“This is cruel, despicable, illegal & heartbreaking. Caught & imprisoned from cub to adult in tiny rusty cages; their world is one of pain, irritation, infection, teeth pulling & repulsive food; literally going stir crazy!! They simply won’t know what it is like to live as a wild bear should, with fresh air, lush grass & trees etc. They can not be returned to the wild as they simply wouldn’t be able to survive; having been kept a prisoner most of their pitiful lives!. Although the video documentary is 43 minutes long, I urge you to watch it, see how Animal Asia started undercover investigation to save these sentient beings. It is hard to imagine how these beautiful bears can still be bought or caught, entrapped some wear a metal jacket around them, with a tube constantly fixed; to extract bile. But it’s not just bile, parts of the bear can also be acquired; the farmers will make money dead or alive. Public demand warrants this abuse; even though there are now synthetic bear bile products, there is no need for these bears to live & die in a cage; in constant pain. These bears need to be rescued so please help by signing the petition at the end of this blog & share amongst your social media friends etc.”
29 January 2015
Thirteen more bears have died at Cau Trang Bear Farm in Halong Bay, Vietnam bringing the total death toll since November last year to 18.
In the two months since Animals Asia inspected three farms in the vicinity of the World Heritage Site, 26 of the 49 moon bears – a protected species – are said to have died leaving just 23 alive in Halong City.
(Some scenes are graphic) Although this video is long, please watch it to understand what happens to these poor bears & how Animal Asia came about to rescue them!
“Published on 13 Sep 2012
Watch the hard-hitting, undercover documentary showing the brutality of the bear bile industry across China, which recently won a top award at the Fifth China Ya’an International Panda, Animals and Nature Film Week. The documentary was made by three independent film-makers who devoted four years to its production, visiting small and large bear bile farms, revealing “legal” farms with conditions that are clearly breaking current regulations for such farms in China.”
Having previously focussed just on Cau Trang Farm, Animals Asia is now pressing the Vietnamese government to allow it to bring all 23 remaining bears in the Halong City area to its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Tam Dao.
The latest news has left Animals Asia staff devastated and angry that bears have been allowed to die when an offer for their rescue remains on the table.
Authorities, concerned that the bears are being slaughtered for parts for use in traditional medicine have also ordered that TV cameras cover their burial – as interest in the case continues to grow in Vietnam.
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“The eyes of the country are now on Quang Ninh province and the relevant authorities to see that right course of action is taken. We cannot be sure of the exact details surrounding the bears’ deaths but we can say the farmer chose to let them die. We offered to treat the animals and the offer was rejected. It was the farmer who took the decision to let the animals die. It was a conscious choice. We can only speculate as to his motives.”
The Central Forest Protection Department (FPD) has informed Animals Asia that it is urgently requesting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) form an investigation team.
The team, expected to include representatives from Central FPD, CITES and MARD’s Nature Conservation Department, would travel to Quang Ninh province to investigate the exact causes of death, whether the correct procedures were followed to dispose of the bodies and to ascertain how the remaining bears can be saved.
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, said:
“These deaths are utterly tragic and unnecessary. It’s heart breaking to learn that so many bears have spent years suffering on the farms, and have now needlessly died when there is a sanctuary ready and willing to give them the life they deserve just a few hours down the road.”
“Through the increased local coverage of the deaths of these bears, Vietnam is seeing the reality and brutality of bear bile farming. While their deaths have shone a spotlight on the industry in Vietnam, there was no need for them to die at all.”
“There have been enough delays and we’ve seen what that has achieved. The time has come to act, and act now. We are beseeching the authorities – let us save the remaining Halong Bay bears before it’s too late.”
Nearly 2,000 bears remain in cages in Vietnam being farmed for their bile for use in traditional medicine – despite the practice being made illegal. Bear bile farming technically became illegal in 1992 when Ministry of Forestry approval became necessary to keep bears. In 2002, bears came under CITES group I, making their exploitation strictly illegal. However it wasn’t until 2005 that the first species-specific regulations were enacted.
Animals Asia has rescued over 500 bears from bear bile farming as part of its work to end bear bile farming in China and Vietnam.
HELP US SAVE THE HALONG BAY BEARS
Emaciated, missing limbs, some near blind, others with open wounds, all starving – these are the animal collateral of Vietnam’s cruel bear bile industry.
Help us force the farmer who profited for years from these poor bears to hand them over to Animals Asia for urgent medical care and rehabilitation.
