Animal News

With the recent stories of lion meat burgers being served in the states in "honor" of the recent World Cup it is a little less surprising – but still just as tragic – to hear about another totally unnecessary product threatening lions; tiger-bone wine. That's right, tiger bone wine. Can you believe that lion bones have become a cheap substitute for tiger bones?!

Link: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/07/lion-bone-wine-threatens-big-cats.html

The Mexican wolf is one of the most endangered animals in North America. The decline in Mexican wolf population has numerous causes, including targeted killing, disease and genetic problems. By their very design traps are inherently cruel and indiscriminate and pose serious risk to wildlife including threatened and endangered species. This ban although temporary, will go far in protecting the Mexican Grey wolf and will hopefully lead to a permanent trapping ban in wolf territory.

Link: http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press.php?id=1661

Following the frightening incident involving escape of a 9-foot python, later found dead under a neighbor's home, the city of Ravenswood West Virginia passed an ordinance requiring owners of exotic pets to obtain a license and pay a fee to the city.

Link: http://dailymail.com/News/201007070923

A coordinated operation undertaken by INTERPOL and supported by Born Free Foundation has resulted in the closure of an illegal ivory factory in Africa and the confiscation of hundreds of kilos of elephant ivory and rhino horn. The sting, dubbed “Operation Mogatle” in honor of the late assistant director of the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, was the third coordinated effort of its kind in the past three years.

Link: http://www.interpol.int

Thanks to the efforts of animal advocates including Born Free USA and our members the California Department of Fish and Game rescinded its bear hunting proposal that would have expanded bear hunting across the state, increased the number of bears killed, and allowed the use of high tech equipment on bear hunting hounds.

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Our Animal Loving Public has spoken — and the Government is listening. Today Jim Fitzpatrick, The Animal Welfare Minister, announced that the huge response to the Government’s consultation on keeping wild animals to perform in circuses clearly indicated that this is no longer acceptable and he is ‘minded to pursue a ban on the use of these animals in circuses’.

Born Free Foundation has long campaigned for such a ban and has actively participated in the Government consultation process, believing firmly that a complete ban is the only humane and sensible approach. This view is shared by over 94% of those who responded.

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Born Free USA applauds the recent announcement by notorious dolphin trader Chris Porter that he will stop capturing and trading dolphins and that he plans to release his remaining 17 dolphins back to the wild.

According to Porter, he is known as the “Darth Vader of dolphins,” having captured and sold more than 83 dolphins to aquaria around the world, a moniker that will surely change soon if he keeps his word.

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As we know first-hand from some of the primates who come to the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary because they were too aggressive or their "owners" became so frightened that the monkey never left their small cage, primates don't make good pets. And can in fact be downright dangerous. We're glad to see that the majority of Illinois lawmakers agree.

State House OKs ban on primates as pets
Steve Contorno
Sun-Times Springfield Bureau