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Women Pioneers of Animal Rights: from Mary Tealby & Nell Shipman to Ingrid Newkirk & Laureen Harper

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Animal Rights Movement…

Women Pioneers of Animal Rights

Nell Shipman & Brownie

“Nature and her wild children would act for me — not as animated puppets but living, breathing images of wilderness, purity at its Divine source…” Nell Shipman

“Animals have never betrayed me. They are an easy prey, as I have been throughout my career. So we feel the same. I love them.” Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot

“Compassion for animals is the mark of a civilized and healthy society.” Laureen Harper

What are Animal Rights? A History.

Women have played a fundamental role in creating the entire Animal Rights movement.

It started in Britain. In 1840, Queen Victoria gave her full support to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. And with women like Mary Tealby, who — after opening a temporary dog shelter in an abandoned stable — founded the much-honoured Battersea Dogs’ Home. And Frances Power Cobbe, who fought valiantly to establish the revolutionary Anti-vivisection movement.

Northern Europe, with it’s traditional conservative connection to soil and forest, produced a number of avid animal welfare activists. Like Swedish anti-vivisectionist Lizzy Lind af Hageby.

From there, it was a short jump to the New World…

In 1869, Caroline Earle White formed the Women’s Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. With its all-women board of directors, the WPSPCA established America’s first animal shelter. Helping every distressed animal from cats and dogs to horses.

A personal heroine of mine is Nell Shipman, “Queen of the Dogsleds.” A Canadian star of the Silent Movie Era, Nell acted in, wrote, directed and produced popular Northwestern movies. She also rescued domestic and wild animals. And housed over a 100 of them in a private sanctuary.

When the Hollywood establishment refused to accept the independent Nell as an equal, the talented “Northern Girl” made her own films. Doing her own thrilling stunts and using her own sled dogs, horses, wolves, bears (eventually, she had 15 bruins), bobcats, beavers, marmots, muskrats, raccoons, elk, deer, eagles, a cougar and other rescued animals.

Her movies played to packed houses around the world.

But she was still given a cold reception in Hollywood and Manhattan.

As she wrote, “It was Louella Parsons who once objected to my appearance at an Algonquin luncheon in my tam and Hudson’s Bay blanket coat.”

Nell found her personal refuge in the wilderness, “the one spot in all God’s world where I belonged. The forested mountains seemed to cascade down the slopes and carry me to their shining heights, cradle me in topmost boughs, soothe me with song.” There, she wrote, “Nature and her wild children would act for me — not as animated puppets but living, breathing images of wilderness, purity at its Divine source…”

As one reporter explained: “Her communication with animals was legendary. And in her movies these wild animals come and go freely, often crawling into her lap or walking up her chest as she sleeps.”

After gaining international success starring in hits like BACK TO GOD’S COUNTRY (the 1919 blockbuster that included her controversial nude scene), made with her then-husband Ernest, Nell found herself on her own.

Her independently made movies included THE GIRL FROM GOD’S COUNTRY, THE GRUB-STAKE, THE TRAIL OF THE NORTH WIND, THE LIGHT ON LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, WHITE WATER, WOLF’S BRUSH and THE GOLDEN YUKON. All dealing with strong adventurous female characters in movies actually filmed in wilderness locations.

The first ecofeminist art.

Nell spoke often of the necessity of protecting the welfare of show biz animals.

And of wild animal rights, fiercely defending her right to provide refuge to unwanted creatures. One of her favourites was Brownie, a tame and gentle brown bear she had raised from an orphaned cub.

She loved her animals and the wild land. Her adventures there inspired her writing, and her movies often seemed to enter her real life. Once, when Bert Van Tuyle (her co-director and romantic partner) collapsed, she had to take him to town by canoe over a frozen lake, chipping at the surface ice to slowly make headway:

“Have you ever traveled two miles by inches?” Nell later wrote. “With a passenger bound for the hospital to whom speed meant life or death? Chip-chip — bit-by-bit. Drive ahead a foot and back up three. What does it matter? It’s all a nightmare anyway and we shall wake up soon, or the movie will flicker to a fade out and a happy ending! Another heave-crack-plunge.”

But, despite her hard work, her dedication, her loving fan base and the popularity of her movies (and of the worldwide fascination with the Canadian-set Northwestern genre as a whole), her finances went south. The Hollywood-based studio bosses were aggressively driving the independent movie makers out of business. First Nell lost her distributors. And then her financial backers.

She was driven out of her beloved God’s Country.

Three years before her death in 1970 at age 77, Nell vowed that her life would have a “death-with-your-boots-on finale.” At that time she wrote in a letter that “memories are our greatest treasure, cannot be taken by rust, by the dream-killers, or the ‘so what’s?’ Our only sure possessions!” Her unpublished Autobiography was found among her papers.

Fittingly, those memoirs, which she had titled THE SILENT SCREEN & MY TALKING HEART, ended at the point when she had given up her wilderness home due to bankruptcy. And had been forced by a judge’s decision to “sell” her rescued animals to a zoo, including Brownie — breaking her heart.

Nell’s son Barry described her as a “strange, hungry, brassy, courageous girl, bravest of Mamas.”[1]

Laureen Harper releasing one of four rescued Swainson’s Hawks

Defenders of Animal Rights Today.

In modern times, another Canadian heroine of mine is Laureen Harper. Born Laureen Ann Teskey, she’s believed in animal welfare from earliest girlhood. She grew up on a ranch in the Rocky Mountain foothills of southern Alberta. She remains an excellent horsewoman.

Laureen has described how she, sometimes with her father’s help, would rescue assorted endangered animals and take them home: “We would end up with old chickens and you name it. Old animals that just deserved to live out the rest of their lives in comfort and safety. There is nothing sadder than an animal that has been thrown away like a piece of garbage. We had a pet sheep that had been mauled by dogs. And we had to feed it out of a little bottle. Dad and I bought a goat when other people were bidding on it to eat it.”

As Laureen said, “Any animal with a hard-knock story ends up here, or where I was growing up.”

While living at 24 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, she “fostered more than 160 cats, with three permanent rescue cats, Cartier, Gypsy and Stanley.”

Thus earning the nickname “Cat Palace” for the Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s official residence during that time.

For her work, the Humane Society of Canada honoured Laureen Harper’s “exceptional animal welfare efforts” with their 2011 Heroes for Animals Lifetime Achievement Award.

“Fostering animals from shelters and rescue groups is an essential component to an animal’s recovery and adoption into a loving home,” said Michael O’Sullivan at the award ceremony. “The Humane Society of Canada thanks Mrs Harper for setting an example for all Canadians by helping animals and helping to further build and sustain a truly humane society. She is an inspiration in action.” Right on!

“Compassion for animals is the mark of a civilized and healthy society,” said Laureen in her acceptance speech.

“Canada’s true heroes are the thousands of staff and volunteers who work in animal welfare. They protect, they shelter, they rescue and they adopt animals across the country. I feel truly fortunate to be in a position where I can assist them by supporting their work.” [2]

Laureen Harper is also the Honourary Patron of the Animals in War Dedication Project:

“We don’t realize how important animals are in war. How much work they do, dangerous work. Too dangerous for our men and women. So the animals did it and they didn’t have a choice,” Laureen said.

“What a creep. Chasing a cougar with dogs until they are exhausted then shooting a scared, cornered and tired animal. Must be compensating for something, small penis probably.” Laureen Harper

“I’ve never met an animal I didn’t like, and I can’t say the same thing about people.” Doris Day

“Like most people, I don’t want to support cruelty to animals, whether it’s forcing horses to race for our amusement or scalding chickens alive for our plate. We have to be more evolved than this.” Pamela Anderson

“When I’m around animals, I don’t pay attention to people.” Betty White

Defenders of Animal Rights: Other modern heroines include…

Christine Stevens (Animal Welfare Institute). Ingrid Newkirk (PETA). Singer Doris Day (Doris Day Animal League). Canadian activist Pamela Anderson (Pamela Anderson Foundation). Naturalist Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute), whose work with chimpanzees revealed so much about them — and about us. French actress, animal rights activist and conservative patriote Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot (La Fondation Brigitte Bardot).

