When we look at why these petitions are coming in, they can almost all be traced back to the animal agriculture industry. As we know, the animal ag industry is one of the most profitable industries in the United States and is heavily protected by the Government. Wolves are considered opportunistic hunters in that they will target prey that is easily accessible to feed themselves and their families. Livestock are easy targets as they are quite unable to fight off an attack from wolves, and are also enclosed leaving them unable to escape. These conflicts lead animal ag operators to request these protections be lifted in order to "protect" their livestock by being able to kill wolves who prey on their animals. There's a bigger problem here.

I've touched on this before, but when we're talking about "protecting" livestock, it's interesting to me that killing wolves seems to be the only solution when it's evident that animal enclosures are easily penetrable by predators. Why is it that we are not choosing to address the shortcomings in our animal enclosures as opposed to slaughtering endangered wolves? It's simple. It costs a lot more to beef up your enclosure than it does to simply shoot and kill every predator that seems to easily enter enclosures and kill livestock. We're literally talking about spending some money to ensure enclosures are predator proof versus eradicating an entire species. There's no love lost from the animal ag industry towards wolves, no regard for their survival or the crucial role predatory species like wolves play in ecosystems. As far as they're concerned, extinction isn't their problem / concern which is why wolves are seen as nothing more than pests or nuisances to the industry.

This lack of empathy or understanding towards predatory species is exactly why we're seeing them plunge towards extinction all around the world. They cause us "inconvenience" and therefor should be eradicated as opposed to searching for viable solutions that protect the interests of both humans & wild animals. A lack of education and empathy are why humans can so easily disregard the struggles of wild animals because we are so worried about ourselves and our money that we have no regard for animals or their survival. This can also easily be applied to trophy hunters who boldly claim they're helping with conservation efforts as they happily put bullets in vulnerable species like giraffes, leopards, and lions.

The fact is, we need a reset on how we view wild animals on this planet. Every single species has as much right to this planet as we do. The difference is that animals are constantly trying to evolve and find ways to coexist with humans who are the biggest plague on this planet, while humans are only looking out for themselves. We continue to take more land away from them and then blame them for interfering with out existence. This corrupted and compassionless mindset is why we're seeing so many species on our planet plunge towards extinction. We must learn ways to coexist that benefits both us, and the millions of other species that inhabit our planet. If we continue the way we are, we're guaranteed to see some eye-opening extinctions that will serve as a reminder of humanity's failures.

Learn more about the decision from the USFWS by clicking the link at the top of this post. 

While illegal poaching is something that is actively being tackled with anti-poaching units risking their lives on the daily to protect giraffes, it's a persistent problem. With that being said, we NEED to address the perils we are directly contributing to and can tackle with reasonable, sensical changes. First of all, devalue their bones, pelts, and ban any sort of decor made from the giraffes. We should not be permitting the import of these items for novelty decor as giraffes go extinct.

​Secondly, it's time to end the charade on trophy hunting. For God's sake, there is NOTHING redeemable about slaughtering endangered species. We need to stop the crap; stop pandering to the wealthy, the entitled, and the hunting community while giraffes continue to suffer and plunge closer and closer to extinction. Enough is enough. It's a joke anymore that people continue to argue in defense of trophy hunting when it's unbelievable evident that giraffes are in danger o extinction.

As a plant, it's time to end trophy hunting. It's time to ban imports of body parts from endangered species. This is common sense you guys. We cannot continue to allow such disgusting behaviour when the statistics are very clearly showing us that giraffes are on the track towards extinction. We can do better fi we stand up for our planet's most vulnerable species. No one in their right mind needs a giraffe trophy, not as they face insurmountable perils to their survival.

It's time to act using our brains. It's time to stop pandering to hunters who get their thrills ending the life of an animal, especially one that is facing extinction. We need to stop allowing ANY imports from endangered species. This is common sense, and it's time to listen to the science that is saying what we're currently doing is not working.

There are billions of humans on this planet and under 70, 000 giraffes. If we do not smarten up and act appropriately, what do we expect to happen? Humans continue to grow and giraffes will go extinct. It's simple, and it's preventable.

Learn more by visiting the original story from WORLD ANIMAL NEWS linked at the top fo this post.

