12 Miljoen bijen ontvluchten verongelukte truck op snelweg New Brunswick (Canada)....

Trans-Canada Hwy. buzzes with action after

truck spills million of bees

30-06-2008 East Ottawa, Canada


ST. LEONARD, N.B. - Beekeepers in New Brunswick had the unenviable task Monday of recovering what were described as 12 million angry honeybees from a truck that overturned on the Trans-Canada Highway.

One beekeeper described the normally peaceable bees as "nasty" because of their ordeal on a return trip to Ontario after they were used to pollinate blueberry fields in the province.

A truck carrying 12 million honey bees overturned on the Trans-Canada Highway in northwest New Brunswick on Monday, June 30, 2008 but police say rain in the area has helped contain the bees. THE CANADIAN PRESS/La Cataracte-Madeleine LeClair

RCMP Sgt. Derek Strong says the flatbed truck, carrying 330 crates of bees, was travelling on a highway ramp near St. Leonard in the northwest corner of the province, south of Quebec, when the load shifted and the truck overturned shortly after 6 a.m.
When the truck landed on its side, many of the crates - each containing four hives - broke open.
"With the impact they just went crazy," said beekeeper Edmond Bellefleur, who drove from his home in nearby Drummond to have a look.
"The ones that were able to get out, did get out. You could see some others sticking to the hives, but once they started to open the netting and unpacking the hives ... then they really started to fly, and they got nasty."

RCMP Sgt. Derek Strong said officials initially got lucky with the weather because it was raining at the time of the accident, but when the rain stopped, firefighters sprayed a mist on the overturned truck to help control the bees.

"Bees don't like to fly in the rain," said Jordan O'Brien, a spokesman for the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture
Seven beekeepers were called in to round them up.

The original plan was to try to flip the truck back onto its wheels, but officials from Agriculture Canada decided the best way to recover the insects was to move them, one crate at a time, to the second flatbed truck.
By mid-afternoon, police closed all four lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway and rerouted traffic around the area because of the number of sightseers. Strong said some came on motorcycles or in convertibles and were stung by the agitated bees.

Emergency personnel, including paramedics and ambulances were kept on standby.
"There can be quite a serious health concern," he said. "Many people are allergic to bees and even if they're not, multiple bee stings can be quite serious."
Police advised anyone with an allergy to bee stings to stay away from the community for the day.
The driver of the truck was not hurt.

Richard Duplain, vice president of the New Brunswick Beekeepers Association, said generally, honeybees won't sting unless they're being bothered.
"It's certainly not a situation where you want to tempt problems," said Duplain, adding honeybees die once they sting someone.
"Like a field with any agitated livestock, you're not going to go walking through the middle of it.
"You certainly don't want to go walking through a field of disoriented, agitated and wet honeybees."

Duplain said the bees would have likely died if they had dispersed into the countryside.
"Weather conditions, birds and so forth would take a toll on the unprotected bees," said Duplain, a beekeeper in Hanwell, N.B., for the past three years.
"They don't create their own paper nest like wasps or hornets or bumblebees. They're pretty much at risk to the elements if they're not under the care and attention of an experienced beekeeper."

-By Kevin Bissett in Fredericton

(Bron: http://www.eastottawa.ca/)
(Bron foto: East Ottawa)

Franse reiziger met twee ezels loopt in Zweden aan tegen bureaucratie

French man with two asses surprises Swedish

officials

30-06-2008 The Local, Sweden


Customs officials in Gothenburg were at a loss as to how to deal with Jacques Abdelaziz and his two four-legged pack animals when the trio wandered off a ferry boat from Denmark on Sunday afternoon.

Abdelaziz, who hails from Brittany in northwestern France, has been wandering around Europe for the past two months with his two donkeys, Nounou and Toutoune, according to the Göteborg-Posten (GP) newspaper. And the journey had been going smoothly, if not slowly, until the pilgrims landed on Swedish shores, whereupon they were met by requests for permits and paperwork.

“I had thought about just going to Stockholm and then heading back but now I’m not sure what’s going to happen. All they care about are documents,” Abdelaziz said to GP as he nodded toward the customs checkpoint. While customs officials weren’t unsympathetic to the Frenchman’s plight, they explained that he lacked important documents required by Sweden’s Board of Agriculture, including a veterinary examination costing €250 ($395), a sum which Abdelaziz wasn’t prepared to pay.

The whole incident left the animal’s owner feeling frustrated, regretting his decision to come to Sweden.

“If the boat had still been here I would have probably gone back to Denmark at once,” he said. After much deliberating, port officials remained stumped as to the precise set of rules governing the temporary import of two asses to Sweden from another EU member state. “Who was it who said that we had common EU rules?” said one, according to GP. “Where are the voluntary powers in society which can arrange a roof over one’s head and a spot of grass?” asked another.

Finally, harbour personnel decided to take up a collection to pay for the donkeys' veterinary examination in hopes that the wandering Frenchman would overlook the bureaucratic snafu. “We couldn’t just send him back to Denmark. It’s actually a little shameful, there’s nothing human behind this. That’s just the way it is when everything hinges on a bunch of paper,” said a harbour worker who wished to remain anonymous. The vet arrived, Nounou and Toutoune passed with flying colours, the trio was once again on its way.

By Monday Abdelaziz was heading east towards Borås, traveling about 30 kilometres a day.“Every day I start a new life,” he quipped to GP.

David Landes (david.landes@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6518)

(Bron: http://www.thelocal.se/)
(Bron foto: The Local)

Groep olifanten in Gorongosa National Park Mozambique voorzien van satellietzender

Satellite tracking for Mozambique elephants

30-06-2008 Staff Writer, My Broadband News, South Africa


A female elephant and her group in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park will be tracked via satellite, state media reported on Monday. The daily Noticias said the operation, carried out with the assistance of South African veterinarians, was introduced as a substitute to the traditional radio collaring of elephants to track their movement.

The operation lasted 45 minutes and involved treating the animal with antibiotics and fitting the device, the paper said.

Carlos Lopes Pereira, Gorongosa's conservation director, said the movement of the elephant would be monitored twice a day through satellite information sent to South Africa, which would then be routed to the park via cellphone messages or e-mail.

In Mozambique elephants regularly enter into conflict with humans in their search for grazing or water.
The Mozambican government recently authoritised the army to shoot "problem animals" after the number of people killed by crocodiles, elephants and lions increased.

(Bron: http://mybroadband.co.za/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

(Voor meer informatie over het Gorongosa National Park: http://www.gorongosa.net/.)

Greenpeace demonstreert bij Japanse ambassade Manilla (Filippijnen) tegen arrestatie twee activisten Greenpeace Japan

Group launches protest at Japanese embassy

to oppose activists' detention

30-06-2008 GMA News, Philippines


MANILA, Philippines - Greenpeace activists on Monday demonstrated at the Japanese Embassy in Manila to protest “the unnecessary and unjust detention" of two Japanese environmentalists who have uncovered a major scandal in what Japan calls its ‘Scientific Whaling Program.

’Bearing a banner with the words “Justice for Whales, Justice for Greenpeace," origami whales, and a petition signed by more than 170,000 concerned individuals from around the world, the Filipino activists delivered a letter to Ambassador Makoto Katsura. In a statement, the group said that the Japanese diplomat was also presented with a dossier of the results of a Greenpeace investigation, which if pursued, can implicate government officials and whaling fleet operators in long-standing corrupt practices in Japan’s purported scientific whaling research.

“This demonstration in Manila is the latest in a series of global protests calling for justice for the Greenpeace activists who are now being unjustly detained in Tokyo. This is also a call for justice for the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary where each year more than a hundred whales are killed in the name of science," Greenpeace campaign manager Beau Baconguis said in a statement.

Since last week, Greenpeace has been staging peaceful protests at Japanese embassies around the world. In some countries, vigils will be established with the activists committed to remaining outside the embassies until Junichi Sato, 31, and Toru Suzuki, 41, are charged or set free. In addition, the so far more than 170,000 emails of protest from around the world have been sent to Tokyo calling for the activists’ immediate release.

The two Japanese activists were arrested on June 20 after intercepting a delivery of illegal whale meat misdeclared as cardboard.In principle they can be held for 23 days without charge under Japanese law.

The next hearing on whether to release them or extend the period of detention will take place on July 1.
Greenpeace believes that the response by the Japanese authorities is excessive, unjust, and politically motivated.

Both Sato and Suzuki provided statements to the police about their activities when they exposed the whale meat embezzlement ring within the Japanese whaling fleet. They offered their full cooperation for any investigation. Yet, they are now being held without charge and without bail.

“Rather than trying to silence those who point out corruption, the police should be investigating the government officials, whaling fleet operators and staff who smuggle whale meat from the so-called scientific program funded by Japanese taxpayers and sell it for profit. This and the ongoing whaling operation in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is where the forces of justice should be focused," said Baconguis.

(Bron: http://www.gmanews.tv/)

BPRC in Rijswijk weer volop in de belangstelling - Mogelijk uitbreiding BPRC toegestaan door College van B&W

Weer ophef over apen Rijswijk

30-06-08 RTV West


RIJSWIJK - Er is weer ophef ontstaan over het apencentrum BPRC in Rijswijk. Groen Links in de gemeenteraad denkt dat Rijswijk toestemming heeft gegeven voor uitbreiding van het onderzoekscentrum.

Volgens dierenactivisten zou er al nieuwbouw gepleegd zijn op het terrein. Groen Links vindt de uitbreidingsplannen opmerkelijk, omdat het BPRC eigenlijk voor 2015 zou vertrekken.Het terrein is in de toekomst bestemd voor huizenbouw.

De Anti Dierproeven Coalitie heeft vrijdagmiddag nog gedemonstreerd voor de poort van het apencentrum.

(Bron: http://leiden.westonline.n/)

Primaten onderzoekscentrum BPRC Rijswijk mogelijk illegaal uitgebreid

GroenLinks Rijswijk stelt vragen over uitbreiding

BPRC

30-06-2008 Door: Paul Kraaijer


Zwolle, 30 juni 2008 – De gemeenteraadsfractie van GroenLinks in Rijswijk wil van het College van Burgemeester en Wethouders weten of het primaten onderzoekscentrum BPRC mag uitbreiden.

Fractievoorzitter Bert van Velthuijsen heeft vandaag schriftelijke vragen gesteld aan de voorzitter van de gemeenteraad, mevrouw Van der Wel-Markerink. Aanleiding voor de vragen is een vrijdag gepubliceerd artikel over hernieuwde aandacht van dierenactivisten voor het BPRC (http://animals-in-the-news.blogspot.com/2008/06/bprc-rijswijk-krijgt-bouwvergunning.html).

Volgens de dierenactivisten is het kleine witte gebouw nieuwbouw en nog in aanbouw op moment dat deze foto werd gemaakt, 7 maart 2008.

In dat artikel wordt gemeld dat het Rijswijkse College op 1 april een bouwvergunning heeft verstrekt aan het BPRC voor de bouw van een nieuw kantoor en een onderzoeksgebouw. Deze beslissing staat haaks op toekomstige plannen voor het terrein waar het onderzoekscentrum is gevestigd. Volgens die plannen wordt het terrein aan de Lange Kleiweg vanaf 2015 bestemd voor woningbouw en verdwijnt het BPRC.

Robert Molenaar, woordvoerder van de Anti Dierproeven Coalitie die vrijdagmiddag nog luidruchtig protesteerde voor de poort van het BPRC, vermoedt dat het BPRC al nieuwbouw heeft gepleegd. Op een op 7 maart dit jaar gemaakte foto door zijn organisatie tijdens een demonstratie is een, volgens hem, nieuw gebouw zichtbaar op het BPRC-terrein. Mocht dat daadwerkelijk het geval zijn dan heeft die nieuwbouw waarschijnlijk illegaal plaatsgevonden.

(Bron foto: Anti Dierproeven Coalitie, http://www.stopdierproeven.org/)

Grote demonstraties woensdag in Wenen en Linz (Oostenrijk) als steun voor gevangen dierenactivisten - Balluch al weken in hongerstaking

Mittwoch, 2.Juli: Solidaritätstag zugunsten der

inhaftierten TierschützerInnen mit österreich-

weiten Demos!

Großdemos in Wien und Linz - die wichtigsten Kundgebungsevents vor
der nächsten Haftprüfung, welche Anfang nächster Woche stattfindet!

30-06-2008 Verein Gegen Tierfabriken, VGT, Austria


Diesen Mittwoch, den 2.Juli 2008, ist ein besonders wichtiger Solidaritätstag mit Soli-Kundgebungen für die Tierschutzgefangenen, darunter auch der VGT-Obmann DrDr.Martin Balluch, der sich nach wie vor im Hungerstreik befindet.

Da kommenden Montag die alles entscheidende Haftprüfung stattfindet, wo von einer Untersuchungs-Richterin darüber entschieden wird, ob die Inhaftierten weiterhin in U-Haft bleiben oder freigelassen werden,
soll am Mittwoch mittels der Kundgebungen in Wien und Linz ein möglichst starkes Zeichen gesetzt werden, wie groß die Betroffenheit der Bürgerinnen und Bürger über das völlig unverhältnismäßige Vorgehen der Behörden ist.

Großer Solidaritätsdemozug - WIEN
Treffpunkt: Mittwoch 2. Juli, 16:30, Westbahnhof Ecke Innere
Mariahilferstraße
Route: Mariahilferstraße - Oper - City - Schottengasse - Uni -
Universitätsstraße - Justizanstalt Josefstadt - Justizministerium
Abschlusskundgebung: 20:00 - 21:00, Justizministerium

Großer Solidaritätsdemozug - LINZ
Treffpunkt: Mittwoch 2. Juli, 17:00, Schillerpark

(Bron: http://www.vgt.at/)

Leeuwin doodt adelaar in dierentuin Vancouver (Canada)

Spectators witnesses lioness kill eagle at Greater

Toronto Zoo

30-06-2008 THE CANADIAN PRESS, Miramichi Leader, Canada


VANCOUVER - Several spectators at the Greater Vancouver Zoo have had the misfortune of getting a first-hand look at nature taking its course. A lioness pounced on a trained golden eagle belonging to the zoo's raptor show, killing the bird in its jaws.

Pablo Su and his family saw the whole event unfold Friday at the zoo, which is in Aldergrove, just outside of Vancouver.
He said crows were harassing the eagle as it sat on a log. That attracted the attention of two approaching lioness, but the bird managed to fly away.

"The third lioness was almost anticipating that move and was waiting," Su said. "As the eagle swooped down to pick up speed the third lioness just chased it down and pounced on it."
One of the eagle's trainers screamed at the lion, but despite her best efforts, the bird died.

Gary Worley, master falconer at the zoo, said that while he's mourning the bird's death, he accepts that animals have natural instincts.
This isn't the first time the zoo has attracted attention as a result of unusual circumstances. In May, a spider monkey named Jocko died after being beaten by someone who had broke into his cage.
Jocko's companion Mia was kidnapped and has not been found.

(Bron: http://miramichileader.canadaeast.com/)

PETA richt pijlen op vlees etende beroemdheden....

Animal rights group turns its fire on meat eating

celebrities

30-06-2008 Belfast Telegraph, UK


Animal rights protesters have launched a series of angry campaigns against A-list carnivores. They are shifting their focus from celebrities who wear fur to others who encourage the "exploitation" of animals by eating them. In its latest campaign, Peta – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which became infamous for dousing fur-wearers in red paint – has launched an attack on the singer Jessica Simpson.

Ms Simpson was singled out for ridicule after she was spotted wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Real Girls Eat Meat", believed to be a light-hearted dig at her boyfriend Tony Romo's vegetarian ex-girlfriend, Carrie Underwood.


Imogen Bailey poses for an anti-fur advert for PETA.

Alistair Currie, a spokesman for Peta, said: "Jessica Simpson might have a right to wear what she wants, but she doesn't have a right to eat what she wants – eating meat is about suffering and death. Some people feel like they are standing up against a tide of political correctness when they make a statement like this – what she is really doing is standing up for the status quo."
The animal rights group doctored a photo of Ms Simpson to read "Only Stupid Girls Eat Meat", and listed "five reasons only stupid girls eat meat".

In May the group condemned the British actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers for admitting that he had tried dog meat while in China.

The Peta attacks are seen as a sign of the radicalisation of some vegetarian groups. They claim eating meat causes environmental destruction, damages human health and contributes to global hunger, as well as inflicting suffering on billions of animals.

Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (Viva!) claims that there are currently between five and six million vegetarians in the UK but estimates that as many as a third of population have significantly reduced their meat intake.
"Vegetarians are still in a minority – most people eat meat. You're sticking your neck out as a vegetarian, and so most are passionate about it," said Annette Pinner, the chief executive of the Vegetarian Society.

A recent pronouncement from the head of the UN climate change agency that the best thing people can do to halt global warming is to turn vegetarian has taken the debate a step further.
Paul McCartney, a veteran vegetarian campaigner, recently launched "Meat Free Mondays" to encourage meat-eaters to eat vegetarian food once a week, citing the UN's statement as a good reason to forgo meat.

Yet there is evidence that the British public might be rebelling against pressure to cut their meat consumption. Despite the cost of meat hitting a 22-year high, British supermarkets actually report a rise in sales. Waitrose has recorded big year-on-year increases in the sale of most meats, while sales of Asda's "2p sausage" have gone up by 42 per cent.

(Bron: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: Belfast Telegraph)

Zo'n twintig circusdieren Circus Belly Wien aan de wandel in Amstelveen...

Circusdieren ontsnappen in Amstelveen

30-06-2008 Trouw


AMSTELVEEN (ANP) - Een groep circusdieren is in de nacht van zondag op maandag aan de wandel gegaan in Amstelveen. Vijftien kamelen, twee zebra's, een groepje lama's en een stel hangbuikzwijnen ontsnapten uit hun hok aan de Saskia van Uylenburgweg.
Daarna slenterden ze de naastgelegen Piet de Winterlaan in, maakte de politie maandag bekend.
Het personeel van het circus en de politie, onder wie twee hondengeleiders, wisten de beesten snel terug te lokken. Calamiteiten deden zich dan ook niet voor.

De dieren konden waarschijnlijk ontsnappen doordat een giraf het hok had opengetrapt.

(Bron: http://www.trouw.nl/)

(Voor meer foto's: http://gespot.at5.nl/2008/06/30/circusdieren-ontsnapt/)

Na brand Duke Faunabeheer Lelystad wordt mogelijke betrokkenheid ALF door politie onderzocht

Onduidelijk of Duke schade krijgt vergoed

30-06-2008 De Stentor


LELYSTAD - De politie in Lelystad wil weinig kwijt over de brand bij Duke Faunabeheer zolang het onderzoek loopt. Mogelijk is er opzet in het spel, zegt een woordvoerder. De betrokkenheid van het Animal Liberation Front (ALF) wordt vanzelfsprekend meegenomen in het onderzoek.

Arie den Hertog, mede-eigenaar van Duke Faunabeheer, weet niet of de schade van de brand wordt vergoed door de verzekering. "Het ALF is een terroristische groepering en dit soort aanslagen worden uitgesloten door de verzekeraar. Ik hoop dat ze wat voor ons kunnen regelen, maar dat is nog niet duidelijk."

Hij is geschrokken, dat mag duidelijk zijn. Hij woont met zijn gezin naast het bedrijfspand. "De kinderen slapen nu bij ons op de kamer."Uiteindelijk valt het wel mee met de schade, zegt de ondernemer. Persoonlijke ongelukken deden zich niet voor, wel is er veel roetschade. "Ze hadden het hele gebouw van binnen kunnen overgieten met benzine. Het was de bedoeling dat het helemaal af zou branden." Maar dat lukte niet. De brandmelders zorgden ervoor dat de brandweer er snel bij was.

Den Hertog begrijpt niet dat zijn bedrijf juist is aangepakt. "Wij voeren alleen maar het beleid uit waar democratisch voor is gekozen. Als je het er niet mee eens bent, prima. Maar los het dan anders op. Ik ben ook maar een ondernemer."

(Bron: http://www.destentor.nl/)
(Bron afbeelding logo Duke Faunabeheer: http://www.dukefaunabeheer.nl/)

Foto zeer zeldzame Zuid Chinese tijger bleek nep - China erkent officieel fraude met foto

China admits controversial tiger photos faked

29-06-2008 Reuters


BEIJING (Reuters) - China has sacked a number of government officials and arrested a man in connection with a set of fake photographs that local authorities had said was proof of the existence of a highly endangered tiger.

In October, forestry officials in Zhenping county in northern Shaanxi province published photos of a tiger in a forest setting, saying they were proof of the existence of the South China tiger. A local farmer who produced the photos was paid a 20,000 yuan (1,453 pounds) reward.

Nine months later, officials admitted the photos were faked, state media said, citing sources at a press conference held by the Shaanxi province government.

Thirteen local officials, including Zhu Julong, deputy head of the province's forestry bureau, and its top wildlife official Wang Wanyun, were sacked, Xinhua said.
Zhou Zhenglong, the farmer who claimed to have taken the photo using a digital camera, was arrested on suspicion of fraud, Xinhua said, after police seized a picture of a tiger which he borrowed from a farmer in another village to produce the photos.

The scandal has captivated local media and many Chinese who have viewed the saga as symbolic of common people's lack of trust in local authorities.

China has been rocked by a number of major scandals involving official endorsement of photos of rare wildlife in recent years.
In February, the chief editor of a Chinese newspaper quit after one its photographers faked a prize-winning photo of endangered Tibetan antelopes appearing unfazed by a passing train on the Qinghai-Tibet railway.

(Bron: http://news.yahoo.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Nog steeds hevig protest in Zuid-Korea tegen import Amerikaans vlees

South Korea Beef Protesters Battle Police,

Hundreds Injured

29-06-2008 By William Sim, Bloomberg


South Korean authorities detained 55 people after overnight clashes between protesters and police left more than 100 injured on each side as demonstrations against U.S. beef imports continued.

About 15,000 demonstrators paraded along the 12-lane Sejong Avenue last night, marching toward the office of President Lee Myung Bak and calling on him to resign. Police used water cannons and shields to drive them back.

As many as 112 protesters were treated for injuries at local hospitals, according to the Web site of AntiMadCow, an umbrella group of South Korean consumer groups, food safety advocates and student activists, which is organizing the protests.

Fourteen police officers were seriously injured and more than 100 others required medical attention, according to a spokesman at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who declined to give his name.

Lee has been trying to contain a backlash from his agreement in April to resume imports. South Korea stopped accepting American beef shipments in 2003, when the U.S. discovered its first mad cow case. Some cuts were imported in 2006 and the ban was reinstated in October. Lee was forced to publicly apologize for his handling of the negotiations and fired many of his aides.

The U.S. and South Korea agreed June 21 that South Korea will import beef only from animals younger than 30 months, which are thought to be at lower risk for mad-cow disease. The U.S. agreed to verify the age of its exports.

Tensions Rise
Tensions escalated after the government on June 26 posted a notice in its official gazette that South Korea would resume importing U.S. beef, the final bureaucratic hurdle before shipments begin.

Mad cow disease is a brain-wasting livestock illness that scientists say is spread in cattle by tainted animal feed. Eating contaminated meat from infected animals can cause a fatal human variant that has been blamed for the deaths of 151 people in the U.K., where it was first reported in the 1980s. Beef from cows younger than 30 months is thought to be at lower risk.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sought to reassure South Koreans that American beef is safe to eat during her visit to Seoul yesterday.
South Korea, prior to the ban, was the third-largest importer of U.S. beef. Lee, meanwhile, is working to secure a free-trade agreement with the U.S., a deal that's meeting resistance in the U.S. Congress.

To contact the reporter on this story: William Sim in Seoul at wsim2@bloomberg.net.

(Bron: http://www.bloomberg.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Tien Australische renpaarden dood in vier maanden tijd...

More horses die in jumps racing

30-06-2008 Brendan Cormick, The Australian, Australia


THE president of the Australian Jumps Racing Association yesterday admitted the fatality rate from falls in the sport had more than doubled this year with the deaths of 10 horses on the track in the past four months. Rodney Rae said a scheduled meeting of his committee today would aim to isolate the key factors behind the deaths and propose measures that could stem the burgeoning attrition rate on Victoria's racetracks.

However Mr Rae urged critics to save their breath and not overreact, pointing to the track conditions at Flemington that may have contributed to two horses - Charted and Eveready - breaking their legs and having to be put down on Saturday.