And Namibian conservationist Marlice van Vuuren.

Marlice — known as “N/Aisa” by “her second family the San,” was born and raised in the African bush country of Namidia. Which the native people call “The Land God made in Anger.”

Discovered in 2002 by Angelina Jolie, Marlice van Vuuren’s rescue work with local cheetahs made N/Aisa a popular conservationist. Her work with big cats, including endangered lions, continues to keep her work in the news.

To read a Guest Blog by Peter Horsfield on the extraordinary life of Marlice van Vuuren, Go To Marlice van Vuuren – Cheetah Rescuer

==>> To Read More About Nell Shipman’s Essential Role In Canadian Culture, See “Canuck Movies: Mounties, Nell Shipman & the Canadian Spirit”

[1] To see clips of Nell’s silent movies, search for her on YouTube. A complete version of her box office smash hit of 1919, BACK TO GOD’S COUNTRY, is available on DVD.

Two books well worth reading are THE SILENT SCREEN & MY TALKING HEART: An Autobiography by Nell Shipman. And LETTERS FROM GOD’S COUNTRY: Nell Shipman Selected Correspondence and Writings, 1912 to 1970.

Also THE GIRL FROM GOD’S COUNTRY: Nell Shipman and the Silent Cinema by Kay Armatage is an excellent study of our Nell and her work.

And see Canadian Film Encyclopedia – Nell Shipman.

Updated July 26, 2023.

[2] Laureen Harper Honoured for Outstanding Commitment to Animal Welfare by The Humane Society of Canada: https://www.humanesociety.com/index.php/news-releases/3408-laureen-harper-honoured-for-outstanding-commitment-to-animal-welfare-by-the-humane-society-of-canada

Laureen Harper slams cougar hunter as ‘creep’ who ‘must be compensating’: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/laureen-harper-slams-cougar-hunter-as-creep-who-must-be-compensating-1.3730704

Keywords: Animal actors, Back To Gods Country, Defenders of Animal Rights, Ecofeminist art, Laureen Harper nature, Laureen Teskey Harper, Nell Shipman, Northern Girl.

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Posted in An Earth Spirit, Bearkind, New Spirituality, Otherkind | Tagged animal actors, animal rights, animal welfare, Back To Gods Country, bears, carnivore research, cheetahs, defenders of animal rights, Ecofeminist, Ecofeminist art, first ecofeminist art, ingrid newkirk, Laureen Harper, Laureen Harper hawks, Laureen Harper nature, Laureen Teskey Harper, marlice van vuuren, Marlice van Vuuren cheetah, mary tealby, naankuse foundation, nell shipman, What is Animal Rights, wildlife sanctuary | Comments Off

The Butterfly Effect: Is the Monarch Butterfly Next on the Extinction List?

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Monarch Butterfly Next?

The Butterfly Effect: Is the Monarch Butterfly Next on the Extinction List?

The Eskimo Curlew of Canada. The Golden Toad of Costa Rica. The Zanzibar Leopard. The Javan Tiger. The Pyrenean Ibex. The West African Black Rhino. Just some of the world’s species declared “Officially Extinct” in just the last few years.

And so many more species living on the edge of existence.

Even insects! And insects were on our blue planet long before any mammals — or even reptiles and amphibians. The most critically endangered insects are the Bees.

Scientists are attempting to get the message out: “Without bees, the entire food chain we depend upon for our lives and existence will collapse!” Not many folks up there in the Towers of Power listening to that one, eh? They’re too busy planning on getting at all the treasures under the Arctic Ocean when the ice melts.

And now we’re hearing about butterflies.

Like the beautiful Madeiran Large White butterfly of the Laurisilva forests on Portugal, which was declared Extinct in 2007. And the last Dutch Alcon Blue butterfly was spotted in 1979.

But what about the Monarch butterfly?

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), with the Government of Mexico, have jointly given a chilling announcement. “The population of the wintering monarch butterfly in Mexico declined to their lowest level since scientists started keeping records.”

So what’s happening with the Monarch Butterfly?

We know that those glorious multi-coloured insects summer here in Canada. Then fly south over 2,500 miles to winter in the mountain forests of sunny Mexico.

The announcement blames “a rapid decline in milkweed plants. Due to herbicides used in U.S. agriculture. Plus, the insects experienced higher-than-normal temperatures and storms during their migration. Also, they face habitat loss throughout their range. Including in Mexico, where the trees they live in are illegally logged.”

Research Professor Lincoln P Brower is an entomologist at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. Giving more detail on the milkweed connection to the tragedy, he explained that “the migration is definitely proving to be an endangered biological phenomenon. The main culprit is now genetically modified herbicide-resistant corn and soybean crops. And herbicides in the USA which lead to the wholesale killing of the Monarch Butterfly’s principal food plant, common milkweed.”

And our glorious Monarchs aren’t the only butterflies in danger of flying off into history. Here, from Nicki Hollamby, is a guest blog:

The Butterfly Effect – The Need to Reverse the Decline

They are renowned throughout the world for their bright colours and multifaceted life cycles. Butterflies are much more than what they seem. This well-known insect can reach sizes of up to 12 inches across (like the Owl butterfly from South America). Fly at speeds of up to 30mph (like the cryptically coloured Skippers). And has the ability to taste food with its feet.

This highly developed creature has one of the most complex classification systems in the animal kingdom. From the order Lepidoptera, butterflies are divided into 6 families. Which are then further divided into almost 40 sub-families. Followed by tribes and even sub-tribes before eventually slotting into over 20,000 different species. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Some butterfly species are highly mobile and can travel great distances in order to find a suitable place in which to live.

The Monarch Butterfly is famous for its seasonal migration between Canada to Mexico.

At up to 4500 km this migration can span the life of three or four generations of the butterfly whose lifespan can be as short as two months. Mothers will lay their eggs en-route and the next generation will continue the journey.

Butterflies can act as indicators of a changing environment. They are some of the first creatures to respond to variations in the environment. Because of this butterflies can be used to establish the overall health of a particular environment. Predict patterns in other taxonomic groups. And even help to determine climate change.

Species such as the Silver-spotted Skipper in Britain require specific habitat qualities in order for the larval stages to develop.

There are also some specialist species that will rarely move more than 20 metres from where they hatched from their chrysalis if the surroundings are unfavourable.

This limited mobility makes these species extremely sensitive to small changes in the environment. It’s these species that are the most at risk from local, regional and ultimately complete extinction.

Many factors contribute to the decrease in butterfly numbers. Both natural and managed changes can render habitats unsuitable for once abundant species. The use of insecticides, pesticides and fertilisers also contribute to the significant decline in wildlife in rural areas.

In the UK wild meadows that were once harvested for hay in late summer and were abundant in flowers and insects are no longer as common. Changes in EU policies and funds for land set aside by farmers as nature areas mean even more butterfly habitats are being lost.

Many species have a preference for open, sunny and even disturbed areas. However, the fragmentation of butterfly habitats due to development can have a shrinking effect on the gene pool. This can decrease the strength of the affected populations often resulting in interbreeding and disease.

Awareness concerning the importance of the Monarch Butterfly and all butterflies, is gradually increasing. But action needs to be taken.

The IUCN Red List of European Butterflies states that 9% of butterflies are Threatened and a further 10% are Near Threatened. In Britain alone 4 species are regionally extinct with over 50% listed as Concern.

Conclusion: “Butterfly Conservation in Britain headed by Sir David Attenborough, is on a mission to “halt and reverse the declines” and is encouraging people to take part in a nationwide survey to determine the health of the British environment. (http://bigbutterflycount.org/).” – Nicki Hollamby.

“Live Free, Mon Ami!” – Brian Alan Burhoe

Nicki Hollamby completed a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science, with a focus on behaviour and welfare at the University of Plymouth. She now works for Frontier at the London HQ in the research and development team.

