Above – Dunnock
Above – Egrets
Above and below – Kingfishers
Below – Swan …. a different (rear) view !
Below – Oyster Catchers
Regards Pauline and Mark
Category: Environmental
We have all the time in the World to get things sorted correctly:
2023 will be another landmark year for animal rights | HeraldScotland
JUST in the last year, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act was passed, which legally recognises animals as sensitive, thinking beings.
The move reflects a growing social movement: a shift in our attitudes and perspectives is resulting from greater understanding of animals’ right to exist free from exploitation and abuse. Whether we’re humans, lizards, birds, or bears, we all feel joy, sadness, fear, and love. We all have a burning desire to live.
No doubt, in 2023, we’ll continue to make strides in the fight against speciesism – the archaic assumption that other animals are “things” for us to use as and when we please – because notions of human superiority are misguided. Scientists (and common sense) tell us that just like us, other animals have unique needs, wants, preferences, and personalities.
Humans are just one animal among many – we’re all part of the great orchestra of life on Earth, and it’s time we acted as such.
Read the full article via the above (Herald Scotland) link.
Regards Mark
This is a great story.
The brilliant guys at BDMLR British Divers Marine Life Rescue (bdmlr.org.uk) are monitoring Thor all the way, and it is hoped that soon he will return to the icy Arctic waters that he belongs in.
The walrus who attracted huge crowds in Scarborough and saw the town’s new year fireworks cancelled has left his latest stopping point of Blyth.
Photo – Alan Tilmouth
The animal, dubbed Thor, arrived in the Northumberland harbour at about midday on Monday where he rested on a pontoon.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) kept watch overnight and said he left Blyth at about 06:45 GMT on Tuesday.
It is hoped he will head north to his normal Arctic waters.
Thor the walrus leaves Blyth after overnight harbour stay – BBC News
How celebrity walrus Thor swam from his Arctic home to the shores of north Europe (msn.com)
Regards Mark
Photo – David Black
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-64139048
The incident happened in Hastings, East Sussex on December 29 (Picture: SWNS)© Provided by Metro
England – South Coast – Women out for a Christmas Walk end up saving a stranded dolphin.
Two women jumped into icy sea to rescue dolphin trapped in rock gulley by tide (msn.com)
Something real special at Christmas – well done them !
Regards Mark
They battled with the icy waves for about 20 minutes (Picture: SWNS)© Provided by Metro
The animal was finally freed before swimming off in the direction of Bexhill (Picture: SWNS)© Provided by Metro
This is one of my favourite U2 tracks – and it is always the first to be played by me on new years day – this has now become a kind of tradition. Enjoy:
I want to wish all fellow activists and campaigners a wonderful 2023 in their continued fight for better welfare and the rights of animals. You can see some very positive progress on several issues in the last few posts.
The campaigns can, and will, get stronger every day. If you saw progress in 22, then wait to see what wonders happen in 2023.
Keep up the fight to gain the victories you all deserve;
Best wishes and all the best for 2023.
Harp Seal â•fi sub order: Pinnipedia (wordpress.com)
Sometimes you have to step off the path a bit !
As you can read in the link (Part 2) below, things got a little edgy to start with – especially when the Belgian police took out their guns and threatened us – but after some discussions all settled down and we carried on.
russian-seals-part-2-marks-campaign-stories.doc (live.com)
Cut to Charing Cross station sometime around Easter 1997. – I had made the relatively short journey up to London from my home in North Kent, to the place where everybody on the campaign that day had planned to meet, which was just outside the entrance to Downing Street. Once off the train, I shot down into the underground toilets at Charing Cross station, where I changed from my travelling clothes into those of this ‘Russian seal hunter’.
London – home of the Brash, Outrageous, and Free !
I must admit, the walk from the station through Trafalgar Square and up the Mall to Downing Street did get me a few glances from all sorts of people going about their business in the city.
