever there was adequate on-the-ground protection. Thus field protection may be the primary mechanism that saved the population, but it is likely that field protection would not have been increased without CITES protection”.
Trade in both Ivory and Rhinoceros horn is banned so there is not much now that Cites can do other than now order an ultimatum to the main twenty three nations that should the poaching not be ceased by the removal of ivory and tackling poachers, couriers, purchasers, kingpins to drug barons then Cites will as explained above impose immediate sanctions which would severely impact on the economy hard off the violating nations. However could placing sanction’s then increase poaching more?
This is the main worry that Cites has hence why they are cautions with regards to listing other Elephant and Rhinoceros species. So these offending nations are being given the chance, with the help of increased law enforcement, M.I.S.T and environmental policing agencies and “HELP of the Google to now remove all banned animal parts thus hitting demand harder and pushing the criminals into the streets which International Animal Rescue Foundation © required to now combat crime and cease all trade in three years. SHOULD it fail then sanctions will be implemented.
The conference has identified 23 countries including China, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo that are key to the supply and consumption of ivory.
A committee of the conference will outlined the actions that each of these countries must take to stem the trade. If these steps are not taken by the summer of 2014, sanctions could be applied.
It depends though on how much progress there is, but if there is absolutely no intent to follow up on those actions, sanctions are a very real possibility,” Targets for countries like Nigeria were achievable.
If you see ivory being sold at the airport terminals, all they need to do is shut it down. These are do-able actions, they are not ones that would require a great deal of new resources.
Governments were no longer seeing these species issues as being about biodiversity - they were seen as threats to national security. The criminals who are now poaching elephants and smuggling tiger parts are the same who are funding terrorism and funding militias.
Hong Kong is already at the front line with colossal seizures from 2011-2013 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1190036/hand-organised-crime-ivory-trade
Tourists are being urged now to STOP purchasing ivory from which International Animal Rescue Foundation © has seen much off and sent many papered documents to the environmental law enforcement agencies to now cease this, the press have launched now a multi-national appeal to STOP purchasing ivory this hitting trade even more http://www.asianewsnet.net/Thailand-tourists-urged-to-refrain-from-buying-ivo-43984.html
Please read following reports http://www.cites.org/eng/news/pr/2012/20120621_elephant_poaching_ivory_smuggling.php
Taiwan has stated it will also burn all ivory and ban all market trade before the next summit, Taiwan is the largest distributor and importer of ivory internationally with China and Vietnam being the second and third. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/338598/thailand-in-landmark-pledge-to-end-its-ivory-trade all reports can be viewed here http://www.cites.org/eng/news/cuttings/2013.php
Rhinoceros is also under the same predicament and although there was not a mention of the trade being lifted at the Cites conference it has been seen by some “mostly Rhinoceros owners and some wildlife” agencies as unfair to allow the ivory trade to commence yet “not the Rhinoceros horn” however that is just blatantly ridiculous as on cannot de-tusk as Elephant of which all monies amassed from “sized Ivory” went into conservation protection “although that protection is to still to be seen” the sale never actually decreased poaching just made matters worse by supplying the market thus keeping the demand flow high and lucrative.
The Chinese government also then after purchasing the ivory re-sold this on for 10X the price they paid for it “that’s why poaching didn’t decrease”. The same in theory has been applied to the Rhinoceros from which the Department of Environmental Affairs quoted that the “the Rhinoceros horn debate will NOT “be lifted BUT has to spoke on as this a taboo area.
This clumsy researcher that was born in Africa that now resides in Australia printed this article on the Rhinoceros horn debate then instructed all of his friends and family, university students and more to not sign the AVVAZ petition https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150614157465933&set=a.10150167025165933.306936.633775932&type=1&theater then consequently contacted the DEA and other agencies to pressure the South African government on legalising it. Maybe he simply doesn’t understand a simple thing of what actually happened to the Elephant species. - http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2013/s3701680.htm
Most of the demand for rhino horn comes from China and Vietnam, where it is used to treat ailments ranging from headaches to cancer. The horn has no real curative powers, however–it is composed of keratin, the same material human fingernails are made of. Delegates to CoP16 in Bangkok, Thailand, congratulated the Department of Environmental Affairs for its initiatives to combat rhino poaching on the sidelines of the conference saying initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa would enhance the global effort to fight all trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
The Department of Environmental Affairs then stated http://za.news.yahoo.com/south-africa-mulls-legal-rhino-horn-trade-123704593.html trade “has to spoke about of which SHE DID NOT state that the Rhinoceros trade WOULD be lifted. The DEA minster quoted;
“I must state categorically that there is no decision by South Africa on whether to apply to CITES at CoP17 to legalise the trade in rhino horn, or to permit the once-off sale of rhino horn stockpiles to fund conservation efforts, has been made.”
Edna Molewa 2013 March - Statement issued in the 8th March;
Update for Rhinoceros poaching 15th March 2013 is 158 Poached dead https://www.environment.gov.za/?q=content/stats_rhino_poaching_update
We were concerned about this statement though of which is going in favour of the hunting fraternity that see sustainable utilization as the only answer to control “species over population”. In our eyes there is no such thing as “animal species over population”. Our concepts are clear of which habitat destruction is the main number one issue that has to be tackled. The DEA minster quoted;
“South Africa’s position will be informed by, and based on, sustainable use principles with the long term conservation of species as the overall objective. Proposals that will ensure responsible utilization and conservation of the species concerned will be supported by South Africa”.
“Over 90 per cent of Africa’s white rhino and approximately 35% of Africa’s black rhino occur in South Africa. Rhino populations occur in formally proclaimed conservation areas as well as on private land, with the private sector contributing approximately 2.2 million hectares of land towards rhino conservation, with more than 4 000 rhino in private ownership. The populations occur throughout South Africa in all its provinces”.
“South Africa developed a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for the Black rhino, aimed at ensuring the long-term survival in nature of the species, and is in the process of developing a BMP for white rhino. Key elements are the maintenance of existing ranges, the promotion of long term genetic viability and the establishment of new viable populations. South Africa shared information relating to the status of its rhino populations and interventions implemented and planned to secure its long term survival”.
South Africa has seen an increase in the illegal killing of its rhinoceros population, especially the white rhino population in the Kruger National Park where 425 animals have been poached for its horns in 2012.
While it is clear that rhino poaching has increased, so too has the focus and activities of the South African security forces in attempts to protect the rhino. South Africa has implemented various measures to counter the slaughtering of its rhino population, but 2012 saw the greatest number of rhinoceros killed in a single year, i.e. 668.
The side event at CITES CoP 16 was intended to show participants, attending the CoP, what South Africa has done in the fight against the illegal killing of rhino and illegal trade in rhino horn; and what additional measures are required to ensure the safety and security of our rhinoceros population.
The current annotation to the Appendix II listing of the white rhino populations of South Africa and Swaziland restricts trade to live specimens to appropriate and acceptable destinations and hunting trophies. A proposal to prohibit the export of hunting trophies until at least CoP 18 was submitted by a Party for consideration to the 16th CoP to CITES. This proposal was opposed by South Africa and Swaziland and it highlighted the need to have a discussion on the role of trade in the conservation of the species. During the side event presentations were made to elicit discussions relating to this important topic.
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is currently leading the development of the UNEP-GEF project ‘Strengthening Law Enforcement Capabilities to Combat Wildlife Crime for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Species in South Africa (target: Rhinoceros)’. The main aim of the GEF project is to improve the forensic and intelligence/information sharing capabilities of relevant groups to better control the recent upsurge in poaching of rhinoceros in South Africa’s protected area network, especially Kruger National Park. South Africa shared the information relating to the project with the CITES Parties and NGO community.
South Africa participated in the CITES and Livelihoods side event that reflected on the role international trade plays in terms of livelihoods of communities and the challenges and opportunities that it presents. The case study of the Tyhefu Traditional Council Aloe Project was presented by a community member of the project itself, Mr Mangwanandile Witness Mjoli.
Please read below the key components for your interest;
https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/rhinopopulation_stateownedland.pdf
https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/protection_ofrhino_species.pdf
https://www.environment.gov.za/sites/default/files/docs/unep_gef_project.pdf
One must not yet look at everything in all doom and gloom, the facts have been clearly stipulated and proven above, we must now all work as an international TEAM to combat illegal poaching, reduce demand, and protect our species of which transnational law enforcement forces are now undertaking. We must also remember that the Rhinoceros horn trade HAS NOT been lifted and the Rhinoceros is still listed as near threatened and not vulnerable.
Focusing on these key important areas thus using every piece of technology, equipment, funding, team work and more must NOW be seen as critically important for the next meeting at CoP 17 to be held in South Africa.
Thank you for reading
International Animal Rescue Foundation
Director
Co- Founders
International Delegates
Administrative Delegates
Youth Ambassadors China, Amazonia, America, Malaysia
http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/elephants/ (THE CRISIS CAN BE ADDRESSED)
There are 500,000 African Elephants left in the wild - Please download the most comprehensive and up to date research. Please watch the video above as it’s most important. There is also a 40Mb Pdf FILE that you can download. ELEPHANT range is now second to POACHING - Agriculture, supplying markets outside of Africa, land conversions from which South Africa ha now ceased all migrants from purchasing land so South Africa has known of this problem for some time. Habitual loss and human over population are KILLING the Elephants too. This now MUST be seen as MOST important that need’s tackling.. 60% decline is very worrying
RRAivory_draft7 Download Elephants in the Dust
25,000 left in the wild however hunting is declining in this with increased crime efforts to combat illegal trade and wildlife trade in vulnerable species.
Environmentalism Chapter 29 - Flores Hobbit Evolution (Evil Go-Go)
Could the worlds tiniest monkey help unravel the mysterious origins of Homo floresiensis the Hobbit human relative? Emergence of The Hobbits skull is similar to that of a taller hominin, Homo erectus. This suggests to some that the Homo floresiensis, whose remains were found on an Indonesian island ten years ago, was a dwarf species that evolved from this larger one.
However its brain and teeth are proportionally much smaller than in typical dwarf species which others say indicates the Hobbit is merely and unusual form of our species. But perhaps the Hobbit was not a typical dwarf.
Scientist’s that observed Pygmy Marmosets Callithrix pygmaea, quoted they too have previously been put forward as a dwarf species but, again have unusually small teeth. This pinpointed against dwarfism of which scientists are using a primate evolutionary tree, scientists have confirmed that these monkeys did evolve from larger ancestors and undergo dwarfism.
So why do they have such small teeth?
The evolution of such a small species usually involves shortening the length of pregnancy or infancy, but recently it has been suggested that there might be a more unusual route: pregnancy length stays the same but the growth of the fetes slows down. This might influence brain and tooth size as they develop early.
Scientists found that the Pygmy Marmoset’s pregnancy and infancy are similar in length to their evolutionarily close, larger relations.
This suggests the unconventional route to small stature (Journal of Biology 2000).
If Homo floresiensis is a dwarf, one of the controversies has been whether it fits with previous patterns of dwarfism. The new analysis suggests it may fit with what is seen in Pygmy marmosets. Some scientists are not convinced though stating that its adamant that the Hobbit is simply a diseased member of our species however other critics state the analysis makes a strong case that primate can undergo dwarfism.
Dwarfism;
The first set of remains to have been found, LB1, was chosen as the type specimen for the proposed species. LB1 is a fairly complete skeleton, including a nearly complete cranium (skull), determined to be that of a 30-year-old female. LB1 has been nicknamed the Little Lady of Flores or “Flo”.
LB1′s height has been estimated at about 1.06 m (3 ft. 6 in). The height of a second skeleton, LB8, has been estimated at 1.09 m (3 ft. 7 in) based on measurements of its tibia. These estimates are outside the range of normal modern human height and considerably shorter than the average adult height of even the smallest modern humans, such as the Mbenga and Mbuti (< 1.5 m (4 ft. 11 in) Twa, Semang (1.37 m (4 ft. 6 in) for adult women) of the Malay Peninsula, or the Andamanese (1.37 m (4 ft. 6 in) for adult women).
By body mass, differences between modern Pygmies and Homo floresiensis are even greater. LB1′s body mass has been estimated at 25 kg (55 lb.). This is smaller than that of not only modern H. sapiens, but also H. erectus, which Brown and colleagues have suggested is the immediate ancestor of H. floresiensis. LB1 and LB8 are also somewhat smaller than the australopithecines from three million years ago, not previously thought to have expanded beyond Africa. Thus, LB1 and LB8 may be the shortest and smallest members of the extended human family discovered thus far.
Could the Scientists be correct, could the “cause for debate” simply be a diseased relative?
Laron syndrome;
Laron syndrome is a disorder chiefly characterized by marked short stature. Signs and symptoms in the newborn period typically include low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and having an unusually small penis (micropenis). Affected children have slow and disproportionate growth, delayed motor development due to decreased muscle mass, and delayed puberty. Other signs and symptoms include distinctive facial features (protruding and high forehead, shallow eye sockets, underdeveloped nasal bridge and small chin); delayed teething; a high-pitched voice; thin bones and skin; and decreased sweating (hypohidrosis). It is often caused by mutations in the GHR gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Treatment focuses on improving growth and includes injections of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and a diet with adequate calories.[
Pygmy Marmoset;
The pygmy marmoset is 4 1/2 to 6 inches long with a 7 to 9 inch tail. It weighs 3 5/8 to 4 ounces. It is the smallest monkey in the world. The fur on its hair is long, forming a cape or hood. Its color is tawny and speckled. It has barely visible rings of black and tawny on its tail. Its fingers and toes have claws.
The pygmy marmoset lives in groups and pairs. Groups contain one breeding pair and 3 to 7 offspring. The older offspring help to take care of the youngest or new offspring of the pair after the first few weeks. The first few weeks the father takes care of the young except during nursing.
There is no apparent breeding season for the pygmy marmoset and it most likely breeds twice per year. The gestation or pregnancy lasts 130 to 150 days. Twins are most common. Single births are rare. The young suckles for 3 months before it is weaned. Both males and females become sexually mature between 1 and 1 1/2 years old. The lifespan of the pygmy marmoset may reach up to 12 years which is long in relation to the animal's size.
They pygmy marmoset, like most marmosets, eats the gum of trees as its main source of food. However, unlike most marmosets that search for new sources each day the pygmy marmoset gouges about 10 holes in the bark each day, scent marks the tree and then returns later to scrape up the liquid oozing out of the tree with its teeth. It also eats nectar, fruits and small creatures like grubs and spiders. The pygmy marmoset is located in South America. It is arboreal so requires trees to spend its life in so occupies tropical and floodplain forest habitats.
The pygmy marmoset is classified least concern on the IUCN (International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) red list of threatened species. This classification is the lowest and means the species has a large widespread, population and no current threats that would likely decrease its population in the foreseeable future.
International Animal Rescue Foundation Forestry Conservation & Speciesism Watch
Director
Environmentalism Chapter 28 - Wildcat Conservation
The big cat family we absolutely adore within the animal kingdom that have roamed for planet for over a million years virtually left untouched by man, consumer greed, increasing wildlife part medicine trade and fur/skin trade, to habitual destruction, agriculture, pet trade, mining, pollution and human species conflict. (Picture above is Eurasian lynx)
Wild cats are one of a prized species of wild felidae’s that share almost the same appearances but are not all generically related to one another such as the Tiger and Lion, and of course all being prime carnivores that hunt their prey stealthy, with precision speed, compact agility, and power to stay alive in today’s demanding and competitive world.
Mostly nocturnal they will take their prey in the dead of night or early mornings. The larger felid family though that have no real known predators will hunt both morning and night to sustain their colossal carnivorous diet that normally ranges in between 11Lb and 25Lb of fresh hunted meat a day every day. We have heard of “one to two” larger felids consuming a plant based diet however it’s unheard of and [very rarely] practised in the Zoological society, this diet can also cause malnutrition and severe illness, arthritis, bone and skin disease to eventual death.
Over one hundred years ago the population sizes of our most precious wild cats that range from Lions, Cheetahs, Tigers, Jaguar, Jungle Cat, to the Pampas cat down to the near threatened [NT] Sand Cat that is almost identical to the domestic feline cat Felis silvestris catus populated the earth in the thousands.
Unfortunately we are now losing our wild cats very rapidly for many reasons that we can as a human species control if other nations reduced a range of environmentally damaging factors such as mining, palm oil to and poaching, pet trade and a vast reduction in fur trade both legal and illegal that’s seen many celebrities that was against fur now return to this repulsive trade.
Those celebrities were adored by many for their stance against the fur trade, environmentalists and activists were most thankful regarding the awareness they created thus educating many, sadly with so many now returning to their old past life style behaviour more animals suffer with many wildcats pushed to nearing extinction.
There are some thirty six species of wild cats within today’s world of which some are listed as least concern [LC] on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature [IUCN] to others that are critically endangered [CR] only living in the hundreds, to the Amur that’s population count stands at a mere thirty individual cats left within the Eastern European wild.
The most precious critically endangered wild cats that still inhabit the earth in small populations are going to be pushed to extinction within the next three to five years unless immediate action is taken by Asia and Eastern Europe “members of the Cites agreement” in ceasing the illegal wildlife parts trade imminently.
Since the start of the Cites summit in Bangkok, Thailand 4th March 2013 from which 35,000 species of animals and plants fall under the Washington agreement there was very little mention with regards to the wildcats, no sanctions placed against China or Thailand in banning them from all importations of all 35,000 species which would have been seen as exceptional punishment for trade and poaching violations.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the I.U.C.N did explain 10th March 2013 that more Bengal Tigers were to be pushed into the wild thus increasing population size. The problems we see though with the Tiger Bone Wine trade. Is how can one possibly protect our Bengal or Sumatran unless imminent sanctions are placed to at least give populations time to increase.(Picture above is the Serval)
Pushing more species into the wild is merely pushing them into the poacher’s hands thus increasing more money and demand. Please view this link. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=176332405848682&id=199685603444685
Immediate action must now be implemented to end the barbaric Traditional Chinese Medicine [TCM] and Traditional Indian Medicine [TIM] trade cultures that are seeing many animals slaughtered for their bones, claws, skins, to organs, and genitals for fake medicines, cultural myths and urban legends that supposedly bring you luck and good will to improving one’s health which is complete fantasy.
I have identified, detailed and highlighted some of the most precious and extremely endangered wildcats from the least concern to critically endangered, that still inhabit the earth today.
The thirty six wildcats within the wild are as follows;
The African Golden Cat, Asian Golden Cat, Andean Mountain Cat, Bay Cat, Black-footed Cat, Bobcat, Caracal, Cheetah, Chinese Desert Cat, Clouded Leopard, Cougar, Fishing Cat, Flat-headed Cat, Geoffrey’s Cat, Iriomote Cat, Jaguar, Jaguarundi, Jungle Cat, Kodkod, Leopard, Leopard Cat, Lion, Little Spotted Cat, Lynx Canadian, Lynx Eurasian, Lynx Spanish, Margay, Marbled Cat, Ocelot, Pallas Cat, Pampas Cat, Rusty-Spotted Cat, Sand Cat, Serval, Snow Leopard, Tiger, Wildcat-African, Wildcat-Asiatic, Wildcat-European.
All thirty six cats are of the most colourful, powerful, yet stunning, skilled hunting mammals that still walk the earth today, unfortunately as explained they are under enormous threat and we cannot as conservationists to the general public just simply look at the most critically endangered thus leaving others out of the equation. We have to look at the entire race in the same identical fashion to all flora and fauna that inhabits this destructive world.
Should we lose our concentration or let ones guard down we will most certainly view more species pushed further to the end of the cliff like lemmings, thus losing some of the most beautiful species of wildcats that have roamed shifting continental plates for hundreds of thousands of years.
