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Headlines 2024-09-20

Week 31

	In KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP expressed concern over the ongoing rhino poaching incidents, with 231 rhinos killed in South Africa during the first six months of 2023. Of these, 42 were poached in the Kruger National Park and 143 in KZN. The party called for immediate government funding to combat poaching, which poses a significant threat to wildlife-based tourism and the livelihoods of affected communities.
	SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Announces Attendance Decline and Revenue Impact
	Researchers from the Marine Mammal Research Association (DMAD) have conducted studies on whales and dolphins in Türkiye and issued a warning that all dolphin species in the Mediterranean are endangered.
	Iberian wolves declared extinct in Andalucía, Spain. The Andalucian government's environment department has officially declared wolves (Canis lupus signatus) extinct in the region after years of decline. Despite being a protected species, there has been no evidence of wolves in Andalucía since 2013, and no reproductive group since 2003.
	The Asia for Animals Coalition’ Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC) has written a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to take comprehensive action to prevent and remove animal cruelty content from Facebook and other platforms operated by Meta. The focus of concern is on content depicting primate torture and abuse, particularly videos of macaque monkeys being subjected to extreme and sadistic acts of violence.
	A dead Bryde's whale was found off the waters of Hong Kong with a new wound, likely the same animal that was spotted two weeks earlier. This discovery has raised concerns about the lack of protective measures and the presence of sightseers around the carcass. The whale's body was taken for examination, and a fresh wound on its fin was observed at Sai Kung's High Island Reservoir. Marine expert Compass Chan emphasizes the need for people to seriously reflect on how to coexist with different animal species. The incident occurred on July 31, 2023.
	After the summer performance season at Circus World in Baraboo, the elephants, which have been a part of the circus since 1888, will no longer return. They will retire at the Endangered Ark Foundation in Oklahoma due to factors such as concerns about the ethics of animal performances and a commitment to endangered animal conservation. Animal performances will continue with various animals. List of captive elephants
	The dog meat industry in South Korea is facing increasing pressure to be banned. While dog meat consumption has been a longstanding tradition on the Korean Peninsula, there is a rising awareness of animal rights and concerns about the country's international reputation. The anti-dog meat campaign received significant support when the first lady expressed her backing for a ban, and two lawmakers submitted bills to outlaw the trade.

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Week 30

	Dozens of dead dolphins, likely pilot whales, were thrown 60 meters from a cliff into the waters surrounding the Faroe Islands after being butchered. The incident was captured on video and has drawn attention to the practice of the grindadráp on the islands.
	The Forest Department in India has uncovered an illegal trading racket involving wild birds and animals through social media. They arrested a 32-year-old engineering graduate named Saroj Kumar Badaik in Rourkela. Badaik was using YouTube as a platform to sell animals, and he was caught with two common hill mynas in his possession.
	Two Asian black bears, Bonnie and Clyde, were rescued from a household in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. They had been kept by a family for nearly 20 years and were micro-chipped. The bears are now being transported to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center in Tam Dao National Park.
	Two chimpanzees, Pancho and Chita, escaped from Ukumari Biopark in Colombia on Sunday. Pancho was killed, and Chita was also found dead after authorities declared a state of high alert. Animal rights organization Animal Defenders International expressed shock at the killing and blamed human negligence for the escape.
	In a recent ceremony held by the Samish Indian Nation, a female Southern Resident killer whale calf, believed to have been born in February or March of 2022, was named Sxwyeqólh (Swee-a-kosh), which translates to "reason for hope child." The calf is also known as J59 and is the second offspring of J37 or Hy'Shqa, belonging to the JPod, one of the three Southern Resident killer whale family groups that visit Washington waters.
	A rare white tiger cub named Charlota was rescued from a private owner in the Czech Republic and has been relocated to a sanctuary in Germany by animal welfare group FOUR PAWS. The tiger was confiscated by Czech authorities last year after pictures of it were posted on social media.
	Nearly 100 pilot whales have died in a mass stranding event along Australia's southern coast near Cheynes Beach. The Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia responded to the reports of stranded whales and, despite the efforts of 350 staff and volunteers, 51 whales died initially. Cetacean stranding events Video:Mass pilot whale stranding in Western Australia
	Laos' importation of ten live lions from South Africa has raised concerns among wildlife conservationists who fear the lions may be exploited for the big-cat bone trade. The animals were reportedly brought to a newly built zoo Tham Pha Waterfall Zoo in Pak Ngeum, but experts suspect the facility may actually be used for breeding and exporting bones, given the setup and demographics of the imported lions.
	Fifty-two pilot whales have died after stranding on Cheynes Beach, West Australia. Wildlife experts are attempting to guide the remaining pod members, around 45 whales, back into deeper waters to prevent further strandings.
	The European Commission plans to phase out animal testing for chemicals in Europe, but it refuses to protect the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics despite citizens' wishes. The ban on animal testing for cosmetics ingredients was introduced in 2009, but animal tests for chemicals used in industries or released into the environment are still required under the EU's REACH regulation.
	Botswana, known for having almost half of Africa's wild elephants, has offered to donate 8,000 elephants to Angola. The donation was discussed during Angolan President Joao Lourenco's recent state visit to Botswana.
	Four individuals, three Vietnamese and one Guinean, have been convicted for trafficking 7.1 tonnes of pangolin scales and 850 kilograms of ivory. They were part of a major organized crime group that trafficked wildlife commodities, including rhino horn and lion bones, from Mozambique and South Africa to Vietnam.
	Yuan Meng, a 6-year-old male giant panda born in France, is returning to China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The international giant panda cooperation agreement dictates that pandas born overseas should be sent to China between ages 2 and 4 to provide optimal conditions for reproduction. Panda diplomacy List of captive giant pandas
	Devastating wildfires have swept across the island of Rhodes, Greece, resulting in burned vegetation and dead animals. The Greek Special Secretariat for the Protection of Companion Animals urged citizens to evacuate with their animals or seek assistance for their rescue.

