Monthly Archives: April 2020

Lawmakers in California and New York to introduce legislation to ban wet markets and exotic wildlife trafficking to reduce future pandemic risk and prevent mass extinction

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Exposing the Big Game's avatarThe Extinction Chronicles

By Social Compassion in Legislation – April 13, 2020, 08:40:24 AM

Sacramento, CA – April 13, 2020 – On the heels of a bipartisan Congressional coalition’s letter to the World Health Organization and other intergovernmental bodies urging a worldwide ban on live animal or “wet” markets, legislators in California and New York have announced plans to ban such wet markets in their respective states. The bills would also cut off imports of exotic and endangered wildlife that could spread zoonotic disease like COVID-19. Senator Henry Stern (CA) and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (NY) are working with animal protection legislative advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) to create the groundbreaking legislation.

“Social Compassion in Legislation wants to thank Senator Stern and Assemblymember Rosenthal in working with us to ban live animal markets in CA and NY. We are partnering with PETA and WildAid to help make this a global movement to…

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‘Megadrought’ emerging in the western US might be worse than any in 1,200 years

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NATION
Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
  • Scientists say that about half of this historic drought can be blamed on man-made global warming.
  • The study covers an area stretching across nine U.S. states from Oregon down to New Mexico.
  • Naturally-occurring western megadroughts have occurred many times before.

Fueled in part by human-caused climate change, a “megadrought” appears to be emerging in the western U.S., a study published Thursday suggests.

In fact, the nearly-20-year drought is almost as bad or worse than any in the past 1,200 years, scientists say.

Megadroughts – defined as intense droughts that last for decades or longer – once plagued the Desert Southwest. Thanks to global warming, an especially fierce one appears to be coming back:

“We now have enough observations of current drought and tree-ring records of past drought to say that we’re on the same trajectory as the worst prehistoric droughts,” said study…

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WHO warning: No evidence that antibody tests can show coronavirus immunity

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KEY POINTS
  • The WHO said there’s no evidence serological tests can show whether a person has immunity or is no longer at risk of becoming reinfected.
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WHO issues warning about coronavirus testing

The World Health Organization issued a warning Friday about coronavirus testing, saying there’s no evidence serological tests can show whether a person has immunity or is no longer at risk of becoming reinfected.

“These antibody tests will be able to measure that level of serology presence, that level of antibodies, but that does not mean that somebody with antibodies” is immune, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit.

So-called serological, or antibody, tests can indicate whether a person has had Covid-19 in the past and was either asymptomatic or recovered.

More than 560,000 of the 2.1 million…

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Six Ways to Take Action for Animals While Staying Safe at Home

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*By Hope Bohanec, Projects Manager for United Poultry Concerns*

For many of us, spring is a time of community engagement filled with
VegFests,
MeetUps, potlucks, leafletings, and other activities to spread the message
of
animal suffering in our food system and the joys of living vegan. With all
spring events cancelled, the world seems to have come to a standstill. Yet
the
breeding, confining, and killing of sensitive chickens and other farmed
animals
continues, so our advocacy must continue as well.

As communities move to a virtual reality, so must our message. Here are six
suggested actions to take during our time of social distancing. We can’t be
together physically, so let’s find creative ways to bring the plight of
farmed
animals into the minds and hearts of people in their homes. Please stay
safe and
continue to speak out for chickens and for all animals. They need us now
more
than ever.

*1. Have a Streaming Party and Watch a Vegan Film or Documentary*
There are numerous films and documentaries with pro-animal and vegan
messages
available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services. You can
watch Okja, Cowspiracy, Forks Over Knives, and Game Changers on Netflix,
while Amazon Prime has Food Choices, The End of Meat, The Invisible
Vegan,
and Plant Pure Nation among others. Have a watch-party with the people
who
share your home, or use Netflix Party <https://www.netflixparty.com> to
stream a movie remotely with friends
outside of your household and talk about it after.

*2. Get Hip with Social Media*
There has never been a better time to be an effective “armchair
activist.”
Social media is the way many people, and most young people, are getting
their
news, watching their entertainment, connecting with friends, and more.
Be an
influencer and help broadcast the vegan message across any and all
platforms.
You don’t even have to create your own content; there are lots of memes,
videos, recipes, and articles to share. Start with UPC’s Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/UnitedPoultryConcerns> and Twitter
pages and share our content on your social media pages.