All thirty six species of wild cats inhabit Africa, Asia, North America, South America, and Europe and the Middle East [United Arab Emirates], most populations and species are normally located within the warmer climates, with few species such as the Snow Leopard Panthera uncia located high above sea level in the snowy cold central mountains regions of Asia throughout Pakistan, and Afghanistan to China.(Picture above is the Canadian Lynx)
Panthera unicia is native to these areas yet regrettably being pushed higher up the ridges as their own prey that ranges from the Yak, agricultural wild stock to rabbit and birds are losing their own territory that they would normally feed on due to an array of reasons from climate change, habitual destruction, and pollution to over grazing which is rapidly seeing the Panthera unicia lose its fight for survival.
FELID HISTORY PAST & PRESENT;
The earliest fossil records of the modern felid ancestors come from a period of just under 10 million years ago. However findings of such fossils are rare and it is difficult to piece together a comprehensive picture of the early relationship between the felid species.
The small cats, those grouped in the “genus felis”, are poorly represented, with the exception that is, of the ancestor of the modern day Lynx. The early descendants of the lynx first appeared around four million years ago and are known as the Issoire Lynx (Lynx issidorensis).
This early Lynx was larger than the forms found today and is said more to resemble those species from the genus felis, notably in having shorter legs than the lynx of today.
It is now commonly believed that the Jaguar and Leopard both share a common ancestry, centred in Eurasia a little over 2 million years ago. However whereas the Leopard spread west into Europe the early Jaguar travelled east and crossed the Bering land bridge into North America. The early Jaguars that inhabited the Americas were both larger and longer legged than the modern species.
Ancestral Tigers were thought to have originated from Central Asia and China and spread out both east and west to cover most of Asia from the Caspian Sea to the Russian Far East. It is thought that the modern day Tiger, found in northern China is “perhaps” the closest direct ancestor of the earliest forms of the species.
Fossil records indicated that the Lion appeared on the scene considerably more recently than the other members on the genus Panthera. The earliest known records date back to around 750,000 years ago and stem from Western Africa. From here Lions spread north into Asia and Europe, were the Cave lion (Panthera spelaea) and Tuscany Lion were found in the Balkans and Northern Italy respectively.
The ancestral Lion also crossed from [Asia] into North America and the American lion (Panthera atrox) spread south as far as Peru. It is believed the Lion species evolved from eastern Asia of which then introduced “sub-species” within central Africa.
Early forms of the Cheetah are also believed to have inhabited North America as far back as 2½ million years ago (Acinonyx studeri) to as recently as 12,000 years ago in the smaller form of Acinonyx trumani. The early ‘Old World’ form, Acinonyx pardinensis found in Europe, closely resembled the modern day cheetah apart from being noticeably larger.
HISTORICAL DATA;
There are twenty-six species of “small wild cats belonging to the same group or genus as the domestic cat”, identified as the Felis, and these, together with three species of Lynx, six species of large cats (Panthera), and the cheetah (Acinonyx), make up the family of the Felidae which completes the full set of living species numbering thirty six, excluding though all domestic species of Feline.
There are currently over 73 breeds of domesticated cats recognized by the IPCBA (International Progressive Cat Breeders Alliance), while the more conservative CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) gives the nod to only 41. Developing and registering a new breed of cats is a long, involved progress, and not every attempt is successful. For example, the CFA steadfastly refused to admit cats bred from “wild stock,” such as the Bengal, or the Savannah, although these breeds are both accepted by TICA and IPCBA.
There are 45 titled in this link of which extra non-classified members such as the White Lion, White Tiger I have placed herewith for your interest – However please note that there are only 36 recognized wild true species alive. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=445618188851424&set=a.445618178851425.1073741826.199685603444685&type=1&theater
With the exception of the Cheetah, the felids are a contiguous group of meat-eaters which are all recognizable as belonging to the same family of mammal. They all have long legs, short faces, and sleek, athletic bodies with beautiful coats.
In addition, they can all retract their claws, have a keenly developed sense of smell, and they all purr. With the exception of the lion and two sub species of critically endangered Asian wildcat, all the felids are solitary hunters, kill rather small prey, and usually hunt at night. Interestingly, the lion is the most social of the felids, and lives and hunts in a family group which we call a “pride”, we note that not all wildcats that live within “social groups” are clearly identified as a [pride] though.
It is now thought that because the diet of the cat has remained the same for thousands of years, this may explain why the thirty six species of wildcats resemble each other so closely, with the exception of their size and the traits necessary for appropriate camouflage.(Picture above is Ocelot)
Cats have had no reason to change! Excellent hunters since the Lynx-like “Ur-cat” of the Miocene from whom the modern cats descend, the cats have had no need to adjust their bodies or their diets in response to major changes in the world’s climate. This is because the diets of the cats didn’t change. To a cat, a fish that eats algae, a bird that eats berries, and a giraffe that eats acacias are all meat for the hunting.
So while the glaciers came and went, while the vegetarians struggled to try and digest new plants and adapt themselves to overwhelming global changes, the cats simply kept on hunting, waiting to pounce on whatever managed to survive into the next epoch. It is the same limber body of the cat that hunted successfully in the Pliocene that hunts successfully today. - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/tertiary/pliocene.php
WHY ARE THE NUMBERS OF FELIDS REDUCING?
- Illegal wildlife trade that mixes clothing with fake Asian medicine – Funding off illegal arms with regards to local and international civil war and terrorism. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/12/wildlife-trafficking-national-security-wwf
- Over hunting that’s not seeing the species rejuvenate in time. http://www.africanskyhunting.co.za/trophies/lion-hunting.html
- Habitual destruction/depletion of natural resources that wildcats rely on caused mainly from commercial and domestic construction and trade such as the manufacture of the palm oil plantations, over grazing, pollution, deforestation, over population of which the Planet Earth has some 800+ billion people that inhabits the earth with one child born every minute. http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/166165/1/
- Human and species conflict which unfortunately see’s wild cats always come the worst off, slaughtered in the most extreme sickening ritualistic fashions, mostly by armed gangs seeking revenge for an attack on family and/or friends.
- Capture and breeding – We now have more Bengal Tigers in Chinese and Thailand zoo’s and temples that are being kept in the most appalling of conditions, then left to starve for the production of Tiger Bone Wine and now Lions are being slaughtered for counterfeit Tiger Bone Wine. Lions are mostly hunted then their bones are sent to Asia via the hunter that makes vast sums of return money. Whereas the Tiger as explained above is left to starve to death then their bodies are stripped from the bones and placed within a vat of Rice Wine which apparently in Chinese medicine cures many diseases, improves impotency, and now cures Human immunodeficiency virus which is complete and utter nonsense. Tiger Bone Wine like Rhinoceros horn doesn’t cure any illness, and never has, it is complete myth. http://mg.co.za/article/2012-07-04-sa-breeders-embrace-growing-asian-demand-for-lion-bones http://www.lionaid.org/blog/2012/09/concentration-camps-for-tigers-in-china.htm
- Hunting traps that poachers or illegal hunters have set for smaller animals or primates that are lain down near commercial land of their own accord or have been paid by palm plantations, or mine owners to keep roaming predators away from working areas. The innocent Tiger or Leopard then accidently roams into these areas that were once their homes just to have their leg caught in a snare/trap. The more they struggle the more the snare or metal trap tightens. It has been noted that some cats have been left for days if not weeks in these traps from which they are then slaughtered by the poacher/hunter or humanely euthanized by a rescue unit that gets to them first or are called by the forestry commission. http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id/?page=news&action=view&id=561
- Pollutions and poisons – This year already we have seen 1 Bengal Tiger that was poisoned found floating in a river. We are not sure of the outcome of this investigation as yet. It could be a silent poaching incident, deliberate poisons to keep Tigers and other big cats out of populated villages, or commercial poisoning that we are now seeing on a regular basis. This commercial poisoning was also linked although not yet proved to be the cause of death of over 16 Pygmy Elephants next to plantations that grow palm oil trees. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/31/world/asia/malaysia-pygmy-elephants - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=565401643478744&set=a.400871756598401.99979.400620306623546&type=1&theater
The main losses to our wild cat populations are primarily due to poaching, illegal wildlife trade for fake Asian medicine that doesn’t cure any illnesses at all or increase sexual libido, Tiger/Lion bone wine trade, habitat fragmentation, and retributive killing which is seen more in India, Indonesia Thailand and Malaysia.
The cats wander into what was their own territory that results in possible attacks on human’s mostly causing serious injury or great fatalities. As there are no wildlife officers within many regions they cannot get to the scene fast enough to halt the vigilante gangs that then proceed to hunt the wild cat down. Sadly the wild cat is stoned, whipped with metal chains or sticks, or on one case this month trapped into a cage then set alight. The Leopard suffered horrendously taking some toe to five minutes to perish in excruciating agony. . One report here http://www.indianexpress.com/news/3-leopards-killed-in-4-days-no-arrests-yet/1085525/ quotes how a Leopard was “axed to death” with another here http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4652281/girl-killed-by-leopard.html that reports a child was snatched by a Leopard then mutilated, there are no other reports on this sickening yet concerning story.
SPECIES IN DANGER WORLDWIDE;
All species listed below are of concern to International Animal Rescue Foundation © and all other conservation societies. Red listings have been updated from various lists that have failed to update their classifications. We have as an organisation since contacted them to inform them of their update.
Africa – Lion (Panthera leo, - (Vulnerable as listed on the IUCN Red List)
Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus (Vulnerable as listed on the IUCN Red List)
Both species are currently under enormous threat not to mention that they are also still canned hunt which International Animal Rescue Foundation© is currently working to put an end too.
Panthera leo
The Lion (Panthera leo) numbers have dropped to as low as 32,000, down from nearly 100,000 just 50 years ago, the research is the most comprehensive assessment of lion numbers to date for December end.
(Extracted data) 2012
African savannahs are defined as those areas that receive between 300 and 1500 mm (approximately 11 to 59 inches) of rain annually. “These savannahs conjure up visions of vast open plains,” said Stuart Pimm, co-author of the paper who holds the Doris Duke Chair of Conservation at Duke University. “The reality is that from an original area a third larger than the continental United States, only 25% remains.” In comparison, 30% of the world’s original rain forests remain.
Lions in West Africa are at highest level of risk, researchers found. “The Lions in West Africa have suffered the greatest declines,” said Andrew Jacobson, another co-author from Duke. “Giving these Lions something of a fighting chance will require substantial increases in effort. The next 10 years are decisive for this region, not just for lions but for biodiversity, since Lions are indicators of ecosystem health.”
(End of Extract)-
Should the ecological systems that the Lion uses to hunt within, then be fragmentised even more, it will push the Lions prey that range from Kudu to Impala, Antelope and more away thus placing other species of animals in danger from lack of food and water sources.
The Lion and Cheetah requires these eco systems as they hunt using stealth tactics, and the grasses and high plains is what the female Lioness use as basic camouflage and safe haven to keep her cubs safe from other predators such as the Hyena, and wild dogs.
Should botanical ecosystems such as tree’s and grassland’s swamps, marshes and lowland scrub plants then come under threat from habitat destruction, pollution, and climatological destruction then the big cats prey and both Lion and Cheetah are forced to move on thus placing more areas in danger. The prey the Lion and Cheetah feed on could also become under immense threat thus causing eventually massive ecological catastrophic failure leading to one or more species pushed further into extinction.
Climate change and over population within Africa is now seriously playing a copious role with regards to the decrease in Lion species from which if no immediate and direct action is taken to sustain the species and environment then we could lose them in less than 10 years 2018 being the starting point of overall lion species decline.
Pseudo hunting, and the decreasing numbers of the world’s remaining Tiger populations in Russia and Asia is seeing the Lions exploited for fake medicine and counterfeit Tiger Bone wine. We now have on average within Africa a rough total of 32,000 Lions in the wild with numbers decreasing rapidly.
BRIEF TIGER BONE HISTORY;
As wild-tiger populations dwindle, poachers are now turning to Lions to feed the insatiable Chinese appetite for potions made from big-cat bones. The Lion is genetically similar to the Tiger and therefore Lion bone can be promoted as having similar healing properties.
The most infamous Tiger-breeding farm in China, Xiongsen Tiger & Bear Mountain Village in Guilin has bred many hundreds of Lions as well as Tigers with Tiger-bone wine openly on sale at the park. http://iheartchina.com/location/Xiongsen-Bear-and-Tiger-Mountain-Village - http://www.china-tour.cn/Guilin/The-Bear-and-Tiger-Village.htm
The endangered Asiatic Lion population in India is initially most at risk. In 2007, the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) raised the alarm that a new phase in wildlife poaching to meet Chinese demands could wipe out the world’s only Asiatic Lion population.
WPSI said: “This serious new development points to the fact that since Tigers are so scarce in the wild, these poachers are now targeting the last remaining population of Asiatic Lions. Gir’s Lions are an easy target, since they are comparatively used to people and live in open scrub forest.
Their bones are also virtually indistinguishable from those of Tigers. There is no market for big cat parts in India, and their poaching and the trade is entirely driven by demand from outside India’s borders, for use in traditional Chinese medicine’. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_lion
Also in 2007, environmental photojournalist Debby Ng wrote in “Asia Magazine” that both Leopards and Lions are now used as common substitutes for Tiger bones.
As well as Asiatic Lions, this trade is threatening the already-declining African Lion population and demand for Lion bone may also be met by Lion farmers in South Africa.
In December 2009, the Department of Environment, Tourism and Economic Affairs, Free State Province approved the export of Lion bones from a captive-Lion-breeding facility. Please read the information below from www.cannedlion.org
“On Tuesday, 1st December 2009, the permit committee of the Department of Environment, Tourism and Economic Affairs, Free State Province decided to approve the permits for the exportation of Lion bones to one Cobus van der Westhuizen.
The Free State is one of the worst provinces in South Africa for captive Lion breeding. Lions are bred in South Africa in enclosures, just as a Pig farmer breeds Pigs in crates, for slaughter. The difference between raising Pigs and raising Lions is that the Lion abattoir has been turned into a lucrative ‘sport,’ colloquially called ‘canned Lion hunting.’ Various spin-offs from this grisly trade have already been successfully established, including cub-petting, walking with young lions, and the promotion in USA of Lion meat consumption which is still on-going.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © is aware off seven cub petting and walking with African wildcats off which one has British and Dutch Links named as the Daniels Cheetah Foundation run and owned by Wild Cats World and one concealed British owner that we believe to have some form of operation in.(Picture above is the Bengal Tiger)
On challenging this owner 2012 August of which it was clearly evident that there was a colossal six breeding farms and abattoirs within the vicinity we was threatened along with others too that had made attempts to question the owners in Holland.
We have tried to warn the government and many other’s from which we would not off been made aware unless the general public that had visited, viewed and raised questions to then contacting ourselves and others of this situation. Canned hunters have been linked to the vicinity, however we have been refused to meet in person to even attacked verbally via email communications.
We have serious problems in SA regarding conservation of biodiversity, due partly to a well-orchestrated campaign against any civilized notion of animal welfare, and partly to dysfunctionality in many areas of conservation - especially in some provinces. Now, with the approval of the permit, our worst fears and imaginings have been realized.
The door to the huge market for “Tiger bone” in Asia has been opened. Furthermore, *the demand for free-ranging Lion bone is much higher than that for captive Lions* and we fear the worst for our African Lion populations. Big money is involved, and we all know what that means.
Should the remaining 1,500+ plus Wild Tigers be pushed to extinction then our Lion’s will most certainly be next. International Animal Rescue Foundation’s © Conservation Crimes team have noted many bones up for sale on African and European classified advertisement’s from which every single buyer is purchasing from the the nations of Thailand, Vietnam, China, ,Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and again the United States to the even United Kingdom (London – China Town)
Cheetah - Acinonyx jubatus
The Cheetah species is within the same predicament as the Lion although there is no proof as of yet that they are being used for the making of Traditional Chinese Medicine as “yet” however the threat is still there should we lose our Tiger and even Lion species. We must also point that other species of Asian cats are being used for substituted Tiger Bone Wine then mislabelled as Tiger Bone Wine that in turn keeps the demand up.
“Illegal hunting within Africa, and India, to poaching all play a role within the decrease off populations off one of the world’s fastest land mammal”
Cheetahs are mostly hunted however we have noted within many road side seizures and arrests that Cheetahs are being used mainly in the production of Eastern European and Asian home decors, coats, rugs, carpets and upholstery to even “fur ornaments” that is seen within Europe as the new craze. This trend though is mostly confined to Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Serbia, Kosovo, and Romania.
Hunters will obtain a permit to hunt of which they know that the skins in the black market and fur trade can actually fetch them depending on the size and age of the Cheetah up to $80,000 per skin. We ourselves have also noted on Russian EBay and classified advertisements some furs selling for up to $100,000. All sales are conducted from what appears to be a “shop on line” however on later investigations via meetings and Internet Protocol search the owners actually turn out to be hunters living in a house within Moscow.
One site under investigation was a Russian site named as www.avito.ru that had a total of 4 Tiger skins on sale, Leopard, Zebra, and Giraffe, Lion and many illegal arms, to even Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers. The site has since been ordered to remove and the traders arrested that had breached the Russian environmental and poaching laws. Law enforcement has also since become involved within Moscow based on our reports from January 2012 after investigating an [unnamed fur trader].(Picture above is the Borneo Bay Cat)
The hunter would normally pay in between $20,000 and $30,000 for a hunting holiday of which they know they can easily obtain a much higher revenue back on the taxidermist product itself, which is [unusual to see] from a finished dipped and shipped trophy however intelligent and supplicated criminals have the knowhow on removing then selling on which does concern us as the hunting trade is being exploited in all directions. We will continue to demand a moratorium on hunting investigating and analysing all avenues until it is drafted into place.
The problem is without adequate policing agencies to help in gathering this intelligence then sadly this will be a long drawn out battle that will see some of our wildcats and other larger mammalians pushed further to extinction.
“Poaching as explained above is on the increase and this again relays back to the European and American fur trade market”.
With the fur trade now taking off again and skins to rugs fetching enormous prices then sadly the poachers will continue to desolate our wild Cheetah species more, the imitation products [fake Leopard and Cheetah] skins are also increasing the [demand] for the real item that buyers quote “there’s nothing better than having top quality animal fur to keep you warm in the winter months”.
Cheetah cubs also have a high mortality rate that regrettably see’s mum lose two to three of her cubs from natural deaths, Lion or Hyena attacks. It has been suggested that the low genetic diversity of Cheetahs is a cause of poor sperm, birth defects, cramped teeth, curled tails, and bent limbs. Some biologists even believe that they are too inbred to flourish as a species
The species has been re-introduced back in to India as of the populations being desolated by hunting, illegal poaching, habitual destruction, and human species conflict. Cheetahs where currently extinct in India form the 1940’s however conservationists have pushed them into India that has seen some success although minimal.
It has also been suggested although again we have seen no current recent evidence of importing, that South Africa is importing Cheetahs into India, which is fair as long as they are introduced into well managed zones that are away from the general public, with efforts to combat poaching in these areas.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
The Leopard is currently listed as near threatened off which we do believe that should poaching, habitual destruction, pseudo hunting, illegal hunting, human species conflict and better park management not improve within the next ten to fifteen years then we could see the Leopard at critical point.
The Tiger species must be preserved and education to awareness within the fur trade must be paramount to demonstrate to buyers what carnage they are causing. Leopards are virtually solitary cats that are occasionally mistaken for the Cheetah.
Leopard species are located in Siberia, Russia, South Africa and Africa as a whole with some states seeing them extinct. Asia holds the current highest populations although both Africa and Indian critics quote different.
In 2008, the IUCN stated that leopards may soon move from a “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable” status due to heavy hunting and poaching mainly for the commercial trade in Asia, persecution due to human-conflict situations, poorly managed legal trophy hunting, and habitat loss and fragmentation. Leopards are also persecuted in Africa by local tribes who use leopard skins for ceremonial dress and body parts for traditional uses.