Sign the petition and ask the Vietnamese government to remove the bears from the farm so Animals Asia can give them the care they deserve.
Animals Asia was founded in 1998 and is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam.
More than 10,000 bears – mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears – are kept on bile farms in China, and just under 2,000 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.
Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.
Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never released. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.
“PLEASE DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO HELP SAVE THE REMAINING BEARS! “
Monday, January 6, 2014 11:32 PM EST -By LISA BACKUS STAFF WRITER
The proposed sale of a figurine of “Puppy Doe,” a young pit bull mix who Massachusetts authorities say was tortured by a man later found in a New Britain hotel room isdrawing the ire of animal welfare advocates.
Puppy Doe, a pit bull that faced horrifically brutal torture, had to be euthanized because of her injuries. Police are now searching for her abuser. | Animal Rescue League of Boston
The Puppy Doe case drew national media attention after theseverely injured dog was found in Quincy, Mass. and had to be put to sleep due to the torturethat was inflicted on the young female dog named Kiya by one of her former owners. Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, of Quincy, Mass, pleaded not guilty in December to 12 counts of animal cruelty, and one count of misleading a police investigation in the case after he was found in a New Britain hotel room in October.
Czerkawskiis also wanted for larcenies involving a New Bedford, Mass church. He is currently being held without bail as a flight risk, according to the Norfolk State’s Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts which is prosecuting the Puppy Doe case.
Herobuilders, an Oxford, Connecticut-based action figure company owned by Emil Vicale, announced Sunday they would be producing a figurine of the dog estimated to be one to two years old at the time of her death with 10 percent of the proceeds going to animal welfare groups. “I heard about the story and thought it would be a good thing,” Vicale said Monday. “I wanted to make a donation in Puppy Doe’s name.”
But animal welfare advocates who have been raising money in the dog’s name and staging peaceful protests outside the Norfolk courthouse whenCzerkawskiappears are appalled at the idea, said Deanna Terminiello of Leominster, Mass. “I was shocked,” Terminiello said when she saw Facebook posts promoting the product. “To see that made me sick that someone is trying to make a profit off of a dog that was tortured.”Several other animal welfare advocates also posted similar comments on Terminiello’s Facebook page, “The Truth About The Puppy Doe Vigil,” which has close to 300 members.
The figurines which will go into production this week can be purchased for $29.95. Vicale, who will only produce 2,000 of the resin statues, will donate 10 percent of the profits between the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which is involved in the Puppy Doe case, and the national ASPCA.
Vicale said he expects to make about $10 per figurine after he donates $3 per figurine to the two animal welfare groups. “We are not a charitable organization but we are trying to do something good,” Vicale said. A spokesperson for the Animal Rescue League of Boston said they had not been notified by Homebuilders of the potential donation but confirmed they had received other donations in the name of Puppy Doe. “If someone wants to give to the Animal Rescue League of Boston we recommend that they give directly to our organization,” said Ami Bowers, director of marketing for the group.“They could be giving us the proceeds but at this point we don’t know because we haven’t heard from them.”
A spokesperson for the Connecticut state Humane Society of the United States which offers rewards in animal abuse cases and help in prosecuting animal cruelty cases applauded the sale of the figurines. “It does seem like a well intentioned effort to raise awareness and help fund groups that support animal welfare,” said Ami Hornish, the director of the Connecticut chapter of the HSUS.
But Terminiello, who along with others helped raise $2,500 to donate to the Quincy animal shelter after the dog’s death and who attended a protest in December at the courthouse called the sale of the figurines “sickening.” “This is not about fame, it’s not about fortune,” she said. “Anyone who would profit off this dog is unimaginable.” David Traub, a spokesperson for the Norfolk State’s Attorney’s Office said Czerkawskiis due back in court Feb. 11.
CHINA has destroyed more than six tonnes of illegal ivory, in a move welcomed as an important signal the country backs action to stop elephant poaching.
China has destroyed six tonnes of illegal ivory in a move to stop elephant poaching. Source: AAP
The ivory, which is sought-after in China for making ornaments, was seized from the illegal trade and has been crushed into powder by the Chinese government.
Conservationists say China is the world’s largest consumer of trafficked ivory, most of which comes from elephants killed in Africa, and the move sends a signal of the government’s commitment to tackling the problem.
Destruction of the ivory, from more than 600 dead elephants, comes just weeks after eight Chinese citizens were convicted and sentenced to between three and 15 years imprisonment for smuggling some 3.2 tonnes of ivory.