*3. Write a Letter to the Editor or an Online Article*
Do you like to write? Perhaps now you have some extra time to do it.
Write a
letter to your local paper about any aspect of veganism. A letter in
response
to a recent article is more likely to be published. Remember to praise
journalists or publications for any positive media coverage for animals.
Be
sure to adhere to the guidelines for length and other factors before
sending
your letter. There are also online forums for posting articles like
Medium <https://medium.com>
and Elephant Journal <https://www.elephantjournal.com>. Start with a
vegan or animal rights topic you are
passionate about and write!

*4. Support a Vegan Company with Mail-Order*
To minimize your trips to the grocery store, why not order some staples
or
sweet treats from a small vegan business? Use the VegNews Guide to Vegan
<https://vegnews.com/2020/3/these-companies-will-ship-vegan-staples-directly-to-your-door.>
Delivery Nationwide
<https://vegnews.com/2020/3/these-companies-will-ship-vegan-staples-directly-to-your-door.>
to find online vegan stores and place your order. You
will find everything from pantry essentials, to vegan cookies and
doughnuts,
to meal delivery services.

*5. Read a Good Book*
Staying home means that many of us have more time to read. Now might be
the
best time to curl up with a book and go deeper into your animal
liberation
and vegan education. A book also makes a perfect gift for someone you are
thinking of but can’t be with at this time. Some recommended reads are
*Voices*
<https://www.upc-online.org/bookreviews/200326_book_review-voices_for_animal_liberation.html>
* for Animal Liberation: Inspirational Accounts By Animal Rights
Activists
<https://www.upc-online.org/bookreviews/200326_book_review-voices_for_animal_liberation.html>
*and
* For the Birds: From Exploitation to Liberation
<https://www.upc-online.org/bookreviews/190730_for_the_birds_can_only_be_described_with_superlatives.html>*
by Karen Davis. *The Ultimate*
<https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Betrayal-There-Happy-Meat/dp/1475990936>
* Betrayal: Is There Happy Meat?*
<https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Betrayal-There-Happy-Meat/dp/1475990936>
by Hope Bohanec is also recommended. Here’s a
list of educational and inspirational books
<https://www.upc-online.org/merchandise/book.html> that UPC recommends.

*6. Donate to United Poultry Concerns*
Even as the world seems to have stopped, chickens, turkeys and other
farmed
animals continue to suffer, and we will continue to fight tirelessly for
them. Your contribution helps us do just that. You can also support us by
shopping on the UPC merchandise page
<https://www.upc-online.org/merchandise>.

Donate <https://www.upc-online.org/donate>

—
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes
the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl.
Don’t just switch from beef to chicken. Go Vegan.
http://www.UPC-online.org/ http://www.twitter.com/upcnews
http://www.facebook.com/UnitedPoultryConcerns

View this article online
<https://upc-online.org/whatsnew/200416_six_ways_to_take_action_for_animals_while_staying_safe_at_home.html

Grizzly bear protecting her cub is shot after biting hiker, Montana officials say

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Duration 7:48
How to handle bear encounters

Heading out on a hike? An Idaho Fish and Game officials provides tips for identifying black and grizzly bears and what to do when you encounter each. BY IDAHO FISH AND GAME

A grizzly bear trying to protect her cub attacked a hiker Wednesday, Montana wildlife officials say.

A man came face-to-face with a female grizzly bear and her cub while on a hike, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The grizzly bear attacked and bit the hiker’s thigh.

The hiker then shot and injured the bear with a pistol, officials say. The hiker was able to walk back to his house near Dupuyer and go to a hospital.

“The bear’s behavior indicated it attacked to protect her cub from a perceived threat posed by the hiker,” wildlife officials say.

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Officials searched for the bear into the night and began again the next morning with a helicopter and ground crews. Officials euthanized the bear once it was found, according to Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The cub was not with the bear when it was found, according to the Great Falls Tribune. Greg Lemon, a spokesperson for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, told the news outlet that he did not know what the cub’s chances for survival were.

“Though it is still early in the spring, people recreating outdoors in Montana need to be prepared to encounter grizzly bears as they emerge from winter hibernation,” officials said. “This time of year, bears are hungry and looking for food, and often sows have cubs close at hand. Also, with bears expanding their population and habitat, they can often be found in prairie settings, well away from the mountains.”

A grizzly bear (not the one pictured) attacked a Montana hiker Wednesday, officials say.
A grizzly bear (not the one pictured) attacked a Montana hiker Wednesday, officials say. AP

California’s celebrated gray wolf, OR-7, presumed dead

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Exposing the Big Game's avatarCommittee to Abolish Sport Hunting Blog

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/California-s-celebrated-gray-wolf-OR-7-15204114.php
Suzanne Espinosa Solis 
The collared wolf, known as OR-7, left his pack in Oregon in 2011 and became the first lobo in nearly a century to roam California’s wilderness.
The collared wolf, known as OR-7, left his pack in Oregon in 2011 and became the first lobo in nearly a century to roam California’s wilderness.
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014

The gray wolf that made headlines in 2011 for becoming the first lobo in nearly a century to lope in California’s wilderness is presumed dead.

