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Tag: endangered species

  • Chinese Fisherman Nets Whale Shark

    Chinese Fisherman Nets Whale Shark

    A Chinese fisherman netted a 14-foot-long 4,000 pound whale shark over the weekend, and was able to strap the carcass to the roof of a truck and haul it to a fish market in Xiaozhi.

    Fishing for the endangered whale shark is illegal in China, but Fujian province Captain Cai Chengzhu claims that the massive fish was accidently caught in his nets, and died while his crew tried to release it.

    “It’s believed that the giant creature broke the net and got inside to eat the fish we caught. It was really unfortunate and we did our best to free it, but having caught it and because it was already dead, it seemed a shame to waste it,” Chengzhu commented.

    The fisherman was hoping to get between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan (between $1618.52 and $3237.03 USD) for his hard-to-conceal whale shark, before being nabbed by Fujian fishery officials.

    The shark ended up being processed, and the meat was auctioned off at charity prices.

    The whale shark, or Rhincodon typus, is a gentle, slow-moving filter feeding shark and the largest of extant fish species. The shark is known to feed off fish trapped in nets, which corroborates Captain Chengzhu’s explanation for his catch.

    The whale shark lives in tropical and warm oceans and is an open ocean-dwelling species. Its average lifespan is roughly 70 years, though some individuals live for a century. The whale shark is the largest existing nonmammalian vertebrate, with the largest confirmed specimen weighing in at 47,000 pounds at 41.5 feet long.

    Image via YouTube

  • Earth Facing Sixth Mass Extinction

    Earth Facing Sixth Mass Extinction

    The Earth may be on the brink of a sixth mass extinction, due to human activity, according to the academic journal Science.

    The Earth’s most recent mass extinction event occurred roughly 65 million years ago, when an asteroid wiped out 75% of all existing species, including the dinosaurs.

    Commenting on the progression of Earth’s present defaunation, or loss of species, Science author Sacha Vignieri said, “human impacts on animal biodiversity are an under-recognized form of global environmental change. Among terrestrial vertebrates, 322 species have become extinct since 1500, and populations of the remaining species show 25% average decline in abundance.”

    The team of biologists and ecologists who contributed to the study revealed that a third of all vertebrates on the planet are presently threatened or endangered. Vignieri cites “overexploitation, habitat destruction and impacts from invasive species” as ongoing threats, but warns that climate change due to human activity will emerge as the leading cause of defaunation. Likewise, diseases that come from pathogens introduced by humans have become a factor.

    Paleoecologists estimate that modern man has driven approximately 1,000 species into extinction during our 200,000 years on the planet. Since the sixteenth century, man has killed off hundreds of animals, including the passenger pigeon and the Tasmanian tiger. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, there are another 20,000 species threatened today.

    Though, research has suggested that the widening extinction trend can be reversed.

    Humans presently use half of the planet’s unfrozen land for cities, logging or agriculture. Reforestation and restoration of lost habitats, coupled with relocation and recolonization efforts can assist in the “refaunation” of species driven from their native locales.

    Based on data published in Nature in 2011, it will take a century or two to assure another mass extinction event at the present rate of global depredation.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Peregrine Falcon Nest Delays Aircraft Carrier Trip

    The U.S. Navy is set to send the decommissioned supercarrier USS Saratoga from Newport, Rhode Island to Texas to be dismantled, but a family of peregrine falcons nesting on board has caused a delay. The Navy isn’t moving the ship until the fledglings are ready to take flight.

    Naval Station Newport contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after the falcons were discovered in the spring. Wildlife officials estimated that the birds should be finished rearing the chicks by mid-August, and recommended waiting until then to move the Saratoga.

    Lisa Rama, spokeswoman for Naval Station Newport, commented, “We wanted to do the right thing by these birds.” The peregrine falcon is likewise federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and moving the carrier while the birds are nesting could be considered a crime.

    The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth, and was once clocked at 242 miles per hour during a hunting dive, and eats mostly other birds after knocking them out mid-flight.

