Chinese birders refute study claiming that “China’s Solar Expansion Policy Reduces Bird Diversity” NANJING, China; HONG KONG; SINGAPORE––”China’s Solar Expansion Policy Reduces Bird Diversity,” a study led by a Chinese professor with no background in either ornithology or avian ecology, but with a history of doing research linked to the coal industry, rattled solar panels […]
Search for Lost Birds shows that “extinction” is not always forever
Surprisingly often “lost” means just very scarce or very well hidden ITHACA, New York––The dodo, the moa, the passenger pigeon, the ivory-billed woodpecker, and the Carolina parakeet are all out of luck, but the “Search for Lost Birds” conducted by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology since 2022 has brought 21 species back from the […]
World Animal Day survived the Holocaust, but the founder did not
“Heinrich Zimmermann’s name deserves a place among the pioneers of animal rights,” argues Wim Dekok. Guest columnist Wim Dekok, originally from the Netherlands, grew up on a dairy farm, but soon changed careers, going on to found and lead many animal protection campaigns, organizations and coalitions, both in the Netherlands and internationally. Dekok is currently […]
Brigitte Bardot, 91, movie star for 20 years, animal advocate for 52 years
Brigitte Bardot: provocative on film, but even more provocative for animals, for more than twice as long PARIS, France––Brigitte Bardot, 91, a fashion model for four years, a film actress for 20 years, and a full-time animal advocate for the last 52 years of her life, died on December 28, 2025 of undisclosed causes at […]
Big wins for elephants, rhinos, giraffes, sharks & falcons in Uzbekistan desert
The big loser at CITES Conference of the Parties 20 was the saiga antelope, native to host nation Uzbekistan SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan––Elephants, rhinos, giraffes, white-tipped sharks, peregrine falcons, and the Vantara captive wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat state, India, were among the big winners at the twentieth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the […]
South Africa livestock transport put back under NSPCA inspection authority
South African High Court rules against the live transport industry, in favor of the National Council of SPCAs MAKHANDA, South Africa––The South African National Council of SPCAs on November 18, 2025 rejoiced over a verdict from Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Makhanda restoring the ability of the NSPCA to investigate cruelty to […]
New wildlife trafficking studies miss the point, says legendary investigator
Old ivory is not killing elephants, points out Daniel Stiles, & AI theories are not evidence sufficient to bring seizures & convictions WASHINGTON D.C.––Seven years after the still officially unsolved murder of ivory traffic investigator Esmond Martin in Nairobi, Kenya, Humane World for Animals continues to use the methods he pioneered to pursue the ghosts […]
What is former Humane Society of the U.S. trying to hide with name change?
New name, Humane World for Animals, to be used starting on Valentine’s Day 2025 WASHINGTON D.C.––The cat is out of the Humane Society of the United States logo, along with the pit bull, the puma, the cow, the bighorn sheep, the greyhound, the seal, the pigeon, the monkey, the beaver, the bunny, the bottlenose dolphin, […]
Kamala Harris: most pro-animal record of any presidential candidate ever
Donald Trump, as president, had the worst record on animal issues since the cockfighter Andrew Jackson WASHINGTON D.C.––Though drawing sharp distinctions between themselves during the closing days of the keenly contested 2024 U.S. Presidential election, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have said little––because pollsters and pundits have not asked––about perhaps the starkest difference of […]
Richard Ellis, 86, & Wallace J. Nichols, 56, sought to save marine life
Surfers, divers, authors & scientists Marine biologist, author, and illustrator Richard Ellis, 86, an almost lifelong resident of New York City, died of cardiac arrest on May 21, 2024 at an assisted living facility in Norwood, New Jersey. Sea turtle researcher, Wildcoast conservation group cofounder, and author of the 2014 book Blue Mind Wallace […]