The collared wolf, known as OR-7, was last accounted for in the fall and was missing from the annual winter count in Oregon, where it was living, Oregon officials said Wednesday.

“We don’t know if OR-7 has died, but it would be reasonable to assume considering his age, which is old for a wolf in the wild,” said Roblyn Brown, the wolf coordinator for Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. “It is natural for packs to change over time as individual wolves are born, disperse…

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CHINA RAISES CORONAVIRUS DEATH TOLL BY 50% IN WUHAN

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https://the-latest.news/china-raises-coronavirus-death-toll-by-50-in-wuhan/

China Raises Coronavirus Death Toll by 50% in Wuhan

China on Friday raised its coronavirus death toll by 50 percent in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak first emerged, amid accusations that the government had concealed the extent of the epidemic.Officials placed the new tally at 3,869 deaths from the coronavirus in the central Chinese city, an increase of 1,290 from the previous figure. The number of cumulative confirmed infections in the city was also revised upward to 50,333, an increase of 325.The move appeared to be a response to growing questions about the accuracy of China’s official numbers and calls to hold the country responsible for a global health crisis that has killed more than 142,000 people and caused a worldwide economic slowdown.China has been criticized as having initially mismanaged and concealed the extent of the epidemic, though it ultimately swung into action and seemingly tamed the virus. Recently, as other countries have grappled with their own…

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Infections are straining meat processing plants

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https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html

Coronavirus is infecting employees at the nation’s meat processing plants, raising fears of a strain in the food supply.
South Dakota governor says stay-at-home order would not have prevented Smithfield coronavirus outbreak

South Dakota governor says stay-at-home order would not have prevented Smithfield coronavirus outbreak
In Georgia, three employees at a Tyson Foods plant have died from coronavirus, and several others are sick or in quarantine, according to the Retail, Warehouse and Department Store Union.
“Workers debone chickens elbow to elbow with no access to masks. They work at speeds of upwards of 80 chickens per minute,” the Union said.
It accused Tyson of delaying distribution of personal protective equipment to workers, and implementation of measures such as social distancing protocols, protective barriers and staggered start times and breaks. CNN has reached out to Tyson Foods for comment.
And in South Dakota, more than half of the 143 new cases of coronavirus in the state are linked to the Smithfield Foods plant, one of the nation’s largest pork processing facilities, the state’s health department said.

CNN’s Wes Bruer, Nicole Chavez, Jay Croft, Dakin Andone, Jason Hanna, Jamiel Lynch, Joe Sutton and Andy Rose contributed to this report.

Prince Harry’s Friend Jane Goodall Says He May Give Up Hunting for Meghan Markle

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Exposing the Big Game's avatarCommittee to Abolish Sport Hunting Blog

Prince Harry’s Friend Jane Goodall Says He May Give Up Hunting for Meghan Markle

Christina Montford | MORE ARTICLES

April 14, 2020

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have had to give up a lot to be with one another. First, Meghan gave up her acting career, at its height, and then she gave up her home country and moved to the UK to live with Harry and his family. But ultimately, she gave up her privacy and her right to do things like wear jeans without the wrath of the British press coming down on her.

Recently, Harry returned the favor and gave up his position as a working royal so that he and Meghan could have a more peaceful life with their baby, Archie. But is he about to give up something else as well?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry | Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Prince Harry…

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No matter how you crunch the numbers, this pandemic is only just getting started

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Exposing the Big Game's avatarThe Extinction Chronicles

William Hanage

People are understandably looking for good news. But the truth is, we’re nowhere near controlling coronavirus

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NHS workers prepare a line of ambulances outside at the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel Centre in London
 ‘Half your population needs to have been infected to achieve a level of population immunity that would stop the epidemic continuing to grow and overwhelming healthcare systems.’ Photograph: Victoria Jones/PA

There has not been a lot of good news lately. But with the discharge of Boris Johnson from hospital on Sunday, and statements that the “peak” strain on the National Health Service would be over the Easter period, you might be under the impression that the storm is passing, and the Covid-19 pandemic will soon be a memory.

Fueling this mood are reports from studies of communities already hit by the pandemic. At long last we are beginning to see the results of work looking for…

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