Bird conservation groups are outraged the spring hunting season in Malta is being opened despite the COVID-19 lockdown. The Maltese islands are a resting point for migratory birds crossing the Mediterranean. Birdlife Malta sent Euronews pictures of a marsh harrier bird of prey, which they say has been shot illegally during this year’s three-week week […]
Tag: coronavirus
Petition: Zoos and Aquariums Must Help Stop Zoonotic Diseases that Kill Millions of People Annually!
In Defense of Animals is calling for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help stop zoonotic diseases at zoos. In an emailed statement, the organization urges the AZA to stop transmission between animals and humans, like the one that resulted in a Bronx Zoo tiger being affected by coronavirus. Tuberculosis is another disease […]
Zoo May Feed Animals to Animals as Funds Dry Up in Pandemic
BERLIN — The polar bear would be the last to go.So says a zoo in northern Germany, which drew up a startling contingency plan if the financial strain caused by the government-ordered shutdown because of the coronavirus outbreak did not ease up soon: Slaughter some zoo animals and feed them to others. The director of […]
Coronavirus is a crisis for South Africa’s captive lions, campaigners warn
Wildlife conservation and animal welfare groups say the COVID-19 pandemic ought to spell the end for one of South Africa’s most controversial businesses: the captive breeding of lions. It is widely accepted that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that has precipitated the global crisis, came from wildlife (bats or pangolins are the most likely sources), and campaign […]
Petition: China Bans Wild Animal Sales But Offers Tax Incentives for Exports
A Wall Street Journal article reports that China is giving tax incentives to exporting wild animals while banning their sale and use within China. Scientists believe that the source of the COVID-19 pandemic was a wild animal market in Wuhan, China. China temporarily banned the sale and import of wild animals to improve public health. […]
You can’t leave that lion there: big cats nap on road in South Africa amid lockdown
Lions and other wild animals have been taking advantage of the peace and quiet in South Africa’s vast Kruger national park as the country’s strict lockdown continues. On Thursday, park ranger Richard Sowry took photographs of a pride of at least eight lions, including a few young cubs, snoozing on the tarmac just outside one […]
Petition: Raising and Killing Animals for Exotic Skins Could Spark the Next Pandemic
Raising and killing exotic animals for “luxury” fashion items can increase the risk of outbreaks of dangerous illnesses such as COVID-19, and PETA is calling for a complete shutdown of exotic-animal farms. Many alligators and crocodiles who are raised on farms for their skin are kept crowded together in highly unhygienic conditions, one on top […]
As Coronavirus Sows Turmoil and Fear, Seeking Solace in Nature’s Calendar
After a rough night, I woke up at dawn to the sound of a robin singing.Last night was bad. The coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world dominated every corner of the news, with every headline more horrifying than the last: Rates of infection doubling. Schools, restaurants, offices closing. Major events cancelled. Unemployment rising. Mandatory lockdowns enforced. […]