ANIMAL PEOPLE is the
leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage
of animal protection worldwide. Founded in 1992, ANIMAL PEOPLE has
no alignment or affiliation with any other entity.
I’m
contacting you on behalf of the SEA Lab, a program of the Los Angeles
Conservation Corps. While most aquariums acquire animals through purchase,
trade, or capture, we go to power plants throughout Southern California
and rescue animals who come in through the saltwater intake cooling systems.
We rescue and rehabilitate thousands of animals each year, including rays,
octopi, moon jellies, sharks, and eels. We use the animals to educate
children about marine life and the environment. About 90% of our rescued
animals are returned to the wild.
The SEA Lab is a hands-on coastal science education center in Redondo
Beach that offers free and low cost programs for children of all ages.
College-aged students trained by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps lead
the activities, including beach explorations, touch tank tours and interactive
classroom programs. The SEA Lab extends its programs into the community
through summer camps, community service projects (including beach clean-ups)
and the Traveling Tide Pool mobile exhibit.
The SEA Lab also conducts marine-related research and is replanting coastal
bluffs with native plants.
The Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the largest nonprofit youth corps
in the nation, received initial funding to operate the SEA Lab from Southern
California Edison. With that support scheduled to end in 2006, LACC is
striving to develop a broader funding base.
We
would like to express our thanks to you for sending us ANIMAL PEOPLE.
Such publications are rare in the Ukraine, and we are glad to receive
useful information from foreign sources.
––Oleg
Bondarenko
& Olga Marchenko
Kharkov Regional SPA
Ul. Podlesnaya 30-A
Kharkov 310050, Ukraine
Phone: 380-572-441-445
Channel
Islands
Concerning
your April 2005 cover article “Channel Islands National Park ex-chief
hits cruelty of killing “invasive species,” we’re grateful
that you are wise to the deception of “restoration.” Even many
animal rights people get duped by it. We also appreciate your wealth of
knowledge on the subject.
––Scarlet
Newton
Channel Islands Protection Assn.
P.O. Box 60132
Santa Barbara, CA 93160
Phone: 805-882-2008
<chiapa99@hotmail.com>
<www.chiapa.org>
Remembering
writer Andre Norton
Something
told me in the past few days that I would experience a loss, and I held
off opening the April 2005 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE for a day, not knowing
why. Today, I found the answer to both mysteries: a lifelong favorite
writer, inspiration, and mentor of sorts, though we never met, has passed.
I have read Ms. Andre Norton’s prolific and progressive work since
childhood, and having somehow found her address several years back, sent
her a letter of thanks and admiration, to which she responded personally.
Since that time, we sent one another cards at the winter holidays. She
also enclosed a photo of one of her lovely Himalayan cats with her first
correspondence, which I have in one of my photo albums.
I did not receive a reply to my last card, and thought she might be ill
or even passed. How much I feel the loss of this wonderful, imaginative,
compassionate writer! I am glad she no longer suffers, and she did live
to a great age, but I am one of many, I am sure, who will mourn her not
being among us any longer. How I will miss her cards! I have, of course,
kept the ones she sent to me. They will always be treasures to me.
Gir
Forest Asiatic lion count used live bait animals, say witnesses
Through
the efforts of People for Animals founder Maneka Gandi and other animal
rights activists, the 2001 Gir Forest census of Asiatic lions was the
first such census done without using baits. It was decided that all future
lion censuses should not use baits.
However, the lion census done during April 2005, under supervision of
chief wildlife warden Pradeep Khanna and Gir conservator of forests Bharat
Pathak, did use illegal baiting. We learned that on April 23, near Babariya
village in the Gir West Division, buffalo were used as bait, and the officers
and photographers on duty enjoyed the lion show as in the old days.
We also came to know that two buffalo who died from disease were taken
inside the sanctuary near Babariya, and were used to locate and hold lion
prides.
Earlier, on April 22 near Barda Bandhara, a buffalo and a goat were showed
to a pride of lions, and a lioness killed the buffalo. This episode was
documented by field staff. The same kind of baiting was repeated the next
day at the same place, using the goat who survived, in the presence of
senior forestry officials and news media.
We immediately informed Mrs. Gandhi, and asked the Forest Minister of
Gujarat to probe the matter and do the needful as early as possible. Due
to their investigation, forest department staff were alert throughout
the night, removing evidence from the locations. This may result in lion
prides moving from those areas to others, causing duplication in the lion
count.
We are informed that lions are baited throughout the year for the entertainment
of forestry officers’ personal guests at many locations. Baiting
incidents have increased immensely since the appointment of Bharat Pathak
five years ago.
We decided to file a complaint under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Act in our authority as Honorary Animal Welfare Officers of the Government
of India.
––Amit B. Jethava
President
Gir Nature Youth Club
Khamba, Amreli
Gujarat, India
Phone: 02797-26012-260-182
Editor’s
note:
Confirmed
Himanshu Kaushik of the Times of India News Network, “When the Times
of India team reached the field of one Nirmaldas Mahant in Babariya village
on the edge of the Gir Sanctuary, at 11:30 pm on April 23, four lions
were feasting on three buffaloe. On Sunday morning, however, burnt remains
of the bait were found on the field along with bloodstained parts
of the carcass.”
The Gujarat High Court ruled against the use of live bait in 2000. A Gujarat
government plea to the Indian Board for Wildlife to be allowed to
use buffalo during the lion census was refused in 2001.
“A forest official said this year baits were used in two ranges:
Jamwala, where Babariya is, and Akoli,” wrote Kaushik. “Live
bait was also used in the Ghodavadi area of Jasadhar range. Sources said
that four buffaloes were used as bait in the Ankolvadi range too, which
is situated right in Gir National Park.”
Chief forestry minister Narendra Modi told the Indo-Asian News Service
that the count found 359 lions, an increase of 32 lions since 2001. The
Gir Forest is the last wild habitat of the Asiatic lion, which roamed
all of the Asian mainland 2,000 years ago, but by 1950 was reduced to
just the estimated 217-227 then in Gir. By 1968 even the Gir count was
just 177.
Indian wildlife officials have been under intense scrutiny since the February
2005 confirmation that tigers have officially not been seen in the Sariska
Tiger Reserve, of Rajasthan, since November 2004, and according to some
villagers who cut grass and graze cattle inside the reserve, were actually
last seen in 2003.
The tiger population of Ranthambore, the most famous Indian tiger reserve,
has meanwhile reportedly been poached to 20 or fewer. The 2004 count was
31.
