Illegal Whaling Ship ‘Neutralized’ by Spanish Navy off Somalia Coast

Posted by Carly Day | November 3, 2018

Image Credit: EU NAVFOR

An illegal whaling ship was apprehended and neutralized off the coast of Somalia this week by military personnel from the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR).

The discovery of the pirate whaling ship followed a reported pirate attack on another vessel in the area earlier this month. After deploying anti-pirate forces — including aircraft and ships — to further investigate, officials confirmed that the whalers were active, not only slaughtering these marine giants illegally but posing a direct threat to legitimate vessels in the area.

The crew of ESPS Castilla tracked this illegal vessel to a small bay, where they seized it, removed the crew, and towed it out to sea to be destroyed.

“Using the resources of Op Atalanta we were able to identify, track and destroy the equipment of a Pirate Action Group making it harder for them to attack maritime shipping in the future,” said Admiral Nanclares of EU NAVFOR. “We will continue to deter and prevent acts of piracy with every chance we get in order to ensure vulnerable shipping and their crews remain safe while they transit the Western Indian Ocean”.

Operation Atalanta is a European counter-piracy military initiative aimed at fighting the massive problem of piracy around the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. In addition to this, they monitor illegal fishing activity in the area.

The Gulf of Aden was once teeming with marine life, home to a wide variety of whales and dolphins. Now, only a handful remain, thanks to decades of overhunting by countries like Japan and the Soviet Union.

Commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1986, but Iceland and Norway continue the process in objection to the mandate, while Japan exploits the loophole of “scientific whaling,” slaughtering hundreds of whales every year under the guise of research.

While both commercial and illegal whale hunting are barbaric, at least there’s one fewer ship roaming the oceans, thanks to Operation Atalanta.

8 Rhino Poachers Nabbed in A Single Day in South Africa

Posted by Carly Day | October 29, 2018

As efforts to curb poaching in South Africa’s Kruger National Park (KNP) continue, the reserve announced that they had arrested an impressive eight suspected poachers in just a single day last week.

The poachers were apprehended in different areas of the park, and all were found with a variety of equipment related to poaching, including hunting rifles and ammunition.

“KNP continues to experience a number of incursions and many other poaching-related activities on a daily basis,” said Glenn Phillips, managing executive director of KNP. “Our dedicated and committed anti-poaching teams, who are our ears and eyes in the bush, are always out there to quickly respond.”

This latest host of arrests follows positive news from last month, as figures released by the department of environmental affairs (DEA)  revealed both a decline in the number of rhinos poached over the first eight months of the year and an increase in prosecutions for poaching and trafficking.

Throughout the various provinces, 508 rhinos were slaughtered in the first eight months of the year. Although this number is still shockingly high, it’s a considerable drop when compared to 691 killed in the same time period in 2017.

In KNP itself, 292 were poached during these months, compared to 333 last year.

Just as important as the lives saved is the ability to prosecute and sentence for these crimes; fortunately, the legal system is also demonstrating progress.

“From January to August 2018 a total of 70 cases‚ involving 163 accused were finalized. The trials have resulted in 93% guilty verdicts‚ translating to 288 years in sentencing‚” reported DEA spokesperson Albi Modise, referring to KNP.

Although these numbers give hope to the continuing battle to save species like the rhinoceros and elephant in South Africa, rhino populations in the park are dropping.

“White rhino numbers in the park, however‚ continued to decline‚ with the population estimated at between 4‚759 and 5‚532 individuals during 2017. White rhinos‚ unlike black rhinos‚ were affected by the drought – with natural mortalities increasing from 1% to 1.5% during the drought‚ while the birth rate dropped from approximately 9% to 5% one year after the drought.”

Clearly, rhinos still walk the fine line between survival and extinction, but the people who fight to save every individual animal are not giving up.

“Wildlife crime should not be tolerated and needs to be stopped. We call upon poachers to weigh the risks of getting caught and we assure them that the gap is closing in on them,” says Phillips.

Scotland Reviews Hunting Laws After Viral Posts from American Hunter

Posted by Carly Day | October 29, 2018

Image Credit: Larysa Unleashed

Scotland has pledged to review its hunting laws amid massive public outcry after an American hunter slaughtered some of the nation’s iconic wildlife and posted trophy photos on social media.

Hunter Larysa Switlyk hosts a hunting show called ‘Larysa Unleashed’ on Canadian television and has more than 79,000 followers on Instagram. The trophy hunter visited Scotland over a month ago, following up her trip by posting a handful of photos where she poses with the animals she has murdered with high-powered firearms.

One of the photos shows the woman smiling beside a dead Royal Scottish stag, with the caption “can’t wait to bring it back to the castle for the chefs to cook it up!”

She also posed with the corpses of a wild goat and ram, describing the experience as a “fun hunt.”