Frontier was established in 1989 as a non-profit conservation and development non-governmental organisation dedicated to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem integrity and building sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities in the world’s poorest countries. Website: http://www.frontier.ac.uk

Brian Alan Burhoe has written about wildlife in fact and fiction. His first published story was Ornithanthropus.

The Butterfly Effect: Is the Monarch Butterfly Next on the Extinction List? Butterfly Endangered.

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Posted in Otherkind | Tagged bees, butterfly effect, butterfly endangered, canada, ecosystem, endangered insects, extinction list, migration, milkweed, monarch butterfly extinction, ornithanthropus | Comments Off

Plant a Fish: Jacques Cousteau Ocean Mission Carried on by Grandson

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Jacques Cousteau…

Jacques Cousteau

Plant a Fish: Jacques Cousteau Ocean Mission Carried on by Grandson.

Born in Atlantic Canada, the wild ocean has always been “just out there” for me — sometimes calm, sometimes seething — always a living place. Blue and green and white, roaring onto rocks and sand. Playground for shorebirds who hunted washed-onshore shell creatures…

Nova Scotia folk art seagull - Jacques Cousteau

Watching Jacques Cousteau and the Calypso and the daring French oceanographers adventuring on and beneath the seas of the world was a stirring glimpse into that world.

Jacques is gone, but others continued his work. Sons Jean-Michel and Philippe. Granddaughter Céline. And his grandson, Fabien.

Here, from Peter Horsfield, is a guest blog telling us about Fabien’s work today.

WHY FABIEN COUSTEAU IS EXTRAORDINARY

The Earth’s living space is 99% water. 97% of our biodiversity is in the water. We couldn’t live without it. Yet, we are hardly doing anything to protect it. Fabien Cousteau has learned to love the water way back as a child, in his adventures with his grandfather and father. Thanks to them, he developed a profound affection for water, enough to vigilantly care for it.

PLANT A FISH

Fabien’s Plant A Fish was launched to help replenish the resources in the waters. For him, it doesn’t make sense that we are using the waters as a garbage can when it is providing us infinite resources.

So Plant A Fish was his way of instilling love of oceans and other bodies of water to the young and old. He has partnered with schools and has so far been successful in planting oysters.

He also plans to plant mangroves and corals as both are key to sustaining aquatic life. This endeavor is quite expensive but in the long run, Fabien believes that it will pay off big time. We are now feeling the depletion of fish.

Aggressive fishing has been a threat to our waters since the 1950’s. If we keep to that direction, there will be hardly anything left for our future generation to enjoy.

Plant A Fish has helped in restoring species in El Salvador, New York City, South Florida, Nicaragua and the Maldives. Work at Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Indonesia, and Washington DC has just begun. They also hope to bring this project to Greece, California, Mozambique, and Nova Scotia.

LIVING UP TO THE JACQUES COUSTEAU LEGEND

Fabien was destined to love the ocean. His grandfather, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, was an oceanographer, a scientist, an environmentalist, a filmmaker, a producer, and an inventor. In short, it was not easy to live up to his legacy. But Fabien is doing all he could to take up where the late Cousteau left off.

Mission 31 was set to dive in 2014. They will be in the world’s only underwater laboratory named Aquarius. It’s a record-breaking feat because the longest mission Aquarius undertook was 18 days.

The seven-man team of which Fabien was the leader will stay 600 feet down Florida Keys for 31 days. His grandfather did it at 300 feet under the Red Sea for 30 days in the 1960’s. Apart from the duration and the depth they planned to brave, Mission 31 will also involve its audience in it exploits by using Skype and the Internet.

They will also be visited by Virgin’s Richard Branson and Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am. With the help of technology and modern Science, Fabien is making environmentalism fun and pressing at the same time.

When we see the reality of his cause, we discover more about the ocean. Understanding makes it easier for us to love the ocean and move us to protect it come hell or high waters.

endangered sea turtle

TOP REASONS WHY FABIEN COUSTEAU IS EXTRAORDINARY

Fabien is the founder of Plant A Fish, an organization that aims to educate and help replenish aquatic resources.
He is the man behind the documentary, “Shark: Mind of a Demon.”
And partnered with his father and sister to produce Ocean Adventures.
He is the program Director of Mission 31, the first underwater exploration that plans to stay underwater for 31 days.
Fabien is the grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a revered oceanographer.
He owns a production company, Bonnet Rouge (Red Hat).
Also has partnered with National Geography, Discovery, CBS, and PBS in making environmental documentaries.
He supports New York Harbor School.
Fabien has spoken at Bloomberg, BLUE, Google Zeitgeist, Sundance, Tribeca Film Festival, DLD, Rio+20, BiF and TEDx (Los Angeles/ New York/ Rio).
He was included in The Daily Muse’s list of 50 Fearless Minds

To read more about Fabien Cousteau and more of Peter Horsfield’s writing about extraordinary people, visit http://www.thextraordinary.org

Live Free, Mon Ami! – Brian Alan Burhoe

ALSO SEE Saving Rare Chinese White Dolphins Unforgettable Experience

UPDATE: On June 1, 2014, Fabien began his Mission 31. Fabien and his team of aquanauts/scientists will live for 31 days under the ocean in their undersea station Aquarius, exploring, discovering and researching ocean conditions, including ecological changes since his grandfather did the same thing 50 years ago. See his own website dedicated to the mission: www.mission-31.com/

Plant a Fish: Jacques Cousteau Ocean Mission Carried on by Grandson.

Keywords: commandant, cousteau jacques, fiji, jacques yves cousteau, jean michel cousteau

If you agree with Fabien’s PLANT A FISH Program — And want to follow his MISSION 31 Project — SPREAD THE WORD!

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Posted in An Earth Spirit, Bearkind, Otherkind | Tagged commandant, cousteau jacques, fabien cousteau, fiji, Jacques Cousteau, jacques yves cousteau, jean michel cousteau, mission 31, plant a fish | Comments Off

Brave African Elephant Fights Three Poachers & Wins

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

The Brave African Elephant…

Brave African Elephant

Brave African Elephant Fights Three Poachers & Wins

Jackie Chan is right.

Jackie spoke out about elephant poaching. He made it clear that the iconic and majestic animals were being decimated for their ivory. And that there is only one sure way to stop it.

Jackie spoke in support of the nature film GAMBLING ON EXTINCTION. “Forget the myths that ivory jewelry and carvings are made from tusks that have fallen off the elephant. Or from elephants that have died of natural causes. This is simply not true. Elephants are being hunted and killed for their tusks. The only way to stop the slaughter is to cut the demand. We are all consumers. We can all make a difference.”

Poaching rhinos and elephants continues to devastate African wildlife.

The international movement to protect them is growing. But will it be enough? Can elephant ivory poaching be stopped? Perhaps. Even if the gentle giants have to get tough themselves.

Here, in his own words, is a Guest Blog from Macqwei James. Macqwei lives in Accra, Ghana. He attends UDS (University for Development Studies) and is close to the action.

“Brave African Elephant Exhibits the Mandela Spirit as it Fights Three Poachers and Wins” a guest blog by Macqwei James

In the Southern African region, a brave African elephant in Zimbabwe stood up for its Right to Life. It trampled a poacher who was attempting to rob its ivory tusk.

Yeah, it’s about time!!!!!

A suspected poacher, Solomon Manjoro, was trampled to death by an elephant in Charara National Park in Kariba.

This news is according to the state-run The Sunday Mail in Zimbabwe. “Noluck Tafuruka is a friend and accomplice of the late Manjoro. And is said to have accompanied Manjoro to the park armed with two rifles, for the purpose of hunting. The deceased poacher is thought to have tried to shoot when the Brave African Elephant (alias Mandela..lol..) spotted and stopped him.”

This revelation came to light after Tafuruka was arrested on charges of possessing firearms without a license, The Sunday Mail reports. Also, a third man linked to the poaching incident was also arrested.

History of Mandela the Elephant

Born into conservation, Mandela spent six months of every year of her childhood at her grandmother’s private nature reserve in South Africa. This experience allowed her to develop a deep spiritual connection with the land, oceans and their wildlife.

