UPDATE: Circus Malta: Petition Supporting Animal Circuses Gains 5,000 Signatures

Thursday 9 January 2014

Most animal charities & the public want to see a ban worldwide of wild animals being used in circuses. Now the owner of this circus is circulating his own petition to keep his Malta circus open. So please if you don’t agree with animals performing degrading tricks, kept behind bars & of course the cruelty that has been documented in circuses: PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS BELOW. We can’t let this circus continue, if it does through its petition, the flood gates for circuses using wild animals may open again; that would be tragic after all the hard work has been done to stop them!!

Circus promoter says 2013 could be last year for animal circuses in Malta due to the proposed ban.

But circus promoter Silvio Zammit has collected 5,000 signatures as part of a petition to overturn a proposal to ban animal circuses.

The circus has now moved to Ghajnsielem, Gozo, where Zammit hopes to continue collecting more signatures. The petition will then be passed on to the competent authorities.

Zammit, who has been bringing circuses to Malta for the past 16 years, said he could not allow the banning of animal circuses from Malta without taking any action.

“It was a personal initiative after finding out that the government had moved on to publish a White Paper proposing to ban animal circuses,” he said.

See all the animals, such as, Long horn cattle, Donkeys, Lama, Camels, Lions, Tigers, Zebra, Elephant, Giraffe, Baboon, Horses, Ponies, Donkeys performing pitiful & degrading acts; acts they would never do in the wild. The animal acts stop at 12 mins; then the human artists perform!I believe the only thing not seen is the Hippo; but is in a video below!!

Circo Orfei Floriana Malta 1st January 2012

Uploaded on 2 Jan 2012 – By levelone12

He argued that only 390 persons took part in the consultation process initiated by the government, of which 49% said they were against such a circus.

“We know that the majority of these were NGOs, and NGOs do not reflect popular opinion. I am doing this petition on my own. I know that there are many others who would like to sign it, but I have neither the time nor the manpower to go on a nation-wide petition,” Zammit said.

He said he was “very happy” with the number of signatures collected: “This shows that the Maltese do love the circus. They won’t flood the streets of Valletta with placards to support the circus.”

He also said that a number of MPs from both sides of the House visited Circo Orfei this winter. “Some came with their children while others accompanied their grandchildren. They thanked me for the level of the show and all said they had fun,” Zammit said.

He however refused to name them.

The debate as to whether Malta should ban animal circuses for good has been going on for a number of years, with animal rights NGOs insisting that circuses solely operate to maximise profits while completely disregarding the safety of the animals and the adverse effects they may impose.

Animal Rights Coalition said veterinarians only attend to the animal’s physical needs and as a result, the psychological issues brought about by the circuses are not being addressed.

With a number of countries moving to ban animal circuses for good, Zammit said in Italy alone there were 800 circuses. He said the UK was one of the countries which will stop animal circuses as from next year. “But this was the result of many circuses caught mistreating their animals,” he said, adding that the circus he brought to Malta did not see animals performing any tricks and only a minimal part of the show was dedicated to animals.

Zammit argued that the circus animals were born in captivity “and therefore they do not know otherwise. Their trainers threat them like their pets”.

He said Animal Welfare Department officials and veterinarians made regular checks to verify that the animals were well-kept.

Circo Orfei’s travelling team is made up of 60 people, whose living depends on the shows, Zammit said.

“This is their life. They are a community who live on the road and have been doing so for years on end. This is how they earn a living… their bread and butter,” he said.

The Animal Rights Coalition has also called for a full ban on dolphinaria and aquaria. The coalition has said it was unjust to deny dolphins the right to roam free in their natural habitat and called for the ban on dolphinariums as these restrict the creatures to a mere pool.

The Coalition also said that this should extend to aquaria as in this case, animals are likewise being “confined to cages and restricted from roaming in their natural habitat”.

Protesters outside circus. Image from http://www.timesofmalta.com –

But Zammit feels that two weights and two measures were being applied when talking about animal circuses and aquaria.

He also said that circuses gave people the opportunity to see animals which would otherwise require them to travel abroad to zoos or safaris.

