Earth 'On Verge of Major Biodiversity Crisis'
rudkla - 25. Jul, 08:31
Animal Protection - Tierschutz
Dienstag, 25. Juli 2006
The Whale's Tale
It's among the biggest, the rarest, and most beautiful creatures on Earth. But now the western north Pacific gray whale is being forced to share its home with one of the most ambitious oil and gas drilling projects ever undertaken.
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/072406EC.shtml
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Whale
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/072406EC.shtml
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Whale
rudkla - 25. Jul, 08:27
Montag, 24. Juli 2006
Europe Losing Pollinators
A new study just published in the journal Science confirms a significant decrease in the numbers and variety of pollinating insects in Europe as well as an associated decline of the wild plants they service.
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072406H.shtml
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=bees
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=bees
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072406H.shtml
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=bees
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=bees
rudkla - 24. Jul, 23:13
Sonntag, 23. Juli 2006
Animal testing hits a 14-year high
rudkla - 23. Jul, 16:09
Freitag, 21. Juli 2006
Tigers on the brink of extinction
· Study finds massive drop in key habitat areas · More protection urged to save wild populations
James Randerson,
science correspondent
Friday July 21, 2006
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1825712,00.html
Tigers, among the planet's most iconic and secretive creatures, have been near the top of the endangered list for some time. But yesterday, a landmark study by leading conservationists warned that their plight is even more serious than previously feared.
The big cat, the report warns, is close to extinction and the area in which it lives has been nearly halved in the last 10 years.
The area occupied by tigers is 41% smaller than 10 years ago and is just
7% of its historical "range" before habitat loss and hunting slashed its numbers, according to scientists at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, the World Wildlife Fund and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington. Tigers once ranged across Asia from eastern Turkey to the Russian far east.
In India, for example, where 60% of the world's tigers live, the population fell from 100,000 in the 19th century to 3,600 now. Many researchers believe the true figure is less than half the official estimate.
"The current trajectory will surely cause wild populations to disappear in many places, or shrink to the point of 'ecological extinction' - where their numbers are too few to play their role as the top predator," the authors write. "Now more than ever, tigers need homeland security." This grim prediction will come true in 20 years, the authors estimate, unless urgent action is taken.
The study is a follow-up to similar work carried out in 1995. It draws together satellite data on habitat type, information on poaching in different regions and data on tiger numbers.
Counting tigers is notoriously difficult because they are extremely secretive and very spread out. Data is collected either by counting paw prints or setting camera traps which snap unsuspecting tigers on their nightly prowl.
The study, paid for by the Save the Tiger Fund, identifies 76 "tiger conservation landscapes" - places with habitat which has the best chance of supporting viable tiger populations. Half would be able to support 100 tigers or more.
The grim headline figure is not simply a measure of how much tiger habitat has been destroyed since 1995, although much has been lost. The data take into account whether habitat that has become fragmented would be big enough to support a tiger population. The cats are reluctant to cross open areas and so need well connected forest. Also, it takes into account whether heavy poaching of the tigers' prey means that there would not be enough food for females to raise cubs.
"The last decade has been catastrophic for tigers and they simply can't afford another one like that," said Eric Dinerstein, chief scientist with WWF and one of the study's authors. But the news is not all bad, he said. "Like the Dow Jones, there are some stocks that are up while the rest are down."
The tiger population in the Russian far east, for example, has increased over the past half century from around 50 to 500. Also, the survey shows that targeted conservation efforts can pay off. "Just by applying a little bit of protection, they can rebound dramatically," said Dr Dinerstein. Tigers breed quickly for a large mammal and do not require pristine habitat to survive, so preventing poaching can lead to a rapid recovery of a local population. Apart from physical habitat destruction, the main threat comes from hunters. A tiger skin can fetch more than £5,000 and the penises, used in traditional Chinese medicine, are worth £14,000 a kilo.
"A lot of money is involved and a lot of people are involved," said Tito Joseph with the Wildlife Protection Society of India. Criminal gangs with links to drugs and arms trading smuggle tiger parts from India to China and Tibet. Skins are popular as garments called chubbas, and are also traded to collectors in the west.
Contrary to popular belief, tiger penises are not used as an aphrodisiac in Chinese medicine, but in cures for fevers and rheumatism. The Chinese government and NGOs are working with traditional medicine sellers to promote alternatives. The bones of a common mole rat called the sailong are now often used.
"There is cause for optimism," said Sabri Zain, advocacy and campaign director of Traffic, an NGO that combats illegal wildlife trade. "In terms of trade there is an appreciable reduction in demand for tiger bone-based medicine."
The authors of the report - Setting Priorities for the Conservation and Recovery of Wild Tigers 2005-2015 - advocate a "tiger summit", involving the heads of state of the 13 countries which still host the species. They believe this would galvanise political will and raise funds for conservation. To safeguard the remaining animals, the report says increased protection of the 20 most important tiger habitat areas should be a priority. Of the six tiger sub-species, the Javan tiger, Caspian tiger and Bali tiger have already become extinct.