As much as elephant attacks are rare, there have been instances in history where adolescent elephants have attacked villages. Especially in the 70’s and 80’s, a period of extreme poaching.

Also, TreeHugger notes that elephants may be purposefully striking back at the threat of poachers. “Perhaps as more of the animals have lost family members to poaching, they’ve grown more aggressive to those appearing to be a similar threat.”

The insatiable ivory trade market in Asia has made African elephants targets for their ivory tusks. Which led to the loss of 700,000 in a period of 9 years (1979-1987). Over 40,000 elephants are slaughtered each year, according to the Elephant Advocacy League.

Mandela’s fight and teachings in freedom for all, I believe, should be extended to humans and animals alike. Because, the current rate of elephant poaching endangers the very existence of Africa’s most iconic species.

Protected sanctuaries and national parks don’t stop poachers, either.

Recently, authorities of the Hwange National Park (the largest park in Zimbabwe) reported tragic killings. They confirmed that 87 elephants and 41 other animals were killed by cyanide poisoning. An act believed to have been perpetrated by poachers as the ivory tusks of elephants were all removed.

There was this report from the New York Times. “A ban enacted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1990 was very effective in halting the ivory trade. Until 1999 when Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia were permitted to sell 50 tons of confiscated ivory to Japan. That rekindled the poaching business. The rate of poaching went through the roof when another sale was made in 2008.”

“Join the squad and help the elephants win the war against poaching. The fight against these notorious poachers cannot be left to the elephants alone.” – Macqwei James

Elephant Poaching Update:

Each year, at least 20,000 African elephants are illegally killed for their tusks. A decade-long resurgence in demand for elephant ivory, particularly in parts of Asia, has fueled this rampant poaching epidemic. The elephant ivory trade threatens the very survival of this iconic species. And causes broader ecological consequences,. Also endangers the lives and livelihoods of local people and undermines national and regional security.

Promisingly, a historic opportunity emerged to stop the African elephant poaching crisis. Governments initiated action to settle this wildlife crime. The United States implemented a near-total ban on elephant ivory trade in 2016. As did the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong. And other elephant ivory markets followed suit. Most significantly, China took the remarkable step of closing its legal domestic ivory market at the end of 2017. Other Asian countries with open elephant ivory trade are under substantial pressure to take action.

For more see Stopping Elephant Ivory Demand WWF

Brave African Elephant Fights Three Poachers & Wins

“Live Free, Mon Ami!” – Brian Alan Burhoe

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Posted in Otherkind | Tagged african, african elephant poaching, Brave African Elephant, elephant, elephant ivory poaching, elephant poachers, ivory, poaching, poaching rhinos, tusks, wildlife | Comments Off

Animal Rights & Speciesism: Chimps, Roosters & Humankind

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

What is Speciesism?

Is Speciesism important?

Chimps, Roosters & Humankind…

Animal Rights & Speciesism: Chimps, Roosters & Humankind

“And I would read up there, in my own leafy and private world. I think I went through all the Tarzan books thirty feet or so above the ground. I was madly in love with the Lord of the Jungle, terribly jealous of his Jane. It was daydreaming about life in the forest with Tarzan that lead to my determination to go to Africa. To live with animals and write books about them.” – Jane Goodall, REASON FOR HOPE: A Spiritual Journey.

For many of us Boomers, our introduction to Chimpanzees was in the old Tarzan movies.

Cheeta (based on Nkima the monkey in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ stories) was a tame, comical companion who readily sought out help when a human was in trouble. A primate version of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. And we loved them all.

Hints of Speciesism: It was only later that we discovered unpleasant truths.

Tarzan actors like Jock Mahoney and Mike Henry reported bad tempered chimps who bit and scratched.

“I’m glad the chimp’s gone,” said Jock, “They’re the dirtiest, meanest animals to work with.” Mike would describe his own Chimp Attack while filming TARZAN AND THE GREAT RIVER: “I was to run over to the chimp and pick him up. When I did, he lashed out at me and ripped my jaw open. It took twenty stitches to put my face back together. I was in a monkey-fever delirium for three days…” [1]

And we learned that the movie and TV chimps were juveniles, often snatched from their mothers as babies. Adult chimpanzees were MUCH bigger and independent — and kept off-screen.

Then came Jane Goodall.

With books like MY FRIENDS THE WILD CHIMPANZEES, INNOCENT KILLERS and IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, Jane gave us phenomenal glimpses into the world of our relatives.

What nature writers like Jane Goodall and Farley Mowat and Dian Fossey told us is what some of us already secretly knew: our wild companions were both vastly different from us and yet so much alike. The concepts of Animal Rights and Speciesism were unleashed.

Here, from Miriam Jones, is a guest blog exploring some of the latest thoughts on Speciesism.

“Chimps, Chickens and Communication” a Guest Blog by Miriam Jones

A new study published in Current Biology proves (as if more evidence were needed) that, in the words of zoologist Matthew Cobb, “Humans aren’t quite so unique, after all.” The so-called news is that chimps will warn other chimps about a hazard if and only if the other chimps don’t already know about the danger.

This adds to the evidence that chimps not only use sound-symbols to convey meaning, as we do, but also that they have what psychologists call theory of mind: an awareness that others have mental states (such as knowing something or not) different than one’s own.

Chickens are similarly flexible in their production of and responses to alarm cries.

When a rooster spots a hawk or other potential predator in the sky, he shouts a sound-symbol that actually sounds a lot like the word HAWK. Everybody runs for cover without delay. Other roosters shout too, whether or not they’ve seen the threatening shadow in the sky. Hens join in, clucking in low foreboding tones. Nobody shuts up or steps back out into the open until the rooster who raised the original warning crows an “All Clear” signal.

In contrast, if a rooster spots a fox or other potential predator on the ground, he makes a different warning sound. Then, everybody stops moving and looks around. The calls of roosters, then, are what researchers call functionally referential, encoding sufficient information about the circumstances of production for conspecifics to respond appropriately, even in the absence of contextual cues potentially provided by the non-vocal behavior of the sender.

None of this is surprising, eh?

The ancestors of modern chickens evolved in the jungles of South Asia, where flocks did (and still do) forage amid dense foliage that prevents them from maintaining visual contact. Such circumstances presumably led to the development of language among our own ancestors. It’s only human hubris that leads us to be surprised when other animals turn out to have utilized some of the same strategies for survival as we did.

And so we demand proof. And so scientists set up studies.

The good news is that, in the case of the chimps, the researchers did not significantly interfere with the animals or their habitat in order to collect their data. They merely placed a replica of a poisonous viper along a path frequented by chimps and watched what happened. Since watching out for, avoiding, and warning others about such environmental hazards is part of the everyday lives of those chimps, that was a relatively unobtrusive way to learn something about them. It’s still scaring somebody to study their reaction but, given that such scares are an everyday occurrence in the lives of free-living animals, probably not injurious.

That’s not the case with the study of rooster alarm cries, which was done by researchers who have repeatedly used laboratory experiments to demonstrate that chickens have communications capacities far more sophisticated than most people presume.

Raising, yet again, the question of what these scientists might be thinking about their own right to experiment on these sentient beings.

Ironically, research concerning the capabilities of chimpanzees helped to supply some of the data leading the U.S. to suspend funding for any new bio-medical research using chimps as subjects. Anybody who has read about any of the horrific experiments to which chimpanzees have been subjected has to cheer that decision. At the same time, that and other bans or limitations on the use of great apes as research subjects often depend on the argument that, because they are closest to us, great apes are so superior to other animals as to be exempt.

Chickens are also exempt, but in a different way. Rodents and birds are specifically exempted from the animal welfare regulations that minimally mitigate the suffering that can be inflicted upon animals used in research.

Some activists, such as Ingrid Newkirk of PETA, argue that any regulation that in any way establishes any sort of right for any animal represents a crack in the foundation of the justification of human exploitation of animals. Over time, the theory goes, those cracks will bring the building down. Others argue that protecting some animals, but not others, leaves the structure unchallenged, especially when the justification for special protection is that the protected animal is especially “like us.”

