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AR-NEWS Digest 651
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) [UK] Runaway pigs to ham it up on breakfast TV
by David J Knowles
2) Swan Song: With Icarus' Death, Swan Lake Needs a Fowl - Fast
by Snugglezzz@aol.com
3) (NZ)Increased bacterial infections in humans/possible rabbit
link
by bunny
4) (US) Oklahoma Weekly Outdoor News
by JanaWilson@aol.com
5) Rescue Story with Happy Ending
by Snugglezzz@aol.com
6) Karing K-9s Comfort Sick Kids
by Snugglezzz@aol.com
7) circus is coming to town
by Snugglezzz@aol.com
8) FDA Approves Artificial Blood for Dogs
by Liz Grayson
9) Fwd: Can you help?
by NAGAO AKI
10) [US] UW-Madison Monkeys: Letter from Dane County Executive Kathleen
Falk
by Steve Barney
11) Non-Animal Research
by "sa338@blues.uab.es"
12) (NZ)RCD virus link to rabbits with deformed ears
by bunny
13) New Support Nadas/Boycott Oregon Page
by Mesia Quartano
14) (US-NJ) GUARINO'S FURS-HOME NEWS TRIBUNE
by "Jeffrey A. LaPadula"
15) HELP: Spay/Neuter PSA
by "Cari Gehl"
16) (US) Vampire Cult Trial To Begin
by Mesia Quartano
17) Lanolin, tallowate, and honey
by "Anne S. Shih"
18) CRS marine mammal summary to US congress (fwd)
by "Cari Gehl"
19) Fwd: Restriction on Tuna Drift Net Fishing
by "Cari Gehl"
20) Fwd: NOAA/NMFS Press Release
by "Cari Gehl"
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 00:22:49
From: David J Knowles
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Runaway pigs to ham it up on breakfast TV
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19980201002249.0d171a00@dowco.com>
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, February 1st, 1998
Runaway pigs to ham it up on breakfast TV
By Anjana Devoy
THE Tamworth Two, the fugitive pigs who escaped death this month by fleeing
from an abattoir, are to have their own television show.
North Pole Productions, a television company, is developing two puppet
"celebrity pigs" based on the ginger Tamworths, Butch and Sundance. The
pair will be no fools - they are expected to argue the suitability of pigs
as pets as well as the dangers of eating meat. The puppets are being
created by Phil Eason, a veteran animator who has worked on projects
including Star Wars and Lost in Space. The pigs will also appear as guests
on other
programmes, and will be available as after-dinner speakers. Their series is
expected to be on children's television within six months.
The pair will make their first public appearance on Channel 4's early
morning show, The Big Breakfast, where they will speak against the
promotion of National Bacon Week, which begins on February 8. A spokesman
for North Pole said last night that the Butch and Sundance puppets will
promote the cause of pigs, and try to discourage the public from eating
pork as a meat alternative after the fears caused by BSE.
They will also be raising the profile of pigs as pets in Britain by arguing
that they are clean, elegant and intelligent creatures, and are expected to
act as a mouthpiece for other animals who they consider have not had a fair
deal.
Their mandate is to spread the word that "a pig is forever, and not just
for breakfast", and to become pig liberationists. A message from the
production company - but purportedly from the pigs - said: "First off, we
are the real genuine grade A Tamworth Two and any other pigs claiming to be
us are lying swine. The story about us was a put-up job by the sausage
makers to stop other pigs getting ideas, aided and abetted by the media.
"We are free and going to stay that way because it is down to us to get our
message across to porkers everywhere. It seems as if every other animal has
got a rights group or a protection society except us pigs. But we are here
to put that right."
The tale of the real Tamworth Two, who hid for a week after fleeing from a
slaughterhouse in Malmesbury, Wilts, converted many to vegetarianism. The
Vegetarian Society received more than 150 extra calls a day from people
wanting to stop eating meat.
But the Meat and Livestock Commission, organisers of National Bacon Week,
feel confident that they will withstand any challenge from the puppets'
campaign. "Butch and Sundance can ham it up all they like, but we are not
too worried. Bacon is one of our favourite foods in Britain, with 90 per
cent of the population eating it regularly. But we look forward to meeting
them on The Big Breakfast. I am sure they will be very entertaining," a
spokesman said.
Rebecca Nagan, the voice of Sundance, said: "I am sure the public will love
them to have a voice. I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't invited on to
Parkinson soon."
⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.
[Notes for those not familiar with the UK. Channel 4 is an independent TV
broadcast station available in most of the UK. Parkinson is a late-night
talk show hosted by TV veteran Michael Parkinson.]
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 06:56:53 EST
From: Snugglezzz@aol.com
To: ar-news@Envirolink.org
Subject: Swan Song: With Icarus' Death, Swan Lake Needs a Fowl - Fast
Message-ID: <4355660.34d46307@aol.com>
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Tulsa World, OK, USA: Icarus fell this week, dead from unknown causes, and
left Tulsa's famous Swan Lake with only one swan.
So caretakers were busy Friday trying to get through a labyrinth of paperwork
and fund-raising, hoping to locate yet another member of this splendid but
rare species.
A passerby found Icarus, the lake's only male trumpeter swan, lying dead on
the shore Monday morning.
An examination at the Tulsa Zoo found no signs of disease or injury, leaving
the death a mystery.
The real puzzle, though, is how Swan Lake will replace Icarus.
Members of the Swan Lake Waterfowl Society, the private group that cares for
Swan Lake, don't even know yet where to find another trumpeter swan for sale.
They've been through this maze before, back in 1989, when someone killed
Icarus' first mate with a bow and arrow, and her body was found "field
dressed," with her breast and rib cage removed - hunted down like a common
duck.
On that first red-tape adventure, Swan Lake officials came back with Nike,
Icarus' second mate and now Swan Lake's only swan.
"She's now in mourning," said Duck Soule, president of the Swan Lake society.
"She's spending her days trumpeting loudly, acting strangely."
But finding another trumpeter swan to keep her company could become a task of
mythical proportions, Soule said.
It's a protected species, and Soule said, "you can't just go out and buy one."
First, the age of the new swan has to be documented, making sure it's old
enough to mate but young enough to live a long while at Swan Lake.
And, because swans mate for life, this one will have to remain a bachelor
until he arrives.
Then there are blood lines to consider, to ensure that this new swan can mate
successfully with Nike.
Then the people who supply the new swan will have to agree to let the wings be
clipped - a prerequisitie for living at Swan Lake, but a demand that many
breeders refuse to meet.
And, of course, there's the biggest hurdle of all - the money.
It will cost about $1,500 to replace Icarus. And Swan Lake doesn't have the
money.