    Here a peregrine takes down a pigeon:

    Here a gyrfalcon, of the same family Falconidae as the peregrine. takes down a Canadian goose:

    Peregrine falcons were once an endangered species, after the widespread use of the pesticide DDT began to cause thinning of the birds’ eggshells. Though, after a 1973 ban of the poison, peregrine populations rebounded.

    According to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, there are currently about 10 nesting pairs in that state. The peregrine can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains and most tropical rainforests. The only major ice-free land mass the bird is absent from is New Zealand.

    Decommissioned ships are ideal spots for falcons to build their nests, as there are many ledges and high perches to watch for prey. The contract to scrap the Saratoga was handed to Texas company ESCO Marine in May.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • ‘Lost’ Snake Rediscovered on Mexico Island

    A species of snake not seen for almost 80 years was found on a remote island off of the Pacific coast of Mexico.

    Hypsiglena unaocularis, commonly known as the Clarión nightsnake, was first described by American naturalist William Beebe during his voyage to Clarión Island in 1936. Beebe encountered a single specimen, and the snake was not seen again in decades. Now researchers have confirmed the existence of the species, after collecting DNA samples from snakes on Clarión, which is part of the Revillagigedo Islands group.

    Daniel Mulcahy, a researcher for the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, was convinced that the snake might still exist, and he and Juan Martinez Gomez of Mexico’s Ecology Institute planned an expedition to the Revillagigedo Islands to find it. Martinez Gomez, an expert on the Revillagigedos, helped to form a plan for locating the nightsnake, using Beebe’s original field notes as a guide.

    Martinez Gomez commented, “Basically, following those directions, we essentially put ourselves in his place.” One of Martinez Gomez’ graduate students spotted the snake, the first seen alive since 1936. The team performed a DNA analysis to declare the animal as its own species, which revealed that it closely resembles snakes from Mexico’s Sonora-Sinaloa coast more than 500 miles away. Martinez Gomez thinks that the snakes may have floated on a tree trunk from the Mexican mainland to the island.

    Clarión Island is currently occupied by a small outfit of Mexican marines, and civilian visits to the area require a military escort, which has made it difficult to document the wildlife native to the region. This, along with a lack of sightings since Beebe’s 1936 find, caused scientists to presume that Beebe had provided an incorrect locality for the specimen

    Here is an old-school documentary on the wildlife of Clarión Island, with native species include the Clarión Burrowing Owl, the Clarión Wren, the Clarión Mourning Dove and the Clarion Island Whipsnake:

    The National Museum of Natural History commented that Mulcahy “uncovered the controversy surrounding the inclusion of this snake in the scientific record, and found that it appears to be the only species ever to be discarded due to a presumed locality error.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Whale Carcass Feared Ready to Explode

    Whale Carcass Feared Ready to Explode

    Residents of Trout River in Newfoundland, Canada fear that a blue whale carcass that washed ashore last week may be ready to explode. The stinky, 82-foot-long cetacean has been expanding due to a buildup of various gasses, and might go by the way of a putrefied sperm whale that exploded in the Faroe Islands last November.

    Emily Butler, Trout River town manager, commented, “The whale is blowing up. It looks as if it’s a big balloon, from a distance. There is a possibility as well, with all these gases inside the whale, that it may possibly explode…That’s a major concern for us.”

    Trout River, pop. 600, had asked for a hand in removing the carcass from provincial and federal government agencies, but were told that they have to deal with the whale themselves. Butler added, “I wouldn’t want to direct anybody to actually remove this animal you know, under the town’s responsibility because we don’t have the expertise to do such a thing. I’m also hearing that DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) would seem to take this as being an interference with navigation if it’s taken back out to the ocean.”

    The blue whale is the largest known animal to have ever existed, sometimes reaching 100 feet in length. and weighing almost 200 tons. Trout River residents are already complaining of the stench of the whale, which would be compounded if it blew up. Though, it would appear that some sort of gaseous release will occur regardless of how the situation is handled.