What do you think?

Miriam Jones has been active in one social justice movement or another since she was a teenager doing feminist and LGBT activism.

In 2000, Miriam Jones co-founded the Eastern Shore Chicken Sanctuary with pattrice jones. For nine years, the organization existed on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland — Perdue country — saving the lives of thousands of chickens and spreading the word about speciesism and the importance of ending the human domination of non-human animals.

During this time, the organization also pioneered a method by which fighting roosters might be helped to stop fighting, and since that time, has helped almost 100 roosters learn to live peacefully with other chickens. In 2009, the Eastern Shore Sanctuary became VINE Sanctuary (Veganism Is the Next Evolution) when it moved to Vermont.
http://www.bravebirds.org

Today, Miriam acts as the Administrative Coordinator for the organization, which offers sanctuary to about 450 animals, including cows, sheep, chickens (including former fighting cocks), emus, geese, ducks, turkeys, parakeets, doves, and pigeons.

==>> To Read More On This Subject, Go To Animal Rights, Circuses, Tarzan & PETA XXX

==>> To See More About Tarzan and His Creator, Go To EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: A Tribute to Tarzan’s Creator

[1] THE GREAT SHOW BUSINESS ANIMALS by David Rothel, A S Barnes & Company, New York, 1980

“As sentient beings, Chimpanzees should not be treated as property.” Steven Wise, President of Nonhuman Rights Project

Animal Rights & Speciesism: Chimps, Roosters & Humankind

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Posted in An Earth Spirit, Otherkind | Tagged animal rights, chimp attack, chimpanzee, edgar rice burroughs, farley mowat, Jane Goodall, nonhuman rights project, peta, speciesism, tarzan, What is Speciesism? | Comments Off

Solar Energy: The Benefits of Home Solar Power

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

When the ultra-conservative DailyFinance announces that “rapidly falling costs have transformed the solar power industry, and in many locations grid parity is already in the rear view mirror” you know that Solar Energy has arrived.

DailyFinance goes on to say, “What has really upset the traditional energy industry is the expansion of homeowners generating their own power” and concludes, “Grid parity marks the point where solar demand should explode worldwide, and it’s blowing through that point faster than most people think!”

We’ve looked at different forms of alternative energy production, haven’t we? Here in Atlantic Canada, private business has been looking at Tidal Power as a medium sized, environmentally friendly way of producing power for the region. Why not? The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world.

With the increase of extreme weather due to climate change, home prepping to survive a disaster has exploded in interest and use. Providing power after a disaster has become a priority. As has living off the grid.

So what about home-based energy production? What works? What’s easy to build? What’s cheap?

Here, from homeowner Wendy S Aguiza, is a guest blog looking at what is considered the cheapest, easiest and maintenance free method…

“The Vast Benefits of Using Solar Energy” a Guest Blog by Wendy S Aguiza

When it comes to solar energy, there’s no question that it’s very beneficial to the environment. However, many of you might not understand how exactly solar energy works and how to install it in your home. The following may serve to answer any questions you may have.

Solar Energy

Just because you have a lot of cloud cover does not mean you can’t get solar power! It doesn’t need to be like Florida all year round for it to be a big part of your energy savings goals. In fact, lots of people say that they get great energy on days that are not so sunny.

Before you invest in a solar energy system, find other homeowners in your community who use solar panels. Ask them how much energy they are able to generate thanks to their system. And find out how much the installation cost them. This will give you a better idea of what to expect.

If you are buying a solar energy system, make sure your panels can be easily adjusted. As seasons change, so does the angle of the sun, especially in Northern zones. Your panels will need to be adjusted every three months or so. Make sure that you know how to do this or talk to your contractor about seasonal maintenance.

Fossil fuels that are used around the world do not help our environment. In fact, they cause a great deal of damage to the Earth. Solar energy will provide us with the power we need without causing any damage to our planet. There will be no more gasses, carcinogens or even carbon dioxide produced by solar energy.

Go online to find your local Internet solar panel community. You can find good information about peaks and lows in solar energy use in your area. If you get particularly adept at getting on a roof to clean your solar panels, you can even market yourself and make a few bucks off other solar panel owners afraid of heights.

Don’t underestimate the effect that shade can have on a solar panel’s output. One tree branch can produce enough shade to reduce the amount of solar energy produced by almost 80% and that’s without leaves. Take the time to properly situate any solar panels you install to maximize their efficiency.

Do you have a pool? You could save a lot by investing in solar panels. There are small solar energy systems designed to power a water heater or a water pump and since you only use your pool during the warmer months, your panels will work perfectly when you need them.

Wouldn’t it be nice to receive money for using electricity, instead of paying it out every month? If you purchase a solar panel system, it’s important that you get a quick investment return. The added bonus to that is if you have any electricity produced that isn’t needed to power your home, you can sell it back to a utility company for electricity credits.

Those building a new home should consider using solar energy. South-facing windows are ideal capturing heat and warmth in the winter. The hot summer sun is also blocked so you save on your cooling bills.

Having read the article above, you now have a better understanding of how solar energy works. Hopefully, you can use this information to help you make the decision as to whether or not you should invest in this form of alternative energy. At the end of the day, you will be helping the environment, and reducing your expenses on power.

Live Free, Mon Ami! – Brian Alan Burhoe

About the Blogger: Wendy S Aguiza writes about home-related issues, from pest problems and landscaping to roof repairs, building a home gym and generating cheap energy: “Home solar power is really a good solution for more efficient living.”

Keywords: energy, electricity, generate, generator, save, money, bill, pay, guide

Key phrases: solar charger, solar energy, solar panels, solar power

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Green Energy: Renewable Energy Sources – Tidal Power

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Green Energy: Renewable Energy Sources – Tidal Power.

Tidal Power

Green Energy: Renewable Energy Sources – Tidal Power.

The search for Nature-friendly energy production goes on. (“One thing for sure, it’s not the Tar Sands,” say the Greens). We need clean energy technologies.

Here in Atlantic Canada, a number of programs using the tides along the Bay of Fundy are under way. Why not? Fundy has the World’s highest tides, pushing “about 160 billion tonnes of water every tide. More than all the freshwater rivers and streams on the planet combined.” The tidal bore, at the innermost end of the Bay, is a visual spectacle.

For instance, there’s FORCE (the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy), “Canada’s leading research centre for in-stream tidal energy.” And Fundy Tidal Inc, which has announced that it’s seeking start-up funds for a similar project.

In Scotland, there’s already a number of such projects under way. Here, from Laura Ginn, is a guest blog outlining the latest Scottish initiatives…

“Renewable Energy Sources: In with the Tides” a Guest Blog by Laura Ginn

Tidal power is moving forward in the form of many viable marine energy projects. RenewableEnergyWorld.com recently announced that the Scottish government will construct a tidal energy project off the coast near Caithness.

The project will harness 86 MW of tidal power. The power of the tides, particular in rough northern seas of Scotland, demonstrates how viable the ocean is as one of the Earth’s renewable energy sources.

Largest European Tidal Project

This large-scale Scottish tidal project will be situated â€œin the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth off the north coast of Caithness, according to RenewableEnergyWorld.com. The initial project will rely on six turbines to tap into the area’s tidal power.

Meygen, the project’s developer, believes the site could eventually produce as much power as 398 MW. This particular site was chosen because it has an ideal water depth for the turbines and it is situated near the grid.

Support for Marine Energy

Scotland’s marine energy projects demonstrate that the region is, in fact, one of the primary leaders in this field. Viewing the ocean as a potent renewable energy source has fueled the region’s support for new tidal and wave technologies.

Scotland’s Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing, recently announced that funds from its “wave energy support programme” will be awarded to Pelamis Wave Power and Aquamarine Power to continue developing their wave energy projects. The minister also announced that consent Scottish tidal project can move forward. According to the article, once these projects are developed, they could constitute 20% of the UK’s power portfolio and the continued support of these initiatives helps drive that prospect forward.

Wind or Tide?