“The destruction of seized ivory makes an important public statement that, in conjunction with other government-led efforts to reduce demand, has the potential to have a significant impact on the illegal market for ivory,” said Tom Milliken, from Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic.
Image comment: China will destroy ivory stockpile on January 6, 2014 Image credits: The Telegraph
“China’s actions, more than those of any other country, have the potential to reverse the rising trends of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trafficking.”
China has a legal ivory market based on stocks that pre-date a global ban on ivory trade imposed in 1989, and on stocks which were part of a legal “one-off” sale from four African countries in 2008, but the seized ivory cannot be be used for commercial purposes under international rules.
Gabon, the Philippines and the United States have all recently destroyed stockpiles of ivory
“This is yet another way humans have learnt how they can abuse animals; & profit from their pain! See video below, which brought me to tears, rabbits screaming in pain as their fur is repeatedly ripped from their bodies. Please please don’t buy clothes made from Angora wool; if you do, then you are condoning this barbaric abuse & cruelty! The video is at the bottom of this post, viewer discretion is advised!”
UPDATED: 13:28, 15 December 2013
High Street clothes shops are cancelling orders for fashion items made from angora wool after disturbing images of how the animals are farmed emerged.
Topshop, H&M, Boden, Primark suspend orders for Angora products
It follows a storm of protest following release of undercover video
Cruel methods at Chinese Angora farm revealed by Peta investigation
Rabbits trimmed then plucked using painful and cruel techniques
Longer Angora hair comes from using inhumane plucking method
High Street clothes shops are cancelling orders for fashion items made from angora wool after disturbing images of how the animals are farmed emerged.
More than 35 popular brands such as Topshop, H&M, Boden, Primark, Calvin Klein, Whistles and Next have said they will not stock Angora.
Factory horror: An angora rabbit is tied up by its feet and its skin stretched as it is being cut with an electric shear
Topshop told The Sunday Timesit stopped buying clothes made of Angora after more than 100,000 people petitioned the company.
Marks & Spencer also told the paper: ‘We will not place any further orders from our suppliers for products containing Angora until we have concluded our visits to farms.’
The agora fibre is prized even more than cashmere, merino wool or mohair because it is considered softer and fluffier than all the rest.
These sought-after knits are produced from the fur of the Angora rabbit — giant balls of fluff with tiny faces peeking out, bred for their long, soft wool.
Angora fibres are hollow, which gives clothes a fluffy texture. It’s warmer than wool and the fibre is also exceptionally fine — just 11 microns (11 thousandths of a millimetre) in diameter — which means Angora is softer than cashmere.
It is also far cheaper than the luxury fabric. Angora jumpers were on sale in Topshop for £36 and scarves in John Lewis for just £30.
The images, taken at an undisclosed location in China, shows angora rabbits in cages
But the Peta investigation revealed for the first time how these bargain knits may be coming at an immense cost to the animals that produce this fluffy Angora wool.
The group released a gut-wrenching exposé into the Angora industry in China, which is responsible for 90 per cent of the world’s supply of Angora wool.
The rabbit is bent across the woman’s knee before being trimmed of its fur using scissors
Investigators went to ten different Angora farms and witnessed, they say, appalling abuse of animals at all ten locations. At half of the farms a particularly barbaric form of live plucking is used to remove the fur.
PETA, which is campaigning for shoppers to boycott Angora, did not name the farms to protect its sources, but has documented its hard-hitting findings in video footage.
Cruel: The dead rabbits are processed for meat after their fur is taken for wool
Peta’s campaigns manager Yvonne Taylor told The Sunday Times: ‘Many retailers have taken on board customer complaints, but, while we welcome their decision to stop sourcing Angora products, we would urge them to also pull existing Angora stock.
The footage (below) showed terrified white rabbits, screaming with fear, stretched prone on wooden boards and held by the neck while their fur is plucked by hand.
In other scenes, the defenceless creatures are tethered with rope by the front and back legs while they are sheared by men armed with metal scissors, who pay little attention to the cuts they are inflicting on the animals.
Animal cruelty: The Angora rabbits are alive throughout the plucking and are kept for several years, plucked every few months, before their throats are slit
Angora has a trade value of £22 to £28 per kilogram, but the longer hair that comes from plucking, as opposed to shearing, can sell for more than double that.
Angoras can live for five years, or even as long as ten years when well looked after, but farmed rabbits have a much shorter lifespan, which can be as little as two years.
