ELEPHANTS GET THEIR SPACE!

Courtesy:oer.uaf.edu

Asian species of elephants will soon be seen in an exclusive 'room' of their own in America. Next week, the Los Angeles Zoo would be opening an Elephants of the Asia habitat.

"The habitat will include features that are dedicated to the health and welfare of the elephants, such as bathing pools, sandy hills, varied topography, enrichment opportunities and a state-of-the-art barn."(toacorn.com)

The exhibit would bring to attention the shrinking habitats of the Asian elephants, focussing on the connection between the Asian countries' cultures and their elephants. In this unique and colourful way, it will be spreading awareness and encourage contributions for conservation of the elephants.

 It's a brilliant idea, that would not only be boosting tourism in the area, but also boosting, what I call, 'tourism-for-a-cause'. Conserving a particular species of animal should not be region-specific. The responsibility for protecting animals should not be restrained to efforts undertaken by people from that region (where those animals are found) alone. Although their efforts are of utmost importance, if people from elsewhere can also support the cause, then what's the harm? It's great that the cause of Asian elephants is being promoted in America on such a grand scale.

After all, each individual, of every country and of every continent is a stakeholder in protecting the environment, the flora and the fauna since they are all ultimately part of the same planet, the Earth!

A DOG'S PRAYER

Pet dogs being are often ill-treated or even killed by their owners(and even strangers) . Stray dogs are also tortured for no fault of theirs. Such incidents were recently in news.
In the midst of all this, it was quite heart-warming to come across this poem by Beth Norman Harris (Poem Courtesy:inspirationpeak.com):

“A Special Prayer    From A Dog To His Master”

Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me. Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between the blows, your patience

and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me do. Speak to me often, for your voice is the world's sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footstep falls upon my waiting ear. When it is cold and wet, please take me inside... for I am now a domesticated animal, no longer used to bitter elements... and I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth... though had you no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest upon the softest pillow in the warmest home in all the land... for you are my god... and I am your devoted worshiper. Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I should not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food, that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life, should your life be in danger. Courtesy:pet-homecare.co.uk And, beloved master, should the Great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest... and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.

As a proud owner of a doggie and as an animal lover, the poem made me emotional when I read it for the first time. Don't people have the slightest feel of sympathy before brutally killing or terribly treating their pets?

FILMING WITH THE ANIMALS

Courtesy:stylemg.com

Animals have often been part of filming, ever since Hollywood or Bollywood or Animal-Wood or any other 'Wood' began in any part of the world.
As viewers of such animal movies, it has always been natural to admire them for their 'oh-so-cute' acts, expressions and dialogues (dubbed by humans, of course) delivered by them. However, no matter how adorable we might find them on screen. the picture may not be as rosy as it seems to be, in reality. That's what I found out when I came across a blog by Chris Palmer, titled "Shooting in the Wild: An Insider's Account of Making Movies in the Animal Kingdom" . 
That's because to make animals look and perform their cutest best on screen, may not exactly be an easy jobs for the creatures. Chris, an insider of this industry came up with the following claims:

"There have been accounts of a cameraman put stinging Bengay on a beaver so it would be active for his camera. In the old days, if a filmmaker wanted to capture a hunting scene of a bobcat chasing a rabbit it was standard practice to get the shot by the use of invisible filament around the rabbit’s neck or leg to artificially slow it down."

Courtesy:amazon.co.uk

But physical abuse of animals while shooting is only one form of negligence. There have been several movies where certain animals have been shown in a negative, villainous and terribly man-eating type. The movie 'Sharks' is a prime example here (apart from a host of others like 'Anaconda', 'Jaws', 'Spiders'). 
Animals are not only physically hurt to make them appear like something, but in their portrayal as beasts, the sensitivities of the audience watching them are also adversely affected. It tends to cultivate a sort of a fear and disgust among the people. That definitely wouldn't promote the cause of such species' conservation, particularly if it is endangered. Chris said (OnEarth magazine):

"Sharks  face dire threats from the pollution of their habitat and the disgusting practice of shark finning for shark fin soup. If viewers think of sharks only as killers, they are much less likely to act to protect and conserve them."

 The audio-visual medium (films and TV) are strong means to reach out to the masses.Advantage of such a medium should be taken by sending out a positive message to the people about conserving and protecting Nature rather than create evil images of it to garner viewership. Hence, the content of such productions should be revised in a way, more sensitive to the Nature and wildlife. 
Also, to make animals perform for the camera, it's not necessary to harm them. Of what use is computer graphics then? Technology can be used to make animals perform 'stunts'. If the long extinct dinosaurs could be re- created and made alive for screen using this technology (Jurassic Park), then the former task would be much easier, wouldn't it?

CAN HUNTERS BE ENVIRONMENTALISTS?

Mac McDaniel, in his recent blog post (Hunters Are Not Environmentalists), wrote about a very strange result of an ecological survey. The survey in Wisconsin found that some of the major reasons why hunters liked practicing their game in the forest and shooting animals were because they got to "spend time outdoors" and "get close to nature".

The Green Hunter(Courtesy:nacexpo.net)

A rather ironical interest-hobby match, I must say! They seem to be quite incompatible. How could somebody who enjoyed nature's bounty, the sights of the trees, the greens and the sounds of the animals and birds, venture into that territory, just to vandalize it all? It must be a severe case of split personality disorder.
But apparently, it isn't. Mac said in his blog:

"Hunters and their organizations like to champion themselves as conservationists who love nature and the outdoors because fees and taxes on guns and hunting licenses go toward government conservation and wildlife agencies."

