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Will You Be Watching Whale Wars Tonight?

PetSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:00:26 -0800

We all know that Hayden Panettiere wants to save the whales, but she's not the only one! Founded in 1977, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been protecting the seas at the bottom of the Earth against Japanese whalers, and over the Winter season of 2007 to 2008, Animal Planet tagged along to document their journey.

In a seven-part series beginning tonight, we get a closeup look at how far the Sea Shepherds will go to protect the whales of the Antarctic. Not only are they intent on saving ocean dwellers, but they are also committed to protecting all wildlife, including seals that are hunted every year in Canada. Check out the clip above, and tell me: Will you be watching Whale Wars?

The Scoop: Putting Frog Genes on Ice

PetSugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Usually when I think of animal conservation, I think of protecting the animals' natural habitat, educating the masses on the need for conservation, and maybe even helping nature along with breeding, but I've never heard of putting them on ice!

In Moscow, a research team is trying to save the rarest of toad and frog species from extinction by freezing their sperm and eggs at minus 200 degrees for later use. With over 3,000 species on the endangered list, Natalia Sheshova from the Institute of Biophysics in Moscow says they are learning other ways to use science to their advantage as well:

“We’re learning to freeze embryo cells too, to give us a complete genetic picture. We hope that if a certain species does become extinct, we can retrieve the frozen cells and reproduce it.”

I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures!

Source

Ed Norton Runs NYC Marathon For Wildlife Conservation: In the LINK of an Eye!

PetSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:00:48 -0700

Ed Norton to run NYC Marathon for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust - People Pets
Francesca and Sharkey visit the Grand Prix - The Daily Wag
Suckling pig skin a tasty DIY dog snack - Dolittler
Mr. Clucky fights for South Beach residency - PetMD
RIP, Baby walrus dies at New York Aquarium - Paw Nation
Kung Fu Corgi kicks cute butt - Wag Reflex

The Scoop: Harry and Pepper Break Up!

PetSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:15:50 -0700

Sad news to come out of San Francisco: Harry and Pepper have officially broken up . . . and Harry's moved on. The SF Zoo's famous same-sex penguin couple hit a rough patch when the single Linda befriended Harry after her long-time (male) companion, Fig, passed away.

This caused a fight between the original couple and the threesome was then separated. It's all water under the bridge as Pepper just returned to the penguin exhibit from a bachelor pad at the Avian Conservation Center and they were reintroduced in their enclosure on Friday.

Harry and Linda successfully nested this year but Harry and Pepper famously hatched an egg (from a different mama) together in 2008 acting as "the best parents that year." I guess he'll just be Uncle Pepper now?

This zoo has the largest Magellanic penguins colony in captivity in the world (nearly 60 birds!) - if you're local and want to check out these two, their left wing band numbers are 201 (Harry) and 207 (Pepper). See the classic video describing the birds and chicks, read more.

Source: Cindy Chew/The Examiner

Cancer Deadly to Humans and Wild Animals Alike

PetSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:00:18 -0700

It's heartbreaking enough to see your furry friends go through the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but imagine being a wild animal and not having the medical care or love that a family pet would. Cancer not only affects people and pets, but wild animals as well. A new study conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows that cancer accounts for 10 percent of human deaths, and wild animals are dying from cancer at about the same rate.

And although you may want to wish away these similarities as a natural occurrence, take in this fact first: high levels of a chemical called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found in the St. Lawrence river system, where beluga whales and many species of fish are frequently found hunting for food. Studies show that this (human-produced) pollutant is the leading cause of intestinal cancer in the beluga whale population. Coincidence? I'm not so sure about that. Although there isn't much you can do to monitor signs of cancer in wild animals from your home, you can keep an eye out for common signs of cancer in your pets!

Could This Dog Save Cambodia's Tigers?

PetSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:00:38 -0800

Meet Maggie, a d-o-g with a j-o-b. The German Wirehaired Pointer is on duty in Cambodia sniffing out tiger poo. That's right, this pooch is sniffing out droppings in one of the country's largest nature reserves starting this week. Six-year-old Maggie was trained in Russia and joins the Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area to track down the big cats – the last sign of one (a paw print) was in 2007 so scientists are turning to this dog's powerful nose to hopefully find evidence, and help save the diminishing tiger population.
As part of a $10 million, 10-year initiative called "Tigers Forever," New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society joins big cat group, Panthera, in spending about $30,000 to bring this pooch (and another later this year) to Asia for this search. Wildlife monitoring adviser, Hannah O'Kelly explains that the dung's data would help other researchers establish a baseline population of tigers before developing a conservation plan based on the numbers and the potential threats for the reserve.

If we cover the whole area and we don't find any tiger scat, then we can be reasonably confident there are no tigers. That would be very disappointing and I hope that doesn't happen.

I hope it doesn't happen either and I'll be following in hopes that proof of tigers' poo comes soon!
Source

The Scoop: Save Your Logo Launches With Lacoste

PetSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:00:24 -0700

It's safe to say the crocodile is synonymous with the Lacoste label – in fact, I don't even need to see the brand name to recognize this creature! Tapping into that recognition, companies with wild logos are being asked to help save endangered species via a new international campaign titled Save your logo. Backed by the World Bank, the World Environment Fund (WEF) and the International Union for the Conservation of nature (IUCN), companies can donate up to 1.5 million euros over three years to a "Save Your Logo" fund and benefit from a tax cut of up to 60 percent of the donations received. Lacoste has already signed up but the potential for additional organizations with animal representatives is great – Puma, Jaguar, etc. – share your ideas for companies that should sign up in the comments below.
Source

Red Listed: New List of Animals Close To Extinction

PetSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 07:00:32 -0700

In an annual "health check for the planet", the International Union for Conservation of Nature has released its list of the most threatened animals on earth. The scary news? Twenty-five percent of all mammals are on the verge of extinction. That's a big number to swallow, considering there are over 44,000 animals on the Red List this year. Check out my slideshow of just a few of the animals that are critically endangered, but also check out Conservation International's website with an educational countdown clock showing us animals that are pushed to extinction every nine to 44 minutes. It's scary stuff, but it really makes you realize how delicate the balance is between safe . . . and extinct. Source

View Slideshow ›

Bare Bones: Wagging Green

PetSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 07:00:56 -0800

It's hip to be green – and I don't mean the color! Although I love the hue, it's more about the principal of going green these days, and there's one company that wants to dress your dogs up in their eco-tastic love: Wagging Green. Making fun and earth-friendly pet products out of highly sustainable bamboo, they aren't only saving the planet, but they are proactive about giving back: Five percent of each purchase goes to conservation causes!

I like the playful designs of their doggie collars, but Wagging Green offers up cat collars, tees, and ID tags as well. Plus, if you've previously purchased a Wagging Green collar and want a new one to freshen up that seasonal wardrobe, they'll take Fido's used collar back, and create a brand new one from the old hardware in the pattern of your choosing. What a way to recycle! This is one company (and cause) that I can definitely bark about!

Hayden Wants to Save the Whales Again . . . and You Can Help!

PetSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:40:50 -0700

Nearly one year after Hayden Panettiere joined animal activists in the rescue mission to stop a dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan, the actress has a new tactic to save the whales - she's joining forces with SocialVibe to petition this annual event. Watch the video below to learn how you can get involved:

Hayden also spoke about her efforts (and continued commitment) at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday in partnership with Save the Whales Again!, a conservation campaign of the Whaleman Foundation.

Check out pictures of her speech and rally when you read more.

View 17 Photos ›

Source