State Racing Minister Rob Hulls on Saturday asked Racing Victoria to bring forward by a month its review, which he originally requested to be done at the end of the season, after Saturday's Grand National Hurdle at Flemington.
"Anyone who thinks that these types of incidents ... and injuries are a natural by-product of jumps racing, really doesn't have much concern for the safety of jockeys or horses," Mr Hulls said.

Glenys Oogjes, executive director of Animals Australia, yesterday renewed calls for Mr Hulls to immediately stop "this brutal sport". Ms Oogjes wrote to Mr Hulls earlier this month after Crying Storm became the seventh horse killed this season in a hurdle race at Sandown.
Racing Victoria has reviewed safety measures for horses and riders in jumps racing since 2002, reducing the numbers of injuries and fatalities with the introduction of modular hurdles and steeplechase fences.

Last year, 34 horses fell in jumps races, and there were seven fatalities. Mr Rae said that the fatality rate against the fall rate was generally in the order of 20 to 25per cent. This year, however, 20 horses had fallen and there had been 10 fatalities, so the percentage had more than doubled.

Mr Rae said that a number of factors contributed in Saturday's race in which 13 horses started and only four completed the course in one of the most important races on the jumping calendar. Three horses fell, two were brought down and four failed to finish in the 4350m race.
"A fast pace, horses racing too tight, the running rail out 13m (reducing the width of the track), a flint-hard track which was disgracefully prepared for jumps racing and bad luck for some of the horses that came down over the top of others that had fallen were factors that played a part," he said.

(Bron: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/)

Australische potoroo in natuurpark Devon (Engeland) te groot voor moeders buidel

Potoroo too big for mum's pouch

29-06-2008 BBC News, UK


A young Antipodean marsupial at a Devon wildlife trust is being seen more frequently because it is getting too big for its mother's pouch. The potoroo was born in December 2007 at Shaldon Wildlife Trust.

Staff at the trust say they are delighted the baby is out and about for all to see, because it cannot hide away as much.
The animals from Australasia stand about 30cm (1ft) high when they are fully grown and eat fungi.

'Fair size'
Tracey Moore from the trust said observers could not always see how young potoroos are developing because of the amounts of time they spent in the pouch.

She said it made them seem mysterious: "They are because they stay in the pouch for so long.
"They're born the size of bean and then stay in the pouch for about 120 days.
"They then start to emerge and keep going back in Mum's pouch, so they don't actually come out properly until about 170 days
"They then keep staying out until they are actually too big to get back into Mum's pouch, so by the time we see them they're usually a fair size."

(Bron: http://news.bbc.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: BBC News)

Taco John starring Whiplash the cowboy monkey.....

Rodeo aap Whiplash beroemd in VS - Dierenrechtenactivisten ageren tegen misbruik van de rodeo aap

The Rodeo MONKEY

EXCLUSIVE A capuchin on a dog rounds up sheep in a Wild West show. Hilarious.. or just cruel?

29-06-2008 Paul Henderson In Big Spring, Texas, Sunday Mirror, UK


Rodeo-RIDING is no monkey business...as this little fella shows. These are the extraordinary pictures of a sheep-herding primate called Whiplash who's become a huge star in the States. The 21-year-old animal clings to his saddle on top of a border collie in his mini cowboy outfit and hat, thrilling the crowd at the Rodeo and Cowboy Reunion in Big Spring, Texas, last week.

Whiplash's hilarious buckingbronco style of riding has won him thousands of fans.
And his fame is spreading. After starring in an advertising campaign for a taco restaurant chain, he's become an internet hit, with millions lapping up his antics on videosharing websites such as YouTube.

But animal rights campaigners are not among his fans - and believe the capuchin monkey is being cruelly exploited for people's amusement.
Tommy Lucia, his owner, insists Whiplash wouldn't have it any other way. "I rescued him from a stinking cage in Florida when he was just a baby and I can assure you he'd let me know if life wasn't good," he says.
"I love him like I love my children."

Tommy, 67, of Weatherford, Texas, who has been touring with Whiplash around the rodeo circuit for 18 years, says the monkey's the boss when it comes to the shows.
"The sheep dogs Toby and Bud know their place and he curses them just like he does me if things are not going right," he says.
"He's got such a strong will you never quite know what he's going to do next - there's always a surprise for me and the audience.
"But he's a natural when he's in the saddle. He has great balance, he's very strong and aware, and anticipates every twist and turn.
"Some of Whiplash's expressions still make me roar with laughter.

When he's done for the day he goes to our motor home for dinner. His favourite foods are pears, apples, bananas and especially strawberries."

Whiplash has already performed more than 100 times this year at rodeos, NBA basketball games, private functions for celebs and TV shows.
And he doesn't work for peanuts either. Tommy has earned hundreds of thousands from Whiplash's performances.

But animal rights campaigners say it's cruel to turn the monkey - whose natural habitat is in the rainforests of Central and South America, living in a large family group - into a performer.
A spokesman for the Humane Society of the United States said: "This monkey is not having fun and neither is any other wild animal forced to live its life as a subject of entertainment for humans.
"Whether it is a monkey dressed as a cowboy or an elephant forced to perform in a circus, wild animals in the entertainment industry lead lonely and miserable lives."

Tommy rubbishes these suggestions, saying: "I've never forced Whiplash to perform. There's no pressure on him. I just want him to have fun just like his fans."
"He's a natural in the saddle"

news@sundaymirror.co.uk

(Bron: http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Dierenactivisten Canada strijden tegen export ijsbeerhuiden naar VS

Groups fight import of polar bear hides

29-06-2008 Dan Joling , Associated Press, Park Rapids Enterprise, USA


ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Environmental and animal rights groups are lining up to oppose a lawsuit that seeks to let American sport hunters again import hides of polar bears shot legally in Canada.

The hunting group Safari Club International has filed a notice of its intent to sue to overturn the ban, which was put in place last month when U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne declared polar bears a threatened species.
The group seeks to overturn the ban not just for bears already killed but also for kills by club members who booked and paid for hunts in 2009 and 2010.

Supporters of the ban say sport hunting adds stress to polar bears already menaced by a loss of sea ice, their main habitat.
“Until we take steps to address global warming, we need to do all we can to relieve further threats that are accelerating the bears’ downward spiral, including the trophy hunting of polar bears in Canada,” said Rodger Schlickeisen, president of Defenders of Wildlife.
Kempthorne on May 15 declared polar bears threatened, or likely to become endangered in the future, because of habitat loss.

Trophy hunting of bears in Alaska has been banned since 1972. Canada allows the sport hunting of polar bears, but it restricts the hunting season to two months and limits the number of kills.
Importation had been allowed through an amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed by Congress in 1994.

Kempthorne, however, declared polar bears threatened throughout their range, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew authorization to import hides from animals killed in approved populations in Canada – including those already killed and awaiting a taxidermist mount.

Safari Club International attorney Doug Burdin said Wednesday that a listing under the Endangered Species Act does not create an import ban. The Fish and Wildlife Service did not follow the law in banning hides, he said.
“They never held any kind of rule-making for designating the polar bear as a depleted species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act,” Burdin said.
The organization might join the state of Alaska in suing to overturn the listing but so far has only filed to overturn the ban on importing hides, he said.

Politicians from Canada’s Northwest Territory traveled to Washington this week to ask Interior Department officials to lift the import ban.
Bob McLeod, the Northwest Territory’s minister for energy, industry and tourism, said Monday the import ban would effectively wipe out its sports hunting industry.
Safari Club International argues that income from hunters helps support polar bear research and provides an economic benefit to Canada’s native communities, which provide guides and other services for hunters. A hunt can cost $40,000 to $50,000, the organization said.

Several groups want more, not fewer, protections for polar bears and plan to intervene in any lawsuit initiated by Safari Club International to overturn an import ban. Among them: the Center for Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace, which petitioned for the polar bear listing as a threatened species.

The groups point to a U.S. Geological Service study released last year that concluded Alaska’s polar bears, and two of the six Canadian polar bear populations from which Americans imported polar bear trophies, could be gone by 2050 because of warming and its effect on sea ice.

(Bron: http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer / Bron foto ijsbeerhuid: http://www.nunablog.ca/?page_id=91)

Is gebruik sonar Amerikaanse marine schuldig aan dood walvissen....

Experts say sonar possible culprit in recent whale

deaths

29-06-2008 By DONNA WEAVER Staff Writer, Press Of Atlantic City, USA


The stranding of two rare beaked whales on Long Beach Island over the past six months could be due to the effects of U.S. Navy sonar testing, experts said last week. In December, a rare True's beaked whale washed ashore dead in Beach Haven just a few miles from the site of where a rare Cuvier's beaked whale beached itself and later died Monday night.

Dr. Perry Habecker, a veterinary pathologist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center, performed the autopsy on the 3,000-pound Cuvier's beaked whale last week.
The aged female whale did not have injuries that Habecker believes could have killed her, Habecker said after completing an autopsy.

"We don't have evidence of what killed her. We will be looking at tissue over the next few days, and the brain and parts of the inner ear will be sent to the University of Tennessee Department of Veterinary Medicine," he said. "Sonar that is being conducted by the U.S. Navy is a real hot-button issue and NOAA always wants us to forward key materials for testing."

Sonar the Navy uses primarily to locate enemy submarines at sea can interfere with marine mammals' ability to navigate and communicate, according to a local expert.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Division of National Marine Fisheries is interested in looking at the whale's skull for possible sonar damage, according to Robert Schoelkopf, director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine. Schoelkopf said there is a very good possibility sonar could have affected the most recent stranded whale. With sonar damage, there are no outward signs of injury, he added.
"I believe sonar is affecting the animals. Why else would Navy audiologists go down to Florida and give a whale a hearing test?" Schoelkopf said.

Sonar can rupture the inner ear and organs of the whale and cause internal bleeding and total disorientation, Schoelkopf said. Once this damage is done, the animal may beach itself, he added.
The True's beaked whale found in December had an infection of the inner ears, Habecker concluded after conducting a necropsy.
"I do not have enough experience with sonar to know if the infection is connected," he said. "I'm not going to cast blame on sonar because I have no experience with it. This is part and parcel of a lot of animals just dying."

The inner ears of the Cuvier's beaked whale are imbedded so deeply in the bone that Habecker said he had to use a band saw to remove them.
"I burned up the band saw blade and I damaged the inner ears severely. I still have some intact brain and some inner ear," he said.

The Cuvier's beaked whale is the most commonly found of the beaked whales and is normally found out in the middle of the ocean, according to Habecker.
"Beaked whales travel in small groups and they all look alike. The ones that come on shore are actual rarities. The last group die-off of Cuvier's was off Puerto Rico," Habecker said.

U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Sean Robertson said Friday there have been no sonar operations conducted within 100 nautical miles of Atlantic City since the beginning of June.
But Schloekopf said 100 nautical miles for a beaked whale is not that far.
"The Navy knows what is going on, and they are not going to admit it," he said.
The only major exercise on the East Coast involving sonar this year was the Carrier Strike Group Composite Training Unit Exercise conducted in April and May, according to Robertson.

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review a dispute over the Navy's use of sonar and its potential harm to marine mammals off the coast of southern California. Acting at the Bush administration's urging, the court agreed Monday to review a federal appeals court ruling that limited the use of sonar in naval training exercises along the coast.

An injunction by a federal judge in Los Angeles earlier this year created a 12-nautical-mile no-sonar zone along the coast and ordered the Navy to stop all sonar use within 2,200 yards of a marine mammal. President Bush stepped in and signed a waiver exempting the Navy from a section of the Coastal Zone Management Act so training could continue as the government appealed the decision.

But the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the lower court and said the Navy must abide by the injunction. However, while the litigation was under way, the appeals court gave the Navy leeway to lessen the restrictions if it determined it was in a critical maneuver point, so that sonar shutdown would begin at about 1,100 yards and full sonar shutdown would come at 220 yards. Those are the restrictions under which the Navy is currently operating.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
To e-mail Donna Weaver at The Press:
DWeaver@pressofac.com

(Bron: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/)
(Bron foto dode walvis: Press Of Atlantic City / Bron foto cuvier beakes whale: archief Kraaijer)

Nieuwe campagne Sea Shepherd tegen walvisjacht: 'Operatie Musashi'

Sea Shepherd Announces New Whale Defense

Campaign:

Operation Musashi

28-06-2008 Sea Shepherd


While in Santiago, Chile for the 60th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Sea Shepherd Conservation Society officially announced plans to return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to once again oppose illegal Japanese whaling activities. Sea Shepherd is represented at the IWC by Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd, and the Honourable Ian Campbell, former Minister of the Environment for Australia and current member of Sea Shepherd's international Advisory Board.

This year's campaign, Sea Shepherd's fifth campaign to Antarctic waters, will be called Operation Musashi in reference to the legendary Japanese strategist, Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi's Book of Five Rings included the approach of the Twofold Way of Pen and Sword.

Sea Shepherd's goal is to send two fast ships to the Southern Ocean with the purpose of continuously keeping the Japanese whaling fleet on the run. "We intend to sink the Japanese fleet economically," said Captain Watson.

"Our strategy is to prevent whales from being killed, to force Japan to spend money on fuel without killing whales. My crew and I will not watch whales die, we will not bear witness to the cruel slaughter of a single whale without risking our lives to prevent its unlawful and cruel murder. If the members of the IWC refuse to act to save the whales, then it is up to us to take this fight onto the high seas where we will prevail in the next season even more successfully than we prevailed in the last season."

The name Operation Musashi was chosen to reflect Sea Shepherd's approach of aggressive, yet nonviolent, confrontation and the increasing global awareness of Japan's ongoing illegal whaling activities; thus the crossed feather pen and katana (sword) under the skull with the imbedded sperm whale and dolphin yin-yang symbol. The Banzai flag background gives reference to the ecological imperialism that Japan is committing against the whales of the Southern Ocean. Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was the greatest samurai warrior, strategist, and tactician of all time and is a personal role model and hero of Captain Watson, who incorporated Musashi's ideas into his book Earthforce! An Earth Warriors Guide to Strategy.

Sea Shepherd intends to transform Setsuninto - the sword {harpoon} that takes life - to Katsujinken - the sword {harpoon} that gives life. Sea Shepherd's ship, the Steve Irwin, will be outfitted with a very special harpoon for this year's campaign. Sea Shepherd is not a protest organization. It was established in 1977 to intervene against the illegal exploitation of marine life in accordance with the principles of the United Nations World Charter for Nature. However, as with all Sea Shepherd campaigns, all strategies and tactics are designed to avoid any physical injury to the whalers.

"We have never injured a single person in our 31 year history," said Captain Watson, "and we intend to keep that record unblemished."

(Bron: http://www.seashepherd.org/)

No consensus reached on whaling in the IWC, Chile

Doodrijden wild zwijn op N302 (Harderwijk-Apeldoorn) is 'voer voor jagers'....

Weer aanrijding met zwijn op Veluwe

28-06-2008 Agrarisch Dagblad


Op de provinciale weg N302 van Harderwijk naar Apeldoorn heeft zich vanmorgen vroeg opnieuw een aanrijding met een wild zwijn voorgedaan. Deze doorgaande weg over de Veluwe is berucht wegens het grote aantal aanrijdingen met zwijnen. Het aantal botsingen neemt sterk toe.

Dat komt volgens wildbeheerders omdat er meer verkeer is, maar vooral omdat de zwijnenpopulatie op de Veluwe explosief groeit. De provincie Gelderland heeft deze week besloten dat er dit jachtseizoen ruim 5000 varkens geschoten moeten worden, opdat er een kleine duizend dieren overblijven.

Een aanrijding met een bosvarken is door de omvang en het gewicht van de beesten gevaarlijk en kan dodelijk aflopen. De taxichauffeur en zijn passagiere die vanmorgen in de auto zaten die op een zwijn botste, raakten overigens dankzij hun airbags niet gewond, aldus de politie. De taxi moest weggesleept worden en het zwijn overleefde de botsing niet.

(Bron: http://www.agd.nl/)

Nederland enige land in EU waar vissersboot werkt met pulskor - Platvis vangen met hulp stroomstootjes

CDA tegen verbod op visvangst met stroom

28-06-2008 Visserij Nieuws


BRUSSEL - Het Nederlandse experiment om vissen te vangen met elektrische stootjes loopt gevaar, aldus CDA-Europarlementslid Cornelis Visser. In een voorstel over technische maatregelen van de Europese Commissie vond hij een verbod op het vissen met stroom.

Nederland is het enige EU-land waar een schip sinds kort platvis als tong en schol vangt met stroomstootjes, een zogeheten pulskor. Door de stootjes komen de vissen van de bodem en belanden zo in een net.

"Het vissen met stroom is veel diervriendelijker, beter voor de natuur en energiezuiniger", betoogt de CDA'er uit Stellendam. "Door de stootjes zijn de vissen namelijk verdoofd voordat ze dood gaan. En het voorkomt dat kabels de bodem moeten beroeren om de platvis omhoog te krijgen. Dat bespaart diesel en natuur."

Rapporteur
Het Europees Parlement heeft formeel geen zeggenschap over het visserijbeleid, maar vindt doorgaans wel gehoor bij de Europese Commissie. Cornelis Visser is door het parlement benoemd tot rapporteur over het voorgestelde verbod en andere technische maatregelen.
In december 2006 had de Europese Commissie Nederland toegestaan om elektrisch vissen toe te staan. Toenmalig minister Cees Veerman (Visserij) had zich daar sterk voor gemaakt bij de Europese Commissie. Huidig minister Gerda Verburg meldde recentelijk dat ze het aantal schepen met de pulskortechniek wil uitbreiden naar vijf.

Voordelen
De CDA'er Visser hoopt dat Duitse, Belgische en Britse Europarlementsleden hem steunen, omdat die landen ook veel boomkorvissers hebben. "Door de voordelen voor dieren en natuur hoop ik dat Europarlementsleden zich niet verzetten tegen het schrappen van het verbod."

Het Wereld Natuur Fonds (WNF) verzette zich al direct tegen het vissen met elektriciteit. Het WNF wees op grote interne letsels van de vissen en onbekende gevolgen voor de ecologie.

(Bron: http://visserijnieuws.punt.nl/)
(Bron foto's: Visserij Nieuws)

Chinese vrouw vangt in Chengu honden op na aardbeving - In unieke dierenopvang 900 honden en 100 katten

Homeless quake dogs rescued by Chinese woman

28-06-2008 By William Foreman, ASSOCIATED PRESS, STL Today, USA


CHENGDU, China -- The white short-haired mutt was found dragging his crushed hind legs through rubble-clogged streets after the massive earthquake devastated China's Sichuan province.The shy terrier mix was lucky to live through the May 12 quake that killed nearly 70,000 people. He was even more fortunate to survive the squads of police and soldiers who were gunning down homeless canines for fear they would spread disease in the disaster's aftermath.

But his luckiest day was when he was picked up by Chen Yunlian. Now he's among some 100 "quake dogs" rescued by the former businesswoman, who has created something extremely rare in China: a private animal shelter.

For 11 years, the 60-year-old Chen has been rescuing strays off the streets. She now cares for about 900 dogs and 100 cats in her shelter built among rice paddies on the southern outskirts of Chengdu, the provincial capital."I think that dogs and humans have the same right to live. They're equals," she told The Associated Press as a brown brindle hound missing a front leg jumped up on her and snuggled his snout in her lap.

Injured dogs walk around an animal protection center compound run by Chen Yunlian in southwest China's Sichuan province.

Chen's views about animal rights are radical in a country where dogs can just as easily be a pet or the main ingredient in a spicy hotpot. Although dog ownership has grown in popularity as the Chinese become wealthier, many people don't have the strong emotional attachment to the animals that's common in the West. Chen is also on the vanguard of a new movement in China of citizens who start their own groups to deal with social problems that were once mostly handled -- or ignored -- by the Communist Party-led state.The government and party -- wary about anything that might challenge their monopoly on power -- is still trying to figure out how much of a role it wants people like Chen to play. She was reluctant to discuss the matter.

"I love my country and government. I want it to become even stronger and more prosperous," said the soft-spoken woman, dressed in a baggy white T-shirt and black pajama-like pants with white polka dots. Chen calls her shelter "Ai Zhi Jia" or the "House of Love." A tall metal fence surrounds the facility off a narrow tree-lined road about a 45-minute drive from downtown Chengdu. From the street, a cacophony of yelps, barks, growls, whimpers and whines can be heard. The air is filled with the smell of dry dog food, fur and the faint scent of urine and feces that's constantly being scooped up by a staff of eight.The main building in the shady complex is a concrete U-shaped structure divided into rooms that serve as kennels. Each has a large front concrete patio that's enclosed by a knee-high wall and wire fencing.

Dogs and cats are also kept in a network of recently built cages and dog runs. Dogs with a history of good behavior are allowed to roam the wide square-shaped walkway within the complex. There are poodles, a couple of collies and an elderly, forlorn-looking Afghan hound named "Ah-foo" with clumps of missing hair and large polyps growing on his chest and legs. But the majority of the dogs are classic Chinese mutts: terrier-Pekingnese-pug-poodle mixes with squatty bodies, short legs, curly tails and pointy ears. Most looked healthy, with few signs of skin disease or digestive problems common in such conditions.

"Chinese people prefer purebred dogs and the mixes probably won't be adopted," said Chen, adding that she cares for every dog until it dies. "But mutts are the most intelligent and the most affectionate. They really appreciate you."One of her superstar mutts from the quake zone was a small, brown, short-haired terrier with alert brown eyes named "Qianjin," or "Forward." Rescuers said Forward and another dog -- a shelty named "Guai Guai" -- belonged to an elderly woman who was partially buried in rubble at a Buddhist temple that collapsed in the city of Pengzhou. The dogs stayed with their master while she was trapped for 196 hours.

"The rescuers told me the dogs were drinking rain water, then they would lick their owner's lips to help keep her from getting too dehydrated," Chen said.When the 7.9-magnitude quake struck, Chen said she wanted to race to the hard-hit cities -- most an hour or two away from Chengdu -- but she had to wait 10 days because of road closures and restrictions on traffic. When she finally got in, she cruised the streets in her van looking for homeless animals or asking locals if any pets needed rescue.In the city of Guangyuan, she found the white terrier mutt with the mangled legs. Like other dogs with crippled hind legs at her shelter, the dog -- whose name was unknown -- now walks with the aid of a wheelchair-like device made of PVC pipes. It's a design a shelter worker copied from an American Web site.

Only a few of the quake dogs were injured and the rest were in good health, she said. A month and a half since the quake, Chen still gets calls from people with quake strays. During an AP interview, Chen's cell phone began ringing. It was someone from the hard-hit town of Beichuan."Our van is broken now so we can't go far," she told the caller. "How many dogs do you have? We can take them in if you can help us arrange a vehicle."

Chen said her shelter is close to full capacity and her budget isn't big enough for many more dogs. She said she spends $8,743 each month on dog food, salaries and supplies. She takes donations but pays for much of it from her own pocket, she said.Chen, who made a fortune as a distributor of cosmetics and other consumer goods in the 1990s, was on her way to see a client in 1997 when she saw a stray dog in the street. The dog made eye contact and something clicked, she said."He looked so sad. I said to him, 'Are you lost you silly little dog?"' she said. "I decided to take care of him and I missed my meeting. I named him Ben Ben."

She started taking in other strays, and her obsession with caring for homeless animals eventually eclipsed her interest in business and she retired. She sold her cars and properties to finance the expanding operation. She moved the shelter to the current location, which she rents, two years ago."I started down a road," she said, "and I couldn't turn around."

(Bron: http://www.stltoday.com/)
(Bron foto: STL Today)

Niet-geregistreerd walvisvlees gevonden in Japanse markten

OSU researchers find unreported whale meat in

Japanese markets

28-06-2008 by Michael Milstein, The Oregonian, USA


Oregon State University researcher Scott Baker has uncovered victims of a hidden killing. The victims are endangered fin whales, the second-largest living animals in the world after blue whales.

Baker and colleagues started their detective work when they bought whale meat from shops in Japan in 2006 and 2007. Using DNA fingerprinting, they soon discovered that the meat came from more fin whales than Japan has acknowledged killing.

Whale meat purchased online in Japan. Oregon State University researchers found meat sold in Japan from more endangered fin whales than Japan reported to international authorities.

The discovery suggests that unregulated and unreported whaling may be cutting into the world's imperiled whale populations more than anyone realized.
Think of it as an episode of "CSI: Oceans."

Baker's team reported their findings this month at the scientific meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Chile.

Japan's whaling program has long been controversial. Japan contends that its whaling is for scientific purposes, but the meat is sold commercially. Many critics argue that it's a commercial whaling program in disguise.
Other whales are killed as "bycatch" when they get tangled in Japanese fishing nets, although critics also suspect the bycatch might not be accidental.

