Super tuskers are described as elephants with at least one tusk weighing in over 100 pounds. They are easily recognizable due to the sheer size of their tusks, and are sought after by illegal poachers looking to profit off of illegal ivory, and disgusting trophy hunters. Often times, males over 40 are targeted due to what trophy hunters believe is their lack of reproductive opportunity. Basically, they justify slaughtering these animals with reasoning that has been disproved by science multiple times. Bulls are healthy and wholly capable of reproducing well in to their 40's / early 50's if left alive. By slaughtering these males, trophy hunters are directly impacting future elephant populations by taking out healthy, strong male elephants under the guise of conservation / elephant sterility. I've said this multiple times before but we need to step it up in terms of trophy hunting. Why are we still permitting the slaughter of species' that will inevitably face extinction? Do we not care enough about the survival and future of a species that we can honestly turn a blind eye to their perils in order to justify our sick urges to shoot and kill them for fun? With all of the endless opportunities for entertainment we are provided, especially if you've got tens of thousands of dollars to spend on a trip to shoot and kill elephants, there is simply no justification for ending the life of an animal that has so much importance in the grand scheme of things. Africa continues to face droughts that are leaving Africa's wildlife desperate for water and other perils including human conflict and illegal poaching. knowing their struggles? Why are we issuing more licenses to kill them for fun? Why are we helping along the extinction of one of our planet's most recognized and beloved species? Why do we care about the extinction of a species when we've pushed them so very close because of our own actions? Our poorly timed concern leaves these species in grave danger of extinction which then puts financial pressures on organizations tasked with saving them. We could easily avoid this if we stopped directly contributing to their demise, don't ya think? This is shameful news. Tanzania / Kenya MUST do better in protecting their wildlife before we inevitably see the extinction of elephants, giraffes, and other vulnerable species. Stop the killing. Stop profiting off of the death of animals who only yearn for life. HAPPY VEG
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Here's a reason to celebrate you guys! Belgium announced a ban on the import of hunting trophies from endangered or imperiled species. This ban will prevent hunting trophies from Africa's most imperiled species from entering the country. Not only will the ban prevent trophies from coming in, it acts as a natural deterrent from participating in trophy hunting excursions. This ban works towards protecting Africa's endangered species from continued hunting that is putting them further at risk of inevitable extinction.
Trophy hunting has always been an abomination and an abuse of our power. We call ourselves the ultimate species on this planet, and instead of using our tools for good, we create weapons, fly to other countries, and stalk, shoot, and kill innocent animals for fun. Our sense of entitlement to whatever it is on this planet we desire is frightening and the exact reason our planet is suffering tremendously right now. We are in the midst of a large extinction crisis and despite this, trophy hunting and sport hunting persevere. We are sick, and this sickness that justifies whatever disgusting antics we engage in is the reason plants, birds, aquatic creatures, and animals on our planet are under an intense struggle for survival. As far as humanity is concerned, animals are owed nothing on this planet as it belongs solely and entirely to us. I always say this but let's not forget that at one point, elephants were abundant. Giraffes were flourishing, rhinos were plentiful, etc. Now, here we are witnessing their extinction one by one and we continue to turn a blind eye to the real problems which are all traced back to us. When do we stop? When there's literally no animals left outside of factory farmed livestock and animals behind bars in zoos? We've wiped out so many species over the years through our complete lack of compassion & empathy and at this rate, we will wipe out so many more species. Trophy hunting is one of the only things we can control entirely and that's why I support an International ban on this industry. We should not be profiting off of the extinction of a species. Learn more through the link from World Animal News at the top of this post! HAPPY VEG
The ban will come in to force within 6 months, allowing a 3 year phase out and making it officially illegal by 2027 to breed dogs for consumption, house dogs for consumption, slaughter dogs, or consume them. This phase out will be supported by the South Korean government, offering farmers subsidies and grants to transition their farms to other farming opportunities, which include chilis, parsley, and other livelihoods. During this transitional period, Humane Society International is urging the South Korean Government to work with animal rescue organizations to save as many dogs as possible. As stated, a whopping million dogs every year are killed for their meat, and this transitional period will see that continue without the rescue efforts of animal organizations. The dog meat industry has long been one that has faced International pressures. The Chinese Yulin Dog Festival is one that draws international disgust every year, and I believe, brought the horrors of the dog meat industry to the forefront. The images of dogs being burned, beaten, and everything in between, are horrifying and hard to believe, as it's almost unfathomable that one would consume dogs or cats. But, traditions exist all over our planet that some of us might be horrified by, the consumption of dog / cat meat is no different. With that being said, some traditions need to be buried in our history and the horrendous dog meat industry is one of them. Huge congratulations to the people of South Korea, animal advocacy groups, and the South Korean government, for taking a stand for innocent animals and ending the horrors of the dog meat industry within the country. Learn more by clicking the link at the top of this post to the original story from World Animal News. HAPPY VEG