Tidal power, according to a recent article in the Guardian, has two main advantages over wind power. It is more predictable. And it does not attract criticism from people who object to the visual impact of wind turbines on land. Wind power is far more developed, however, than tidal power so there are more wind turbines installed at this juncture in time.

However, in a region like Scotland’s coastal area, the tides are among the most conducive to tidal power schemes and developing the technology to harness that power, while possibly late in coming, is well in the works as this recently proposed tidal project suggests.

Pentland Firth

This water (more nearly a strait in nature than a firth) separates northern Caithness from the Orkney Islands. The tides of these waters are some of the fastest on the planet and have been charted as speeds of 16 knots (or 30 km/h).

Currents have been measured at five metres per second. Another reason why developers have had their eye on this, otherwise, rather remote area of the UK. Once the tidal project is underway and advances, it has the potential to power well over 40,000 homes in the Scottish highlands. About 40% of homes in the Highlands, according to the Guardian report.

More Tidal Projects around the UK

Lately the UK Energy Minister was criticized for saying that extra subsidies would not be provided to tidal and wave projects in the waters off northern Scotland as they have for wind power. The extra subsidies have been particularly useful as these viable areas are remote and difficult to develop.

As the Guardian acknowledges, Installing and running these machines in the harsh north Atlantic waters off northern Scotland is highly challenging. Because of the extreme weather conditions, strength of the tides and depths of water. When posed the question about the extra subsidies, the minister initially said No, but that he also viewed the question as hypothetical. Perhaps the situation could change.

Other projects have been stalled or face difficult government hurdles often based upon environmental concerns. To outsiders, however, these obstacles appear to be part of the process and there are a number of projects that are still geared to prove that UK waters are, indeed, one of the country’s most significant renewable energy sources.

Many can’t help but wonder how renewable energy will play out if the Scottish government votes to leave the UK in the 2014 referendum. That outcome will likely play an important role in many of these projects and the energy sector may, of course, have an influential voice in the that election.

“Live Free, Mes Amis!” – CIVILIZED BEARS! Visit Us at Our Bears’ Den Now

Laura Ginn understands the need for more exploration and investment of renewable energy sources in order to meet the worlds energy demands. Find out more about renewable energy at uSwitch.com the UK’s leading online comparison site.

Green Energy: Renewable Energy Sources – Tidal Power.

Keywords: green energy, renewable energy companies, solar, solar energy, tidal energy advantages, what is renewable, wind.

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Posted in An Earth Spirit, Otherkind | Tagged green energy, renewable energy companies, renewable energy sources, solar, solar energy, tidal bore, tidal energy advantages, tidal power, what is renewable, wind | Comments Off

Planting Trees: Plant More Trees – Save Our Earth – Regrow Our Forest Cover

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Planting Trees…

Here in Atlantic Canada, we can step out our back door and see the beautiful woodlands coloured in October tints. It’s almost possible to forget the unseasonably hot, humid summer brought to us by Climate Change. Almost…

Sometimes, my friend, it’s hard to imagine that it’s been a mere two centuries. Two hundred years since greedy industrialism began it’s massive devastation of our green Earth.

Planting Trees: Facts About Deforestation – It’s been going on for thousands of years!

In 1815, Ernst Moritz Arndt published his passionate and prophetic ON THE CARE AND CONSERVATION OF THE FORESTS. Moritz represented the Old Right. The landowners who understood the love and connectiveness with their “woodlands and soil.” He launched an attack against the new forces of greed, corruption and factory-centered Progress.

Arndt condemned in the strongest terms the massive deforestation going on in western Europe. Including his beloved Black Forest of Germany. He explained his age-old Conservative beliefs of understanding “Nature in a necessary connectedness and interrelationship. Where all things are equally important. Shrub, worm, plant, human, stone. Nothing first or last, but all one single unity.”

He called for an immediate replanting of our forests. Planting Trees. A return to wilderness places.

Replanting our forests still remains one answer to this mechanized assault on our Sacred Lands.

Today, in Canada, replanting means more than just making unnatural “Tree Plantations.” More than just replacing “pulpwood” trees like fir and pine trees. But planting fruit trees like apple and cherry, as well as our national tree, the red maple.

“Plant a tree” has become an increasingly heard cry across the nation. And it’s being heard and acted on worldwide.

Here, in his own words, is a guest blog from Rajesh Makhija. He gives us a view of what is going on in his native India.

“PLANTING TREES: Plant More Trees. Save the Planet. Gift with Grow-trees to reinstate our Forest Cover.” A Guest Blog by Rajesh Makhija.

Planting trees is good news for the environment. And can be an effective way to curb global warming. Many benefits! They absorb CO2, rid the environment of excess pollutants, generate oxygen and raise the bio-diversity index. As well as provide habitats for many different species. And improve quality of life.

Destruction of forests creates numerous environmental catastrophes. Including altering local rainfall patterns, accelerating soil erosion, causing the flooding of rivers. And threatening millions of species of plants, animals and insects with extinction.

Deforestation is contributing almost 20% to the overall greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. More than the world’s vehicles and aircraft combined.

Approximately 45% of India’s land is degraded primarily due to deforestation. And sustainable agricultural practices, mining and excessive groundwater extraction. India has the 10th largest forest cover in the world at 68 million hectares.

The government’s National Action Plan on climate change involves expanding forest cover from the current 23% to 33% of India’s territory. And to afforest 6 million hectares of degraded forest land. Restoring natural forests and elephant habitats.

Growtrees.com is a Planting Partner of the United Nations Environment Program’s Billion Tree Campaign.

We have taken up this initiative with a purpose to allow people to plant trees. Those who cannot plant trees themselves, but want to do their bit for the environment. We plant different saplings at different locations. These depend on a number of factors like the type of soil at the planting location, the weather conditions throughout the year, irrigation facilities etc.

Growtrees has partnered with local planters who plant saplings on our behalf and maintain them till they are fully grown.

The Arjuna, Babul, Red Sanders and Mangroves are some of the types of trees that we plant. They have a number of benefits. Both for the environment and also for the rural people who sometimes depend on them for their food, fodder and shelter.

The Arjuna tree is usually found growing on river banks or near dry river beds in West Bengal and south and central India. It’s an evergreen tree with yellow flowers and conical leaves. The arjun was introduced into Ayurveda as a treatment for heart disease. Other benefits of the bark of Arjuna include Anti-inflammatory properties, keeping cholesterol and diabetes under check. And treats asthma, fractures and other injuries.

Acacia Nilotica or Babul tree, is 5 m to 20 m high, preferring sandy or sterile regions, with a dry climate during the greater part of the year. The wood of babul is strong, durable, hard, very shock resistant. And is used for construction, mine props, tool handles and carts. It has a high calorific value and makes excellent fuel wood and quality charcoal. The pods of babool are desirable as fodder for cattle. And the leaves, young shoots and young pods are thought to aid milk production.

Planting Trees: Another sapling planted by us is the Red Sanders or Lal Chandan as known in Hindi.

Red sanders is a light-demanding moderate sized tree growing up to 8 m tall with a trunk 50 to 150 cm diameter. The wood of red sanders has been traditionally used as a sacred wood by Hindus. This is found mainly in South India, Sri Lanka, and some parts of Nepal and Pakistan.

Forests in India.

Parts of the tree is used to treat cough, vomiting, fever, hyperdipsia, helminthiasis. Along with diseases of the blood and eye, wounds. This species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, because of over-exploitation for its timber.

Mangroves are a family of about 70 different species of trees worldwide typically growing in the tropics and mainly in coastal areas. Mangrove provides habitats for fish, crabs, oysters, lobsters and shrimps. Mangrove plants filter out pollution, stabilize sediments, hold nutrients, protect the shoreline from erosion. And provide food, nesting and nursery areas for a variety of animals.

They are a source of honey, firewood and medicines.

GrowTrees.com is a social business that allows individuals and companies to plant trees from the comfort of their home or office. Started in June 2010, it has planted more than 528,000 trees at over ten different locations in India.