Japan is supposed to report the number of whales caught by either approach, and it reported a total of 13 whales. But DNA analysis by Baker's team identified meat from at least 15 fin whales sold by Japanese stores.
"Clearly there must be an undocumented source of these whales," Baker said, "but we don't know what it is."

He said it's difficult to identify where those extra whales are coming from, in part because Japan refuses to release genetic details of the whales killed in its scientific program. There also isn't enough genetic information about wild whales to tell where in the oceans the whale meat might be coming from.
Baker's research was funded by OSU's Marine Mammal Institute and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which advocates an end to whaling.

The United States has opposed commercial whaling, and the International Whaling Commission has called on Japan to curtail its whaling. Japan has continued, although it didn't report killing any fin whales last winter, Baker said.

Japan contends that the whale populations are strong enough to withstand the hunting, but other scientists aren't so sure. Baker said his discovery of the unaccounted-for whale deaths makes him wonder how big a hit their populations may be taking from unregulated whaling.
Besides the fin whales, Baker's team identified meat from humpback, sei, Bryde's, North Pacific minke and Antarctic minke whales among their samples. The samples were purchased online from shops in Japan.

During a similar study in Korea, Baker's team identified meat for sale in Korean markets from far more whales than reported.
The incentive for clandestine whaling is high. A wholesale minke whale, one of the most commonly sold species, can sell for up to $100,000 at the dock, Baker said. "That's a lot of money to a Korean fisherman."

-- Michael Milstein michaelmilstein@news.oregonian.com

(Bron: http://www.oregonlive.com/)
(Bron foto: The Oregonian)

Kritiek op optreden Australische milieu minister Garrett tijdens IWC in Chile

Garrett 'whale of a flop' at IRC meeting

28-06-2008 The West, Australia


Environment Minister Peter Garrett has come under fire from the opposition and Greenpeace for failing to make a dent in Japan's scientific whaling program at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) annual conference. He was "a whale of a flop" at the meeting, in Santiago, Chile, which ended on Friday, says Opposition Environment spokesman Greg Hunt.

Anti-whale hunting nations spearheaded by Australia expressed deep concern at Japan's skirting of a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling by hunting hundreds of whales each year in the name of scientific research.
But the deliberate nonconfrontational tack, with nations urged not to vote against each other on contentious issues such as Japanese whaling or calls for a South Atlantic whale sanctuary, meant little was achieved at the meeting.
Mr Hunt said Mr Garrett had failed and been embarrassed at the meeting.

He said the slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean was set to continue, despite Mr Garrett's efforts to turn the IWC into a conservation body.
"Mr Garrett failed to deliver on any of the promises he made about Japan's sham whale research program," Mr Hunt said.
"He led Australians to believe that he could bring about an end to whaling.
"But instead he rolled over and allowed Japan to press ahead with yet another season of whaling."

Mr Hunt also criticised Mr Garrett for having failed to name a whaling envoy, as promised before and after the election.
"After months of promises and shouting, Mr Garrett was a whale of a flop at the IWC," Mr Hunt said.

Greenpeace Australia chief executive Steve Shallhorn echoed Mr Hunt's views.
He said the meeting had passed with nothing achieved to stop Japan from killing whales in the South Ocean again this year.
"Greenpeace is pleased that governments have agreed on establishing a process that will support discussion of the IWC's future," Mr Shallhorn said.
"But countries shouldn't forget that their real, immediate responsibility is the protection and future wellbeing of all species of whales through the world's oceans."
Mr Shallhorn said hundreds more whales would be killed in southern waters this summer season.

"The Japanese should stop sending their fleet to the Southern Ocean as a demonstration of good faith during the discussion of the IWC's future, in the same way that Latin American pro-conservation countries demonstrated good faith by not forcing a vote on their desired South Atlantic Whales Sanctuary," he said.
He said it was time for the Australian government to name the promised whales envoy.

(Bron: http://www.thewest.com.au/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

ALF claimt brand bij Duke Faunabeheer Lelystad - Bedrijf ingehuurd om duizenden ganzen op Texel te vergassen

Dierenactivisten stichten brand bij ,,ganzendoder''

28-06-2008 De Stentor


LELYSTAD - Het Animal Liberation Front (ALF) heeft de brandstichting opgeëist bij Duke Faunabeheer in Lelystad. Dat maakte mede-eigenaar Arie den Hertog van Duke vandaag bekend.

In zijn bedrijf, dat is ingehuurd om duizenden grauwe ganzen op Texel te doden, woedde vrijdagochtend brand. De ganzen moeten worden afgemaakt omdat ze veel schade veroorzaken aan de natuur en de landbouw. Texel heeft Duke Faunabeheer ingehuurd om de klus te klaren.

Leden van ALF hebben de naam van hun actiegroep op het bedrijfspand gekalkt met een verwijzing naar Texel. Door de brand ontstond vooral veel roetschade. De schrik zit er evenwel goed in bij Den Hertog die met zijn gezin naast het bedrijf woont. ,,De kinderen slapen nu bij ons op de kamer.'' aldus de ondernemer.

(Bron: http://www.destentor.nl/)

Dierenrechtenactivisten gaan acties voeren tegen sponsors Circus Herman Renz

Activisten gaan bij Bit demonstreren tegen

circusdieren

28-06-2008 Ede Stad


EDE - Bij Bit aan de Galileilaan 19 in Ede wordt maandag 30 juni tussen 10.30 en 12.30 uur een demonstratie gehouden door de activisten van Respect voor Dieren. De organisatie is tegen het sponsoren van dierencircus Herman Renz omdat dit circus in haar ogen ,,dieren uitbuit voor vertier en financieel gewin''.

De activisten: ,,Zo worden onder andere olifanten, ganzen, paarden en tijgers van plaats naar plaats vervoerd. Tijdens deze langdurige transporten, kunnen de dieren niet bewegen. Ook de veranderende plekken bezorgen veel stress, evenals de piste waar ze hun kunstjes moeten vertonen. Circus Herman Renz ontneemt de dieren alle vrijheid om hun natuurlijke gedrag te kunnen vertonen. De sponsors van dit circus, Haribo en Bit maken zich medeplichtig aan de uitbuiting van circusdieren. Plus Supermarkt investeert in Herman Renz met een spaaractie voor het circus. Daarom zal Respect voor Dieren demonstreren bij deze bedrijven.''

Zolang dieren in haar ogen worden misbruikt in het circus en zolang er geld wordt verdiend 'over de ruggen van onschuldige en weerloze dieren', zal Respect voor Dieren actie blijven voeren. Activisten van Respect voor Dieren zetten zich regelmatig in om dit en ander dierenleed aan de kaak te stellen. De boodschap van de actiegroep is duidelijk: Alle dieren vrij.

(Bron: http://www.edestad.nl/)

BPRC Rijswijk krijgt bouwvergunning nieuw onderzoeksgebouw en kantoor - In 2015 moet BPRC weg

BPRC in Rijswijk krijgt weer volle aandacht

dierenrechtenactivisten

Directeur Bontrop ziet toekomst BPRC zonnig in – Uitbreiding met nieuw onderzoeksgebouw op komst


Zwolle, 27-06-2008 – Ruim dertig dierenrechtenactivisten van de Anti Dierproeven Coalitie (ADC) hielden vrijdagmiddag een luidruchtig protest bij het Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC) in Rijswijk. De activisten werden nauwlettend in de gaten gehouden door welhaast evenveel politie en marechaussee. Marechaussee, omdat op hetzelfde terrein Defensie ook dierproeven verricht.

Binnen het BPRC aan de Lange Kleiweg, net buiten de stedelijke bebouwing, worden dierproeven uitgevoerd op ongeveer 1300 resusapen en penseelapen. Het centrum ligt al jaren onder vuur van diverse dierenrechtenorganisaties. De laatste jaren werd het wat stil aan de poort. Maar, de ADC heeft besloten om het proefdiercentrum – ‘de apenhel’ - als speerpunt in haar actieprogramma op te nemen. Na het grote succes in Venray, waar mede door acties van de dierenrechtenactivisten het prestigieuze ScienceLink werd tegen gehouden, hopen de activisten het BPRC weer op de politieke en maatschappelijke agenda te krijgen.

Roerige tijden achter de rug
Het BPRC heeft roerige tijden achter de rug. Eind 2000 deed het gerucht de ronde dat het centrum failliet zou gaan. Er zou een tekort zijn geweest van twee miljoen gulden. Directeur R. Bontrop kon echter een tegemoetkoming van vijftien miljoen gulden tegemoet zien om de kooien van de apen te verbeteren. Videobeelden van journalist Willibrord toonden in januari 2001 hoe de apen waren gehuisvest. Het was hem gelukt om het BPRC binnen te komen, maar hij belandde prompt in de cel toen hij werd betrapt. Hij reageerde geschokt vanwege wat hij achter de muren van het proefdiercentrum had gezien: ‘Het is schandalig, zeker als je ervan uit gaat dat het toch net kleine mensjes zijn. Echt schokkend. Dit hoort in een beschaafd land als Nederland niet zo te zijn.’

In de eerste maanden van 2001 ontpopte zich een maatschappelijke en wetenschappelijke discussie over de aanwezigheid van chimpansees in het BPRC. Dieren met een hoog knuffelgehalte. De Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) rapporteerde aan de toenmalige minister van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen, Loek Hermans, dat proeven op niet-mensapen in het proefdiercentrum door moesten gaan. Proeven op chimpansees moesten worden beëindigd. De Dierenbescherming en de Vereniging Proefdiervrij reageerden verontwaardigd. ‘Er zijn alternatieven voor de proeven’, aldus beide organisaties destijds. Na de adviezen van de KNAW verrichtte een door Hermans ingestelde commissie (de Commissie Berns) een onderzoek naar het BPRC. Deze commissie concludeerde dat apen vooralsnog onmisbaar waren bij onderzoek naar ziekten. Maar ook de Commissie Berns adviseerde de minister om de chimpansees uit het BPRC te halen. ‘Het wetenschappelijke belang van het onderzoek met chimpansees is de laatste jaren sterk afgenomen, mede door de ontwikkeling van alternatieven.’, aldus prof.dr. A. Berns. Verder stelde de commissie dat er een einde moest komen aan de import van apen en aan vermindering van het aantal proeven.

Vanaf een voetpad langs de Lange Kleiweg zijn de apen goed te zien en te horen.

In juli 2001 werd besloten om een verbod op proeven met chimpansees in te stellen. Het BPRC kon een project met zes met hepatitis C geïnfecteerde chimpansees wel afronden. Een aantal dierentuinen en parken, waaronder de Beekse Bergen en Dierenpark Amersfoort, waren bereid om 46 chimpansees op te nemen. Van de overige 59 chimpansees waren er 26 besmet met HIV op hepatitis. Minister Hermans wilde ook dat de kolonie van 1500 andere dieren drastisch in aantal zou worden teruggebracht.

Enkele maanden later werd het BPRC zelfs onderwerp op de Europese politieke agenda. Op voorstel van de toenmalig Europarlementariër Maij-Weggen wilde het Europese Parlement de subsidie voor het Rijswijkse proefdiercentrum met ingang van 2002 stopzetten. Volgens Maij-Weggen waren dieren niet meer nodig voor onderzoek. BPRC-directeur Bontrop reageerde verontwaardigd: ‘Zonder Europese subsidies is het afgelopen met het BPRC.’ Diverse Tweede Kamerleden besloten zelfs eens een bezoek te brengen aan het centrum. D66 Kamerlid Marijke Augustijn reageerde na haar bezoek met de mededeling ‘Ik ben zelf ook blij dat ik geen aapje ben.’

Ondanks het maatschappelijke protest trok de regering toch tot 2006 jaarlijks 5 miljoen gulden uit voor het BPRC.

Het verzet tegen het BPRC van dierenrechtenactivisten nam na februari 2002 weer wat toe. Reden was de plotselinge dood in het centrum van de aids-chimpansee Koen. Het dier werd levenloos in zijn kooi aangetroffen. De organisatie Een Dier Een Vriend (EDEV) eiste opheldering bij minister Hermans en Borst (Volksgezondheid). Koen werd 28 jaar en was de eerste aap in het land die met het HIV-virus werd geïnfecteerd. Op 8 februari 2002 demonstreerden zo’n tachtig dierenrechtenactivisten uit zeventien landen voor de poorten van het BPRC. Het personeel was door de directie vroeg naar huis gestuurd. Na dit protest werd het weer even relatief rustig rond het BPRC.

Alle chimpansees vertrokken uit BPRC
In juni 2003 ondertekenden minister Van der Hoeven (OC & W), de Almeerse stichting AAP en het BPRC een convenant over de financiering van de oudedagsvoorziening van 63 chimpansees. Tot 2028 zou de overheid jaarlijks 1.5 miljoen euro voor de opvang besteden.
Achtentwintig geïnfecteerde chimpansees werden in september 2006 overgeplaatst naar stichting AAP. Tien maanden later vertrokken 33 niet besmette chimpansees naar Safaripark Beekse Bergen. De laatste chimpansees verlieten het BPRC in september 2007.

Volgens Petra Timmers van stichting AAP gaat het goed met de dieren. Timmers: ‘Ze zitten hier in zes afzonderlijke sociale groepen, hebben de ruimte en kunnen zich weer als chimps gedragen (vlooien, spelen, klimmen, luieren, eten, ruzie maken, etc.). Naast deze BPRC dieren zitten er bij AAP momenteel ook 20 niet-BPRC (dus niet-geïnfecteerde) chimpansees. Deze zijn afkomstig uit circussen, louche dierenparkjes en van particulieren.’

Het BPRC heeft medio 2006 nieuwe apenonderkomens in gebruik genomen. Op de internetsite meldt het centrum over deze nieuwe verblijven: ‘De nieuwe huisvesting, die is ontworpen door deskundigen op het gebied van het gedrag en de behoeften van primaten, biedt veel ruimte en heeft zowel buitenverblijven als binnenverblijven voor alle dieren. Net als in het wild leven de dieren in sociale groepen, zodat ze op natuurlijke wijze met elkaar kunnen omgaan.’ Ondanks de nieuwe onderkomens zitten er, aldus de Anti Dierproeven Coalitie, dieren geïsoleerd opgesloten en worden gebruikt voor uiterst pijnlijke en wrede experimenten. ‘Veel van de proeven die hier uitgevoerd worden, vinden plaats zonder verdoving.’, aldus de dierenrechtenactivisten.

Directeur Bontrop ziet toekomst zonnig tegemoet
Directeur Ronald Bontrop van het BPRC verklaart de toekomst van het centrum ‘zonnig’ in te zien. Het feit dat het onderzoekscentrum ‘doelwit’ is van demonstrerende dierenactivisten ziet hij als een democratisch recht. ‘Ik heb geen enkel probleem met demonstraties die gehouden/uitgevoerd worden volgens de door de maatschappij vastgestelde normen.’ Dat er nog steeds proefdieronderzoek nodig is binnen het BPRC is volgens Bontrop het gevolg van het nog niet voorhanden zijn van alternatieven ‘voor het type werk wat het BPRC doet’. ‘Het BPRC onderzoeksprogramma naar alternatieven ligt op stoom en ondervindt veel waardering. Ik hoop dat alternatieven op den duur alle dierproeven kunnen vervangen. De Nederlandse Wet op de Dierproeven stelt ook dat dierproeven zijn verboden als er goede alternatieven voorhanden zijn. Op dit moment is het helaas niet realistisch om te stellen dat dierproeven onnodig/overbodig zijn.’

Volgens Bontrop moet gevreesd worden dat ‘we nog decennia te maken zullen hebben met dit type werk’. De directeur doet zijn best om de onderzoeken die op ‘zijn’ apen worden uitgevoerd te verdedigen, althans in een acceptabel daglicht te stellen. Hij gaat in op het testen van geneesmiddelen en vaccins op proefdieren. Die middelen worden, aldus Bontrop, eerst op veiligheid en werkzaamheid getest in proefdieren. ‘Slechts een klein deel wordt uitgetest in apen. Sommige pathogenen (red. ziekteverwekkers) kunnen alleen de mens en bepaalde apen infecteren. Als je een vaccin wilt testen dan worden eerst de dieren gevaccineerd. Je kan dan leren of het vaccin veilig is. De tweede stap is om te testen of het vaccin werkt en om dat te doen moet er en zogenoemde challenge (experimentele infectie) worden uitgevoerd.’ Tijdens deze vakmatige uitleg voelt Bontrop toch weer de behoefte opkomen om te benadrukken dat al zijn ‘medewerkers graag zouden willen zien dat er goede alternatieven bestaan.’ ‘En juist daarom werken we ook erg hard aan deze ontwikkelingen.’, besluit de directeur van het zo vaak door dierenrechtenactivisten belaagde BPRC.

Robert Molenaar, woordvoerder van de Anti Dierproeven Coalitie, twijfelt aan de woorden van Bontrop. Hij vindt het van belang dat gegevens van de Dier Experimenten Commissie (DEC) zo snel mogelijk openbaar gemaakt worden. ‘Wanneer de gegevens over de dierproeven op tafel liggen, kan bepaald worden in hoeverre de Nederlandse overheid en de dierproefnemers zich daadwerkelijk houden aan de zogenoemde 3V's, Vermindering, Verfijning en Vervanging. Nu zijn de dieren compleet overgeleverd aan de 'goodwill' van dierproefnemers. Het aantal dierproeven in Nederland moet drastisch omlaag.’, aldus Molenaar.

Volgens de ADC zijn producten die op dieren zijn getest niet bij voorbaat veilig. ‘Zo belanden in België en Nederland elke dag 150 mensen in het ziekenhuis en sterven er elke dag 15 mensen aan de bijwerkingen van medicijnen. Uiteindelijk is de consument het proefkonijn. 92% Van de medicijnen die zijn goedgekeurd door dierproeven falen onmiddellijk wanneer ze worden getest op mensen.’, aldus de dierenrechtenorganisatie op haar internetsite.

Dierenrechtenactivist Molenaar lijnrecht tegenover Bontrop
Dierenrechtenactivist Molenaar vindt daarenboven dat dierproefnemers zich altijd beroepen op de ellende van mensen in de wereld om zo de geldkraan open te houden. Molenaar: ‘Het is een feit dat arme landen als een dumpmarkt beschouwd worden voor medicijnen die in de Westerse wereld niet verkocht mogen worden, omdat ze onveilig zijn. Mochten de dierproefnemers daadwerkelijk begaan zijn met het leed van de mensen in deze landen, dan zouden ze er goed aan doen om zich in te zetten om de basisvoorzieningen in deze landen op een geschikt peil te brengen.’

Natuurlijk staat de dierenrechtenactivist Robert Molenaar lijnrecht tegenover BPRC-directeur Ronald Bontrop. Molenaar vindt het schandelijk dat gezonde dieren ziek worden gemaakt en opengesneden worden. Molenaar: ‘Deze wezens zijn rechteloos en worden klakkeloos ingezet voor menselijke problemen. Neem alleen al het geval van de transplantaties die in het BPRC plaats- vinden: Misvormde organen worden geplaatst in de lichamen van deze dieren. Dit veroorzaakt pijn en stress bij de apen. Medici in de wereld zijn het er over eens dat apen geen geschikt model vormen voor HIV testen. Toch voert het BPRC al tientallen jaren HIV testen op apen uit. De apen zijn niet eens in staat om HIV te krijgen, maar krijgen een ziekte die er op lijkt: SIV (Red. Simian Immunodeficiency Virus). Dit onderzoek is kansloos, maar wordt wel uitgevoerd in het BPRC. Waarom? Het BPRC is afhankelijk van subsidies van de Nederlandse overheid en de EU en HIV-onderzoek brengt geld in het laatje.’

Een speurtocht op het internet levert al snel diverse websites op van wetenschappers, chirurgen, dierenartsen en dokters die zich op grond van wetenschappelijke en ethische redenen uitspreken tegen het gebruik van dierproeven. Onder hen bevinden zich ook proefdieronderzoekers. Ze zijn verenigd in commissies en stichtingen (o.a. in Duitsland, Engeland, Amerika en Italië) en zetten zich in voor dierproefvrij, betrouwbaar en humaan onderzoek. Molenaar weet hen aan zijn zijde in een wereldwijde strijd om proefdieronderzoek uit te bannen.

Grote demonstratie op 4 oktober tegen BPRC
De vandaag gehouden demonstratie voor de poorten van het BPRC moet dan ook gezien worden als een belangrijk onderdeel van die wereldwijde strijd. Het is waarschijnlijk niet de laatste keer dat de ADC lawaai maakt aan de Lange Kleiweg. Dat wordt bevestigd door Robert Molenaar: ‘We blijven regelmatig protesteren tegen het dierenleed in het BPRC. Daarenboven houdt de ADC op 4 oktober een grootse demonstratie in de gemeente Rijswijk. In Venray wisten wij op 8 december vorig jaar honderden mensen op de been te krijgen in een demonstratie tegen het ScienceLink-project. Een dergelijke succesvol protest moet ook in Rijswijk mogelijk zijn. We hebben namelijk het gevoel dat veel inwoners van Rijswijk niet op de hoogte zijn dat er zich binnen hun gemeente een proefdiercentrum bevindt.’

Ondanks sloop BPRC in 2015, toch bouwvergunning nieuw kantoor en onderzoeksgebouw – GroenLinks reageert verontwaardigd
De fractievoorzitter van GroenLinks in Rijswijk, Bert van Velthuijsen, kan zich vinden in het gevoel van Molenaar. ‘Over het BPRC leeft in Rijswijk inderdaad geen publiek debat. Zelfs de regelmatig terugkerende protestacties worden niet meer als nieuws opgenomen in het plaatselijke weekblad, tenzij er geweld aan de orde komt en dan werkt het negatief uit richting de actievoerders in plaats van verwijtende blikken richting het BPRC. Het BPRC is niet algemeen bekend bij de Rijswijkers en dus zal er een grote groep zijn die niet weet wat daar gebeurd.’, aldus Van Velthuijsen. Hij vervolgt: ‘Ook GroenLinks Rijswijk is tegen dierproeven in het algemeen. Wij gaan echter niet zo ver dat we dierproeven afkeuren voor medisch onderzoek dat gericht is op het vinden van oplossingen voor ernstige ziekten bij mens en dier. Dat betekent dat voor onderzoek gericht op het ontwikkelen van medicijnen doorgaans geen dierproeven nodig zijn. Wij zijn dan ook zeer verheugd dat het BPRC in 2015 zal ophouden te bestaan of althans uit Rijswijk gaat verdwijnen.’

De twee grootste fracties in de gemeenteraad van Rijswijk, de PvdA (zes zetels) en Onafhankelijk Rijswijk (acht zetels) waren niet bereikbaar voor commentaar.

In een reactie op de aanwezigheid van het proefdiercentrum in Rijswijk laat burgemeester mevrouw Van der Wel-Markerink weten dat de gemeente Rijswijk ‘geen enkele inhoudelijke en/of financiële bemoeienis met het BPRC’ heeft. ‘Het is geen gemeentetaak om burgers te informeren over wat bedrijven doen, zolang ze binnen de wet opereren, met uitzondering van bedrijven die mogelijke risico kunnen opleveren voor omwonenden. Deze staan op onze risicokaart.’, aldus de burgemeester.

Het College verstrekte op 1 april nog een bouwvergunning aan het BPRC voor de bouw van onder andere een nieuw onderzoeksgebouw op haar terrein aan de Lange Kleiweg. Dat is opmerkelijk, omdat volgens GroenLinks Rijswijk het BPRC in 2015 verdwijnt. In een reactie verklaart de fractievoorzitter van de partij bijzonder verrast te zijn door de bouwvergunning. Van Velthuijsen: ‘Dat is vreemd en ik wist dit ook niet. In 2015 komt op het terrein waar het BPRC is gevestigd woningbouw. In 2007 is hiervoor een convenant ondertekend. Er is al een sloopvergunning verstrekt voor een villa in het gebied. Ik ga hier meteen achteraan om helderheid te verkrijgen. Het kan niet zo zijn dat het BPRC een nieuw onderzoeksgebouw kan gaan bouwen, terwijl over een paar jaar woningbouw is gepland.’