Fur-farming has faced a steady decline around the world as activism surrounding the topic has been relentless. Undercover investigations of fur-farming facilities has shown us the horrors those innocent animals endure when being bred for fur. Crammed cages, feces and urine laden living conditions, lack of access to proper food or water, injuries or skin conditions left untreated leaving animals to suffer in agony before they're slaughtered. These investigations reminded us that these animals are already being forced to give their lives for fur, and yet we treat them as nothing more than trash leading up to their slaughter.

The images of innocent animals covered in feces, showing serious signs of distress, or left with untreated welts, rashes, or injuries, reminds us of the lack of necessity surrounding fur. While one might argue in defense of eating animals, there is simply no logical defense of the cruelty to animals when discussing fur. With the plethora of synthetic materials available to us, skinning tortured animals for clothing is outdated, cruel, and unnecessary. Once seen as a symbol of status, we know too much now about the cruelty behind the clothing to see it the same way. Look at any survey done in almost any country and you'll see that a larger majority of people support a ban on fur farming.

Congratulations to Romania for making the right choice and ending the barbaric and cruel fur industry. Fur is far from fashion, it's animal cruelty and nothing more. We're on track to see this industry wiped out altogether! Let's do this <3

Peep the link at the top of this post for the original story from World Animal News.

Black rhinos have been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1980 and to date, there are only approximately 6, 400 individuals remaining across Africa. With that being said, how could anyone in their right mind determine that slaughtering these rhinos will somehow help with their survival when there are so few of them left? To put things in to perspective, there are roughly 1.3 billion people in Africa, and 6, 400 rhinos. What's going to happen to those rhinos as the population of Africa continues to increase? Let's dive in to this.

As the population increases, more land is going to be required for housing / communities and agriculture. This land comes from the animals. What happens when we take land from animals? We have further human / animal conflicts. Next, these communities need money, so the temptation of hundreds of thousands of dollars will in my opinion, make the decision to allow the hunt of endangered rhinos an easy one. So, as rhinos continue to face illegal poaching for their horns and habitat loss, we somehow think that letting wealthy Americans come and slaughter them for thrills will help them? This is asinine and nothing short of pandering to wealthy individuals at the expense of the survival of an entire species.

We need to be looking to the future here. 1.3 billion people vs 6, 400 rhinos should alarm us all. We can not continue to allow the slaughter of endangered species for sport. If you are a United States citizen and this is something that outrages you, you must contact the USFWS and voice your disapproval. There are 30 days to take a stand and let the USFWS know that we don't support the senseless slaughter of Africa's imperiled and endangered species.

USFWS TOLL FREE NUMBER
1-800-344-9453

I've spoken out about this many times in the past, but we need to seriously address the ease of access to livestock instead of blaming opportunistic wild animals. When you leave livestock vulnerable to predators, you are the only one to blame when they are killed. Why are the perimeter fences so easy to penetrate? Why are livestock left in enclosures that are so easily accessible? These questions are not new. Livestock has been the center of many issues surrounding predatory wild animals and yet we still have failed to address the ease of access. Instead, we shift to blaming wild animals and use this as fuel to eradicate predatory species' like wolves.

When you consider that wolves, coyotes, bears, etc., are natural to a specific habitat and you're a livestock farmer, why have we not worked towards reinforcing enclosures. Electric fences, taller enclosures, anything?! We leave these innocent farm animals in enclosures that can be easily accessed by predators and then cry because these wild animals instinctually targeted their livestock. If you're a farmer who's producing livestock, is this not something that you should consider? Instead, because the Government panders to livestock farmers, the option of reinforcing enclosures rarely comes up in favour of mercilessly slaughtering wild animals. This is simply another example of our inability to actually work towards a viable solution, instead, favouring the easy way out which means killing wolves.

We spent 4 decades trying to protect wolves from extinction. When the Trump administration removed protections, states like Montana for example, eradicated an alarming amount of their state's wolves in absolutely no time. If left to individual states, wolves will undoubtedly be hunted once again to extinction. Then what? We rush to issue protections again? We undo 4 decades of efforts, resources, and funding, only to knowingly open them up to be hunted to near extinction again? This is embarrassing that we would follow this trajectory instead of working towards real solutions to co-exist with wild animals.