Yet it is not just the manner in which these animals — which are more commonly kept as pets in Britain — have their fur harvested that has sparked animal welfare concerns.
Pictures show forlorn looking rabbits with tattered and partially shaved fur cowering in tiny cages in half-covered sheds.
Pain and suffering: The terror in the animal’s eyes is unmistakable as a worker with a Chinese Angora trader stretches it out and yanks out its fur
The rabbits are forced to spend their entire miserable lives standing on the thin cage wires that constantly cut into their sensitive footpads, never having a chance to dig, jump or run around.’
Once the rabbit’s health fails, they are of little use to breeders.
Those who survive the brutal conditions in these rabbit farms are killed by having their necks broken, and are hung upside down and have their throats slit before their flesh is sold to local markets, PETA says.
There are thought to be more than 50 million rabbits on Angora farms in China, producing more than 4,000 tonnes of fur a year.
Left to recover: After the rabbit had had all its fur yanked out it is thrown into a cage to regrow its fur in complete solitude
It is by far the world’s biggest producer, followed by Argentina, Chile, the Czech Republic and Hungary, which produce the bulk of the remaining 10 per cent of the supply chain.
In China, there are no penalties for the abuse of animals on farms and minimal, if any, standards to regulate their treatment. A new law was drafted in 2009, but has not been implemented.
And there is no doubt that China has a woeful record of factory farming and animal cruelty, particularly when it comes to producing clothes for the fashion industry, many of which end up on sale on British High Streets.
In 2009, campaigners exposed how down used in jackets and other items was being ripped from the bodies of live geese by Chinese suppliers.
Two years later it emerged that raccoon dogs were being skinned while still alive to produce imitation sheepskin boots.
No hope: This young bunny is in the process of regrowing its fur while recovering from an eye infection in a naked steel cage
Viewer Discretion Advised: EXPOSED: The Agony Behind Angora
Published on 19 Nov 2013
An undercover investigation by PETA Asia shows rabbits screaming in pain as the fur is ripped from their bodies on Chinese Angora farms. Once you’ve seen the graphic footage, you’ll never want to buy items made of Angora wool again. Join the campaign against this cruel industry here:http://petauk.org/angora
“This is a great idea, I hope those that use the horn of any dead rhino suffer appalling reactions & suffer greatly; its’ nothing less than they deserve. If there stupid enough to use rhino horn instead of chewing their own fingernails, I have no sympathy. But, I’m not that happy either, that this pink potion has already killed test subjects; especially a rhino at an event to promote the cocktail. If inadequate studies have been performed to test this cocktail, should it go on, how many more rhino will die through testing; will several dying, justify saving the lives of those that are left? Or is there an easier option to save the rhino?”
“I’m for anything that stops the rhino poachers, dealers & resellers; but not at the cost of losing the lives of an already declining species. If only there was a way to stop poaching, without putting the rhino’s life at risk; to simply catch & use anaesthetics are high risk factors that could end in death, irrelevant of what is going to be implanted into the horn!”
“So think how much it costs in terms of drugs, anesthetics, vets, helicopters, spotters, darts, dart guns, man power etc. to implant something into the horn of one rhino? A rhino, who could die from the anaesthetic or stress of capture: but the process is being done to hopefully stop it being killed by poachers!. Then think of those that go out & poach said species…Why do they do it? Well I’m pretty sure it’s not because they hate the rhino species, they do it for money only, perhaps it’s easy money, which is the attraction; especially when your family are constantly hungry etc.”
” So perhaps the simplest, least cost-effective idea, is being totally overlooked!! Consider the cost of all the above, to one rangers wages & it’s obvious which is the cheaper & most cost-effective way of saving the rhino; more manpower on the ground…but why just rangers already trained up!”!
“What about the poachers? they risk their lives for such a small percentage in wages; so why not turn it around? They only poach for money, so perhaps they could be convinced to fight for the other side, i.e. protecting the rhino & being paid to do so; instead of being paid to kill the rhino! They are already savvy in the knowledge of rhino tracking etc. because they have worked out how & when is the easiest time to kill without being caught. Of course those in charge would have to be diligent, as newly employed protectors of rhino, could easily still work for the poaching kings, on an undercover basis! Inside knowledge could just as easily kill rhino; if done the right way. One just has to think of a way of making poachers protect; instead of kill!