- Deze week werd bekend dat een Spaanse parlementaire commissie haar steun heeft uitgesproken voor leven en vrijheid van apen. De commissie stemde in met resoluties die waren voorgelegd door een internationale club van onder andere wetenschappers en filosofen die apen basisrechten willen geven die de mens voor zichzelf heeft bepaald. Waarschijnlijk worden de aanbevelingen van de commissie overgenomen door het Spaanse parlement. Hiermee komt in Spanje voor apen een einde aan het leven als proefdieren, maar ook aan hun optredens in films en circussen. -

Auteur:
Paul Kraaijer
Zwolle, 27 juni 2008

(Bron foto nieuwe apenonderkomens: http://www.bprc.nl/ / Bron foto apen vanaf voetpad te zien: eigen foto Kraaijer / Bron overige foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Geraadpleegde bronnen:
http://www.bprc.nl/
http://www.stopdierproeven.org/
http://www.amc.uva.nl/index.cfm?pid=275
http://www.kennislink.nl/web/show?id=79772
http://www.minvws.nl/kamerstukken/zzoude_directies/vgb/euthanasie_chimpansee_bprc.asp http://www.minocw.nl/actueel/persberichten/11971/Definitieve-oplossing-voor-alle-BPRCchimpansees.html
http://www.minvws.nl/kamerstukken/zzoude_directies/vgb/bioprimatencentrum_bprc.asp
http://www.animalfreedom.org/paginas/column/Coen.html
http://www.drhadwentrust.org.uk/
http://www.buav.org/index.php
http://blog.seniorennet.be/proefapen/
http://blog.seniorennet.nl/modelvoordier/
http://www.ravagedigitaal.org/index.htm?2005/nummer8/apenmoord.htm~mainFrame
http://www.rijswijk.nl/dsc?c=getobject&s=obj&objectid=38366&!sessionid=1M31UuYyWNZ5zySrobBaqys7l14qVBDU@t5G78Ld!zmQ!2Az1FIodrhoUhCp3M4a&!dsname=default

Anti Dierproeven Coalitie protesteert bij Philip Morris in Bergen op Zoom - Tabaksfabrikant voert rooktesten uit op proefdieren

Lawaaiprotest tegen dierproeven

door Sanne Schelfaut sanne.schelfaut@bndestem.nl, BN/De Stem


BERGEN OP ZOOM - Met leuzen als 'Philip Morris, dierenmoordenaars!' en 'Bloed aan jullie handen', lieten zo'n veertig activisten van de Anti Dierproeven Coalitie (ADC) er vrijdagmiddag geen misverstanden over bestaan.

Ze demonstreerden met veel verbaal lawaai voor de poorten van de sigarettenfabrikant aan de Marconilaan tegen de tabakstesten die Philip Morris uitvoert op dieren in het eigen laboratorium in Leuven. Volgens de activisten ondergaan duizenden muizen, ratten en konijnen in hun ogen onnodige en vreselijke nicotineproeven.

"Onschuldige dieren moeten weken aan een stuk nicotine inhaleren. Aan het eind van hun lijdensweg worden ze gedood en opengesneden om te kijken wat de effecten van de nicotine zijn. Iedereen weet dat roken slecht is voor de gezonheid. Daar zijn die tests echt niet voor nodig. Je kiest zelf of je wilt roken, een dier heeft die keuze niet. Wij zijn niet tegen Philip Morris, ook niet tegen rokers, maar wel tegen de gruwelijke dierproeven", aldus Danny Flies van de ADC.

De tientallen actievoerders togen met megafoons, posters, spandoeken en een als muis (mét rokende sigaret) verklede jongen naar de hoofdingang. Het bedrijf had alle hekken en parkeerplaatsen hermetisch afgesloten. Niemand van Philip Morris liet zich tijdens de twee uur durende demonstratie zien of horen.

Woordvoerster Marija Sepic laat vanuit het Philip Morris- hoofdkantoor in Zwitserland weten dat de proeven nodig zijn om de nadelige gevolgen van tabak zoveel mogelijk in te dammen. "De verwachting is dat we over een tijdje geen dieren meer nodig hebben, maar via computermodellen kunnen zien wat de effecten zijn." De ADC komt binnenkort terug voor een tweede demonstratie.

(Bron: http://www.bndestem.nl)
(Bron foto: BN/De Stem)

Tien olifanten vernielen rubberplantage in noorden Vietnam - Olifanten in Vietnam zijn beschermd

Wild elephants run amok in central highlands

27-06-2008 Thanh Nien Daily, Vietnam


A herd of about 10 rampaging wild elephants have destroyed a newly-planted rubber tree plantation and threatened the lives of local people in Central Highland’s Gia Lai Province. The elephants devastated crops near the forest edge at Chu Se District in Gia Lai Province and Ea Hleo District in Dak Lak Province over the past three days.

“We were on our way from the rubber plantation to the camp when a group of about ten elephants approached,” a worker from Phuc Cuong Company’s rubber forest in Chu Se District said.
“The elephants were very fierce and destroyed all the trees in their way.
We had to run for our lives after one of them saw us and roared,” he said.

Reports said the elephants had also terrorized others who went into the forest.
“This is the first time so many elephants have come out of the forest,” a local from Ia Blu Commune in Chu Se District, Ksor Lam, said.

Local residents said the wild animals might be from the jungle in Ea Hleo District in Dak Lak Province.
They said they were hungry and looking for food as they destroyed all the young banana trees on their way.
“Elephants pose a much greater threat when there are many workers being employed to plant new trees,” Phuc Cuong Company director Hoang Trong Sam said.
Chu Se District authorities are working with the company to find a solution to the elephant problem.

Workers have been instructed not to hurt the animals.
Wild elephants are protected in Vietnam.

(Bron: http://www.thanhniennews.com/)

Berggorilla's Virungapark (Congo) gedood ten gevolge van illegale houtskoolhandel - Beelden dode gorilla's werden wereldwijd voorpaginanieuws

Directeur Virungapark achter moord gorilla’s

27-06-2008 Reformatorisch Dagblad


KINSHASA (ANP) - Niet rebellen of strijders, maar de directeur van het Virungapark in de Democratische Republiek Congo is verantwoordelijk voor de moord op de berggorilla’s in dat park vorig jaar. Dat staat te lezen in het nieuwe nummer van National Geographic Magazine.

De beelden van de moordpartij op de zeven gorilla’s vorig jaar gingen de hele wereld over. Het Virunga National Park was een populaire toeristische plaats, maar inmiddels, door de burgeroorlogen in het gebied en de levendige illegale houtskoolhandel in het park, niet meer. Die illegale handel blijkt volgens de onderzoekers van National Geographic ook de reden voor de slachtpartij.

Houtskool is van levensbelang voor de bevolking, 98 procent van de huishoudens gebruikt het om eten op klaar te maken, water te koken en het huis te verwarmen. Voor de productie ervan worden bomen gekapt en verkoold in lemen ovens. En de kostbaarste hardhoutbomen uit het park leveren de beste houtskool op.

Paulin Ngobobo was opzichter van het zuidelijk deel van het park en probeerde de illegale houtskoolhandel een halt toe te roepen. Zijn baas Honoré Mashagiro, directeur van het nationale park, bleek echter de spil in de bijzonder lucratieve handel te zijn, bevestigt de advocaat van het Congolese Instituut voor Natuurbehoud (ICCN). Om opzichter Ngobobo in diskrediet te brengen, liet Mashagiro de gorilla’s doodschieten.

„Iedereen wist dat ik onschuldig was, maar Mashagiro wilde mij voor de moorden laten opdraaien. Hij moest van mij af om door te kunnen gaan met zijn houtskoolhandeltje”, aldus Ngobobo.
„Het is lastig te achterhalen wie nu precies de trekker heeft overgehaald. Maar Mashagiro heeft de moord op de gorilla’s op touw gezet. Dat staat vast”, aldus de advocaat. De directeur is inmiddels opgepakt en wacht op berechting voor zowel het neerschieten van de gorilla’s als de illegale houtskoolhandel.

Emmanuel de Merode, directeur van WildlifeDirect in Nairobi en gepromoveerd op de illegale handel in houtskool, was gisteren tegen het ANP iets voorzichtiger. „De rechtzaak loopt nog en Mashagiro heeft recht op een eerlijk proces”, zo zei hij vanuit het hoofdkantoor van National Geographic in de Verenigde Staten.

De Merode is verantwoordelijk voor de rangers is het park. „Doordat de rebellen in het gebied zitten waar de gorilla’s wonen, kunnen wij er niet in. Ze hebben aangekondigd iedere ranger die ze zien te executeren.” Via mensen in de omringende dorpen hoort De Merode hoe het gaat met de dieren. „Dat nieuws is niet 100 procent betrouwbaar, maar als er echt een crisis was, hadden we het wel gehoord.” Voor zover hij weet, is er geen nieuwe slachtpartij geweest.

(Bron: http://www.refdag.nl/)
(Bron foto: Reformatorisch Dagblad)

Drie chirurgisch gehalveerde katten gevonden in Kingston (Canada)

Kingston police probe three cat mutilations

27-06-2008 The Ottawa Citizen, Canada


Kingston police are investigating three cat mutilations in which the animals were "surgically" sliced in half. Police said the heads and upper torsos of two cats were discovered in a wooded area near Lancaster Drive Public School and in Cataraqui Park on June 17 and June 20.

A third cat was found decapitated in the wooded area near the school in September 2006, police said.

According to police, a forensic examination of the cats showed they were deliberately sliced in half.

(Bron: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen)

Huiden beschermde sneeuwluipaard Afghanistan te koop op buitenlandse militaire bases en bazaars in Kabul

Foreigners threaten Afghan snow leopards

27-06-2008 Christian Today, London, UK


Afghanistan's snow leopards have barely survived three decades of war. But now the few remaining mountain leopards left in Afghanistan face another threat - foreigners involved in rebuilding the war-torn country.

Afghanistan's snow leopards have barely survived three decades of war. But now the few remaining mountain leopards left in Afghanistan face another threat - foreigners involved in rebuilding the war-torn country.

Despite a complete hunting ban across Afghanistan since 2002, snow leopard furs regularly end up for sale on international military bases and at tourist bazaars in the capital. Foreigners have ready cash to buy the pelts as souvenirs and impoverished Afghans break poaching laws to supply them.

Tucked between souvenir stores on Chicken Street, Kabul's main tourist trap, several shops sell fur coats and pelts taken from many of Afghanistan's threatened and endangered animals.
"This one is only $300 (151 pounds)," one shopkeeper told Reuters, producing a snow leopard pelt from the back of his shop.
"It was shot several times," he said pointing to the patches of fur sewn together. "The better ones are only shot once. The skin remains intact," he says as his assistant brings out a larger pelt, this time with no patches. "This one is $900."
All the shopkeepers said they had more pelts at home and that they had sold furs to foreigners over the past few weeks.

Asked if it was easy to send the furs back home, one shopkeeper who did not want to be named said: "No problem! We hide the fur inside blankets and send it back to your country."

Snow leopards along with several other animals in Afghanistan are listed as endangered or threatened under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Anyone caught knowingly transporting a fur across an international border is liable to a large fine. In the United States, it could result in a $100,000 fine and one year jail term.
It is hard to know the exact numbers of snow leopards left in Afghanistan due to the creatures' elusive nature and the lack of any case studies during the last three decades of conflict, said Dr. Peter Smallwood, Afghanistan country director for the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

But what is known is that the snow leopard is endangered.
"If you look historically at Afghanistan, Afghanistan actually had more big cat species than the entire continent of Africa," said Clayton Miller, Environmental Advisor to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
"Now the only cat species that is not on the threatened and endangered species list is the domestic cat.

Destruction of infrastructure, movements of refugees, modern weaponry, extreme poverty and a lack of law enforcement together with drought and deforestation are just some of the factors that have devastated Afghanistan's flora and fauna.
There are now only between 100 to 200 snow leopards estimated to be left in Afghanistan. In comparison, Bhutan has the same number but has three times less the area of habitat.
The estimated number of snow leopards in the wild worldwide is between 3,500 and 7000, according to the International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT).

CRACKING DOWN ON FOREIGNERS
Snow leopards in Afghanistan mainly inhabit the extreme northeast of the country in particular the remote sliver of land called the Wakhan Corridor which separates Tajikistan from Pakistan and extends all the way to China.
The mountainous Wakhan is sparsely populated by humans but is a vital link for the snow leopard.
"The Wakhan is a critical area because ... you're going to get snow leopards going between Tajikistan, Pakistan and China through the Wakhan valley, so it's a key, key area. Its importance far outweighs its physical size," Smallwood said.

When the U.S. embassy's Miller first moved to Afghanistan he discovered a widespread practice of selling endangered animal parts to foreigners.
"There were threatened and endangered species being marketed to international personnel, not only military but aid mission folks and anybody visiting the bazaar," said Miller.
In a bid to stop poaching of snow leopards, the U.S. embassy and the WCS targeted the buyers.
"We decided that one of the quickest ways of trying to address this issue was to go after the demand. The only individuals that are actually able to purchase these things were internationals," Miller told Reuters.
Snow leopard pelts can sell for up to $1500, well beyond the means of most Afghans.
Since August last year, Miller and the WCS have been educating military and civilian staff, in particular those in charge of mail services, on how to recognize endangered and threatened animal furs as well as conducting "raids" on U.S. military bases.

The raids have yielded products from endangered species including snow leopards, said Miller, but he stressed the U.S. military was very "cooperative" in trying to combat the trade.
Within two weeks of their first training session on a U.S. base just outside Kabul, the military had managed to "virtually eliminate" any trade of these products on the base, he said.
Local traders who offer their wares on military bases are issued with a warning if they are caught selling the furs and are barred from returning if caught again.

Because of the structured nature of the military, said Smallwood, it is easier to get the message delivered.
"The harder part is trying to deliver the message to the rest of the international community, which we're working on," he said.
But the threats to the snow leopard still remain.
"With numbers this low I wouldn't want to say ...if we just fix this problem the rest is fine. All of these problems need to be dealt with. Losing 10 animals could be as much as 10 percent of the population," Smallwood said.

(Bron: http://www.christiantoday.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Evacuatie panda's uit aardbevingsgebied China in volle gang...

8 pandas evacuated from quake zone

27-06-2008 China.org.cn


Eight giant pandas were evacuated from a breeding base in southwest China's Sichuan Province Thursday to avoid threats from possible geological disasters after the devastating May 12 earthquake.

Three two-year-old females, Si Jia, Mei Qian and Qian Qian, were greeted with applause and flowers when they arrived at the Yunnan Wild Animals Park late Thursday afternoon in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province.
They would stay in their new home and specially-built pens for two years, said Guo Huijun, Yunnan Provincial Forestry Department deputy head.

The park boasts more than 10,000 animals covering 110 species, including two giant pandas brought from Sichuan last year.
"Yunnan has a climate and environment similar to Sichuan. I believe they will spend the two years happily," said Xiao Yi, a panda handler.

Also Thursday, five three-year-old pandas were transferred to the Xiangjiang Safari Park in Guangzhou, capital of the southern Guangdong Province.
It was expected they would stay in the park for three years, said Dong Guixin, the park's general manager.

On Tuesday, 10 giant pandas were moved out of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Sichuan's Wolong nature reserve, only 30 km from the epicenter.
There were 63 giant pandas living in the breeding base before the quake. One was killed while another remained missing. Eighteen panda pens were destroyed and 14 others severely damaged.

The remaining 61 bears, except for seven one-year-old cubs, have been or will be moved out of the center to other suitable places, said Li Desheng, the center's deputy director.
Li said the Wolong reserve faced severe secondary geological disasters as landslides and mud-rock flows had occurred frequently recently, posing a serious threat to the safety of the surviving animals.
Seven baby pandas born last year will be moved to safe areas in Wolong Township as distant travel was not suitable for them, according to Li.
All the evacuations would be completed within one month, he said.

The Wolong reserve has more than 150 pandas living in the wild. There are about 1,590 pandas living in the wild around the country, mostly in Sichuan and the northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu. Another 180 are in captivity.
The 8.0-magnitude quake centered in Sichuan's Wenchuan County on May 12 has left more than 80,000 people dead or missing and millions homeless. More than 14,000 aftershocks have been reported after the devastating quake, with the strongest measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale.

(Bron: http://www.china.org.cn/)
(Bron foto's: China.org.cn)

Japanse kinderen al jong naar walvisslachterijen gebracht - Indoctrinatie: Japanse kids wordt belang van de walvis voor Japan 'bijgebracht'

Japanese 10-year-olds taken on school trips to

whale slaughter

27-06-2008 By Julian Ryall in Tokyo, Telegraph, UK


Japanese children as young as ten are watching whales being slaughtered to teach them the "cultural importance" of Japan's controversial commercial whaling industry.

As the whaling season get underway, schoolchildren in Wada, 50 miles southeast of Tokyo, have been on field trips to see the first Baird's beaked whales of the year winched up the concrete slipway and carved up with razor-sharp flensing knives.
Smartly dressed and in bright yellow caps, the children took notes and sketched parts of the 36 foot whale as it was dismembered.

Japanese schoolchildren watch as a fisherman slaughters a whale.

From their small boats, local fishermen will harpoon up to 26 of the whales during the three-month season. Wada can trace its whaling history back to 1612, when the 10-tonne whales were harpooned by hand. It is now one of just four communities permitted to conduct coastal whaling.

Much of the blubber is carved into bricks that are sold to local people, most of whom have eaten whale all their lives, and the remainder is packaged and sold to supermarkets.

Japan defies the International Whaling Commission's 1986 ban on commercial whaling by claiming that its catches are "research whaling", adding that the by-product of scientific research is not wasted.

A Japanese delegation is currently in Santiago, the Chilean capital, where the IWC is meeting, repeating the government line that the populations of minke, sperm and fin whales have recovered sufficiently since whaling was banned that commercial hunts should again be permitted.
Early discussions were described as peaceful and constructive, but Wednesday's session was marked by renewed accusations and finger-pointing involving Japan and Australia, one of the most vocal opponents of Tokyo's plans.

Peter Garrett, the Australian environment minister, said there was absolutely no need to kill whales for scientific purposes. "In Australia's view the programmes are in reality commercial whaling operations prohibited by the moratorium," Mr Garrett said. "It is no longer sufficient for us merely to oppose whaling under scientific permit. It's time for it to stop."

Joji Morishita, of the Japanese delegation, responded by claiming scientific whaling was "legitimate, necessary and delivers comprehensive data crucial to Japan's research".
He added that countries that oppose the research should "open their eyes".

Shigeko Misaki, a former spokeswoman for the Japan Whaling Association, said it was important that a new generation of Japanese was learning the nation's traditions.
"The anti-whaling campaign has gone too far," she said. "It has almost become a religion, that whales are the only symbol of the marine eco-system. People who believe this religion think all Japanese people are evil because we kill whales.
"Food security is a serious problem for Japan, particularly with rising fuel prices around the world, and the government and Japanese people should stand up and say that whale meat is a good food resource that should be used to provide protein," she said.

(Bron: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: Telegraph)

In Belgische Bornem illegale fazantenfokkerij ontdekt - Dieren gefokt om afgeschoten te worden - Terrein extreem beveiligd

Illegale fazantenkwekers plaatsen dodelijke

boobytraps

27-06-2008 Gazet van Antwerpen, Belgium


Tien vrijwilligers van het Vogel- en Zoogdieren-opvangcentrum in Heusden-Zolder hebben een privébos in Hingene (Bornem) moeten ontruimen. Jagers kweekten er illegaal twee- tot drieduizend fazanten. De politie trof rond de kooien massa’s prikkel- en struikeldraden en vlijmscherpe ijzeren pinnen aan.

De kwekerij werd ontruimd na een tip. De jagers kweekten fazanten op grote schaal om er nadien op te kunnen jagen.
“Het ging om 2.000 tot 3.000 fazanten, maar de jagers hebben voor onze komst veel vogels vrijgelaten. Ze wisten blijkbaar dat ze in het nauw waren gedreven. Er zaten nog zo’n 200 fazanten in de kweekkooien.

Levensgevaarlijk
"We hebben er nog 400 in de nabije omgeving kunnen vangen. Die dieren zitten nu bij ons in het opvangcentrum. Het is nog niet duidelijk wat er mee zal gebeuren, maar in de vrije natuur kunnen ze zeker niet overleven”, zegt verantwoordelijke Rudi Oyen van het Vogelopvangcentrum.
Het uitzonderlijke aan de vangst is de levensgevaarlijke manier waarop de kwekers hun verboden kweekcentrum afschermden. “Er was camerabewaking aanwezig en het hele terrein lag vol met vallen. Om roofvogels weg te houden hadden ze krikras prikkeldraad aan de bomen gehangen”, zegt Oyen.

Vlijmscherpe pinnen
Het hele terrein lag bovendien bezaaid met struikeldraad. “Die was vaak niet zichtbaar door de begroeiing. De draad lag zo’n 20 cm boven de grond en was vlijmscherp.
"Achter de draad lagen metalen platen met vlijmscherpe, rechtopstaande pinnen van 4 cm lang. Wie daarop valt, raakt levensgevaarlijk gewond. Deze jagers wilden duidelijk nieuwsgierige pottenkijkers weghouden door ze te verwonden. Zulke grove boobytraps heb ik nog niet gezien in de twintig jaar dat ik deze job doe”, vertelt Oyen.

Het parket van Mechelen wilde geen commentaar kwijt, maar wellicht zijn er één of meer verdachten opgepakt.

(Bron: http://www.gva.be/)

Op 1 juli start zeehondenjacht voor kust Namibië - 86.000 zeehonden dreigen gedood te worden

Plan to kill 86,000 seals draws ire in Namibia

26-06-2008 By RODERICK MUKUMBIRA, Associated Press Writer, Miami Herald, USA


WINDHOEK, Namibia -- Seal hunters plan to club 86,000 seals in an annual hunt set to begin next week, as animal rights activists brace for a showdown with the government over a practice they regard as inhumane.

During this year's season - from July 1 to Nov. 15 - seal hunters will be allowed kill 6,000 adult males and 80,000 pups, a quota that remains the same as last year, said Moses Maurihungirire, director of resource management at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

Maurihungirire said Tuesday that the seal population is healthy and not at risk of extinction, although the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists seals as endangered.

The government has said the seal hunt protects its fish stocks because seals consume 900,000 tons of fish a year, which is more than a third of the fishing industry's catch. The hunt also provides revenue from skins, fur and meat, and creates 149 jobs, Maurihungirire said.

But activists from Seal Alert South Africa said the country's seal population is no longer sustainable. Francois Hugo, of Seal Alert, said a colony on Cape Cross island was wiped out during last year's hunting season.
"Namibia's commercial sealing industry is 93 percent seal pup based," Hugo said, adding that the government is targeting nursing pups, rather than adults that eat fish.

The sparsely populated country is famous for the wildlife and desert landscape of its Skeleton Coast. Among the tourist attractions are the 850,000 seals that live on roughly a dozen rocky, remote islands off the southwest Atlantic coast.
"The markets for seal products are fast dying out," said Hugo, pointing to April's announcement by the European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas that he would propose a ban on all seal products from inhumane hunts.
This week Maurihungirire said the seal killing is humane because once a seal is clubbed or shot it is "pierced with a sharp object" to ensure it is dead before it is skinned, rather than skinning it alive.

At the beginning of last year's seal hunting season, the Namibian government set a three-year total allowable catch of 6,000 adult males and upped the number of pups to be killed by 20,000 to 80,000.

(Bron: http://www.miamiherald.com/)
(Bron foto zeehonden: Sea Alert South Africa / Bron foto muur: http://www.animalrightsafrica.org/)

(Voor meer informatie over Sea Alert South Africa, http://sealalertsa.wordpress.com/)

This video contains horrific images!!! But it shows how seals are being killed at Namibia. Those killings get far to little attention worldwide!

Text belonging to the video:
Namibia's horrific, cruel and grossly inhumane slaughter of South African cape fur seals is the second largest commercial slaughter of seals in the world; behind Canada's slaughter of over 300'000 baby harp seals annually. Even the horrific seal slaughter in Canada is more tightly regulated (but that in no way justifies the unnecessary and horrific cruelty of that particular seal slaughter).

The Namibian seal slaughter targets baby cape fur seals and adult males known as bulls. It occurs as a result of gross wildlife mismanagement of South Africa's cape fur seals and the fishing industry over time. The seal slaughter is attempted to be justified by the Namibian government who claim the seals are a threat to the fish populations and local fishing industries, an argument which the government of Namibia has no credible scientific proof for.

Approximately 150 to 160 unskilled migrant workers are employed for a few months to grossly and inhumanely kill these baby cape fur seals, to the calls that they need to be culled (slaughtered) to protect and help preserve fish stocks and provide income for local workers. The slaughter occurs from July to November each year. In 2007 the quota was for 80'000 cape fur seal pups and 6000 adult males.