Although hunting these animals is legal in the UK, the ensuing public backlash has reached as far as the Scottish government, with many politicians vowing to reconsider the hunting laws.

“We fully understand why so many people find these images of hunted animals being held up as trophies so upsetting,” said Roseanna Cunningham, cabinet secretary for environment, climate change, and land reform in Scotland. “…we understand the concerns raised by these images and, in light of them, the Environment Secretary will review the situation and consider whether any clarification of or changes to the law might be required.”

Switlyk’s social media accounts have blown up, with thousands of users now attacking the self-proclaimed huntress, who says she is even receiving death threats.

If there is one good thing to come from the murder of these innocent animals, it’s that the issue of trophy hunting is now at the forefront of media and political agendas in Scotland. Here’s hoping this cold-hearted killer has triggered a change that will eventually see trophy hunting banned in the nation.

“Yet again, instead of celebrating Scotland’s magnificent wildlife, we are seeing these beautiful animals exploited in the name of sport,” said Moyes. “This is not the kind of tourism we should be encouraging in Scotland, let alone allowing to happen in the 21st century.”

WAV Comment:

We call it ‘Karma’ – a trophy hunter, by trying to impress her media followers  with the big ‘I am’ attitude has now actually drawn the Scottish government to review hunting laws to keep scum like her away from the nation.  British (ie Scottish) folk will be sickened by the photos of the kills, as per those above; and they will not just sit back and accept the status quo.  Another example of how trophy hunters are doing nothing more than shooting themselves in the foot – and at the same time alerting the public to their sick and disgusting view of wildlife.

https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-fire-forest-ranger-tied-trophy-wolf-vehicle-boast/

SIGN: Fire Forest Ranger who Tied ‘Trophy Wolf’ to Vehicle for All to See

Image Credit Twitter @juralde

PETITION TARGETS: The Professional Association of Agents of the Natural Environment of the Principality of Asturias (AGUMNPA) & ​Spanish Ambassador Santiago Cabanas Ansorena

In an act of disgraceful brutality, a park ranger in the Asturias region of Spain slaughtered a wolf and then tied the animal’s corpse to the back of his vehicle with rope, proudly displaying the kill for all to see.

This ranger is responsible for protecting the safety of wildlife — instead, they chose to murder an innocent animal and parade the body around as a humiliating insult.

Juan Lopez de Uralde, deputy for the Alava-based Podemos party, shared the photo, criticizing the cruel act and spreading awareness about animal abuse in his principality. He claims that the wolf was killed last Tuesday, then callously tied to the ranger’s vehicle.

Lax oversight in the region has led to a lack of protocol and guidelines when it comes to monitoring animal rights. While it is unfortunately legal to kill wolves in some areas of Asturias, this despicable act took this liberty too far.

Sign this petition to urge officials to condemn this brutal act and push for this park ranger to resign from his position. This man has no business working around animals and should be immediately dismissed if he does not resign.

https://ladyfreethinker.org/sign-fire-forest-ranger-tied-trophy-wolf-vehicle-boast/

WAV Comment – 

So that’s it is it ? – he resigns from his job.  What does he now do ? – continue to kill without being punished ? –  we think this needs to be taken a lot further than it currently seems to be.

https://ladyfreethinker.org/petition-fire-idaho-wildlife-official-brutally-killed-entire-baboon-family/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=contentviews&utm_campaign=custom_grid

PETITION TARGET: Idaho Governor Butch Otter

It’s a photograph that makes your stomach turn: Idaho wildlife officer Blake Fischer beams as he displays the lifeless bodies of an entire family of baboons, joyful at the massacre of the animals he has just brutally slain with a bow and arrow. The smallest baboon has blood leaking from its stomach, evidence of the fresh, fatal wound.

“So I shot a whole family of baboons,” Fischer boasted in an email he sent to over 100 people.

On this bloody hunting trip in Namibia, Fischer and his wife shot and killed over 14 animals, including giraffes, leopards, antelopes, and impalas. He then posed proudly with his slain victims.

The cruelty is sickening enough on its own. But even worse is that Fisher serves on the Idaho Fish and Game Commission, making decisions that affect wildlife throughout the state — including decisions about hunting regulations for grizzly bears, wolves and other animals often killed as “trophies.” This man has no business serving as a wildlife official, and should be immediately dismissed.

Sign this petition to urge Idaho Governor Butch Otter to fight for Fischer’s resignation. This cold-hearted killer should never have a position where he is responsible for wildlife again. We need to make it clear that trophy hunting is unacceptable, and killing animals is nothing to smile about.

UPDATE: We are thrilled to announce that, upon request of the governor, Blake Fischer has resigned from his position. We applaud Governor Otter for taking action, and implore him to treat all cases of animal cruelty with the severity they deserve.

Petition link –  https://ladyfreethinker.org/petition-fire-idaho-wildlife-official-brutally-killed-entire-baboon-family/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=contentviews&utm_campaign=custom_grid