Protect Rhinos

Rhino horn means big business to wildlife traffickers, and the growing demand for it as traditional Chinese medicine -- despite the fact that it has no medicinal properties --  has exploded into a poaching epidemic across Africa and Asia.  

Poachers are slaughtering rhinos, already threatened with extinction, by the hundreds every year for the payoff. Not even nursing mothers have been spared the corruption and greed, leaving their dependent calves on their own to grieve and starve.

Sadly, in South Africa -- home to 70 percent of the world’s rhinos -- trophy hunting of rhinos is legal. But now, with poaching at an all-time high, the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs is considering a moratorium on all rhino hunting, a bold move that would at the very least give rhinos some of the protection they desperately need.

South Africa allows hunters to take horns back home as trophies, so people from Asian countries have traveled to the country as "hunters." Hundreds of horns have ended up in East Asia, almost certainly for the traditional medicine trade.

A full moratorium on rhino hunting would close any such loopholes.

Take Action and Sign Up for this cause.

http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=105&ea.campaign.id=12045&ea.tracking.id=e65db3ea

Stop Sharks from Being Killed In The Bahamas!

Shark slaughtering has become so popular in recent years that at least 30% of the species in the Bahamas are now endangered. In over-fished waters, sharks are being killed for their skin, fins and meat--and to support tourism.

Profit gain is not a valid reason to slaughter animals and threaten entire ecosystems. Humans should take responsibility for damage caused to the environment and defend its creatures, not endanger them to the point of 
near extinction. Write to the Bahamian government and sign the petition asking to end the shark slaughter.


http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=SharkSlaughter&ThirdPartyClicks=ETA_091311_SharkSlaughter_F

Protect Wolves on National Forests

Under a new plan proposed by the State of Wyoming, wolves in Bridger Teton and other National Forests in Wyoming could be shot on sight.

Denning wolves are at risk. Wolf pups are at risk. And the very mission of conserving wildlife on our National Forests is at risk.

Tell President Obama and Secretary Vilsack, who oversees the Forest Service, to draw a line in the sand and oppose the shoot-on-sight plan for wolves on Bridger Teton and other National Forests in Wyoming.

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2250&autologin=true&s_src=3WRE1111C3X33&s_subsrc=090211_ADVACTFF_NF-Wolves-NonRenew-Variant&JServSessionIdr004=qld2v76kg3.app225a

Shell: Take Your Toxic Drilling Elsewhere!

The oil industry is at it again. Oil giant Shell is planning to conduct coalbed methane drilling in a beautiful and remote area of British Columbia called the Sacred Headwaters. If completed, Shell will construct a network of gas wells that would underlie a large portion of the Headwaters.

Coal bed methane developments have grave impacts for the environment. Methane drilling can contaminate groundwater and disturb natural ecosystems — like the one at the Sacred Headwaters that's home to salmon, caribou, and wolves. And not only is it home to precious animal life, the Sacred Headwaters was declared one of British Columbia's most endangered rivers.

The Sacred Headwaters are home to countless species of invaluable plants and animals. We can't allow big oil conglomerates like Shell to operate in areas that should only be preserved.

Write to Shell executives imploring them to take their toxic drilling elsewhere.

http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=4&campaign=ShellSacredHeadwaters&ThirdPartyClicks=ETE_090611_ShellSacredHeadwaters_F

Double Trouble for Sea Turtles

Last year's devastating Deepwater Horizon disaster was a serious blow for sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. But the catastrophe for the sea turtles hasn’t ended yet.

Already this year, more than 340 dead sea turtles have washed ashore on the Gulf Coast -- more than three times the annual average -- and the death toll is likely to be much higher. Signs point to shrimp fishing as a likely cause for the spike in deaths -- perhaps combined with the lingering effects of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Yet the government has not taken action to save these animals struggling to survive. Defenders and our conservation partners have launched a lifesaving lawsuit to protect sea turtles, but federal officials need to hear from you.

Take action now: Urge the National Marine Fisheries Service to enforce lifesaving protections for threatened and endangered sea turtles in the Gulf.

Save The Saddest Dolphins

The pod was swimming peacefully in Samoa when nets closed in from behind -- trapping 25 wild dolphins for a luxury resort's latest exhibit. They are now locked in tiny pens, starved of food -- but we can free them.