He insisted that a proper discussion was required and said he agreed that animals like elephants, pandas and monkeys should be banned. “What we have in our circus are horses, ponies, donkeys and tigers,” he said, adding that tigers in captivity lived for an average of 25 years while those in the wild lived for 12 years.

Circo Orfei also has a hippo and an emu as part of their travelling repertoire. 

News Link:–http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Petition-supporting-animal-circuses-gains-5-000-signatures-20140108

Petitions to ban wild animals in circuses:-We must get the ban in place before this circus succeeds with their petition to continue

• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/114/712/149/ban-animal-circuss-in-malta/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/971/361/878/ban-the-use-of-wild-animals-in-us-circuses/
• http://www.change.org/petitions/dolphins-don-t-belong-in-traveling-circus
• http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/animalslavery/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/112/127/279/stop-brian-boswells-circus/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/903/573/553/no-bears-at-the-bolshoi-circus/
• http://forcechange.com/91545/commend-ban-on-wild-animals-in-circuses/
• http://www.stopcircussuffering.com/ – Petition is within the link

Published on 7 Jan 2013 – This video shows the hippo in the ring, but its towards the end of the video, after the trapeze act! What the hell is a hippo doing in a circus? Bloody outrageous!! Search Circo Orfei on You Tube to see all the animals when not entertaining  :-http://youtu.be/GEMx3YVIRmg 

Published on 10 Jan 2013 – Tiger & Lion Act:-http://youtu.be/aHeMPaW_d20

Published on 6 Sep 2013 – This is about the lions & tigers in the outside enclosure plus RARE WHITE LIONS & TIGERS?? Are they interbreeding??:-http://youtu.be/K40RjOFsX4c

My previous posts on circus in Malta etc.:–

• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/last-two-animal-circuses-in-malta-before-ban-imposed-petitions-to-sign/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/animal-circuses-may-be-banned-in-malta-by-end-of-the-year-petitions-to-sign/

GRAPHIC MEDIA: Auction of Black Rhino by Dallas Safari Club

By Omemee  |  Posted January 4, 2014  |  Omemee CNN PRODUCER NOTE     CNN is currently investigating this iReport. It has not been verified.  – Jareen, CNN iReport producer

The Dallas Safari Club has seen its organization in the cross-hairs of a worldwide debate since first announcing its plans for the execution of a highly endangered rhinoceros.

THIS IS NOT CONSERVATION IT IS JUST BLOODY MURDER

On January 11, 2014 at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, they will be auctioning the rights to kill an endangered Black Rhinoceros and are declaring this hunt a “heroic conservation” effort, the Dallas Safari Club and its supporters are attempting to deceive a gullible public into believing this hunt isn’t simply the slaughter of a rare species of rhino.

The club’s actions and rhetoric dares to make palatable what most would deem unjustifiable—killing an animal facing extinction. Some ‘lucky’ hunter-with a fist full of cash, gets to kill an endangered Black Rhino.

“Black rhinos tend to have a fairly high mortality rate,” Executive Director of DSC Ben Carter says. “Generally speaking, out of a population of 2,000, harvesting three rhinos over a couple or three years has no impact on the health of the rhino herd at all.”

“It’s going to generate a sum of money large enough to be enormously meaningful in Namibia’s fight to ensure the future of its Black Rhino populations,” Carter says.

ENDANGERED SPECIES

IMAGE FROM:-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477873/Texas-Save-rhino-fundraiser-auctions-chance-shoot-endangered-black-rhino-dead.html

The money, in reality, may go to an already corrupt government, one that is willing to turn a blind eye to the destruction of its own resources for money. At the time of this writing, there is no clear indication who will get the money and for what conservation purposes.  Government corruption In Southern Africa is a well-known issue and regularly documented by various media sources. 

 In a second interview Ben Carter states “Namibia has an annual quota to kill five black rhinos and has ‘selected’ the club to auction one of them.” He then continues, “That said, if someone wants to cough up almost seven figures and use the permit to go shoot the rhinos with a camera, they are more than welcome to do so.” These statements are a direct contradiction of what they are claiming as “advanced, state-of-the-art wildlife conservation and management techniques”

“Conservation,” is the organization’s only argument to garner support, even within its own community. This is simply a selfish attempt to ensure its members can continue hunting rhinoceros and other species years from now.

