A Humane WorldKitty Block’s Blog

Black bears get a spring reprieve in some states March 23, 2022Not only do spring hunts make it far too easy for trophy hunters to kill vulnerable and malnourished bears, but they often leave newborn and yearling cubs orphaned—many of whom die from starvation, predation or exposure to weather. Sarkophoto/iStock.comSpring is a crucial time for black bears:After emerging from their dens following months in winter hibernation, many spend the first few weeks building up strength by eating mainly grasses and other plants. Mother bears are especially weak, having spent the last few months nursing cubs hungry for their fat-rich milk.That’s why we were so heartened when the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted last weekend against reinstating a spring black bear hunt. Spring hunts are a nasty form of cruelty, and Washington was one of just eight states to allow them. Not only do spring hunts make it far too easy for trophy hunters to kill vulnerable and malnourished bears, but they often leave newborn and yearling cubs orphaned—many of whom die from starvation, predation or exposure to weather. And all for nothing:As we’ve long known, trophy hunting is not an effective means of preventing conflicts with humans, partly because trophy hunters generally kill bears far from human habitation.The victory in Washington came about largely because that state’s residents, along with the HSUS and a robust coalition of wildlife and animal welfare organizations, raised their voices and submitted thousands of comments in opposition to reinstating the spring bear hunt. (The commission had voted to stop the hunt last November after the HSUS, our coalition partners, and Washington residents spoke out against it, but trophy hunting proponents brought forward a proposal to reinstate it.)Time and again, when members of the public are given the chance to weigh in, they say in no uncertain terms that events like the spring bear hunt are cruel and unsporting. Even a report conducted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Responsive Management confirmed this sentiment:Their 2019 survey of American attitudes toward hunting revealed that a majority of Westerners oppose spring bear hunts.And Washington isn’t the only state making progress on behalf of bears. Last month, the California Fish and Game Commission advanced an HSUS petition that could make the state a much more hospitable one for black bears. The petition—which is now with the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife for their recommendation—asks California to stop the hunting season on bears until the state does three things:Carries out a population study using empirical evidence, not a population model based on bears killed by trophy huntersStudies the effects of climate change on bears, because we know that increased drought and wildfires are making their lives even more challenging (last year, more than three million acres of wildland ecosystems burned in California)Updates its outdated bear management plan based on the best available scienceCalifornia’s current bear management plan, drafted in 1998, is woefully out of date. We’re asking the state to revisit its plan based on the climate crisis—and to update it with the new science, rather than relying on knowledge from a quarter-century ago. I hope to report back with good news after the Fish and Game Commission considers our petition at their meeting next month.I also hope to share news from Arizona soon, too:On April 1st, that state’s Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to vote on updated hunting guidelines. While the proposed guidelines still allow heavy levels of trophy hunting on bears, mountain lions and bobcats, there are some positive changes. The wildlife agency is proposing a significantly shortened spring bear hunting season and prohibiting the hunting of cubs and mother bears with cubs. Arizonans can call on the commission to end spring bear hunting altogether by submitting comments online right now.We’ve also seen signs of progress across the country, on the East Coast:In Maryland, the Department of Natural Resources solicited public comments on a proposal to expand the annual bear hunting season from five days to more than two weeks—essentially doubling the season’s length. After we asked not to expand the hunt at all, the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service proposed—and the Wildlife Advisory Commission approved—a one-day expansion of the hunt. This modest victory came after the HSUS and state residents raised concerns about Maryland’s bear population, citing uncertainty about their numbers and food sources. We will continue to push for a more accurate population count, based on gold-standard methods rather than using the numbers of dead bears to estimate what the living population might look like.Backed by an army of animal advocates and armed with the best possible science, we’ll continue fighting in Maryland—and across the United States—to protect black bears and give them the best chance at survival we can.The post Black bears get a spring reprieve in some states appeared first on A Humane World.Related StoriesWith respect to potential bear conflicts, the responsibility is oursWith respect to potential bear conflicts, the responsibility is ours – EnclosureWhen it comes to fur and foie gras, cruelty should not be a choice

What To Eat When You Don’t Eat Animals! A guide for vegans and not-yet vegans!

Download the Guide (PDF)
Last Updated March 2022

Originally created by Veda Stram in 1992, this revised and expanded 2022 version is the result of a wonderfully fruitful collaboration with David Hoey/80spopanimals.com.