This bill is incredibly important to me as Canada is also currently embroiled in whether or not we're going to stop sending horses abroad to be slaughtered. Canada's animal welfare track record is rather abysmal when you consider the abhorrent seal hunt, our continued production and sale of fur, and our continued allowance of cetaceans in captivity, grandfathered in after a ban took place. Canadians as a whole however, I believe whole-heartedly support a ban on horse slaughter and one can hope that New York's ban on horse slaughter will inspire Canada to do the right thing. Horses sent abroad for slaughter are flown from Winnipeg or Calgary, all the way to Japan, a grueling, lengthy journey that leaves horses frightened, exhausted, and in emotional turmoil. Interestingly, these horses only fetch about $9, 000 and we only ship about 2, 600 to japan yearly. Given that we barely make any money off of this, I'm appalled that our Government has yet to hold true to their promise of banning the export of horses for slaughter. Horses are such beautiful, majestic animals and our relationship with horses goes way back in our history. Our mutually beneficial relationship worked for hundreds of years, and now here we are, forcing them to parade us through busy city centers on gawdy carriages, or shipping them abroad thousands of miles only to be cruelly slaughtered. Unlike cows, horses don't take being stunned the same way and often times, it can take multiple tries to slaughter them before being dismembered. Is this really the end that horses deserve after they've spent their entire lives enriching us? Congratulations New York for doing the right thing for horses. Here's to hoping that Canada wakes up and commits to ending the abuse on horses. HAPPY VEGAnother blow to the despicable trophy hunting industry, and I'm here for it! Italian Airline, ITA Airways has announced its support for HSI's (Humane Society International) #NotInMyWorld campaign aimed at targeting the trophy hunting industry. The Airline announced a new campaign that will prohibit the transportation of hunting trophies on their airline which includes both checked baggage and on flight carry-ons. This campaign aims to discourage participation in the abhorrent trophy hunting industry by making it impossible to bring hunting trophies back home.
As we all know, trophy hunting is often marketed as aiding in conservation by funneling funds in to local communities and conservation efforts. Unfortunately, statistics show that imperiled species like the African Elephant, and all varieties of rhino, continue to plunge towards extinction. The only people who benefit from trophy hunting are the tour organizers, those tied to the industry, and wealthy western folk who get their kicks out of stalking and shooting, unsuspecting wild animals. These hunts disrupt families, tear apart social structures, and end the lives of animals that face unprecedented perils to their survival. Trophy hunting is disgusting. There is honestly, not a single redeemable trait of this industry, and it demonstrates humanity's salacious need to do with animals as we please, despite warning signs telling us that this is so very wrong. Watching wealthy, often white people, standing proudly in front of an endangered elephant or giraffe they happily shot and killed is haunting to say the least. The complete lack of empathy or understanding of the perils these animals face every day to their survival is entitlement to the highest degree. Congratulations to ITA Airways for taking a stand for Africa's wildlife and sending a clear message that trophy hunting is wrong. Learn more through the link at the top of this post from World Animal News. HAPPY VEG
According to statistics, a whopping 25, 000 African elephants, and 1,300 rhinos are slaughtered by poachers & trophy hunters every year. It is widely believed that the African elephant population has dwindled by a whopping 96% over the last century, plunging elephants in to an uncertain future on our planet. Ivory is a highly sought after product that leaves rhinos and elephants in grave danger at all times. They may be the biggest herbivores in Africa, but they are not safe from trophy hunters who stalk, shoot, and kill them with no regard. Why? Because it's fun for them, and they have absolutely no compassion or empathy towards the possibility of extinction that they are happily contributing to. If we are truly going to stave off extinction, trophy hunting MUST be banned across the globe. Those who argue in favour of trophy hunting are almost always directly linked to the industry itself. It has been proven time and time again, that trophy hunting, despite its claims, does NOT contribute towards conservation. As stated, those who argue in defense of it are those who participate, hunting lobbyists, and those who provide the excursions in Africa, all of which directly benefit from the slaughter of these imperiled, beautiful animals. STFU with your "killing them helps conservate them" nonsense, statistics would suggest that that is hardly true as both species continue to plunge towards extinction. Will this trigger a landslide affect, prompting other prominent western countries to also enact similar bans? One can hope, but at the very least, Canada has decided to take a stand and do their part to tackle elephant and rhino extinction. Let's be clear, this planet belongs to us all and it's time we stop shooting and killing everything simply because we like it / want to. We should be ashamed at how we treat the other species on this planet. Peep the original story from World Animal News attached at the top of this post. HAPPY VEG