"We barely have the money to feed and care for the birds we have," Soule said.
That's a big job, because Swan Lake - tucked into an upper-class neighborhood
in Tulsa - has one of the largest collections of waterfowl in the country,
Soule said.
All this comes on a tight deadline. Nesting season starts in March, and Swan
Lake visitors have come to look forward to watching the cygnets hatch every
summer.
For more information, see the Swan Lake web page at: www.swanlake.org
- Sherrill
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 21:53:31 +0800
From: bunny
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)Increased bacterial infections in humans/possible rabbit
link
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19980201214604.196f41a6@wantree.com.au>
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Dear All,
In a recent letter received from the New Zealand laboratory charged with
assessing the purity of the "venom" that NZ farmers were making in their
blenders from deliberately infected , dead,Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease
Infected rabbits and water whizzed together, it was noted that a bacteria
was present in the venom. This bacteria, known as Campylobacter causes
illness in humans.
Therefore, conventional wisdom would dictate that perhaps the farmers were
spreading bacteria
with their "rabbit smoothies". Read below of near-record cases of
campylobacter cases in NZ
and what illnesses this bacteria causes in humans below this article.
****************************************************************
>From The Press - January 28, 1998
LOCAL NEWS
Campylobacter cases rise to 58
Near-record numbers of campylobacter cases in Canterbury this month are
puzzling, says Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Mel Brieseman.
Dr Brieseman said 58 cases were reported to Crown Public Health last week,
one less than the record number reported in January 1995.
Campylobacter cases had been gradually increasing over the last few weeks,
a trend that had been noted nationally as well as in Canterbury.
He said there appeared to be no explanation for the higher than average
number.
No links had yet been established between any of the cases.
"A few of the cases have a tenuous link but nothing definite.
"All of them, as far as we are aware, are fairly independent. There is
certainly no mass outbreak."
Dr Brieseman said it was clear many people were still missing the message
about the need for food hygiene particularly during the warmer summer
months.
Another explanation was that increased rainfall in the mountains had
contaminated water supplies, but there was no real evidence to support
this, he said.
A few isolated cases of food poisoning could also be explained by poor food
hygiene in camping situations, but did not explain the over-all higher than
average numbers, he said.
"It was perhaps just a matter of different attitudes to hygiene during
summer.
"People feel good when it is bright and sunny, they do not want to think
about depressing things like washing their hands and food poisoning."
He said children seemed particularly affected by the seasonal carefree
attitude.
Dr Brieseman warned organisers of school camps over the next month to be
wary of untreated water supplies and poor food hygiene.
He said there had been problems with camp water supplies and badly stored
and prepared foods.
Other notifiable diseases reported last week were seven cases of
salmonellosis, six cases of giardiasis, three of yersiniosis, two each of
acute gastroenteritis and cryptosporidiosis, and one of shigellosis.
End
*********************************************************************
Campylobacter - From: http://www.public.health.wa.gov.au/ehs21.htm
Campylobacter gastroenteritis is a type of food poisoning caused by
the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli.
Nearly half of all reported food poisonings in Australia are due to
Campylobacter infection and the number of cases is on the
increase. Approximately one third of all cases are in young children
aged four years or younger, but all age groups can be affected.
Campylobacter bacteria can be found in or on:
raw poultry
raw meats
unpasteurised milk
untreated water
puppies and kittens
wild animals and birds
Symptoms
Campylobacter infection usually develops between two and five days after
eating contaminated food.
The symptoms vary from mild to very severe and include:
diarrhoea (may contain mucus and blood)
abdominal pain (may be similar to appendicitis)
vomiting
fever
nausea
Symptoms usually stop suddenly after two to five days but, in some cases,
may last longer. If you suffer from any of these
symptoms consult your doctor immediately. You may be requested to provide a
specimen to confirm if Campylobacter was the
cause of the illness.
Handling food
If you have Campylobacter and:
are employed as a food handler contact your employer. You must not return to
work until you are symptom-free.
advise your local government Environmental Health Officer so that the source
of infection may be traced.
prepare food for your family if possible, have someone else prepare the food.
Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food.
advise your local government Environmental Health Officer so that the source
of infection may be traced.
Remember: Storing meat and poultry below 5║C or above 60║C will help to
prevent food poisoning
Protect yourself from Campylobacter
Campylobacter infection can be avoided by following these simple rules.
1.
ALWAYS wash your hands before handling food.
2.
PREVENT sources of Campylobacter from contaminating ready-to-eat food.
Keep raw meat and poultry away from ready-to-eat food.
Clean and sanitise utensils and cutting boards immediately after
they have been used to prepare raw meats.
Store ready-to-eat foods above raw meats to prevent juices from raw
meats dripping into prepared food.
Cover all foods.
3.
AVOID drinking:
untreated water;
unpasteurised milk.
4.
COOK food thoroughly. Make sure meat and poultry reach at least 75íC in
the centre.
5.
DEFROST food safely either:
in the refrigerator; or
in the microwave oven on "defrost" setting. NEVER defrost food at
room temperature.
6.
BEWARE, pets carry bacteria so:
keep pets out of the kitchen when preparing food;
take your pet to the vet if it is sick;
wash your hands after touching pets or other animals.
7.
PROTECT babies and young children. They are at greatest risk from
Campylobacter infection so:
try to keep their hands clean after they have touched pets, been to
the toilet etc;
wash your hands after changing nappies or dirty linen.
Cook food thoroughly
Wash hands before handling food
Separate ready-to-eat and raw foods
=====================================================================
========
/`\ /`\ Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom, (/\ \-/ /\) P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son, )6 6( Riverton,
Saved a pig >{= Y =}< Western Australia 6148
And away he run; /'-^-'\
So none could eat (_) (_) email: rabbit@wantree.com.au
The pig so sweet | . |
Together they ran | |} http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street. \_/^\_/ (Rabbit Information Service website updated
frequently)
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
- Voltaire
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 11:51:17 EST
From: JanaWilson@aol.com
To: AR-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Oklahoma Weekly Outdoor News
Message-ID:
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A/w local Oklahoma City news:
People wanting to learn more about landscaping for wildlife will have
two opportunities to attend free workshops conducted by the Oklahoma
Wildlife Diversity Program. One workshop will be at 9 am on Feb. 28
at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, Okla.
Participants can purchase a $5 box lunch and take an optional trip
into the refuge to view plants and features that are recommended for
wildlife. You must register by Feb. 20.
The second workshop starts at 9 am on April 4th at the Wildlife
Dept.'s new Southeast Region Office near Hartshorne, Okla. This
office features a Wildscape Demonstration Area complete with
butterfly and hummingbird gardens, native shrubs and plantings,
a bog garden, a recirculating stream and bird feeding stations.