 But that's just the partial story. The complete and real one, in Mac's words are:

 "these organizations' primary goals are not to maintain biodiversity or advocate in the best interests of parks and animals, but rather to ensure game populations for the benefit of hunters...The money contributed by hunters doesn't help the environment, it simply gives hunting groups more bargaining power to dictate wildlife policy. ."

How can the hunters then only be blamed for violating the environmental and wildlife code, if the stakeholders of conservation are themselves championing the hunters' cause by ensuring game populations for their benefit? Neither, the hunters nor such conservationalists have the right to call themselves "environmentalists". They are both helping each other to destroy the forests, in the name of protecting it!

Yes, through selling of the guns, money is coming in. But the money is being utilised to commercialize "destructive" forest activities like hunting. That makes forest popular and touristic attractions for the wrong reasons. Would that be an "environmentalist" intention?

The common people can be environmentalists. Where then is the need to depend on revenue from guns?(courtesy:artaban.7.wordpress)

The money is not being utilised for forest and ecological interests, like preserving species and preventing hunting and poaching.Now would you call that "environmentalist"?
Forests might be promoted. But there's a difference between promoting them ecologically and commercially. Those who do the former(ecological), play an active role in safeguarding the interests of the forest creatures and plants and preserve them for the future generations. They are the environmentalists. The others simply aren't.

A FISHY DOWNPOUR!

Courtesy:webecoist.com

I have heard of the phrase 'raining cats and dogs'. It's an idiom that literally means 'raining very heavily'. Recently, I came across a blog post from the Animal Blog. The blog title read, 'It's raining fish in Australia'. And literally, it DID mean that it WAS raining fish in Australia!
This strange phenomenon occurred in March this year, at a small town called Lajamanu in Australia that was hit by torrential rains.The blog stated:

"The phenomenon is created by whirlwinds over water, which have enough power to lift fish out of the water and even empty the entire contents of a pond."

However, this is not the first time that this has happened in Australia, nor has Australia been the only place where fish have fallen from the sky, neither have fish been the only kinds of animals to have been bombarded from the heavens!
In the past too, natural disturbances have led to animals like frogs, birds, spiders, worms, cows and even alligators being scooped away from their settlements and carried across long distances(ranging thousands of kilometres) and over high altitudes (several thousand feet up in the air), only to be landed on unsuspecting people. This phenomenon, where objects and animals are showered from the sky due to a heavy storm or any other strong atmospheric turbulence is called "farfrotskies". It has taken place since times immemorial.

 It would be so creepy to have animals falling over you in the midst of a heavy downpour and to see the terrestrial (land based) and aquatic(water-based) animals to be suspended in mid-air and then falling in hundreds on the streets.The situation would also be dangerous if the animals were to be large and carnivores(meat eating) like the alligators. So it feels weird when I say, "Thank God it was only the fish that fell in hundreds and not the crocodiles!" (Although I maintain that falling fish was unusual enough, if not dangerous).
Raining animals is still a rare meteorological phenomenon, which the scientists are still researching on. It has inspired scenes from several movies (like "Wonderful World" in 2009 and "Magnolia" in 1999) and novels (like "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams). Not for no reason is it said that reality is stranger than fiction!
Now perhaps I understand why "raining cats and dogs" refers to raining heavily (heavy downpours can lift animals and cause them to 'rain' along). May be that's the reason why other languages also use animals to refer to heavy rains. Take a look at the words used to express heavy rains in the following languages(courtesy:Wikipedia)

• English: cats and dogs
• Dutch (Flemish): het regent kattenjongen (kittens)
• German: junge hunde (young dogs)
• Polish: pada zabami (frogs)
• Romanian: ploua cu broaste (frogs)
• Turkish: kedi kopek yagiyor (cats and dogs)

They are all idioms referring to heavy rains (that require ducking for cover!) metaphorically. But they do have a strong reality quotient! What say?

CLONING TO RESURRECT THE EXTINCT?

I remember looking at the rear view mirror of the car, looking straight into the enormous eyes and huge face of that dinosaur. It freaked me out as I saw the dinosaur move closer towards the car. The words printed on the mirror were-'objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.' I wondered, "wasn't it dangerously close enough already?"
Nothing to worry, I really didn't get lost in the dinosaur age! I was just recalling my feelings when I watched this scene from the movie 'Jurassic Park', a movie about cloned dinosaurs among the human race.

A still from Jurassic Park movie (Courtesy:unrealitymag.com)

The movie was a fictitious one but today, it seems that it inspired reality. It looks like, it set the scientific imagination running as scientists explored the possibility of cloning extinct animals.
Wendee Holtcamp, in her blog, Cloning the Mammoth? (from Animals in the News) analysed the possible impact of cloning the woolly mammoth.Progress in science has made it possible to extract the undamaged genetic material and re-creating the woolly mammoth.After all, if living animals have been cloned, extinct animals could be cloned too (as their DNA information is within access).
Wendee, in her blog stated:

"Bringing back a species that is long since extinct, like the woolly mammoth, is surely more ecologically problematic than attempts to restore presently endangered species, or recently extinct species...if one does successfully clone the mammoth, where will it go? We could put the mammoth in a zoo or a pen, and study it like a lab rat. And that’s probably what would happen. Is that ethical?"