African cats that are listed within the International Union for Conservation of Nature
- African Golden Cat - Profelis aurata – Near Threatened
- Black Footed Cat - Felis nigripes - Vulnerable
- Sand cat - Felis margarita – Near Threatened (located in mainly Asia although some species have been found in the African Sahara
- Lion – Panthera Leo – Vulnerable
- Cheetah - Acinonyx jubatus – Vulnerbale
All other remaining wildcats from the Serval to Caracal are of least concern on the IUCN list [however as explained this could change if we see the entire Tiger species wiped out].
North America big cats range from the Bob Cat, Puma, Canadian Lynx, Jaguar, Jaguarundi, and the Ocelot. Although we are not seeing a great decline the Jaguar is of the most important in this region of which there numbers are decreasing rapidly.
Panthera onca better known as the Jaguar is now near threatened of which we do believe is soon going to be moved up to vulnerable status for many reasons that I have listed below;
- Farms, ranches, mines, roads, towns, residential subdivisions and border infrastructure are increasingly being built in areas important to Jaguar survival, destroying Jaguar habitat and blocking migration routes.
- Human species conflict although rare in these dense forests where many plantations from Palm oil to Cocaine and Cannabis fields are grown, conflict still occurs. Most individuals in these areas carry hunting rifles or hand pistols that then take the cat down should conflict or intrusion occur.
- Palm oil plantations are a massive risk to the Jaguar as explained and should reduction in obsessive consumer demand not decrease or other alternatives be used, regrettably there will be a substantial decrease in numbers.
- Poaching is a major worry as usual with regards to the fur trade, and animal parts trade. The Jaguar is used mainly though for its skin as it brings in much illegal black market revenue. Native and non-native settlers that reside in the forest of Amazonia also hunt the Jaguar for bush meat.
- Their life span is crucial at such a small age from which they face many threats from snares, and the tropical pet trade.
Jaguars are the largest of South America’s big cats. They once roamed from the southern tip of South America’s continent north to the region surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. Today significant numbers of Jaguars are found only in remote regions of South and Central America—particularly in the Amazon basin.
These beautiful and powerful beasts were prominent in ancient Native American cultures. In some traditions the Jaguar God of the Night was the formidable lord of the underworld. The name Jaguar is derived from the Native American word yaguar, which means “he who kills with one leap.”
Unlike many other cats, Jaguars do not avoid water, in fact, they are quite good swimmers. Rivers provide prey in the form of fish, Turtles, or Caimans—small, Alligator like animals. Jaguars also eat larger animals such as Deer, Peccaries, Capybaras, and Tapirs. They sometimes climb trees to prepare an ambush, killing their prey with one powerful bite.
Most Jaguars are tan or orange with distinctive black spots, dubbed “rosettes” because they are shaped like roses. Some jaguars are so dark they appear to be spotless, though their markings can be seen on closer inspection.
Jaguars live alone and define territories of many square miles by marking with their waste or clawing trees.
Females have litters of one to four cubs, which are blind and helpless at birth. The mother stays with them and defends them fiercely from any animal that may approach—even their own father. Young Jaguars learn to hunt by living with their mothers for two years or more.
South America consists of ten species of wild cats that are native to both South and North America and are mostly confined to the regions of Amazonia. As listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature the three wild cats that are most at risk are the Jaguar as explained above that’s now moved from vulnerable status to endangered, the Andean Mountain Cat of which should no major conservation efforts be enforced then we will lose these cats in 1-5 years if that, and the Kodkod Leopardus guigna that’s listed as vulnerable that’s similar in appearance the Andean cat.
Andean Mountain Cat - Leopardus jacobita
There are now no fewer than 2000 of the Andean Mountain Cat left in the wild with very few in Zoological Gardens. The Andean Mountain Cat is nearing extinction rapidly and within our eyes it would be seen as professional to then take at least a half of these cats then place them in to protective captivity to push numbers up thus after releasing into a protective wild reserve increasing numbers more. Once numbers are within the thousand mark then a slow release into the wild must begin.
There are no known sub species although this still has to be ascertained as the Andean cat was only discovered by conservation biologists in the late 1980’s.
Threats that face the Andean Mountain Cat are listed below;
- Climate change is playing a huge factor in the reduction off numbers.
- Deforestation is making a huge impact on the desolation of numbers from which the Andean Mountain Cat lives within tall grass lands and areas that food is widely available, yet now rapidly decreasing. Illegal and sustainable logging is damaging the surrounding ecosystem thus reducing the numbers via starvation or taking much larger risks to obtain prey within its own predator’s areas. Viscachas and Chinchillas, small birds and even Lizards are all being pushed out of the Andean’s cat ecosphere which will eventually kill the species of.
- Tropical pet trade is also a player in this area as their likeness to the actual domestic cat, the female (Queen) as it is better known has very small kittens that can fetch anywhere in between $500 to $5000 on the black market.
- Species competiveness/conflict, within the Andes range, there are other species of my larger cat such as the Puma, Pampas cat, and Jaguar that all compete to survive and within such harsh environments that’s coupled with illegal logging, mining, agriculture and poaching competing to stay alive and being one of the most smallest out of the wild cats of which the Andean Mountain Cat is no larger than a domestic pedigree cat is difficult for them to live and survive in now cramped zones. The Andeans cat’s kittens are also small prey for the larger cat of which the Tom (male) will occasionally guard the kittens however this is not always the case and mom will/can lose up to 2-3 “kids” if not “all” from predators that are all hunting within the same areas. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andean_mountain_cat please read more regarding this cat within the link provided. Please also note that more has to be done to now conserve these very small and agile cats.
Kodkod - Leopardus guigna
The Kodkod is the smallest cat within the region of South America of which Argentina and Brazilian conservationists have numbered the cats population to be no higher than 7,000 now from which only three years ago there was an estimated 10,000 adult Kodkods in the wild.
Confined to mostly Chile and Argentina the Kodkod was listed in 2002 on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable.
Habitual destruction and loss of its own hunting prey from both poacher, deforestation, agriculture and persecution could see in the next three to five years should conservation efforts not be upgraded and the cat listed as critically endangered, then pushed extinction which is a sad fact of life now with most of our wildcats that are always under persecution from larger prey to humans. The Kodkod has no current sub species and is similar to pedigree feline.
The Kodkod’s diet’s range from small rodents, birds, lizards, and occasionally they will hunt prey such as Geese and Chicken. The gestation period lasts about 72–78 days. The average litter size is one to three kittens. This species may live to be about 11 years old.(Picture above on the left is a Female Lioness the the right is an extremely rare White Lion that is formed by a mutant gene. - The White Lion is a rare colour mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion (Panthera leo krugeri) found in some wildlife reserves in South Africa and in zoos around the world. White lions are not a separate subspecies and are thought to be indigenous to the Timbavati region of South Africa for centuries, although the earliest recorded sighting in this region was in 1938.
The main threats to the Kodkod I have listed below;
- Illegal and sustainable logging
- Agriculture
- The spread of Pine forest plantations from which its prey would not normally within
- Poaching is rare however there have been reports of the Kodkod for sale on the illegal black markets with regards to the illegal pet trade.
As with many of the small wild cat species within the Americas very little is known of the lifestyle of the kodkod. It is believed to be mainly a nocturnal hunter.
The cat is a forest dweller and is able to climb well. As with its lifestyle, little is known of the size of population of the kodkod, but loss of natural habitat due to forestry and logging activities, pose a constant threat. The kodkod is listed in CITES Appendix 2 and is protected in both Argentina and Chile.
Asia see’s many large and small cats that are listed on the CITES Appendix from being vulnerable to neat threatened and critically endangered. Within this section I have demonstrate as above only documentation on all “endangered” wildcats to those that are listed as vulnerable.
The following cats that reside and are native to Asia are listed below for your interest;
Please note that some of following cats that also reside in Africa and the Americas,that may also dwell in Asia too, and have different threat statuses.
- Asian Golden Cat Catopuma temmincki,
- Bornean Bay Cat Catopuma badia (vulnerable)
- Chinese Moutain Cat Felis bieti
- Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa (vulnerable)
- Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus
- Flat-headed Cat Prionailurus planiceps (vulnerable)
- Iriomote Cat iriomotensis viverrinus (endangered)
- Jungle Cat Felis chaus
- Leopard Panthera pardus (endangered)
- Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis
- Lion Panthera Leo (Formally extinct in Asia within the WILD)
- Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata
- Pallas Cat Otocolobus manul
- Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubignosis
- Snow Leopard Uncia uncial (endangered)
- Tiger Panthera tigris (endangered)
- Wildcat (Asiatic) Felis silvestris
There are a total of eight wild cats within Asia that have been listed by CITES from vulnerable to endangered and regrettably critically endangered. I have highlighted each cat that’s current status I have also included along with threats and living behaviotr to ecology.(Picture above are Bobcat cubs)
- Bornean Bay Cat (Catopuma badia) now listed as endangered, in 2003 it’s reported that the Bornean Bay Cat had been completely wiped out. Fortunately in 2011 there were sightings of this very lucid and secretive Asian wild cat. The last pictures of the Bay Cat were taken in Lanjak Entimau wildlife sanctuary in southern Sarawak in 2003 and it had since been classified as extinct. Endemic to the island of Borneo there is a rough total of within the wild based on factual census that now range from 1,000 individuals however with poaching increasing these numbers have regrettably decreased and we no longer know for sure how many from the 1,000 are left within the wild from 2011 when all data was released after secret filming and documenting. The species was listed as endangered because of a projected population decline by more than 20% by 2020 due to habitat loss. As of 2007, the effective population size was suspected to be below 2,500 mature individuals. Current threats are mainly habitual destruction from deforestation, trappers and wildlife dealers. The Bay Cats diet ranges from small agricultural cattle, birds, and rodents.
- Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) Listed as vulnerable, the Clouded Leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN. Its total population size is suspected to be fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend and no single population numbering more than 1,000 adults. Current conservation threats of this most beautiful cat range from illegal logging that has regrettably decreased the forest size that it resides within. Large scale commercial poaching, skin/fur trade along with the Traditional Chinese Medicine trade that acquires the cat from its claws, teeth, meat and now worrying the Tiger bone wine trade of which the Clouded Leopard is sadly used as a substitute in the making of fake Tiger bone wine. The diet of the Clouded Leopard ranges from agricultural stock, Pheasants, rodents, and Deer. Clouded leopards also don’t appear to purr like the majority of cats. Hissing, grunting, snorting and moaning are very unique within this cat of which these vocalisations where observed in captivity and not the wild.
- Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps) Listed endangered is a rare, little cat that is about 60 cm (2′) long and only weighs 2.2 kg (4.8 lbs.). The diet of the flat-headed cat includes fish, Frogs, crustaceans and rodents. You will notice that the majority of their diet lives around water. This is why you will always find the furry, flat-headed cat around lakes and streams. The appearance of this cat would make you question whether it truly is a cat since it has short legs, a long head with tiny ears and a short tail. They have often been compared to muskrats and otters instead of other cats. The differences continue to pile up for the flat-headed cat since their toes tend to be webbed and they are one of the few cat species with non-retractile claws. Well, I guess that isn’t entirely true since their claws do retract, however, the sheath covering is so short that two-thirds of the nail remain exposed. The flat headed cat’s threats are primarily threatened by wetland and lowland forest destruction and degradation. The main causes of such destruction are human settlement within the areas that they are native within, pollution and drainage for agriculture, and yet again the palm oil trade of which forest transformation effects every living species from cat to bird, rodents to incest’s. The clearing of mangroves, trapping and poising have reduced the levels of this cat down to 2000 maximum in the wild with 1% of them in captivity.
- Iriomote Cat (Iriomotensis viverrinus) Critically endangered, Located in Japan Iriomote Cats are small cats with a body length between 48 and 56cms (18.9 - 22 inches), a tail length between 16 and 45cms (6.3 - 17.7 inches) and they weigh between 3 and 7kgs (6.6 - 15.4 lbs.). Their current conservation status is endangered of which there are no more than 2,000 in the wild [if that]. The Iriomote diet normally consists off small mammals, such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and occasionally fish. Current threats are habitat loss and persecution from humans. Normally living for only 8-9 years old there are literally a bare 200 in the wild up from 2007 of which saw only 100-110 before the last census [if that] so conservation within this area is slowly improving, however we do believe that we are going to lose this most amazing cat unless conservation protection is practiced.
- Leopard (Panthera pardus), Endangered (Please note that the Leopard is also present in Africa) of which professionally trained conservation teams including ourselves International Animal Rescue Foundation © are trying to preserve its [Near Threatened] status. Leopards are currently now endangered in Asia. Compared to other members of the Felidae family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard’s rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguars do. Both leopards and Jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers. Diet normally consists of Antelope, Kudu, dead stock and agricultural stock too. They are an avid hunter being “one of” but not the fastest land running mammal in the world. The Leopard is a versatile hunter and generally nocturnal in its pursuit of prey - however the increased frequency of hunting found in the female [raising young] often leads to more opportunistic hunting during daylight hours. The type of prey taken by the Leopard is again dependant largely upon its locale - in the open grasslands of Africa where roaming herds of large to medium sized herbivores are common the Leopard will take young Eland and Wildebeest, Impala and Gazelle. However in the same areas the Leopard will also take small mammals such as Hares and Rock hyrax, reptiles and insects. In contrast, in the west and central forested regions of Africa the Leopards prey consists mainly of the smaller antelope such as Duiker, small Monkeys and various rodents such as Rats, Squirrels and Porcupines. The Leopard is currently living in 25 locations internationally that are located mainly from United Arab Emirates, China, Nepal, Africa and many more. Although the Leopard has had greater survival success across the African/Asian range compared with the Cheetah and Lion, who now only exist in single locations within this extended range, the Leopard, especially in the Middle East and South West Asia is under extreme threat. The Leopard is listed in CITES Appendix 1. Their numbers are dwindling in Asia due to human species conflict, skin/fur trade, fake Tiger Bone Wine trade (used primarily as a substitute) Traditional Chinese and Indian Medicine trade too.
- Lion (Panthera Leo) EXTINCT There are very few Lions in Asia and what Lions there are they are mostly if not all confined to zoos for eye entertainment or as explained with the Leopard and Tiger (Panthera tigris) they are subsequently starved to death within large sprawling zoo’s that China tries to keep secret. The Lions bones and/or skeleton is harvested then placed into a vat of rice wine. There are currently NO Lions in the wild within Asia that we are aware off.
- Snow Leopard (Uncia uncial) Listed as endangered although sharing its name with the common leopard, the snow leopard is not believed to be closely related to the Leopard or the other members of the Pantherine group and is classified as the sole member of the genus Uncia uncia. Due to the under-development of the fibro-elastic tissue that forms part of the vocal apparatus the Snow Leopard cannot give a full, deep roar and this along with differences in skull characteristics help to separate it from its fellow ‘big cats’. Locating the this stunning and majestic cat can take weeks if not months and can easily camouflage itself out witting its prey to performing some of the most daring cliff face jumps just to obtain its prey. The Snow Leopard lives to an average age of 15-20 years. Current environmental threats are poaching for fur and skin trade, animal parts trade, Traditional Chinese and Indian Medicine, hunting to protect agricultural livestock that has now been pushed into its own predatory hunting grounds, habitat depletion, and human species conflict although rare its happening. A recent study by the World Conservation Society W.C.S revealed that the Snow Leopard is in high danger of extinction within the mountainous regions of Asia from Afghanistan and Iraq. The study indicated that many Snow Leopard parts had been purchased by American and European soldiers that where being sold on the base camps from Afghan vendors that then consequently funds the illegal armoury trade and illicit narcotics trade. The Wildlife Conservation Society though have acted upon this and are now implementing new strategies and improved education to reduce illegal purchasing within the markets of Afghanistan and base camps. However wildlife trade is still being sold and is still on display in the local markets, if the vendor obtains high profit and sales or [want for more from the customer] this then increases the extinction rate rapidly through more illegal poaching. There are roughly 2,000- 2,800 Snow Leopards in the wild with 800 located in international Zoological Gardens. The Snow Leopard generally inhabits elevations between 2000-4000 meters although it can occasionally be found at lower altitudes to the north of its range and as high as 5500 meters in Himalayan regions. The cat is generally associated with generally rocky terrain such as high valley ridges, rocky outcrops and mountain passes. As summer gives way to winter, the snow leopard will follow its migrating prey down below the tree line to the lowland forests that cover much of its habitat – however the cat is rarely associated with dense forestation.
- Tiger (Panthera tigris) Endangered The male Siberian or Amur Tiger/Bengal/Sumatran, has a total body length in excess of 10 ft. and weighing up to 300 kg is by far the largest and most powerful member of the cat family. - However overall body size varies considerably throughout the five sub-species - the female Sumatran being almost 3 ft. smaller. With exception of the Lion the tiger is probably the most easily recognised of all wild cats - its fur which ranges from orange to brownish yellow with a white chest and belly is covered with broken vertical black/dark brown stripes. The length of the fur is longer in the Amur Tiger which inhabits the colder forested regions of eastern Russia and northern China. However, seasonal variation occurs throughout the species, with the winter markings often being paler and less well defined in the longer winter coat. Males of all sub-species also exhibit longer fur in the form of a ‘ruff’ around the back of the head, this is especially pronounced in the Sumatran male. In general the Tiger is a forest dweller but can also be found in grass land and swamp margins beyond woodland areas. They are never far from a source of water, are strong swimmers and have a particular love of bathing in pools and lakes in hotter regions. Principally, Tigers are nocturnal hunters although in protected areas away from human intervention the animal is often active during the day. Although habitat dictates the type of animal that it hunts, the Tiger prefers larger prey, such as wild Boar, Buffalo and Deer, but also hunts fish, Monkeys and various small mammals if its preferred food source is unavailable. The Tiger is often regarded as a cautious hunter, stalking as close as it can to the rear of its prey before making the final charge. Depending on the size of its prey the Tigers killing bite is usually to the throat or neck of its victim - with smaller animals a bite to the neck is often sufficient to sever the spinal cord, whilst with larger prey the throat bite is preferred, gripping the animal until it finally suffocates. As in common with many cats the Tiger will cache its food supply, hiding it under loose vegetation, returning to feed on the carcass over several days. Although, with the exception of mother and cubs learning to hunt, it is generally a solitary hunter the Tiger will often share its food with others of its family group. The Tiger more than any of the ‘big cats’ has earned a reputation of a ‘man-eater’. In the Sundarbans Reserve in the swamp lands along the coast of the Bay of Bengal it has been reported that tigers have attacked fishermen in their boats - however such unprovoked attacks are rare. Confrontation mainly occurs when humans stray into reserved areas to collect firewood or food and here, more often than not, it is by old or injured Tigers unable to compete for normal prey sources. Until recently, when the study of Tigers in their natural habitat has increased due to the establishment of protected reserves, little has been known of the life style of the animal. However today we know much more of the Tigers daily routine and social activities. Although in many ways a solitary animal, patrolling and marking its territory with urine sprays and scrapes the male Tiger will often spend time with its mate and offspring. The male’s territory usually encompasses that of more than one female and is rigorously protected against intrusion from other neighbouring males. The typical litter is between 2 to 3 cubs, which are born some 3 to 4 months after mating. The young Tigers will stay with their mothers in a family group for up to two years, learning the skills of hunting before separating to take up their independence. Young males may travel far, living a solitary life before establishing their own territory, often by ousting older or injured males. On the other hand young females often stay close to their mother and in some cases even share parts of her territory. Although popular in some zoos, ‘White Bengal Tigers’ are extremely rare in the wild - the last sighting of a white tiger in its natural habitat was near Rewa in Central India back in 1951. This male Tiger was captured by the Maharaja of Rewa and named Mohan - it is this animal that most of the white Tigers in captivity today are related. The white Tiger is not a true albino - it simply has less dark coloured pigment in its coat - this is sometime known as a ‘chinchilla’ mutation. The white Tiger is not pure white but has brown stripes and blue eyes. There is some concern about the keeping of white Tigers in zoos. These cats are by nature, extremely inbred and possibly not of pure bred Indian descent. Some suggest that they are taking up valuable cage space and breeding resources and this is to the detriment of other pure bred and more threatened sub species. The current environmental status of all Tiger species from the January 1996 stood at between 4,800 to 7,300 there is now more Tigers in Chinese captive breeding facilities than there is in the wild, and the populations within the wild stand now at a depressing 1,300 if that with 20 dead for 2013 to date March 2013.