To sign up for either workshop, please write the Wildlife Diversity
Program, 1801 N. Lincoln, Okla. City, Ok. 73105, or call
(405) 521-4616.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Commission will meet at 9 am Monday at
the Oklahoma Wildlife Dept. headquarters in Okla. City. The
Commission will hear a report on the agency's financial situation.
Stalking wild sheep, tracking a "trophy cougar", hiking the back
country of British Columbia, fishing for striped bass and coming
face to face with a grizzly bear are some of the adventures (?) found
in "Spirit of the Wilderness," a new book just released by the Boone
and Crockett Club. It sells for $29.95 plus $4.25 shipping. To
order call (888) 840-HUNT.
For the Animals,
Jana, OKC
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 12:16:38 EST
From: Snugglezzz@aol.com
To: ar-news@Envirolink.org
Subject: Rescue Story with Happy Ending
Message-ID: <24635c4b.34d4adf8@aol.com>
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Tulsa World,OK, USA: (By Terrell Lester):
Happiness is a warm and fuzzy puppy.
Take it from Judy and Ken Trickey.
They have a puppy dog tale that starts out with a little rough-and-tumble but
happily segues into something warm and fuzzy that they can cuddle up with.
It began shortly before the first of the year. Judy was motoring toward
Stillwell, OK early one morning when she stopped for coffee at a cafe in the
lakeside community of Keys along Oklahoma 82 in Cherokee County.
She encountered a waif of a dog, cowering in the breaking shadows of the
building. A dog lover from childhood, Judy beckoned to the lonely critter.
No one in the cafe knew much of the black dog, except that she had been
hanging around for a couple of months. Someone said that a few weeks back she
had given birth to a litter of pups in a nearby ditch. The pups had
disappeared one by one as strangers took their pick. Momma dog was left
behind, neglected, kicked, and starved.
Judy carried the image of the dog with her into Stilwell, where she sought to
find a suitable home for the animal. There were no takers. Going back through
Keys that night, she stopped again at the cafe. The dog was still sitting
against the outer wall of the building, hoping against hope for a handout and
a gentle hand.
Once again, Judy inquired about the dog. She was told that aside from a heavy
infestation of fleas and a general case of lethargy, she was in pretty good
shape for the shape she was in.
In fact, Judy was told that one of the locals, in an attempt to rid the dog of
the fleas, had given her a a good old rubdown with transmission fluid.
"Well, they could no more get that out of their mouth than I said, 'I'm taking
this dog to Tulsa!'" Judy said.
Reaching her home and her husband, Judy said that she had every intention of
pairing the dog with a good family. Ken said that sounded like him and Judy.
They already had two dogs, springer spaniels Classy, 11, and Sassy, 2. If two
dogs are easy to care for, Ken reasoned, a third dog would be no problem.
Besides, Ken knew something about this dog, he said. He, too, had passed
through Keys a week earlier. He, too, had stopped at the same cafe. He, too,
had seen the dog and had stopped to pet it.
But unlike Judy, Ken did not take the stray home. He was happy that his wife
would do what he didn't.
They named their newest addition Molly, and introduced her to their family
veterinarian. They made the decision to have her spayed and told the doctor to
do whatever else might need to be done.
The vet discovered a broken jaw and two loose teeth. That, the vet surmised,
occurred because of a kick to the face. Molly's age was placed at about 16
months.
Classy and Sassy accepted Molly without reservations. "They knew that she
needed something," Judy said. "They just knew that she was lost and didn't
have a home. Now they run and play just like family."
"Molly's leading the life of Riley, now. She sleeps up in the bed with us and
she gets up in the big chairs. Her hair is slick and beautiful."
Judy took photographs of Molly down to the cafe in Keys to show what a little
tender loving care can do for a stray dog.
"She's turned out to be a wonderful dog, a little sweetheart," Judy said. "We
just say that we were meant to have her, that she was meant to be a part of
the Trickey family. She's a happy camper, and we're happy she's here."
-- Sherrill
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 12:32:12 EST
From: Snugglezzz@aol.com
To: ar-news@Envirolink.org
Subject: Karing K-9s Comfort Sick Kids
Message-ID:
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Tulsa World, OK, USA: When St. Francis Hospital officials tried to think of a
way to make their sick kids feel more at home, they kept coming up with one
image - a cuddly, furry, slobbering puppy.
Last week, that image became a reality. And walking down the bright, colorful
hallways of the Children's Hospital, the poodles, Shih-Tzus, and Alaskan
Huskies didn't look too out of place - especially with their red bandanas and
funny hats.
And though the Karing K-9s toured the Intensive Care Unit and some rooms with
bed-bound patients, they looked especially at home in the window-lined
playroom that greets little visitors with the words, "This playroom gives
patients a place to play - free from all medical procedures."
"It takes a lot more than medicine to make them feel better," said Danielle
Inbody, a child life specialist at St. Francis.
When Inbody took the position at St. Francis two years ago, getting some fur
flying in the Children's Hospital was one of her first priorities.
Her first project was getting Skippy, the ward's white rabbit, approved. He is
now so popular that Inbody's pager beeps all day with patients requesting
visits with the rabbit.
The Karing K-9 members have made dogs a common sight in a lot of Tulsa
facilities. The group of Tulsa pet owners visits several area hospitals,
psychiatric clinics, and nursing homes. And they are always greeted with
delight, officials said.
"Even people who aren't responding to the day-to-day therapy can make
breakthroughs when they see the dogs," said Veterinarian Jill Peale, who
adopted an Alaskan Husky when he couldn't be shown professionally because of a
deformed foot.
But it is just that foot that makes the dog the perfect therapy animal.
"Kids know that he had a problem, too, and he got through it," she said.
-- Sherrill
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 12:37:29 EST
From: Snugglezzz@aol.com
To: ar-news@Envirolink.org
Subject: circus is coming to town
Message-ID: <5be7354.34d4b2db@aol.com>
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The Akdar Shrine Circus is coming to Tulsa Feb. 26th.
I remember someone posting on ar-news about a prayer vigil they held for the
elephants at a circus, but I've lost the posting. It was months and months
ago, I think.
Does anyone recall that post, and what group did it, and what they actually
did? I believe they had a prayer vigil as the elephants were being unloaded,
but I don't quite remember the whole posting.
Thanks!!
Sherrill
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 12:37:12 -0500
From: Liz Grayson
To: ar-news
Subject: FDA Approves Artificial Blood for Dogs
Message-ID: <34D4A84F.23AD@earthlink.net>
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Feb. 1, 1998 4:23 pm GMT
FDA Approves Artificial Blood for Dogs
AP 30-JAN-98
WASHINGTON (AP) The government approved the first artificial
blood Friday but it's just for dogs.