Could mammoths adjust from the Ice Age to the Global Warming Age? (Courtesy: fraekingnews.com)

I agree with Wendee. Although bringing alive the extinct animals sounds fantastic and would be a breakthrough in science, the matter raises several issues.
Animals like the dinosaurs and woolly mammoths existed several thousand centuries ago. Climatic conditions were completely different then. There were different sorts of living were roaming the Earth then and there was a certain cycle of nature operating that made it possible for each of the species to survive. With time, that cycle broke to make for a new one, then another one and another one. Wouldn't re-introducing extinct species into today's cycle of nature be problematic for all species and lead to problems of adaptation? Besides, there are problems of adjusting with their dietary requirements and temperaments that Wendee talks of.

Cloned sheep (Courtesy:grtu.net)

Cloning itself is problematic even when it comes to cloning living species. Animals like sheep, goats, cows, etc have been cloned succesfully, but they usually died soon due to weak health in comparison to their non-cloned counterparts. In that case, how risky would it be to clone extinct species?
The Earth today is over-crowded. Everybody is clamouring for space to make way for the rapidly increasing population entering into billions. As a result, natural habitats are getting destroyed and animals are dying out due to lack of space. I fail to understand, how we could accommodate gigantic animals under such conditions.

On a personal and simplistic level, if computerized, graphic dinosaurs on the large screen could have a scary impact on you, how would it be like to face the real versions right from your window?
It is commendable that science has advanced so much and keeps expanding its own possibilities. But wouldn't it make more sense if technology is invested more on the living and endangered species on Earth and ensuring their survival, rather than bringing back more species from the dead?

DOG AND DONKEY'S (UN)FAIRY TALE

Courtesy:crazykfarm.com

Earlier this month, I had written this blog on Halloween and the black cat's plight. I received a rather thought provoking comment from Inder on that blog. He brought attention to the condition of donkeys and dogs, how they are subjected to ridicule especially in Asian countries in spite of being of such great service to mankind.

That is indeed so true.When we talk about donkeys and dogs, we get contrasting images for each of them. Let's see that in both the Indian and global context.

Dogs
On one hand, we visualize dogs as cute puppies, faithful, loyal and obedient pets, man's best friend and other such  flattering stuff.
On the other hand, in the Indian parlance (and even other countries' for that matter), the most insulting and rudest abuses are associated with the word 'dog', 'kutta'('dog' in Hindi) or 'bitch' (female dog)
Donkeys
Donkeys carry heavy burden on their backs for long distances and make faithful pets to their owners. To a poor man, he's not only a pet, but also like a partner in earning a livelihood as it helps in carrying and transporting goods.
The word 'donkey' on the other hand is also used for rudely addressing somebody be it in English or Hindi(gadha). It's equivalent to calling somebody an idiot, useless, foolish, etc.

Why such contrasts? It's not as if the words 'donkey' and 'dog' are homonyms. Then, why are these creatures targetted in a way, so starkly opposite to their real natures?

I may not have answers to these, but it makes me ponder about something else. Dogs and donkeys are definitely some of the most ill-treated animals, especially the stray ones. They are hit with stones and sticks for no fault of theirs, burning crackers are often attached to their tails just for fun, etc. Do the rude references using donkey-dog words, play a role in shaping mentalities and attitudes towards these poor creatures? Do those abusive words meant to be amusing, unconsciously make people look down upon dogs and donkeys, who then are ill-treated by those people? Or is it just a co-incidence?I wonder..

VET DETECTIVES

Courtesy:npr.org

What would you get if you combine veterinary sciences with detective skills? The answer is THE ANIMAL CSI(Crime Scene Investigation)! This month, Dr. Melinda Merck launched a first of its kind veterinary forensic science training program at the University of Florida.

The program aims to teach participants the various principles and procedures of animal crime scene investigation and preservation of evidence in cases of animal abuse or neglect. It brings about a convergence of  law enforcing (police and judiciary) and prevention of cruelty against animals(activists and veterinarians).Thus it would be mixing the right proportions of that compassionate feel towards animals with scientific practicality, while investigating animal crimes.Having this kind of a program is much welcome especially considering that most vets aren't forensic experts and vice-versa.

Animal crimes are on the rise and these include poaching, killing animals inhumanely as an act of sadistic lunacy or to carry out traditional rituals, torturing them for fun and even hoarding animals without taking care of them. All this might invoke a lot of sympathy and incite activists to protest against such malpractices. Yes, all this is absolutely essential. Animals are not going to voice their pain and suffering. It's up to humans to understand that and be their voice.But that again isn't sufficient.

Dr. Merck said,"My goal is to gather evidence to find and successfully prosecute the offender. I realize that what’s done is done and I have to work toward justice. It is very hard because of my empathy for animals, but the best thing I can do for them is be their voice." (ASPCA)

 It is also about getting such animals justice and punishing the crime. For that, the crime has to be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. Forensic veterinary science experts would be concrete players in that direction then.
Animal crimes cannot and should not be ignored because they are non-human crimes. It has been found that people who abuse animals are more likely to commit crimes against people. Hence, coming up with an ANIMAL CSI may not be just another interesting or amusing idea, but a concept that if taken seriously may actually help our society, where we humans co-exist with other living creatures. It's about time we learn to respect this co-existence and use serious means to do that if necessary!