The total number of Tigers from the year of 1996 stood at;
- Bengal Indian 4735
- Siberian Tiger 230
- South China Tiger 30
- Sumatran Tiger 500
- Indo-Chinese Tiger 1790
The sad reality with regards to the Tiger is we are losing the conservation battle against the illegal animal parts trade, and from recent submitted reports that we acquired from reputable conservation teams, we are lead to believe that the Tiger we may lose unfortunately unless action is implemented quickly and aggressively. The palm oil trade within Indonesia and Malaysia is also playing a crucial role in the destruction of these amazing million year old cats. The Ramin tree that the Sumatran’s live within has been illegally logged time again even though it is classified as endangered and must not be felled, logging agencies and plantation owners continue to flout the rules placing the Sumatran Tigers habitat in greater risk.
United Arab Emirates, Middle Eastern Asian nations and Europe compromise the following wildcats of which I have only documented on the individuals status as listed on the I.U.C.N list below this picture. Documentation on the Leopard Panthera pardus is listed above.
- Eurasian Lynx Lynxs lynx
- European Wildcat Felis silvestris
- Jungle Cat Felis chaus
- Leopard Panthera pardus (endangered)
- Sand Cat Felis margarita (near threatened)
- Spanish Lynx Lynx pardinus (critically endangered) - Picture above is the Jaguar - Amazonia
- Sand cat (Felis margarita) is listed as near threatened from which populations of this particular cat are actually still quite dense and with birth rates exceptionally high at 4-5 Kittens coupled with the where the cats breed they are still not really as yet in any near danger of being moved to vulnerable status. Known as the sand dune cat, is the only felid found primarily in true desert, and has a wide but apparently distinct distribution through the deserts of northern Africa and southwest and central Asia. The IUCN listed the cat as near threatened due to mostly the tropical pet trade and one can see why as they are an exquisite felid with such splendid colourings, and facial features that customers will pay up to $5000 for each on the black market. Habitat degradation is the major threat to the sand cat. Vulnerable arid ecosystems are being rapidly degraded by human settlement and activity, especially livestock grazing. The sand cat’s small-mammal prey-base depends on having adequate vegetation, which may experience large fluctuations due to drought, or declines due to desertification and loss of natural vegetation. They also may be killed in traps laid out by inhabitants of oases targeting foxes and jackals or in retaliation for killing their chickens. There are occasional reports of animals shot in south-east Arabia. Other localized threats include the introduction of feral and domestic dogs and cats, creating direct competition and through predation and disease transmission. The sand cat is the only wild cat that is not threatened with loss of habitat since it is found in the desert. But this species is threatened by hunting and collection for the pet trade. Some are killed by humans who consider them a threat to their livestock. Because sand cats live in such vast, desert locations, they are hard to study and keep track off, and population estimates are not available to date for 2012-2013.
- Spanish Lynx (Lynx pardinus) Listed as critically endangered, more commonly known as the Iberian lynx the species was mentioned in this month’s CoP 16th meetings in Bangkok Thailand from which we and other conservationists believe that we may lose this amazing specimen of wildcat. Native to the Iberian Peninsula in Southern Europe it is the most endangered species off wildcat in the world. Should the Spanish Lynx die out it would be the first felid species to become extinct since prehistoric times. The lynx is a solitary cat that haunts the remote northern forests of North America, Europe, and Asia. Lynx are covered with beautiful thick fur that keeps them warm during frigid winters. Their large paws are also furry and hit the ground with a spreading toe motion that makes them function as natural snowshoes. These stealthy cats avoid humans and hunt at night, so they are rarely seen. There are several species of lynx. Few survive in Europe but those that do, like their Asian relatives, are typically larger than their North American counterpart, the Canadian Lynx. All Lynx are skilled hunters that make use of great hearing (the tufts on their ears are a hearing aid) and eyesight so strong that a Lynx can spot a mouse 250 feet (75 meters) away. Canada Lynx eat mice, squirrels, and birds, but prefer the snowshoe hare. The Lynx are so dependent on this prey that their populations fluctuate with a periodic plunge in snowshoe hare numbers that occurs about every ten years. Bigger Eurasian Lynx hunt Deer and other larger prey in addition to small animals. Lynx mate in early spring or late winter. About two months later, females give birth to a litter of one to four young. Humans sometimes hunt Lynx for their beautiful fur. One endangered population, the Iberian lynx, struggles to survive in the mountains of Spain, far from the cold northern forests where most lynx live.
We are going to see a vast decline within the wildcat species unless immediate conservation actions are not stepped up and all nations responsible for poaching “incidents” now start to tackle these poachers with stringent punishment, fines, and stiffer prison sentences. Poaching, and the animal parts trade is and will always be the number one threat to our wildcat species plus the barbaric and completely senseless fur trade that’s gaining more momentum by the month.
Tropical pet trade, illegal logging, mining and the palm oil trade are all adding up to conservation stock depletion plus the massive over population of the human race that now stands at over eight billion people worldwide. It’s a sad fact of life that should we not start to reuse, reduce, and recycle then we are sadly only contributing to more trees being felled for the products that we could off reused and other products purchased on the high streets done without. The illegal logging trade and mining increases poaching from open road ways and places more animals at risk from the live illegal pet trade.
Mining and agriculture are also causing catastrophic habitat loss with now oil drilling threating thousands of species off plant and animal to aquatic and reptilians.
We have only one chance in life to save these most precious and majestic magical cats that are still residing upon Planet Earth, one must now also start gearing up and working harder to preserve the Lion and the Tiger with the Tiger being at the forefront of the Lions preservation. Should we see all 1,000+ Tigers vaporised for counterfeit medicines, balms, and bone wine, to bush meat then we will most certainly lose the Lion and the Tiger within a ten years.
We and all other conservationists require your immediate help to make aware the plight of the suffering and nearing of extinction these cats are facing with immediate action taken now rather than later. We have not got time to wait for the next CoP17 summit and based on the meetings so far we and others are going to be gearing up for more battles with regards to the Rhinoceros, Elephant, and many other species.
To report a poaching incident and or major animal abuse please contact us below
externalaffairs@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk or alternatively you can contact us for more information at info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Thank you for reading
Dr J C Dimetri V.M.D, B.E.S, Ma, PhD, MEnvSc
Director
Delegated Rescue Corps & Administrative staff
International Animal Rescue foundation
Environmentalism Chapter 27 - Sandalwood Smuggling
Concerns are rising over the vast increase in smuggling of the Sandalwood tree deep within the forests of India, Australia and Africa. The trade is now roaring and placing many botanical species of plants and mammalians at risk. Streams and oceans are also polluted from the toxins that are used, plus poaching within these areas is increasing as of roads being opened up that gives the poacher, and the tropical pet trade smuggler an easy route into and out the forests of India.
What is Sandalwood?
Sandalwood is an aromatic tree that is a member of the numerous freeloading plants in the Santalaceae family, particularly the Santalum album. The sandalwood tree is indigenous to India and the specialty of the wood is that it radiates a perfumed scent. Even the wood or timber acquired from the tree is useful in numerous ways. The vital oil extracted from the sandalwood tree is commercially utilized in fragrances and remedies.
The sandalwood tree is partially parasitic and evergreen in nature. A normal sandalwood tree grows approximately up to 30 feet or 10 meters in height. The tree bears leaves that are like lances or javelins. The sandalwood flowers range from light yellow to purple in colour and the fruits borne by the tree are petite and just about black in colour. Over the ages, the aroma of sandalwood has been held in high esteem both in India as well as in China. In fact, for thousands of years, sandalwood is often burnt as incense and has a vital role in all Hindu ceremonies in India. In most parts of the world, the central part of the sandalwood tree is regularly used in the manufacture of perfumes. However, in China this has been used as a remedy for different disorders since approximately 500 A.D.
The Indian sandalwood, also known as the Santalum album, is said to be in danger of extinction hence why it is very costly. Despite the fact that all sandalwood trees in India as well as in Nepal are owned by the respective governments and felling for the trees stringently restricted, many trees are still cut down and smuggled out of these countries by well-linked and highly-placed smugglers. Owing to the steep gap between the supply and demand scenarios, the price of sandalwood oil has skyrocketed to $1000 - $1500 per kilogram during the last five years. It may be mentioned here that there are many nations where trade in sandalwood oil is considered illegal as the authorities there are of the opinion that this is ecologically harmful. The authorities in these countries substantiate their view by saying that making the sandalwood trade legal only helps in encouraging the over harvesting of this valuable tree.
According to the experts as well as the traders, sandalwood grown in the Mysore region of Tamil Nadu in southern India is of the best quality available anywhere. Even the smuggling of the sandalwood trees from this region is said to be the highest. As a consequence, the Tamil Nadu government has undertaken the task of planting new trees with help from international agencies. The move is expected to speed up the economic growth of the region, along with replacing the depleting sandalwood forests there. It may be mentioned here that currently people in Kununurra in Western Australia are growing the Indian sandalwood species or the Santalum album on a very large scale. The sandalwood plantations in the region are so vast that they literally surround the scenic little town of Kununurra on all sides.
Why has Sandalwood smuggling intensified?
International Animal Rescue Foundation © doesn’t personally believe that the illegal trade in Sandalwood has increased simply because of the dwindling tree numbers, or of its requirement’s within the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Indian Medicine trade [TIM] as we are again viewing the same typical pattern with Sandalwood as we are with the Rhinoceros, Elephant and Tiger to many other species internationally.
As explained within the documents of [understanding poaching Doc4 2013] we are viewing the increased smuggling as another form of revenue for the illegal firearms and narcotic trade of which Sandalwood tree logging is funding to great extents.
We cannot pinpoint as yet other areas of concern, however based on evidence and the fact the main kingpin that fronts this trade has made himself viewable to the world within China of which he [has been linked to animal parts poaching] and trade then we are lead to believe that he may [be funding poachers or some form of poaching unit] moving into Africa to then take down the Rhinoceros and the Elephant.
This is still to be fully investigated however we are 95% certain with regards from communication via Nepal and India that this man is somewhat involved within the African poaching trade his name we are [withholding] however one can locate this criminal on the World Wide Web via a simple search. He never leaves China and regularly mocks the Indian environmental and tourism ministers via electronic email and telecommunications.
The illegal smuggling and logging trade with regards to Sandalwood isn’t just confined to India though, the trade has also spread to WA [Western Australia] and Africa from which Chinese ringers are coincidentally behind making colossal amounts of money as I have explained briefly below.
This revenue amassed through the destructiveness off illegal forestry logging then goes back deep within the network of [animal poaching] thus keeping the circle of destruction flowing internationally with no light to be seen yet at the end of the tunnel.
Many musical instruments are made from Sandalwood - Illegally logged or legally logged?
Revenue made from illegal Sandalwood logging;
- For one ton of Sandalwood which is roughly one two trees depending on height and circumference length of the girth the trader would fetch in between $15,000 and $20,000 per ton.
- The opportunist logger/illegal trader would fetch no less than $15,000 per ton which can keep a poor person funded illegally for approximately 3-6 months.
- Just in WA [Western Australia] alone 170 tonnes of illegal sandalwood will fetch the illegal logger/trader $2.5 million. Back in March 2012 this exact quantity was seized from Asian loggers that would off brought to the black market millions of USD.
- Prices have skyrocketed on the black market that saw Sandalwood at only $3,000 a metric ton, this has since increased to $15,000 that’s concerning and if not stopped now and nipped in the bub it will take fifty years or more to bring back these tress to their former state.
Patterns and corruption;
We are viewing the same patterns of smuggling and trade routes with customs officers either being bribed or simply turning a blind eye and allowing critically endangered species of the Red Sandalwood the “most craved after” Pterocarpus santalinus to be loaded upon vast sized container ships of which it’s then exported illegally.
Very few legitimate Indian customs officers are not checking container ships and ports correctly, are too slack with their checks to not even scrutinizing documentation adequately which see’s Sandalwood in the ton load leave port. We are seeing though the exact same patterns with regards to the wildlife trade and narcotics trade of which more action has to be taken by customs.
Smuggling gangs are becoming very intelligent and have been noted strapping intricately a container to the underside of the vessel loaded with Sandalwood/wildlife parts or have welded open a new compartment underneath the ship of which they then store the illegal consignment. This compartment is usually next to the rudder.
This type of smuggling behaviour is relatively new and has been used by narcotic gangs that have smuggled abroad large quantities of contraband underneath vessels in welded/opened up caverns into many international nations. Australia is seeing some large hauls now regarding this type of illegal activity however they have specialist divers and one of the world’s best customs that routinely check these types of vessels both covertly underneath the container vessel and above to within, they also scrutinise the vessels construction plans.
It’s extremely frustrating to know that these methods are being used by smugglers that customs in India are not frequently checking, but more glancing around the ship’s infrastructure with no underwater checks, or blue print analysis.
November 2012 saw a huge consignment seized, of which had it made the Asian border the illegal contraband would of made millions of USD thus funding the black market massively.
Container vessels and ports must now be thoroughly checked with all loop holes closed
The report quotes;
A recent seizure of a container of red that was being moved from the SEZ port of Vallarpadom in Kochi has once again exposed the illegality of exporting this product to various parts of China. It is being alleged that the rare sandalwood was cut and transported through a nexus of smugglers and Naxals from the forests of Andhra Pradesh to other ports with the help of agents.
As many as nine containers, worth about 100 crores, have already passed unnoticed to other countries via this port indicating that there is massive political and organised syndicate smuggling ring operating here.
Government enforcement agencies like the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Customs and Excise have complained that they have very little access to these SEZ Ports. - Which we find very hard to believe.
Because the first such SEZ approved port does not allow the entry of enforcement law agencies to conduct checks inside, it helps smugglers to carry on with their illegal operations. The Customs Department has alleged that the terminal is not immune to on-port customs inspections as per Section 47 of the SEZ Act.
The enforcement agencies that arrested the kingpin of the illegal trade Anil Kumar, the driver and few others are dismayed by the fact that they will be released on bail as the Indian law has no provisions against persons who violate the International treaty helping culprits to evade punishment.
Government of India has entered in an international treaty with several countries and to protect the treaty in India there is no law against persons who are violating the international treaty.
The recent Supreme Court order which states that any person of whatever quantum of amount he is evading or whatever the gravity of his offence he is involved the magistrates are bound to release them on bail which has created a very bad situation and has fuelled the Sandalwood trade more.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confiscated, in an early morning raid, a container with 17 tonnes of contraband red Sandalwood destined for China through Dubai and Hong Kong from the Vallarpadom ICTT.
The DRI has learned that red Sandalwood worth a minimum of Rs 50 crore had left the ICTT for Dubai to be re-routed to Chinese ports since the commissioning of the terminal in February last year. The contents of the container cleared by the customs as rubber mat last week were filled with red sandalwood on its way to the terminal after getting Customs clearing.
The red Sandalwood is exported mainly to China for making musical instruments due to cheap price and availability in India. The contraband is also used in TCM/TIM and is another method of making money fast such as the illegal poaching and smuggling of wildlife animal parts from Africa.
The smuggling trade is also linked to Kenya – Africa;
The report quoted;
The protected Sandalwood tree is turning traders into millionaires. The plant is being harvested illegally in Samburu, Pokot, Baringo and other parts of the North Rift.
The cartels involved, including prominent politicians, administration and security officials, have made it almost impossible to bring the illegal trade under control, making extinction of the endangered plant a near certainty.
Hardly a week passes without a truckload of the wood, whose scientific name is Osyris lanceolata, [a similar species of rare Sandalwood] being seized is some part of the country.
There are many other cases that are not reported. Perhaps with this in mind, Forestry minister Noah Wekesa a few weeks ago advertised a hotline for the public to inform the ministry of illegal exploitation of the tree that is exported for use in the pharmaceutical and perfume industries.
The toll free hotline number 08002212323 will also provide information on the exploitation of other forest products including bush meat, skins, ivory, and contraband trade in wildlife species.
Protected tree;
It is a follow up of the ban on Sandalwood harvesting imposed by President Kibaki in a gazette notice on April 4, 2007, under the protected tree species law.
Behind the scenes in the battle to save the Sandalwood is the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, an organisation charged with law enforcement operations against illegal trade in both animals and plants. The Task Force says over-exploitation of the Sandalwood and other products in the region may lead to a dangerous imbalance in the ecosystem.
Sandalwood is harvested from trees over 30 years old and unfortunately the tree is valuable from the leaves to the roots hence its vulnerability. The crude methods of harvest destroy the plant completely.
Late last year key Government departments in Kajiado district clashed over a lorry impounded at Namanga border on November 26 while transporting 40 tonnes of sandalwood worth Sh40 million to Tanzania. Area Police, Kenya Wildlife Service and Forest service personnel failed to agree on where the trailer should be kept. It ended up at the KWS staff quarters following pressure from KWS and forest officials. Sources said the KWS officials did not trust the police on grounds that they would be compromised.
The intriguing thing was that both containers had two padlocks one from the police and another from the KWS officials. This shows mistrust in each other’s capacity to keep the containers safe AND corruption.
However Humphrey Wanzala, who was then area police boss at the time, had a different story saying that the lorry was at the KWS quarters because the officials were suspecting that there were other wildlife trophies besides Sandalwood.
He denied that there was mistrust saying, “We are together in this as we work for the same Government. We shall pursue this matter to the very end.”
The KWS official, Mr Timothy Kitonyi, said the only issue was that the suspects claimed they harvested the sandalwood in Mbale, Uganda, yet they did not have any relevant documents. KWS suspected that they may have hidden other trophies in the containers. KWS official were investigating the matter from the headquarters in Nairobi. They wanted to find out how the containers full of Sandalwood had travelled that far without being detected. Three people, Jane Nyambura, Frank Jeremiah Frank and Daniel Muya, were eventually charged with being in possession of East African Sandalwood worth Sh40 million.
Habitat destruction and wildlife;
Illegal harvesting and a lack of effective management are major causes for concern. Even though the trade is regulated through a system of permits by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), it is believed that more of the aromatic wood is leaving the country through illegal means.
The fragrant tree is also at risk from shrinking habitat due to human encroachment and land conversion impacting the wild populations.
Currently there are no detailed studies done on the species. The current information available is very general. The future of our highly fragrant wood is severely threatened by a rising demand for Sandalwood, problems faced in monitoring harvests and a persistent illegal trade.
Many species of primate, Pygmy Elephants, Asian Elephants, parrots, fish, and more are all being placed in severe risk of endangerment from illegal logging that CITES now needs to urge all 178 nations of the CITES parties to now take further and more stringent action, laws and monitoring must be brought in via customs and excise, ports where large container ships are [immune] from random searches MUST not be immune and these loop holes now immediately extinguished to catch up with these criminals.
International Animal Rescue Foundation © works by tackling the demand not the just the killings, logging and/or smuggling. Hitting the demand hard between the teeth knocks the trade for six and disrupts all channels and levels, however to hit demand hard we need all African and most of Asia on our side. That’s going to take some doing however [there is no such word within our vocabulary as can’t or impossible].
In 2012, a report showed how Sandalwood smugglers were getting richer with impunity inside the 500-acre campus of Bangalore University (40 Sandalwood trees carted away; 50 more hacked, left to wither). And now, alarm bells are clanging again over the city’s largest biodiversity reserve.
Peacocks, Mongoose, Wild Rabbits, Jackals, Leopards, Bengal Tigers and more are all under threat not just via the habitual destruction but [the roads and pathways that are being opened up by the loggers] of which the poachers make a quick kill and vast sums of money. The snares and traps are similar to the ones Haryana-based poachers had laid at Biligiri Ranga Temple (BRT) wildlife sanctuary and which were discovered in July 2012.