BioPure Corp.'s Oxyglobin for dogs is big news for
veterinarians because animal blood banks are rare and
veterinarians struggle to find canine blood donors
whenever
a dog gets hit by a car or comes down with anemia.
But the approval by the Food and Drug Administration
Friday
also signals hope for scientists seeking a blood
substitute
for humans because if artificial blood works for a
four-legged mammal, it one day could work for the
two-legged
kind.
"This is a tremendous step in the context of the therapy
and
the care that people will be able to provide for
animals,"
said Dr. William Muir, veterinary professor at Ohio State
University. "In an interesting way, it's happening in
dogs
before it's happening in people. But I'm led to believe
it
should be sometime in the near future that a product ...
will be available for humans as well."
Some 4 million dogs need transfusions for anemia every
year,
and 20 percent of the cases are serious enough that the
dog
could die, BioPure says.
Some large veterinary practices freeze canine blood and
some
vets house dogs as on-site donors. But dogs have more
different blood types than people, so matching blood and
thawing transfusions can take too long in an emergency.
"In almost all situations except the dog that happens to
live next door to one of the rare banks, if a dog is
hemorrhaging, there's nothing that can be done in any
less
time than 24 hours," said FDA microbiologist Paul
Aebersold.
In a study of 64 anemic dogs, treatment failures occurred
in
just 5 percent of Oxyglobin-treated dogs vs. 68 percent
of
dogs given standard, supportive care.
Unlike real blood, Oxyglobin can sit on a vet's shelf at
room temperature for two years, ready to be used. It will
cost $150 a unit, about as much as donated canine blood,
said BioPure. Most dogs would need up to one unit,
although
very large ones could need two.
Derived from cattle blood, Oxyglobin is bioengineered
hemoglobin, the part of blood that carries oxygen.
Hemoglobin normally is carried inside red blood cells.
BioPure removed hemoglobin from those cells to create a
fluid that carries oxygen straight into a dog's tissues
without causing an allergic reaction.
It can cause side effects, including temporary urine
discoloration, overly expanded blood vessels and
vomiting.
Because Oxyglobin contains no blood cells and disappears
from the body within 24 hours, some dogs will need blood
transfusions later, cautioned FDA veterinary drug expert
Dr.
Melanie Berson.
BioPure contends Oxyglobin is actually better than real
canine blood because new transfusions take extra time to
push the oxygen out of red blood cells. It calls this
emerging field "oxygen therapeutics."
The company has created a similar product for people,
called
Hemopure, that is being tested in surgery patients to see
if
the blood substitute gets oxygen into their tissues
better
than standard surgical care. BioPure expects results from
clinical trials later this year.
"That is where this field is going to go," predicted Dr.
Ted
Jacobs, BioPure's founder and a surgeon. "We believe it
will
be used very, very widely for many critical-care issues."
Other companies are testing potential blood substitutes
for
trauma patients, in case a hospital runs short of the
right
blood type or for ambulances to use instead of the salt
water now infused to keep patients alive until they reach
a
hospital.
Oxyglobin shows a human blood substitute might one day
work,
Aebersold acknowledged.
"That's a very plausible scientific rationale," he said.
But
because the nation has safe, well-stocked blood banks for
people, the use of a blood substitute probably would be
very
different for people from dogs, and testing for safety
and
effectiveness will be strict, Aebersold stressed.
"All these products have side effects and one has to be
very
careful," he warned.
Copyright 1998& The Associated Press. All rights
reserved.
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 98 03:05:53 +0900
From: NAGAO AKI
To: "ar-news@envirolink.org"
Subject: Fwd: Can you help?
Message-ID: <199802011757.CAA02801@pop3.osk.3web.ne.jp>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
Date: 02.02 01:03
Received: 02.02 01:23
From: Scott LeRoy, sleroy@bestweb.net
To: $BD9Hx!!0!5*(B , NAGAO Aki, nagaoaki@leda.law.osaka-u.ac.jp
This is Scott LeRoy, asking for some help to get immediate assistance for
the shrinking population of manatees and the shrinking habitat which they
need to survive!
I notified you last time that the canals leading to the natural habitat
for
manatees in Matlacha, FL, was being filled with sand.
The channel will not be open for manatee migration, and habitat vital to
thier survival will be lost. Even though some do not think this situation
is bad for manatee survival, I (and others) KNOW that by taking away
habitat and food supplies from one population of manatees will ultimately
lead to the migration of these manatee and overtax another wintering
ground
of other manatess!
Please read the following update, after we contacted ALL agencies which
claim they care!
SOS well the manatee are really up against it now, at medium
low tide the sand bar has grown to within 18 feet of the seawall with a
water depth of 2 feet with another foot to go which will give them one
foot and, as we all know, the average manatee girth is probably 30
inches.. where there used to be 8 feet of water there is now only 2 feet
of water..not even enough water for the manatee to get to their spot to
protect them from the cold..yes I know that everyone says that"s only
low tide and they can get in at high tide and they will adjust but
REMEMBER THIS , low tide with 12 inches of water and a 30 inch tide
fluctuation here , gives high tide a depth of 42 inches, barely enough
water for them to get in let alone not enough room to get out of the
boats way. Now hear this 6 months ago there was 96 inches of water 3
weeks ago there was 60 inches of water , now there is 42 inches of
water , at this rate within 10 days high or low tide no manatee will be
able to protect themselves from the cold here at Matlacha, Florida.
This is getting to be a very pathetic situation , all the government
agencies that we know of have been contacted and nothing has been done
.. They all say surveys, studies, the manatee will adjust, they are
working on it, well they ( the manatee) are going to loose their
natural habitat here where they breed and live and now they are going
to die when the cold hits and they can"t get in , ALL THIS BECAUSE ALL
AGENCIES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES DO NOT ACT OR REACT TO A NOW
SITUATION!!!
Keep in mind, that as the mouth of a canal closes the same amount of water
has to escape the canals up stream. AS the outlet of the canal shrinks,
the
water will start to increase in speed as it escapes the canals. The
manatees are finding it impossible to swim against such increased
currents!! The younger manatees do not stand a chance of surviving in the
area, and will leave forever!! AND, the older-larger manatees cannot swim
over the sand bars SO all manatees will lose their habitat!
Over population, less food and habitat, and increased migration to
populated areas will lead to increased deaths either by
starvation-exposure
to cold weather-manatees hit by motor boats.
One must ask themselves, do we want to study and research dead manatees
and
document the decline of a endangered species OR do we want to preserve the
species for future generations?