    During the putrefaction process of a dead animal, various gasses begin to build up within the abdominal cavity of the carcass, specifically methane, sometimes resulting in animal explosions. These foul forces of nature are rare, though not unprecedented. Here is a clip of the Faroe Islands explosion:

    It is not yet clear how Trout River plans to dispose of their whale, and Butler said, “We’re really concerned about the smell from this. We are also concerned with the health aspect of this animal being on the beach line.”

    Image via YouTube

  • California Gray Wolf: Decision Delayed on Protecting Rare Breed

    The gray wolf endangered species was considered by The California Fish and Game Commission Wednesday in an effort to protect the rare breed.

    After failing to come up with a unanimous agreement, the commission of five members decided to delay the decision.

    A gray wolf-known as OR-7-that crossed into Northern California from Oregon is the only known breed of his kind in the area.

    The state board wants to ensure that the population of the gray wolf is legally protected from threatening situations.

    More than 50 people attended the gathering including rancher Kirk Wilbur, who is the director of government relation for the California Cattlemen’s Association.

    He told the commission that the gray wolf is dangerous by nature.

    “Wolves directly kill livestock and in addition to that they can cause disease and other harm from stress,” he told the Associated Press.

    Another attendant at the meeting also agreed.

    “Wolves are beautiful animals,” said Ventura rancher Mike Williams. “But they’re also vicious, brutal and efficient killing machines and a threat to people, livestock and pets.”

    Many ranchers and farmers are quite disappointed that the commission is pushing forward an agenda that would include wolves on the California endangered species list.

    A past report about a man accidentally shooting a gray wolf:

    However, the Center for Biological Diversity says that their sudden disappearance in Northern California proves that they are going into extinction.

     

     

    According to CBS Sacramento, the gray wolf population made a sudden reappearance after its massive slaughter in the 1920s. In the 1980s and 90s, wolves were near extinction until federal protection laws were passed in their favor.

    Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and the Great Lakes are some of the main regions where wolves can be found. However, these areas do not grant wolves federal protection. Forty-eight states have also considered removing their protection laws.

    Advocates hope that the best decision will be made for OR-7 and other wolves alike.

    The commission plans to officially vote on the matter in 90 days.

    A past report about OR-7’s travel to California:

    Image via YouTube

  • Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Grand Canyon Hybrid Bison On a Tear

    Over 350 hybrid bison have been on a rampage in the northern region of Grand Canyon National Park, and the herd has been tearing up vegetation, impinging on the native habitat of the endangered Mexican spotted owl, knocking down Native American cliff dwellings and befouling the water supply by using it as a toilet.

    The animals were originally introduced to northern Arizona in the early 1900’s, and have made their way past the boundaries of the Grand Canyon. The state of Arizona legally owns the herd as it exists outside of the park, but the bison are now almost exclusively living within the borders of the national reserve. The wily bison were brought to the region to be crossbred with cows for ranching operations, to produce hybrids known as beefalo or cattalo.

    Beefalo are a fertile hybrid combination of domestic cattle and the American bison, created to combine the characteristics of both species for beef production. Beefalo are primarily cattle genetically, and typically maintain only 37.5% bison DNA. Animals that have gained more bison genes over generations are known as “bison hybrids.” These bison no longer resemble cattle, but still maintain roughly ten percent cattle DNA.

    Here are some more genetically-aligned beefalo/cattalo grazing:

    Creating beefalo has proven to be a serious setback to wild American bison conservation. Most current buffalo herds are genetically polluted or partly crossbred with cattle, and only four purebred American bison herds remain in the United States.

    Federal and state wildlife officials are weighing methods to control the herd residing in the park, where they are protected by law, allowing for a free-range population that can be taken by huntsman on nearby forested areas. On Wednesday it was announced that three meetings on the matter will be held in southern Utah and Arizona, along with a 60-day scoping period.

    Grand Canyon Superintendent Dave Uberuaga commented, “It’s the first step in a long process today. We’re just trying to get it out there and get it on everybody’s radar screens.”

    Bison can weigh more than a ton, and can run as fast as 40 mph. Uberuaga noted that present management methods which include baiting, hazing, fencing and relocating the bison and shooting them has proven ineffective in controlling the Grand Canyon population.

