Category: Wildlife/Marine Mammals

California lawmakers ban fur sales, bobcat trophy hunting

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Economy, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Californians feel strongly about protecting bobcats: nearly 70% are opposed to trophy hunting these beautiful native carnivores. Photo by Elroy Limmer

By Kitty Block and Sara Amundson In two historic votes for animals, California lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly to ban fur sales and to stop the trophy hunting of bobcats, who are often targeted for their distinctive look and coloration. State senators this afternoon passed a . . . 

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Couple kissing next to lion they killed spark global outrage, highlighting urgency for ending trophy hunting

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

The two hunters have married a familiar display of personal affection to their brazen and remorseless killing of an animal whose lifeless body lies before them. It’s not romantic to the rest of us; it’s crass and clueless, and horrifying.

The latest controversy surrounding lurid social media posts by trophy hunters has prompted a predictable response — global outrage and a wave of tweet storms directed at the individuals involved. This time around, it’s a Canadian couple who posed for a kiss over the dead . . . 

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Romania to allow the killing of 140 bears over human-wildlife conflicts, but there’s a better way forward

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

As the Romanian environmental minister pointed out in her remarks, the difficulty has less to do with bear behavior than it does with human behavior, and we fully support her decision to fine those who try to feed or deliberately attract bears. Photo by Volodymyr Burdiak/Alamy Stock Photo

Romania, which halted trophy hunting of its native carnivores in 2016, this week said it will allow the killing of 140 bears. The hunting quota was announced in response to reports of bear-human conflicts, with videos shared on social media showing people getting very close . . . 

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HSUS/HSI undercover investigation reveals thriving market for ivory in Washington, D.C.

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Our investigators uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ivory objects for sale at businesses in Washington, D.C., including a full, carved elephant tusk priced at $600,000. Photo by the HSUS

Despite growing awareness about the havoc wreaked upon elephants by ivory poachers, our country – and our nation’s capital – are among the world’s biggest markets for ivory. Today, we’re releasing our latest investigation that has uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ivory . . . 

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Florida’s inhumane solution to its iguana problem is doomed to failure

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Even if the iguanas are humanely captured and killed, there is no science-backed evidence to show that such an approach will effectively reduce the state’s population of iguanas in the long term. Above, a green iguana recuperating at the South Florida Wildlife Center. Photo by Christine Capozziello/The HSUS

Florida, in the midst of an explosion in the population of green iguanas, is actively encouraging residents to kill the animals “whenever possible” around their homes or on public lands. This irresponsible directive from the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is not accompanied by . . . 

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States, localities forge ahead on banning puppy mills, cage confinement, killing contests and more

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Nevada became the second state in the country, after California, to pass a law banning cosmetics testing on animals. Photo by Bliznetsov/iStock.com

In May this year, Washington’s governor signed into law the strongest legislative protections for egg-laying hens anywhere in the world. Nevada became the second state in the country, after California, to pass a law banning cosmetics testing on animals. And New Mexico passed a law . . . 

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Canada bans shark finning and shark fin trade

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

The massive global demand for shark fins has been a primary cause of shark population declines worldwide. Fins from as many as 100 million sharks are traded throughout the world every year. Photo by Shane Gross/iStockphoto

Canada, the largest importer of shark fins outside Asia, has passed a landmark bill that includes measures to prohibit the trade in shark fins nationally as well as finning in Canadian waters. Humane Society International/Canada joined Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and the Canadian Coast Guard . . . 

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Key House committee, federal court direct USDA to release crucial animal welfare records

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

It is especially important that the public have access to this information now because the administration itself has all but stopped enforcing the Animal Welfare Act and the Horse Protection Act, allowing facilities to neglect and mistreat their animals with little to no consequences. Photo by Michelle Riley/The HSUS

The House appropriations committee has just issued a clear directive to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate full public access to animal welfare inspection reports and other records that show how businesses like roadside zoos and puppy mills, and research facilities that do invasive . . . 

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No science behind war on wolves, coyotes

Animal Rights & Environment, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Many state wildlife officials have responded to the rise in coyote populations with the same cruel and scientifically unjustified mass killing tactics used to extirpate wolves, including cash bounties, killing contests and unlimited hunting quotas. Photo by Mircea Costina/Alamy Stock Photo

Scientists have long cautioned against the indiscriminate hunting of wolves because of the harmful effects it can have on the natural balance of an ecosystem. But this has not stopped states or the federal government from conducting a war on these beautiful native carnivores. The . . . 

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An American trophy hunter wants to bring home an endangered cheetah he killed in Namibia

Animal Rights & Environment, Humane Society International, Public Policy (Legal/Legislative), The Humane Society of the United States, Wildlife/Marine Mammals

Cheetahs are listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, with just 7,100 animals remaining in the wild. Photo by Alamy

By Kitty Block and Sara Amundson The cheetah, an animal capable of top speeds of 75 miles per hour, is racing toward extinction, with just 7,100 animals left in the wild. Recently, in another expression of the callous disregard trophy hunters show for the world’s . . . 

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