This would seem like an obvious answer, but we have been trying to get
help
for the endangered manatees for the past TWO YEARS and the organizations
entrusted with the protection of the manatees will not move to protect the
live manatees. They only respond to calls which envolve DEAD MANATEES,
which they can STUDY for cause of death!! They do not respond to the
plight of LIVING MANATEES, nor will they try to find a way.
Monies are set aside to research dead manatees, not protect the living!
This is not my perception. Research without actions will mean nothing to
protect the manatee species, but in the end we will have documentation of
the extinction of the MANATEE!
We need your help, if those with the power to help the manatees know that
concerned citizens will contact them to voice thier similar concerns about
the manatee the job of protecting the living manatees will be easier!
Please, email others and if you find the need to prove our statements we
have all of this on video tape!
Call bill leroy at 941-283-8548 for such information.
Thank you, and I hope you can help us!
Scott LeRoy.
----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------
-------------
$BD9Hx!!0!5*(B
$BBg:eBg3XBg3X1!K!3X8&5f2JGn;N8e4|2]Dx(B
$B")(B560-0034 $BK-Cf;TBT7s;3D.#1!<#6(B
06-850-6111 $BFb@~(B2229
nagaoaki@leda.law.osaka-u.ac.jp
-------------
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 14:09:08 -0600
From: Steve Barney
To: AR-News
Subject: [US] UW-Madison Monkeys: Letter from Dane County Executive Kathleen
Falk
Message-ID: <34D4D664.ACE05F28@uwosh.edu>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
The letter below, from Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, is a reply
to my letter to her, in which I urged her to support Resolution 241:
"Directing the Zoo Commission and Zoo Director to develop options to
retain the monkey colonies at Henry Vilas Zoo"
(see #3.1.15.1 at http://www.uwosh.edu/organizations/alag#Issues ).
-- Beginning --
DANE COUNTY
Kathleen M. Falk
County Executive
January 30, 1998
[...]
Dear Mr. Barney:
Thank you for expressing your strong concern regarding the safety and
well-being of the, rhesus and stump-tail monkeys who belong to the
University of Wisconsin-Madison Primate Research Center and live at the
Vilas Park Zoo.
Your intense interest for the welfare of these beautiful animals is
wholly admirable and understandable. County staff are in regular
communication with University officials as part of an effort to provide
for the humane care of these animals. At the same time, we have
consistently reminded the University of its responsibility to care for
or fund the care of its monkeys. The zoo, like all County facilities, is
tightly budgeted. The zoo has developed its own superb new primate
facility and is taking excellent care of the many species of primates
who are permanent and cherished residents at the zoo. I am concerned
that if Dane County had to assume the expenses of caring for the UW's
monkeys, we may have to reduce care of other animals at the zoo or
postpone some much-needed remodeling projects at the zoo.
A meeting was held with members of the Alliance for Animals on January
21, 1998 to make sure that I understood the concerns and suggestions of
those who have the monkeys' welfare as their highest priority. This
meeting was helpful to me. I am directing county staff to analyze the
information and suggestions made by the Alliance, and I will be
responding to the Alliance shortly.
I am also listening to zoo staff and the Zoo Commission. Both are
concerned over the long-term need to remodel or replace the
approximately 30-year-old facility that currently houses the UW monkeys
and the staffing that would be needed to adequately care for the UW
monkeys, especially in light of the information regarding the
newly-discovered modes of transmitting the Herpes B virus from monkeys
to humans. Because that virus can lead to a viral infection which has
an 80% death rate in humans, I was advised that even slight increases in
the risk of incurring such infection raises a high degree of concern
among those who would have to care for the monkeys. The Alliance
provided additional information to me on all of those points.
Thank you again for contacting me. Like you, I hope that everyone can
work together to arrange for the genuinely humane care for all of the
affected monkeys.
Sincerely,
Kathleen M. Falk
Dane County Executive
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, City-County Building, Madison,
Wisconsin 53709
PH 608/266-4114 FAX 266-2643 TDD 266-9138
-- End --
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 23:10:12 +0100
From: "sa338@blues.uab.es"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Non-Animal Research
Message-ID: <34D4F2C4.1CF6@blues.uab.es>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit
This is Nuria from Barcelona.
A group of scientists from the High Council of Scientific Investigations
in Spain is starting a research project about the effects of the
microwaves generated by the phones. They are going to use recent corpses
and virtual reality to simulate the effects in alive beings.
--
PO`!1 a
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 07:24:20 +0800
From: bunny
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (NZ)RCD virus link to rabbits with deformed ears
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19980202071652.2d1f7022@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>From The Press - January 30, 1998
RCD link possible
to rabbits with deformed ears
TIMARU -- Live rabbits with deformed ears have been found in the Mackenzie
Basin and elsewhere in Canterbury, and the deformities may be linked to the
rabbit virus RCD.
Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman Debbie Gee said yesterday that MAF had
appointed a scientist to research the phenomenon, which included reports of
rabbits with shorter ears than usual, and even some with just stumps.
She would not speculate on whether MAF believed the ear deformities were
linked to RCD.
"There are a number of theories about what is happening. It could be a
side-effect of RCD, or it could be predators nibbling ears of rabbits
weakened by the virus.
"It might be nothing to do with the virus at all -- we just don't know."
Canterbury Regional Council biosecurity team leader Graham Sullivan said in
Timaru last night that he believed the link between the ear deformities and
RCD could not be discounted.
Mr Sullivan said he and his officers had not seen any sign of the
phenomenon in the Mackenzie but he did know of reports from North
Canterbury.
"I've heard of rabbits with ears that have just flopped over through to
ones with just stumps."
He had heard reliable reports that the incidence of ear problems was about
1 in 25 rabbits on one site in North Canterbury.
"Neither I nor any of the other officers have seen anything like this in 25
years -- it seems too much of a coincidence that it could be occurring
independently of RCD."
Mr Sullivan said he did not feel the theory that predators might be
responsible for the ear problems was credible. -- NZPA
=====================================================================
========
/`\ /`\ Rabbit Information Service,
Tom, Tom, (/\ \-/ /\) P.O.Box 30,
The piper's son, )6 6( Riverton,
Saved a pig >{= Y =}< Western Australia 6148
And away he run; /'-^-'\
So none could eat (_) (_) email: rabbit@wantree.com.au
The pig so sweet | . |
Together they ran | |} http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
Down the street. \_/^\_/ (Rabbit Information Service website updated
frequently)
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
- Voltaire
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 18:21:01 -0800
From: Mesia Quartano
To: ar-views@envirolink.org, "ar-news@envirolink.org"
Subject: New Support Nadas/Boycott Oregon Page
Message-ID: <34D52D8D.948063C2@usa.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
For anyone that is interested, I have set up a page where you can pledge
your support for Nadas online. Any info/comments you wish will be
automatically added. I know that everyone who can is sending letters,
but I thought this would be another way to show just how many of us
there really are (I'm sure the Gov. and the commissioners aren't sharing
the numerous letters they've received). Plus, it should be simple and
almost instantaneous.