    Officials from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service expect to have a plan concerning the wayward herd to be issued by fall, 2016.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Sumatran Rhino ‘Suci’ Dies at Zoo

    A rare female Sumatran rhinoceros called Suci died at the Cincinnati Zoo Sunday, putting a big damper on the breeding program that had been implemented to help save the critically endangered species. Suci was one of ten Sumatran rhinos in captivity worldwide, and the only female in Cincinnati.

    The rhino had been showing symptoms indicative of the same disease that killed her mother, though zoo officials won’t be sure until necropsy results come in, which might take months.

    Sumatran rhinos are very critically endangered, with only six populations existing in the wild – four in Sumatra, one in Borneo and one in the Malay Peninsula. They’re difficult to count, because they’re a solitary species and are scattered across a wide range, but their numbers are estimated to be less than 275. The decline of the Sumatran rhinoceros is due primarily to poaching for their horns, which go for up to $30,000 a kilo on the black market. The horns are greatly valued in Chinese traditional medicine.

    Here’s a clip featuring Suci:

    The zoo had attempted to inbreed Suci with a sibling, younger brother Harapan, who is now the only Sumatran rhino in North America, after a summit in Singapore deemed that as few as 100 Sumatran rhinoceroses comprise the Indonesian and Malaysian populations. Andalas, the other male born at the zoo, was sent to Sumatra in 2007 to jump start a breeding program there, and has produced a male calf with a wild-born mother.

    Here’s some footage of Harapan:

    Zoo staff had been waiting on Harapan to reach sexual maturity, but a few months ago Suci developed hemochromatosis, also known as iron storage disease. The female rhino was initially responding to therapy, and regaining weight, though her condition began to deteriorate rapidly on Sunday.

    Terri Roth, director of the Lindner Center for Conservation & Research of Endangered Wildlife said in a statement Monday, “Suci was a symbol of hope for her entire species, one that is quickly losing ground in the wild, and her absence will leave a hole in our hearts.” The Cincinnati Zoo has yet to form a new plan to reestablish the breeding program, but remains committed to saving the species.

    Roth added, “If we don’t act quickly and boldly, the loss of this magnificent animal will be among the great tragedies of our time.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mexico’s “Water Monster” May Be Extinct

    Mexico’s “Water Monster” May Be Extinct

    The search is on for Mexico’s “water monster”, known as the axolotl. The animal has all but disappeared from the lakes in the Mexico City region. This is of great concern, as this region is the only known habitat of the axolotl, prompting some to question whether or not the species may be on the verge of extinction.

    The axolotl earned the name “Mexican walking fish” due to the way it moves. Where as other fish swim, the axolotl makes use of four stubby legs and it’s tail to “walk” along the bottoms of lakes. It is here that they find their primary source of food: insects, crustaceans, and smaller fish.

    Lake Xochimilco, where the majority of the fish had been previously found, has become quite polluted as the population grows. Unfortunately, this may have played a huge role in the disappearance of the Mexican walking fish.

    It is thought that millions of the axolotl occupied the lakes of Xochimilco and Chalco and thrived long before Mexico City was established. It seems a familiar and sad situation is occurring; the proximity to human population growth and man-made pollution results in nearby animal populations suffering.

    If the destruction of the axolotl’s natural habitat is causing the fish to go extinct, it may require human intervention.

    Biologist Luis Zambrano of Mexico’s National Autonomous University says that the previous three month hunt for the fish turned up nothing. A second three month hunt has been planned. If any are captured, they will be kept in labs. It is hoped that breeding the fish in tanks will allow the species to survive and perhaps come back from the brink of extinction.

    What’s startling is how such a rare creature could virtually vanish and no one notice until it is almost too late. Hopefully for the axolotl, these efforts will pan out and the rare fish can be saved.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Family Photo Shows Shark Lurking Eerily Close

    A populated area such as Manhattan Beach, California seems to be an unusual place to spot a shark, but unfortunately they’re not that uncommon in this area of the Pacific coast.

    It is especially surprising when that same shark went undetected by family or beach goers. The discovery that there was a shark at all didn’t come until later, when June Emerson reviewed the photos from the day at the beach with her family.