The dog meat industry is one that is shrouded in abuse and cruelty to animals, that most of us on this planet, see as friends / family. I've always found the horror at the abuse that dogs / cats face in countries that consume / abuse them, but the lack of equal concern for farm animals interesting. It's interesting to me because farm animals have repeatedly proven to be so very similar to the animals that we call "pets". They recognize their names, come to you for affection, form bonds / relationships with other animals / humans, have fears, likes, etc. But with the media's help, these animals are looked at as nothing more than brainless food. Whatever the case may be, the dog / cat meat industry is one that in my opinion, has long been scrutinized by the rest of the planet. Why would you kill pets? Steal pets and kill them? Why? Banning dog meat is an imperative step to kind of adhering to an International standard of rules and acceptable behaviour. Look, every country has their traditions, and it isn't entirely fair of us to be horrified by another country's choices, but when it comes to companion animals...there's simply no turning a blind eye. I've seen one too many videos of undercover investigations in to these dog meat producers and the videos are grueling. Watching dogs cower in fear is not something for the faint of heart; it's an emotionally gutting experience, one that reminds us that animals do not belong in this position. Cowering in fear, begging for their lives...why would we impose that on them? South Korea will impose this transitional period from 2023 - 2026, finalizing the ban in 2027. South Korea is definitely one of the only highly democratic countries that continue to farm / consume dog / meat. It's not surprising to me that they would be one of the first to take a stand, listen to their citizens / the International community, and end their dog meat industry. But this is only the beginning of what needs to happen in this industry as other nations have less concern for International scrutiny when it comes to mass dog slaughter. Millions of dogs are bred / stolen every year and agonizingly killed for their meat. There is much work to do. Congratulations South Korea for this monumental, history-making ruling that will spare 100's of thousands of dogs every year from brutal murder. Head to the link at the top of this post for the original story from World Animal News. HAPPY VEGFor the past 2 and a half years, I've really advocated for the conservation of grey wolves / wolves on our planet, as they face endless perils that are plunging them towards worldwide extinction. Why the past 2 and a half years? It has been approximately that amount of time, since one of the Trump administration's final acts in office, was to lift all endangered species act protections from wolves. When I began my research, I realized that we have, as humans, manipulated every facet of wolves' existence and now, we have collectively decided that they are better off extinct. The more I dove in to the topic, the more I realized, that every peril wolves face to their survival, every one of them, are directly traced back to humans. Humans are the ONLY reason that the dialogue surrounding wolves has shifted to one of negativity, to one of being ok that wolves are eradicated. How could we possibly want to wipe an entire species off of this planet with no regard? Let's chat about the main culprit! Why Kill Wolves?Not my photo. Photo taken respectively from National Wildlife Foundation nwf.org The Main Culprit? LivestockThe conflict between livestock farmers and wolves is nothing new. In fact, a large percentage of wolves that are slaughtered are usually done so after they interact / kill livestock. A story recently emerged from Switzerland regarding the permittance of wolf pack slaughter to protect livestock, after several instances of wolves attacking / killing livestock. Livestock are easy targets for wolves as they are often rather defenseless against attacks. Chickens, goats, sheep, etc., these animals make for an easy meal for hungry wolves who are opportunistic hunters. After wolves kill livestock, it's almost a guarantee that they will be euthanized, disrupting wolf pack hierarchy. My question here is, why put food on a silver platter for hungry predators and then blame them for helping themselves? My problem here is if this livestock is such a precious commodity, and farmers are so very concerned about protecting them, why are the perimeter fences that house these animals so easily penetrable? Why is it that wild predators can so easily access livestock? Livestock are literally served up to wolves in order to justify their euthanasia, but why not address the reasoning behind this? Why not improve the perimeter barriers so that wolves can not feasibly access livestock? Why? Because killing the wolves is the easier and cheaper option and frankly, the narrative surrounding wolves right now is one that sees them as unimportant and nuisances to the animal ag industry. This narrative allows us to overlook the importance of wolves in their habitat, the importance of wolves in their hierarchy / social structure, and the importance of their survival on this planet. What's The Connection Between Wolf Survival & My Push For Meatless Mondays?