For wild dolphins captivity is torture, their powerful sonar bounces off the walls back at them -- as if they are trapped in an endless house of mirrors. Most die young from stress induced illness, but some even commit suicide. If the wealthy Resorts World Sentosa succeeds in keeping them captive then half the dolphins will die in the first 2 years -- and it will legitimise the widely banned practice of capturing dolphins in the wild. We can’t let that happen -- let's use our voices to set them free.

Resorts World was forced to abandon plans for a whale shark exhibit two years ago because of the huge outcry that threatened their reputation. Let’s build a massive call now to free these intelligent, beautiful creatures -- and make this a turning point in the fight to end the global wild-dolphin trade. When we reach 500,000 our petition will be delivered to Resorts World and the media. Sign now and forward this to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/saddest_dolphins/?vl

Bullfighting Is Not Culture; It Is Cruelty

Bullfighting is one of the most abhorrent forms of animal abuse for entertainment still in existence -- the bloody spectacle is responsible for the deaths of up to 250,000 animals worldwide every year.

Right now, supporters of bullfighting are starting the process to have this cruelty protected by having their ‘sport’ listed as a form of cultural heritage. Politicians in both France and Tordesillas in Spain have voted on this issue recently.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) preserves many expressions of genuine Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Any successful listing of this despicable activity by UNESCO would not only give a veneer of respectability to animal cruelty for public entertainment, but it would also mean that subsidies may be made available to financially safeguard the future of bullfighting.

Please speak out today -- sign our letter to UNESCO now.

Stop Canada's Cruel Seal Hunt

Although many of us have already signed the petition against the cruel baby seal hunting but we are still short of target. As per Care2, there are over 150,000 signatures already but we need to get more people to sign up against this animal cruelty.

We need your help to reach the goal of 175,000 signatures and show the Canadian Prime Minister that people won't stand for the slaughter of 400,000 baby seals.

Please ask your family and friends to join you and sign the petition »

Not only has Prime Minister Harper refused to stop the seal hunt, he's actually pushing seal products on countries that have banned them. It doesn't make sense -- not economically or ethically.

Stop The Federal Wolf-Killing Program in Idaho

Aerial wolf killing has come to Idaho. People from all over the world can take action against the aerial killing of wolves by signing the petition mentioned in this post.

In one of its first moves since retaking the reins of wolf management,Idaho officials last week called in Wildlife Services -- the federal government's chief wildlife-killing agency -- to kill wolves in the central part of the state.

Federal marksmen took to the skies in Idaho's Lolo wilderness, targeting up to 60 wolves to help artificially boost game populations in the region.

Using radio collars to track down wolf packs in the area, the airborne marksmen only managed to kill five wolves. The mission was quickly abandoned, described as both inefficient and expensive by the Wildlife Services agents themselves.

But that's not stopping Idaho's plan to kill dozens of wolves in the region to artificially boost elk populations. Wildlife Services could continue gunning from the skies and trapping on the ground.

Wildlife Services is a program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Their mission is to "create a balance that allows people and wildlife to coexist peacefully."

But instead, they have become the federal government's de facto wildlife hitmen -- heavily relying on killing wildlife rather than using proven, effective non-lethal methods of control.

Now, it seems, Wildlife Services has gotten into the business of killing wolves to artificially boost elk populations.

Idaho officials claim that wolves are a major cause of elk declines in certain parts of the state. But the science says otherwise: In 23 of 29 elk management zones, populations of these animals are at or above targets. In fact, many of the areas experiencing declines contain few or no wolves.

Take action now: Urge Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to abandon aerial wolf-killing in Idaho by Wildlife Services.

We Need Your Help To Save Elephants!

Twenty years ago, illegal poaching to support the commercial ivory trade nearly wiped out elephant populations. In 1989 after international public outcry, elephants were given the highest level of protection, and the international trade of ivory was banned. But the battle isn't over. Over the past 12 years, a number of political decisions have led to a partial lifting of the ban, which has led to an increase in illegal poaching, especially in West and Central Africa, putting these majestic animals in danger once again.

To defend and save elephants, the legal ivory trade must be banned. If ivory had no commercial value, there wouldn't be a reason for these gentle giants to die. Tell the U.S. government to help protect elephants by opposing the international ivory trade.

Please sign the petition since we are quite behind the target at the moment.

Take Action Here!

Stop Driving Sharks to Extinction!