Planting Trees: Plant More Trees – Save Our Earth – Regrow Our Forest Cover…

For More on Restoring Forests: Teddy Roosevelt was warning the World about “Climate Change” and “Deforestation” way back in 1908. It was in his prophetic “Eighth Annual Message to the Senate and House of Representatives” — See Teddy Roosevelt Called it Climate Change in 1908!

Grow Trees is a Tree Planting Partner of the United Nations Environment Program’s Billion Tree Campaign. It’s an Official Partner of WWF’s Cities for Forests Campaign. And the Official Partner of United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. “Make a positive impact on the environment!”

“Live Free, Mes Amis!” – CIVILIZED BEARS! Visit Us at Our Bears’ Den Now

Keywords: conservation of forests, planting trees, facts about deforestation, what is deforestation? Forests in India. Restored and protected forests also referred to as.

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Posted in An Earth Spirit, Otherkind | Tagged apple, billion tree campaign, conservation of forests, deforestation, ernst moritz arndt, facts about deforestation, Forests in India, fruit, maple, Moritz Arndt, pine, plant a tree, Plant More Trees, planting trees, Regrow Our Forest Cover, Restored and protected forests also referred to as., Save Our Earth, soil, what is deforestation, wilderness | Comments Off

Dog Intelligence: Most Intelligent Dog Breed List – Wolves & Dogs

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Dog Intelligence List…

Dog Intelligence – The Top 10 Most Intelligent Dog Breeds – Is Yours On the Most Intelligent Dogs List?

1. “Left for the wolves.”

In the early spring of 1902, Constable Richard Morris, of the North-West Mounted Police, reported an incident dealing with the native Cree Indians and their dogs.

Posted to a community north of Lake Winnipeg, he noticed that a number of husky dogs had been staked out in the forest. Each one was left alone and fastened to an iron stake by a chain. When he asked the reason for this, the Crees told him that the dogs were “left for the wolves.”

When Constable Morris objected to this treatment, the Crees explained that the dogs wouldn’t be harmed by the wolves. The dogs — Ungava huskies — were bitches in heat. Male wolves without mates of their own would be attracted to the bitches and mate with them, resulting in cross-bred puppies with “wolfblood” — a husky mix.

Constable Morris said, “Oh, I see. This is so your sled-dogs will be bigger and stronger.”

“No,” replied one Cree. “A wolf can outrace our dogs in a quick dash. But our huskies, they have much more stamina than wolves and can easily outlast them in a long run. Wolves make poor work dogs.”

“Then,” concluded Morris, “it’s because wolves are healthier.”

“No. They are the same.”

“Then why?” asked the Mountie.

“Up here,” replied the Indian, tapping his own forehead.

Father LeBeaux, an Oblate Missionary, later explained, “The Cree people believe that when an animal becomes domesticated, each generation loses in intelligence. That’s why wolves are more intelligent than dogs. The Indians say, ‘The closer to the wolf, the smarter the dog.’ If this is true of domesticated animals, what does that say of civilized Man, eh?”

2. “How intelligent are they?” Most & Least…

Our ancestors might have asked this 30,000 years ago when they played with their wolf dogs. [1]

Even the ancient Egyptians asked that Dog Intelligence question, and studied their own dogs to answer it.

One of the first modern attempts was by Rene Descartes, who only went one step beyond the cloudy thinking of his time, saying all animals were just soulless biological machines. Descartes set up the narrow, human-centered theory of behaviorism that would dominate until well into the 20th Century.

For decades, behaviorists put animals — including dogs — through sterile tests in sterile labs, looking for mechanical dog intelligence results that proved worthless.

In the middle of this muddle came one sane voice: Donald Griffin, professor of biology at Rockefeller University, who said, “Behaviorism should be abandoned not so much because it belittles the value of living animals, but because it leads to a serious incomplete and hence misleading picture of reality.”

In 1953, Konrad Lorenz’s book MAN MEETS DOG created an instant classic about dog intelligence.

Written with humor, wisdom and great insight, the German Nobel Laureate almost single-handedly recreated our methods of exploring animal behavior.

In his ground-breaking 1994 book THE INTELLIGENCE OF DOGS — CANINE CONSCIOUSNESS AND CAPABILITIES, Canadian Stanley Coren, psychologist, dog trainer, and “avowed dog lover,” presented his controversial Ranking of Dogs for Obedience and Working Intelligence.

Coren ranked 133 breeds, from #1 on for dog intelligence… The reaction was predictable: “The Poodle? He ranked a POODLE above my Belgian sheepdog?” “Come on! My Samoyed is smarter than any Australian Cattle Dog!” “No Papillon can out-think my Lassie.” “OK, maybe a Poodle is intelligent — but…” “Coren’s saying that my Afghan Hound is the least intelligent dog breed? Wrong!”

“Controversial” doesn’t begin to describe the reaction to “Coren’s Ranking.”

But his observations have proven to be pretty accurate.

Of course, Coren was testing pure breeds.

There are very few original Ungava huskies still around. And the “purebred” Siberian husky, for instance, isn’t as quick-witted as the native husky of northern Siberia. This is even more true of the Alaskan malamute. Modern Canadian huskies have been so interbred with smaller racing breeds, that they hardly resemble the huge savage animals that European explorers met a few centuries ago. We deliberately breed out some of the “wolfishness” in our pets. And therefore dog intelligence. [2]

The great American author and Northern explorer George Marsh wrote about Ungava Huskies in such books as his classic FLASH THE LEAD DOG. See my Wolf Whelps & Lead Dogs: Tribute to George Marsh, Wilderness Writer.

3. “Never Cry Wolf!”

In 1963, Farley Mowat’s NEVER CRY WOLF appeared on the bookshelves. Described as “an intimate casebook in wolf sociology,” Mowat told how, as a biologist employed by the Canadian Wildlife Service, he had spent a summer on his own, studying a pack of Arctic wolves. The book sparked an avid interest in wolf research that has never dimmed.

IN PRAISE OF WOLVES and SECRET GO THE WOLVES recounted R D Lawrence’s close experiences with wolves in Canada. DANCE OF THE WOLVES by Roger Peters describes his three winters in the forests of northern Michigan. These and others have shown us the remarkable lives and intelligence of the wolf.

R D Lawrence wrote: “Reality, particularly in the case of wolves, means that these animals have keen intelligence, excellent memory, and demonstrable capacity of conscious thought.”

He went on to explain, “When Shawano fed his pack before keeping a piece of chicken for himself, he demonstrated not only that he could profit from experience in a profitable way, but that other wolves could do so as well.

“This demonstration is alone sufficient to discredit the mechanistic theory which contends that evolution, by means of hereditary imprinting, has led to the thoughtless or automatic responses of animals to any one of an enormously wide variety of natural stimuli…

“Memory, by allowing an animal to benefit from experience, plays an important role in the formulation of conscious decisions; the better its memory, the better able will the animal be to adapt to a changing environment.”

It’s the wolf’s intelligence, as well as its loyalty and great heart that caused our ancient ancestors to bring the wolf into their families. And perhaps its organized hunting skills.

Today, some of us still mingle with wolves, in sanctuary and in the wild.

“THE TOP TEN MOST INTELLIGENT DOGS!”

What, then, are the smartest breeds?

Who wins the Dog Intelligence Test?

Taking in the conclusions of dog trainers, psychologists and researchers, as well as those who work with dogs in life and death situations, such as police, search & rescuers, and wilderness inhabitants — and balancing the Cree wisdom: “the closer to the wolf, the smarter the dog!” [3] with ongoing research into the long evolution of dogs, here are the TEN MOST INTELLIGENT DOGS:

1. Ungava Husky, or Wolf Dog

2. German Shepherd

3. Golden Retriever

4. Labrador Retriever

5. Border Collie

6. Poodle

7. Doberman Pinscher

8. Papillon

9. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

10. Alaskan Malamute

If your dog is not on this list, you can be sure it’s #11!

Live Free, Mon Ami! – Brian Alan Burhoe

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[1] The oldest known domestic dog (a complete well-preserved skull) was discovered in the Razboinichya Cave in the Altai Mountains of modern Siberia.