    In the photos, Emerson noticed her son Quinn and his friend surfing the waves, with a good-sized shark within feet of them.

    “It was quite a shock to see,” Emerson said.

    “Many local surfers and lifeguards have seen this [photo] and believe it to be a shark,” she said. “Of course, I told my kids it was dolphin, as we live at the beach and are in the waters here almost daily.”

    Emerson said her 12-year-old twins were also unaware of the fish swimming so close to them as they played in the waters off the popular beach on Friday.

    It wasn’t long ago that paddle boarders caught a video of a great white shark, around the same area. The video showed the shark just 50 yards from the shoreline.

    “There are two different things in your head,” paddle boarder Jay Dohner told the Los Angeles Times after using his helmet-mounted camera to record three great whites. “’Wow, that’s beautiful,’ and ‘we should get out of here.’”

    And although most people are scared to death of sharks and wouldn’t stick around long once one has been spotted, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife actually issued a warning for people to leave the sharks alone – for the protection of the sharks.

    The sharks coming in close to shore is a welcome development for wildlife researchers who say it’s a sign of a healthy rebound for marine life after California legislators prohibited the use of gill nets for fishing in 1990.

    On March 1, white sharks are being protected as they could be added to the California Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered. Presently the sharks cannot be legally hunted, captured or killed, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

    As for Emerson, she’d rather not let it dissuade her from enjoying the beauty of the Manhattan Beach Pacific Coast and can easily go on thinking it was just a playful dolphin who came so close to her son.

    “Another beautiful day at the beach,” Emerson wrote on her Facebook page. “Big waves and apparently Big Fish! (Look into wave to right of Quinn Emerson, who’s out catching a few!) – Manhattan Beach, California.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Rare Chinese Turtles Hatch at NYC Zoo

    Rare Chinese Turtles Hatch at NYC Zoo

    Five rare Chinese big-headed turtles, scientifically known as Platysternon megacephalum, were born at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Prospect Park Zoo in November.

    The 7-inch-long turtle gets its name because its skull is so large that its head is unable to retract into its shell. The five at Prospect Park represent the first successful breeding of the species within a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

    The turtles are a part of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s global endeavor to save critically endangered turtles from extinction. Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President of Zoos and Aquarium and Bronx Zoo Director, commented, “The success we are seeing at this point in our turtle propagation work is encouraging. Our work on breeding endangered turtles utilizes the expertise found throughout the entire WCS organization as well as various partner organizations with whom we work.”

    Check out a clip of the young turtles:

    The five new turtles join ten others at the Bronx and Prospect Park Zoos, the largest bale of the big-headed species in any AZA-accredited zoo. The hatchlings and most adults are housed in private areas of the zoos, though a single adult female is on exhibit at the “Animals in Our Lives” building at the Prospect Park Zoo.

    WCS is breeding Chinese big-headed turtles and other endangered turtle species to build upon a genetically viable population in-house, until conservationists are able to stabilize wild populations. Special husbandry techniques include the re-creation of environmental conditions the turtles would experience in their native habitats – mainly lighting, temperature and isolation alterations to promote hibernation. Traditionally, guy turtles usually look for lady turtles after coming out of hibernation.

    The Chinese big-headed turtle is native to China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The species is classified as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The species is readily eaten in Asia and is a common market item. Hunters typically capture them on lines using baited straight pins.

    Denise McClean, Director of the WCS Prospect Park Zoo, said, “With so many of the world’s freshwater turtles and tortoises facing extinction, these hatchlings represent significant progress for the conservation of the species. The science could help expand breeding programs to other facilities and can be useful to conservation work in the field.”

    Image via YouTube.