Please spread the word! The URL is:
http://animalrights.miningco.com/blnadas.htm
(Please refer people to this page, in case I have to change guestbooks,
or some other evil occurs).
Thanks!
~Mesia
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 18:27:18 -0500 (EST)
From: "Jeffrey A. LaPadula"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US-NJ) GUARINO'S FURS-HOME NEWS TRIBUNE
Message-ID:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Group protests at East Brunswick
furrier
Published in the Home News Tribune 2/01/98
By GREG GITTRICH
STAFF WRITER
Members of the Animal Defense League of New Jersey rallied
at an East Brunswick furrier yesterday afternoon to protest the
"barbaric" treatment of animals by the fur industry.
About 20 members of the militant animal-rights organization,
based in Monmouth and Middlesex counties, protested for
about two hours outside Furs by Guarino, 339 Route 18.
Waiving photos of skinned animals covered in blood, the
young activists blasted the fur industry for "using such horrible
methods as gassing, trapping and anal and genital
electrocution" to harvest pelts.
Corinne Ball, 17, of North Brunswick, group spokeswoman,
said the group will hold a series of demonstrations at Furs by
Guarino Feb. 7-14.
"We will be here every moment the store's open," Ball said.
Ball said the ADL selected the East Brunswick store because
of its location on heavily traveled Route 18.
East Brunswick police reported no incidents as a result of the
demonstration. But several drivers slowed their cars to catch a
glimpse of the protesters, backing up the already sluggish
midday traffic.
The store's owner, John Guarino, said it was difficult to
determine if the protesters were affecting his business.
"Obviously, we would prefer they weren't here," Guarino said.
"But it's freedom of speech. They're welcome to protest. They
have every right to be outside as long as they don't harass our
customers."
Guarino asked a store employee to videotape the
demonstrators with a hand-held camera "as a precautionary
measure and to deter any damage to the store."
The ADL made headlines in November when windows were
broken at a Metuchen furrier hours before the group had
planned to protest in front of the shop. The ADL sent out a
news release suggesting the Animal Liberation Front, an
underground and anonymous group that advocates the
destruction of property to protect animals, was responsible.
Three weeks ago, the Metuchen furrier announced its closing.
****************************************************************************
ANIMAL DEFENSE LEAGUE - NEW JERSEY
P.O. Box 84
Oakhurst, NJ 07755
(732)774-6432
http://envirolink.org/orgs/adl
****************************************************************************
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 15:27:50 PST
From: "Cari Gehl"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: HELP: Spay/Neuter PSA
Message-ID: <19980201232751.24408.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
Hi Everyone -
I am currently in my 6th quarter of the Computer Animation program at
the Art Institute of Seattle. I am taking a Non-Linear Editing class
which uses the AVID system, a professional video editing system that
produces broadcast quality video. I have written a 30 second script for
a PSA to promote spaying and neutering and will be producing this for my
final project in the class. In order to do this, I am in desperate need
of good quality footage to use in editing. Some of the types of footage
I need are:
- Shelter and/or pound shots (cats and dogs, puppies and kittens)
- Footage or stills of cats and/or dogs in research laboratories
- Footage or still of stay cat/dog on streets
- Positive footage of people interacting with their pets, i.e. some of
the shots listed in the script are:
- Man walking his dog in the park
- Woman playing with her cat with a toy
- Dog running up to greet a child who is returning home
These are just examples and can be modified depending on what I come up
with. I also have a couple more specific shots that I am trying very
hard to find as they are somewhat integral to the script. These are:
- Still or footage(preferred) of a group of 12 kittens or puppies
together
- Footage of a person looking up a number in the yellow pages and
picking up and dialing the phone
- Footage of positive interaction at the vet's office or clinic
with an owner and a dog or cat and friendly vet, i.e.: examination,
talking to the owner, owner entering or leaving the clinic with the pet,
receptionist greeting owner, etc.
If any organizations or individuals are willing to provide me with or
refer me to sources of footage that I can use with copyright permission,
I would greatly appreciate it! I am willing to pay any costs incurred
including postage, tape cost, duplicating charge, and whatever else
might be applicable.
My goal in producing this video is to make it as generic as possible so
that it can be used by any shelter or organization that would like a
copy. To this end, the script is designed to show the logo and name ,
address, and phone number of the organization sponsoring it at the end
of the PSA. The end result will be broadcast quality and I will provide
a personalized copy with logo to any group that would like one for the
cost of a tape and postage. In order to personalize copies, I will need
all relevant information for the end screen, as well as a high quality
scannable copy of the group's logo if one is available.
I will also be more than happy to e-mail anyone a copy of the script for
approval. I am open to suggestions, but keep in mind that any changes
made will be made to the PSA as a whole and will not be made to reflect
any group's specific interests. Much of the script was built on
information from PETA though it is fairly generic. It does not deal
with the issue of shelters that euthanize vs. those that don't.
I am also wondering if anyone can tell me the origin of the slogan
"Neuter is Cuter". I believe it came from PETA originally, though I am
not sure. I have used the slogan at the end of the video, but would
like to make sure that I have permission if someone has copyrighted it.
If not, I can delete it from the script.
Please feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone you think might be
interested or willing to help - I would greatly appreciate it! You can
e-mail me here at:
skyblew@hotmail.com
OR
skyblew4@aol.com
Thanks so much!
Cari Gehl
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 20:13:41 -0800
From: Mesia Quartano
To: "ar-news@envirolink.org"
Subject: (US) Vampire Cult Trial To Begin
Message-ID: <34D547F5.B5F2043C@usa.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Vampire Cult Trial To Begin
(AP Online; 02/01/98)
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press Writer
TAVARES, Fla. (AP) Animal torture and mutilations, teens drinking each
other's blood, a girl's parents bludgeoned to death and a corpse marked
with occult markings.
Sounds like stock elements of a horror movie, but on Monday jury
selection was set to begin in the trial of the alleged leader of a
vampire cult accused of committing all of the above acts.
Rod Ferrell, 17, could face the death penalty if convicted of charges of
first degree murder.
Ferrell is nervous, especially about whether it's possible to find
jurors in this rural area who have not heard about the lurid case, says
his lawyer William Lackay.
"I think it's going to be hard but not impossible," Lackay said of his
chances for success.
Important to the case is the testimony of Heather Wendorf, a 16-year-old
cult devotee whose parents were beaten to death in their home in
November 1996.