Informant: binstock
James Randerson,
science correspondent
Friday July 21, 2006
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1825712,00.html
Tigers, among the planet's most iconic and secretive creatures, have been near the top of the endangered list for some time. But yesterday, a landmark study by leading conservationists warned that their plight is even more serious than previously feared.
The big cat, the report warns, is close to extinction and the area in which it lives has been nearly halved in the last 10 years.
The area occupied by tigers is 41% smaller than 10 years ago and is just
7% of its historical "range" before habitat loss and hunting slashed its numbers, according to scientists at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York, the World Wildlife Fund and the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington. Tigers once ranged across Asia from eastern Turkey to the Russian far east.
In India, for example, where 60% of the world's tigers live, the population fell from 100,000 in the 19th century to 3,600 now. Many researchers believe the true figure is less than half the official estimate.
"The current trajectory will surely cause wild populations to disappear in many places, or shrink to the point of 'ecological extinction' - where their numbers are too few to play their role as the top predator," the authors write. "Now more than ever, tigers need homeland security." This grim prediction will come true in 20 years, the authors estimate, unless urgent action is taken.
The study is a follow-up to similar work carried out in 1995. It draws together satellite data on habitat type, information on poaching in different regions and data on tiger numbers.
Counting tigers is notoriously difficult because they are extremely secretive and very spread out. Data is collected either by counting paw prints or setting camera traps which snap unsuspecting tigers on their nightly prowl.
The study, paid for by the Save the Tiger Fund, identifies 76 "tiger conservation landscapes" - places with habitat which has the best chance of supporting viable tiger populations. Half would be able to support 100 tigers or more.
The grim headline figure is not simply a measure of how much tiger habitat has been destroyed since 1995, although much has been lost. The data take into account whether habitat that has become fragmented would be big enough to support a tiger population. The cats are reluctant to cross open areas and so need well connected forest. Also, it takes into account whether heavy poaching of the tigers' prey means that there would not be enough food for females to raise cubs.
"The last decade has been catastrophic for tigers and they simply can't afford another one like that," said Eric Dinerstein, chief scientist with WWF and one of the study's authors. But the news is not all bad, he said. "Like the Dow Jones, there are some stocks that are up while the rest are down."
The tiger population in the Russian far east, for example, has increased over the past half century from around 50 to 500. Also, the survey shows that targeted conservation efforts can pay off. "Just by applying a little bit of protection, they can rebound dramatically," said Dr Dinerstein. Tigers breed quickly for a large mammal and do not require pristine habitat to survive, so preventing poaching can lead to a rapid recovery of a local population. Apart from physical habitat destruction, the main threat comes from hunters. A tiger skin can fetch more than £5,000 and the penises, used in traditional Chinese medicine, are worth £14,000 a kilo.
"A lot of money is involved and a lot of people are involved," said Tito Joseph with the Wildlife Protection Society of India. Criminal gangs with links to drugs and arms trading smuggle tiger parts from India to China and Tibet. Skins are popular as garments called chubbas, and are also traded to collectors in the west.
Contrary to popular belief, tiger penises are not used as an aphrodisiac in Chinese medicine, but in cures for fevers and rheumatism. The Chinese government and NGOs are working with traditional medicine sellers to promote alternatives. The bones of a common mole rat called the sailong are now often used.
"There is cause for optimism," said Sabri Zain, advocacy and campaign director of Traffic, an NGO that combats illegal wildlife trade. "In terms of trade there is an appreciable reduction in demand for tiger bone-based medicine."
The authors of the report - Setting Priorities for the Conservation and Recovery of Wild Tigers 2005-2015 - advocate a "tiger summit", involving the heads of state of the 13 countries which still host the species. They believe this would galvanise political will and raise funds for conservation. To safeguard the remaining animals, the report says increased protection of the 20 most important tiger habitat areas should be a priority. Of the six tiger sub-species, the Javan tiger, Caspian tiger and Bali tiger have already become extinct.
Informant: binstock
rudkla - 21. Jul, 16:22
Save the whales from Navy sonar deployment
A message from June
Original Message:
This was on the Greenpeace group post. I had not seen it before. Please sign petition to save the whales from Navy sonar deployment.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/709123154
Please pass this along to others
Thanks!
Judy
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=sonar
Original Message:
This was on the Greenpeace group post. I had not seen it before. Please sign petition to save the whales from Navy sonar deployment.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/709123154
Please pass this along to others
Thanks!
Judy
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=sonar
rudkla - 21. Jul, 10:23
THIRD OF MALE FISH IN RIVERS ARE CHANGING SEX
By Fiona Macrae
Daily Mail
July 19, 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=396612&in_page_id=1770
A third of male fish in English rivers are changing sex due to 'gender-bending' pollution, alarming research shows.
Experts say female hormones from the contraceptive pill and HRT are being washed into our rivers and causing male fish to produce eggs.
The problem -- which is country-wide -- has raised fears that the pollutants could also be contaminating our drinking water -- and even be affecting the fertility of men.
The Environment Agency study looked at the health of more than 1600 roach found in 51 rivers and streams around the country.