Will it stop at wolves? Not a chance. As we continue to steal land away from wild animals, other predatory species will undoubtedly have interactions with livestock, leading to their euthanasia. How long can wild animals sustain our continued growth, continued animal ag development and the toxic pollution that comes with these industries, and onslaught as a result of livestock conflicts? If we continue to develop at this rate, stealing land and killing predators, we must be willing to accept that we will push wolves, bobcats, bears, and other predatory species towards inevitable extinction. Are we really so unable to extend empathy towards the survival of an entire species because we love bacon? My advocacy for Meatless Mondays ties directly in to the survival of wild animals like wolves. Sure, I could get on here and repeatedly push the vegetarian / vegan narrative, hoping to inspire a large amount of meat-eating people to drop meat and adopt a meatless lifestyle. The reality is, it's so much easier to advocate for a small change, like ditching meat one day a week, versus pushing a meatless lifestyle. A small change like giving up meat one or two days a week would have a significant impact on the necessity of livestock. Imagine if all 34 + million people in Canada collectively dropped meat one day per week. The environmental impact would be astronomical. The amount of livestock required / killed would drop, and the need for more land to produce more animals would also drop. It is all tied together. I think one of the most frustrating things I've seen at the grocery store is when packages of meat are marked down 50% to sell them before they expire. This indicates that the necessity is not even there in some cases, and yet we continue to slaughter at the rate that we are. To think that we slaughtered a frightened animal to produce meat, only to throw it in the garbage when it expired is beyond frustrating to me given everything that comes along with that package of meat. So not only are we rapidly growing, rapidly taking land, and slaughtering animals in mass quantities, we are also doing so to such an extent that the necessity is not even there. An entire cycle of destruction that leads to products being thrown in the garbage after they expired. At the end of the day, we are all free to make our own choices regarding what we eat. This story is simply a reminder that our choices do not only affect us. If we continue to over-produce meat, steal land from wild animals to produce MORE meat, and continue to kill wild predators to protect meat, we will undoubtedly destroy every other species on our planet to put steak or bacon on our plates. Is it too astronomically outrageous to hope that there are enough of us who recognize that our choices are directly linked to the survival of other species on our planet? Are there enough of us who care? Enough of us who want to see wild animals survive for generations to come? Enough of us that recognize that we are on track to lose wolves, bears, and other predatory species which will disrupt the natural balance of ecosystems that rely on a healthy population of both prey and predatory species? Or, is it simply too late to change course and reverse the damage that we are on track to do with our continued growth? My hope is that even one person who reads this will make the connection between meat production and the eradication of our planet's predatory species. After making that connection, giving up meat one day a week doesn't seem so hard when the survival of an entire species hinges on our decisions. Wolves will go extinct to protect livestock, that is a guarantee, and it will not stop there. It's up to us to stave off the inevitable extinction of species we are pushing towards extinction for a piece of bacon. We cannot be this stubborn and lacking in empathy, I refuse to believe it. HAPPY VEG
I recently read a story about North Atlantic Right whales being on the verge of extinction. The story suggested that boats were not adhering to slow zones where the whale population is, causing continued collisions with whales that are ending their lives. Reading this horrifies me, but it also reminds me that we have such a sense of entitlement when it comes to the planet and the other species that inhabit it. Whales, Giraffes, Birds, Plants, Rhinos...what isn't facing extinction anymore I wonder? I also wonder at what point we, as humanity, collectively care about anything other than ourselves?