  • Blobfish Named World’s Ugliest Animal

    Blobfish Named World’s Ugliest Animal

    In a stunning (read, not stunning at all – in any way, shape, or form) announcement, the animal pictured above has recently been crowned the world’s ugliest animal. A recent contest held by the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, in partnership with the National Science + Engineering Competition, resulted in this beauty receiving the most votes (by 10,000+) over 10 other competitors: the Axolotl, British bats, the Dromedary Jumping Slug, the European Common Eel, the Flightless Dung Beetle, the Greater Short-Horned Lizard, the Kakapo, the Pig-Nosed Turtle, the Proboscis Monkey, and the Titicaca Scrotum Frog (That’s right, folks. A frog named after a man’s change-purse. Shudder…)

    The goal of the contest was to raised awareness about endangered animals that do not receive the same amount of attention as the “cuter” animals. Scientist and broadcaster Professor Brian Cox became the unofficial spokesperson for the campaign, stating “I support the ugly animal campaign, there are too many people trying to save cute animals. They get all the press, and all the attention. Ugly animals are more deserving than cute animals. So I think it is a superb campaign.” The contest garnered hundreds of thousands of viewers to its webpage and resulted in thousands of votes. Famous British celebrities such as Simon Pegg and Stephen Fry even joined in on the campaign, tweeting support for their favorite entry.

    Since the point is to raise awareness, let’s learn something about the blobfish. According to the British Science Association, the blobfish lives off the coast of Australia under higher pressure areas, anywhere from 600-1200 feet deep, and can grow up to 12 inches in length. Apparently, the only thing it does is bob around in the ocean…all day… Its gelatinous appearance both help it float without the aid of a gas bladder and allow it to just swallow up deep-water crustaceans. The blobfish is endangered because it is often swallowed up in the nets of fishing trawlers.

    While the blobfish may have been chosen as the world’s ugliest animals by primarily Brits (Who is probably the best group of people to judge ugliness…), but I want to know what our readers think. Here is the rest of the top five. Which animal is the ugliest? Respond in the Comments Section below.

    Number 2: The Kakapo

    (image)

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

    Number 3: The Axolotl

    (image)

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

    Number 4: The Titicaca Scrotum Frog

    (image)

    Image via Conservation.org

    Number 5: The Proboscis Monkey

    (image)

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

    * My vote is for the monkey. *

    Blobfish image via NOAA

  • Etsy Bans Items Made From These Animals

    Etsy Bans Items Made From These Animals

    Etsy updated its Prohibited Items policy this week to ban the listing of items made from certain animals, such as those designated as threatened or endangered. This includes (but is not limited to) fur, pelts, ivory, teeth, bones and taxidermied specimens.

    Specifically, the site bans products made from bear, cheetah, chimpanzee, chinchilla, elkhorn and staghorn coral, cougar, eagle, elephant, gorilla, jaguar, lemur, leopard, lion, lynx, monkey, ocelot, rhino, seal, sea lion, tiger, wallaby, whale and zebra.

    Additionally, the site prohibits the listing or sale of items derived from or created using any animal species designated as threatened or endangered under the US Endangered Species Act. That full list can be found here.

    Even if users have permits that allow them to acquire, possess or sell an animal species from the list, it is still prohibited on Etsy. They do, however, make an exception for Native Alaskans who are exempt from restrictions under Section 10e of the US Endangered Species Act. Here’s what Etsy says about that in an FAQ:

    Etsy values the preservation of traditional Native Alaskan cultures. For this reason, we’ve made an exception to our prohibited species policy for authentic articles of Native Alaskan crafts that are exempt under US law.

    Sellers who list items on Etsy under this exception warrant that their items qualify and are in compliance with all relevant laws, including, but not limited to, the Endangered Species Act, the Whaling Convention Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

    All restrictions apply to those who do not live in the U.S., as well. The rules apply to both new products as well as vintage/antique or “pre-ban” items.

    Tusk

    “The risk that the legal status of these items may be unknown or mislabeled is too great, and continued sale of these items, though potentially legal, stands to perpetuate market demand and further jeopardize the existence of these species,” says Etsy’s Lauren Engelhardt in a blog post.

