Kenya: Support for Higher poaching penalties.- Petition Site.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Kenya_Support_for_Higher_poaching_penalties/?fRyKZcb&pv=10

*** WE must stand up to the Poaching that is killing all the Endangered Species of this Planet! WE are better then the vile humans that are doing the slaughtering…
5,086 have Signed so far. Is your name on that List??? If not please please add and then Share it…………..

Kenya: Support for Higher poaching penalties.

http://www.avaaz.org

We are rapidly losing major keystone species such as elephant and rhino to a trade facilitated by criminalized syndicates. Unfortunately the levels of international unrest and wider economic crisis have eclipsed the need for greater awareness and decisive action across the international stage.

Help Africa’s Wildlife – Join this Important Online Event

 

Our precious ELEPHANT, RHINO, LION and others are all in grave danger – killed mercilessly by hunters and poachers daily. Please help these beautiful beasts by joining this online signing event https://www.facebook.com/events/456460841068824/ and promoting these critical petitions – your voice WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Thank you ♥

 

*If you have not joined this Very Important Online Event – Please do so. These Animals are in crisis and need Everyone!

Our precious African ELEPHANT, RHINO, LION AND CHEETAH are all in grave danger, being killed mercilessly by hunters and criminals daily. Please help these beautiful beasts by signing and promoting these (SIX) 6 critical petitions – your voice WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE: https://www.facebook.com/events/456460841068824/

SPEAK UP LOUD & CLEAR FOR AFRICAN WILDLIFE!

December 8 at 12:30pm in UTC+01

ONLINE

 

Circuses blow their top at lion licensing plan Owners say proposal is ‘disrespectful’ and could drive them out of business

Sunday 18 November 2012Brian Brady

http://www.independent.co.uk

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A plan to force circuses to license all their lions, tigers and elephants – thrashed out after the Government shelved an outright ban on performing wild animals – could still drive many circuses out of business, owners have warned.

Circus representatives told ministers the compromise was “disrespectful”, imposed unreasonable costs and would stop them hitting animals to control and train them. Notes from a secret meeting between the sides, obtained by The Independent on Sunday, show that circuses were also angered by a government press statement headed “Animals deserve our respect”.

Animal-rights activists insisted the documents confirmed their “long-held concerns about the welfare of wild animals in circuses”.

The official report of the meeting, between senior figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, three circuses, the Performing Animals Welfare Standards International and the Classical Circus Association, said the costs to circuses were too high and “unreasonable”, given that a ban was still possible, and that the costs should be absorbed by the Government.

The document also reported that the circus delegates had complained that “no hitting at all ignores various circumstances (such as breaking up fights)”, and that “keeping animals in exercise areas overnight [was] not possible or safe”.

It added: “Animals have to be chained so that keepers can sleep. Tethers (chain or otherwise) are not only appropriate but vital. Elephants will sleep for five to ten hours every day as a minimum – [keepers] can’t sit and guard them for that time.”

One delegate, who asked not to be named, said: “We put forward constructive proposals, but there was no movement. They are asking us to pay to be licensed for three years and then banned at the end of it.”

But Will Travers, chief executive of the Born Free Foundation, said the document showed that circuses “clearly want to continue to be able to hit animals under certain circumstances, to chain animals overnight and keep [them] in tiny spaces”.

MPs called for a blanket ban last year, after well-publicised cases of animal cruelty in British circuses, but the Government initially opposed the move, fearing lawsuits from disgruntled owners. Robin Hargreaves, the president-elect of the British Veterinary Association, said: “The BVA has strongly supported a ban because we believe the welfare needs of non-domesticated, wild animals cannot be met within the environment of a travelling circus.”

Martin Burton, owner of Zippo’s Circus – which does not use wild animals – said: “There are animal rights activists who lie and cheat and cause harm, but it is the circuses that the Government comes after.”

 

Leopard caught in wire snare dies

 

Read more:Vijaya Mohan Raj|Veterinarian|Special Tiger Protection Force|Kumar Pushkar|Director|Bandipur Tiger Reserve|Bandipur Tiger

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Leopard-caught-in-wire-snare-dies/articleshow/16404842.cms

TNN | Sep 15, 2012, 05.32AM IST

MYSORE: A leopard trapped in a wire snare inside Bandipur tiger reserve died on Friday. This comes two months after a gang of poachers was arrested for placing jaw traps inside the Biligiri Ranga Tiger (BRT) wildlife sanctuary.

Authorities suspect that the trap was laid by locals to catch a boar or a hare. The leopard, around 8 years, was found dead in a snare in N Begur forest range near Katwalu village. The feline died because of the injuries sustained while trying to claw out of the snare, said forest officials. A Special Tiger Protection Force team has been asked to probe the crime along with jurisdiction forest officers, said Kumar Pushkar, director, Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

Authorities have intensified checks inside the forest and said that they have not discovered any other snares in the reserved area

Pushkar ruled out the role of any organized gang laying the trap. “Going by the way the trap was laid we are sure that it was done by the locals,” he added.

In July BRT reserve authorities had arrested a six-member gang from Haryana for laying jaw traps for tigers inside the reserve area. The jaw traps would be activated in the night. In the morning they would be dismantled and stowed away.

Following their arrest, patrolling was intensified and checks were conducted to discover traps.

Former Kumki Kavita unwell

Kavita, an elephant from the K Gudi elephant camp, a regular at the Dasara celebrations since years is battling for survival.

The 75-year-old kumki (accompanying) elephant has poor vision in one eye because of which it has been a victim of minor accidents in the forest. Recently it stumbled in the forest injuring herself badly.

The elephant is weak and unwell from the past 15 days. No veterinarian from the department has visited K Gudi camp to treat the elephant. “It is aged and there is no point in treating it,” allegedly said a doctor when he was told of the elephant’s suffering.

However, Biligiri Ranga Tiger (BRT) wildlife sanctuary director Vijaya Mohan Raj denied that elephants in the camps are being neglected . He denied allegations that Kavita was not being treated. “In fact, we have started giving special food to the elephant so that she gains energy. She is responding to treatment.” he said.