During the Trump Presidency, one of the last things decided, was that grey wolves would lose their Endangered Species Act protections after 45 years. This news was devastating considering the monumental effort involved in saving a species from extinction. Almost immediately after they lost their protections, gun-loving, trophy-hunting, and sport-hunting fanatics lobbied to have wolves opened up once again, for hunting opportunities. Not long after, Republican led states opened wolves up, once again, for sport-hunting, effectively undermining and undoing, 45 years of work to rehabilitate the species. Wolves are under attack and there are still too many people on this planet who see them as nothing more than gun fodder despite being integral to their ecosystem. Sport-hunting has once again put wolves at serious risk of plunging towards inevitable extinction. What did we learn? When you look at the plight of wolves, or the carelessness of boaters who are endangering the last remaining North Atlantic Right Whales; what have we learned? Can we not offer compassion to a species that is going to be wiped off of the face of the earth because of our carelessness and disregard for their deserving of life? When we can't even slow our boats down in an area where a species faces extinction, is there any hope left for the remainder of species on our planet outside of humans? We're setting fire to our forests, polluting our oceans, lakes, and canals, and fueling drought and habitat loss. We will at some point, come to a screeching halt due to our inability to look to the future and recognize that our actions today, determine our future. Our relationship with our planet needs to change. Without even touching on climate change, because that's one of those topics that there are simply, too many people who disagree with; I wonder at what point do we accept that our actions are causing the decimation of every other species on this planet? At what point do we recognize that our reliance on factory farming will continue to pollute and steal habitat from already imperiled animals & plants? At what point do we accept that allowing trophy hunting of species that are facing extinction is in no way, shape, or form, helping to conserve them? When will we put our selfishness aside and learn to live in unison with ALL other species on our planet? Unfortunately, I believe that the answer to these questions is when it's far too late. We may already be headed towards an inevitable mass extinction as we shop relentlessly, toss our trash on the ground in public parks and reserves, or travel in our luxury yachts / planes. Humanity is such an enigma, because we cry when things happen to us, but can't be bothered to shed a tear at the perils we've imposed on every other species on this planet. So tell me, do you think we'll ever learn, or is it simply too late for our planet's most vulnerable species? HAPPY VEGA draft to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem in the United States, has been released and the public has until November 13th, 2023 to submit their comments / concerns. Historically, grizzly bears roamed the North Cascades for thousands of years before human encroachment pushed them to near extinction. This is the second attempt at restoring grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem, after the Trump administration halted the restoration back in 2015, despite over 159, 000 statements of support from local residents.
WILL THERE BE PROTECTIONS?Reintroducing grizzly bears is something I support wholeheartedly. Considering it was humans who eradicated them, it certainly falls on us to restore them to their habitat. My concern here is much the same as it was with grey wolves. Grey wolves were listed under federal protections for over 45 years. In that time, endless resources were funneled in to restoring wolves to their habitat across the U.S. and their populations finally started to recover. Then, the Trump administration removed protections for grey wolves, which opened them up to hunters in pro-hunting states throughout the United States. Without wasting time, several states reenacted their wolf hunting licenses, and wolves were callously shot for sport, dwindling their numbers back down. 45 years of effort, time, and money, nearly erased within months of wolf protections being lifted. Will this be the case for the grizzly bear? Reintroduction is a wonderful thing, especially for a healthy habitat. As we know, every habitat / ecosystem relies on ALL of its inhabitants to properly thrive and the reintroduction of grizzlies is crucial to keep the North Cascades ecosystem thriving for years to come. However, I fear that without necessary protections issued to grizzlies being reintroduced, that they will inevitably face the same fate they faced that originally pushed them to near extinction. This reintroduction must come with crucial protections for grizzlies, otherwise, what's stopping callous hunters from shooting them for fun / sport and plunging them back towards extinction? As I said, if you look at the plight of the grey wolf in the United States, it's clear that without continued protections, there are enough people who just don't care about their survival and would happily shoot and kill them for fun. Will this reintroduction of grizzlies come with guaranteed protections? If not, I fear that we will funnel our energy and resources in to something that is doomed to fail grizzlies and the North Cascades. Learn more about this story by visiting the link at the top of this post. HAPPY VEG |
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