Nearly a third of all shark species, including mighty hammerheads and graceful whitetips, are at risk of extinction; and up to 73 million sharks are killed annually at the hands of ruthless shark finners. This gruesome practice involves catching sharks, cutting off their fins and tails--usually while they're still alive--and throwing them back into the water to drown or bleed to death.

Why? The prized fins are harvested primarily to make soup.

Urge California Governor Jerry Brown to support Bill 376 that would ban possessing, selling, trading and distributing shark fins.

Please Sign The Letter!

Tell Officials: Don't Strip Great Lake Wolves of Protected Status

The gray wolves of the midwest are under attack for the third time in seven years by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The agency wishes to strip the wolves of their protected status under the Endangered Species Act. They've failed in the past, but following the legislation that has removed protections from gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains, they're trying again.

Great Lake gray wolves were hunted nearly to extinction just a few decades ago. Since then, they've been doing well but aren't out of the woods yet. They still face threats from disease and illegal hunting. Scientists have also concluded that there isn't just one species living in the area, but two, and they've been interbreeding. Biologists say it is imperative for protections to remain intact for the recovery of both species -- and the new hybrid species -- to be successful. Wisconsin plans to bring numbers down to 350, which is about half of the current population. Minnesota plans to pay officials a bounty for every wolf they kill.

The U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service is asking for public opinion on the matter. Sign the petition to tell the Fish and Wildlife Service: Wolves need protection until recovery is truly achieved and threats are diminished.


Petition

Urge Western Governors to Prevent Wholesale Wolf Slaughter

The fate of our wolves now rest in the hands of state officials. And while states like Oregon and Washington are adopting progressive plans to welcome wolves into their states, the legislatures and some governors and officials in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Utah are taking a more extreme approach to wolf management.



As bad as things are, the situation could get worse. Some extremists are pushing for the elimination of all wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies.



Take action now. Urge Western governors to adopt sound, sensible wolf management plans that ensure a lasting future for our wolves.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=DOW-WholesaleWolfSlaughter

Good News For Yellowstone Bison

This is great news for the yellowstone bison. Even more so, a very happy and victorious announcement for all those who stood up for this cause and signed up the petition. Some 45,980 people signed up the petition that led us to this amazing victory.

Earlier this month, officials in Montana finalized a deal that will give bison 75,000 acres to roam free. This is a great victory for some of America's last truly wild bison, including the approximately 600 who are currently being held in federal corrals due to exaggerated fears that they might spread disease to cattle. Now, bison who wander outside of Yellowstone National Park in the winter months will have a better chance of survival.

In the past, bison who have left the park in search of food were often captured and sent to slaughterhouses, or shot on the spot. This new agreement offers wandering bison better protection; it also allocates funding for bison reintroduction to tribal lands and coexistence projects with private landowners in the area.

Take Action For Tony The Tiger

The stench of fuel. The deafening sound of diesel engines. The never ending boredom of captivity and isolation. Such are the conditions in which Tony, a 10-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger, has spent every day and night of the last decade at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana. It’s no life for a tiger, or any other animal.

Join the Animal Legal Defense Fund in urging the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the permit that allows Michael Sandlin to display Tony at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Louisiana, where he has lived with no other tiger companions since 2003.

In addition to being subjected to noise and diesel fumes 24-hours a day, Tony is also frequently harassed and taunted by visitors at the truck stop. His enclosure is devoid of adequate enrichment, such as logs, trees, or complex vegetation that would allow him to engage in natural tiger behaviors. He has no pool of water large enough to allow him to submerge himself to cool off in the blazing heat of the summer. As a result of the stress of his confinement, Tony constantly paces on the hard concrete surface of his enclosure.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit in Louisiana, arguing that the permit that allows Tony to languish in a roadside cage violates state law. Your voice is needed to help get Tony moved to a reputable and humane big cat sanctuary, where he can live out his natural life free of the fumes, toxins, and noise that make his current life so miserable.

Sign the petition to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries now!

Congrats The Cambodian Elephants Are Safe Now

Remember that planned titanium mine in Cambodia that would cut through a critical elephant corridor? In a stunning reversal, the Cambodian government revoked permission for the mine, a big win for the elephants and the people who live in the Cardamom Mountains rainforest.

More than 90,000 Care2 members alone signed up the petitions against this mine.he sun bears, Siamese crocodiles and especially the 100 endangered Asian elephants who call the Cardamoms home are a bit safe

The people who live in the rainforest and depend on its pristine beauty for a booming ecotourism industry are equally happy.