This auction to hunt a Black Rhino is NOT conservation of a species. There is nothing ethical or heroic about it. It is a deliberate attempt to mislead the general public and disguise the true motives of the Dallas Safari Club and its members.

Exposing a Rhino Hunt By HSUS

According to Louisiana conservation attorney John J. Jackson, who said he’s been working on the auction project with federal wildlife officials, the hunt will involve one of five black rhinos selected by a committee and approved by the Namibian government. The five are to be older males, incapable of reproducing and likely “troublemakers … bad guys that are killing other rhinos,” he said.

These animals are farm-raised around humans and cared for by humans only to be killed by rich hunters in what has been coined as “canned hunts.” This is simply a method that allows them to farm more for harvesting later.

This auction is nothing more than abuse of Africa’s natural resources to the highest bidder. No ethical or moral motive drives the hunt club’s actions. What DSC touts as conservation, we label destruction of a nation.

Rhino poaching: After the killing: Farmers Rhino poached (Viewer Discretion)

Published on 30 May 2013

Three rhinos were poached during our recent visit to a rhino farm. Is trading their horns the only way to save them? WARNING: contains graphic images.

The DSC lawyer’s statements are shockingly arrogant and factually incorrect. “This is advanced, state-of-the-art wildlife conservation and management techniques,” Jackson, a Metairie, La.-based international wildlife attorney, said Wednesday. “It’s not something the layman understands, but they should. This is the most sophisticated management strategy devised,” he said. “The conservation hunt is a hero in the hunting community.”

Yes he is correct–the hunt may be a hero in the hunting community. But it has no conservation value other than the additional killing of rhinoceros and other species by rich Americans. This guise of “conservation” is not new but seems to be the only justification the group has.

The individuals who participate in these hunts are rich Americans and Germans-typically millionaires who could very simply donate towards the care and keeping of endangered species rather than killing them. If this club wants to be seen as ‘heroes,’ and it has such a concern for conservation, it could easily petition its rich members to save these animals by donating money, to be used towards conserving the species.

So we continue to ask–how is handing over a sum of money for the rights to kill an animal that is nearly extinct the most sophisticated management strategy, when most South African countries are banning Trophy Hunting?

These countries have found that it just does not work. There is a comprehensive list of researched and confirmed reasons that clearly explain why trophy hunting is not a good conservation method, even if cash is generated in the process. And, in fact, the numbers of threatened species have rapidly declined since the Hunting Lobby groups won the fight to continue “their conservation efforts”.

The real motive for this auction and hunt is not for the survival of the rhino species, and protection of the species’ inherent majesty and ecological importance, but rather for the expensive blood-lust thrill of killing. This opportunity is available only to an elite group of power hungry wealthy people to “conserve” a commodity for the continued planned, organized, and highly profitable execution of wildlife for fun!

News Link:-http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1072625

This has been done before, Facebook page of Hunter:-https://www.facebook.com/JohanCalitzSafaris

Jose Belismelis and Louis Pansegrouw did it again. Jose bought an auction elephant in NG35 and took this beauty. Heaviest tusk measured 19.5″x48″ and weighed 84lbs. The smaller one measured 19.25″x46″ and weighed an equally impressive 80lbs — in Botswana. Image of hunted Elephant:

MURDERER

Just a few of many petitions against this auction:-

• http://www.change.org/petitions/dallas-safari-club-stop-auction-to-kill-endangered-black-rhino#invite
• http://www.yousign.org/en/dallas-auction
  
• http://action.sumofus.org/s/black-rhino-auction-thanks/?action_id=15757112&akid=.3275504.MVCLHL&ar=1&form_name=act&rd=1&sub=tw
• https://www.causes.com/actions/1762628-a-petition-to-ben-f-carter-executive-director-of-dallas-safari-club-john-patterson-board-pres
• http://forcechange.com/89655/stop-hunting-club-from-killing-endangered-black-rhino/
• http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-the-legal-killing-of-wildlife-stop-hunting.html
• http://www.change.org/petitions/rhinoceros-in-south-africa-need-your-help-before-their-extinction

