The Sonoran Desert toad excretes a substance that can provide a vivid psychedelic experience, dubbed the “God molecule” by some. However, the largest native toad in the United States is not immortal. Conservationists are now warning that the toad’s hallucinogenic toxin may be in high demand, putting the species at risk. “There’s a perception of […]
Tag: poison
US government agency reportedly killed 8 wolf pups in their den
In the spring, wolf dens are usually full of young pups being raised by their parents and helper wolves, but when one den in Idaho was discovered vacant earlier this year, biologists worked on uncovering the reason. Today, the Washington Post reported that eight wolf pups from the Timberline wolf pack were killed by agents […]
‘Wondrous and amazing’: female California condors can reproduce without males
The California condor is the largest flying bird in North America, with a 10ft wingspan that enables it to soar up to 15,000ft – nearly half the height of a commercial airplane. Now the birds can claim another superlative feat: scientists have discovered that females can reproduce without a male partner, in a rare phenomenon […]
POLL: Should the use of strychnine for killing wolves be banned?
Health Canada is launching a review this spring on whether strychnine should be used to kill wolves. The Government of Alberta uses the poison to keep dwindling caribou herds alive. Alberta Trappers Association president Bill Abercrombie says strychnine is a horrendous way to kill an animal. “Strychnine initiates convulsions and the animal basically goes into […]
Petition: Take Action to Ban DDT-like “Rat Poisons” Killing Wildlife
There is an urgent need to protect California’s wildlife. More and more wild animals are being found contaminated by first and second generation anticoagulant rodenticides. Like the Covid-19 statistics, we are seeing increased numbers of contaminated wildlife because more tests are being performed. However, also like the pandemic, we don’t truly know the extent of exposure […]
Poaching of wild songbirds so lucrative criminals are monitoring nests
The poaching of wild songbirds has become so lucrative that criminals are monitoring nests in a bid to circumvent the law, according to a senior garda. A sealed ring on a songbird traditionally suggested it was born in captivity and could legally be sold. But according to Supt Martin Walker, poachers have started stalking birds […]
Petition: Trump administration ends gray wolf’s endangered species protections
The Trump administration has removed endangered species protections from the gray wolf, a species once persecuted to near-extinction in the US, in a move that has been condemned as premature by conservationists. The wolves have been provided federal protection for more than 45 years but this is no longer needed according to David Bernhardt, the […]
Lions bred in South Africa for their bones to be used in Far East for traditional medicine
Thousands of lions are being bred in captivity and slaughtered to sell their bones to the far East where they are ground down for traditional medicine. Due to South Africa’s barbaric but lucrative big cat industry, there are currently four times the amount of lions in captivity than in the wild. The lions who are […]