FESTIVE PACK 5:SNAPSHOTS

In this concluding part of the festive pack, I have put together some photos of animal festivals that occur around the world. Each festival has its own special significance in the cultural tradition and economy of that country. Some of these are really unusual. Do take a look and have fun!

Courtesy:2camels.com

This is a photo of the Philip Island Penguin Parade that is held year round in Australia. Australia is home to the highest number of Little Penguins in the world. It is a popular and natural form of tourist attraction. It is truly a sight to behold when hundreds of the world's smallest penguins emerge together from the sea and 'parade' to their burrows in the beach. Revenues generated from the Project are used in research for the protection of the Little Penguins.

Courtesy:2camels.com

Here's a hopeful canine participant at the Crufts, the 120 year-old, world's largest dog show that is held every year in March at Birmingham in UK. It is organised by the Kennel Club and is known for the confrontational championships testing dogs' obedience, agility, speed,intelligence, grooming and even  musical skills! It has several species and breeds of dogs competing against each other to achieve merit positions. On an average, 28,000 dogs participate in Crufts every year and some of the most exotic breeds from around the world are showcased.

Courtesy:OCA Magazine

Above is the logo of the At Chabysh festival that is held annually in July in Tajikistan and Kyrgystan and is dedicated to the Kyrgyz horses. Horse races, games and cultural events like related to the horses are conducted at the festival. As per an ancient saying of the region, "Horses are the wings of the Kyrgyz". The horse is an integral part of the Kyrgyz culture and economy. However, the creature is on the verge of extinction. The festival attracts international attention and selects the best breeds for revival.

Courtesy:beechmountainvacation.blogspot.com

 

 This is a a poster of the Banner Elk Woolly Worm festival that is held every year at Beatyville, Kentucky in USA in October. The festival celebrates the woolly bear worm found in the region. The festival attracts locals and tourists alike with visitors even coming dressed as worms . The folklore of US and Canada believes that the proportion of brown and black on the worm's skin indicates the severity of the coming winter. Hence, the winning worm in the festival gets to predict the winter weather!

Courtesy:flickr.com

Bird festivals in different countries (like Chile, Phillipenes) and even the World Bird Festival are instrumental in drawing attention to the neighbouring eco-system. Ornithographers, bird watchers, locals and tourists visit these festivals in great numbers. Workshops, film screenings, activities and tours to various habitats are conducted to raise awareness.

FESTIVE PACK 4:OPERATION CHRISTMAS

I know, there's more than a month left for Christmas, but the preparations have already begun.
Operation Christmas Child has already started the process of packing gifts for children to be distributed as Christmas approaches. But there's a slight difference. There are no reindeer to carry these goodies. Instead there are elephants more than willing to do the job!

Elephants carrying 'Samaritan Purse' cartons (PrattTribune.com)

Santa would definitely love this! Ever since, it was started in 1990, Operation Christmas Child has been reaching out to children in distress. It is a project of the Samaritan Purse (based in US) that has been brightening up the Christmas of suffering children by using simple gift-filled shoe boxes.

These gifts come through the donations of privileged children and their families who contribute toys, school supplies, candies and personal hygiene items. Millions of children  worldwide have been touched in this way especially in war ravaged and natural disaster struck regions, enduring harsh conditions.

And there are no reindeer to drag Santa's sleigh, but there are elephants, ox, camels and even dog sled to carry forward Santa's mission and legacy. These creatures along with helicopters, airplanes and ships are used  to deliver the gifts to the children enduring harsh conditions and making their Christmas special and memorable.
Truly heartening!Cheers to the spirit of Christmas!

FESTIVE PACK 3: PUSHKAR MELA AND CAMEL FAIR

The Pushkar camel fair (northindiatour.theindiancenter.com)

Centuries ago, when there were no cars and bikes, (forget airplanes and space shuttles), people, be it the royalty or the commoners were all united by the means of transport they used. The animal means of transport varied from camels, elephants and bullocks.
The camel (along with other cattle) is once again  ruling the roost in the annual Pushkar Mela that started from yesterday in Ajmer in Rajasthan.The world famous Pushkar fair is known for its beautiful and colourful display of Rajasthani traditions and customs. Its camel fair is the largest of its kind in the world and camel related events would be going on for the first 4-5 days of the Pushkar fair.

It will truly be a sight to behold to view camel-centric activities-camel safaris, racing competitions, buying and selling of camels, camel games like musical chairs, camel rituals and even a 'beauty contest' where elaborately and colourfully decked and groomed camels would try to outdo one another at it!

"I am way beyond competition!"(courtesy:webexhibits.org)

The festival has a deeper essence. It highlights the importance of camels in the Indian economy till today that is often undermined by the Government. Camel population has shrunk in the past few years in the Pushkar fairs. The reasons for this include-shrinking of its pasture land, rise in petrol price, camels being slaughtered for their meat and not enough uses being found for the camel who are being replaced by modern means of transport.

Camels have a variety of uses that not many are aware of:

• In rural Rajasthan, camel is the source of livelihood to around 200 thousand people and their families, who use the camel and a cart for transporting carts in remote areas where cars cannot commute.
• India is the only country where the Border Security Force employs and trains camels to be part of the Camel Corps wing of the BSF to guard the frontiers.
• Specific camel breeds brought to the fair are purchased for their specific qualities:Bikaneri is known for its excellent navigating skills, Jaisalmeri is popular for its race potential and carting goods,Kutchi is known for yielding great quality milk. 
• Scientists regard camel milk to be healthier than goat/camel milk and have identified many useful properties in it.
• Crafts made out of camel hide are popular buys of the region and are important for supporting the cottage industries of Rajasthan
• Camels are known for their resilience. They don't suffer from illnesses and can carry loads of upto 450 kilos.