Earlier News Item:–

• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477873/Texas-Save-rhino-fundraiser-auctions-chance-shoot-endangered-black-rhino-dead.html
• http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/10/25/texas-hunters-pledgesavingblackrhinobykillingone.html
• http://janiallan.com/2013/12/06/rhinos-siege-poachers-customers-siege/
• http://victoriafalls24.com/blog/2013/10/31/killing-for-conservation-black-rhino/
• http://www.eturbonews.com/39386/texas-group-kill-rhino-africa-name-conservation

The rhino hunt is reportedly going to take place at Mangetti National Park, which is located in northern Namibia.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has granted Namibia an annual export quota of up to five hunter-taken black rhinos, South Africa Tourism Update reported. The Namibia government approved the permit in accordance with CITES provisions to generate funding for rhino conservation initiatives, including anti-poaching efforts.  BY NELSON ALCANTARA, ETN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | NOV 02, 2013

Quotes from the above website!

• http://alleghenycampus.com/2013/11/09/black-rhino-hunt-auctioned-january-conservationists-hope-raise-money-namibias-black-rhino-anti-poaching-efforts/

“Jeff Flocken, North American director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, believes that this auction sends the wrong message, implying that the black rhino is worth more dead than it’s worth alive. “Killing animals to save them is not only counterintuitive but ludicrous,” Flocken told National Geographic. “We’re talking a highly endangered species, and generating a furor to kill them in the name of conservation is not going to do anything to help them in the long run.”

“Every single rhino is under the threat of poaching at the moment,” said Director of the World Wildlife Fund’s Species Conservation Program, Barney Long, to Antara News. However, the WWF also sent a letter to the FWS in 2009, advocating for the removal of non-breeding males.

British conservation charity Save the Rhino has advocated for proactive hunting while still acknowledging the minor details in play. Save the Rhino has also argued positively for the auction being held in America rather than remaining within Namibian boundaries.

“Couldn’t they get $750,000 without having to suffer an animal being shot? Well, yes,” Save the Rhino said in a statement on the official website, savetherhino.org. “It would be nice if donors gave enough money to cover the spiralling costs of protecting rhinos from poachers. Or if enough photographic tourists visited parks and reserves to cover all the costs of community outreach and education programmes. But that just doesn’t happen.”

Quotes from above website

Facebook page:-https://www.facebook.com/pages/STOP-Trophy-Hunting-NOW/136918922995288

Save The Rhino:-http://www.savetherhino.org/latest_news/news/filter/trophy+hunting

WARNING VERY GRAPHIC – Rhino Wars- The Silent Slaughter

Published on 1 Nov 2012 – Gavrielle Kirk-Cohen

Rhino Wars- The Silent Slaughter is a short documentary about rhino poaching in South Africa, which has become a pandemic. If rhino poaching continues at its current rate, all rhinos will soon be extinct. It is imperative that more awareness needs to be created about rhino poaching, so that governments will act with greater resolve and political will to combat poaching. This documentary was filmed in South Africa in June 2012 in partial fulfilment of my Masters dissertation and is dedicated to Lawrence Anthony for his wonderful work in conservation and for doing everything in his power and beyond to save the rhinos.

Ivory Trade Video: Suspected Poachers in Kenya Kill Two Wildlife Rangers

July 19th –NAIROBI, KENYA — The Kenya Wildlife Service says two wildlife rangers were killed Thursday responding to dozens of suspected poachers in the Kipini Conservatory game reserve on Kenya’s coast. 

Officials say the suspected poachers were armed with AK-47 rifles and opened fire on several rangers who were responding to a poaching incident inside the reserve.

Kenyan Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Mbugua says the rangers were actually attacked twice and one of the two men killed was a commander. One poacher was also killed.

“Then after that particular incident the rangers made a tactical withdrawal and then later they moved in to collect the body of the fallen ranger, and as they moved in to collect the body, the poachers were lying in wait,” he said. “They actually set up an ambush, and the rangers together with the police they were fired at, and during that second incident, which occurred at five in the evening, one of our officers who was actually the officer commanding the team actually went down.”

Mbugua said poachers are getting bold and patient. He said that after the first shooting incident, poachers had to lie low for up to five hours, waiting for the rangers to come back, knowing eventually they will come to collect the body of their fallen ranger.