That afternoon, Miss Wendorf and Ferrell performed a blood drinking
ritual in a cemetery to induct, or "cross over," her as a fellow
vampire, according to investigators.
"The person that gets crossed over is like subject to whatever the sire
wants," Miss Wendorf said in a deposition. "Like the sire is boss
basically. They have authority over you."
In the cemetery, investigators say, she and Ferrell talked about their
plans to leave town. Ferrell allegedly discussed killing Miss Wendorf's
parents, but she told him not to harm them, investigators allege.
Ferrell, Miss Wendorf and others had plotted for seven months through
letters and phone conversations to run away together. Considered misfits
when they met at Eustis High School, the two found solace in each
other's company. When Ferrell later moved to Kentucky, they stayed in
touch.
On the day they left town, they left behind the corpses of Richard
Wendorf and Naoma Queen, prosecutors charge.
The two were found bludgeoned at their home in Eustis, about 35 miles
northwest of Orlando. Wendorf was beaten severely in the face; Queen was
found face-down on a bloody kitchen floor.
A "v" sign surrounded by circular marks was burned into Wendorf's body.
Police said it was the sign of Ferrell's vampire clan and each circular
mark represented a clan member.
Only Ferrell is charged with the actual killing. Another teen, Howard
Scott Anderson, 17, is accused of being a principal accessory to murder
by being at the house but having done nothing to stop the killings. He
faces the death penalty despite the reduced charge.
Charged with being accessories to murder are Kentucky teens Dana L.
Cooper, 20, and Charity Keesee, 17. They do not face the death penalty.
The two were not at the house at the time but later left town with the
others in the Wendorfs' stolen car. All five were caught a few days
later in Louisiana. Miss Wendorf was cleared by a grand jury.
Although his lawyer says he's nervous, friends have described Ferrell as
hostile and prone to animal torture.
He may have had a troubled family life as well. His mother, Sondra
Gibson, pleaded guilty in Kentucky last November to trying to entice a
14-year-old boy into having sex as part of a vampire initiation ritual.
John Goodman, a Kentucky cult member who didn't travel with Ferrell to
Florida, said his friend "had become possessed with opening the Gates to
Hell, which meant he would have to kill a large number of people in
order to consume their souls. By doing this, Ferrell believed that he
would obtain super powers."
When questioned by investigators, Miss Wendorf said the only reason she
went with the group was because she had no place to go and feared she
would be blamed for the murders. She said she learned about the murders
during the trip and was distraught at hearing her parents were dead.
*****************
(Apologies -- previous message was inadvertantly crossposted from
AR-Views)
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 18:46:21 -0800
From: "Anne S. Shih"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Lanolin, tallowate, and honey
Message-ID: <34D5337C.E6A9A19F@gte.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Hi all,
I want to specially thank those who replied to my question on the nature
of lanolin,
tallowate, and honey. It was clear to me that they are products of
exploitation of animals,
and I would certainly avoid using them.
Since some of the responses I got did not know why and how bees suffer
in the process of honey making, I thought I include the answer provided
to me. I also include in here a very
useful information regarding animal-friendly alternatives and vegan
standards (Someone read my mind!)
Thanks!
Anne
=============================================================
"Many vegetarians, animal rights activists, and environmentalists
already
avoid bee-derived products, including honey, beeswaxm bee propolis, bee
pollen, and royal jelly. Those who do not may be unaware of how harmful
the cultivation of such commercial products is to the famously busy
insects
whose lives are directly and adversely affected.
. . . . They then regurgitate the partially digested nectar once more
and
fan it with their wings until it is too thick and concentrated to spoil.
This partially dried bee vomit is called honey. Honey is stored in
hollow
beeswax cells integral to the structure of the hive.
. . . . When humans collect honey, some or all of the beeswax cells
containing the honey are separated from the hive. The honey is removed
from the cells by crushing the cells, melting the beeswax, or using a
centrifuge. Whether honey is gathered in the wild or taken from hives
kept
by beekeepers, bees (including eggs and larvae) are killed.
. . . . Honey is a beehive's main source of energy. Honeybees maintain
a
reserve to survive cold weather and periods when there is no food.
However, bees must work very hard to produce honey. . . . The average
honeybee can survive about 400 nectar-gathering trips before dying from
exhaustion. . . . The human taste for honey is literally working
millions
of bees to death.
Beeswax is an even bigger drain on the hive's resources. The energy to
produce an ounce of beeswax requires more than a pound of honey, plus
adequate pollen. This equals the entire lives' work of at least 60-70
bees.
. . . . Beeswax is widely used in candles, moisturizing creams, lip
balms,
pharmaceuticals, and as a coating on commercial fruits and vegatables.
Paraffin and plant waxes such as carnauba are substitutes for beeswax in
candles; cocoa butter, carnauba, and petroleum jelly can be used in
pharmaceuticals and lip balms.
. . . . Whatever the use, the cultivation of honey, beeswax, and other
bee
products causes bees to suffer and die. Beekeepers kill wildlife to
protect their economic interests,l; honey and beeswax production
threatens
biodiversity. Our excessive reliance on honeybees as pollinators,
driven
by the economics of honey and beeswax, may lead to crop failures.
====================================================
Peta's Guide to Animal Ingredients and Their Alternatives
is quite helpful for ingredient questions that I commonly have.
http://www.peta-online.org/shopguid/ingredie.htm
There are *many* companies who are listening to our
concerns about animal derived ingredients due to
people like yourself who take the time to write and
ask about ingredients. The Vegan Standards and
Certification Project is working to get a vegan seal
on products--wouldn't that be handy. Here's their
website: http://www.veganstandards.org/
====================================================
--
My favorite site:
http://www.earth.org.hk
--
My favorite site:
http://www.earth.org.hk
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 19:37:37 PST
From: "Cari Gehl"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: CRS marine mammal summary to US congress (fwd)
Message-ID: <19980202033738.9854.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
The following is being forwarded from MARMAM. I have stripped the
headers in the interest of saving space.
Take care,
Cari Gehl
--------------------
The following is the weekly CRS marine mammal summary provided to the
U.S. congress, sent to MARMAM courtesy of Kate Wing.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Eugene H. Buck, Senior Analyst
Environment and Natural Resources Policy Division
Congressional Research Service
Fisheries and Marine Mammals: Most Recent Developments
-- 1/23/98 (updated daily)
Environment and Natural Resources Policy Division
Congressional Research Service
New info and changes since 1/16/98 are bracketed {...}
New info and changes since 1/22/98 are double-bracketed {{...}}
Marine Mammals
.