Many congratulations to each one of us who stood up for this cause. Like I always say, each signed petition makes a huge difference. It increases the pressure on governing bodies and results in such positive decisions.

Bob Parsons Is Not Ashamed Of Killing An Elephant

Bob Parsons posing with the dead elephant after he victoriously killed the poor elephant.

Bob Parsons, the CEO of web hosting giant Go Daddy shared a vacation video in which he is not having lots of fun partying out but instead he was killing an elephant in that video. Not many people would do such things but he is proud of his actions.

Parsons's vacation video shows him shooting a bull elephant in Zimbabwe who had wandered near a farmer's crops, and then posing victoriously with his victim. In the next scene, the villagers merrily butcher the animal to the soundtrack of AC/DC’s "Hell’s Bells" while weirdly sporting Go Daddy baseball caps.

Parsons isn’t just unapologetic about this gruesome event -- he called it "one of the most beneficial and rewarding things I do."

Elephants are considered a vulnerable species, and experts warn that these amazing animals could be extinct within 15 years due to poaching. It doesn’t help that high-profile trophy hunters like Parsons post self-congratulating videos of their kills online.

Several conservation organizations have found simple solutions to conflicts between elephants and farmers, such as warding off the animals with beehives or scaring away the elephants with light and noise. Crops are saved, and not a single elephant has to die.

Add your voice and tell Parsons to donate the thousands of dollars he spent on his deadly vacation to programs that help farmers without killing elephants:

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-go-daddys-ceo-real-men-dont-kill-elephants?alert_id=sioKcupOQz_VNEyHaChYC&me=aa

Tell Donna Karen To Stop Using Rabbit Fur

Donna Karen

Protesters against Donna Karen's fur usage

Dead rabbits in fur factory

Donna Karan continues to use rabbit fur in her clothing designs, despite a 2008 promise to discontinue the use of fur.

Rabbits killed for their fur are raised in horrific conditions on fur farms, or caught in the wild in painful traps. Rabbits raised on fur factory farms spend their entire lives in tiny wire cages before they are gassed, electrocuted, poisoned, or strangled.

Many other top clothing designers refuse to support the cruelty inherent in the fur industry. Fur-free designers include: Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. There is no reason why Donna Karan needs to continue to design using rabbit fur.

Sign this petition to ask Donna Karan to stop using fur for good.

TAKE ACTION HERE!

Good News - Alaskan Wolves Saved

There is finally good news on the Alaskan wolves for which we were sharing petitions again and again. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service won't be targeting the wolves on Unimak Island for good.

Animal lovers from all over the world were worried that the wolves could have faced death this spring. Fortunately officials decided to side up with science rather than go for unjustified wolf culling.

More than 65,000 people signed up the petition to save the wolves from culling in Alaska through Defenders Of Wildlife. If you supported this cause, this is a moment of happiness and success. It is a sign for all of us, that hard work, dedication and focus does reap positive results. And these petitions that we sign are quite important and can actually help change big decisions.

You can send a thank you note to the concerned authorities for taking this action.

Please show your appreciation and write to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to thank them for this key science-based win for wolves.

Tell Walmart And Supervalu To Stop Selling Endangered Fish

Two of the world’s largest food sellers -- Walmart and Supervalu (the parent company of grocery store chains like Shaws and Albertsons) -- are helping to destroy the world's ocean population by selling massive quantities of endangered fish.

Ninety percent of the seas' top predators have already disappeared. These are fish like bluefin tuna, orange roughy, and shark -- the same species that line the seafood coolers of the two companies.

After pressure from Greanpeace, Change.org members, and others, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Target have all pulled many imperiled species from their stores to prevent further catastrophe. But Walmart and Supervalu keep pushing these species toward the brink of extinction.

Their survival -- and the survival of the entire ocean ecosystems they're a part of -- could rest on the decision making of Walmart and Supervalu.

They may hold billions of dollars in purchasing power, but they’ve got a major weakness: consumer demand. If shoppers pressure these supermarkets to shape up their acts, they’ll have no choice but to make sustainable seafood the only choice.

Sign the petition asking Walmart and Supervalu to immediately develop sustainable seafood programs and stop selling endangered fish:

PLEASE TAKE ACTION HERE!