“They are extremely brave and this is what we have been communicating, and you can see they are very sophisticated. One particular poacher had 208 rounds on him, he had three magazines for his firearm and he had other rounds of ammunitions of course in his possession,” he said. “And that tells you that these guys are willing to go to any length to ensure that they get their way.”

According to a recent United Nations Environment Program study, the number of elephants illegally killed in Africa has doubled over the last decade, reaching 25,000 killed in 2012, while the ivory trade has tripled in size.

Experts say the poaching of African elephants is at an all-time high, raising the possibility that the species could become extinct this century.

Trade in ivory was made illegal in 1989. Demand for ivory remains high in Asia, however, where it is used for ornaments and traditional medicine.

News Link:–http://www.voanews.com/content/suspected-poachers-in-kenya-kill-two-wildlife-rangers/1705521.html

Petitions to sign please, also in above menu:-

• http://www.bloodyivory.org/petition
• http://www.elephantfamily.org/sign-our-petition/
• https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_bloody_ivory/

Petition to Save Africas Elephants Ban Thai Ivory Trade

Published on 13 Jan 2013

Every day in the savannas and forests of Africa, elephants are being gunned down for their ivory tusks. Across the continent, tens of thousands of these majestic animals are being slaughtered each year. In many places the species has already been poached to extinction. If we don’t act now there may be no wild elephants left.
Elephant poaching is being driven by demand for ivory carvings and trinkets in Asia where many consumers think “elephant teeth” simply fall out and re-grow without hurting the animal. The truth is that ivory comes from dead elephants.
In Thailand, elephants are revered as sacred. There is a saying that there would be no Thailand without the elephant. But Thailand is also the biggest unregulated market for ivory in the world. Although it is against the law to sell ivory from African elephants in Thailand, ivory from domestic Thai elephants can be sold legally. As a result, massive quantities of illegal African ivory are being laundered through Thai shops. 
To save Africa’s elephants it is essential that Thailand closes this legal loophole.

Join us in asking Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to ban all ivory trade in Thailand.
Representatives from 176 governments will be meeting in Bangkok March 3-14 to discuss global wildlife trade issues, including the elephant poaching crisis. While the eyes of the world are turned to Thailand, we want to present 1 million signatures to Mrs Sinawatra.

Sign the petition and tell the Thai Prime Minister to ban ivory trade and save Africa’s elephants!

“Dear Prime Minister Sinawatra, we are greatly concerned about the record levels of elephant poaching in Africa. Demand for illegal ivory products could drive the species to extinction in Africa, and Thailand’s elephants could be next. You can save them. We urge you to ban all ivory trade in Thailand to give elephants their best chance of survival.”
For more information:
http://www.wwf.or.th/killthetrade
http://www.panda.org/ban

Botswana To Ban Hunting Over Wildlife Species Decline

Botswana will ban commercial hunting from January 2014 over growing concerns about the sharp decline in wildlife species, officials have announced.

“The shooting of wild game for sport and trophies is no longer compatible with our commitment to preserve local fauna,” the environment ministry said.

The ban is likely to be controversial as many communities depend on hunting for their livelihoods.

As much as a third of the global elephant population lives in Botswana. Recent estimates place the number at about 130,000.

Conservationists are concerned about the erosion of river banks caused by the animals in some nature parks, the BBC’s Letlhogile Lucas in the capital, Gaborone, reports.

The ban, set to come into place on 1 January, could also pose a threat to local communities, in particular bushmen, for whom hunting is a means to survive, our correspondent adds.

Furthermore, selling hunting licences to wealthy Westerners is an extremely lucrative business, he says.

Hunting concessions currently exist in the northern Okavango Delta and the parks of the Kalahari region, famous for its upmarket safari lodges.

According to the environment ministry’s official statement, the government will continue to issue special game licences “for traditional hunting by some local communities within designated wildlife management areas”.

Average trophy fee per species

• Elephant: Up to $30,000, depending on weight
• Lion: $29,000
• Leopard: $7,150
• Buffalo: $3,744
• Giraffe: $3,500
• Zebra: $1,923

Due to its seasonal nature, hunting has only contributed a minimal amount to the tourism sector, which ranks second to the diamond industry in terms of its revenue earnings, the ministry said.