“Perhaps if the government implemented an incentive, to suggest that all rhino poachers who come forward of their own free will, will not be charged for past regressions (otherwise they won’t come; even though I would be so tempted to slap them in chains!) but will be taken on & trained as a special task force, to be paid to save the rhino rather than kill. At the end of the day, it all comes down to money! Rhino potions can not be sold in shops, without those that poach the rhino horn! To stop poaching, one has to think of those at the bottom of the pile, those that do the poaching; because without them, there will be no rhino horn. So give them an incentive to stop, a uniform, a regular weekly income, less risk of being killed by rangers etc. & there might just be a better chance to stop this trade…there is no harm in trying, right??”
Rhino experts discuss a bright approach to keeping poachers away. Please note the following picture has been digitally altered!
This photo has been digitally altered and is not an actual photo of a rhino at Sabi Sand. (Photo: Heinrich van den Berg/Getty)
With over 200 rhinos already dead this year at the hands of poachers in South Africa and no signs of the slaughter slowing, some innovative rhinoceros lovers are stepping up their game.
Wildlife workers at Sabi Sand, a private game reserve at the southernmost tip of Kruger National Park,have injected a special cocktail into 100 rhino horns, turning them pink in an effort to deter illegal horn hunters.
In addition to discoloring the horn, the pink dye can also be detected by airport scanners, even when the horn is ground into a powder to make the high-priced traditional “medicines” that help fuel the killing of rhinos. The hope is to make transport of the illegal product that much riskier.
And that’s not all. There’s poison in the pink
The indelible pink dye is mixed with parasiticides, usually used to control ticks. Though it’s not meant to kill unscrupulous poachers and consumers who ingest the powder, it does have some pretty nasty side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.Ironically, these are some of the symptoms which rhino horn is incorrectly believed to alleviate. (Rhino horns contain nothing more than the same keratin found in fingernails.)
This comes at a time when the demand for traditional “medicines” is growing, says Tom Milliken, Rhino Program coordinator with Traffic, a leading wildlife trade-monitoring network. He says, “There is a whole new market that advertises rhino horn as a successful cancer treatment. It’s being marketed in hospitals to the families of the critically ill. In addition, it has also become a trendy hangover remedy.”
Dr. Susie Ellis,Executive Director of the International Rhino Foundation, has concerns about the ethical implications of intentionally poisoning something that may well be ingested, but hopes the project will draw attention to the dire situation.
“If this strategy discourages even one person from buying horn, I think it’s marvelous,” she says.
Milliken also understands the urgency to save every rhino possible, but isn’t sold on this technique. “I’m not sure I fully buy the notion that this dye cocktail has been adequately tested and certified to be non-harmful to rhinos,” he says. “The process of anesthetizing living rhinos to inject the cocktail is time consuming and entails risks; we know of rhinos in the private sector that have died in the process, including one at an event to specifically showcase this particular dye technique.
“How can anyone think, shoving a gavage (pipe or tube) down the esophagus, of geese or ducks then force feeding them with, typically, corn boiled with fat (to facilitate ingestion) so the birds liver becomes over enlarged; so it can then be eaten as a delicacy… is totally beyond me! Of course it’s bloody cruel & barbaric, no other animal that I can think of is force fed via a tube to make any part of their body fatter for human consumption. Yes animals are given extra grain & even growth hormones but they are not force fed it via a bloody pipe…it’s savage & uncalled for; we kill enough animals to meet the demand for meat or other animal body parts! Do we really have to force feed a bird in constant chronic pain from the tube…just for a delicacy?? What will they come up with next, pickled eyeballs, coated in vinegar daily, to get that perfect crunch?? One could say, this is almost as bad as bear bile being taken from a bear!!
Goose being force-fed so humans can dine on their enlarged livers!!
“Look at the disgusting filthy gavage (pipe) & other equipment; there is no wonder so many birds die of disease. While force feeding is required to meet the French legal definition of “foie gras”, producers outside France do not always force feed birds in order to produce fattened livers that they consider to be foie gras, instead allowing them to eat freely, termed ad libitum. Interest in alternative production methods has grown recently due to ethical concerns in gavage-based foie gras production. Such livers are alternatively termed fatty goose liver, ethical foie gras, or humane foie gras.”Source-Wikipedia
“During feeding, efforts are made to avoid damaging the bird’s esophagus, which could cause injury or death, although researchers have found evidence of inflammation of the walls of the proventriculus after the first session of force-feeding. There is also indication of inflammation of the esophagus in the later stages of fattening. Several studies have also demonstrated that mortality rates can be significantly elevated during the gavage period.”Source Wikipedia
The ALDF (the same anti-foie group that sued Napa restaurant La Toque) had argued that foie gras is “a diseased product unfit for human consumption,” and asked the court to step in and order the USDA to “remove foie gras from the American food supply.”