As you can see in this video, a hunter is plunging a knife into the chest of this baby cape fur seal and its mother's milk pours out of its body. In Canada's seal slaughter they do not target nursing seal pups such as they do here. The slaughter is grossly inhumane, cruel and unnecessary, and does not receive much press coverage. So please take the time to further investigate this slaughter of cape fur seals. Protest, get creative, write letters to the Namibian government expressing your concern and outrage, and help highlight and bring attention to this horrific, grossly inhumane, mis-managed and unnecessary slaughter of South African cape fur seals so it can be stopped forever.

Drie zeldzame jonge witte tijgertjes geboren in Shirotori Zoo, Higashikagawa (Japan)

Rare white tiger cubs born in Japan

2606-2008 ITN, UK


Three rare white tiger cubs have been put on display at the Shirotori Zoo in Higashikagawa, western Japan. They are only about a month old and haven't been named yet. The triplets - two females and a male are the second litter to be born at the zoo.

The cubs have already proved a hit. One schoolboy said: "It was soft and cute."
A zoo attendant in charge of the white tigers said: "There is nothing more satistying to have an animal that you have been taking care of give birth to babies"

White tigers are rare in general and pratically extinct in the wild.
The triplets are currently living in separate cages so that their fur can return to their natural pure white state, at present there is some brown colour in their fur due to licking.

(Bron: http://itn.co.uk/)

Japan zou 'whale-watching' moeten accepteren in plaats van walvisjacht aldus de Australische minister Garrett

Japan is being urged to consider whale-watching instead of whale-hunting as way of making money. Australia made the suggestion during a meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Chile.

Japan is threatening to pull out of the Commission if it's not allowed to resume hunting. Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett also offered Japan an olive branch, saying he wanted to give a chance for dialogue. Sonia Legg reports.

Levende en dode stinkdieren en cavía's in Apeldoorn aangetroffen in gestolen huurauto

Politie vindt auto met levende en dode dieren

26-06-2008 De Stentor


APELDOORN - De politie heeft woensdagmiddag op de Molenstraat een gestolen huurauto met kisten vol levende en dode stinkdieren en cavia's in beslag genomen. De dierenambulance heeft de levende dieren opgehaald en overgebracht naar verschillende opvangadressen.

De huurder van de auto, een 22-jarge man uit Vaassen, meldde zich later op het politiebureau en werd ingerekend voor nader verhoor. De politie kwam de auto op het spoor door een melding van het verhuurbedrijf die de auto op de Molenstraat zag staan. De politie nam de wagen mee naar het politiebureau.

Onderzoek wees uit dat de auto was verduisterd en onder een valse naam gehuurd.

(Bron: http://www.destentor.nl/)

Krokodil op de bar van pub Australisch outback dorp Noonamah - Toename krokodillen sinds de dieren beschermde status hebben

Crocodile welcomed into Australian pub

by drinkers

26-06-2008 Associated Press


DARWIN, Australia (AP) — Drinkers at an Outback watering hole may have wondered if perhaps they'd had one too many when they were greeted by a crocodile at the pub's door. But being good hosts, they did the only polite thing and invited him inside.
The saltwater croc was just 2 feet long and more a curiosity than a threat to drinkers at the Noonamah Tavern on Sunday. The aggressive hunters can grow to more than 16 feet and have been known to attack people.

Barmaid Sarah Sparre said Thursday that three patrons spotted the creature outside the pub, grabbed it and brought it inside.
"You could say we were a bit surprised," Sparre said. "He was pretty complacent, easygoing. But we weren't going to test him out."
The three men taped up its mouth, held it up for a round of photos, then put it in a box near the bar.

Sparre said the croc may have escaped from a farm for the animals that was several miles away. Wildlife officials took the crocodile to the farm.

Noonamah boasts little more than a gas station and a bar on the main north-south highway through Australia, about 25 miles from the Northern Territory capital of Darwin.
Saltwater crocodiles, once hunted to near extinction by skinners, have flourished in Australia's tropical north since they became a protected species in the 1970s.

(Bron: http://ap.google.com/)
(Bron foto: The Associated Press)

Op Maria Island (Tasmanië) worden 400 kangoeroes gedood - Afschieten om overpopulatie tegen te gaan....

400 kangaroos to be culled

26-06-2008 Article from: Agence France-Presse, The Herald Sun, Australia


FOUR hundred kangaroos and wallabies will be shot dead in a cull in Maria Island National Park off Tasmania's east coast. Parks and Wildlife Service manager of operations and performance Mark Bryce today said the 12-day animal management program will begin on Monday. Eastern grey kangaroos, Bennetts wallabies and Pademelon wallabies will be targeted, he said.

"We follow the national code of practice for the humane shooting of these animals," Mr Bryce said."We are looking at (shooting) 400 in total."Mr Bryce said the annual cull, which began in 1994, shoots between 200 and 800 of the marsupials each year, depending on population figures on the island, 60km north-east of Hobart.The cull happens because overpopulation causes malnutrition and disease among the animals.

The wild and rugged Maria Island is 20km long and 13km wide, and is a popular tourist destination. The entire island is a National Park.

A controversial kangaroo cull at a Canberra Department of Defence site ended earlier this month with 514 eastern grey kangaroos killed.The Canberra cull drew international condemnation from animal rights activists, including former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney. More than 10 protesters were arrested.The Canberra kangaroos were killed by lethal injection after being tranquillised by darts. In previous culls, they have been shot.

Mr Bryce said it was not practical to dispatch the Maria Island kangaroos and wallabies using that method."With euthanasia, you have to have vets to undertake that," he said."And Maria Island being a boat trip away off Tasmania, from a practical perspective, it's not the best way, and from an animal welfare position, it's not necessarily easier on the animals.

"It's debatable whether or not there are viable alternatives." Mr Bryce said herding the marsupials into a corral panics them, causing distress and injury.

The Australian Society for Kangaroos claims the way kangaroos and wallabies are culled on Maria Island is inhumane. The society's Nikki Sutterby today told ABC Radio that joeys are left alive in their mothers' pouch. And, she claims, the shot animals died from chest, body or limb wounds instead of being killed instantly.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) says commercial killing practices are cruel and leave up to one million young motherless kangaroos to die of starvation each year.Representatives of more than 50 animal welfare groups met with federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett after this month's Canberra cull.They want the government to introduce regulations to prevent female kangaroos and their joeys from being killed for meat or for population control.The federal environment department set last year's national kangaroo culling quota at more than 3.5 million.

(Bron: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun)
(Bron foto: http://hana-rebun.hp.infoseek.co.jp/auanimal2.html / Bron foto's Google Earth: archief Kraaijer)

Apen in Spanje mogen waarschijnlijk binnenkort geen proefdieren meer zijn en niet meer optreden in circussen en films

Apenrechten

26-06-2008 De Telegraaf


MADRID - Een Spaanse parlementaire commissie heeft woensdag steun uitgesproken voor de rechten op leven en vrijheid van de aap. Het lijkt de eerste keer te zijn dat een volksvertegenwoordiging zich zo duidelijk achter apenrechten schaart.

De commissie stemde in met resoluties die werden voorgelegd door een 'apenlobby', het vijftien jaar oude Grote Apenproject. Dat is een internationale club van onder anderen wetenschappers en filosofen die apen basisrechten willen geven die mensen voor zichzelf hebben gevestigd.
Perdro Pozas van de Spaanse afdeling sprak van en historische dag.

Het ziet er naar uit dat aanbevelingen van de commissie door het parlement zullen worden aangenomen. Dat zal tot dan gevolg hebben dat in Spanje apen geen proefdieren mogen zijn of op andere manieren geëxploiteerd mogen worden zoals in een circus of in films.

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)

Baby bultrug walvis spoelt aan op kust zuidwesten Australië - Dier waarschijnlijk prooi van orca's

Baby humpback washes up after killer whales attack

26-06-2008 WA Today, Australia


An adolescent humpback whale probably fell prey to a pack of killer whales on the hunt, a wildlife officer says. The 10-tonne adolescent humpback whale was found washed up at the Tern Island Nature Reserve at Safety Bay early this morning.

Department of Environment and Conservation senior wildlife officer Doug Coughran said he believed the whale was spotted on Monday, near Point Peron.The whales are all migrating to warmer waters off the north-west coast."The humpback may have been compromised in its health," Mr Coughran said. "The killer whales follow migrating whales as they head north and they are looking for calves or for old animals and sick animals."

Mr Coughlan said the humpback would have been trying to hide and protect itself from attack in waters at Port Peron before heading out to deeper waters. While a 10-tonne whale was a formidable animal it would be no match for killer whales, which hunt in packs of up to 40.

The whale had been dead for more than 24 hours and had been bitten by small sharks after its death, Mr Coughlan said.A steady stream of locals visited the beach to see the dead whale. Derek, a Rockingham resident said the dead whale was a sorry sight."I wasn't sure what to expect but it's not very nice," he said.Mr Coughlan said the carcass would be removed to prevent predators, including sharks, from being drawn to the beach.It is expected the carcass will be buried before nightfall.

(Bron: http://www.watoday.com.au/)
(Bron foto's: WA Today)

Overijssel staat open voor komst varkensflats - Provinciale Staten niet gevoelig voor protesten

Geen verbod op varkensflats in Overijssel

26-06-2008 NRC


Zwolle, 26 juni. Een verzoek van ruim zevenduizend burgers van Overijssel om het reconstructieplan op het platteland open te breken om de komst van varkensflats tegen te gaan, haalde gisteravond geen meerderheid in Provinciale Staten van deze provincie.

Tijdens de grootschalige reconstructie van het platteland, om onder meer ruimte te maken voor natuur en woningbouw, is besloten dat agrariërs in Landbouw Ontwikkelingsgebieden (LOG's) mogen uitbreiden. ,,De planning van deze gebieden is destijds niet gebeurd met de huidige schaalexplosie in gedachten. Dit was niet voorzien'', zei Tiem van Dalfsen van de PvdA.

De actievoerders, verenigd in het Burgerinitiatief LOG's Weg, menen dat de varkensbedrijven met vele tienduizenden dieren niet thuishoren in het kleinschalige cultuurlandschap van Overijssel. Uit cijfers van Milieudefensie bleek eerder al dat in Overijssel twaalf aanvragen zijn gedaan voor megastallen met in totaal 180.000 varkens en 380.000 kuikens. Ook maken ze zich zorgen om de overdraagbaarheid van ziektes van dier op mens.

De linkse partijen riepen de Staten op om voor het burgerinitiatief te stemmen. CDA, VVD en SGP legden juist de nadruk op maatwerk en willen dat gemeenten zelf de plannen uitwerken. Hoewel er geen expliciet verbod komt op de komst van megavarkensbedrijven, dringen de Staten er bij wel het rijk op aan verder onderzoek te doen naar de gevolgen van intensieve veehouderij op de volksgezondheid.

Eerder deze week liet een overgrote meerderheid van de gemeenteraad van Twenterand een duidelijk 'nee' horen tegen de komst van megastallen. De provincie heeft in Twenterand drie log's aangewezen waar - met goedkeuring van de gemeenteraad- eventueel megastallen mogen worden gebouwd. Tegen die ontwikkeling is nu door de lokale politiek een streep gezet.

Gedeputeerde Piet Jansen zei deze stap te onderzoeken. Eerder gaf hij al aan tegenstander te zijn van het 'tornen aan de LOG's'. ,,Dat betekent dat de hele reconstructie over moet. Mijn voorstel is om daar niet aan te beginnen.''

(Bron: http://www.nrc.nl/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

IJsland in IWC: Walvis hetzelfde behandelen als andere dieren

Whaler Iceland dimisses "survival of the cutest"

25-06-2008 By Simon Gardner, The Guardian, UK


SANTIAGO, June 25 (Reuters) - Whales are just like any other animal and deserve no special treatment, Iceland said on Wednesday, defending its whaling and dismissing what it called a Western "survival of the cutest" mentality.

Along with World No.1 whaler Japan and Norway, Iceland defies a 1986 moratorium on whaling, and assigns itself its own annual whale catch quota. It argues many nations act too emotionally on the deeply divisive issue.
"There is no reason to treat whales differently from any other animals," Stefan Asmundsson, Iceland's commissioner at the International Whaling Commission, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the body's annual meeting in Chile.
"Iceland does not subscribe to the principle of survival of the cutest. We subscribe to the principle of sustainable utilization," he added. "Sustainable utilization of animals is a recognized principle all over the world."


The Icelandic whaling fleet has been in this same spot for over 20 years now.

Shortly after he spoke, a lone protester locked himself to the doors of the Sheraton hotel where the conference is being held with a motorcycle chain, chanting "No more whaling. Japan, Iceland, Norway -- whale killers!" before police whisked him away.

Anti-whaling nations like Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and a host of Latin American nations on Wednesday decried Japan's circumvention of the moratorium and its annual catch of 1,000 whales for "scientific research".

'ICONIC ANIMALS'?
Iceland halted whaling in 1989 but resumed in 2003, and has given itself the right to catch 40 Minke whales this year for commercial purposes. It argues stocks of whales around its waters are sufficiently abundant to allow sustainable whaling.
"If you have a cultural preference not to eat whale meat, that's fine. I'm not saying everyone needs to eat whale meat, but it's a normal part of the diet in many parts of the world," Asmundsson said.
"Some countries like to treat whales in a different manner, basically saying some animals are more equal than others," he added. "Deer hunting is not considered to be a big thing in the same way as whaling is, but in both cases you are hunting mammals."

While ignoring the moratorium, Iceland, like Norway and Japan, has opted to stay within the International Whaling Commission, which conservationists put down to politics and diplomacy.

"Many countries, especially Western countries ... look at whales as somehow iconic animals, special animals that are outside the animal kingdom and cannot be treated as animals normally are," Asmundsson said.
"Opposition to whaling is very often presented as environmentalism. But if you are talking about opposition to a sustainable practice, there is absolutely no environmental factor against this kind of whaling. This is more to do with what you could call animal rights."

(Bron: http://www.guardian.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: http://www.flickr.com/photos/asmundur/128347607/sizes/l/)

Faunabescherming wil toerisme boycot Texel vanwege vergassen ganzen op eiland

'Mijd Texel om vergassen ganzen'

25-05-2008 De Telegraaf


DEN BURG - De Faunabescherming hoopt dat toeristen Texel mijden uit protest tegen het plan om daar de komende weken zesduizend ganzen te vangen en vergassen. De ganzen mogen van de rechter worden gedood omdat ze te veel schade aan landbouwgronden toebrengen.

Maar die schade staat in geen verhouding tot de inkomsten die het toerisme oplevert, denkt de Faunabescherming die op internet protesteert tegen het doden van de ganzen. „Hoe groot zou de schade zijn als die toeristen het eiland zouden overslaan omdat de barbaarse vergassingspraktijk ze niet bevalt”, vraagt de groepering zich af.

Potentiële Texelgangers wordt gevraagd of ze nog wel willen uitwaaien op het eiland. „Laat Texel weten dat beschaafde mensen er beschaafde omgangsvormen op nahouden en dat er andere en veel effectievere manieren te bedenken zijn om mogelijke overlast van ganzen tegen te gaan dan de gaskamer open te zetten”, vindt de Faunabescherming.

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)

Steun in Israel voor gevangen Oostenrijkse dierenrechtenactivisten

Anonymous calls on Austria to release imprisoned

animal rights activists

25-06-2008 Dan Betsnur, Y Net News, Activism, Israel


Animal rights group rallies outside Austrian embassy in protest of reported arrest of animal welfare activists. 'These are dark days for Austrian democracy,' Anonymous spokeswoman says. Austrian embassy: Legal proceedings are against individuals who damaged clothing shops, animal farms

The Anonymous for Animal Rights organization held a rally on Tuesday outside the Austrian embassy in Tel Aviv in protest of the arrest of several animal welfare activists.

According to the group, the activists were arrested a month ago during a police raid on 21 apartments, 6 offices and a warehouse in various locations in Austria considered by local police to be the headquarters of Austria's six largest animal welfare groups. Anonymous said15 activists were released and the remaining 10 have remained in prison for over a month.

"It is important to realize that no charges were pressed against any of the accused activists, and that they are being held as political prisoners while not being accused in anything concrete," Anonymous said.

Dr Martin Baluch, chairman of the Association Against Animal Factories (VGT), described his arrest to Anonymous: "Black clad, masked officers stormed through the broken down door and ran, guns drawn, to our beds. They pointed their guns at my head and pulled me out of my bed naked. My brother was pushed onto the wall and had the gun put into his neck."

Anonymous said in a statement that the arrests "should serve as a warning sign, as the movement in Austria has had many achievements, such as banning battery hen cages, fur farms and wild animal circuses. The Austrian case is part of a growing trend in the world against organizations for animal rights and welfare, such as the American Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act from November 2006, which classifies as 'terror' any act that could cause economic damage to a business abusing animals."

'All those in detention represented by lawyers'
Spokeswoman Gaya Goldberg said, "These are dark days for Austrian democracy. The arrest of political prisoners without grounds and without a trial brings to mind dark periods in history. Their continuous detention without a trial constitutes a surrender of human rights and the rule of law in Austria and the European Union at large. There is no escaping the conclusion that commercial motives are behind the arrests.

"The real criminal is the Austrian police, and not the good people dedicating their lives to exposing the truth and revealing to the public and legislators how factory farms turn animals into miserable and tormented production machines. This truth had already succeeded to convince legislators in the past, and it is no coincidence that the arrests took place one day before the launching of a new legislative campaign," she stated.

Austrian Embassy spokesman Dr. Arad Benkö said in response "the legal proceedings (in the town of Wiener Neustadt) are not directed against any persons or institutions with the aim of animal protection but against individuals that have joined forces under pseudonyms such as 'Animal Liberation Front' with the aim of damaging property and taking part in other indictable activities against enterprises that deal with coats and other animal products or other economic units in order to harm them and force them to change their business strategy.

"Between 2000 and 2008 at least 14 cases of damage to property were recorded, including arson against clothing shops and animal farms with a total loss of 600.000 Euros. There are even some letters of confession. The provincial court of Wiener Neustadt has therefore imposed detention while awaiting trial.

The spokesman added that "reproaches with regard to house searches can be refuted by video and photo documentation.
"Of course all those in detention are represented and assisted by lawyers," he said.

(Bron: http://www.ynetnews.com/)
(Bron foo: Y Net News)

School in Montana (VS) mist 130 bizons - Gevlucht door onweersbui - School houdt bizons voor consumptie....

Montana school searches for missing bison

25-06-2008 7 News, Boston, USA


ASHLAND, Mont. -- Talk about fast food: One school is searching for more than 130 bison that wandered away from its lunch program. Curtis Yarlott, executive director of the St. Labre Indian School, said the animals were probably spooked by a thunderstorm over Memorial Day weekend and ran through a fence.

The bison, which provide meat for the school, were last seen on a neighboring property June 3, but constant rain made it difficult to round them up.

"We don't know where they're at and what they're up to," he said. "Probably no good."
Only 13 bison from the herd have wandered back to the ranch. Yarlott, who hired a plane to search for the missing beasts, said the animals could have been rounded up and taken to market.
Ranch manager Ray Orthman agreed. "I think somebody took them," he said. "They were tame. They'd follow you like dogs."

The St. Labre Indian School was established in 1884 to educate and help the Northern Cheyenne. The ranch was donated to St. Labre almost nine years ago, and the buffalo were donated soon after.

(Bron: http://www1.whdh.com/)
(Bron foto: 7 News)

Bultrug walvissen uit Arctische wateren nu voor kust Ecuador

Humpbacks whales spotted along Ecuador´s coast

25-06-2008 CCTV.com, China


Humpbacks whales were spotted along Ecuador's coast on Monday, as they got close to the end of their long migration from the Antarctic.

In Puerto Lopez boats full of tourists carrying video and cameras sailed out to sea in the hope of catching a glimpse of the whales.
The whales swim over 7,000 kilometers from Antarctica every year to the warmer Pacific waters to breed. They choose the coastal regions of Puerto Lopez and Puerto Cayo for its coral reefs that are rich in small fish.

Last month the government signed a decree declaring June the 22nd the National Day of the Humpback Whale.

(Bron: http://www.cctv.com/)

Unieke opvang voor verlaten en mishandelde honden bij Mexico City

Sanctuary for Mexico's unloved dogs

25-06-2008 ITN, UK


It's common to see abandoned and abused dogs wandering the streets of Mexico but one woman is doing her best to protect them. Patricia Espana began
rescuing the tortured canines in 2004 following the the death of a beloved pet.

Her unique sanctuary, called Milagros Caninos, is located in the Hills of Mexico City and is set in the grounds of an old colonial-style house, donated by her father.
At least 200 dogs, many to scarred or old to find new owners, have been cared for, with 90 running - or hobbling - around the grounds at any one time.

The sanctuary also encourages people with special needs to come and bond with the animals - some of which are up for adoption.

(Bron: http://itn.co.uk/)

SPEAK demonstreert bij jaarlijkse 'Encaenia Ceremony' Universiteit van Oxford (Engeland) - Dierproeven in laboratoria universiteit

Ecaenia ceremony SPEAK demo report

25-06-2008 IndyMedia UK


Oxford University's annual Encaenia Ceremony, at which it hands out honorary degrees to those it deems deserving, took place on Wednesday 18th June. This is one of the most prestigious events in the university's calendar , a tradition that goes back many centuries, when it tries to impress the world with a show of pomp and ceremony. Well, the SPEAK Campaign has established its own tradition; to inform those attending such events, and the public, about what goes on behind this charade of dignity and nobility, of the appalling suffering that goes on behind the locked doors of the university's laboratories, of the animals who are sitting in cages in fear, pain and suffering while Oxford celebrates its special day.

Oxford University's annual Encaenia Ceremony, at which it hands out honorary degrees to those it deems deserving, took place on Wednesday 18th June. This is one of the most prestigious events in the university's calendar, a tradition that goes back many centuries, when it tries to impress the world with a show of pomp and ceremony.

Well, the SPEAK Campaign has established its own tradition; to inform those attending such events, and the public, about what goes on behind this charade of dignity and nobility, of the appalling suffering that goes on behind the locked doors of the university's laboratories, of the animals who are sitting in cages in fear, pain and suffering while Oxford celebrates its special day.
Over thirty campaigners took their places opposite the entrance to the Sheldonian Theatre on Catte Street, distributing leaflets and talking to the public who were milling around waiting for the procession to arrive. As the 'great and the good' made their way into the building, the protesters made sure that everyone could hear them register their opposition to vivisection at Oxford University, and their determination to see an end to it. They also made the public aware about the fact that, yet again, Oxford has bestowed an honour on an individual who works for another institution that has been exposed as a place of animal abuse.

This year an award was made to Prof Ada Yonath, of the Israeli Weizmann Institute, where horrific abuse of primates was recently exposed* after an undercover investigation, the evidence from which is currently being heard by the court in that country. After the procession had entered the building and the crowd on Catte Street had dispersed, the protesters mover their demonstration round the corner to the busier Broad Street where, as ever, they used banners, placards, leaflets, an information stall and, of course, their voices to get their message across to those in the vicinity. As always the response received was overwhelmingly positive, with many leaflets taken and signatures added to petitions, with just a few detractors, who scurried by, muttering clichés regarding getting jobs and lives. It is amazing that individuals from such a supposedly academically excellent institution are unable to engage in intelligent argument.

It was at this demo two years ago that sixteen protesters were unlawfully arrested, and the police presence this year again was vast, with lawful protesters outnumbered at least two to one by police officers, no doubt in an attempt to impress and ingratiate themselves with their puppet masters at the university. The polices' claim that they are impartial was clearly shown to be the lie that protesters have long known it to be when Chief Superintendent Morley of Thames Valley Police was seen entering the ceremony in full uniform accompanied by the head of security of the university, smiling and laughing together as they went.

As the guests left the Theatre after the ceremony, some of the demonstrators again went round in to Catte Street, with others staying put in Broad Street, to ensure that everyone leaving would hear about the atrocities being perpetrated in the labs. When everyone had left, the protesters decided to move the demo into the main shopping area in Cornmarket, which was busy as ever with shoppers and tourists , where again they set up their information stall, distributed leaflets and caught peoples' attention with use of the megaphone. Interestingly the police presence was reduced drastically to two officers who spent their time lolloing against a wall; clearly the university are not too bothered about the protesters presence in the town.

After a while the protesters decided to hold a short march up and down Cornmarket in order to reach everybody that was there. Again this received a lot of support and resulted in more people visiting the stall in order to obtain more information.

Article 10 of The Human Rights Act enshrines in law the right to 'hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers'.

