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POPSJane Goodall: We Need A New Mindset "We should admit that the infliction of suffering on beings who are capable of feeling is ethically problematic and that the amazing human brain should set to work to find new ways of testing and experimenting that will not involve the use of live, sentient beings." "Her call comes as the European Commission prepares to publish draft legislation to update the EU’s animal experiments directive (Directive 86/609 EEC). The existing law is out of date (over 20 years old), with hundreds of thousands of animals currently receiving no protection at all." "Dr Goodall was joined by biomedical researchers, MEPs and animal protectionists at a Replace Animal Experiments in Europe event in Brussels. Event organisers, the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research and the Humane Society International (HSI), are spearheading a campaign to accelerate European efforts to replace animal experiments with more ethical and reliable methods."
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POPSSugar Bush Squirrel Sugar Bush was found and rescued as a baby and raised as an international supermodel. Here are some pics from his phot shoot.
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POPSPETA Kills Animals by the Thousands It is quite a different thing when you have to provide care for animals as opposed to telling other people what they are doing wrong!! And they have the money too.
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POPSThe hippo who ditched his muddy waters to catch some sun and surf
'Hippos don't take well to darting' Mr van Schoor explains, 'they die of stress and this one would drown if we darted her in the water, and if we tried to dart her on the beach, she would run into the water for safety and again drown when the drug takes effect.' Hippos are usually captured using passive methods such as monitoring paths that they use regularly and setting up enclosures to lure them into. But Mr Van Schoor says that this hippo's only hope is to stop moving South. He added: 'If the hippo moves any further south there is huge risk, he is moving into residential areas and towards Durban where food for the hippo will become a problem'. Hippos are considered to be one of the most dangerous and aggressive of all animals and with this one coming into contact with humans and domestic animals, it could soon become a problem. Sadly If the hippo does not retrace his own steps and move back north, KZN says there is little hope for him.
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POPSVancouver Island Marmot The Vancouver Island marmot is the most critically endangered animal in the world. Captive breeding managed to save them. Even the loss of one is considered a major catastrophy.
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POPSRare albino tadpoles "What's unusual about this is that the batches of white tadpoles suggest that a number of adults that carry genes for albinism possibly exist in the area, not just one." "Usually though albino amphibians fail to live to a breeding age - their white colour makes them a blindingly conspicuous beacon for the various animals that depend on frogs for food." she added.
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POPSRare photos of the elusive Central Asian snow leopard "Gorgeous animals which survive in world's most rugged, desolate Central Asian mountain ranges (e.g., Himalaya, Pamirs, Karakorum, etc.). Snow leopard population is dwindling, facing possible extinction, & extremely difficult to photograph." (thanks, openthink) The direct link to National Geographic (gallery and article) is http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/snow-leopards/winter-photography An interesting clip from lesart - Snow Leopard - Painting a large canvas - http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/8719DBB7-221A-4287-850B-35EFC0B2F240/ pokkets has Big Cat News: http://clipmarks.com/clipmark/7F9D8E94-25EC-4894-8279-64E13A1E8840/
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POPSBirds - Indian Mynahs "From time to time I am asked (in what capacity I am never sure) how to humanely get rid of Indian mynahs. This alien species is slowly invading South Africa's eastern side. Town after town is falling to these raucous, aggressive birds that behave like Liverpool soccer fans. The first mynahs in South Africa were released in Durban in the 1890s from the top of a bus. A sailor had captured them in India and had tried in vain to sell them. They have since multiplied with biblical enthusiasm."
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POPSSloths Get a Bum Rap
Facts About Sloths • Sloths maintain a low body temperature of 30 to 34 C (86 to 93 F) and lower when resting • Their stomach contents are two-thirds of their weight • The sloth is descended from a family of mammals that appeared on earth about 60 million years ago • There are 6 species of sloths alive today • The 3-toed sloth is the slowest mammal in the world • All living sloths have in fact 3 toes • The 2-toed sloths, however, have only 2 fingers • The Maned Three-toed Sloth is classified as endangered • They’re currently found in the rainforests of Central and South America • Sloths became extinct from parts of North and Central America immediately after the arrival of humans on the continents • Now extinct giant ground sloths, could rear up as high as giraffes and weighed as much as a mammoth • Sloths’ claws serve as their only natural defense • In the wild they can live for 12 years but have exceeded 30 years in captivity • Sloths mate while suspended from branches
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