In the ruling (warning: PDF), U.S. District JudgeOtis Wright explains his decision to dismiss the case: “Plaintiffs‘ voluminous submission of technical papers and data supports the Court’s view that Plaintiffs are challenging a scientific conclusion and not a legal one … this is an issue falling squarely under the USDA’s discretion by law.”
Although selling and producing foie gras is still illegal in California, the ALDF is not entitled to judicial review on this case so, for now, the rest of the country can rest easily knowing their foie is safe. “For those who partake in this delicacy…I hope it fxxxxg chokes you!”
Panda Paws Rescue founder Amanda Giese obtained as much information as she could and then contacted authorities in Fontana, California who came to the aid of the puppies and her mother.
A 24-year-old woman posted an ad offering for sale 3-day-old pit bull puppies.
When Panda Paws found out about it they were horrified. Although located in a different state, the rescue didn’t hesitate to help. Knowing the puppies lives were at risk Giese worked to obtain proof of what was happening. As soon as she had confirmation that the ad was real, she contacted the Fontana Police Department for help.
Officer Jamie Simmons with the Fontana Police Department went into immediate action. Officer Simmons removed six puppies and their mother from the woman’s custody by Tuesday night. Officer Simmons placed the puppies and mother in medical care with a local veterinary clinic.
A seventh puppy was sold on Monday, and its location is unknown.
The puppies and mother are currently in foster care once they are able to be safely transported they will be taken to Panda Paws Rescue in Vancouver, Washington. Wings of Rescue will be helping to fly the dogs to Washington. The puppies will be available for adoption once they are over 8 weeks old, vaccinated, microchipped and altered.
The woman who was selling the puppies is facing numerous charges. The investigation is ongoing and more details about the rescue are not yet released.
The benefits of eating organic food go straight to the farm, where no pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used to grow the organic produce shipped to grocers. That means workers and farm neighbors aren’t exposed to potentially harmful chemicals, it means less fossil fuel converted into fertilizers and it means healthier soil that should sustain crops for generations to come.
For individuals, organic food also has benefits. Eating organic means avoiding the pesticide residue left on foods, and it may even mean more nutritious varietals, though research into that subject has yielded mixed results. While there are few if any proven health impacts from consuming trace quantities of pesticides on foods, a growing number of people take the precaution of avoiding exposure just in case, particularly in the cases of pregnant women (growing babies are exposed to most of the chemicals that mom consume) and the parents of young children.
But organic food can cost more, meaning many families are loathe to shell out the extra cash for organic produce on every shopping trip. That’s what makes the Environmental Working Group‘s annual list of the dirty dozen foods so useful. The group analyzes Department of Agriculture data about pesticide residue and ranks foods based on how much or little pesticide residue they have. The group estimates that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80% if they switch to organic when buying these 12 foods.
The USDA and farm and food industry representatives are quick to remind consumers that the government sets allowable pesticide residue limits it deems safe, and the produce for sale in your grocery store should meet those standards. Watchdogs like Environmental Working Group see those limits as too liberal, and see the dirty dozen list as a teaching tool to educate consumers about the benefits of organic food.
Even Environmental Working Group says that the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetablesoutweighs the known risks of consuming pesticide residue. At TheDailyGreen.com, we always favour educating consumers so that we can make the decision for ourselves.
Note: The 2011 dirty dozen list reflects testing data from the 2010 harvest, and because some pesticide use is dependent on weather conditions that vary by farm, it may not reflect the pesticide residue on produce in your grocery store.
That’s why we include not only those fruits and vegetables on Environmental Working Group’s current list, but produce that has made the list in the past, as well as information about pesticides used to produce meat, dairy and some other favourite foods that aren’t on Environmental Working Group’s latest dirty dozen list.
In general, tree fruits, berries, leafy greens dominate the list. Since the USDA tests produce after a typical household preparation, fruits and vegetables with thick skins that are removed before eating (melons, avocado, corn, etc.) tend to have the lowest amounts of pesticide residue.
If you don’t see a favourite food here, checkWhats On My Food, a project of the Pesticide Action Network that makes the same USDA pesticide residue testing data available in an easy-to-use database.
Visit the link below, then click “NEXT” at the bottom of the page. There are 20 pages in full, starting with the worst…Apples, then Celery!!