SPEAK will continue demonstrate at occasions such as this in order to ensure that everyone in Oxford receives the facts about the horrors that occur in the university's labs each and every day, as is their right to do so, and to make it clear to the university that we will not be bullied or intimidated into going away. The animals in Oxford University's labs have no one to fight for their rights but us, and this we will continue to do until all are free and vivisection is brought to an end, once and for all.

* http://www.speakcampaigns.org/articles/20080221weizmann.php
SPEAK Campaigns Homepage: http://speakcampaigns.org/

(Bron: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/)
(Bron foto's: SPEAK)

Actie tegen Bobby Roberts' Circus in Marlborough (Engeland) - 55 Jaar oude olifant treedt in circus op

Protestors to target circus in Marlborough

25-06-2008 By Jeremy Grimaldi, This Is Wiltshire, UK


PROTESTERS angry about a circus that uses horses, ponies and one elephant are planning to hit the streets. Swindon members of Captive Animals Protective Society are thinking about staging the demonstration outside at least one of the Marlborough performances of the Bobby Roberts' Circus, which will run from today until June 29.

The group say the circus is little more than a cruelty roadshow and are angry that the circus continues to transport one elephant, eight Arabian stallions, six falabella ponies and two dogs, around the country.
Organisers of the protest say the animals are trained to perform unnatural and cruel tricks and and say Anne, the 55-year-old elephant, should be allowed to retire.
CAPS member Craig Redmond said: "It's time to end the out-dated practice of forcing animals to perform for our amusement, particularly when there are lots of high-quality circuses that rely entirely on human skills.
"In the 21st century there can be no excuse for continuing to allow the treatment of animals in this way.
"Anne is not a pet as the circus claims, she is an elderly arthritic animal whose health can not be benefited by being carted around the country."

However, the circus say that Anne is extremely well treated and no longer has to perform but would die from shock if she was taken away from the circus because she has been with them since she was five.
Moira Roberts, the circus administrator, who has been with the circus for 42 years, says the circus is Anne's home.
She said: "The animals make up 11 minutes out of every two-and-a-half-hour performance.
"We are very proud of our animals, the protesters say that she doesn't have any other elephants to be around with but she doesn't need another elephant for company.
"The horses stand on their hind legs. But that is natural and they are not forced to do it.
"We do not answer to these protesters though, we answer to the people of Marlborough so when they want us out then that is when we will no longer show up."

An RSPCA spokesman said: "We believe the use of animals in circuses should be prohibited.
"Circuses have to transport animals.They are unable to recreate the environment necessary to allow animals to express natural behaviours."

A section in the new Animal Welfare Act, the charity hopes will come out this year, is expected to ban the use of some animals in circuses.
The circus is the only one of 30 working in the UK which has an elephant and one of only eight which use animals in acts.

(Bron: http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Gemeente Schouwen-Duiveland wil afschotovergunning damherten - Dieren zouden bijdragen aan tekenoverlast - Rond 300 damherten in gebied

Schouwen vraagt om afschot damherten

25-06-2008 Reformatorisch Dagblad


ZIERIKZEE - De gemeente Schouwen-Duiveland wil een groot aantal damherten afschieten. Daartoe gaat zij bij de provincie vragen om een afschotvergunning. Een woordvoerder van de gemeente maakte dinsdag bekend dat de populatie damherten de volksgezondheid mogelijk in gevaar brengt. Volgens hem dragen de dieren waarschijnlijk in grote mate bij aan de tekenoverlast op het eiland. Ook de verkeersveiligheid is volgens het gemeentebestuur in het geding.

Schouwen-Duiveland telt ongeveer 325 damherten. De gemeente wil de overlevingskansen voor de oorspronkelijke populatie laten toenemen. Om die reden is afschot volgens een goedgekeurd wildbeheerplan in het natuurgebied nodig. De populatie kan dan gezond en evenwichtig blijven.
Op dit moment is slechts het schieten buiten het natuurgebied toegestaan. De gemeente wil via een bepaling in het beheerplan kop van Schouwen mogelijkheden creëren om ook in de regio zelf op damherten te kunnen jagen. „Hierdoor voorkom je bovendien dat er slechts wordt gejaagd voor het plezier”, aldus het college.

Een lokale afdeling van de Dierenbescherming laat weten het met het voornemen van het gemeentebestuur oneens te zijn. Volgens een woordvoerder blijkt uit wetenschappelijk onderzoek juist dat wilde hoefdieren als damherten en reeën de verspreiding van teken negatief beïnvloeden. „Het afschieten van damherten zal averechts werken.” De Dierenbescherming verzoekt de gemeente daarom geen jacht toe te staan.

(Bron: http://www.refdag.nl/)

VVD Tweede Kamer-fractie bezorgt: geen paling en kabeljauw meer op lunchkaart Kamer - Succes voor Partij voor de Dieren

Rel om paling in Tweede Kamer

25-06-2008 De Telegraaf


AMSTERDAM - De VVD is woedend op de Partij voor de Dieren. Deze heeft het namelijk voor elkaar gekregen om de paling en kabeljauw van de lunchkaart in de Tweede Kamer te krijgen. De bedreigde vissoorten worden niet langer geserveerd in het Nederlandse parlement. Na een pleidooi van de Partij voor de Dieren heeft Tweede Kamer-voorzitter Gerdi Verbeet die toezegging gedaan.

Vissoorten die ernstig worden overbevist en in hun voortbestaan worden bedreigd mogen niet langer als broodbeleg gebruikt worden voor parlementariërs, meldt Blik op Nieuws.

Des duivels
De VVD is verbijsterd en heeft het helemaal gehad met de 'fratsen van de Partij voor de Dieren'. Zo staat te lezen op de website van de partij.

VVD-Kamerlid Charlie Aptroot is des duivels: “Het is te gek voor woorden. We betalen ons blauw aan belasting, staan dagelijks in de file en waar maakt de Tweede Kamer zich druk over? Over de eigen menukaart en een verbod op een broodje paling. Soms schaam ik mij lid te zijn van een parlement dat zichzelf nauwelijks serieus neemt.”

“Paling is een geweldig Nederlands product waar we trots op kunnen zijn. In de natuur wordt paling beschermd, maar er wordt voldoende paling gekweekt, door ondernemers op verantwoorde wijze, om de 150 Nederlandse volksvertegenwoordigers en de rest van Nederland van een broodje paling te voorzien”, aldus Aptroot.
“Eerst de vissenkom willen verbieden, nu het broodje paling. En dan vinden we het gek dat het vertrouwen in de politiek afneemt.”

Haringkar
In de laatste zin haalt de VVVd nog éen keer uit naar de Partij voor de Dieren. 'De VVD-fractie is na de fractievergadering een visje gaan eten bij de haringkar naast het Binnenhof. Zo lang die er nog mag staan van Marianne Thieme...'

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Protest at IWC Santiago - Chile

60e Jaarvergadering IWC verloopt vooralsnog stroef....

Voorlopig geen knopen doorgehakt over walvisvaart

25-06-2008 Trouw


(Novum/AP) - De Internationale Walvisvaartcommissie (IWC) neemt voorlopig geen beslissingen over belangrijke onderwerpen als vangstquota. Dat is dinsdag afgesproken. De 81 landen die lid zijn van de organisatie kunnen het over de meest controversiële onderwerpen niet eens worden. Nu is afgesproken dat een commissie zal worden gevormd die voor consensus moet zorgen. Vermoedelijk pas volgend jaar zal de commissie met een rapport komen.

De IWC-landen zullen op de 60e jaarlijkse conferentie van de IWC -die momenteel in Chili wordt gehouden- in principe geen voorstellen doen waarvan bekend is dat er grote onenigheid over bestaat. De Chileense afgevaardigde Christian Maquieira sprak aanvankelijk van een gentleman's agreement, maar later werd de afspraak geformaliseerd.

Binnen de IWC staan landen als Japan, dat meer walvissen wil vangen, lijnrecht tegenover landen die juist een einde willen maken aan de jacht op de zeezoogdieren, zoals bijvoorbeeld Australië. Heikele punten zijn vooral: een algeheel verbod op walvisvaart in het zuidelijk deel van de Atlantische Oceaan, het toestaan van walvisvaart in Japanse territoriale wateren en het aantal walvissen dat vissers in Groenland mogen vangen.

Japan is in het geheel niet te spreken over de gang van zaken bij de IWC. Het land noemt de organisatie 'disfunctioneel' en dreigt zich er grotendeels uit terug te trekken.

Japan voert binnen de IWC strijd voor opheffing van het in 1986 ingestelde moratorium op de commerciële walvisjacht. Japan heeft van de organisatie toestemming gekregen om onder de noemer van wetenschappelijk onderzoek op walvissen te jagen. Volgens critici is de jaarlijkse vangst van meer dan duizend dieren echter niets anders dan een commerciële operatie.

(Bron: http://www.trouw.nl/)

Saving Whales: International Whaling Commission 2008

Bronzen Effie voor castratiecampagne Wakker Dier

Wakker Dier wint 'Effie' voor castratiecampagne

Unieke effie: eerste actieorganisatie ooit en zonder reclamebureau

24-06-2008 Wakker Dier


Amsterdam 24 juni 2008; Stichting Wakker Dier heeft een (bronzen) Effie gewonnen, de meest prestigieuze prijs in de reclamewereld, voor haar succesvolle campagne tegen de onverdoofde castratie van biggetjes. De campagne maakte een eind aan de onverdoofde castratie van 6 miljoen biggen per jaar.

Het is voor het eerst in Nederland dat een actie-organisatie deze prijs wint. En dat een organisatie zonder hulp van een reclamebureau wint. Wakker Dier maakt vandaag een doorstart met de bekroonde campagne, want nog steeds worden 4 miljoen biggetjes in Nederland onverdoofd gecastreerd. De meeste van deze dieren gaan vervolgens op transport naar Duitsland om daar vetgemest te worden. Samen met haar Duitse collega-organisatie Provieh (http://www.provieh.de/) voert Wakker Dier actie om ook deze biggen de pijnlijke ingreep te besparen.

Exportvarkens
Met haar prijswinnende campagne zorgde Wakker Dier ervoor dat de meeste biggen in Nederland verdoofd zullen worden bij castratie. Dit geldt echter nog niet voor de levende exportvarkens. Nederland stuurt jaarlijks bijna 4 miljoen (CBS, 2006) mannelijke varkens op veetransport. Het grootste gedeelte hiervan gaat naar Duitsland. Ook voor deze varkens kost de verdoving maar één cent per kilo. Grote trekkers achter de stijgende markt in varkensvlees in Duitsland zijn de Aldi en de Lidl (bron: Boerderij, juni ‘08). In Nederland verkopen zij binnenkort varkensvlees van verdoofd gecastreerde biggen, maar in Duitsland regelen ze dat (nog) niet. “Discriminatie,” vinden Wakker Dier en Provieh. Gezamenlijk gaan deze organisaties de Duitse consument en het Duitse bedrijfsleven op deze misstand wijzen. Ook in Duitsland moeten dierenwelzijneisen gaan gelden voor de Nederlandse biggetjes. Als Duitsland volgt, volgt ook de rest van Europa. Vandaag startte Wakker Dier met radiospots tegen de Duitse supermarkten: “Ding Dong, vandaag Karbonade lecker gutkauf aus Holland, want die Biggetjens sind unverdaubt kastriert”.

Company Campaigning
Na diverse radiospots en ludieke acties zwichtten vorig jaar juni de Hema, Unox en de Nederlandse supermarkten voor de campagne van Wakker Dier. Het ene bedrijf na het andere werd door reclame-uitingen op radio of internet overtuigd om diervriendelijke keuzes te maken. McDonald’s, Burger King, CoopCodis en de Febo stopten zelfs helemaal met de castratie.

Hierna volgde de verklaring van Noordwijk: overheid, vleesindustrie en supermarkten tekenden gezamenlijk een overeenkomst waarin zij verklaren dat vanaf januari 2009 heel Nederland geen vlees meer eet én exporteert van onverdoofd gecastreerde biggetjes.

“We zijn erg trots op de Effie,” zegt een woordvoerder. “Die laat zien dat we ons werk goed doen. Maar wat eigenlijk belangrijker is: het lijkt erop dat geld verdienen over de rug van de dieren haar langste tijd gehad heeft.“

(Bron: http://www.wakkerdier.nl/)

Organisatie Wimbledon onder vuur PETA - Duiven worden afgeschoten rond tennisvelden

Wimbledon under fire for pigeon cull

24-06-2008 Reuters


LONDON (Reuters) - Wimbledon came under fire from animal activists on Tuesday for using marksmen to shoot down dive-bombing pigeons. The tournament employs two hawks to scare away pigeons who had become a pest swooping down on Centre Court and distracting players in the middle of tense matches.

But the hawks failed to keep the pigeons away from the players' lawn and the open-air media restaurant so marksmen were called in.
"The hawks are our first line of deterrent, and by and large they do the job," Wimbledon spokesman Johnny Perkins said.
"But unfortunately there were one or two areas where the hawks didn't deter the pigeons, so it was deemed necessary to take a harder approach," he explained.

The marksmen were summoned by Wimbledon as pigeon droppings on the restaurant tables were thought to be a health hazard.
The decision to call in the marksmen was condemned as "cruel and illegal behavior" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) which complained to the tournament organizers and the police.

"Since the use of marksmen to kill pigeons appears to have been carried out as a first, rather than a last resort, and not out of a concern for public health, but rather because the animals were deemed inconvenient by players, you appear to be in clear violation of the law," PETA vice-president Bruce Friedrich said.

(Bron: http://www.reuters.com/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Man India cel in voor adopteren wees beertje

Man Jailed for Adopting Orphan Bear

Animal Activists Trying to Free Indian Man Jailed for Raising Orphan Bear

24-06-2008 ABC News, USA


It was supposed to be a heartwarming tale of a man who brought an orphaned bear cub home from the forests of eastern India to become part of the family, consoling his small daughter who had just lost her mother.

In this undated photo, Ram Singh Munda, 35, and his daughter feed their pet sloth bear Rani at Gahatagaon village, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Bhubaneswar, India. When wildlife officials learned of Munda, who brought the orphaned bear cub home from the forests of eastern India, where it became part of the family, he was arrested and jailed for violating wildlife laws, the bear was sent to a zoo where it's refusing to eat and the abandoned six-year-old daughter has been shipped off to a state-run boarding school. (AP Photo)

But when wildlife officials saw the story in the local media last week, it turned to tragedy.
Ram Singh Munda, 35, was arrested and jailed for violating wildlife laws, the bear was sent to a zoo where it has refused to eat, and the abandoned six-year-old daughter has been shipped off to a state-run boarding school.

Now animal rights activists, impressed by Munda's compassion, are trying to win his freedom and reunite the family.
"We strongly condemn the manner in which the forest department officials arrested the poor and illiterate man who was not aware of the government's rules and regulations," Jiban Ballav Das, the head of People for Animals in India's Orissa state, said Tuesday.

Munda, a laborer from the indigenous tribes that live in the forests some 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of the state capital Bhubaneswar, said he found the sloth bear cub last year while gathering firewood.
He brought the bear home, named her Rani, or Queen, and she became a member of the family, which was still struggling to overcome the death of Munda's wife the previous year.

Television footage taken at a happier time shows the bear frolicking with his daughter, Dulki, the two of them clumsily trying to climb up on the back of Munda's bicycle.
Wildlife officials saw the news stories and arrested Munda last week for breaking the county's wildlife act that prohibits keeping wild animals. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.

"They have sent me to the jail. How will my daughter survive?" Munda told the CNN-IBN news channel while being taken to prison.
"I cannot understand why I was punished for taking good care of a bear that was deserted in the forest and would have died had I not brought her home," he said.
Munda said that when wildlife officials first approached him he tried to return the bear to the forest but it found it's way home.

Local government official Biranchi Nayak said the daughter would be sent to a boarding school until her father was released.
Ajit Kumar Patnaik, a senior wildlife officer and director of the Nandan Kanan Zoo, where Rani was taken, defended the decision.
"Munda was arrested according to the provision of the law meant for protection of wildlife," he told the Press Trust of India, adding that sloth bears are a protected species.

But animal rights activists said that while they condemn taking wild animals out the forest and support the decision to try to rehabilitate the bear, the government was being too harsh on Mandu.
"He never tortured the animal. Neither was he was using the bear for any commercial purposes. Therefore, we feel he should not have been arrested," said Das.

The bear, too, was being unfairly treated and might die if the sudden separation from her adopted family was not managed properly, animal activists said.
The bear was being kept in an isolated cage at the zoo and was refusing to eat, apparently pining for Munda and his daughter, said Biswajit Mohanty, the secretary of the Wildlife Society of Orissa.
"Bears are known for the strong bonding they develop with human beings and therefore they are highly attached to their keepers," he told PTI.

Das said the animal organizations were mobilizing to help Munda, organizing legal aid and trying to make better arrangements for his daughter.
"We have decided to give him a job in our animal rehabilitation center in Bhubaneswar as a caretaker," he said.

(Bron: http://abcnews.go.com/)
(Bron foto: ABC News)

Hagelbui richt voor miljoenen euro's schade aan in Burgers' Zoo Arnhem

Miljoenenschade in Burgers' Zoo

24-06-2008 Nieuws uit Arnhem


ARNHEM - De hevige hagelbui van zondag heeft een miljoenenschade aangericht in Burgers' Zoo. De daken van de overdekte themagebieden Burgers' Bush, Desert en Mangrove zijn beschadigd.

Het dak is grotendeels opgebouwd uit stevige luchtkussens, die bestaan uit drie folielagen. Het oppervlak van de topfolie is beschadigd, van de andere lagen niet. Bezoekers en dieren hebben daardoor geen enkel gevaar gelopen.

De financiële schade loopt naar schatting in de miljoenen, maar de totale schade is nog niet duidelijk. Tijdens het herstel blijven de attracties open voor publiek.

(Bron: http://www.nieuwsuitarnhem.nl/)

In VS alternatief ontwikkeld voor dierproeven om oogschade te ontdekken

First animal testing alternatives for eye damage

approved

24-06-2008 By Guy Montague-Jones, Cosmetics Design, USA


24-Jun-2008 - The first two alternative methods to animal testing for detecting eye damage have received regulatory acceptance from federal agencies. The FDA, CPSC and EPA all gave the green light to the tests put forward for consideration in October 2007 by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM).

The two methods are called the bovine corneal opacity and permeability (BCOP) assay and the isolated chicken eye (ICE) assay.

Impact of new tests
They are expected to reduce significantly or even eliminate the need for testing on animals. "Based on an extensive database of product test results, the use of these two alternative methods is likely to reduce the use of live animals for eye safety testing by 10 percent or more," said William Stokes, the executive director of ICCVAM."More importantly, the use of these tests will eliminate the testing in animals of most substances likely to cause the most severe pain and discomfort," added Stokes.

This fits with the research priorities laid down by the ICCVAM earlier in the year. The organization said it would focus its energies on evaluating alternatives to tests that currently use a large number of animals or involve considerable pain and distress.

Adoption of alternatives elsewhere
Now that the alternative methods have been adopted in the US the ICCVAM will pursue their adoption internationally by the OECD.

EU interest is expected to be particularly great because of the impending 2009 ban on the use of animals to test cosmetic ingredients. Greater international cooperation between the EU and US is on the cards after representatives of the countries agreed to increase bi-lateral efforts at a meeting of the Transatlantic Economic Council in November last year. Priority was given to the effective validation and acceptance of alternative testing methods between the two economic powers.

(Bron: http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/)

Verbod op walvisjacht in wateren Chili

Chilean president announces ban on whaling

24-06-2008 The Guardian, UK


The Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, announces a ban on whale hunting in her country's waters as the 60th annual international whaling commission meeting begins.

(Bron: http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

Voor st. AAP is dierenfotografie in vakantielanden taboe - Dieren worden misbruikt voor toeristische kiekjes

AAP waarschuwt toeristen voor dierenfotografie

in vakantielanden

24-06-2008 Stichting AAP

Fotografie met apen en andere wilde dieren schrikbarend toegenomen


Aan de vooravond van de grote zomeruittocht roept AAP alle toeristen op om zich op hun vakantieadres níét te laten fotograferen met apen of andere wilde dieren. Met name aan de oost- en zuidkust van de Middellandse zee (Turkije, Egypte, Tunesië, Marokko) doen mannen met apen, slangen en andere exoten de hotels aan voor een fotosessie met de toeristen.

Uit diverse hotels aan bijvoorbeeld de Turkse Rivièra komen meldingen over aangeklede chimpansees waarmee men zich tegen betaling kan laten vereeuwigen. Uit foto's en beschrijvingen blijkt dat er verschillende dieren, in leeftijd variërend van 1 tot ongeveer 7 jaar, bij betrokken zijn.

Training door mishandeling en verminking
De eigenaar traint de jonge aap onder andere door pijnprikkels. Door de pink van het dier achterover te drukken of de ketting om zijn nek aan te trekken, leert hij hem langdurig te staan (chimpansees lopen gewoonlijk op handen en voeten) en bepaalde poses aan te nemen. Als het dier ouder wordt krijgt hij vaak drugs toegediend om hem rustig te houden. Ook worden zijn hoektanden meestal afgezaagd of uitgetrokken. Rond zijn achtste levensjaar komt een chimpansee echter in de puberteit en wil niet langer gehoorzamen. Door zijn kracht wordt hij levensgevaarlijk. Dat is het moment waarop de eigenaar het dier doorverkoopt, bijvoorbeeld op de illegale markt voor proefdieren, en een nieuwe jonge chimpansee aanschaft.

Medewerking reisbranche
AAP is in overleg met de WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) om, in samenwerking met de Turkse overheid, dit dierenleed een halt toe te roepen. Ook de grote reisorganisaties verlenen actieve medewerking. Zo heeft TUI (Arke, Kras, Holland International) een speciale waarschuwing geplaatst op de vouchers voor Turkijegangers, heeft First Choice (GoBest, Sunrise, KidsWorld) een clausule tegen dierenleed opgenomen in de contracten met hotels, vermeldt OAD het als 'duurzame tip' op de reisbescheidenmapjes en geeft Thomas Cook (Neckermann) informatie hierover in de reisleiderinstructies.

Wat kun je als toerist doen?
- ga niet zelf met het dier op de foto maar neem, indien mogelijk, foto's waarop aap en liefst ook eigenaar te zien zijn
- dien een klacht in bij het hotelmanagement
- meld het voorval bij de hostess van de reisorganisatie en stuur een mailtje naar het hoofdkantoor
- stuur een melding met zoveel mogelijk gegevens en eventuele foto's naar info@aap.nl.

(Bron: http://www.aap.nl/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Dorpsbewoners in Morang district (oost Nepal) doden bedreigde 'gangetic' (Ganges) dolfijn

Endangered dolphin killed in Nepal

24-06-2008 IANS, Daily News & Analysis, India


KATHMANDU: Even as animal rights activists stepped up their campaign to stop the killing of elephants on the India-Nepal border, villagers in eastern Nepal killed a Gangetic dolphin - an endangered species of which less than 300 are said to be left in Asia.

The 6-feet 9-inch mammal was brutally stoned to death after villagers spotted it in the Lohondra lake in Morang district on Monday. Police stopped the villagers from hacking at the body for meat, said Inspector Vidyanand Majhi.

The Gangetic dolphin is among the 27 endangered mammals in the world and about 300 of them are said to be found in the Kosi, Karnali and Babai rivers of Nepal.

As per Nepal's wildlife preservation laws, the killing of an endangered animal is punishable with a fine of up to NRs 150,000 or a maximum jail term of 15 years or both.
The report of the dolphin's killing came even as India's People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) urged the prime ministers of Nepal and India as well as the forest ministers of the two countries to rein in security forces at the border, who have reportedly been instrumental in the killing of two elephants in less than a week.

On Sunday, a female elephant died after being shot, allegedly by Nepal police in the eastern district of Jhapa.
The slaying came two days after an elephant cub was electrocuted when it rammed into an electrified border fence after being frightened by Nepali security forces who opened fire to stop its herd from crossing over the border from India.

Asian elephants are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 as well as the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species, to which Nepal is a signatory.
This is PETA's second letter to Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Forests and Soil Conservation Minister Matrika Prasad Yadav. The earlier one, sent after the electrocution of the elephant cub, has not produced any immediate results.

Koirala remains locked in a vicious power struggle with the Maoists, who are pushing for his resignation by Wednesday.
If the octogenarian leader fails to quit, the Maoists, whose ministers tendered their resignation last week, have threatened to start a fresh protest movement.
Besides the political turmoil, Nepal is also gripped by a fuel and transport crisis.
Fuel dealers have padlocked gas stations across the country since Monday, demanding improvement in the supply of petro-products from India.