Camels make loyal and obedient pets to people from Gujarat and Rajasthan, especially those from the rural areas. They also form a crucial part of the people's existence as they literally carry their burdens and help in securing their livelihoods. Hence, they do full justice to the term 'ship of the desert'. Here, they are the ships of each family, ensuring a smooth journey of life for the families they belong to. Undoubtedly, they are beneficial to the rural economy and hence the nation's as well (not to mention that they guard the borders as well).

courtesy:dryicons.com

 Yet, they have not received their due. On the contrary, their numbers are threatened with them getting substituted by motor transport, greater popularity of goat/cow milk (hence, preventing their further breeding for commercial purposes) and frequent road accidents where camels get killed.Since camels don't get insured, the death of a camel can have disastrous consequences for a family that owned it. 

Given the role of the camel in the Rajasthani rural economy it is surprising that the animal is largely ignored in policy and overlooked by development planners. Recently Lokhit Pashu-palak Sansthan (LPPS) - an Indian NGO that has been working with the traditional Raika camel breeding caste to provide camel health care and secure access to grazing - held a meeting of national and international camel specialists at their headquarters in Sadri, Rajasthan. A list of recommendations to government was drawn up to ensure the continued supply of strong, healthy camels... The number of camels in Rajasthan is estimated to have fallen by 50 per cent in the last decade.(New Agriculturalist)

The Pushkar camel fair is then, one of the grandest fairs in the Indian cultural milieu and the economic milieu too, as it attracts a huge number of visitors from across the world, not just India. The camel is glorified and so are its uses in an artistic manner.And that large scale attention is necessary. It is only if the unusual uses of the camel are tapped by the people and the Government, will it translate into greater survival chances of the creature, the rural economy and the hopes and aspirations of thousands of people.

FESTIVE PACK 2:HALLOWEEN

Courtesy:azraelsmerryland.blogspot.com

Halloween was celebrated with much enthusiasm in many Western countries like US and Canada last week. A fun and haunted atmosphere is created with people donning scary costumes, sharing ghost stories, displaying jack-o-lanterns and recreating other scary myths spiritedly during Halloween festival. 
Re-creating mythical characters and stories is fun, as long as it is kept in the domain of fiction. The issue arises when fiction and reality merge into one another leading to problematic consequences. I am talking about the black cat and its plight during Halloween.

squidoo.com

The Evil Cat(wearing the witch hat)

 

 

Halloween is the time when many animal shelters stop giving black cats for adoption, fearing that they may be tortured, put to wicked uses or subjected to dangerous pranks.Such fear stems due to misinformation about the black cat among people. Many still harbour false notions and look at the black cat as unlucky and evil as illustrated in old stories and myths. 

The Humane Society of New York was one such organization that had banned the adoption of black cats during the Halloween time.There were other organizations that were equally apprehensive about the fate of the black cat during Halloween, but instead of a ban, they tightened the adoption measures, making them more strict.

“I think the first fear some agencies have is of black cat sacrifice in satanic rituals,” says Holly Staver, president of City Critters, a New York cat adoption group. “Second is the idea of the black cat as a holiday accessory.” And yet, they don’t place a ban on adopting them during Halloween because, according to Staver, City Critters is a “small, very community-engaged group” and they spend a lot of time interacting with and screening potential adopters. For shelters that don’t have that luxury, she says, “holding onto their black cats for a few days over Halloween and into November sounds wise to me."(New York Post)

Why blame a black cat for ill-luck and treat an innocent creature badly? Courtesy:catspictures.net

The irony in the tale is that while a portion of the population believes the black cat to be an embodiment of evil, there are others who consider the creature to be lucky. Hence, they are more in favour of adopting one during Halloween. 

There's no problem at all, if black cats are adopted for the good reasons. I personally find them very cute, adorable and intelligent. Even though many others view them otherwise and not adopt them. Firstly, because they are black and secondly, they are cats(and less cute than dogs) and thirdly, because they are both. Studies show that they are 50% less likely to be adopted in comparison to other pets. Halloween only adds to the superstitions, lessening their chances.

Courtesy:clipart.of.com

But what about those who genuinely like them and want to adopt them during Halloween to provide them a comfortable home? Adoption centres for their (the cats' and adoptives') benefit, should have stringent checking measures and verify the intentions of the adoptive families before giving the cat out for adoption.

But then safety of the cats should be of utmost importance. There are chances that black cats may be injured out of the spirit (misinterpreted) of Halloween and be subjected to ill-treatment through dangerous pranks. A ban during this period may be a healthier option in that case.

FESTIVE PACK 1:DIWALI

Globally, this October-November-December period is a festival time. Be it Diwali here in India, Halloween in USA, the Horse Festival in Morocco or Solstice in Egypt, most people across the world have reasons to celebrate. And animals haven't been left out of it either!

So I thought of a festive offer for the festive season.My upcoming blogs (including this one) would look at how animals are connected to these festivals-how they have been impacted or how they are an integral part of the fanfare involved. I would be calling this my "festive pack".