Wolves are crucial to their habitats, much like any predatory species. They keep the balance between predatory and prey species in check which helps to protect plant species as well. When you start eradicating predatory species, herbivores become abundant and will start decimating the plant species which will the prompt our government's to cull. This cycle of manipulation and slaughter could be easily avoided if we simply took more precautions to protect livestock.

Wolves have been under attack for years, and if they are delisted, they will undoubtedly plunge towards extinction. It's time to work on better protecting livestock and stop villainizing wild animals who instinctually kill to feed their packs / young. We must protect wolves! Learn more about the Biden administration's appeal by clicking the link at the top of this post. 

These styles of poisons are used frequently as a means of "treating" rat infestations. Rats who consume this poison will soon after bleed from the inside as their organs inevitably fail. It's most assuredly a torturous experience, but worst of all, it doesn't end with the rats. As the rats suffer the effects of being poisoned and become lethargic and disoriented, predatory animals see them as easy targets. This means owls, hawks, foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions are all at risk of becoming poisoned as a result of consuming a polluted rat. If they've consumed enough of the poison, it renders them unable to hunt / escape predators and will ultimately lead to their death without treatment.

The unintended targets of these anticoagulant rodenticides are what the bill aims to shine a light on / tackle. Innocent predatory animals are succumbing to being poisoned as a result of hunting for food and finding easy prey. Not to mention, children and pets can also inadvertently come in to contact with poison through infected species or even bait boxes. These poisons are indiscriminate and target anyone and anything that comes in to contact with them. They are unsafe, particularly on public land, and put so many innocent, unintended species at risk.

The only option is to ban these horrific rodenticides. We have the power to save wildlife and the we can do this! Learn more through the link attached at the top of this post to the original story from World Animal News.

Governor Maura Healey signed legislation Friday that will end the use of wild animals like elephants, bears, and tigers, in traveling circus'. This monumental victory for animals comes after decades of advocacy in the state aiming to end this needless abuse of animals for the entertainment of humans. Supported by over 2/3 of surveyed Massachusetts voters, it was evident that the ban was heavily supported and will now become law.

With how far we've come in some cases with animal welfare and our knowledge surrounding animal cruelty, it amazes me that animals are still being forced to perform in traveling circus'. There is simply no argument that can justify subjecting these beautiful animals to a life of confinement and cruelty. With the plethora of entertainment options available to us on this planet, we can not continue to force animals to perform for our entertainment. The circus is outdated, and as we continue to learn more about animals and the cruelty they endure, there is simply no place for wild animals in circus' any longer.

Congratulations to Massachusetts for making the right decision for animals. We have a long way to go! Learn more about this decision by visiting the link at the top of this post. 

The inauguration of Britta Jaschinski's photographic exhibition, "Still Life, #NotInMyWorld at the Polish Parliament, has prompted parliament to call for bans on the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. The exhibition highlights the horrors of trophy hunting through photos of dismembered animals, paws, heads, bodies, etc., and reminds us that this "sport" is actually brutality towards innocent animals. The reality is, we know the horrors of trophy hunting and always have, we're simply coming around to the notion that it is actually very wrong as these species plunge towards extinction. 

As human beings on this planet, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve this planet for generations to come. Slaughtering endangered animals for fun is not part of preservation. Lying that the money spent helps conservation efforts is not preservation of our planet. We are actively working against our responsibility to our planet, and all of the other species that inhabit it with our carelessness and self servicing ways. Everything around us is not "ours" for the taking. 

Several countries around the world have already enacted bans on the import of trophies from endangered animals like rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and lions. Countries including the UK, France, and Spain, are considering similar bans to better protect endangered species from extinction. As stated, we are the only ones that can prevent their extinction because we are the leading contributor to their perils. We have a moral responsibility here, and it's time to ban hunting trophies from endangered species across the globe.

​Learn more through the link at the top of this post from World Animal News.