The animal was carbon-dated to have lived around 31,000 BC. And DNA testing revealed that even that skull was of an animal “more closely related to modern dogs than to wolves” — meaning that the development of human-raised wolf dogs goes back long before that.

Now here’s where the numbers get really interesting: if our dogs of 33,000 years ago were still genetically closer to modern dogs than to their original wolf puppy ancestors, it could well mean that we first invited pure-blooded wolves into our families about 70,000 years ago. Which is when Humankind underwent what anthropologists call Behavioral Modernity, that magical moment when we had our “Great Leap Forward” — we discovered Religion (or Religion discovered us), Language, Singing, Games, Cooking, the Creative Arts and radically changed our basic Primate social structure.

Perhaps Humans and Wolves began our evolutionary journey together.

[2] With the discovery that dogs were Humankind’s companions thousands upon thousands of years earlier than we had believed, I really like the idea that Wolves adopted Humans, teaching our primate ancestors such un-primate traits as pack loyalty, the role of involved fatherhood and pair-bonding — mating for life.

Look at it this way: I’d rather think of myself as a Wolf, not a Monkey. How about you, mon ami?

[3] Final Note on Dog Intelligence: I’ve spoken to a number of First Nations members who believe this. Some refer to wild animals having more “Power” than domestic animals. Many say that wolves are more intelligent than dogs. They’ve witnessed the difference. I agree.

Dog Intelligence: Most Intelligent Dog Breed List – Wolves & Dogs

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Keyword Meanings — SEE: Ungava huskies, wolf dogs

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Are Turtles Endangered? Sea Turtles, Blandings Turtle, Desert Tortoises

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Brian Alan Burhoe

Are Turtles Endangered?

Are Turtles Endangered? Sea Turtles, Blandings Turtle, Desert Tortoises

I like turtles.

The Endangered Turtles List is getting longer. Sad, considering that turtles were in existence in the age of the dinosaurs. They’ve survived some of the most awful natural disasters our planet Earth has taken. But now a number of these shelled reptiles are facing their greatest danger: greedy humans.

Among species being watched are sea turtles, the Asian giant soft shelled turtle, American pond turtle, leather back turtles, Blanding’s turtles, Annam pond turtle, Roti snake necked turtle, desert tortoise, red crowned river turtle, and the Coahuila box turtle.

Here, from turtle enthusiast and author Karma Williams, is an expert guest blog you shouldn’t miss:

“The Blanding’s Turtle and Desert Tortoise – Won’t You Help Preserve These Endangered Species?” A Guest Blog by Karma Williams

Perhaps you have already heard of the Russian Tortoise, the Red Eared Slider Turtle, and the Painted Turtle. Perhaps you know that these, and other turtles, are commonly kept as pets. But have you ever heard of the Blanding’s Turtle? Here are some interesting facts about this endangered species.

Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) may look charming to people, with their medium size of six to nine inches in length. Belonging to the semi-aquatic type of turtles, it has a high-domed shell like a box turtle, but its carapace has the shape and size of a football. Their shells are black with yellow spots. The distinctive marks of Blanding’s turtles are their brilliant yellow chins and throats.

Blanding’s turtles are shy and non-aggressive. In fact, the Blanding’s turtle has a tendency to stay at the bottom of its habitat for long a time when it senses danger. Unlike other turtles, they rarely bite, and, aside from being good swimmers, they can also catch live fish. Like most other turtles, they are confirmed baskers, and must sun themselves to dry off and stay warm.

Blanding’s turtles prefer to inhabit areas with low, slow-moving water and with an abundance of aquatic vegetation. Blanding’s turtles are found around swamps, weedy ponds, and marshes throughout North America, in the Great Lakes region, from southern Ontario to Michigan to northern Ohio and Indiana; west from Illinois, Wisconsin, southern Minnesota, Iowa, and northeastern Nebraska. (Benedictine University, 2009)

This species hibernates from late October until early April.

After hibernation, mating in Blanding’s turtles usually occurs in April and May, with nesting beginning in early June and ending the same month. The Blanding’s turtle takes quite a while (from 14 to 20 years) to reach sexual maturity. Blanding’s turtles can live for 70 years and are omnivores, feeding on plants, vegetable debris, and fish.

Blanding’s turtles are listed as threatened species in Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa, among other states. It is against the law to keep this threatened species in captivity. However, even in the wild, this turtle is in jeopardy.

For example, in New York, a major concern is the devastation of the Blanding’s turtle’s territory due to the building of housing development projects, beach properties, and other summer leisure facilities. These facilities encroach on and destroy the wild habitat of the Blanding’s turtle.

Extinction? Turtles Endangered…

This alarming trend is forcing people to realize that now is the right time to become aware of the importance of keeping the population of these endangered species of turtles. If they become extinct, people will surely notice a negative impact on their ecosystem.

People must follow and enforce the laws strictly to make sure of the Blanding’s turtle’s continued existence. We must take action now to ensure that our children, and our children’s children, see these beautiful creatures not only in pictures, as part of history, but alive, in their natural habitats.

Where have all the tortoises gone?

If you want to own a desert turtle (tortoise) there are several facts you need to know before purchasing one. These species are covered by Federal and State Laws, and require a state permit for purchase or sale. They also require proper care and food.

Desert tortoises (Gopherus Agassizii), belonging to the order Chelonia and family Testudinidae, dwell on land. They are high-domed turtles, with elephant-shaped legs, and are found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, southeastern California, and western Arizona in the United States. (Lawler, n.d.)

They can attain a shell length of up to 15 inches. Dubbed as the official reptile in the states of California and Nevada (Defenders of Wildlife, 2009), desert turtles (tortoises) keep away from water, except when drinking. Like other turtles, they are ectothermic.

This means that they are cold-blooded creatures, whose body temperatures are not internally regulated, and therefore vary with their surrounding environment. When the ground temperature reaches or even exceeds 140°F, they must burrow into the earth, creating underground holes in which to live, thus avoiding the high temperature.

Large, outdoor housing is required for the desert turtle (tortoise). Make sure that there are no poisonous plants present in the area. Turtle keepers should provide the turtles with protection from the sun and cold, as well as a bowl of water for drinking and soaking. Desert turtles (tortoises) are picky eaters.

Turtle Food.

What tortoises eat: They eat grass, alfalfa, dandelions, rose petals and leaves, mixed vegetables, carrots, and green veggies. Desert turtles (tortoises) must be fed properly. Malnutrition is one of the primary reasons they become ill. A runny nose and swollen eyes and limbs are obvious signs of illnesses. But they can also exhibit subtle and less obvious signs-any small change in their usual actions may be the first clue that they are in jeopardy.

The desert turtle (tortoise) hibernates in underground burrows from October to February, but do not allow them to hibernate if they are sick or injured. Female tortoises normally lay one or more clutches of 1 to 14 eggs. The incubation period is from 90 to 120 days. A desert tortoise can outlive its keeper because it has a life span of 80 to 100 years.

Unfortunately, the population of the desert turtle (tortoise) is decreasing. Before the early 1950s, their population “reached densities of several hundred tortoises per square mile.” Today, we find no more than 5 to 50 tortoises per square mile. (Lawler, n.d.)

This is due to “vandalism, to raven predation, disease, collections for pets (now illegal), and habitat degradation.” Statistically, female desert tortoises have “low reproductive potential,” with only 2 to 3 surviving hatchlings from every 1,000 births. (Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee, n.d.)

Because the desert turtle (tortoise) is in danger of extinction, Federal and State laws have been enacted to protect it. Buying or selling turtles and tortoises is prohibited today. In the state of California, one must secure a permit for acquisition.

Conclusion: “However, if an owner thinks he can no longer care for his tortoise, he must call the concerned local authorities or organizations. It is illegal to release desert tortoises into the wild.” – Karma Williams

“Live Free, Mon Ami!” – Brian Alan Burhoe

Are Turtles Endangered? Sea Turtles, Blandings Turtle, Desert Tortoises

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