What’s On My Food?:- This is a brilliant & easy way to find out how many pesticide residues are left on your food.
Pesticides – A Public Problem …on our food, even after washing; …in our bodies, for years; …& in our environment, travelling many miles on wind, water and dust.
This is a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable.
How does this tool work? We link pesticide food residue data with the toxicology for each chemical, making this information easily searchable for the first time.
Use the tool, share it with others: we built it to help move the public conversation about pesticides into an arena where you don’t have to be an expert to participate.
At Pesticide Action Network (PAN), we believe that pesticides are a public health problem requiring public engagement to solve. We want you to have the information you need to take action based on a solid understanding of the issues. What’s On My Food? builds on PAN’s 28-year tradition of making pesticide science accessible
“I started off with the intentions of just posting the news below…but as always, I get side tracked. (please remember, anything I have to say in a post is in this blue writing) I’ve heard about this gorilla but not seen much, until I saw this. It’s most remarkable, a great ape, capable of killing a human, in an instant; but instead, Koko the Gorilla & Robin Williamspreferred to have a chit-chat, through sign language, then a tickling session I’m more than aware that humans share between 80% to 98.5% (The reason for the big gap in % is because not all agree) of DNA with chimps, gorillas & orangutans. This really does show the fact that humans & apes are so very much alike, when it comes to feelings & behaviour etc. So we can’t let these magnificent species be taken to the edge of extinction; due to the bushmeat trade!!.”
Koko the Gorilla with Robin Williams
“After watching the above , now, try to comprehend my other video & the article below; posted for & on behalf of Tony Zadel. This shouldn’t be happening, yet it continues & is a thriving business!”
“Bushmeat, popular in many parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, is the meat of hunted wild animals; including shark fin. reptile & whale meat, birds & turtles eggs! So whilst on your travels please don’t ever buy; ANY TRINKETS MADE FROM ANIMALS, or EAT EXOTIC CUISINE…YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE IT IS FROM AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OR THAT EXTREME SUFFERING WAS INVOLVED IN ACQUIRING IT. “The trade in bushmeat has become highly commercialized in recent years and is the most significant immediate threat to the great apes in Africa today.“
“Don’t think for one minute, if a female chimpanzee is caught, her babies will be left alone…no way! There is just as much demand for babies as there is for the meat, perhaps more! Any nursing monkeys or apes could be targeted by the poachers, who without empathy, drag the babies from their mothers, still warm but breathless bodies! As if that wasn’t cruel enough, the callous barbarians, set about hacking the mothers into pieces; all, whilst in full view of the babies! I can’t begin to imagine how those poor babies must feel, or how long the nightmares will last.
While most CITIES countries dilly dally, about this & that…you can be helping end the bushmeat trade by simply signing a petition or sending a pre-written letter by email; small things that will soon add up. We need to make it our goal, to educate & raise public awareness of this diabolical trade; that could eventually see some species become extinct! One voice can say a lot but may not be heard, but a chorus of voices, can demand attention! So if you want your grandchildren, to still be able to see these exotic species, please, just spend a couple of minutes signing petitions etc! I want my great-grandchildren to be able to see the fascinating creatures of the rain forests, roaming wild;where they belong!”
Illegal Commercial Bushmeat Trade
Uploaded on 24 Jun 2009
At the heart of the declining chimpanzee population is the illegal poaching of chimps and other great apes for bushmeat. The Jane Goodall Institute is working with governments and local communities to end this horrible practice.
“Posted below, as is, for & on behalf of Tony Zadel – Please sign the petitions & take note of the links, inc. video, providing more information. Thank you!”
The Bushmeat Trade – Threat of Primate & Wildlife Extinction !!!
The unsustainable commercial and illegal bush meat trade is threatening extinction of apes, chimpanzees, gorillas, and other primates and wildlife. Not only are the primates killed for food and body parts, orphaned primates are being sold on the exotic pet market, and they are also losing their habitat through logging and commercial development.
In Africa, forest is often referred to as ‘the bush’, thus wildlife and the meat derived from it is referred to as ‘bushmeat’ (in French – viande de brousse). This term applies to all wildlife species, including threatened and endangered, used for meat including: elephant; gorilla; chimpanzee and other primates; forest antelope (duikers); crocodile; porcupine; bush pig; cane rat; pangolin; monitor lizard; guinea fowl; etc.
