Claim victory despite accepting penalties totaling $138,000 OMAHA, Nebraska––Charged in July 2020 with six counts each of violating the Lacey Act, the U.S. federal law prohibiting interstate wildlife offenses, self-promoted online celebrity bowhunters and physical fitness gurus Josh and Sarah Bowmar for more than two years squawked defiance. (See Celebrity bowhunters Josh & Sarah Bowmar […]
Big Cat Public Safety Act clears House again, heads toward passage
Odds for Senate approval look good this time WASHINGTON D.C.––Clearing the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 278-138, the Big Cat Public Safety Act pushed since 2007 by Carole and Howard Baskin of Big Cat Rescue appears likely to win U.S. Senate approval as well, and be signed into law by President Joe […]
Donald Trump Jr., client of alleged bear poacher, is no Teddy Roosevelt
But Trump Jr., though not charged with poaching, may be an idol of other bear poachers “No one in this world, so far as I know,” observed journalist H. L. Mencken (1880-1956), “has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people.” For that reason, it is not assured […]
International Primate Protection League founder Shirley McGreal, 87
Animal advocate, teacher, conservationist, investigative journalist, and beloved friend to primates, both human and nonhuman SUMMERVILLE, South Carolina––“With heavy hearts, we are informing Shirley’s many friends that she died Saturday morning,” the International Primate Protection League posted to founder Shirley McGreal’s Facebook page on November 21, 2021. McGreal, 87, “had been in declining health […]
Three-legged bears in the Great Smokies may be no accident
U.S. bear hunters & Asian gangsters cut paws & deals ASHEVILLE, North Carolina––Jody Williams and his Facebook group Help Asheville Bears want to catch the perp, or multiple perps, responsible for their recent discovery that at least 15 three-legged North American black bears are struggling for survival in the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, […]
Shellfishing & oil minions blame sea otters for effects of global warming
Still endangered after century of recovery, sea otters become scapegoats ANCHORAGE, Alaska––Sea otters are now taking the rap from frustrated Alaskan shellfishers for one of the best-documented and longest foreseen effects of global warming: oceanic acidification, inhibiting the ability of species such as abalone, urchins, clams, crabs and sea cucumbers to build and maintain shells. […]
Who killed ivory trade investigator Esmond Martin, why?
Survived more than 30 years of work in some of the world’s most dangerous places, only to be stabbed in his bed NAIROBI, Kenya––Nairobi police homicide detectives appear to believe that renowned elephant ivory and rhino horn trafficking investigator Esmond Bradley Martin Jr., 75, was murdered on February 5, 2018 in connection with a […]
Felony charges filed against Florida shark-draggers
Prosecution protects the image of $7.6 billion recreational fishing industry TAMPA, Florida––The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office on December 12, 2017 announced that two third degree felony counts each of aggravated animal cruelty have been filed against three men who participated in dragging a live blacktip shark behind […]
Exhibitionist shark-draggers upstaged by “reality TV” star friend
“Look, ma! No decency!” MIAMI, Florida––Long seeking social media notice by posting images of himself and friends torturing animals, Michael Robert Wenzel, 21, of Palmetto, Florida, for a few days appeared to have at last achieved the notoriety he wanted with a video posted on July 24, 2017 showing himself and pals Robert Lee “Bo” […]
What “CITES CoP 17” means to animals in plain English
Elephants, rhinos, African grey parrots, & pangolins among the species whose fates are on the block JOHANNESBURG, South Africa––The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) seventeenth triennial Conference of Parties (CoP 17) on October 2, 2016 adopted a resolution of elephant-sized importance to elephants worldwide, more than 140,000 of whom have been […]