Designated hunting zones will be turned into “photographic areas”.

The announcement has been welcomed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

“The ideal scenario would be that it has a similar effect to the ban on whaling 20 years ago,” the organisation’s spokesman, Adrian Hiel, told the BBC.

“Whale watching is now proven to be more sustainable and profitable than hunting and killing the animals.”

Earlier this year, Spain’s King Juan Carlos faced international criticism for going on a hunting trip in Botswana. “He apologised to the Spanish people, not the world!”

News Link:-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20544251

 

ACTION ALERT: Backyard Tigers – Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act (H.R. 4122)

HR 4122 would avert unnecessary human suffering from deaths and injuries from these inherently dangerous animals, stop the illegal trade in captive animal parts that encourages poaching of the wild population, and end the widespread misery these majestic animals endure in private hands when exploited for exhibition or inappropriately kept as pets. This bill is supported by Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Big Cat Rescue, Born Free USA, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS, Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), ROAR Foundation and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Published on 12 Sep 2012 by BigCatRescue

The cute tiger cubs you see at fairs, malls and parking lots will spend their entire lives in tiny cages or will be killed for their body parts to use in traditional asian medicine. It is estimated that there are 10,000 to 20,000 big cats currently held in private ownership in the U.S., although the exact number remains a mystery… 

Since 1990, U.S. incidents involving captive big cats—including tigers, lions, cougars, leopards, jaguars, cheetahs and lion/tiger hybrids—have resulted in the deaths of 21 humans, 247 maulings, 259 escapes, 143 big cats deaths and 132 confiscations.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Help put an end to the abuse of big cats and help ensure the safety of the public …. This is the most important bill to ever be introduced to protect big cats. Please click the link and contact your state representatives letting them know that you support H.R.4122 –http://bigcatrescue.org/2012/big-cats-and-public-safety-protection-hr-4122

Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act HR 4122

On February 29, 2012, Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) and Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) introduced H.R. 4122, to prohibit the private possession and breeding of big cats. The bill will insure that lions, tigers and other dangerous big cats — which are kept as pets and exploited in roadside zoos and traveling exhibits — do not threaten public safety, diminish the global big cat conservation efforts, or end up living in deplorable conditions where they can be subject to mistreatment and cruelty. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) announced on the same day plans to introduce a companion bill in the Senate within the next few weeks.

The debate over private ownership of big cats garnered national attention last October when the owner of a backyard menagerie in Zanesville, Ohio, opened the cages of his tigers, leopards, lions, wolves, bears and monkeys before committing suicide. Local police, who were neither trained nor properly equipped to deal with a situation of that magnitude, were forced to shoot and kill nearly 50 animals—38 of them big cats—before they could enter populated areas.

The bill would make it illegal to possess any big cat except at accredited zoos and wildlife sanctuaries where they can be properly cared for and sheltered, and would only allow breeding at accredited zoos, along with some research or educational institutions. Current owners would be allowed to keep the cats they currently have provided they register their cats with USDA to keep them from being slaughtered to sell their parts (see below), but they would not be allowed to acquire or breed more. Violators of the law could have their animals confiscated along with any vehicles or equipment used to aid in their activity, and could face stiff penalties including fines up to $20,000 and up to five years in jail.

WEBSITE: http://www.bigcatrescue.org
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/bigcatrescue
GOOGLE+: https://plus.google.com/115333849859181638977/posts
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue
DONATE: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/donate.htm
BIG CAT SHOP: http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/servlet/StoreFront

THANK YOU!

Special thanks to http://incompetech.com for the music tracks used in this video 🙂

Take Action:-http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=61054081

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/bills/?bill=61054001&alertid=61054081

Petition:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/615/569/128/hr-4122-the-big-cats-and-public-safety-protection-act-of-2012-tippi-hedren/

IFAW– 6 questions about the U.S. Big Cats and the Public Safety Protection Act:-http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/news/6-questions-about-us-big-cats-and-public-safety-protection-act

Born Free USA–http://www.bornfreeusa.org/legislation.php?p=3179&more=1

HSUS:-http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2012/05/congress_urged_to_pass_big_cats_act_051812.html

PETA:-http://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/Ask-Your-Representative-to-Co-Sponsor-the-Big-Cats-and-Public-Safety-Protection-Act-.aspx

 

‘Game hunting necessary’ – OK guys I want Your comments on this, does hunting actually protect wildlife??