This guide is for you if…

• You are an animal lover and therefore want to eat in a way that respects ALL ANIMALS
• You want to eat delicious, nurturing, inexpensive, healthy meals that are easy to prepare
• You’ve always wondered, “What do vegans eat?”
• You are vegetarian or already cutting back on eating animal products, and you want to go vegan but you don’t know how
• You think that you’ll have to give up cheese, ice cream, and burgers if you go vegan (You will be amazed at all of the scrumptious vegan versions of everything!)
• You want to improve your health and well-being, as well as the health and well-being of your friends, your family, other humans, and all animals
• You want to do your part to end our climate catastrophe
• You are already vegan and always overjoyed to find more vegan goodies
• You want to make a consequential difference for our world with every bite

To be clear, a vegan is someone who chooses not to participate in any form of animal abuse, exploitation, or slaughter, which includes abstaining from using, wearing, and consuming all animal products, such as dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, wool, leather, silk, feathers, skin, and fur. Vegans avoid all forms of animal exploitation. Simply stated, veganism is not just about food: It is an ethical stance for total liberation of ALL CREATURES.

What you’ll find here…

In this guide you will find lots of ideas, menus, product suggestions, and advice about what to eat when you don’t eat animals! This resource is designed to get you thinking about what’s abundantly available for you to eat that doesn’t come from unimaginable suffering and utter devastation. You might be amazed at how many fruits and vegetables you will learn to prepare in a myriad of new ways. Find links to thousands of vegan cookbooks and literally millions of vegan recipes online! That is, if you love to cook, which I DON’T.

This guide is about easy, delicious, satisfying vegan meals, and includes lots of menus, so that you can see how varied, satisfying, and “easy breezy” it is to be vegan. Also included are product brand names, which are in bold and linked to websites, so that you can order them online, find them at locations near you, and request that your local stores and restaurants carry them.To the best of our knowledge, all products in this guide are vegan. We have included companies and brands that provide only vegan products, but, unfortunately, some of them are owned by corporations that sell animal products and/or test on animals; you will have to decide for yourself which brands you purchase.

In this guide you will also find irrefutable, horrifying, and powerful facts about the consequences of our food choices on…oh, just the entire world!

Thank you for making a difference with every bite! 

See ENDORSEMENTS as of March 2022!

https://www.all-creatures.org/what-to-eat.html?fbclid=IwAR30FWEvKOYVfGciFXsguAO5X-Xm3BW065_VIUt_X3iNbTi-eTsJAA-WIUU

Often depicted as lone predators, great white sharks may be more social than originally thought, according to a new study from Florida International University

By People StaffMarch 22, 2022 02:41 PM

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https://people.com/pets/great-white-shark-make-friends-for-food-study/

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CREDIT: GETTY

Often portrayed in popular culture as lone predators, great white sharks may be friendlier than we realized, according to new research.

Research tracking great white sharks off the coast of Mexico has revealed interesting insights into the mysterious social lives of these apex predators.

Researchers found that the great white sharks that gather seasonally around Guadalupe Island tend to stick together when patrolling. For instance, scientists observed great white sharks swimming together by seal colonies — like going on a shopping trip with friends.

The lead author of the new research, Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou of Florida International University (FIU), told SWNS, “Most associations were short. But there were sharks where we found considerably longer associations, much more likely to be social associations. Seventy minutes is a long time to be swimming around with another white shark.”

RELATED: Researchers Say Growing Number of Great White Sharks Off East Coast Is ‘Very Normal’

To collect their eye-opening research, Dr. Papastamatiou’s team put tags on great white sharks off the coast of Mexico that measured behavior and time spent with other tagged sharks.

“We showed sharks may form some strong associations — over a few days — with some individuals,” the lead author shared. “But there is a lot of variation between sharks in terms of how social they may be and how they behave.”

The data showed, for the most part, that great whites prefer to be in groups with members of the same sex. If the sharks shared any other similarities, it was in how unique each one was.

One tagged shark kept its tag on for only 30 hours and had one of the highest numbers of associations — 12 sharks. Another had the tag on for five days and only spent time with two other sharks.

RELATED: Researchers Stunned by ‘Very Chunky’ Great White Shark Found Swimming in the Atlantic Ocean

The tagged great whites also displayed different hunting tactics — Some were active in shallow waters, others deeper down in the depths. Some were more active during the day, others at night.

“The important question we still have to answer is what is the reason for being social for these sharks?” Dr. Papastamatiou said. “We still don’t know. But it is likely they may stay in proximity of other individuals in case those individuals are successful in killing large prey.”

Observations of other species have shown that sociality can increase an animal’s ability to take advantage of another’s hunting success. The same may be happening with the great white sharks near Guadalupe.

RELATED VIDEO: Tourists Spot Shockingly Large Shark Circling Boat

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“They aren’t working together but being social could be a way to share information,” Dr. Papastamatiou added.

The study based on the new great white research was published in Biology Letters. Dr. Papastamatiou’s team hopes the additional evidence for great whites forming non-random friendships will encourage other researchers to tag, study and protect great white sharks.

“Technology now can really open up the secret lives of these animals.

“We are going beyond tracking where they are and where they go. As the technology gets better, we can keep answering more questions.”