The snares where made of material similar to clutch cables in motorcycles, they were laid in artificially created cavities to trap wildlife. This is the first time that such snares have been found within the campus. This indicates to us International Animal Rescue Foundation © that Sandalwood logging is out of control, habitat is being destroyed on colossal levels thus pushing wildlife into public areas making poaching easy game.
These snares are said to be common among poachers. They are usually camouflaged and around five or six are placed together in paths frequented by wild animals. The method does not leave a trace after the animals are killed. The products are then sold illegally over international borders.
The Indian government quoted “It is the responsibility of students to protect the flora and fauna they are blessed with. As government departments are involved in blame games, students on the campus should bring about a change and keep poachers and Sandalwood smugglers at bay,” Maheshwar H, a local resident said”
[We ourselves disagree and with the poachers being armed and becoming more intelligent by the day of which a member of the public is soon is going to fall prey to a poaching incident] leading to a loss of human life.
Will the government and CITES act then?
Who knows, what we do know is that should this trade not be hit hard on the head NOW then we are going to see a massive decrease in animal life, possible extinction of Indian big cats, to a possible human death.
We are already more than aware that in India alone big cats are being pushed into residential areas as of their own living areas being destroyed. ACTION must be taken NOW.
International Animal Rescue Foundation INDIA
Director & Indian Delegate of Affairs
For more information please email us of visit our Indian Facebook page that represents the NGO in India, please also stay tuned for our new relation in Nepal.
Encompassing India – Battling the illegal trade baron – Protecting our Flora and Fauna
The illegal smuggling trade seen below in a more different view. The smuggling trade is all around us, it is common fact that every day of your life you will come within only 10 feet of an illegal smuggling operation, by road, train, boat, plane, even in the streets. The smugglers are dressed just like us, they can even be high profile persons[s] to even selling to you WHAT YOU THINK is legal just to be stopped at customs/police [then YOUR questioned for racketeering] DON’T be a victim off crime.
Video below is a little “Bollywood” (spoof) at the start however it does get into the real deal within 1.4 minutes, showing a shocking case of a tree that is near to extinction, and exactly how bad this problem is within India.
Environmentalism Chapter 26 - Understanding Poaching
In this last document on understanding poaching part 5 I’m going to explain the other side the increasing demand for Rhinoceros and Elephant poaching and why demand is colossally raging out of control when in reality from recent surveys it has been proven that Rhinoceros horn and ivory to other animal parts are not actually being used to such a high degree anymore for medicine but rather consumption and religion/cultural beliefs or gaining what our once ancestors had within Asia.
Since January 2011 we have been monitoring other arrests that are related to Rhinoceros horn and ivory to try and ascertain other areas that we may have overlooked. These areas that we covered where in the regions of Hanoi and Saigon, and most districts of China, the two regions of Vietnam that I have identified is where most Rhinoceros horn is actually sold, however within China it’s sold all over as a whole.
The results were somewhat worrying that showed the levels of Rhinoceros horn in Vietnam are in fact very low, which confused us, based on the usage levels from 2012 surveys and how easy it is to actually obtain via classified advertisements, private marketers, to street vendors and the medicine markets.
Coming as no surprise the majority of Rhinoceros horn is actually fake, meaning that we have now [petty criminals] deep within Asia as well as highly sophisticated criminals working within Vietnam that is seen on whole as the largest user and consumer of Rhinoceros horn and second largest trader in Elephant ivory and other animals parts.
Records and arrest documentation within Asia have shown that 80% of Rhinoceros horn is non-Rhinoceros horn but chemicals that are made up of many different minerals, stones and Papier-mâché - French for “chewed paper”. The fake Rhinoceros horns were so delicately and intricately produced and then polished that buyers of Rhinoceros horn couldn’t even tell the difference between the real thing thus handing over thousands of Vietnamese dollars just for the [petty criminals] to then vanish leaving the [lucrative black market] trader some thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Rhino horn smugglers are now making very high quality fake horns, allowing unscrupulous hunters to sell the real horns at a huge mark-up to black market dealers for traditional medicine/and/consumption to status symbols. The fake horns are made with top quality resins and look so authentic that they are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing, a report presented this week to members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species quoted CITES officials have been alerted to the increasing involvement of professional hunters in the illegal rhino horn trade, this is yet another reason why international Animal Rescue Foundation © is working towards a full moratorium on hunting due to vast corruption and fake horn sales.
Trophies are exported to hunters after a legal hunt, but once the hunters have received the trophies in their home countries, the original rhino horns are removed from the trophies and replaced with fake horns. Our investigations teams have within the last four weeks located many traders that are selling trophies “on mounts” and off mounts of which it was clearly visible that the real horns had been removed, to even one trophy quoted as “recently hunted” [Northern White Rhinoceros] even though it had been pushed to extinction within the last decade, the so called antique’s horn was even placed pointing downwards and what looked like [glue] around the base of the horn [indicating that the real horn had been removed and a fake resin horn had been placed on the trophy.
CITES did not specify in which country the fake horns were being made and sold, but details in the report point to the possible involvement of either American or European hunters in the fake horn scam. As we ourselves quoted this “didn’t come as a surprise” as we know how many illegal yet fake narcotic sales are on the market, and with narcotics making gargantuan sums of money then the temptation to cash in on the (counterfeit trade) from petty yet skilled criminals is there and has been for some years.
Horns are smuggled in via hiding them in statues to avoid detection.
In 2012 wildlife investigators in the US arrested several American and Vietnamese nationals in a major bust in several cities across the US following the seizure of numerous rhino horns, some of which were suspected to have originated from legal rhino hunts in SA and other parts of the continent being mainly Zimbabwe that has only 700 Rhinoceros left within the country alone.
There have also been a series of robberies from museums and private collections across Europe over the past three years in which the horns were stolen from mounted rhinoceros head trophies. The fake horns were initially made with a mould and were relatively easy to identify, but recent reports from authorities indicate that fake horns encountered lately are made in high-quality resin with a density even higher than that of a real horn.
This makes visual identification, once fully mounted, extremely difficult. But CITES officials have now found a way to smoke out the culprits (so they believe). Fake horns can however, be identified relatively easily by collecting and burning a small quantity of dust from the horn, which will deliver a distinctive smell indicating that it is not rhinoceros horn. Even though CITES have stated this, the unscrupulous buyer that is purchasing on the back street’s doesn’t always have the time to examine the horns leaving them out of pocket by thousands of Vietnamese dollars.
In the light of this new trend, it is of extreme importance that CITES parties should have adequate legislation and enforcement controls in place, to prevent horns that are part of legal exported trophies from being used for purposes other than hunting trophies, and to ensure that the trophies remain in possession of their owners.
Another possible source of the fake horns is Vietnam, which has been implicated as the end destination of dozens of SA rhinos that were shot legally by Vietnamese poachers posing as professional hunters. However the Department of Environmental Affairs in [2012] has now ceased this and Vietnamese hunters can no longer hunt or obtain a hunting permit for South Africa.
The report notes that Vietnamese authorities had pledged to conduct a stock-taking exercise to check whether SA rhino trophy horns were still in the possession of Vietnamese hunters. It is vital for the authorities in Vietnam to conclude this activity as a matter of urgency and to investigate fully all incidents where trophies are no longer in possession of the hunters. Such follow-up investigations can provide important information on the identity of the driving force behind the trafficking of rhino horn. People who no longer had their horn trophies should be able to tell investigators who the horns had be sold to. This has yet to be acted upon and we are led to believe that it will never be taken seriously too.
With all this evidence and knowledge though in the public domain and now known to the environmental law enforcement agencies the counterfeit trade is still on-going which in theory is driving the demand for obtaining the real horn up at increasing and alarming rates thus now threating the South African and African Rhinoceros species on a whole even more.
Saving Rhino’s the online non-profit organisation quoted;
The demand for rhino horn is so great in Vietnam that certain outlets are said to be selling imitation rhino horn made from cows or buffalo.
On the Vietnamese market, some sources report that a “freshly cut” rhino horn commands a retail price of USD $25,000 - $40,000 per kg. Imitation horns supposedly fetch a substantial price of USD $15,000 per kg.
Contrary to popular belief, the manufacture and sale of “fake” rhinoceros horns does not flood the market and drive prices down. Instead, imitation horns keep the trade invigorated and the demand high.
Regrettably as http://www.savingrhinos.org/vietnamese_rhino_horn_trade.html quoted and ourselves and CITES that until the demand is hit in every possible direction including the fake/imitation trade then we are going to view more Rhinoceros murdered for fake horn. It should also be noted that the Rhinoceros horn trade should never be lifted until all these avenues have been researched into more, investigated then illuminated and closed down that could cease the demand colossally.
Fact stands though that 80% of Rhinoceros horn is indeed imitation horn or other animal horns of which again we have been monitoring very large hunting organisations and outfitters that are hunting for demand vast populations of horned African species from the Oryx, Antelope, Impala, Kudu and Springbok of which the skilled petty criminals in Asia, America or Europe then delicately craft these horns with other materials in to a fake Rhinoceros horn. Such sales of horned animal products are on sale everywhere. http://www.africancraftsmarket.com/carved-horns.html
The problems don’t just stop at Rhinoceros horn nether the demand for fake ivory from which the “processed ivory can sell in the region of $25,000 to $100,000” depending on design is also on the rise and at worrying levels.
Other animal tusks such as Hippo ivory or Walrus and even bones are all being traded off too as Elephant ivory which again is increasing demand thus keeping the barbaric and senseless poaching continuing on such a large scale that saw in 2011 some 25,000 Elephants slaughtered for greed and culture, 2013 has seen almost 200 Elephants slaughtered for their tooth’s [tusks] for the entire continent of Africa.
Examples of synthetic Elephant ivory can be seen when the bottom of the tusk appears to be sliced, but no grains or ivory identifications are clearly visible. The “cut” area of the imitation tusk is created when the item is removed from the mould. There will also be small holes from bubbles made in the moulding process similar to that of plaster or plastics.
Wildlife internet crime is on the rise if we know your selling on the internet you will be located, and your details logged and you will face a hefty prison sentence or fine - this trader in India caught our eye last week one of many.
Sadly though there are many skilled craftsmen within Asia that have worked in the legal and illegal ivory trade for some years before ivory trade was eventually banned in the 1990’s. To become a skilled carver too you have to pass a five year course which coincidentally is run and funded by the Chinese government. These craftsmen are so highly trained that sourcing the real Elephant ivory from the counterfeit is near impossible unless a DNA sample is carried out.
Substitutes supposedly do not have the integrity of true ivory, and part of this has to do the growth pattern of ivory, called Schreger lines, which facilitates carving at any angle. So it seems the uniqueness of the material as a carving substrate, its beauty and its historic significance in terms of a rarity and prestige all contribute to the demand.
Even flooding the market with fake ivory would not help to reduce pressure on living elephants. The prestige and appearance of the real article make consumers demand genuine ivory in exactly the same way as Rhinoceros horn trade.
Many buyers of fake ivory and Rhinoceros horn will perform checks on the articles such as burning small sections to identify if the ivory is counterfeit however this is not always the case when the purchaser is presented with a $50,000 piece of crafted ivory or Rhinoceros horn at $75,000kg.
Would you as an illegal peddler allow someone to take a lighter or blow torch to the product and then [possibly damage the product] ruining months if not years of crafted ivory to damaging a Rhinoceros horn that [could indeed be real] you could be landed a hefty [illegal bill or even shot dead].
So how do we tackle the problem and what other areas can be looked into to tackle increasing sales to decrease demand?
- Firstly we could ask CITES and governing environmental agencies to now work towards implementing a full ban on all Asian hunting permits being obtained thus decreasing ivory trophies then being sold on the black market. Fact stands that in China some 90% of all ivory is illegal and has no papers as quoted by two independent investigative environmental agencies and the National Geographic Channel. Only 10% of the ivory in China is legal. [That’s incredibly shocking and worrying]
- Secondly we could ask CITES and governing environmental agencies to work on implementing a full ban on all Rhinoceros and Elephant hunting to reduce the market even more. This would also decrease the potential for any mounted trophies traveling into Vietnam illegally from other nations thus reducing demand on a whole.
- Online sales need to be tackled and by doing this I.S.P [Internet Service Providers] need to enforce now tougher regulations such as banning Internet Protocols from their sites thus cutting the trader and/or criminal of from the internet. Environmental agencies must share this information with other ISP providers so if the criminal/trader then located another ISP they would be immediately banned as the IP address being that “your personal computers number” would not be able to locate the internet based on shared intelligence. The same ruling must more or less apply to all E-mail providing companies of which should they notice the same IP logging on based on shared intelligence then the email provider does not provide thus communicating with wildlife and law enforcement agencies of which the individual can be monitored by all means of online trading.
- When traders are located selling and buying on the internet law enforcement agencies must introduce tougher penalties to now ban the trader from using any form of internet communication device, computer, laptop, internet café, mobile phone, proxy servers. A confiscation order must also be introduced of all communication equipment of which is then subsequently crushed if illegal online activity is noticed.
- Online classifieds must now be given a three count rule then banned we have located now many American, African, Canadian, European, and Asian buy and sell sites that are still not checking the sites accordingly for illegal wildlife trade. By enforcing such measures of which should they flout three times then the sites are automatically shut down or censored.
Since Operation Trojan Horse began [2011] part of the International Animal Rescue Foundation’s © environmental counter intelligence ground and monitoring research team exactly 175 Asian, American and European sites have been noted with 69 off them sites communicated with thus informing them of the environmental laws both on line and on the ground.
34 of them sites where shut down from the 175 located and eavesdropped on with the remaining still under investigation of which we are communicating with law enforcement agencies exactly what they are providing, advertising, to the whom the buyers are and what other web of communications the buyer[s] have such as the black market, couriers, poachers, social media and other.
These options must be seen as the only option in reducing demand further before implementing a legal trade in Rhinoceros horn or ivory, and as an environmental investigations and animal welfare unit that’s provided factual evidence, surveyed evidence and statistics to, high crime rate, low unemployment, and high poaching then demanding a full moratorium we cannot yet agree on fully as experienced and knowledgeable environmentalists until every possible avenue has been effected. The reasons for not “as yet” fighting for a full moratorium I have highlighted below. Please take in to account that we state “full and not partial” for the reasons highlighted below;
- Would the consequences of a complete ban on hunting then impact on job losses and liquidation of companies thus increasing anti-social behaviour, crime, increased poaching, and poverty, suicide, to effecting child and adult education?
- The demographics of South Africa encompass about 50 million people of diverse origins, cultures, languages, and religions, this is based on the last census of [2011] with the next census not due until the years between 2016-2021. Every minute within South African alone there are 10 children born every minute thus increasing populations which has a detrimental effect on natural habitat pushing more species out of their natural living areas. By implementing a complete moratorium would this then have a knock on effect on species that are so tightly packed within areas they have been pushed into via habitual destruction that agriculture and homeland would be consequently invaded to even placing human life at risk and destroying crop?
- By placing a moratorium on hunting for the species of Rhinoceros and Elephant in South Africa would this increase poaching of other species thus introducing another trend to the black market thus starting a new destructive circle of?
- Would a full hunting ban increase what we are seeing now botanical poaching thus reducing near threatened endangered and criticality endangered species of plant and trees that human and animal life depends on?
As professional conservationists we cannot take any chances or risks of placing a nation in even more poverty, damaging conservation and agriculture more too increasing crime and possibly a
newer poaching trend. Surveys have to be undertaken, risk analysis, environmental monitoring, and what other methods can be introduced to decrease the illegal black market of wildlife trade.
The department of Environmental Affairs issued a ban on all hunting permits to Vietnamese individuals applying for a hunting permit in 2012 of which the D.E.A quoted in their last government public announcement 1st March 2013 that hunting permits that have been applied for in 2012 had decreased significantly by almost 50%.
This may sound fair and good news, however this ban was aimed more at banning pseudo hunting from one nation based on the number of corrupt individuals that haven’t even fired a rifle never mind hunting in [Vietnam] from entering in to South Africa.
Most of the non-genuine hunters were not keeping the trophies as stated in environmental law then removing horns as explained above thus subsequently selling the real horn on. The trophy they had in their possession had then either coincidentally vanished or the horns had been replaced by imitation horns made from fine resins and/or resin and papier-mâché.
However the poaching has still erratically increased and banning [just] Vietnamese individuals has not had any effect at all from the ever increasing demand of illegal wildlife trade that’s flooding both Thailand and Vietnam at alarmingly high levels. http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/05/mozambique-customs-arrest-vietnamese-rhino-horn-smuggler/ http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/56937/the-biggest-ivory-rhino-horn-smuggling-cases-in-vietnam.html http://www.rhinoconservation.org/2013/01/07/rhino-horn-smugglers-arrested-in-thailand-and-vietnam/
We was not expecting the D.E.A (Department of Environmental Affairs) to just ban Vietnamese citizens as what’s to stop a Vietnamese posing as a Chinese or Japanese citizen with fake papers, also what’s stopping them from obtaining fake passports and papers that can and are made to order and online or via black market tourism trade that helps illegal asylum seekers to enter nations using political persecution as a weapon for refugee to then carry commit crime and terrorism.
Since the DEA banned hunting Vietnam citizens from applying for hunting permits there has been a substantial increase in the amount of American, Russian and Eastern European hunters now applying which is believed to be the increase of more Rhinoceros pseudo hunting to supply the demand for Rhinoceros horn in Asia.
Since the permit ban was placed evidence suggests that nationals from the Czech Republic and Poland have been implicated in pseudo-hunts. Information from the DEA in South Africa indicates that there has been a 50% plus reduction in the number of rhino trophy hunting permits granted and that the number of hunting applications from Vietnam and other East Asian countries has dropped off as explained above. However, there has been a reported rise in applications from Russian and, particularly, US hunters (up by 300% in 2012 so far compared to 2010) possibly indicating the flexibility and opportunistic nature of pseudo-hunting criminal operatives.
From 2003 to 2013 those that have been arrested for Rhinoceros poaching alone have been more Afrikaans indicating that syndicates could possibly be working within the refugee camps in Africa posing as refugees then sending the poor man into South Africa from Mozambique.
The total number of Mozambique’s that have been arrested is now standing at 479 from 2003 -2012 of which they are the most known poachers, and with the evidence above within the links it clearly shows that Vietnamese are working inside Mozambique which now needs addressing immediately. The poacher then supplies the Vietnamese or Thai couriers which consequently keep the demand flowing, although it’s been disrupted slightly.
From research we have amassed the following;
- The ban on Vietnamese hunting permits has been a complete waste of time with more poaching increasing via African individuals via Mozambique thus supplying the market more. This could also suggest that should there be a lift of the Rhinoceros horn trade with [controlled prices and trade] then reflection from the hunting permit ban on Vietnamese could increase poaching could as a whole considerably more.
- Pseudo hunting from US, Russian, Polish, and Czech Republic individuals has increased which if not monitored or some form of control implemented could see the Rhinoceros population’s desolated.
- 80% of imitation horn is deriving from Europe and America of which is then flooded into Vietnam of which when the buyers and users become aware of the horn being fake this then increases demand more via poaching. Keeping the imitation horn demand flowing too is also increasing the real horn demand both with ivory and Rhinoceros horn.
- Antique dealers are now cashing in on the horn and again supplying this to the market.
- Internet trade has to be tackled more where more horn in larger sums is being peddled on classifieds, buy and sell, to private sites using code words, acronym’s and other.
- There must be international environmental police established in each of the 178 nations that are listed with The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- Peddlers in the imitation horn trade need to be sought and consequently arrested, the chemicals they are using sought and then listed in the same way as agricultural fertilisers and other materials so that should a producer order these chemicals in large quantities law enforcement are then informed which in turn can track those responsible.
- The sales of other trophy horned animals has increased since the ban on Vietnamese hunting permits was introduced.
- Refugee camps and customs need to be looked in, monitored, and investigated.
The sales of imitation and fake Rhinoceros horn’s needs to be taken seriously as whilst this is still in the woodwork it’s creating more demand of which needs nipping in the bud hard with the traders dealt with in the exact same manners as those peddling in the real horn and wildlife trade.
