wild animals
Animals the way nature intended it; explore the world of wild animals and the controversies surrounding domestication and hunting of feral beasts.
Dear Canada, a Ban on Cetaceans in Human Care Won't Save Marine Mammals
Recently, Canada's Senate has passed a bill dubbed as "Bill S-203," which would outlaw the keeping of cetaceans in human care for almost any given purpose. While Marineland Canada and Vancouver Aquarium, the two Canadian zoological facilities that currently house cetaceans would be exempted from this ban, the harm it would have on zoos and aquariums that currently house and care for cetaceans and other marine mammals, as well as efforts to save wild cetacean populations in Canada, is unimaginable in so many ways. However, since the Senate has passed this bill, its next step would be for it to pass through House before being signed by Canada's governor general.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
The World's Most Endangered Mammals
There is one island off the coast of Africa that has been adapting and evolving on its own time. There are several different species of primates on the island, there are several species of lemurs, lorises, bush-babies, and tarsiers. Like the picture above, lemurs are the biggest prosimian on Madagascar and there are many species as well. There are, ring-tailed lemurs, indri lemurs, red ruffed lemurs, sifaka lemurs, black and white ruffed lemurs, and the Aye-aye. There are many more, and most of them are either critically endangered or endangered. This could be due to habitat loss, or hunting. To put this severity into data, 91 percent of the known species of lemurs are at least threatened (there are 103 known species). This has been worsening over time, and is not getting better.
By Hanna Lund7 years ago in Petlife
11 Species That May Return from Extinction
Remember watching Jurassic Park, the film about a park that used genetic engineering to make dinosaurs live once more? It may have been one of the best sci-fi movies of the 90s, but these days, it's starting to look more like a documentary than anything else.
By Sasha Konikovo7 years ago in Petlife
Activists Target Florida with New Orca Breeding Ban
A group of radical animal rights extremists under the Animal League Defense Fund, via Representative Jared Moskowitz, have managed to get an amendment that would ban Florida-based zoos and aquariums from possibly housing, or breeding killer whales in their care. The bill, which was heavily inspired by a biased documentary called Blackfish, was originally drafted for the 2018 legislative session, but luckily, at the time, it was never voted on. A year later, these extremists are back with the bill by demanding the public to have it voted for next year's session. Extremists claim that the bill is "animal-saving" when in reality, it would do more harm than any good and there are a number of problems with these breeding "bans" when they are used as legislative methods to control the zoological community.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Farming for Bees, It’s the Bees Knees!
The news is filled with disasters. Recently Colony Collapse Disorder was a news worthy disaster. It was a large enough issue that even Doctor Who brought up the “mysterious disappearance of the bees”. It appears that this disaster evolved from a deep-rooted problem with many different sources. Beekeepers and farmers have been at odds for years over pesticides. With the recent disappearances of bees, the tension has been growing. A slightly less popularized issue is that farming is not what it used to be. The same farm that raised seven kids and allowed the baby boomers to retire comfortably is working its kids to the bone and not providing enough income to support the next generations. These two issues feel like very opposite ends of the spectrum. Farmers are calling for stronger pesticides to protect what little they are making, while beekeepers are pleading for less harsh chemicals. More land is being put into production and taking away habitats for wild animals and destroying nectar sources of bees. Something needs to change for the sake of all involved.
By Marissa shook7 years ago in Petlife
Pollution Could Kill Half of the World’s Wild Orca Populations
Around the world, many wild orca populations are affected by pollution caused by man-made toxins. These toxins are made of various chemicals that often are used on land for different purposes, only to end up in waterways through runoffs before making their way into the ocean as a form of pollution. These various chemicals include flame retardants, industrial pollutants, oils, and pesticides, and they have all been known to enter into oceanic waters through waterways and are now, having a major impact on marine wildlife, including the orcas. Speaking of orcas, a new study has recently confirmed that half of all of the known wild orca populations could be at risk of dying out as a result of exposure to the effects of toxins and ongoing pollution in various parts of the world.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Two More Southern Resident Orcas Are Ailing—and Three Are Pregnant
According to researchers who are focused on the Southern Resident orca population, two more whales are falling ill as a result of the lack of salmon they depend on for their survival. The first animal in question is K25, also known as Scoter. He's a 27-year-old adult male who has been documented in aerial photographs for the last decade. Researchers say that in recent weeks, Scoter has been showing signs of becoming thinner than he was in previous years. The trouble for the endangered mammal began last year when his mother, K13, also known as Skagit, died. This is because Skagit, like all orca matriarchs within the Southern Resident pods, helped her family and other pods in navigating the Salish Sea for salmon before capturing and sharing the newly caught prey. Male orcas rely on help from their mothers, sisters, female cousins, nieces, and aunts to find and track down prey and meet their much larger energy demands. Studies have shown that adult orca males tend to have higher risks of dying following their mothers' deaths. This puts Scoter at a higher risk of dying.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Morgan, a Rescued Killer Whale Gives Birth at Loro Parque
Morgan, an 11-year-old killer whale who resides at Loro Parque has kicked off the first day of fall by giving birth to her first calf yesterday morning (Spain's local time). According to her trainers and veterinarians, the newborn calf healthy, but are having trouble determining its gender, due to Morgan being very protective of it. This is because the second the calf came into the world, Morgan proved herself to be an excellent mother by attending to her newborn. However, the animal care staff at Loro Parque will continue to monitor the pair in case they need to intervene if things are to go wrong between mother and calf.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Will an Agreement to Save Wild Salmon Be Enough to Save Wild Orcas?
In some of my previous articles, I have discussed the plight of the Southern Resident orca community and how the loss of their major food source, the Chinook salmon, is linked to their potential extinction. In addition, I have also discussed the tragic fate of one of these animals in question. A juvenile orca by the name of J50, who was also known as Scarlet. However, with all efforts to save Scarlet from becoming another mass extinction casualty having to have since failed, all eyes have now been turned on preventing future deaths relating to starvation which now means, focusing on saving the salmon that the whales depend on for their survival.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
Obituary: J50, Also Known as Scarlet
J50, also known as Scarlet, is now believed to have died from an illness relating to malnutrition after researchers off the coast of Washington state were unable to find her among a super pod gathering of all the whales from the Southern Resident community on Thursday. All search efforts to find the animal by boat, plane, and from shore came up with no sight of the four-year-old orca. She was last sighted on September 7th, but the search still continues.
By Jenna Deedy7 years ago in Petlife
