The Critter Chronicle

World Animal News

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.	^[1]
	SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Announces Attendance Decline and Revenue Impact	^[2]
	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.	^[3]
	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.	^[4]
	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.	^[5]
	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.	^[6]
	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	^[7]
	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.	^[8]

Australia

	Perth Zoo's two Asian elephants, Permai and Putra Mas, are set to move to a new 15-hectare elephant habitat at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia. Zoos SA has launched a fundraising campaign for the project, and the move is expected to take place by the end of next year. The new habitat will provide a bigger and better enclosure for the elephants and will create a new open-range herd, the third of its kind in the state. List of captive elephants#Australia	^[9]
	New data published by the New South Wales (NSW) government reveals that nearly 90% of marine animals caught in shark nets off NSW beaches during the 2022-23 season were non-target species, including turtles, rays, and dolphins. Of the 228 animals ensnared, only 24 were target sharks, while the remaining 204 were non-target species. Report:Shark Meshing (Bather Protection) Program 2022/23 Annual Performance Report	^[10]
	A Perth teenager, Boston King, was sentenced to eight months in prison for a Christmas Eve kangaroo "killing spree" in 2022. He deliberately mowed down 11 kangaroos while driving his Landcruiser after drinking with friends at a pub. During the spree, he paused to cut off a kangaroo's tail and leg using a knife and mounted kerbs to hit more animals.	^[11]

United Kingdom

	Campaigners are urging the veterinary sector to support making pet abduction a specific criminal offense. The Pet Theft Reform campaign seeks to change the legal perception that views pets as property and estimates that up to 3,000 dogs are stolen from their owners every year. The campaign has gained over 16,000 signatures on a new online petition after the Kept Animals Bill was dropped.	^[12]

More news

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.	^[13]
	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.	^[14]
	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.	^[15]
	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.	^[16]
	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.	^[17]
	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.	^[18]
	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	^[19]
	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.	^[20]
	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.	^[21]
	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.	^[22]
	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.	^[23]
	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.	^[24]
	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	^[25]
	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.	^[26]