Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Imprisoned activist Rod Coronado has been released from prison to a half-way house. You might know Rod as the spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) during Operation Bite Back, a series of fur farm raids in 1991-1992, which caused more than one million dollars in property damage.
Thank you Rod for everything you've done for the animals, you are a true hero.
I know this is probably old news for all you Internet news buffs out there but starting January 1, 2009 eBay has banned the sale of ivory!
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) recently discovered that two-thirds of the online trade of the protected wildlife takes place of eBay and poachers take the lives of over 20,000 elephants a year to meet the world's demands. They launched a huge campaign against eBay which culminated in the unprecedented victory against the trade.
The ivory trade is horrific so it is wonderful to hear that eBay will no longer aid this cruel and deadly practice thank to the hard work of animal rights activists.
Monday, January 5, 2009
This Newsweek article talks about how hunters screw up natural selection by killing the biggest and most attractive members of a species. This allows the weakest animals to continue propagating, effectively creating a weak species.
Scientists like Charles Darwin suggested that the fittest of a species survive to reproduce and pass along their traits to succeeding generations, while the traits of the unfit gradually disappear. New evidence shows that hunters screw up the entire process. Hunters kill individuals with the best horns or antlers or the largest piece of hide rather than the one that is deformed or diseased. Studies are showing that species such as the bighorn sheep, red kangaroo, and even salmon are growing smaller because hunters are killing so many of the larger animals.
The authors give some great evidence as to why this type of 'unnatural selection' is so dangerous:
"Tusks used to make elephants fitter, as a weapon or a tool in foraging—until ivory became a precious commodity and having tusks got you killed. Then tuskless elephants, products of a genetic fluke, became the more consistent breeders and grew from around 2 percent among African elephants to more than 38 percent in one Zambian population, and 98 percent in a South African one." Tusked elephants, like the old dominant males on Ram Mountain, were "genetically 'better' individuals," says Festa-Bianchet. 'When you take them systematically out of the population for several years, you end up leaving essentially a bunch of losers doing the breeding.'"
When all the 'losers' are left in a species, the species becomes less viable and the survivors are left with a narrower gene pool.
Hunters often claim that the 'sport' is a natural act where they can get back to nature and celebrate tradition. The truth is, modern weaponry and the whole idea of hunting as a sport where competitors vie for the biggest trophy will imperil many of our most vital species including humans. Hunting is cruel, inhumane, unnatural and will be one the the factors in the destruction of the planet if it is not stopped.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
The first weekend round-up of 2009:
- Alanis Morrissette goes vegan!
- Rachel Ray wants you to poison your dog.
- Milk industry needs a bailout to continue selling pus laden staple.
- Coral growth slows to frightening levels.
- ACTION ALERT! Help free pigs from gestation crates and chains.
And something to keep you smiling...
Have a good week.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Trainers at the Oregon Zoo currently use violent and painful bullhooks on elephants. A bullhook is a long, heavy rod with a steel point and a hook at one end. Keepers jab bullhooks into the most sensitive parts of an elephant's body, such as behind the ears, inside the ear or mouth, in and around the anus, and in tender spots under the chin and around the feet.
Tell the Oregon Zoo to stop using bullhooks to hurt the elephants.
This video shows the use of a bullhook by a another violent organization, Ringling Brothers Circus.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
In 2009 I urge everyone to do something for animals on top of what you already do. I know you all are very creative but here are a couple things I think be a good place to start.
-If you're a vegetarian, GO VEGAN.
-If you eat any meat, STOP.
- Go to a cool animal rights conference such as the Portland's Let Live conference in June.
- Donate time or money to a committed organization that
protects animals.
- Cook a vegan meal for friends or family.
- Adopt a shelter animal.
These are just some of the things you can do in 2009 to help animals (and yourself) live a happier and healthier life. Thanks for reading The Informed Vegan blog this year, I'm committed to making this site even better in 2009.
How are you going to help animals in 2009?
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