One can understand New Zealand’s apparent frustration with invasive Australian brushtail possums. One can conjure up genuine sadness for the damage the possums cause through their unwavering appetite for birds’ eggs and one can feel real concern for the plight of the native species being edged out. Like many invasive species, they are a nightmare […]
Tag: wildlife crime
POLL: Should the use of elephants for “entertainment” be banned?
Thousands of elephants being used for entertainment across Asia are kept in cruel, abusive conditions fuelled by the growing tourism industry, World Animal Protection has found. Three out of four elephants surveyed in south-east Asia’s popular tourist destinations are living in harsh conditions where they are being used for rides, with mostly steel or wooden […]
POLL: Should veterinary Diclofenac be banned to save vultures?
Vultures are declining world-wide, but Europe used to be a safe place. 3 years ago this changed radically when approval was given to the commercialisation of veterinary diclofenac. Today, we launch a new international campaign in Spain, Portugal and Italy that aims to ban the drug that could wipe out Europe’s vultures… just as it […]
POLL: Should the trapping and “ranching” of chameleons be banned?
Armed with a flashlight on a backroad in Florida, Hillary Dupont-Joyce is on the hunt. Her target is a master of disguise, but a flash of light can make it stick out among the dark trees. She scans her light along a thicket. Suddenly, her trained eye spots the prize: a sleeping chameleon. Dupont-Joyce is […]
POLL: Should South Africa’s canned hunting industry be banned?
South Africa’s drawing the ire of conservationists after approving the export of hundreds of skeletons from captive-bred lions this year, mainly to meet the demand for bones in parts of Asia. This move will prop up South Africa’s sickening canned hunting industry. The nation is home to an estimated 200 lion farms, where thousands of […]
POLL: Should the owning of exotic pets be banned?
An exotic pet is any animal that would not typically be considered a pet. Animals like snakes, sugar gliders, monkeys and scorpions are becoming more common in private homes. In the United States alone, it’s estimated that over 19 million households now have an exotic pet of some kind. Many would argue this is a […]
POLL: Should South Africa’s domestic trade in rhino horns be banned?
A rhino breeder in South Africa is planning an online auction of rhino horns to capitalise on a court ruling that opened the way to domestic trade despite an international ban imposed to curb poaching. The sale of rhino horns by breeder John Hume, to be held in August, will be used to “further fund […]
POLL: Should Yellowstone Grizzlies be removed from the Endangered List?
To see how far we’ve come in restoring grizzly bear populations in and around Yellowstone National Park, consider: There are five times more grizzlies now than there were in 1975, when they were first protected under the Endangered Species Act. The area grizzlies roam has increased by half. And conflicts with bears attracted to landowners’ […]