    The changes are effective immediately. The company says it is contacting users who may have violating listings about the changes, and that some listings may need to be removed. Indeed there are still some up:

    Lynx pelt

    monkey head

    Cougar skin rug

    Zebra skin handbag

    Bear head

    Etsy’s move to eliminate these items has won praise from the IFAW (INternational Fund for Animal Welfare). The organization’s North America Regional Director Jeff Flocken issued the following statement today:

    Congratulations to Etsy for stepping up to the plate in prohibiting the sale of ivory and all other products made from endangered species. By reconsidering its wildlife policies, Etsy joins eBay as a leader in saving wildlife on the web. eBay voluntarily banned all animal ivory from its sites globally in 2008 after the release of the IFAW investigative report, Killing with Keystrokes. Now other web platforms like Craigslist, Bonanza and Google Shop should follow suit and do the same. Just last week on these three sites IFAW found ivory, live parrots and tortoises, monkey bone, and even rhino horn, all available for sale. We hope that these websites will follow the example of Etsy and eBay and move quickly to put an end to the illicit wildlife trade occurring on-line.

    The Killing With Keystrokes report is available here.

  • Captive Chimps May Soon Get Endangered Species Protections

    If a recent proposal is finalized, captive chimpanzees will be given an extra layer of protection – the same afforded to their wild counterparts.

    As of right now, only wild chimpanzees are considered an “endangered” species. Captive chimps, on the other hand, are simply listed as “threatened.” A new proposal from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service looks to change that.

    Under the proposal, all chimpanzees would be given the “endangered” tag.

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) says that the move was made to “reflect growing threats to the species.” Deforestation, poaching, capture for trading, and disease are all growing threats to wild chimpanzees. But it’s not simply these threats that moved the FWS to make this proposal.

    “The rule proposed today would correct this inconsistency after the Service determined that the Endangered Species Act does not allow for captive-held animals to be assigned a separate legal status from their wild counterparts,” says the FWS.

    The proposal actually sprung out of a 2010 petition from a handful of concerned organizations – one of which being the Jane Goodall Institute.

    “I was so pleased to hear about the proposed rule. This is exceptional news for all chimpanzees and for all the petitioners, especially the Humane Society of the United States, who have worked so hard on this issue,” said Dr. Jane Goodall. “This decision gives me hope that we truly have begun to understand that our attitudes toward treatment of our closest living relatives must change. I congratulate the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for this very important decision.”

    The proposal entered a public comment period today, and will stay open for 60 days.

    “Chimpanzees are in trouble, in the wild and in captivity, and this elevation in their protected status is a critical tool in saving them and in assuring that our children grow up in a world where chimps still live in their native habitats,” said Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.

    Here’s the crux of what would change under the new protection:

    If this proposal is finalized, certain activities would require a permit, including import and export of chimpanzees into and out of the United States, “take” (defined by the ESA as harm, harass, kill, injure, etc.) within the United States, and interstate and foreign commerce. Permits would be issued only for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species, including habitat restoration and research on chimpanzees in the wild that contributes to improved management and recovery.

    “The International Fund for Animal Welfare strongly supports protecting captive chimpanzees under the Endangered Species Act. The current split-listing is not only inconsistent with the purpose and intent of the Act, but it has also led to widespread commercial exploitation that greatly undermines efforts to save our closest living relatives from extinction. All chimpanzees, captive and wild, are entitled to protections warranted an endangered species. We commend the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for re-examining the split-listing,” said North American regional director Jeff Flocken.

  • Rare Tiger Born at San Francisco Zoo

    The San Francisco Zoo this week announced that a rare sumatran tiger cub was born on Sunday, February 10.

    The cub hasn’t been named yet and even its gender won’t be known for some time. It is currently spending time bonding with its mother, Leanne, at the Lion House in the Zoo. The cub’s father, Larry, is continuing to live a normal zoo tiger’s life.

    The Lion House has been closed “until further notice,” and it will be a while before the cub will be on display for the public.

    The announcement of the birth came via the San Francisco Zoo’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

    A San Francisco Chronicle report on the event quoted a San Francisco Zoo zookeeper as saying that Leanne is “responding very well to motherhood” and grooming the cub.

    Sumatran Tigers are considered “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The worldwide population of the species is estimated by the group to be less than 700 tigers, total. That minimal population is still declining due to the loss of the tigers’ habitat in Sumatra, a western Indonesian island.

    (Image courtesy the San Francisco Zoo)