With only approximately 1, 000 Borneo Elephants remaining in the wild, they have now been placed on the Endangered Species List. Native to the island of Borneo, the Borneo elephant is a sub-species of the Asian Elephant and they happen to be the smallest of the Asian elephants. It is reported that there are only about 400 breeding pairs of Borneo elephants remaining, putting the future of the species in peril. Unsurprisingly, the Borneo elephant faces extinction as a direct result of human activity and the ESA protections will now funnel more money in to their conservation. What's killing all of the Borneo Elephants?

Other concerns for the Borneo Elephant's survival include illegal ivory poaching., continued development leading to further habitat degradation, and vehicular collision. Again, all of these perils can be traced to humanity. The plight of the Borneo elephant is not unlike other species on our planet currently facing possible extinction. Let's look at the facts;

• As our populations continue to grow across the world, more resources, more land, and more food will be needed to sustain us. We will continue to decimate forests, take land away from wild animals for our agriculture and animal farming, and we will undoubtedly encounter more wild animal conflicts as they lose more and more of their habitat
• Poaching continues to be a widespread problem on our planet. Despite the tireless efforts of anti-poaching units and conservationists, illegal poaching continues to ravage wild animals. When we're de-horning rhinos or injecting their horns with substances that devalue them and glow so poachers know the horns are now worthless, we know we are in a scary state. Elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales, bear bile...everything we take without regard puts every species further and further in to desperation and inevitable extinction.

With resources, time, and efforts being allocated to the Borneo Elephants' survival, there's always hope. Will these efforts stave off continued development that destroys wild habitats? I'm doubtful. When you look at the plight of grey wolves in the United States, it took less than 4 years of being delisted before the species was already at risk of being endangered. 4 measly years to unravel 45 years of protections and efforts to rehabilitate the species. 

If we do not collectively, as a planet, start to look at our habits and how they're destroying everything around us, we will save nothing. Vaquitas are almost extinct and Mexico has done nothing. Wildfires fueled by a continuously warming climate decimated Koalas in Australia. North Atlantic Right Whales are plunging towards extinction and yet we have not diverted our boat traffic from their recognized habitat. Grey wolves are being hunted for sport and are plunging to extinction. Do I believe in my soul that we can save these species from extinction? Honestly, it will take all of us on this planet to change our ways or we will not be able to protect our plant's wildlife. We will be directly responsible for the extinction of everything around us and it will be too late when we wake up to our own atrocities. 

Unless we get to a point where we recognize that our continued, rapid expansion is killing everything around us, we will save nothing, including Borneo elephants. Unless we recognize that our ever-expanding livestock farming is taking valuable, much needed land away from wild animals & polluting the surrounding lands, wolves will die off. Unless we stop over-fishing, we will kill Vaquitas, our boats will continue to collide with whales, and turtles will continue to drown, stuck in discarded fishing gear.

The choice is ours. I simply fear that too many of us just don't care enough. Learn more about the Borneo Elephant by visiting the link at the top of this post.

After only 2 months of being announced by the Australian Parliament, Australia has officially banned the live maritime export of sheep which officially commences in 2028. This will save hundreds of thousands of sheep from the horrors of lengthy journeys to their slaughter. As we've touched on before, animals that are shipped around as "cargo" often endure grueling journeys to their final destinations. Live exports are widely known to be unsafe for animals, undeniably cruel, and put these animals at extreme risk of tragedy due to the possibility of capsizing for example.

Australia's move to ban live sheep exports are being celebrated by activists around the globe. This move is also prompting activists in the EU to put pressure on EU leaders to enact a similar ban. The EU is the largest exporter of live animals with in upwards of 1.5 million birds, 50+ million cows, pigs, sheep, and goat transported within the EU annually. Activists are urging leaders to abandon live exports by sea in favour of more compassionate and less dangerous transport options. The eventual hope is that transporting live animals by sea will be globally banned in the future.

These journeys are undeniably cruel to animals and as stated, there are so many complications and possible scenarios that put these animals in incredible danger. Many stories have emerged about boats capsizing, plunging thousands of terrified animals in to the ocean to die. It's a frightening thought but a reality for animals subjected to these journeys.

It's time for us to open our eyes to the horrors we impose on animals. They're already being forced to give their lives for our plates, we shouldn't be knowingly torturing them prior to this. Congratulations to Australia for taking steps to better animal welfare but there's always more work to be done! Learn more through the attached link at the top of this post.