Overall, a third of the male fish were between sexes. However, in one waterway, near a particularly heavy discharge of treated sewage more than 80 per cent had female characteristics.
Tests showed the males developed female sex organs and were producing eggs. Such fish also produce less sperm and the sperm that is produced is of low quality. Females may also be affected, producing abnormal eggs.
Previous studies have that cod, trout and flounders are all being feminised.
Researcher Professor Charles Tyler said that the fish are swimming in a soup of oestrogen-like compounds, found in the Pill and in HRT.
The hormone, which is also produced naturally by women and found in industrial waste, is released into our waterways after surviving the sewage treatment process.
Prof Tyler, one of the country's leading authorities on the effects of oestrogen, said: 'There is a soup of oestrogen compounds, all with different degrees of potency and they are interactive in their effects -- if you add them together, you add there are additional effects.
'This soup of oestrogen is responsible for causing these changes to the fish. It is abnormal. These fish should be male or female. The fact that we have got such a large proportion right across the country is not right.'
The Exeter University professor said it is too early to say what the long-term implications will be for Britain's fishlife.
While it may not initially have a big impact on stock levels, a reduction in the number of breeding males could lead to all sorts of genetic problems in later years.
'Effects like a change in how many males can contribute to the population can change the genetic structure of the population,' he said. 'In five years' item, the whole system could go belly-up.'
Human health could also be at risk, with oestrogen from contaminated food and water building up in our bodies.
Although there is no conclusive proof, it is thought the hormone, which has similar actions in fish and humans, could be partly to blame for falling sperm counts in men.
British men's sperm counts dropped by almost a third between 1989 and 2002, and one in six couples now have difficulty conceiving.
Prof Tyler said: 'There is certainly the potential for it to have an effect in humans -- and possibly a marked effect.'
The Environment Agency is looking at ways of improving the sewage treatment process, to either remove oestrogen during the process or reduce the amount that is discharged into our waterways.
Informant: NHNE
Daily Mail
July 19, 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=396612&in_page_id=1770
A third of male fish in English rivers are changing sex due to 'gender-bending' pollution, alarming research shows.
Experts say female hormones from the contraceptive pill and HRT are being washed into our rivers and causing male fish to produce eggs.
The problem -- which is country-wide -- has raised fears that the pollutants could also be contaminating our drinking water -- and even be affecting the fertility of men.
The Environment Agency study looked at the health of more than 1600 roach found in 51 rivers and streams around the country.
Overall, a third of the male fish were between sexes. However, in one waterway, near a particularly heavy discharge of treated sewage more than 80 per cent had female characteristics.
Tests showed the males developed female sex organs and were producing eggs. Such fish also produce less sperm and the sperm that is produced is of low quality. Females may also be affected, producing abnormal eggs.
Previous studies have that cod, trout and flounders are all being feminised.
Researcher Professor Charles Tyler said that the fish are swimming in a soup of oestrogen-like compounds, found in the Pill and in HRT.
The hormone, which is also produced naturally by women and found in industrial waste, is released into our waterways after surviving the sewage treatment process.
Prof Tyler, one of the country's leading authorities on the effects of oestrogen, said: 'There is a soup of oestrogen compounds, all with different degrees of potency and they are interactive in their effects -- if you add them together, you add there are additional effects.
'This soup of oestrogen is responsible for causing these changes to the fish. It is abnormal. These fish should be male or female. The fact that we have got such a large proportion right across the country is not right.'
The Exeter University professor said it is too early to say what the long-term implications will be for Britain's fishlife.
While it may not initially have a big impact on stock levels, a reduction in the number of breeding males could lead to all sorts of genetic problems in later years.
'Effects like a change in how many males can contribute to the population can change the genetic structure of the population,' he said. 'In five years' item, the whole system could go belly-up.'
Human health could also be at risk, with oestrogen from contaminated food and water building up in our bodies.
Although there is no conclusive proof, it is thought the hormone, which has similar actions in fish and humans, could be partly to blame for falling sperm counts in men.
British men's sperm counts dropped by almost a third between 1989 and 2002, and one in six couples now have difficulty conceiving.
Prof Tyler said: 'There is certainly the potential for it to have an effect in humans -- and possibly a marked effect.'
The Environment Agency is looking at ways of improving the sewage treatment process, to either remove oestrogen during the process or reduce the amount that is discharged into our waterways.
Informant: NHNE
rudkla - 21. Jul, 09:37
Donnerstag, 20. Juli 2006
Scientists Warn of Species Holocaust
rudkla - 20. Jul, 23:28
Dienstag, 18. Juli 2006
Protect wild animals from some of the cruelest and most unsporting hunts in the country
Because we know you are concerned about inhumane sport hunting practices, I'd like to invite you to take action to help stop a grisly shark killing contest on Martha's Vineyard. Then, read on for several updates about The Humane Society of the United States' efforts to protect wild animals from some of the cruelest and most unsporting hunts in the country.
Take action under:
https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=3750360
Take action under:
https://community.hsus.org/humane/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=3750360
rudkla - 18. Jul, 23:02