Transport entrepreneurs, on the other hand, have called a transport strike since Saturday, demanding a 35 percent hike in fares to offset the recent rise in fuel prices.
Since Monday, the strike spread nationwide from Kathmandu valley, throwing life out of gear.
Taking advantage of the interim government's inability to reach a consensus on power-sharing, poaching has become rampant in Nepal's national parks, causing a spurt in the killing of the one-horned rhino, another endangered species, the tiger, deer and red panda.

(Bron: http://www.dnaindia.com/)
(Bron foto: http://www.cms.int/reports/small_cetaceans/data/P_gangetica/p_gangetica.htm)

Komend jachtseizoen mogen 5200 van de 6000 zwijnen Veluwe gedood worden...

Jagers mogen 5200 zwijnen afschieten

24-06-2008 De Telegraaf


ARNHEM - Jagers mogen met ingang van het komende jachtseizoen 5200 van de 6000 wilde zwijnen op de Veluwe afschieten. Zestig procent van het afschot - 3100 stuks - moet al in juli en augustus worden gerealiseerd. Dat meldde provincie Gelderland dinsdag.

De provinicie verleent de Faunabeheereenheid Veluwe een ontheffing voor het afschieten van de dieren met behulp van lokvoer. Jagers mogen gebruik maken van nachtkijkers om ook in maanloze nachten zwijnen te kunnen schieten.

Het gebruik van geluidsdempers valt onder de Wapenwet en is dus verboden, aldus de provincie. Het jachtseizoen begint op 1 juli.

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)

10-Jarige jongen in dierentuin Basel (Zwitserland) door wolf gebeten - Jongen viel in gracht rond wolvenverblijf

Zoo Basel: 10-Jähriger nach Sturz ins Wolfsgehege

gebissen

24-06-2008 Basler Zeitung, Switzerland


Basel. ap/baz. Ein zehnjähriger Schüler aus dem Kanton Freiburg ist am Montagnachmittag im Basler Zolli in den Wassergraben des Wolfsgeheges gestürzt und dort von einer Wölfin gebissen worden. Er wurde von einem Besucher aus dem Wasser gezogen und überlebte ohne schwerere Verletzungen. Die Umstände des Unfalls waren vorerst nicht geklärt.

Der Schüler, der mit seiner Klasse aus dem Kanton Freiburg den Zoo besuchte, fiel kurz nach 13.30 Uhr in den Wassergraben des Wolfsgeheges, wie die Basler Staatsanwaltschaft mitteilte. Dort wurde das Kind unvermittelt von der dreijährigen Wölfin angegriffen und durch Bisse am Kopf verletzt.

Einem zufällig anwesenden Besucher sei es gelungen, den Knaben aus dem Wasser zu ziehen, während eine 14-jährige Helferin aus dem Kinderzoo mit ihrem Rucksack nach dem Tier geschlagen und es vor weiteren Angriffen abgehalten habe.
Der Zehnjährige wurde von der Berufssanität in die Notfallstation des Bruderholzspitals gebracht. Dort seien glücklicherweise keine schwereren Verletzungen diagnostiziert worden, schreibt die Staatsanwaltschaft. Die betroffene Schulklasse aus dem Kanton Freiburg wurde vom psychologischen Dienst der Kantonspolizei betreut.

Die Umstände des Unfalls waren vorerst nicht abschliessend geklärt. Auf jeden Fall sei das Wolfsgehege aber im Normalzustand gewesen, sagte Markus Melzl von der Staatsanwaltschaft. Weder Bauarbeiten noch andere Veränderungen seien im Gang gewesen. Laut Zoo-Sprecherin Tanja Dietrich handelt es sich um den ersten Unfall seit dem 25-jährigen Bestehen des Wolfsgeheges mit dem 1,37 Meter tiefen Wassergraben. Das dreijährige Weibchen lebe dort mit seinen beiden erwachsenen Jungen.

Die Tiere seien grundsätzlich nicht aggressiv und würden vom Wärter im Gehege gefüttert. Eine in den Wassergraben stürzende Person stelle aber vermutlich ein ungewohnte Situation dar, auf welche die Tiere mit Angst reagierten und ihr Territorium verteidigten, sagte Dietrich.

(Bron: http://www.baz.ch/)
(Bron foto: http://www.flickr.com/photos/schneefloeckli/2480597168/)

Bij bewoner Ulrum neemt LID 27 konijnen in beslag - Dieren slecht gehuisvest en onvoldoende water

Inspectiedienst neemt 27 konijnen in beslag

24-06-2008 Dierenbescherming


Eind vorige week heeft de Landelijke Inspectiedienst Dierenbescherming (LID) 27 konijnen inbeslaggenomen in Ulrum, gemeente De Marne. De LID had de eigenaar al eerder verzocht de dieren beter te huisvesten en te zorgen dat ze genoeg te drinken hadden. Bij hercontrole bleek dit nog niet goed geregeld te zijn, waarop de konijnen allemaal inbeslag zijn genomen.

Tijdens een inspectie in Ulrum, gemeente De Marne, liep de Landelijke Inspectiedienst Dierenbescherming twee weken geleden aan tegen 27 konijnen die niet over vers water konden beschikken. Ook liet de huisvesting van de dieren te wensen over. De meeste konijnen zaten in hokken die in de konijnenmesterij gebruikt worden. Er stonden zowel hokken in een tuinhuisje als buiten in de tuin. Buiten was geen beschutting voor de dieren.

Bij hercontrole eind vorige week bleek dat de eigenaar wel was begonnen met verbeteringen, maar dat deze niet voldoende waren. Een zelf aangelegd drinkwatersysteem werkte in de meeste kooien niet en dus zat een groot deel van de konijnen nog steeds zonder water. Ook was de aangebrachte beschutting onvoldoende. Na overleg met het Openbaar Ministerie is vervolgens besloten alle 27 konijnen in beslag te nemen. De eigenaar was afwezig en zal binnenkort gehoord worden.

(Bron: http://www.nieuwsbank.nl/)

Weer BSE geconstateerd bij koe in Canada - Derde keer in drie jaar tijd

New case of mad cow disease found in B.C.;

third in three years

24-06-2008 By: THE CANADIAN PRESS, AM 1150, Canada


OTTAWA - The discovery of another case of mad cow disease in B.C. will have no impact on Canada's already hard-hit beef industry, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. The agency announced Monday that another cow has been identified as having bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.

"This should have no impact as far as trade, or significant impact directly within Canada," said George Luterbach, a veterinarian with the agency.
It's the third case in B.C. in the last three years and the 13th in Canada since the first case of mad cow came to light in 2003.
But Luterbach said Canada has been assessed by the World Organization for Animal Health and given a controlled-risk status, indicating it has the proper checks and balances to control the disease.
"As part of our risk assessment, it was recognized that as Canada moves to the eradication of BSE . . . there would likely be a small number cases that will be detected along the way, and this is well understood by our trading partners," he said in an interview Monday.

Luterbach said over 220,000 cattle in Canada have been tested for BSE since the country's first case saw the U.S. and other international borders closed to Canadian beef in 2003.
"Those cattle have been selected to be the highest potential risk animals for BSE," he said.
"We've very confident that BSE is not common nor widespread in Canada because of our surveillance."

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency hasn't said where the infected cow is located but an investigation is under way to determine where the cow was born.

The inspection agency said a ban on using animal materials in feed products has virtually eliminated the spread of BSE in Canada, but it said a small number of mad cow cases are still expected to surface.
In 2006 and 2007 the disease was found in two B.C. dairy cows, and in both cases the agency said the infection was caused by contaminated feed.
It also said there was no risk to public health because no part of the animal entered the human food systems.

(Bron: http://www.am1150.ca/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Alle reuzenpanda's in onderzoekscentra Wolong (Sichuan, China) worden verplaatst - Bergachtig gebied na aardbeving te gevaarlijk

Pandas to be relocated due to quake hazards

24-06-2008 By Yang Lifei, Shanghai Daily, China


ALL giant pandas still at a major breeding base in earthquake-devastated Sichuan Province will be temporarily moved as landslides and other quake-related hazards remain a big threat, Chengdu Business Daily reported today. The decision to evacuate came after experts concluded the mountainous terrain in Sichuan was still too hazardous for the endangered animals and their keepers.

Some pandas at Hetaoping Research and Conservation Center in the Wolong nature reserve will be moved to nearby breeding centers. Other pandas will be moved to temporary homes much further away in the east and south of the country, the report said. The pandas will all be temporarily dispersed until a new Wolong panda breeding center is built in two to three years.

The Forestry Department of Sichuan said the new center was very likely to be situated at Huangcaoping inside the Wolong nature reserve.

The first batch of 13 great pandas was moved to a breeding base in Ya'an, Sichuan, on June 18. The construction of 17 temporary shelters has started at Ya'an Bifengixa Base. It will be home to 40 pandas within a month. Another 20 permanent houses will be built by mid October.

According to the evacuation plan, another 19 pandas will be moved to other breeding bases, including a breeding and research center in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan; the Fuzhou Panda Research Center in Fujian Province; and the Fanyu Wild Animal Zoo in Guangdong Province.

Only 1,590 pandas live in the wild and about 1,400 were in the area of Sichuan that was rocked by the May 12 earthquake.

(Bron: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)

Zeldzame grote Chinese steur in amusementspark Hong Kong gedood door barracuda's

Rare Chinese sturgeon dies in Hong Kong after

being bitten by barracudas

24-06-2008 The Associated Press, The International Herald Tribune, USA


HONG KONG: A rare Chinese sturgeon has died in a Hong Kong amusement park after being bitten by barracudas housed in the same aquarium, park officials said. The fish died Monday, just three days after it was unveiled for public viewing, Hong Kong's Ocean Park said.

"The marks around the wound are consistent with those produced by barracudas," the park said in a statement late Monday.

Chinese sturgeons, which can reach up to 16 feet (five meters) in length and weigh up to 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms), are an endangered species and are classified as protected animals in China.

Park officials said Chinese sturgeons coexist in the wild with barracudas, but four remaining sturgeons had been removed from the aquarium as a precautionary measure. They will go on exhibit again in early July, they said.

The Chinese sturgeon was the smallest of five given by China's National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Association last month as a gift from Beijing. They symbolize the five rings in the Olympic symbol, marking the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
The association said it would send a replacement to the park.

(Bron: http://www.iht.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Bewoners dorpje in regio Tver (Rusland) keren zich tegen opvang katten en honden - Eigenaren opvang helpen gewonde dieren

Russian village is not so cool for cats

24-06-2008 Russia Today, Russia


For the last two years Kristina and Inna have dedicated their lives to helping injured animals overcome or at least live with their disabilities. But now their animal shelter in a remote village faces trouble as the locals are afraid of the odd-looking pets.

The two women moved to an isolated area in Tver region two years ago to look after injured animals. Around 40 dogs and cats are being cared for here now. Some of them have already made a full recovery, but some have injuries from which recovery is not possible. These animals have to crawl, making them a disturbing sight for the unprepared eye.

Inna and Kristina claim their and the animals' safety is threatened as the residents of the village are unhappy with their sanctuary. Since the refuge was set up, the villagers have allegedly threatened to burn it, kill every single animal and beat the women. Last week the threats became reality as Kristina recalls: “A group of armed men came to the village. They were shooting and shouting that they would kill our cats. Inna tried to stop them but one man hit and she fell on the ground. The man put his leg on her neck and threatened to kill her if she didn’t shut up.”

An old woman who, according to Kristina, was involved in the incident, refused to leave her trailer and talked to RT correspondent only through a closed door. She not only refuted all the accusations but accused Kristina and Inna of disturbing the public's peace.“They come with axes, saying they will defend their bloody animals, so my grand children are afraid to go out!” she said.
Kristina says leaving is not a solution as this could be repeated elsewhere. She adds that even if everyone around them is against the sanctuary, they are determined to fight for justice.

(Bron: http://www.russiatoday.ru/)
(Bron foto: Russia Today)

Oog katje in Bunschoten doorboort door 3,5 cm lange spijker....

Spijker doorboort oog kat

23-06-2008 door onze correspondent, De Telegraaf


BUNSCHOTEN - Een katje is zondag in Bunschoten gevonden met een spijker dwars door het oog, waarschijnlijk afkomstig uit een zogeheten spijkerpistool.

Omdat het grootste deel van de 3,5 centimeter lange spijker het oog heeft doorboord, is het maar de vraag of ze het overleeft. Het oog zal sowieso niet meer functioneren. Vermoedelijk is het poesje toegetakeld door een kattenhater.

Volgens Ernst Schievelt van de gealarmeerde dierenambulance Eemland had iemand zaterdagavond in de buurt hardop geroepen dat als het Nederlands voetbalelftal zou verliezen, hij tot rare dingen in staat zou zijn. Daarbij zou hij ook tegen het baasje van de kat hebben geroepen een kattenhater te zijn. "Ik doe dit werk al 12,5 jaar, maar zoiets wreeds heb ik nog nooit meegemaakt. Ik heb 's avonds best wel een traantje gelaten", aldus Schievelt.

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)

Japan en Australië tegenover elkaar in 60e jaarvergadering IWC

Japan, Australia Likely to Clash at Whaling Talks

23-06-2008 By Sebastian Boyd and Robin Stringer, Bloomberg


June 23 (Bloomberg) -- Australia will call for a complete halt to whaling this week at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Chile as Japan seeks permission to kill more of the animals, saying they eat too many fish.

Since the IWC ban on commercial hunting took effect in 1986, Japanese ships have killed more than 8,500 whales under the commission's scientific research exemption. Japanese scientists remove whales' ovaries and parts of their ears to determine their age and how much they breed. The meat is then sold.

Australia wants to convert the whaling commission into an international conservation organization and to stop countries allowing ships to kill whales in the name of science. Japan wants the commission to oversee hunting of up to 10,000 animals a year and has warned that the IWC may fall apart if anti- whaling countries don't make concessions.

``Unless Australia can bring something to the table, it's difficult to see that IWC has a future,'' Glenn Inwood, a spokesman for the Japanese delegation, said in an interview in Santiago. ``Their view is no killing of whales at all. That's unrealistic and it's not going to happen.''

Brazil will propose making the Atlantic south of the equator a whale sanctuary, according to the agenda for the IWC meeting. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet today signed a law declaring national waters a sanctuary for cetaceans.

Whales and Japan
Whales eat more than 249 million tons of fish a year, while humans catch about 90 million tons, according to Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research.
Japan's government says it may resume commercial whaling anyway if negotiations don't yield progress by next year's meeting, Kyodo News reported yesterday. Whale meat is a part of Japan's traditional diet and a ban ignores ``cultural values,'' according to a briefing paper by Joji Morishita, a member of its team in Chile.

The Institute for Cetacean Research says it studies the structure of whale populations. The number of whales Japanese ships kill each year is ``small fry'' compared with the 10,000 whales that could be sustainably harvested from the Antarctic, Inwood said.

Opponents argue that the data collected by Japan's research isn't needed and the IWC last year asked it to halt its lethal research in the Antarctic. Australia proposes a joint effort to investigate whales in the southern ocean without killing them.
``You don't need to kill whales to learn about them and research them,'' Australian commission member Donna Petrachenko said.

Arguing the Science
Japan's research lacks scientific merit, she said.
``The only reason that countries and NGOs say the science is not necessary is because it's not the kind of science they want,'' Inwood said. ``The science that is achieved by Japan is perfecting hunting. In order to find out exactly how much they're breeding, when they become sexually mature and at what rate the population is breeding, you have to kill them.''

The IWC is holding its 60th annual meeting in Santiago, where delegates from more than 70 countries, including the U.S., will discuss whale stocks and hunting. Japan's delegation accused the commission of being ``dysfunctional,'' and said it needed reform.

`Brink of Collapse'
Japan's government hopes ``that this annual meeting will be remembered as one which rescued the IWC from the brink of collapse rather than one which determined its collapse,'' Minoru Morimoto, the Japanese commission member, told the meeting, according to a statement distributed by the delegation.

The Santiago meeting will be ``one of the most important'' in the organization's history, said Petrachenko. The whaling commission yesterday agreed to set up a working group to discuss changes to the way it works, she said.
``Australia believes we need to reform the commission to make it focus on the fundamental mandate of conservation,'' Petrachenko. ``One of our objectives is to see an end to scientific whaling in the southern ocean, but also in the Northern Hemisphere.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Sebastian Boyd in Santiago at sboyd9@bloomberg.net; Robin Stringer in New York at rstringer@bloomberg.net.

(Bron: http://www.bloomberg.com/)

Iowa Rescuers Save Animals From Flooded Homes

Japan zoekt kleine bondgenoten in International Whaling Commission

Whaling by numbers

23-06-2008 Sydney Morning Herald, Australia


ANY COUNTRY can join the International Whaling Commission, an advantage first recognised by early environmentalists when they built a coalition that won the global moratorium on commercial whaling.

Stung by the result, Japan became the first sovereign government to try the tactic.
First, it turned around enough countries that had supported the moratorium to ensure it held a blocking vote against any more conservation moves.

Then, working on nations in the Caribbean, the Pacific, West Africa and South-East Asia, Japanese whaling interests picked countries as their acolytes in exchange for money.

This came in at least two forms: as government development aid, and in direct cash "assistance" to attend commission meetings and vote down the anti-whaling line.
It won a single-vote majority in 2006, but anti-whaling nations responded with their own campaign and last year gained the balance that they are likely to keep this year.

Andrew Darby

(Bron: http://www.smh.com.au/)

Schapenvakbond wil einde coupeerverbod schapen

'Rechter moet coupeerverbod schapen opheffen'

23-06-2008 Agrarisch Dagblad


De Schapenvakbond (SVB) wil dat de rechter het coupeerverbod voor schapen opheft. Daarvoor gaat de bond een rechtszaak aanspannen tegen het ministerie van landbouw. Het couperverbod voor schapen is begin dit jaar ingegaan.

Het ministerie heeft voor drie Engelse schapenrassen (Suffolk, Hampshire Down en Clun Forest) een uitzondering gemaakt. Schapenhouders mogen dieren van deze rassen nog wel couperen.

SVB-voorzitter Herman Verheul vindt het niet terecht dat het ministerie van landbouw alleen voor de drie Engelse schapenrassen een uitzondering op het coupeerverbod maakt.

(Bron: http://www.agd.nl/)

Trein rijdt drie koeien dood bij Waver (België)

Treinongeval met koeien in Waver doet denken

aan Pécrot

23-06-2008 Het Laatste Nieuws, Belgium


Een trein op de lijn Ottignies-Leuven heeft zaterdag een kudde koeien aangereden. Niemand raakte gewond. Het incident doet wel denken aan het ongeval in Pécrot zeven jaar geleden.

Zaterdag gebeurde een incident met een trein in Waver. Een landbouwer verwittigde de politie toen zijn runderen uit de weide waren verdwenen. Een machinist uit de richting van Waver stopte zijn trein. Terwijl de landbouwer zijn dieren weghaalde van het spoor, met hulp van de politie, reed een trein afkomstig uit Leuven in op de dieren. Drie beesten kwamen om.

Onvoldoende communicatieVolgens de gouverneur van Waals-Brabant, Marie-José Laloy, toont het ongeval dat er nog geen lessen zijn getrokken uit Pécrot. De gouverneur wacht op rapporten van de politie en de NMBS.

Volgens de burgemeester van Grez-Doiceau, Alain Clabots, werd de informatie over de runderen op het spoor in Leuven niet doorgestuurd. "Het is spijtig vast te stellen dat de maatregelen onvoldoende blijven om te communiceren tussen Waver en Leuven. Ongeveer een een uur en vijftien minuten nadat de informatie werd doorgegeven aan de NMBS, was dit nog niet door de Leuvense verantwoordelijken doorgegeven".

(Bron: http://www.hln.be/)

(Informatie over 'Pécrot':
http://www.archivesolidaire.org/scripts/article.phtml?section=A2AAAABABA&obid=24617)

Britse dierenrechtenactiviste Pauline Burgess (52) blijft acties voeren tegen proefdiercentra - Justitie volgt haar, maar vervolgingen zijn mislukt...

Animal rights activist determined to carry on

23-06-2008 Malvern Gazette, UK


AN animal rights activist has announced her determination to carry on her campaign despite narrowly avoiding a criminal prosecution. As reported in last week's Gazette, and Reporter, Pauline Burgess was warned by a judge that she would face fines of £1,000 if she did not keep the peace.

She had been charged with conspiracy to interfere with contractual relationships so as to harm an animal research organisation but was freed after a jury failed to reach a verdict.
Now the 52-year-old, of Richmond Road in Malvern, has said nothing will stop her from trying to put an end to animal cruelty.

On Friday she returned to the Ledbury business Sequani with her placard - an action which she believes should not affect her order.
She added: "I have been down three times since the court case and like I have always done, I am protesting peacefully.

"If I am given directions by the police I always abide by the law.
"I have been campaigning 20 years, and most of the last 10 years have been in this area. I will continue to do so while animals are dying in the name of medical science. Progress can be made without testing."

(Bron: http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: Malvern Gazette)

Studenten/dierenactivisten Universiteit Californië (VS) houden dierproeven op agenda campus - Universiteit moet zoeken naar alternatieven

Animal rights issues are hot topic on campus

The past year has featured violent attacks on professors as well as peaceful student protests

23-06-2008 Karen Lee (Contact), The Daily Bruin, Student Media, UCLA, USA


Animal rights activists continue to advocate alternatives to animal research, especially in light of the attacks by protesters at UCLA in the last year. Many UCLA community members have become increasingly aware of the controversy surrounding animal research in the last year. Earlier this month, the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for setting a UCLA vanpool vehicle on fire. That incident was the most recent in a string of attacks by animal rights activists.

In January, UCLA co-sponsored a workshop exploring alternatives to animal research with the John Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing.
Sonia Hingrajia, internal vice president of Bruins for Animals, said finding alternatives to animal testing is currently of the utmost importance.
Alternatives can be the reduction of animal testing, said Carol Howard, Johns Hopkins Center’s communications coordinator.
“But it also refers to the reduction of animals used and refining the methods to minimize pain and distress in animals,” Howard said.

Removing animal testing from the university entirely would be difficult.
“Animal research is in part responsible for the medical advancements in the last decade,” UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said. “In many cases, there are no alternatives to the humane research of animals.”
UCLA complies with all national animal testing laws, Hampton said.

The Animal Welfare Act requires researchers to search for alternative methods to the use of animals before considering their use in experiments.
Before any laboratory animals are used for research at UCLA, the researcher must demonstrate the scientific necessity and the absolute need to use the animals for that research, in order to comply with the Animal Welfare Act, Hampton said.

To ensure the humane treatment of animals, the UCLA Chancellor’s Animal Research Committee reviews research and must approve before researchers can utilize animals in their research.
Despite the committee’s efforts, activists have staged several protests in the last year against animal research.

The Animal Liberation Brigade, an animal rights activist group, claimed responsibility for an attempted firebombing of UCLA Professor Arthur Rosenbaum’s car on June 24, 2007.
The activist group responded to what they believed was an inhumane treatment of animals at Rosenbaum’s ophthalmology laboratory, according to Daily Bruin archives.
Rosenbaum was not the only UCLA professor targeted.
Edythe London, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, has also been targeted.
London’s Beverly Hills home was flooded in October last year by the Animal Liberation Front.

In February, a temporary restraining order was granted by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge against specific groups of activists accused of targeting UCLA faculty.
A bill titled “California Animal Enterprise Protection Act” was proposed after the court order.
The bill would increase the ability of law enforcement to protect animal researchers from harassment, according to the UCLA Newsroom Web site. The bill is still under state senate review.

Hampton said that despite the protests, all animal research done at the university is humane.
“I want to emphasize that research involving animals is conducted in compliance with federal regulations and that harassment directed at UCLA researchers is not appropriate,” Hampton said.

Hingrajia said violent protests are ineffective.
“We don’t believe that attacking people will help our cause. It kind of hurts the animal rights movement because it gives it a bad reputation,” Hingrajia said.
Meanwhile, alternative methods to animal research continue to be explored.
“There are certainly various types of alternatives, and there is certainly a great deal of progress that has been made and can be made,” Howard said.