- In October City Press reported on a man near Musina, Limpopo, who carved fake rhino horns and boasted that he could sell them for between R15 000 and R25 000 each.
- March the 2nd 2012 in Johannesburg another seizure of fake horn was seized that appeared to be have blood on it the accident on the N3 near Johannesburg saw two men arrested then subsequently let off.
- A lot of dealers know they are dealing with fake horn products and as such consider themselves to be ‘legal’. [It’s actually illegal under CITES law to be selling fake or real horn in Vietnam however it is in operation on a high level].
- Legal sales of fake horns and skulls are being purchased in the United States, Europe, and Asia that now needs monitoring and action placed.
Just to give you an insight as how nervous people are with regards the trade in Rhinoceros horn in Vietnam being fake, we searched other dealers and located information from dealers below which is a “guide to check if the horn is real or fake” which again points to the theory that 80% of Rhinoceros horn is indeed imitation and driving demand more. The site checked also gives a bigger insight on the horn trade in Asia as a whole which is worrying”
The dealer quotes;
“A wide range of verification methods are offered when questioning the authenticity of horn material. From the density of the material when cutting with an iron saw, to the colour of the ‘milky’ solution when powder is mixed with water or rice wine, shining a sharp torch through part of the horn, burning a corner and sucking in a hairy smell, tapping the horn piece with a finger nail and analysing the sound, pulling off some individual fibres (it seems one of the most reliable ways to try to identify real horn”.
The dealer then goes on to quote;
“Most of the horn on offer tends to be cut slabs or the tips indicating that it mostly comes from polished and modified water buffalo horns”.
“When asked for the easier to identify base of the horn the dealers tell the stories of it being the most valuable part and always sold first and them only having the tips left”.
“Prices quoted at the wholesale level to buy a whole or a large chunk of a horn, based on weight, were pretty uniform at U$ 20 000 for African horn and U$ 40 000 for Asian horn per kg (they being much smaller than the African horns). It was clear that with imitation products more flexibility existed in negotiations (in one case a piece of horn was cut from the bigger part with a chisel and hammer and pieces flying all over shop”.
“TCM dealers do trade in small quantities and it then it becomes retail and the prices go up (we also bought a sample in commercial packaging in Chinatown in Jakarta which officially stated it being 0.3 grams contained in a small glass vile”.
“Besides this retail trade for medicine there is the market of the big players buying whole horns and having special trusted dealers doing the verification for them. These players include the nouveau rich with a Rolls Royce in the car park who buy it as a must have item, as a status symbol and possibly also looking at it as an investment opportunity with supply bound to get more restricted and respective prices going up. On several occasions we were told of a family patriarch buying up a whole horn and then taking care of the family’s need and handing out pieces and powder as needed”.
The dealer then quotes the most worrying evidence;
“A dealer in the north of North Vietnam told us that a drug enforcement unit recently visited him and took some of his horn telling him that he would be paid later, indicating corruption in law enforcement on all levels”.
“The grinding plates have now also gone “up market”, with a new version made out of special Japanese clay which was introduced recently. The pamphlet which comes with the very fancy packaging also includes images of a live rhino and promises that horn can ‘cure incurable diseases”.
“The latest step being the sale of a special contraption supposedly with Japanese motor that can be bought to grind down the horn into powder. The above plate is mounted on a rotating platform and the horn piece is then fixed above the plate into a vice type metal grip and lowered to the rough plate surface and then the machine is turned on, the horn base is stationary on the rough surface and the plate turns. So a whole industry producing accessory items is now evolving”.
“In the case of the Asian rhino horns on offer, the fakes are much more realistic since the base is generally part of the very small horns but there are also obvious fakes”.
WORRYING TRENDS AND RELATIONS TO THE UNITED STATES;
The main import dealers are well established businessmen involved in all kinds of related activities including the trading in other contraband (in one case said reputed to be amphetamines). In the case of a key Laotian importer he hands out a business card showing that he is the head of the chamber of commerce for his district and the deputy head of the Laotian boxing and swimming association. He also operates a macaque breeding farm with primates being sold as captive bred when many are indeed wild caught imports from Thailand and Cambodia - with most of them being exported to the US for medical research. He is also about to expand his tiger farm.
“Dealers on this level often hire ‘mules’, just like with the drug trade, to get the merchandize to their headquarters. If anything should go wrong at the international level they can disassociate themselves from any such transaction and they deal with the product once it is in the country and then they do not have to worry about any potential problems occurring along the borders”.
The dealer then quoted the most worrying news that was very shocking;
“However even on the international level there seems little to worry about. I recently bought an imitation horn from a US store which produces Bone Clones of all kinds of skulls, human and animal bones including museum quality skeletons. I transported the well done imitation product openly in my check in bag over half a dozen international borders expecting somebody to detect the shape and form on an X-ray machine and questioning me. It never happened”.
We must not under any circumstances lift the Rhinoceros horn trade until all of these most crucial avenues are explored and vaporised. Should the trade be lifted and even more Rhinoceros are murdered because of the trade both on the internet and via imitation horn to selling imitation horns and skulls worldwide then we could lose the Rhinoceros species more quicker than imagined with the Elephant unfortunately following soon after.
Should one not “understand poaching” and the “increasing demand” to “wiping demand of the plate” then regrettably we will lose this war thus placing other species in danger that will in turn keep the momentum of the destructive wildlife medicine and consumption trade flowing.
Dr J C Dimetri
V.M.D, B.E.S, Ma, PhD, MEnvSc
Director and Founder
Join us at Team Africa International Animal Rescue Foundation
www.international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Founded 2010-2011
For more information on how you can help please email us at
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
To report illegal wildlife crime, poaching, trafficking, large domestic animal abuse please email below or INTERPOL
externalaffairs@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
The video below just shows the amount of disrespect that Thailand has even when the meeting for the CoP summit is under way. Whilst the meeting was being held this undercover investigation was filmed showing the illegal trade in ivory. Allowing the Rhinoceros horn trade to be made legal will have disastrous consequences, and be shown similar to this. Rhinoceros horn is not medicine.
The Egyptian lather below clearly has no worries about selling ivory, we also located more ivory tusks on his website owned by an American domain WEEBLY
This site can be located here http://elwahe.weebly.com/index.html
VIETNAM PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO - RHINOCEROS HORN IS NOT MEDICINE
Thank you
Environmentalism - Chapter 26 Drought in America
One would believe that with all the recent destructive weather patterns and heavy rain fall in the United States that the rivers would be over flowing to almost flood level. Little did we know that this is not the case and should there not be an increase in rainfall soon to replenish the local state rivers and reservoirs to lakes in the centre state of the United States then we are going to be looking at quite a few problems on our hands with displaced biodiversity, botanical species vanishing, insects moving out of the area thus placing a strain on crops that depend on them, and aquatic species of river fish gone, to agricultural animals dead from severe dehydration.
From 2009-2011 the United States as documented last month was severely hit by a multitude of weather fronts bringing in flooding, typhoons, hurricanes, tropical storms, and heavy transpiration however in 2011 and then 2012 the summers where intense causing colossal crop and agricultural damage, lowering rivers and reservoirs, placing the nation in to now a water shortage crisis of which droughts have been declared over almost half of the United States. Alaska is fairly untouched by the droughts with only 1% of the Alaska actually affected of which the drought [water shortage] is expected to persist or intensify.
Hawaii has not been left untouched either and is like most parts of the United States under a drought “even in the winter”. Mainly on the west coast the droughts are likely to persist or intensify that’s causing some alarm now with agriculturists and cattle farmers, to home owners, river watch schemes, importers and exporters that use the lakes and rivers to move stock across.
Conservationists and climatologists from International Animal Rescue Foundation © have been monitoring the situation along with meteorologists and animal welfare of which the river levels have not changed in western America for the past 12 months and are unlikely to change until we see heavy but prolonged rainfall over a large time frame.
From the 7th February 2013 to the April 2013 the following areas that I have briefly listed below are on drought watch based on up to date accurate weather and river level recordings from the United States government, and local non-related conservation teams.
- Florida needs to now be on alert for droughts that are likely to occur with the entire state of Florida now on yellow watch. The very tip of Florida near Miami and the Everglades National Park has been noted that droughts in this region are likely to intensify and persist.
- Georgia and South Carolina are on red watch with droughts likely to persist and severely intensify, with no reports of real concern in North Carolina.
- Atlanta is on orange watch with droughts on-going although some are likely to [improve] over a set time it is still unclear when.
- Charlotte though is looking fairly clear and green with drought likely to improve with impacting damaging easing considerably even though it is next to a relatively drought hit area.
- Alabama is on orange watch with droughts on-going however there is likelihood of some improvement in the area.
- From the tip of Louisiana to the tip of New York the entire states between this safe-line are “fairly unaffected with only Florida now on severe drought watch [and that needs to be taken seriously]
- However moving west we see the real problems, with the entire west states of America stretching from Texas to New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Dakota all on major red watch with rivers running rapidly dry.
- Wisconsin and North Dakota are lush and green with droughts improving and impacting drought damage decreasing by the month. Lake Michigan is “satisfactory” although we would like to see more rain fall in this area, sadly we are not god and cannot make that happen.
- The Rio Grande is exceptionally worrying to us as like Florida as that is now on imminent drought watch with drought expected to hit at any time with no predictions of when or how long such drought will persist, International Animal Rescue Foundation advises all agriculturalists in this area to arrange other forms of transport and not use barges to transport goods, and to improve on land irrigation, mulching and water retention as and when it occurs.
- The entire state of New Mexico is classed now as a serious area of watch with droughts are likely to persist and/or intensify dramatically.
- Idaho – Washington and Montana are “fairly ok” although this area is not of concern we are monitoring San Francisco, California, Los Angeles, and San Diego that are now like Florida and Rio Grande on yellow watch with droughts likely to develop. We ask all agriculturist’s in these states to be prepared, seek alternative road transport and not river barge transport, monitor your local river levels and if you can rain fall too. Please ensure that irrigation is working and not blocked. We have now left these areas however we would like to view your readings for future predictions. Please email our international conservation investigation team here - externalaffairs@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
State tension – Rivers on watch;
- CATAWBA RIVER – South Carolina vs. North Carolina river concerns are growing that North Carolina proposed hydropower plant on the Catawba River would reduce flow and harm water quality and wildlife. Neighbouring South Carolina objected to this. The US Supreme Court ruled in South Carolinas favour in 2009, blocking construction of the plant.
- LAKE MICHIGAN – States bordering the great lakes have drawn up a legal contract to share the water that feeds the lake. Now the city of Waukesha in Wisconsin wants to divert more water to its supply, citing drought. Should that application get the go ahead, and to many other cites follow suit tensions are likely to mount.
- RIO GRANDE – Texas and New Mexico are in dispute over their shares of water into the Rio Grande, governed by an agreement dating back from 1938. The Lone Star state, which is downstream from New Mexico, has asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
- Missouri and Mississippi Rivers – The shipping industry wants congress to order the release of more water from the Missouri river into the Mississippi, to keep to keep navigation channels open in the face of drought. That could trigger lawsuits from upstream states including North and South Dakota, which rely on high water levels in the Missouri for agriculture.
- RED RIVER- The Supreme Court from the Tarrant Regional Water District in Northern Texas, which wants Oklahoma to supply it with water from tributaries that flow into the Red River, on the border between the two states. Success for Texas could spark further law suits between neighbouring states.
- CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER – Atlanta’s ever increasing demands for water from the Chattahoochee river in Georgia have angered downstream Florida and Alabama, since 1990, there have been multiple lawsuits. Currently, the US Army Corps of Engineers is studying how best to allocate water among the three states.
Within the news recently it was reported that blizzards have hit the north east, however across much of the country the most widespread drought in more than half a century is still biting with the water ways being the most badly hit.
Lake Michigan and Huron hit their lowest levels on record, with the US Corps of Engineers dredging the Mississippi and blasting away rock formations on the river bed to maintain the three metre depth that barges need to ferry exports to the coast.
Growing urban water demands have long clashed with the needs of agricultural and navigation, and climate change is expected to increase the tension causing wilder swings between drought and flood even in regions that may not get drier overall. It’s predicted that water shortages are going to intensify unless climate change is dealt with on an erratic bur controlled basis and more people in the United States cut their carbon emissions down drastically and immediately.
How is this effecting wildlife though?
In a statement issued April 2012 by the Missouri State it quoted the following;
PLEASE NOTE INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RESCUE FOUNDATION © DOES NOT SUPPORT CERTAIN VIEWS AND COMMENTS IN THIS REPORT THAT ARE NOT BASED ON UP TO DATE BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE AND WATER WAYS MANAGEMENT/CONTROL. THE VIEWS ARE BASED ON THE NARRATOR AND DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REFLECT WHAT OUR OWN SCIENTISTS VIEW AND WORK ON DAILY.
Everything from trees to fish are feeling the pinch of heat and drought, and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is tracking the effects of extreme summer weather and doing what it can to help people and nature.
The period from January through June was the hottest on record nationally. June was the sixth-driest on record in Missouri. The Show-Me State’s last rainfall of state wide significance fell on May 7. Meanwhile, extreme heat, wind and unusually low humidity have sapped what little moisture once existed in the state’s soil.
One-hundred degree-plus temperatures began in June and lingered into August. In July alone, temperatures topped 100 degrees on 15 days in central Missouri.
As of July 24 2012, the National Climate Data showed the entire state of Missouri as being in at least severe drought. More than two-thirds of the state was in extreme drought, and the Bootheel and adjacent counties were in an exceptional drought, the most severe classification recognized by the National Climatic Data Centre.
The National Weather Service’s long-range forecast is for drought conditions to persist or intensify across Missouri. No significant increase in precipitation is anticipated before October.
FORESTS
Missouri forests were stressed by several factors even before the drought set in. Most of the state suffered a severe, late freeze in 2007, killing flower and leaf buds on many trees. Multiple ice storms that same year wrecked hundreds of thousands of trees over large swaths of Missouri, and a freak windstorm, known as a derecho, flattened trees across parts of the eastern Ozarks in 2009.
The period from 2008 to 2010 set records for rainfall. Then, in 2011, the weather abruptly turned hot and dry, a trend that has worsened this year. Forests in south eastern and south western Missouri are hardest hit by drought, but trees are suffering state wide.
As if weather challenges weren’t enough, Missouri witnessed the emergence of a brood of periodical cicadas that covered most of the state in 2011, followed by an outbreak of jumping oak gall wasps and defoliating insects.
Nick Kuhn quoted;
“All in all, it has been an extremely tough five years for Missouri forests,” says Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Nick Kuhn. “While it is still too early to know exactly how severe the effects will be, we expect to see some reduction in acorn and nut production. That could be a concern for animals that depend on acorns and other nuts for food, and for Missouri’s nut industry.”
Kuhn says many trees are dropping their leaves early to cope with the heat and drought. Shedding leaves reduces the amount of water trees lose through evaporation, helping them survive. However some trees will succumb to drought.
Kuhn says the drought will be hardest on old trees and those already weakened by disease or parasites. Trees growing on west- and south-facing slopes will face greater drought challenges, as will trees that are crowded or poorly adapted to the sites where they are growing. The drought underscores the importance of proper forest management and working with a professional forest to properly manage forests.
Drought’s in the U.S.A attributed to many cattle losing dying, pic from 2011
Gillespie Livestock Company in Fredericksburg
“Landowners can help their forests be more resilient to insect and drought stresses through proper management,” says MDC Forest Products Program Supervisor Jason Jensen. “Forests need management much the same as a garden or any other crop. When left unmanaged, forests become overcrowded. Trees all compete for water, nutrients and sunlight. When there are too many trees competing for these limited resources, the trees will become stressed and won’t be as healthy and productive as a managed forest. Trees in well-managed forests grow faster and provide better wildlife habitat.”
HOWEVER -
For landowners who are interested in managing their forest or are seeing trees that have died as a result of the drought, a timber sale may be in order. Landowners should seek the assistance of a professional forester when considering a timber sale. MDC has foresters available to assist landowners. To find a forester in your county go to http://www.mdc.mo.gov and select “Who’s My Local Contact.” Private consulting foresters are also available to assist landowners. To find a consulting forester in your area go to http://www.missouriforesters.com.
The on-going drought also has heightened wildfire danger. Unlike western states, Missouri’s primary wildfire season is late winter. Once trees leaf out, the shade they provide causes humidity levels on the forest floor to increase, reducing fire danger. This year is an exception. MDC saw a 150-percent increase in the number of reported fires from May through June. This does not include fires on the 1.5-million acre Mark Twain National Forest. Since Jan. 1, MDC has recorded 2,280 fires affecting 26,944 acres. Those fires destroyed 15 homes and l51 outbuildings and damaged 331 other structures.
Causes of these fires included:
- Debris Burning – 794 fires consuming 4,942 acres
- Equipment Use – 154 fires consuming 1,937 acres
- Arson – 117 fires consuming 4,470 acres
- Smoking – 49 fires consuming 189 acres
- Campfire – 34 fires consuming 82 acres
- Children – 34 fires consuming 83 acres
- Lightning – 23 fires consuming 75 acres
- Railroad – 7 fires consuming 38 acres
- Miscellaneous causes – 1,068 fires consuming 15,129 acres
Compared to a normal year, total burned acreage has tripled. MDC normally sends crews to help fight fires in the western United States, but this year the agency’s entire force of 754 fire fighters is at home, responding to calls for help from local fire departments.
A plane dumps fire retardant on a 30-acre grass fire in Leander on Monday, August 15, 2011.
The blaze destroyed 15 homes displacing many people and cattle.
MDC has mutual aid agreements with more than 800 fire departments and has assigned approximately $70 million in federal excess property equipment to these partners for wildfire suppression. MDC also provides training to volunteer firefighters and awards an average of $400,000 in cost-share grants annually to fire departments to purchase wild-land fire suppression equipment.
Burn bans across most of the state discourage trash burning or any other open fire. MDC has banned open fires on all conservation areas.
“Everyone needs to be extra careful when working or playing outside,” says Forestry Field Programs Supervisor Ben Webster. “It doesn’t take much to start a wildfire.”
At home and on the farm, barbecue grills should not be left unattended. Exercise extreme caution when using farm machinery, mowers or other equipment that could strike a spark or put hot engine parts in contact with dry vegetation. This includes driving vehicles off road. Smokers are urged to put cigarette butts in ashtrays rather than discarding them along roadways. Homeowners should visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/node/5290 and use the Firewise checklist there to ensure that you can protect your property from wildfire.
WILDLIFE
Native wildlife is well-adapted to the range of conditions that can occur in Missouri. That does not mean, however, that weather does not affect animals, which may have to alter normal behaviour patterns to meet their needs for food, water and shelter.
An example of such behavioural changes came to light recently when Resource Scientist Jeff Beringer attached a video camera to the radio collar he placed on a black bear. When he retrieved the camera and watched the video, he discovered that the bear had spent pretty much all its time walking through the water in a small stream.
Resource Scientist Jeff Briggler’s primary area of expertise is reptiles and amphibians, but he offers a general observation about how current weather could affect human interaction with wildlife.
“Wild animals need water, which is extremely scarce right now,” says Briggler. “People have plenty of water, and watered lawns and gardens, birdbaths, even air-conditioners that drip water are very attractive to all kinds of wildlife.”
Briggler says people shouldn’t be surprised to find squirrels munching their tomatoes or box turtles and frogs around backyard water features. Similarly, cool basements may attract animals trying to escape the heat.
“If an animal can’t get far enough underground to get away from the heat and find moisture in their normal home area, they have to look for someplace they can,” says Briggler.
Deer are traveling farther than usual for this time of year and moving during times of day when they ordinarily would be inactive. Aquatic turtles must move or die when ponds or streams where they live dry up. On the other hand, smaller, less mobile animals, such as frogs, often take the opposite approach, hunkering down to wait out the heat.
