It seems almost incomprehensible that the desire for an ivory ornament or piece of jewellery justifies the slaughter of a majestic elephant, but as their populations continue to crash, the ever-hungry black market has become creative in order to satisfy its greed. Now, ivory hunters are setting their sights on everything from arctic narwhals to […]
Tag: extinction
POLL: Should the export of young elephants to Chinese zoos be banned?
After being taken from her family and the only life she’s ever known, a young female elephant estimated to be just five years old is loaded onto a truck, while men repeatedly kick her in the head, hit her and pull her by a rope as they try to get her to move back. Her […]
POLL: Should there be a total ban on trade in rhino horn?
September 22 was World Rhino Day. Rhinos were once widespread across Asia and Africa and even in Europe, where they are depicted on cave paintings. Today their situation is precarious. The world population of the northern white rhino now consists of three individuals. Sudan, the last surviving male, is now beyond breeding age. He and […]
Snow Leopards Are No Longer Endangered, But They’re Also Not Safe
Snow leopards received some good news with a status change from Endangered to Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but advocates for these elusive cats are warning that it’s not quite time to celebrate yet. Snow leopards have been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species […]
5 Cruel Animal Traditions That Make No Sense Today
Certain customs, passed down from generation to generation, stand the test of time. We outgrow others as times change — and that’s not always a bad thing. Animals have been victims of cruel human traditions for far too long, and it’s time to put an end to these five practices. 1. Hunting Hunting was once […]
POLL: Should there be a worldwide ban on the shark fin trade?
The ocean activist group Sea Shepherd says it has delivered armed Timor-Leste police on to a Chinese-owned fishing vessel in a dawn raid and is detaining the vessels for the police after it was found targeting sharks. Following a two-week hunt for the Pingtan Marine Enterprises fleet, the Sea Shepherd boat M/Y Ocean Warrior found […]
POLL: Should there be a tough crackdown on the trafficking of Pangolins?
Thai officials, acting on a tip, stopped two pickup trucks this week and made the heartbreaking discovery of 136 live pangolins, and nearly 1,000 pounds worth of their scales. Although these pangolins were lucky to be found while still alive, many others aren’t as fortunate. Sadly, these unique little creatures are being hunted to the […]
POLL: Should Yellowstone’s Iconic Grizzly Bears be Stripped of Federal Protection?
It was disappointing to say the least when it was announced earlier this summer that Yellowstone National Park’s iconic grizzly bears would be stripped of protection under the Endangered Species Act. But now, in an effort to get protection restored,multiple tribal and conservation organizations are taking the government to court. In the U.S., there was […]