(Bron: http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/)

(Meer informatie over Bruins for Animals:
http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/bruinsforanimals/index.htm)

Zeehondeneiland St. Paul (Canada) vol aangespoeld afval vooral uit Aziatische landen

Seals' island turns into dumping ground

23-06-2008 By MARY PEMBERTON • The Associated Press, Journal & Courier, Indiana, USA


ST. PAUL ISLAND, Alaska - Huge, whiskered male fur seals called "beach masters" are back on St. Paul Island after swimming a gauntlet of lost or discarded fishing gear floating in the Bering Sea. The males, weighing up to 600 pounds, arrive at the island's rookeries in May or early June and wait for the females to come onshore to give birth and complete their harems. The scene at first appears idyllic on the treeless, wind-swept island, home to the world's largest population of fur seals.

But a closer look unveils an ugly truth. The fur seal rookeries of St. Paul are an unintentional dumping ground for tons of debris, from plastic bottles and tires to netting and rope in which some seals become fatally entangled.

Some of the junk comes from the domestic fishing fleet - Alaska produces more than half of the nation's seafood landings - but much of the debris bears identification from Russia, Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia. It's carried to the islands by ocean currents.

St. Paul Island and neighboring St. George Island, part of the Pribilof chain, have seen declining numbers of fur seals, which were declared depleted in 1988 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The downturn comes decades after the commercial fur seal harvest on St. Paul and St. George was stopped. The population of fur seals in the Pribilofs is less than half of what it was in the 1950s, when between 40,000 and 126,000 animals were harvested annually.In 2007, 10,140 adult males were counted on St. Paul, a decrease of more than 10 percent from the previous year. Numbers declined 5 percent on St. George, according to the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle. Overall, pup production in the Pribilofs is declining by about 6 percent a year.

Meanwhile, concerns about fur seals becoming entangled in debris and dying are increasing. From 1998 to 2005, there were 795 sightings on St. Paul Island of fur seals that appeared to be entangled in debris. Of those, 337 capture attempts were made and 282 fur seals were disentangled, according to the island conservation office.

"There is a culture that has abused the oceans for decades and decades and that has got to stop," said Bob King, debris coordinator of the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation. Cleanup efforts are one way to attack the problem. Last year, 20,000 pounds of debris were removed from 2 1/2 miles of St. Paul Island beaches - enough to fill two 20-foot truck trailers. Cleanup organizers expect even more this year. In 2006, a stockpile of 157,000 pounds of marine debris were removed from St. Paul. It cost $114,000 to ship and dispose of the debris at a landfill in Washington state.

"Whoever lost that crab pot mess should pay for it," said Phillip Zavadil, co-director of St. Paul Island's Aleut tribal government Ecosystem Conservation Office, as he and a cleanup crew arrived at a rookery to find several large males surrounding an old crab pot and a mass of jumbled fishing line. Zavadil approached to get hold of the line but had to back off.

"It is human garbage and I think it is our job to clean it up," said Katiana Bourdukofsky, 23, one of about 20 island residents participating in a five-day cleanup earlier this month.The work is backbreaking. The masses of line and other junk can weigh hundreds of pounds. Removal is difficult, often requiring lifting boulders with a long-handled crowbar or digging out debris embedded in the shoreline.

"1, 2, 3, pull!" yells the crew as they try to yank free a piece of large trawl net. "Stevo, bring that prybar," yells crew chief Dustin Jones.The crewmembers use knives to cut the large nets into pieces so they can be pulled from shore, loaded onto four-wheelers and trucks and taken to the dump.In one day, the crew filled 25 1-cubic yard sacks with about 400 pounds of debris each."It never ends," Jones said. Over the five-day cleanup, 80 sacks were filled.

When Tyler Melovidov, a 16-year-old redhead with a spray of freckles across his face, was asked why he's part of the cleanup, he said, "So this place doesn't look like crap, so the seals don't get entangled in the nets.

"In 2007, crews collected 822 pounds of debris over a 3/4-mile stretch of beach on St. Paul. This year, they returned to the same stretch of beach and collected 634 pounds of debris, mostly fishing gear. The debris also included a 34-pound tire and drinking bottles and other plastic containers, aluminum cans and shotgun shells.

Residents of St. Paul, through the island's conservation office, have been cleaning up the debris for more than a decade. Without funding, the effort was small-scale.The Marine Conservation Alliance, a trade association representing Alaska's groundfish and crab fisheries, got involved several years ago to bring federal money to the cleanup.Since then, the cleanup has gone statewide, said King.The job is a big one. Alaska has 44,000 miles of coastline. Last year, $415,000 was spent on the cleanup. The budget for the 2008 cleanup is twice as large, King said.No matter what beach is being cleaned in Alaska, it is more or less the same stuff - fishing nets, line, floats, and lots of plastic, King said.Last year, 175 tons of trash were removed from Alaska's coastline.

In the Pribilofs this year, a trawl net weighing several tons was found. It probably dates back to the Soviet era, King said. "You look at all the bottles, the majority of them are Asian. They have Chinese, Korean, Russian and Japanese lettering," King said. "Some is accidental and some is negligent, people without a thought throwing a bottle overboard."The plan this year is to send much of the debris to a recycler in Washington state where it will be compacted and shipped to Asia. There, it will be turned into plastic pellets where it will be made into plastic items."It probably will end up washing back on our beaches one day," King said.

(Bron: http://www.jconline.com/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Dierentuin Jinan (Shandong, China) houdt haar dieren koel in extreme hitte

Zoo tried to keep its animals cool

23-06-2008 China.org.cn


A golden monkey enjoys a slice of watermelon at the Jinan Zoo in Jinan, Shandong Province on Sunday, June 22, 2008. The zoo tried to keep its animals cool as the temperature hit 37.2 degrees Celsius (98.9 degrees Fahrenheit).

A giant panda chews bamboo beside ice blocks.

An elephant gets a cold shower.

(Bron: http://www.china.org.cn/)

(Bron foto's: China.org.cn)

Pandas in Chengdu (China) pandafokcentrum op dieet - Tekort aan bamboe - Aardbeving heeft grote bamboebossen verwoest

Giant pandas forced to be on diet after

quake damaged bamboo forests

23-06-2008 Xinhua, China

Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake


CHENGDU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Some 67 giant pandas living in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base are now on a diet after the May 12 quake damaged bamboo forests. The deadly earthquake has damaged the bamboo forests in Dujiangyan, Mianyang, Jiangyou, Pingwu and Ya'an, causing food shortage for the pandas, according to Wang Chengdong, an official with the base.

The base had to ration bamboo for the bears, who should have eaten more bamboo during the breeding season, a breeder told the Chengdu-based Tianfu Morning Post.

An adult giant panda usually created 10 kilograms of faeces perday, however, now it only produced 2-3 kg because of scarce food, said Wang.

Besides bamboo, breeders were feeding these pandas with feed and fruits. However, bamboo shoots, one of the bears' favorite food usually served at this season, were missing from the daily menu because of the tremor.

The bamboo shortage would not last for long, however, said Hu Jinchu, a panda expert with China animals institute. As a bamboo-rich province, there were still bamboo forests undamaged in other parts of Sichuan, and new bamboo would grow up soon on the quake-ravaged land, said Hu.

China's major giant panda habitat, home to about 1,400 of the wild bears, suffered great damage in the quake.
According to the State Forestry Administration, the tremor affected 28.5 million mu (about 1.9 million hectares), or 83 percent of the country's total area of the panda habitat, with 8.3percent being completely destroyed. One panda died in the quake in Wolong nature reserve.

(Bron: http://news.xinhuanet.com/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Dierenbescherming luidt noodklok over toename aantal branden van veestallen

Brandveiligheid veehouderijen baart grote zorgen

23-06-2008 Dierenbescherming


De Dierenbescherming maakt zich grote zorgen over het toenemende aantal grote stalbranden in ons land. Afgelopen dinsdag nog kwamen 1.300 varkens om bij een brand in het Brabantse Eersel. Het was maar liefst de vierde stalbrand in tien dagen tijd. Een korte inventarisatie van de Dierenbescherming toont een sterke jaarlijkse toename, reden waarom wij de noodklok luiden.

Wij nodigen de ministeries van VROM en Binnenlandse Zaken, de Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten en LTO-Nederland, uit om te praten over een drastische verbetering van de brandpreventie en -bestrijding in de veehouderij.

Brand varkenshouderij Mariahout

Het aantal dieren dat door stalbranden omkomt, stijgt bijna ieder jaar. De afgelopen 2,5 jaar kwamen in totaal 374.000 dieren om. Alleen dit jaar al zijn bijna 111.000 slachtoffers onder het vee gevallen, dat betekent gemiddeld bijna 14.000 slachtoffers per stalbrand. Vooral kippen en varkens zijn het slachtoffer. Begin juni verloren duizend varkens en nog eens 60.000 kippen in respectievelijk Heeswijk-Dinther en Castenray het leven bij branden en in Blaricum stierven 110 ooien en lammeren bij een brand in een schaapskooi.

Opmerkelijk is dat in een land waar inmiddels jaarlijks 450 miljoen dieren bedrijfsmatig worden gehouden, de brandveiligheidsvoorschriften zich uitsluitend concentreren op de veiligheid voor mensen. Die voorschriften staan onder andere in het Bouwbesluit van het ministerie VROM en in de aanvullende bouwverordeningen van de gemeentes. Een gebouw met bedrijfsmatig gehouden dieren heeft zoals dat heet een ‘industriefunctie’. Daarmee worden koeien, varkens, kippen en bijvoorbeeld ook konijnen gelijkgesteld aan productiemiddelen, aan machines… De huidige preventiemaatregelen, zoals de in stallen verplichte blusmiddelen, helpen kennelijk niet om de aanwezige dieren te beschermen.


Brand verwoest varkensstallen in Someren

Veelgehoorde oorzaken zijn kortsluiting en laswerkzaamheden, zo blijkt uit een belronde langs brandverzekeraars en afdelingen Preventie en Brandweer van enkele gemeentes waar stalbranden plaatsvonden. Brandbaar isolatiemateriaal, vaak nog aanwezig in oudere stallen die volgens verouderde voorschriften zijn gebouwd, is ingeval van overslaand vuur fataal. Echter ook een betrekkelijk nieuwe stal met 60.000 kippen in Castenray kon niet ontkomen aan de vlammenzee.

De Dierenbescherming neemt het initiatief en nodigt de ministeries van VROM en Binnenlandse Zaken, de Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten en LTO-Nederland, uit om te praten over een drastische verbetering van de brandpreventie en -bestrijding in de veehouderij.

Zo moeten veestallen een aparte categorie worden, waarvoor strengere regels gelden met betrekking tot gebruik van brandwerende materialen en voorzieningen voor brandpreventie en -bestrijding. Ook moet er serieus gekeken worden naar betere mogelijkheden om bij brand dieren snel te evacueren. Wij verwijzen hierbij naar Engeland en de VS, waar al wel aparte regelgeving voor landbouwdieren geldt.

(Bron: http://www.dierenbescherming.nl/)
(Bron foto's: archief Kraaijer)

Motala, olifant gewond geraakt in 1999 in Burma door landmijn, krijgt kunstpoot in Thais olifantenziekenhuis

Injured elephant gets prosthetic leg

22-06-2008 Telegraph, UK


An elephant which was injured in a landmine explosion has been fitted with a prosthetic leg.

Mosha was only seven months old when she trod on a landmine in Thailand in 2006. The explosion severed her right foreleg, which later had to be amputated. Now the two-year-old has been fitted with a prosthetic leg at the Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital in Hangchatr, northern Thailand.

The leg is made out of a blue plastic sack tightly packed with sawdust and topped with a cushion.
Mosha is now learning to walk with her new leg and is reportedly adapting well to it.
Friends of the Asian Elephant has been caring for injured elephants since the early 1990s.
According to its website, the organisation fitted its first elephant sized prosthetic to Motala, an elephant injured by an anti-Personnel landmine in Myanmar in 1999.

Motala drew worldwide attention to elephant mine victims from Myanmar and became the first elephant to go through amputative surgery.

The organisation aims to "aid domesticated elephants to upgrade their living conditions and ultimately survive and adjust themselves within the natural habitats".

(Bron: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/)
(Bron foto: Telegraph)

Centrale vraag in 60e jaarvergadering IWC: wordt verbod op commerciële walvisvangst opgeheven...?

International Whaling Commission to meet in Chile

22-06-2008 Agence France Presse


SANTIAGO (AFP) — The International Whaling Commission, a treaty organization grouping 80 countries, is to meet next week in Chile to debate possibly allowing a resumption of commercial whale-hunting.

If the IWC lifts its 12-year ban on whaling, it will likely deepen divisions between member states opposed to the hunts and those -- chiefly Iceland, Japan and Norway -- in favor.
Environmental groups such as Greenpeace will be watching closely the deliberations, which begin Monday in the Chilean capital Santiago.

Greenpeace, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) warned in the run-up to the meeting that Japan was looking to capture whales in four of its coastal areas for non-scientific ends.

Milko Schvartzman, Latin America coordinator for Greenpeace's ocean campaign, said it was unclear what position Japan meant to take during the talks, though it was presumed Tokyo would continue to argue in favor of commercial whaling.
IFAW's Latin America coordinator, Beatriz Bugeda, said she believed Japan would claim a right to hunting in the four coastal areas on the basis that communities there traditionally lived off whales.

The Japanese delegate to the IWC, Joji Morishita, did not confirm what specific stance his country would present beyond reaffirming support for commercial whaling, according to an interview given to Chile's El Mercurio newspaper.
Morishita said his country's consumption of whale meat went back hundreds of years and should be respected by the rest of the world.
"This is a case of accepting the coexistence of different cultures," he said.
The official stressed, however, that Japan was not pushing for an open season on all types of whales, just those determined to have abundant populations.
"Sometimes people opposed to hunting say that the whales are in peril, but that is like saying birds are in peril," he said.

The Santiago meeting is to also review whale and dolphin populations, and the creation of a whale sanctuary in the south Atlantic.

The idea of a whale reserve was put forward by the "Buenos Aires Group", a union of several Latin American countries backing cetacean research and conservation.
It seeks to establish an ocean domain in which whale hunting is always prohibited and whale-watching tourism encouraged.
"The importance of creating a sanctuary in the south Atlantic will provide protection against the indiscriminate hunting of key species and allow whale-watching in the area, for instance of species like humpback and Pygmy Right whales," Bugeda said.
For the sanctuary proposal to be adopted, it has to garner 75 percent of the votes. A previous attempt failed to reach that bar.

The Buenos Aires Group comprises Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Uruguay.
Chile is also expected to announce a own whale sanctuary in territoral waters it claims up to 4,500 kilometers (2,700 miles) off shore.

(Bron: http://afp.google.com/)
(Bron foto: AFP)

(Voor informatie over de 60e Jaarvergadering van de IWC: http://www.iwcoffice.org/meetings/meeting2008.htm)

In mei doodgeschoten kat in Missouri (VS) blijkt luipaard - Herkomst dier niet bekend

Cat killed in Missouri identified as leopard

22-06-2008 USA Today, USA


NEOSHO, Mo. (AP) — Missouri state biologists say a big, black cat killed by a sheriff's deputy has been identified as a juvenile leopard. James Dixon of the Missouri Department of Conservation says the cat was identified by the St. Louis Zoo.

Newton County Sheriff's Corporal Donn Hall shot the animal when it charged him on May 19. A woman had reported the cat was scratching at the door of her home near Neosho.

Leopards are native to Africa and Asia. Conservation officials say the cat killed in Newton County was likely a captive that had escaped. Owners of big cats in Missouri are required to register their animals but the sheriff's department says no one has reported a leopard missing.

(Bron: http://www.usatoday.com/)

Kung Fu Panda

De lelijkste hond ter wereld is Gus uit Florida (VS)

'Gus' crowned world's ugliest dog

22-06-2008 BBC News, UK


A three-legged, one-eyed, cancer-afflicted dog named Gus has been crowned the World's Ugliest Dog at a fair in California. Gus, a Chinese Crested dog, beat allcomers to take the title at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Owner Jeanenne Teed, from Florida, said she would spend the $1,600 prize on treatment for Gus's skin cancer.

The competition has been running for 20 years, and is one of the fair's top attractions, organisers said. Vicki DeArmon, marketing director of the fair, said that in the past few years, winners had been dogs that had been abandoned or neglected before being adopted by dog-lovers.

"They may look hard to love, but apparently they are not. I've never seen dogs better cared for," she added.
Gus was rescued from a bad home.
One of his legs was amputated as a consequence of his skin tumour.
He lost an eye to a tomcat in a fight.

(Bron: http://news.bbc.co.uk/)
(Bron foto's: BBC News)

Man redt beknelde duif op brug Schoorldam - Tijdens reddingsactie auto niet op handrem: belandt in Noordhollands Kanaal

Dierenliefde kost man zijn auto

22-06-2008 De Telegraaf


SCHOORLDAM - Een 45-jarige dierenvriend uit Warmenhuizen (Noord-Holland) raakte zaterdagmiddag bij Schoorldam zijn auto kwijt toen hij een duif uit een benaderde positie bevrijdde. Dit meldde de politie zondag.

De man zag dat het dier met zijn kop bekneld was geraakt in de leuning van de brug over het Noordhollands Kanaal en parkeerde zijn auto om het dier te bevrijden. Precies op het moment dat dit was gelukt, hoorde hij achter zich een harde plons. Zijn auto stond blijkbaar niet goed op de handrem en was van het talud af het kanaal ingegleden.

Omdat de auto bij de doorgang van de brug lag, moest het scheepvaartverkeer tijdelijk stil worden gelegd. Een bergingsbedrijf takelde de auto uit het water.

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)

Protest Vegan Streaker tegen varkensflats en stierenvechten Spanje tijdens Champions Trophy

Vegan Streaker duikt op bij Champions Trophy

22-06-2008 Animal Rights Media


Door een van onze verslaggevers, Rotterdam - Zaterdagmiddag werd de hockeywedstrijd van Nederland tegen Spanje in Rotterdam, voor de Champions Trophy, verstoord door de Vegan Streaker.

Vegan Streaker: "Vandaag vond een belangrijke hockeywedstrijd plaats die live werd uitgezonden op televisie. Dit moment wou ik aangrijpen om aandacht te vragen voor het dierenleed. Dit keer wou ik aandacht vragen voor de varkensflats en de 22.5 miljoen biggen die jaarlijks worden gecastreerd." De Vegan Streaker had daarom de teksten aan de voorzijde "Balls for Pigs" en achterop zijn rug "Géén Varkensflat" aangebracht om hier aandacht voor te vragen. Op de benen konden we natuurlijk de link naar zijn website vinden, wat verwijst naar zijn eerdere acties.

Toen het al 3-0 stond, en de spelers aan de andere zijde van het veld waren, klom de Vegan Streaker over de hekken heen en rende het veld op. Ook richtte hij zich even op de Spaanse selectie. In Spanje worden stierengevechten gehouden, waar al jaren wereldwijd protest tegen is. Een goeie gelegenheid, aldus de Vegan Sreaker, om de Sanjaarden te wijzen op het wrede, maar vooral nutteloze stierenvechten in Spanje. e vegan streaker rende naar de reservebank van de spanjaarden en scandeerde leuzen als: "Bullfight is Bullshit!"

Na de actie liep de Vegan Streaker het veld af. Opmerkelijk genoeg werd hij ten tijde van zijn actie niet achterna gezeten door de beveiliging. Pas na zijn actie werd de Vegan Streaker in de kraag gevat en van het terrein afgezet. "Ik werd alleen het terrein afgezet! Een geslaagde actie!," aldus de Vegan Streaker.

Voor meer informatie over de vegan streaker, kijk dan even op zijn website: http://www.veganstreaker.nl/.

(Bron: http://www.animalrights.nl/)
(Bron foto: De Telegraaf)

PETA demonstration in North Philadelphia, USA (June 21st 2008)

Twee moederpoezen met vijftien kittens in dozen gedumpt langs A10 Amsterdam

Poesjes in dozen op vluchtstrook

22-06-2008 door een onzer verslaggevers, De Telegraaf


AMSTERDAM - Wie zijn de berouwvolle baasjes die gisteren op de vluchtstrook van de Amsterdamse rondweg A10 twee moederpoezen met vijftien kleintjes te vondeling hebben gelegd? De dieren waren bijna gestikt in de snikhete en drijfnatte dozen waarin ze waren gepropt.

De vondst werd gistermiddag gedaan door een automobiliste uit Den Bosch. De vrouw vond het vreemd dat er twee dozen langs de snelweg stonden en stopte toch maar even om te kijken. Tot haar verbijstering vond ze in een doos een moederpoes met twaalf jonkies, in de tweede een moeder met drie. De versufte poesjes waren een paar dagen tot tien weken oud. De ene doos was zo nat van condens en van kattenpies, dat de dieren bijna door de bodem zakten. Ook zat er een briefje bij van de ex-baasjes.

De automobiliste bracht de vondelingetjes naar dierenartsenpraktijk Mercatorstraat, waar net Joke Voorn van de stichting Dieren Onder Dak (DOD) een jong poesje kwam ophalen. "Ik wist niet wat ik zag", zegt ze. "We hebben ze onmiddellijk naar dierenarts Monique van Ewijk gebracht.Ik heb haar nooit horen vloeken. Maar toen ze dit zag, kon ze het niet onderdrukken."

(Bron: http://www.telegraaf.nl/)
(Bron foto: De Telegraaf)

'Suriname bepaalt zelf haar stemgedrag in de IWC, omdat het al sinds 25 november 1975 een soevereine staat is'.......

Suriname bepaalt zelf

21-06-2008 De West ('Keerpunt')


Suriname weigert zich uit te spreken tegen de walvisvangst door Japan. Indien er naar wordt gevraagd is de Surinaamse regering in staat dit standpunt te motiveren. Niet iedereen hoeft het natuurlijk hiermee eens te zijn. Maar, feit is dat Paramaribo een standpunt heeft ingenomen.

Terecht heeft de regering bij monde van een functionaris laten weten, dat bijvoorbeeld de organisatie Greenpeace onder geen enkele voorwaarde voor Suriname het beleid zal komen bepalen. Als andere landen op het Westelijk Halfrond zich tegen de walvisvangst hebben uitgesproken, zullen zij zonder meer een weloverwogen standpunt hebben ingenomen. Voor Suriname geldt hetzelfde. En iedereen heeft dat te accepteren.

Het moet eens goed tot Greenpeace en alle anderen in de wereld doordringen, dat Suriname sinds 25 november 1975 een soevereine staat is, die voor zichzelf standpunten bepaalt. Wij adviseren Greenpeace zich te concentreren op andere landen, die met hun activiteiten de wereld en haar bevolking in gevaar brengen. Men moet echter niet denken met een klein en arm land te maken te hebben, waardoor het gemakkelijk is even zaken te komen bepalen. Dat wordt de vergissing van de eeuw, die men zal maken. Men moet ons niet lastig vallen, omdat wij anders genoodzaakt zullen zijn ons te laten kennen.

(Bron: http://www.dewestonline.cq-link.sr/)
(Bron foto: archief Kraaijer)

Noot Kraaijer:
De redactie van 'Keerpunt' keert zich duidelijk tegen Greenpeace en neemt het zelfs op voor Suriname, alsof de regering dat zelf niet kan. Het redactionele stukje stroomt bijna over van frustratie, feitelijke onjuistheden en een kleinzieligheid die geen grenzen kent. Ik druk me bewust chargerend uit, omdat dat de manier is om mensen wakker te schudden en discussies op gang te brengen. Maar de persoon die bovenstaand stukje heeft geschreven uit zich zelfs dreigend en dat is kwalijk en getuigt van slechte journalistiek....objectiviteit is hier ver te zoeken.

Het advies aan Greenpeace om zich te concentreren op andere landen die 'de wereld en haar bevolking in gevaar brengen' is overbodig. Dat doet Greenpeace, wereldwijd (http://www.greenpeace.org/), ook. Verdiep je daar eerst in, alvorens dit soort ongefunceerde redactionele teksten neer te zetten en vermeldt dan ook landen die de wereld en haar bevolking in gevaar (zouden) brengen......

Maar, voor Suriname is het nieuw dat een buitenlandse milieuorganisatie zich eens op een serieuze manier 'bemoeit' met het in Suriname gevoerde milieubeleid. En, omdat dit nieuw is voelen velen zich 'aangevallen' en komt men weer op de proppen met het verleden...alsof Greenpeace niet weet dat Suriname sinds 25 november 1975 een zelfstandige staat is. Maar, dit soevereine land drijft wel voor een deel op buitenlandse donaties, fondsen, projecten en subsidies en dergelijke, ook uit Japan. Het formeel soevereine Suriname is voor haar bestaan helaas grotendeels afhankelijk van grote buitenlan