Hummingbirds go where there is food, and this summer that means forests, especially around permanent bodies of water, where flowering plants remain available. As a result, fewer hummingbirds are visiting nectar feeders in dry upland areas, causing some people to wonder what has become of the little birds.
Wildlife Ecologist Brad Jacobs urges people to leave hummingbird feeders out well into the fall, however.
“The southern migration of hummingbirds has begun,” says Jacobs, “with increasing reports of adult and young birds at nectar feeders. Artificial feeders are a welcome supplement for migrating hummers. The ruby-throats will be mostly gone by October, but several other western hummingbird species pass through Missouri on up until early December, and they might just stop by a feeder if you leave one out for them.”
Jacobs says the current weather has the opposite effect on birds whose primary foods are seeds and insects. Shortages of these staple foods have meant capacity crowds at well-stocked feeding stations. Putting out black-oil sunflower seeds, seed mixes and suet blocks almost guarantees that mobs of birds will visit your feeder.
Likewise, people are reporting seeing more herons this year. Jacobs says the long-legged wading birds are not more numerous this year. They simply are more visible because they are concentrated around limited water. Shallow, shrunken pools present a bonanza for these predators of fish and amphibians.
Waterfowl hunters have been encouraged by news that near-record numbers of ducks will head south from nesting grounds in the northern United States and Canada this year. However, reduced availability of agricultural crops and natural food plants on wetland areas could prevent ducks from lingering in Missouri long enough to provide much hunting opportunity.
Keeping wetland areas wet enough for ducks could be a problem if the drought continues. Low water levels in streams and wells have raised concerns about the availability of water later in the fall at managed wetland areas, including Bob Brown, Nodaway Valley, Fountain Grove and Otter Slough.
On the other hand, low water levels allow maintenance work on boat ramps and other areas that normally are too wet. Lack of moisture also permits habitat work in areas where soil normally remains saturated throughout the summer and provides opportunities to control invasive plants.
For all these reasons, the quality of this year’s waterfowl hunting remains a question mark in spite of the abundance of ducks.
Resource Scientist Emily Flinn specializes in deer biology and management. She does not expect big changes in deer numbers on account of this year’s weather.
“Deer are resilient animals and have dealt with extreme conditions for millions of years,” she says. “Although fawn survival can be affected by drought, the mild winter and early spring green-up allowed the deer population to enter the summer in excellent body condition. So I doubt that fawn recruitment will be significantly affected statewide.”
Flinn says epizootic hemorrhagic disease and blue tongue (another hemorrhagic disease) always are concerns in drought years, because deer have more opportunity to transmit diseases when they are crowded around limited water supplies. She noted that hemorrhagic diseases are different and unrelated to chronic wasting disease, or CWD.
She has received some reports of dead deer around water, which is typical of hemorrhagic diseases, but she is awaiting test results to confirm the cause. Such outbreaks are difficult to document, since affected deer typically die quickly and are immediately consumed by scavengers. Citizens who see dead or sick deer can report the sightings to the nearest MDC office.
Flinn says she is receiving a larger-than-normal number of complaints about deer damaging crops. She attributes this to reduced availability of other natural foods. At this time of year, deer normally are browsing on plant leaves, buds and fruits.
MDC provides landowners considerable ability to manage deer by providing depredation permits to address localized crop damage and free or low-cost deer hunting permits during the hunting seasons. Flinn stresses that it is important for neighbors to work together to manage deer in their area.
MDC is working with landowners to encourage quality deer management at the community level. Several deer-management landowner cooperatives have started across the state where landowners are working together to better manage the local deer herd.
“Deer hunting is a rich tradition in Missouri and important to our economy,” says Flinn. “MDC wants neighbors talking to each other about how they can work together to better manage the local deer herd “and we’re here to help.”
MDC is hosting four deer-management workshops in August and September that will focus on managing deer on private land. For details, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/18243. For more information on deer landowner cooperatives, contact your county private land conservationist using the “Who’s My Local Contact” link at http://www.mdc.mo.gov.
Weather conditions do affect deer behavior, and Missourians might be seeing evidence of that as deer travel longer distances to find food and water. This could result in deer being active throughout the day, rather than just from dusk to dawn, as they normally are.
One thing that is unlikely to be affected by weather is the size of bucks’ antlers. Flinn notes that deer in Texas showed no change in antler growth last year after experiencing a record drought.
“Again,” says Flinn, “the mild winter and early spring allowed deer to store nutrients and enter the summer in great body condition. I don’t think hunters are going to see any effect on antler size related to the drought and heat.” For the same reason, Flinn said deer don’t need supplemental feeding.
“We do not need to provide supplemental food or water sources,” says Flinn. “This mainly increases the risk of disease spread, which could cause more harm than good.”
Resource Scientist Beth Emmerich says warm, dry weather early in the nesting season gave wild turkeys, quail, pheasant and other upland birds a much needed break from the wet, cold weather that has plagued them in recent years. She says quail should have no trouble finding food because grasshoppers – one of their staple foods – are abundant.
“Most people I’ve talked to are seeing and hearing more quail than they have in the last several years, when it was wetter,” says Emmerich. “It should be good for rabbits, pheasants and other upland wildlife, too. Quail can tolerate periods of dry weather well, as they get their water from dew and food. The mild winter, coupled with a dry summer should be good news for them. I have my hopes up for good survival of quail chicks this year.”
FISH
The most dramatic effects of the current drought on fish and other aquatic life are occurring in ponds, small lakes and streams. Fisheries biologists across the state report increased incidence of fish kills in small impoundments.
Although the number of fish kills is up, such events are normal occurrences in Missouri. In most cases, fish die because they can’t get enough oxygen. Warm water holds less oxygen than cool water, so hot weather is naturally more stressful. Fish usually can cope with this unless other factors come into play.
Warm, fertile water sometimes promotes excessive growth of tiny aquatic plants known as algae. That’s fine as long as the sun shines and the tiny plants are using sunlight to put oxygen in the water. But cloudy weather turns algae from oxygen producers into oxygen consumers, so a couple of overcast days can have disastrous results for fish.
This corn stalk is typical of the condition of hundreds of acres of corn that was destroyed by drought on this farm in Round Rock on Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Fish gulping air at the surface of a pond is an early warning of an impending kill. Sometimes pond owners can improve the situation by running an outboard boat motor with the propeller close enough to the surface to mix air and water, increasing dissolved oxygen. However, they must be sure not to stir up mud, as this can make things worse. They also must ensure that the motor’s cooling-water intake remains submerged to avoid overheating.
Fish in large lakes are not immune to drought and heat. Most of Missouri’s large reservoirs still have reasonably good water levels, but temperatures are climbing and dissolved-oxygen levels are declining. Fish grow sluggish as water warms and oxygen grows scarce, and this makes for poor fishing. Fish also are more susceptible to diseases and parasites in tepid lakes. The longer such conditions continue, the greater the likelihood that fish will die. At present, fisheries biologists worry about the possibility of isolated die-offs of large muskellunge at Pomme de Terre or the loss of walleyes and other prized game fish at other big lakes.
Fish in streams also feel the effects of heat and drought. Streams with healthy watersheds – including good soil-conservation practices, vegetated stream-side buffer zones and trees that provide shade – generally have good water quality and avoid fish kills. But even fish in healthy streams can experience stress in extreme droughts. Trout in the Current and Niangua rivers and small spring-fed streams currently are at risk because reduced flow from springs has raised their water temperatures.
Pools that serve as refuges for fish in small streams statewide are disappearing, leaving fish with nowhere to go. Even where pools remain, severe flow reductions can leave fish vulnerable to pond-like fish kills.
Anglers may find the water level in some streams so low that boat ramps are unusable. Until the drought breaks, it’s a good idea to inspect the bottom ends of boat ramps before launching to ensure the concrete apron extends far enough to support your boat trailer.
Four of MDC’s five cold-water fish hatcheries rely on natural springs to supply water for their operations. Some of those springs are down to less than half their normal flows. This has forced some hatcheries to transfer part of their fish to Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery, which has an abundant supply of cool water from Table Rock Lake. MDC’s four warm-water hatcheries are making do with reduced flows, but hatchery managers are watching conditions closely.
A catfish can barely move on the edge of a pond in that has dwindled to just a few inches deep on Thursday, July 14, 2011, in Old Dime Box in Lee County.
“Hatchery improvements completed the past couple years, such as dissolved oxygen systems, aerators, and renovated raceways have really helped us cope with the drought and low water levels,” says Hatchery Systems Manager James Civiello. “I’d hate to imagine where we would be in this drought without the hatchery improvements.”
PRIVATE LAND
Livestock forage is critically scarce this summer, and MDC supported a request by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Services Agency to allow farmers to graze cattle on some land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and permit haying on land enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program.
MDC also offers cost share to landowners interested in establishing native warm-season grasses for forage production. Native grasses are more drought-tolerant than introduced cool-season grasses such as brome and tall fescue. During the drought, native grasses like big bluestem and switch grass are still growing and providing forage for livestock and cover for wildlife. For more information on native warm-season grasses contact your local private land conservationist or regional MDC office.
Private Land Field Programs Supervisor Rex Martensen reminds landowners that the Missouri Wildlife Code allows them to protect crops and property from deer, bears, raccoons, coyotes, beavers and other wildlife with MDC permission. A call to the nearest MDC office is all that is needed to get help from a wildlife damage biologist.
CONCLUSION
Good news related to the drought is scarce, but there are a few silver linings. One is that ticks and mosquitoes are not as troublesome this summer as they have been in recent years. Invasive zebra mussels can’t tolerate warm water well and apparently were devastated by high water temperatures at Lake of the Ozarks last year. This year’s more extreme conditions could help contain the destructive mussels.
While individual animals and local populations may suffer, MDC experts agree that forests, fish and wildlife overall will bounce back from the current drought and heat.
“The resiliency of wild animals and the stability of natural systems is truly remarkable,” says Briggler. “Trees and animals don’t fret over the present or the future. They just persevere.”
Impacts of drought via climate change;
Drought conditions can affect wildlife populations in many ways, from changing homeland ranges in an effort to find water to creating conditions that can impact health. High temperatures and low rainfall can contribute to outbreaks of Clostridium botulinum or avian botulism, which is a bacterium that typically resides dormant in the soil. Under the right conditions, these bacteria can replicate and produce toxins. These toxins are typically concentrated in maggots and other invertebrates that feed on decaying matter that is a good source of protein for the botulism bacteria. Birds like waterfowl then ingest the toxins through feeding on these organisms or drinking infected water. Species that are most impacted by a botulism outbreak are associated with wetland communities including ducks such as mallards, wood ducks, and teal and water birds such as yellow legs, pelicans or great blue herons.
Habitat;
As drought conditions increase, the impacts on plants can be readily observed, since plants simply reduce the number of stems they produce while others shrivel and die back. This reduction in plant growth results in less available hiding cover, which could increase predation rates for wildlife as well as produce fewer flowers for insects and, as a result, less available food. Species that could be impacted by this decreased habitat quality would be ground nesting birds such as turkeys and pheasants as well as ground dwelling mammals such as ground squirrels.
Nesting birds;
The timing of this year’s drought conditions is not likely to have a significant adverse impact on nesting wildlife, since most birds have fledged the nest and are no longer confined to a specific nesting site. The potential exists, however, that high temperatures and low moisture levels can result in bird losses.
Reduced food shortages;
Extremely dry conditions also reduce the available water sources that many insects are dependent upon for a portion of their life cycle, specifically mosquitoes. Although reduced insect levels can be a positive for people getting outside in the evenings, lower insect levels for bats can mean less food and as a result, lower fat reserves for migration and hibernation. In addition to potential mortality that reduced food sources may cause, wildlife in drought conditions may also need to travel greater distances to find available food. This extra effort also subjects them to increased predation rates themselves and an increased likelihood of accidents.
In the image above one can clearly view how drought is changing over the states of America [Please click image]
In addition to reduced insects for food, the production of other food sources - such as berries and mast, which include acorns or hickory nuts - could also be reduced. Similar to a reduction in insects, a reduction in the available berries and mast can impact wildlife by requiring additional travel to find adequate food sources, causing both mortality from increased predation or accidents as well as indirect mortality from reduced fat reserves needed for hibernation. These impacts can ultimately result in reduced number of young next year.
Another potential impact that residents in the drought areas may experience is an increase in the number of wildlife visiting yards and outbuildings searching for food and water sources. As food sources decrease in the wild, some wildlife species such as raccoons or bear may search out easier food sources such as pet food dishes, cattle troughs or gardens that are regularly watered and are producing a higher volume of berries.
Concentrating wildlife;
As drought conditions increase, much wildlife will seek alternative habitat locations where habitat conditions are more favourable for them to raise young, seek shelter and provide a water source. Some species that would concentrate in these drought conditions would include a wide array of wildlife that would frequent the remaining watering holes to wetland dependent species such as waterfowl and amphibians, specifically frogs, toads and salamanders. While the concentration of wildlife may seem like a security issue to some, it also increases predation rates as the predators also home in on concentrations of their prey species.
Combatting drought - http://drought.unl.edu/DroughtforKids/HowCanWeProtectOurselves.aspx
Reducing water loss based on the most hottest sub Saharan climates – Zimbabwe an example;
Irrigation;
Since 1991 Practical Action has been working with communities in the dry Chivi district of Zimbabwe developing and testing new approaches to overcoming the effects of droughts which affect them three years out of five.
The farmer’s main priorities from the programme were to improve crop yields and conserve water. A high level of community participation - over 1,800 people - ensured that the project reflected local priorities and built on local knowledge to conserve water, protect soil, control pests and maintain indigenous varieties of seeds.
One early successful outcome of the project was a water saving technique involving clay pipes made by the women of the community. The pipes were used to carry water underground for irrigation in order to reduce evaporation.
The results were dramatic. Crops only needed watering twice a week instead of four times and the volume of water required fell by a half.
Other methods of water conservation have also been successfully employed including ridges across furrows to trap water, infiltration pits to soak it up and mulching.
Practical solutions on reducing drought;
- Use water convenient items such as low water showers and 4 minute timers etc. You can also wash your car say once a fortnight instead of daily.
- Mulching with bark and other fibrous chippings to even manure will reduce fluid loss on an agricultural and domestic scale.
- Fixing leaking tapes and pipes and reporting ALL leakages to the water board. It’s estimated that internationally we lose over 56 billion litres of water a year just from “public broken pipes” if you see it REPORT IT.
- Use alternative fuels thus reducing increasing climate destruction that causes drought.
- Set up on your farm and home rain water catch channels that then contain “rain water in to barrels or vast under-ground tanks” that one can then use to water their farms. International Animal Rescue Foundation © recommends that you store these tanks under-ground to reduce [evaporation] and because of the ground being much cooler and cut off from direct sunlight.
- Sounds “dirty” but DON’T allow your shower or bath water to just filter down the plug holes, this water helps in two very important ways of which we use in one of 7 glass houses. 1) Collect all bath and shower water upon finish “even with the soap suds in”. 2) Await for this to water to cool then water your plants [it does not harm them] 3) because the water has a [now] concentrated soap in it that does not harm the plants or crop in anyway; it does actually act as an aphid control. [The soap within the water is slippery and once cooled and then watered onto plants / crops that are infested by bugs, the aphids cannot keep grip on the stems thus falling off. [We always recommend that you use biodegradable chemicals] please view here where you can purchase. http://www.charliesoap.com/kitchen_bath_cleaner.html http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/biodegradable-soap.html http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/biodegradable-house-cleaners-2264.html
- It’s important to use biodegradable soap & cleaning products when you are re-using your bathwater to water the garden, as normal soap takes a long time to break down from complex chemicals into more useful simple substances that plant life can absorb. So I thought I would write something on biodegrable soap…first of all, look out for vegetable based solid soap like Marseille soap or glycerin soap. Glycerin soap is usually translucent. Marseille soap uses olive oil as a base. If you prefer to use liquid soap or shower gel, rather than solid soap, you can make your own shower gel by: [1] grating solid soap into flakes [2] putting these into an old shower gel bottle with some hot water [3] Shake the bottle for a few minutes and leave it to stand for a day or too. This is then ready to use. This is also good for the environment because it stops you buying shower gel bottles which then have to be recycled or just thrown away, ending up in landfill. If you can’t be bothered with that, you could use solid soap in the shower, if you have somewhere to put it… you can put in on a string and hang it up above the bath. The best way to do this is to use a screwdriver to grind a hole by hand through the centre of the bar of soap and thread some thick cord through this. It’s best to hang the soap high up so it’s not in the water stream, this way it will last longer. As for biodegradable cleaning products to clean your bath, try using soda crystals or borax. You can buy these sorts of products in cardboard boxes (again less plastic waste) from Clean and Natural by DRI PAK. If you scrub this powder onto the surface of the bath with a bit of water and leave it for a while before washing it off again, it is pretty effortless -on a par with stronger household cleaning products but with less ecological impact. These products are easy and safe to use and odourless. Soda crystals are produced by a relatively simple chemical process which means it’s more easily broken down, unlike phosphates which are found in more modern cleaning products. for more information on this subject see this page on toxic water by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS)
- Take showers not baths
- SO you think that plants and trees only draw water in the daytime when photosynthesis a process used by plants and other organisms to convert the light energy captured from the sun into chemical energy is in operation? WRONG plant roots will not rot away if you water in the night time that is complete and utter nonsense. [Please water only in the night time and sunset] Also water in the very early hours of the morning and if you cannot be bothered to get out of bed then you can set up an irrigation pipe with timer. Here is where you can purchase that timer http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Sprinkler-Timers-Controllers-s/23.htm al shapes and sizes and at all prices.
- NO Air conditioning – It’s a [luxury and not needed] use a hand fan or battery fan. Ask yourself WHY ARE YOU BOILING HOT IN YOUR HOME? Lack of ventilation? Air circulation? Or it is because you’re actually contributing to global climate temperature increase?
- Going camping? Forget the water supply that the camp sites charge you for! PORTABLE RAIN WATER PURIFICATIONS - http://www.travelpharm.com/index.cfm/malaria/Products.List/category_id/4&referer=adwords&keyword=portable_water_purification?gclid=CM_C88-pzrUCFeXLtAodqE0AjQ
If we continue to abuse the environment then we will continue to battle for water thus leaving other community areas short or having to run on limited supply. This will in turn harm our precious biodiversity which is already in a critical state. Please act responsible and don’t ruin our planet anymore. Water shortages in the modern world are also affecting the third world nations and agriculture. Please use water responsibility.
Thank you
Dr J C Dimetri V.M.D, B.E.S, Ma, PhD, MEnvSc
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
Who would believe there was a drought with weather like this only 4 days ago;
IF WE CONTINUE TO ABUSE THIS PLANET THEN MOTHER NATURE WILL FIGHT BACK WITH DEADLY FORCE
Environmentalism - Chapter 25 - Understanding Poaching
It is without a doubt that Asia is the number one peddler in illegal animal parts trade that spans from China to Vietnam, Thailand to Malaysia and, India to Egypt. We have all viewed from time to time animal parts traded on the streets in Hanoi or within Hong Kong but how bad is the trade in other nations that are not necessarily always placed under the spot light or even asked to curb their illicit and illegal organised traders?
The illegal wildlife trade in Asia is mostly viewed in processed format in medicine shops and street vendors which is rarely seen in raw format of which we have explained on many occasions within this five part written documentary.
But who are the other peddlers and transporters/couriers? And how is it finding its way back into the market from those that confiscated it who are supposed to be trusted law abiding citizens, to traveling from Africa into Asia, and who are the distributors, and what routes are being taken to even companies being used to transport it unknowingly and corruptively?.
These are the many questions that are difficult to answer unless intense investigations, covert intelligence is gathered to operations outside of Africa are ordered that can be intensively frustrating, tiring, dangerous but rewarding once one hits the sources the areas that need one hundred per cent attention which in turn leads to arrests via monitoring the spider web of depict and corruption from the buyer, to the poacher, from poacher to disturber and then couriers and peddlers to the common market and more.