Though habitat loss is often cited as the primary threat to wildlife, commercial hunting for the meat of wild animals has become the most significant immediate threat to the future of wildlife in Africa and around the world; it has already resulted in widespread local extinctions in Asia and West Africa. This threat to wildlife is a crisis because it is rapidly expanding to countries and species which were previously not at risk, largely due to an increase in commercial logging, with an infrastructure of roads and trucks that links forests and hunters to cities and consumers
The bushmeat crisis is a human tragedy as well: the loss of wildlife threatens the livelihoods and food security of indigenous and rural populations most depend on wildlife as a staple or supplement to their diet, and bushmeat consumption is increasingly linked to deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, andFoot and Mouth disease. You can also help with organization like the BCTF, CWAF, and much more..
Feb. 2oth:-MUMBAI: The four persons, including two sons of forest guards, arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on Monday have admitted to killing four to five leopards.
Sources said poaching inside theSanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) could be the tip of the iceberg, and the police believe the gang sold animal skin to an international gang, which smuggles it out of the country via Nepal.
Unit 11 busted the gang, operating with impunity in the forest for at least two months. The accused, booked under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, are Alok Khaire (27), Prashant Patel (25), Tushar Bagwe (29) and Abhishek Rane (26). They were produced before a holiday court on Tuesday and remanded to police custody till February 20.
Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said, “Prima facie, they have admitted they killed few animals, including leopards. But they are now putting the entire blame on the main accused, Pankaj Patel.“
The police have launched a manhunt for Pankaj, the elder brother of Prashant, who was arrested along with the others when they tried to sell a leopard skin outside the park gate.
The police on Tuesday carried out searches at the residences of the accused to find out if they had hidden any skin or remains of animals. The accused, while selling the skin to a person sent by the police, had claimed that they could arrange for any animal or its skin. They claimed that they could get the skin of deer, rabbits, tigers and monitor lizards.
The police have also questioned security guards posted in the forest. Senior inspector Raghunath Dalvi said they have told senior forest officers to check the census of leopards.
The accused admitted that they had laid traps forleopards at places they would frequent to quench their thirst and then shoot them. After that they would peel off the skin and scatter away the remains or bury it to avoid suspicion.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
You can find out more about me & this blog by reading "ABOUT THIS BLOG" on the menu (when i finish it) lol
PLEASE NOTE.....
Not all of my posts will be current news, or even about animal abuse! I do like to share other animal news, uplifting stories or videos; some that are funny or just touch the heart!
If I have anything to say on any post, you will see it in bold blue writing. I try to remain a lady, but it's hard to contain my anger & emotions at the some of the stories I post; I don’t have a heart of stone, tears stain many articles I write!
Lastly, my apologies for any errors; I am learning whilst posting, so if you find anything that doesn't work or a broken link, sorry, I'm only human!!!!
ABOUT THESE POSTS
I would just like to make readers aware, that I search for stories on the internet; regards animal abuse etc. I copy stories etc. from the internet; assuming these stories are correct at time of publishing. Having said that, sometimes the press get it wrong! So I just want to add that at the time of me posting a news story, I presume all the facts seem present & correct.
Please note....all people mentioned in this blog, are presumed innocent, until proven otherwise, in a court of law.
For anyone wishing to connect to me via my Facebook page...PLEASE NOTE, ONLY PEOPLE I ADD AS ANIMAL ADVOCATES CAN SEE MY WHOLE PAGE...I do this out of respect for those friends I have who do not wish to see graphic images, videos or links of animal abuse!
As 99% of my page is animal related; anyone not in the above group of friends; will only see a limited amount of posts!!
DUE TO ANIMAL HATERS...I WILL ONLY ADD PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVE WHO THEY ARE via Facebook, Wordpress, Twitter etc. & WHO HAVE A GENUINE INTEREST IN ANIMAL WELFARE... i.e. if your Facebook page has absolutely nothing to do with animals, I see no point in joining my page. My Facebook is solely for animal welfare, I am not interested in playing games etc. I don't mean to sound rude but I am not interested in the amount of friends I have, its the quality of those friends that count.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND REQUESTS FOR YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN. I do not want anyone to be upset by graphic images etc.
My aim is to educate & raise awareness to the horrors animals face, at the hands of humans, every day, around the world!!
We can not hope to achieve better laws, to protect animals, unless we unite as one, to speak up for those who are voiceless!!
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DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS BLOG - SOME PICTURES & VIDEOS CAN & WILL BE VERY GRAPHIC - SO PLEASE, VIEW THIS BLOG AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE 
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