“WOAH…Ok guy’s COMMENTS ARE OPEN for this article…I want to hear what you have to say about WWF being a party to hunting etc. I heard before that WWF agree’s with hunting, which is why I stopped sending them money…but I can’t find anything that literally say’s they support hunting…What do YOU think about hunting; are they the true conservationist, is it necessary?? are we greenies out of touch with ourselves… or are hunters talking a load of crap?? 

LAST month The Morning Bulletin published an article about a Rockhampton resident shocked by one stall at the Hunting, Fishing and 4WD show.

World Wide Hunts offers a range of trips where one can hunt animals ranging from wild pigs to lions to elephants.

Upon returning from an African hunting safari, Greg Coyne felt compelled to share his thoughts. He said in two weeks of hunting in Zimbabwe he took only three animals, while bowhuntingfor trophy elephant. In the end he was outsmarted, but said for him hunting was more about the journey than the kill.

Greg Coyne shot this lion in Mozambique in 2008. He said the lion had killed and eaten a number of villagers as it had been injured by a snare and while injured, humans are easier game than other animals. “Although he’d almost fully recovered, it’s said that once a man-eater, always a man-eater,” Mr Coyne said.

A commercial fisherman in St Lawrence, Mr Coyne has been hunting and fishing since he was four, following his grandfather as he checked traps and snares in the bush.

He operates his fishing business off his 1214-hectare property where he has also been hosting both Australians and foreigners to hunt wild game for the last two years.

He has been to Africa on five separate hunting trips – “nowhere else in the world can you find such a diverse range of animals to admire and hunt at very reasonable rates,” he said.

“Hunters in Africa are also generally admired, respected and above all welcomed by almost everyone in the entire country.” “Probably because your white with loads of cash & guns!!!”

Greg Coyne shares his thoughts on hunting:

WELL, I’ve only just seen the article in the July 21 Weekend Bulletin titled ‘Hunting Stall Upsets Patron’ which happened at the recent fishing expo held in Rockhampton.

I’m a little late in responding to this as I have only recently returned from a hunting safari in Africa. I feel that as a hunter and a true conservationist it’s my duty to try to properly inform this fellow along with all others that may agree with him.

Now, if it wasn’t for hunters like myself there actually wouldn’t be any elephants or hippos or any other large game left in the world for that matter, period.

Because we actually put a value on an animal’s life, this is why conservation is working in a lot of areas.

If it wasn’t for some governments along with a large number of other folk with a vested interest in the hunting industry doing their very best to protect the large majority of species from the poaching activities that are running rife in the world, then most of our larger animals would had been extinct long ago.

It is mostly only from fees earned by governments and outfitters through hunting that allows anti-poaching operations to be carried out.

‘Greenies’, and most other so-called ‘wildlife conservation organisations’ mostly don’t know what they are on about and are by the majority not even in touch with themselves let alone nature.

They are not capable of taking care of our wildlife no matter how much money they throw at their so-called cause.

It’s only hunters and people like us with deep feelings and a good sense of well-being for the land and the animals that live here, that place any real value on this resource.

I do say “most other organisations” because, actually, unbeknown to most people in the big wide world, the largest conservation organisation in the world, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) actually works hand in hand with the Safari Club International (SCI) which is also the largest hunting organisation in the world.

Yes, that’s right, “hunting organisation”.

Together they have been directly responsible for saving a great number of our animal species from the very brink of extinction.

You won’t hear about this from anyone else in your community and most probably you will never ever hear it repeated again because this is very serious business and it is kept very low-key by parties concerned for fear that the WWF would lose vital funding from individuals that are willing to donate huge sums of money to the cause.

Although well-intended, these donors are more often than not uninformed and misguided and just wouldn’t be able to understand the complexity of the situation.

So WWF figures it best to just keep them in the dark.

What they don’t know can’t hurt them. You would have to travel to the farthest reaches of the world, perhaps to some remote hunting camp in deepest darkest Africa.

There you may be lucky enough to meet up with some WWF representative that is visiting the area to observe how some species was recovering under the watchful eye of “the hunters” the only true “wildlife warriors”.