Courtesy:www.come2india.org

It is Diwali -the festival of lights today. It is a popular festival of the Hindus that celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama after 14 years of forest exile. The day is honoured by lighting diyas, candles, bursting crackers and distributing sweets among relatives, friends and other well-wishers. It is that much awaited, happy day for Indians barring some. For pet and stray animals, it is the most dreaded day of the year.

The high decibel and continuous loud sounds of the crackers are a source of great discomfort for them.  Animals like cats and dogs have sharp ears that are tuned to detect the faintest possible sound. This special ability acts like a blessing in disguise for them during Diwali, when the sound of crackers is greatly magnified to their ears. It creates much panic and anxiety among them. Animals on the street may panic and run here and there in utter confusion and injure themseves. Birds aren't safe in the sky either, as they may be hit and even killed by a flying and burning rocket cracker.

Some do it deliberately too, that is, use Diwali as an excuse to frighten animals:

"In many areas people play the most inhuman game of tying firecrackers on
dogs and donkeys' tails and letting them loose, watching the fun while the
animals run around panic-stricken and ultimately burn themselves," reveals
Shakuntala Majumdar, President of Thane Society for Prevention to Cruelty Against Animals (courtesy: Karmayog)

Diwali is the festival of lights, but it is not done when the environment gets affected adversely because of it. Lighting diyas, candles and decorating rangolis beautifully  retain the essence of the festival. I believe that bursting crackers has traditionally been part of the festivities and it wouldn't make sense to put a sudden full stop to it. But at least we can have limits to it as to having a time restriction for bursting crackers, not bursting crackers with high decibel sounds and ensuring that there are no stray animals in the vicinity before using fire crackers.

Courtesy:lifesacomicstrip.blogspot.com

With certain precautions, it is possible to take care of pets during Diwali, but for strays, individuals and groups at the society level have to work hand in hand, to make it more comfortable and safer for the street animals.

However, Diwali has definitely not been a nightmare for some other animals. In the Lucknow Zoo, in Uttar Pradesh in India, animals were treated to special diets to celebrate Diwali. The diets were designed specially keeping in mind, the animal concerned. For instance, carnivores like tigers were treated to tandoori chicken and herbivores like deer and giraffes were given bananas mixed with fruit salad.In contrast to their counterparts in other parts of India, Diwali was a happy time for the Lucknow Zoo animals.

“It would be really good as animals would get a chance to get special treatment on the festival. In fact, such special diets should be given to the animals on every festival,” Geetanjali Sinha, who lives near the zoo, told IANS. (courtesy:Thaiindian News)

Anti-cracker campaigns were also carried out in the area with the threat to punish any offender under the Wildlife Protection Act. 

This entire scenario is like viewing two sides to the same coin.In both the situations, Diwali was being celebrated in an enjoyable manner, but with the difference in terms of sensitivity to the environment.Why don't we choose to then celebrate Diwali in an environment-friendly way, considering especially that we always have an option to do so?   

A WILD WEDDING AFFAIR

Courtesy:glamourvanity.com

The Katy Perry-Russell Brand wedding has lately been in the news for all possible reasons. Apart from being an extremely star-studded event attended by several celebrities, animals too were cordially invited.

Here's how animals were an integral part of the couple exchanging vows.

1. The couple chose to wed in a resort near the Ranthambore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan.
2. A "slew" of animals participated in the marriage ceremonies. These included 21 camels, horses and elephants (PTI). Snake charmers also participated.
3. Brand gifted a female Bengal tiger named Machli to Perry
4. Perry in turn gifted a baby elephant to Brand
5. In their loud celebrations, the couple created a lot of nuisance and violated several rules concerning the environment and the jungle area in particular. It disturbed many animals in the vicinity.

It has definitely been an animal studded affair, some for the bad reasons and others for the good reasons.
The Bad-It is obvious that they had planned beforehand to rope in many animals to celebrate their wedding. They should have been more sensitive to their cause by at least not violating the jungle rules. And they broke those extensively. For instance, local authorities had warned that no loud music should be played after 10 pm as that would disturb the animals in the Ranthambore National Park. However, blaring music was played well past 2 in the morning.
An environmental activist,Akhshay Sharma complained:

"They smoked, consumed liquor, carried weapons, disturbed endangered animals, changed route from No. 2 to No. 3 without permission, alighted from the vehicle (Gypsy), forced people (paparazzi) to alight from their vehicle and even snatched the keys of their vehicle in the park where tiger movement is quite normal," Sharma alleged.

"During the wedding on the next day on October 24, loud music was played in the resort beyond midnight which disturbed the wild animals and local residents, the green activist charged, adding such things were "violation" of section 29, 30, 31 and 32 of Environment Protection Act." (courtesy:Hindustan Times)

  
The Good: The bad part is however, just one facet of the wedding. It would be unfair to ignore the 'good' that also happened.

Courtesy:theconsortiumhotels.com

                                                                                                                
Firstly, a star studded event involving high profile celebrities, like in this case, is bound to boost tourism in the area where it is taking place.The Ranthambore resort area is now drawing so much attention and limelight from everywhere, that it will be instrumental in spreading awareness on endangered animals, promoting tourism and consequently, revenues will also come in. The revenues can be effectively used towards the conservation of the National Park and the animals.
Secondly, Perry and Russell have both gifted animals to each other. Although they will not be able to take these creatures to their country, but the money paid for them will be used for the welfare of those animals and conservation of the Park in general.