The illegal wildlife trade is so complex it can take years to infiltrate, befriending highly sophisticated governmental or military trained criminals of which you’re on your own in no man’s land not knowing if your position or colleagues position could be compromised at any minute placing your life in danger to the entire 1-5+ year operation and intelligence gathering at a dead end.
Many organisations never reveal such intelligence work and gathering simply because we are dealing with government run armed and highly volatile individuals that are only after monetary gain. Should one disrupt that gain and “your” position is compromised then the entire criminal syndicate gangs descend lower in the black market placing more critically endangered species of flora and fauna in jeopardy of extinction.
It’s frustrating when one reports wildlife crime knowing that the nations that one has been viewing and investigation on, just simply turn a blind eye or are not willing to order law enforcement to take imminent and immediate action to shut these traders down. However working in great detail, and gathering years of evidence then proving this work can be very rewarding to knocking out a syndicate thus destroying the entire communication web which in turn preserves our biodiversity more as each mission concludes.
Asia and United Arab Emirates in particular (part off Asia) is one area that we have been scrutinising now for some time as of recent confiscations and arrests in 2011 and 2012 and recent surveys that we have looked into and freedom of information requests, requested that has taken us over six months to almost a year to obtain from very reluctant but proud nations that find such findings of crime that is then independently reported embarrassing (hence why one has to tread with caution to respecting those that we are working with to ascertain positive and rewarding conclusive results).
Within Dubai September 2012 Dubai customs foiled an attempt to smuggle 215 pieces of ivory in to the nation within an estimated value of 15 million dirhams which is Dubai currency. The seizure was hidden in “company haulage” as usual with most large illegal importations and was seized at the port of Jebel Ali.
Yet again the shipments where all from African states, of which the shipment was concealed in food containers that had white beans within them, the ships contents had come from the farming areas of South Africa”. Why these ports are not checked within South Africa and Africa alone of which we have been tipping individuals off with regards to movements we simply don’t know however most are then seized when entering Asia mainly by sea.
On scanning the containers in Jebel Ali it showed concealed within white bean shipments from Africa the ivory of which only one woman was subsequently arrested and charged under the illegal importation of wildlife parts. Once the crates where taken apart and the seizure added up experts quoted that 108 Elephants where slaughtered for these tusks which is emotionally upsetting and frustrating. The report can be viewed here http://www.emaratalyoum.com/local-section/accidents/2012-11-11-1.525674
Within the United Arab Emirates ivory is big business on the black market of which is rarely sold within shops and malls. Any ivory that is sold is “apparently antique” I suppose this buy and sell site is all antique too of which the users brag on how much they can obtain http://statigr.am/p/388457701835017907_256232306 http://statigr.am/p/359200723472485744_256232306
There is not much call for the Rhinoceros horn in the United Arab Emirates of which brings very little money or interest, however, ivory is a completely different story which can sell just for one delicately carved set of beads up to and beyond $25,000 and for a single hand and machine carved ivory horn in the most intricate of detail.
A single horn can fetch up to $100,000 that are mostly sold in hotels, back street markets, classified advertisements using fake names and details to people’s homes. This piece of ivory that would have been lathed then delicately carved by master craftsmen http://statigr.am/p/376159101687947701_224452295 is being sold within a hotel which gives the description “Exquisitely carved ivory and accurate located in Asia at Hotel Yuexiu # # China” as you can see in this link http://www.agoda.com/asia/china/guangzhou/yuexiu_hotel.html the hotel that these dealers are using will be financed of which businessmen in the medicine and antique trade are most likely linked to triad gangs and highly lucrative and organised trade.
Fourteen days ago another arrest this time outside of the U.A.E of which a police officer was caught smuggling ivory into Thailand from Malaysia. The haul was located in the boot of the suspects’ car hidden inside fertilizer bags. A total of 20 Elephant tusks where located of which both the driver and the police officer where arrested. Please view the report here http://www.alriyadh.com/2013/02/04/article807332.html
Moving back into Africa reports on the 8th February 2013 quoted the following;
Defence ministry said on Friday Ugandan troops found large amounts of ivory in a cache of rebel leader Joseph Kony of the LRA leader Ugandan militant in the Central African Republic. Chasing Uganda with the support of experts U.S. military, the law enforcement rebel group hopes to arrest Kony and other fighters required for trial for war crimes before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Kony has been accused by groups within the nature conservation society that LRA Ugandan hard line elements of the Ugandan army have been ordered to kill elephants for illegal international traffic in ivory to finance their operations, however, Uganda has denied any involvement in it.
As explained in the previous documentation the sales and trade of ivory unless it is antique and has permits of which peddlers rarely do is sold mainly on the internet and is making large money mainly in Egypt which we wouldn’t of known had we not delved deeper into the Rhinoceros horn trade although we was expecting it.
These marketers know that what they are doing is illegal and could earn them a hefty prison sentence, however where there is money there is happiness and most if not all of those that are peddling in illegal custom made ivory don’t even realise that the Elephant has to DIE for ivory jewellery or other intricate pieces of handmade craftsmanship. This Egyptian buy and sell classified sales site is selling more ivory here http://egypt.souq.com/eg-en/%D8%B9%D9%82%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%89-%D8%A3%D8%B5%D9%84%D9%89-3932364/i/
E-Bay has been repeatedly cautioned and educated on the sales of ivory of which most is illegal to sell however it is still present to even data on how to “spot fake ivory to the real thing” http://reviews.ebay.com/How-To-Tell-Authentic-Ivory-From-Fake?ugid=10000000003245884
The Jimbiya http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yemen-style-JAMBIYA-with-horn-handle-exceptional-quality-/261172218651?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ccf13cb1b are crafted mainly in Yemen that is given to mature teenage boys when they reach adulthood. Although the practice is fairly unheard of it still sadly exists and the Rhinoceros are slain for this simple “horn” knife that in reality [wood] handles could be used instead of which the real deal is priced at a staggering $272.0, and that’s cheap compared to newer hand-made items.
Tiger balm is now said to be non-Tiger part containing of which (some) “is” that will have mostly simple healing properties in such as herbal menthol heating agents that one applies to the skin that you can in reality purchase alternative products over the pharmaceutical counter for as little as $5.00 or on prescription.
However “with no methods” of checking the marketers are keeping to strict wildlife/importation and exportation laws then items like these can easily be mixed alongside others of which you’ll never know whether your purchasing “herbal” or actual dead Tiger which is strictly prohibited. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1311.R9&_nkw=tiger+balm&_sacat=0&_from=R40
Tiger bone wine is yet again another illegal property that’s highly craved for in Thailand. http://www.forum.munkonggadget.com/detail.php?id=43566 It’s classed as rare to locate however that’s untrue and whilst the “just legal” zoo’s in Asia that keep Tiger’s carry on breeding them then we will continue to view this illegal item on the market.
Ivory and Rhinoceros horn up for sale again on Facebook http://www.rumruay.com/tag-%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AD%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%94.%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B0%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B2.%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B5.html
Trade routes;
It’s virtually impossible to locate then follow too investigate the entire trade route for many reasons that I have highlighted below briefly.
- All 176 registered CITES nations that have signed the CITES agreement have no real formal environmental police units. They are though all obliged to keep the laws of which Asia is failing too.
- Co-operation from both investigators, customs and freight yards to local police and international law enforcements agencies can be awkward to build relations, good rapport and communication, there is also language barriers and lack of the correct investigative individuals that are non-experienced to non-linguistic which is high priority in monitoring the trade route thus killing demand.
- Investigation units are concerned that they could be actually giving information to “the criminals themselves” that are being paid by wildlife part smugglers to allow trade to pass unchecked through customs thus compromising the entire operation to months if not years of painstaking funded work.
- Trade routes change daily to monthly, along with shipping and airline transport.
- Investigation teams need the full cooperation of customs and law enforcement.
- Wildlife counter intelligence teams are relatively small and rely on funds that they/we need to keep tabs on the criminal’s activity to travelling abroad. Africa and Asia are also massive in square mile footage and knowing where the syndicates are storing within what ports ready for shipment is like looking for a needle a haystack.
- Vessels are routinely tampered with by syndicate gangs that open up and construct concealed compartments. This method of concealment was first used by narcotic gangs in North America of which the Asian syndicates have now caught onto using this as a way to smuggle out and in wildlife part contraband.
The scale of the illegal wildlife trade is alarming. Due to the nature of illicit trade, it is hard to obtain exact figures, but some experts estimate the value of the illegal wildlife trade at 10-20 billion US dollars annually the actual figures that International Animal Rescue Foundation © have from a recent FOIA for 2012 December end are now at 17.7 billion US dollars. While arrests and interceptions are on the rise, they expose only a small fraction of this underground criminal enterprise.
The illegal wildlife trade affects all Southeast Asian nations. The rich biodiversity’s of Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar are particularly targeted. Smugglers are frequently caught utilizing transport links through Thailand and Vietnam. However, poaching, transit and consumption occurs in all countries to varying degrees. A significant proportion of wildlife trafficked through Southeast Asia is purchased by wealthy consumers outside the region, in China, Europe and the United States.
Starling scientific facts;
- Massive and irrevocable biodiversity loss - If trends continue, recent predictions show that 13-42% of Southeast Asia’s animal and plant species could be wiped out this century. At least half those losses would represent global extinctions.
- Degradation of natural ecosystems and essential environmental services - Poaching to supply wildlife trade disturbs delicate biological balances. Knock-on effects can precipitate the unravelling of living ecosystems that underpin fresh water supply and food production. With predictions of severe impacts from a changing climate, reducing other man-induced pressures on biodiversity and ecosystems, such as poaching, is imperative.
- Human health is endangered by unregulated trade in wild animals that can spread and pass on viruses and diseases (there have been recent [unconfirmed reports] that Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder has been (linked) in Asian children to the consumption of Rhinoceros horn by from gestating women. There are no other links outside of Asia that show this and this report has yet to be confirmed as 100% accurate by professional American and European scientists
Some interesting facts here that we can also look upon to be prepared to for a possible poaching incident;
- High profile business trips in Asia mainly China, Vietnam and Thailand will see more wildlife parts ordered of which more men at a rate of 20% will consume and women 13%.
- People in Asia mainly, China, Vietnam and Thailand between the ages off 24-44 years of age will consume more wildlife parts (over that age the rate is just 9% from 45-60 years of age with no real percentage of after that consuming.
- Normal friends and family gathering days will see 31% of Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai’s consuming animal parts of which again females are the most consumers at 33% and males at 30% the age group those that consume the most at gatherings and normal meals are in the age group of 45-60 years of age.
- Festivals and events for example Chinese New Year we would usually see more animals slaughtered in Africa however this is not the case, a total of 29% in China, Vietnam and Thailand consume animal parts at festivals. Males at 28% and females at 29% are the most consumers. Those that are more likely to consume are in between the ages of 18-24 at 32%
- The most shocking though of which we would off thought the medicine trade would be the more likely area to probe to hit the demand and send the message home is in fact wrong. The food trade is the most concerning area. Please read the statistics for requested survey information. This is JUST from MEALS every day. 50% of Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai’s consume more animal parts for their everyday staple diet ruling out that the medicine trade is in fact the largest “problem here”. Male and females stand both at 50% consumption. 18-24 year olds eat a staggering and consume 58% in all three nations that’s (58% per nation). 23-34 years of age stands at 50%,35-44 years of age stands at 51% consumption and 45-60 stands at 42% (This is rather concerning of which can be more easily talked to beat demand than going for the pharmaceutical businesses that are reluctant to help).
- The consumption of wildlife parts though in the medicine trade I.e. Traditional Chinese Medicine is very shocking as we did truly believe that in all three nations that the TCM/TIM trade would be the most out of all consumption (we were wrong and this is now concerning) the following figures stand at 6% whereas consuming in (food) stands at a skyrocketing 50%. More Asians are NOT relying on TCM for medicine – 2% males still consume with (-) no percentage of females consuming for medicine. HOWEVER between the ages of 18-24 are the [highest] users with 5% using illegal animal parts in TCM/TIM.
The following survey was taken in high streets, shopping malls, online surveys, and basic door to door over a period of 12 months. Who is driving the food trade? Are there food manufactures placing illegal animal parts within Asia that need to be targeted? And if there is only based on recent and VERY accurate figures only 5% of 18-24 year olds consuming illegal wildlife trade then we need to seriously start targeting these individuals to drive down demand through awareness and education.
The trade routes;
The illegal wildlife trade routes start in Africa and are networking from the following regions;
- Southern Africa and Central Africa are the main TRADE routes that then move to the ports of mainly South Africa. DR Congo, Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania see’s routes forming that travel to the South Africa again, Tanzania, and Kenya (These shipping ports and airports have been for the past 9 months of some interest to us)
- Both Southern and Central African routes are not “always” moving straight through to China as we did realise but are in fact traveling direct to Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore and Burma
- Based on intelligence more illegal animal parts are/have been moving from South Africa in to India that then travel from India into Vietnam, Burma, and China.
- Following the main trade routes from central and southern Africa smuggled animal parts then end up in traveling into “South East Asia” as well this is another separate trade route used by smugglers to take the long route into main land China and Japan. This type of trade route could also be seen as “drop of zones” to sell and then distribute further
- Northern India is a very large focal point from which animal parts go direct from South Africa being that the main ports in to India then moving into China.
The following listed above is based on “snippets” of intelligence that we have acquired of which we cannot place into the public domain any furthering information on this. However we are not satisfied at the lack of cooperation from customs and excise in Africa that must as a CITES signatory take imminent and immediate action to cease all illegal wildlife parts from moving in and out of the ports, improve security in the ports, move corruptive individuals out via internal company investigations and communicate freely with others to combat trade moving into Asia thus decreasing demand greatly.
Shipping container ports of interest that are and have moved illegal wildlife parts out of South Africa to Asia are listed below;
- Richards Bay
- Durban
- East London
- Port Elizabeth
Shipping container ports of interest that are and have moved illegal wildlife parts out of Kenya to Asia are listed below;
- Mombasa
Alternative container ports of interest that have moved illegal wildlife parts out of Africa in “general” into Asia – Please note these are (covering all trade routes of interest that are moving high quantities of [ivory, Rhinoceros horn, Pangolin meat, and other critically endangered parts]
- Harare (is linked to container ports)
- Cabinda
- Luanda
- Lobito
- Kribi
- Boma
- Matadi
The following listed are moving illegal animal parts out of Africa of which needs thorough intense monitoring, updated security, corruption removed, communication intelligence networks placed within, regular updates on vessels that are moving in and out of ports to cease and hit demand before it enters Asia. Carrying out such scrutinising, surveillance, and regular checks on vessel modifications one can then view who the large couriers are thus terminating [the middle connection] immediately and increasing arrest rates.
We are more than aware that half of the seized Ivory and Rhinoceros horn that travels through these ports is not being “kept where it should within Asia” and then ends up back on the illegal market.
There is plenty of proof on this via internet and ground intelligence that Operation Trojan Horse carries out daily. We have not included China as we truly believe to cease the demand, the demand has to stop IN AFRICA and FULL STOP!
Areas of interest are as follows;
- Port Gentil
- Banul [least concern]
- Chinde
- Quelimane
- Maputo
- Walvis bay [least concern]
- Luderitz [least concern]
- Warri [least concern]
- Port Harcourt
- Mogadishu
- Zanzibar region
- Dar-es Salaam region
It must be remembered that there is a huge legal market for wild plants and animals – a market which the illegal trade undercuts, supplants and exploits. Unscrupulous individuals, rogue traders and criminal gangs all threaten sustainable and responsible businesses that provide vital income to some of the world’s poorest countries. The global legal trade in wildlife resources was estimated in the early 1990s to be worth nearly US$159 billion a year in export value. Sixty five per cent of this trade involves timber exports (worth US$104 billion), with fisheries exports constituting a further 25 per cent (US$40 billion).
Trade in live animals, plants, products and derivatives were therefore estimated to be worth approximately US$15 billion annually. The legal trade in protected species broadly flows from range areas – where the species come from – to consumer areas. Some are both significant consumer and range areas. The situation is made more complex by a thriving trade in captive-bred or artificially propagated specimens, which may be farmed in non-range areas and traded internationally. The involvement of intermediate destinations and the consequent re-export trade further complicates the picture and opens up opportunities for illegal trade.
Illegal trade in wildlife is often not conducted directly between range area and consumer area, but specimens may be transported to a variety of intermediate destinations. As with many types of international trade, intermediate destinations are a common feature of illegal wildlife trade routes and can serve five broad functions:
- Funnel locations where shipments are bulked for longer-haul journeys.
- Stop overs and convenient ports – these may be ports where illegal wildlife shipments are switched between different modes of transport. For instance, shipments might be switched between surface and air transport.
- Processing centres – where products made from wildlife are manufactured
- Transhipment centres and “free” trade areas – countries where porous borders, weak legislation and lax enforcement allow the illegal import and export of wildlife to continue unhindered, and provide suitable transhipment locations for wildlife trafficking
- Regional distribution centres – these are close to final destinations and provide places where bulk shipments are broken down into smaller consignments and transported on to the consumer market.
Technique’s to avoid customs and excise is highlighted below;
- Disguising illegal items so that they will pass through customs checks as legal imports. This involves either changing the appearance of the items, or providing fraudulent documentation, or both
- Concealing the illegal items within legal shipments
- Evading customs controls by making wholly illegal shipments
The following examples illustrate the lengths to which smugglers will go in order to conceal shipments:
- Ivory has been dyed to appear like wood and concealed in timber shipments
- Rare bird chicks have been mixed with shipments of hen chicks from India
- Rhinoceros horn concealed inside statue’s made from plaster of Paris
Other methods;
Traditional Asian medicine manufacturers operating in the Far East gather shipments of endangered species or their parts and derivatives from all over the world, including tiger bones from India, bear gall bladders from Asia and North America, and musk deer glands and ginseng from China and Russia. The packaged medicines are distributed within Far East markets, and to Europe and North America through commercial shipments and small quantities carried by passengers.
United Arab Emirates;
Historically, the most significant transhipment centres for the illegal wildlife trade have been Hong Kong and Singapore. However, recent research points to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a centre of growing importance. The UAE as a nation state has joined CITES, but partly because each emirate in the federation maintains a separate enforcement policy, the record of the UAE overall has been very poor in terms of compliance with, and enforcement of, CITES. There is a bustling free trade zone in the Dubai emirate, and the Blue Souk in Sharjah is notorious as a market where endangered species are openly on sale.
Wildlife smuggling can also be a response to other desires and markets, as in the case of illegal hunting. In November 2001, following a lengthy undercover investigation, the US Fish and Wildlife Service prosecuted five people in Missouri for smuggling endangered leopards and tigers into the US so that they could be hunted and killed. Similar undercover operations in India have revealed that hunters will pay vast sums to hunt and kill endangered species such as tigers, Tibetan antelope, brown bears and clouded leopards.
We must all now start focusing on “outside border operations” instaed of documenting on these activities and wasting public funding and resources.
There is vast ammounts of information on the internet and on the ground of which we are fully aware of wit regards to illegal wildlife trade, we must not and cannot waste time in documenting anymore and now special wildlife law enforcement teams need to be established. Working to survey the problem areas then talking these with force.
Airports and shipping container yards MUST be priority in order to hit the demand even harder until Asia finally gets the message.
Should we fail and just ignore this message then we are failing our flora and fauna of which most will be banished into the realms of extinction through greed and get rich quick opportunities.
Please stay tuned for the final part of [Understanding Poaching]
Thank you
Dr J C Dimetri Director V.M.D, B.E.S, Ma, PhD , MEnvSc
info@international-animalrescue-foundation.org.uk
NOT GOOD ENOUGH INTERPOL - WE NEED MORE TEAMS WORKING WITH US
REPORT SERIOUS WILDLIFE CRIME IN THE LINK BELOW
REPORT SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME BELOW
speakupforthevoiceless