Week 29

	Around two thousand Magellanic penguins have been found dead on the coast of Uruguay over the past ten days, with the government reporting these numbers as unprecedented. Most of the deceased penguins were young animals that had empty stomachs and lacked fat reserves.
	Jockeys in the UK have violated whip regulations in horse racing almost 50% more in 2023 compared to the previous year. Animal Aid's data reveals that in the first six months of 2023, there were 370 instances of rule breaking by jockeys, while there were only 248 such incidents during the same period in 2022, representing a 49.2% increase.
	An animal advocacy group, Wild Horse Education, is calling for changes to the federal government's wild horse wrangling operations in Nevada after a recent roundup resulted in multiple stallions, mares, and foals being injured or killed. The use of helicopters to corral the horses during the roundup has drawn criticism.
	The notorious Tomohon Extreme Market in Indonesia, known for selling dog and cat meat along with other animals, has finally ended the trade of canine and feline meat after facing pressure from animal rights activists. The ban is considered historic and is expected to spare thousands of animals from brutal methods of slaughter for human consumption.
	Humans are the most diverse and dangerous predators on Earth, study finds. Humans use or threaten almost 15,000 vertebrate species for various purposes, such as food, pets, medicine, and sport. This is much more than any other predator on the planet, and has serious implications for biodiversity and ecosystem function. Full story...
	The Indian government has identified 22 critically endangered species of animals, birds, and aquatic animals and is providing financial assistance to states and Union Territories for their recovery programs. The critically endangered species, including snow seopard, dolphins, marine turtles, great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, asiatic lions, Arabian sea humpback whale.
	The European Citizen Initiative (ECI) presented Fur Free Europe to the European Commission, calling for a full harmonised ban on fur farms and fur products in the EU market. More than 1.5 million citizens supported the Fur Free Europe initiative.
	A team in Kenya has successfully created five new northern white rhino embryos in an effort to save the species from extinction. The embryos were produced from eggs collected from one of the two surviving northern white rhinos named Fatu.
	Elon Musk's Neuralink, a brain-computer interface company, violated the federal Animal Welfare Act, and the USDA granted them a free pass for the violations, according to a letter from USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack in response to congressional inquiries. The violations involve experiments on macaques, including unauthorized use of a surgical adhesive called BioGlue.
	New York is considering a ban on cash prize contests related to hunting, which are being criticized by animal rights activists as senseless slaughters. The ban is currently under review by Governor Kathy Hochul, and if approved, it will make organizing, conducting, promoting, or participating in wildlife hunting contests illegal. Coyotes, rabbits, raccoons, and foxes are among the wildlife targeted in these contests.
	Tensions with local communities and habitat loss are putting Vietnam's last remaining elephants at risk, with only around 100 wild elephants estimated to survive in the country. Human-elephant conflicts are escalating, leading to deaths of both humans and elephants.
	President Biden has decided not to impose an embargo on products from Mexico despite Mexico's failure to stop the illegal wildlife trade that threatens the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. This decision comes after the Secretary of the Interior's certification that Mexico has undermined the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) by not curbing the illegal fishing and trade of totoaba, an endangered fish poached for its swim bladder.
	The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have reported that the North Atlantic right whale population is in worse condition than previously believed. The species, numbering less than 350, has been experiencing a decline in numbers for years. NOAA released new data, indicating that 114 of these whales have been documented as dead, injured, or sick since the start of an "unusual mortality event" declared in 2017. FULL STORY
	Chitwan National Park reported 22 rhino deaths during the last fiscal year. Two rhinos were poached, while the remaining 20 died of natural causes. The park is currently home to 694 rhinos, and conservation efforts have been vital in maintaining their population.
	The Puck Fair in Killorglin, Ireland, is making changes to the traditional role of the wild mountain goat known as King Puck. Concerns about the goat's welfare arose last year when it was placed in a metal cage during a heatwave. As a result, this year's festival will see the goat spending less time on a stand. The goat will raised to the stand after his "coronation" and will be raised again on Scattering Day.
	Cambodia is home to between 400 and 600 Asian elephants, with the majority residing in the Cardamom Mountains, the northern plateau of the Tonle Sap, and the eastern highlands of Mondulkiri and Ratanakkiri. To ensure their survival, a 10-year action plan has been formulated, focusing on various priority issues.

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