Yes, it is right to be critical about the couple violating the environmental and wildlife laws.Stricter enforcement of these laws must be there.I don't know whether Perry-Russell are actually compassionate towards animals and whether it was their fondness for animals that made them involve so many animals. Or was it simply a stunt to get animals to participate, to make it look attractive and different to the whole world. I really don't know.
But what I am concerned with is how we can move on from here. It is upto Indian authorities now as to how they make constructive use of the publicity and the awareness and the funds generated. It can be utilised for the conservation of flora and fauna as well as protection measures for the animals and promote tourism.

Tech Savvy-ing Nature

soft-files.com

Yesterday, in Washington DC, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) introduced a new mobile phone application called the National Park Field Guide. It would be providing a complete and holistic view of the wildlife and review of 50 national parks in Washington. This app would be available free to IPhone, IPad and IPod Touch users.

The app would be giving complete details and lists of animals and plants found in each national park(like Yellowstone,Grand Canyon, Yosemite national parks), the endangered and threatened species, poisonous plants, how and when to get there,ticket costs and also pictures, sounds and video recordings of those animals and plants.

 What an innovative idea, I must say! It is a wonderful way to spread awareness about the beauty and the importance of nature and its conservation among people.As more and more people get increasingly addicted to technology and I Phones and consequently the apps that come along with it, the users would be bound to get curious about this 'natural' one. It has the potential of being a powerful stimulus in making people sensitized to wildlife and plantlife causes and taking action to protect their flora and fauna heritage.

 “We are pleased to offer this innovative and informative mobile field guide free of charge to national park visitors,” stated Megan Cantrell, NPCA Senior Coordinator of Member Engagement. “The new guide will enhance the experience of park visitors by providing a fun, educational companion for families and nature-lovers to learn about the many natural treasures that parks have to offer.”

“With more than 300 million national parks visitors annually, our new field guide will help engage and educate a new generation of advocates for our national parks,” said Cantrell. “The more people who understand that our national parks are America’s legacy to our children and in urgent need of care and repair, the better chance we have at protecting them for the future.”

However, this is not the first time that technology is being used on such a large scale to promote an environmental cause. Last year, in October, the National Park Service tied up with the UCLA Center for Embedded Network Sensing that designed an I-Phone application for a unique cause in Santa Monica. Its objective was to identify the location of invasive weeds  that threatened the native animal and plant species in the Santa Monica Mountains region and then to remove those weeds.

Many often complain that technology is drifting us away from nature. The above cases show that 

ifreeware.net

  technology is also capable of bringing us closer to nature and play a key role in protecting plant and animal species.Blending a relevant cause(of protecting nature) with a modern and popular trend(the smartphones), could be an excellent way of making the cause popular, hence help to attract sensitivity towards the cause. It all depends on how we tap technology's potential.



 

RECALLED TO LIFE

A startling finding was revealed, a few days back. One third of mammals that were declared to be 'extinct' in the past few centuries were found to be alive. Diana Fisher of the University of Queensland, who compiled a list of mammals that were declared to be extinct or missing since the 16th century, said:

"We identified 187 mammal species that have been missing since 1500," The Daily Mail quoted her as writing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
"In the complete data-set, 67 species that were once missing have been rediscovered. More than a third of mammal species that have been classified as extinct or possibly extinct, or flagged as missing, have been rediscovered," she wrote.(DNA)

This is definitely some good news, signalizing some hope in the ecological circuit and in the health of the whole environment in general.
Some of the species that were found include:

 Guadulupe fur seal (courtesy:Visuals Unlimited/Corbis, guardian.co.uk)

• The Guadulupe fur seal- they were feared to be extinct in the 1890s after being slaughtered for their skins by hunters and then going missing from their breeding grounds.They were rediscovered decades later and today, their population is estimated to be around 15000.
• Gilbert's potoroo-it is a small marsupial that went missing for 115 years till it was rediscovered in 1994 in Australia

These are just a few of the many mammals, reptiles, birds and other categories of animals that have been back from the dead.
But my point is that although this news does bring happiness, it is far from being a happy ending. It leads to quite a few concerns.
Firstly, are the concerned authorities doing their real best in looking for members of any species in a particular region before terming it as extinct or missing? Are they really taking the matter seriously and making best possible use of their skills, resources and knowledge at hand? So, it does highlight a dent in the system of functioning of the conservation authorities.

 "Conservation resources are wasted searching for species that have no chance of rediscovery, while most missing species receive no attention," Fisher told the Guardian. "Rather than searching ever more for charismatic missing species, such as thylacines in Australia, it would be a better use of resources to look for species that are most likely to be alive, find out where they are, and protect their habitats," she added.(guardian.co.uk)

Secondly, this phenomenon simultaneously acts as a ray of hope and a warning bell. The species may not have become extinct, but their population had drastically gone down, making them endagered today. Now that is obviously not something to be proud of. The main causes of their dwindling population have mostly been man-made like habitat destruction, poaching and environmental pollution. It should remind us that although the creatures have made a comeback, the causes for their vanishing are still widely prevalent and need to be looked into before the species seriously get permanently wiped out, this time.

Once aware of these causes, we can act positively by taking control of the situation by coming down heavily on  human activities that adversely affect the environment and implementing new improvement plans.It would be then very much possible to revive even the most endangered species. A good and recent example of that is that in UK, 5 rarest bumblebees were restored to life (after having become extinct here) thanks to wildlife friendly agriculture and farming that aimed to support the extinct bee.