Environmental and habitat management is probably the biggest major concern in any wildlife area.

Far too big an issue for myself to go much into here but folk may be interested to know that the Green movement has been successful in all but ending all forms of hunting in Botswana.

This breeds disaster either to all the animals in that country or perhaps to the land first, followed then by the wildlife.

Without proper management, if the population isn’t poached and slaughtered as recently seen in Zimbabwe, then the herds will breed up out of control and eventually denude the whole countryside.

This is already the case in large parts of Botswana because the country is currently carrying over 100,000 elephants where the carrying capacity in reality is less than one-third of this number.

Because of over grazing in areas, particularly along rivers, the bush has been almost totally denuded for up to 20 miles back from either side of both river banks.

I have been told by reliable sources that the countryside has the appearance of a lunar landscape.

This has already displaced many species especially those creatures that require thickly vegetated habitat as normally found alongside river banks.

Zimbabwe was once the number one hunting destination in the world, earning untold millions of dollars in revenue for its people.

However, since Mugabe gained power a little over a decade ago, the wildlife has been decimated.

The whole country has literally gone to ruin. I know because I was there a little over two weeks ago.

It’s now only a shell of its former self and even if it immediately came under proper management, it would take perhaps 30 years to return to what it once was.

However, sadly this is not likely to happen. On another note, all animals are not lovable furry things.

In India alone something like 50,000 natives get killed by various critters each year. Surprised? Well don’t be because it’s the reality.

Misguided folk see the African hippo, which is portrayed on TV as the lovable happy, jovial beast, as just that.

In reality the hippo alone attacks and kills hundreds of people each year in Africa.

Not to even mention what the other big six dangerous game animals over there kill.

Now, I’m not saying that because these beasts need to be slaughtered.

Quite the opposite in fact. They have the right to be where they are and they need to be protected the same as all other species, and the best way to protect any animal is to have regulated hunting

News Link:-http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2012/08/21/game-hunting-necessary-greg-coyne-africa/

ELEPHANT TROPHY HUNTING

Growing numbers of British hunters pay £15,000 or more to shoot an elephant.  Trophy hunting is easy to organise via the internet and elephants, lions, leopards and hippo can be legally shot in cold blood in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Tanzania.  The dead animal’s head is usually then stuffed, mounted and exported as a grotesque ‘trophy’.  Born Free believes trophy hunting may be contributing to species’ decline and fights to end this glorified ‘sport’.

News Link:–http://www.bornfree.org.uk/animals/african-elephants/projects/trophy-hunting/

The Truth About WWF

 The WWF Endorses the Killing of Wild Animals, Too!!!

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) gives special meaning to the word “conservation. .” The organization, founded in 1961 by a group of wealthy trophy hunters, apparently believes that conserving animals means keeping them around long enough for well-heeled “sportsmen” to blast them out of the woods, oceans, skies, plains of Africa, and jungles of Asia.. Past WWF chapter presidents include C..R.. “Pink” Gutermuth, who also served as president of the National Rifle Association, and trophy hunter Francis L.. Kellogg, who is legendary for his massive kills.. In its early days, the WWF even used fur auctions to raise funds…

Since then, the WWF has learned that most people are appalled by hunting and trapping, so today, the organization veils its true stance under phrases like “sustainable development, ” arguing that killing is acceptable under some circumstances. . When answering difficult questions about its policy on hunting, trapping, and whaling, the WWF is careful never to state outright that it approves of all these activities.. But don’t be fooled, the WWF’s intentions are all too clear and deadly!!

News Link:–http://www.animalliberationfront.com/AR_Orgs/TruthaboutWWF.htm

Related articles

• WWF drops Spain king as patron over hunting (mnn.com)
• WWF ousts Spanish King over hunting in Botswana (english.ruvr.ru)
• Elephant hunt costs king WWF role (bbc.co.uk)
• Spanish WWF Removes King Juan Carlos From Honorary Presidency Over Elephant Hunt (newstalkcleveland.com)
• Elephant hunt causes Spanish king to lose WWF role (radionz.co.nz)
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/king-of-spain-faces-calls-to-abdicate-after-elephant-hunt/