The fact that I was carrying two life-size whitecoat seal pups splattered in blood and wrapped in transparent plastic bags, plus a large baseball bat sort of added to my ‘interest appeal’ I suppose you can call it ‘interest or attention grabbing’ on that walk. But what the hell, I was there to get attention for the campaign to stop Russian seal pups being butchered, so what did it matter
what I personally looked like walking the streets of London ?; After all, there are probably many people who walk around the city dressed in similar kind of garb every day.
But who cares ? – I did not.
See Downing St. photo below.
Regards Mark
Looking Back – Crating the British Prime Minister Instead of the Calves.
Fighting to Stop the Russian Seal Pup Slaughter – Downing Street London. By the way, we won, it was stopped !
New Year Honours
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New YearHonours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year’s Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this day in this way.[citation needed]
The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently King Charles III or his vice-regal representative. British honours are published in supplements to the London Gazette.
Great to see that see that several campaigners have been presented this new year in relation to animal welfare issues.
Dr. Brian May; ex ‘Queen’ guitarist, founder of the ‘Save Me’ animal welfare organisation – Home page – Save Me Trust – , and huge campaigner against the culling of Badgers in the UK, has now been knighted, and is to be known as Sir Brian May. We end huge congratulations to him.
Fight the Cull.
Virginia Anne McKenna,has now become a dame. Virginia founded the Born Free Foundation – International Animal Welfare Charity | Born Free Foundation – she was originally a British stage and screen actress, author, activist, and wildlife campaigner.
Above – From the past – Virginia with my mum – another days animal campaigning !
A leading marine conservationist has been appointed an MBE in the New Year Honours list for being a “driving force” in the study of a seal species.
Sue Sayer, founder of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust (CSGRT), received the honour for services to wildlife protection and conservation.
Ms Sayer, 60, has helped protect the globally-rare grey seal for 20 years.
New Year Honours 2023: Cornish seal conservationist awarded – BBC News
Photo – Johnny Weeks / BBC.
There are lots of celebrities and sportspeople who are honoured in the new years lists, so it is great to see that this time animal welfare persons have also been rewarded. Congratulations to all of them.
Regards Mark
Pictures – Getty Images
Scientists alarmed over Russia’s ‘risky’ attempt to awaken virus that killed mammoths
WAV Comment – maybe they have not heard of Covid, and what it can do ! – crazy or what ?
These prehistoric viruses are thought to be up to 400,000 years old and have remained dormant in the frozen remains of woolly mammoths found in Yakutia, Russia, where temperatures can plummet to -55C. This research is being conducted by the Russian Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology.
However, experts have raised concerns over the research, describing it as “risky” and confessing to a lack of confidence in the research facility.
Professor Jean-Michel Claverie, from the National Centre of Scientific Research at the University of Aix-Marseille recently spoke with the Times to express his alarm.
He said: “[Vector’s research] is terrible. I’m totally against it.
“[It] is very, very risky. Our immune systems have never encountered these type of viruses. Some of them could be 200,000 or even 400,000 years old.
Full story:
Scientists alarmed over Russia’s ‘risky’ attempt to awaken virus that killed mammoths (msn.com)
Regards Mark
Don’t support this abuse at the festive season;
Mozza says no.
Watch here by viewing on Youtube.
For all you festive foodies, I have thrown together a few vegan nosh links which may give you some extra ideas for this time of year.
Being Vegan means rejecting ALL the industries which cause pain and suffering to animals.
And you will feel better in every way as a result of going vegan.
Regards Mark
Easy vegan recipes | Jamie Oliver
vegan recipes – Search (bing.com)
Viva ! food factsheets Our resources | Viva! The Vegan Charity
Viva ! A to Z of food facts A-Z of foods | Viva! The Vegan Charity
Food – Gifts for Life | Viva! (vivashop.org.uk)
Animal Aid – Veganism Veganism – Animal Aid
Animal Aid Vegan recipes Vegan Recipes – Animal Aid
Why Veganism ? – Why Veganism? – Animal Aid
Going vegan for the animals Going vegan for the animals – Animal Aid
Going vegan for human rights Going vegan for human rights – Animal Aid
Going vegan for your health Going vegan for your health – Animal Aid
Download your free vegan pack Animal Aid
To be further updated soon.
World Animals Voice 