Shrill carder bumble bee in UK (courtesy:The Guardian

Still however, if we continue to treat the environment with disregard, it could only spell doom for all species, including mankind this time.

Clive Hambler, lead author of the research and a professor at Oxford University's Department of Zoology, commented that "biodiversity loss is arguably much more serious and more permanent than climate change," but, he added:It's impossible to know if policy targets to reduce the loss are being met without accurate measures of extinction rates. Until now, we had only crude estimates for a very few types of organism. Now we've got evidence that many groups of living things—lichens, bugs, moths, fish, plants and so on—are going extinct at a very similar rate to the birds.

 Nature has indeed given the whole of mankind a second chance through the re-appearance of the 'dead' species. It is now upto us to make the best or worst possible use of it.

GOD BLESS YOU!

Courtesy:www.mlive.com

This week, many churches in US held the unique 'pet blessing' ceremony as part of their annual rituals. It was touching to note how 500 churches taught the children, their parents and other disciples who attended, the values of compassion and about the importance of animals in human lives in a religious, biblical way. One of them was at Saint Aloysius that celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Francis with the school's annual Blessing of Animals on Monday. St Francis of Assissi is the patron saint of animals.

"We believe that, following the example of St. Francis, honoring and loving animals is a reflection of how we thank God for all good gifts in creation, and that the love we receive from them as our loyal pets is some of the most unconditional love we receive in our lifetimes and a true reflection of God's love for us," St. Alban's Episcopal Church rector Margaret Waters said. "All pets will receive a signed certificate of blessing, but we make no guarantees of improved behaviour."(statesman.com)

This ritual came as a pleasant surprise to me, considering the umpteen number of cases where religion is used as an excuse to conduct merciless animal sacrifices.  People torturing and killing animals in an inhumane way for the sake of their religion, say that they do it to satisfy God. So does killing God's creatures, a way of satisfying God?
The above news item reflected another way of satisfying God and spreading the message of peace and harmony. By caring for the animals and demonstrating that to others in a joyous environment.

Both the types of rituals had a common objective of working for the greater good. But the means to achieve it differed. But at the end of the day, the means is important as that is influences the way in which you impact the society, positively or negatively. By blessing the animals and caring for them, the churches were ensuring that a positive message was delivered to society,that of peaceful co-existence between animals and human beings. 

FOOD AND CLONING

Courtesy: www.supermarketguru.com

                    
 Recently, a government poll in Canada found that only a small minority (16%) of Canadians found the use of cloning technology on livestock, acceptable. More than half (54%) of around 3000 Canadians involved in the poll, found the practice unacceptable. The poll on cloning was conducted by the government in Ottawa in order to finalise its assessment of food safety, animal health and environmental concerns arising from the meat and milk from cloned animals. 

So what was it that made the cloned animals' food produce unacceptable? Was it because it was relatively of inferior quality as opposed to that obtained from naturally biologically produced animals? In 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration  and European Food Safety Authority had concluded that meat and milk from healthy cattle and swine clones and their progeny were safe for consumption. The report stated:

Courtesy: animalscience.ag.utk.edu

"there are no biologically significant differences in the composition of foods derived from healthy (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer) cattle and swine clones and healthy conventionally bred animals" 

 If all is so hunky dory then, what exactly is the problem?  The Center For Food Safety criticized the risk assessment report of the FDA, citing that adequate research had not been done and did not take into account the long term adverse effects of the cloned animal produce.Here are some excerpts from the news report from Center For Food Safety:

The FDA's veterinary medicine advisory panel rebuked the agency in 2003 for its position, declaring that not enough research has been done to determine whether food derived from cloned animals is safe. In fact, livestock cloning raises numerous health and ethical concerns. Over 90 percent of cloning attempts fail, and cloned animals that are born have more health problems and higher mortality rates than sexually reproduced animals.

The Center for Food Safety has called on FDA to ban the use of clones in food production until the food safety and animal cruelty problems in cloning have been resolved, and until public discussions have addressed the troubling ethical issues that cloning brings. We also call on FDA, in the event that these pre-conditions can be met, to require labeling of food from animal clones.

Courtesy:emagazine.com

So the bottomline is that there ARE potential health hazards. If the cloned animals themselves are of weak constitution and are susceptible to health diseases (as numerous reports have already shown), then humans are definitely posing a threat to their own well being by consuming such animal produce.

I am of course not suitably qualified to comment on the biotechnological and health issues. I can only comment on the conflicting reports of two esteemed organizations. According to me, the CFS definitely came out with more detailed and numerous evidences to support its claim.

One thing that I could relate to was the animal cruelty and harm to the animal well being that the process of cloning entailed.If that was the case, then the ban is much called for as by consuming the 'cloned' produce, one is encouraging the unethical behaviour and cruelty to animals

Cloning no doubt has various advantages. For instance, cloning leads to an increase in the amount of food available(from the animals) with fewer resources required. That is beneficial for the rapidly increasing population. But for the long run, it has to be carefully analysed if the disadvantages would outweigh the advantages. Then it would not be about just one species getting affected, but all the other creatures  comprising the cycle of which that one species is only a part of, getting badly hit.

Hence, this issue leads on to the larger question of whether cloning of animals itself should be banned.