Gray Whale Release. In late March 1998, Sea World San Diego
anticipates releasing a juvenile gray whale that has been under its care
since stranding in early January 1997. The U.S. Coast Guard will assist
in the release, timed to coincide with the annual northward migration of
gray whales along the CA coast. [Assoc Press]
.
IWC Intersessional Meeting. On Feb. 3-5, 1998, International
Whaling Commission (IWC) chairman, Michael Canny, is tentatively
scheduled to convene an intersessional meeting of the IWC in Antigua to
discuss a compromise proposal to allow a limited resumption of
commercial whaling in coastal waters. [personal communication]
.
Dolphin Release Charges. In mid-January 1998, NMFS announced
the filing of charges against four dolphin freedom activists for
harassing and illegally transporting two captive dolphins in connection
with their deliberate release in waters off Key West, FL, in May 1996.
Penalties against those involved total $60,000. [NOAA press release]
.
Keiko. On Jan. 7, 1998, the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Free
Willy-Keiko Foundation issued a joint statement announcing that an
arbitrator had ruled that the Aquarium should provide day-to-day care
for Keiko under the direction of the Foundation's medical and
rehabilitation plan. [Assoc Press, Oregon Coast Aquarium/Free
Willy-Keiko Foundation press release]
.
Manatee Mortality. In early January 1998, FL Dept. of
Environmental Protection officials announced that 240 manatees were
known to have died in 1997 -- the second highest annual death count
since recordkeeping began in 1974. [Assoc Press]
.
Canadian Seal Quotas. On Dec. 30, 1997, Canadian officials
announced that the 1998 harp seal harvest quota would be 275,000
animals, unchanged from the 1997 quota. A survey of the harp seal
population is scheduled to be conducted in 1998, to serve as the basis
for deciding future quotas. The hooded seal quota will be increased
from 8,000 (1997) to 10,000 animals in 1998. Federal financial
assistance for the sealing industry will be C$500,000 in 1998, declining
to C$250,000 in 1999. No federal financial
support is projected after 1999 for this industry. [High North Alliance
News]
.
Items in this summary are excerpted from a variety of information
sources. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is not responsible
for the accuracy of the various news items.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 20:34:12 PST
From: "Cari Gehl"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Fwd: Restriction on Tuna Drift Net Fishing
Message-ID: <19980202043412.22463.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
Another forward from MARMAM:
-----------------------
Restriction on Tuna Drift Net Fishing
By Amanda Brown, Environment Correspondent, PA News
The Government today acted to help save dwindling dolphin
populations by announcing changes to UK licences for tuna drift net
fishing.
Fisheries Minister Elliot Morley said the move would affect the
seas south-west of the UK.
He said: "This is the first step towards ending the unacceptable
toll of dolphins in drift nets.
"The UK is pressing for the agreement of other EU member states to
take similar immediate action as well as to agree to a phase-out."
The new licence will apply to all UK vessels over 10 metres and
will prevent additional vessels joining the fleet pending EU agreement
to a phase-out.
Mr Morley said that from February 1, the only UK vessels eligible
to fish for tuna using drift nets, for which a separate non
transferable licence will be required, will be those which did so in
either 1996 or 1997.
"This will limit participation to a maximum of 10 vessels, and
some of these have been approved for a decommissioning grant which
they can take up by the end of February."
______________________________________________________
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Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 20:42:15 PST
From: "Cari Gehl"
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Fwd: NOAA/NMFS Press Release
Message-ID: <19980202044216.422.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain
NOAA 98-R105
Contact: Scott Smullen FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
scott.smullen@noaa.gov 1/20/98
(301) 713-2370
DOLPHIN FEEDING AND HARASSMENT STILL ILLEGAL
The National Marine Fisheries Service reminds people enjoying
Florida's coastal waters that it is still against federal law to
feed and harass wild dolphins. Recent press coverage about a local
court ruling on the state's wildlife law may have confused many area
residents and tourists who remember that the fisheries service
conducted a federal public awareness campaign last summer in
Florida.
Dolphin feeding and harassment has increased at an alarming rate
throughout the Southeast in Florida, Texas and South Carolina. The
flurry of feeding activity has agency officials worried that the
average citizen is unaware that offering a dolphin a handout is
harmful to the dolphins, dangerous to people, and illegal under the
federal Marine Mammal Protection Act .
"We understand that people find it tempting to interact with wild
dolphins. However, folks must understand that feeding wild dolphins
is harmful and is therefore illegal under federal law. It is best
for the dolphins' health and welfare to observe them at a respectful
distance, to resist feeding them, and to avoid any activities that
risk harassment such as chasing, touching or swimming with them,"
said Rollie Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries
Service.
Feeding dolphins in the wild is illegal under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) because the activity changes the animals'
natural behavior in ways that put them at increased risk of injury
or death, and may impact their ability or willingness to forage for
food.
The prohibition on feeding was upheld in 1993 by the U.S. Fifth
Circuit Court of Appeals, and is widely supported by the scientific
research and environmental communities since provisioning of any
species of wildlife is known to be harmful.
An in-depth review conducted by the National Marine Fisheries
Service, outside marine mammal experts, and the Marine Mammal
Commission, determined that feeding marine mammals in the wild is
contrary to the mandates of the MMPA to protect individuals,
species and stocks of marine mammals, and alters their behavior in ways
that place them at increased risk of injury and death. Repeated
exposure to humans and human activities has been correlated with placing
these animals at greater risk of incidental interactions with vessels
and fishing activities, vandalism, and ingestion of inappropriate and
contaminated food items. In addition, feeding may impact their ability
or willingness to forage for food, which is of particular concern for
young animals who need to learn foraging skills.
The fisheries service is also concerned that "swim-with-dolphin"
programs in the wild risk harassing the animals since such programs
seek out and interact with dolphins in a manner that has the
potential to disturb the animals' behavioral patterns.
Swim-with-dolphin activities in Panama City, Fla., are of particular
concern because they are either directly facilitated by, or capitalize
on, illegal dolphin feeding.
An additional concern about interactions with wild dolphins is
that individual animals may become labeled as "nuisance animals."
In the Southeast, this concern is growing as dolphins are being turned
into aggressive panhandlers. The fisheries service and local law
enforcement officials have received numerous reports of people
being injured by dolphins begging for food.
"If people truly care for wild dolphins, they will allow them to
stay wild by not interacting with them," said Schmitten. "Please
admire them from a safe distance of at least 50 yards." More than
a decade ago, the fisheries service enacted marine mammal watching
guidelines that ask people to refrain from intentionally
approaching or entering the water within 50 yards of a marine mammal in
order to protect the animal and avoid harassment. If the animal
approaches the vessel, operators should maintain a constant speed and
direction to avoid positioning the vessel in ways that would restrict or
modify the animal's normal movements.
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