| Home | Bookmark | Tell | Active petitions in over 75 countries | Follow GoPetition |
Petition Tag - wildlife
Karuah East Quarry propose the mining of up to 1.5m tonne/annum of Andecite road base from an environmentally sensitive location just north of Newcastle.
The proposed quarry will affect local farm residences with dust, noise,visual impact and decreased land values. The proposed site is the habitat of a number of vulnerable flora and fauna species.
2. Close Tiger Farms and Stop Illegal Tiger Trade Online 
Nineteen tigers prowl outdoor cages the size of dormitory rooms, nibbling frayed wire fences.
It looks like a zoo, but it's closed to the public. The facility breeds tigers, but has never supplied a conservation program with any animals nor sold any to zoos.
Conservationists allege that Vietnam's 11 registered tiger farms, including this one, are fronts for a thriving illegal market in tiger parts, highly prized for purported _ if unproven _ medicinal qualities.
Nonsense, says manager Luong Thien Dan. He says the farm in southern Binh Duong province was created simply because its management has??a "soft spot" for the big cats, and that it's funded privately by a beer company.
"At first we just kept them as pets, but when they started to breed, we got excited and wanted to expand their population," Dan said during a tour of the farm, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City.
The illegal wildlife trade is worth an estimated $8 billion to $10 billion per year in Southeast Asia alone and includes tigers, rhinos and other lesser-known animals.
The conservationists say the loosely regulated farms are used to "launder" illegally caught wild tigers, which they say are mixed in with stocks of legitimately bred animals, and that??products from their carcasses are later sold on the black market.
The conservation group WWF this week ranked Vietnam as the worst country for wildlife crime in its first such survey of how well 23 countries in Asia and Africa protect rhinos, tigers and elephants.?? The Switzerland-based group focused its report released Monday on countries where the threatened animals live in the wild or are traded or consumed. Vietnam's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment on the WWF report.
However, the government has commented on the tiger farms, saying in a 2009 report that they are aimed at breeding tigers for "future reintroduction programs." No captive tiger has been successfully introduced to a wild population anywhere in the world.
Some proponents of wildlife farms argue that they can ease the pressure on wild populations by lessening the demand for poached animals.
But in Asia, such farms are largely unregulated and create "an avenue for trade in something that you shouldn't be trading in," said Vincent Nijman, a wildlife trade expert at Oxford Brookes University in England. Vietnam is now being accused of becoming a key driver of an illegal trade that spans continents. Advocacy groups say the government's support for captive wildlife facilities _ especially tiger farms _ suggests that although it professes wildlife conservation, it actually is helping to drive threatened animals toward extinction.
China, which the Washington-based Brookings Institution calls the "world's largest market for illegal trade in wildlife," finished the second worst in WWF's ranking, but received praise for recent efforts to police the illegal trade in ivory and tiger products. In 2010, Chinese authorities required the country's two largest tiger farms to place microchips in live tigers and keep track of the carcasses of animals that die.
In neighboring Vietnam, however, the prime minister's decision in 2007 to legalize tiger breeding farms on a pilot basis has "undermined" the government's wildlife enforcement efforts, the WWF wildlife crime report said.
It added that captive tigers now appear to be a "substantial proportion" of the world's illegal tiger trade. Tiger bone paste _ which some Vietnamese say is an effective pain killer _ can fetch a few hundred dollars per ounce ($1,000 per 100 grams) on the black market.
The 35-page WWF report comes on the heels of a controversy in May, when international environmental officials and wildlife advocates learned that Vietnam's agriculture ministry had proposed allowing parts of tigers that die in captivity to be made into traditional medicine on a pilot basis.
An official at the ministry, Do Quang Tung, denied critics' charges that the proposal was designed to effectively legalize trade in tiger products, and an official at Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's office told the AP earlier this month that Dung had rejected the proposal.
The global population of wild tigers has dropped precipitously over the last century, from about 100,000 to fewer than 3,500. According to the wildlife advocacy group TRAFFIC, at least 200 tiger carcasses were seized from the illegal trade worldwide last year. Vietnam is one of 13 countries with wild tigers, but they number less than 50 in Vietnamese territory, according to government figures.
Wildlife advocates say Vietnam's tiger farms have high mortality rates and cannot possibly sustain their reported populations without sourcing smuggled tigers, which they say often enter the country via its mountainous border with Laos _ a country ranked the third worst offender on WWF's wildlife crime report.
According to Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 49 of the 112 tigers living on the 11 registered tiger farms were born in captivity.
Tiger farm manager Luong Thien Dan said tigers at his farm typically die after fighting or when mothers neglect to breastfeed cubs, and that all dead tigers are cremated under supervision from local authorities.
He told the AP that he couldn't recall how his farm acquired its first cubs, nor how many tigers have died since the farm opened.
Dan says the farm covers expenses _ raw meat runs about 150 to 200 million dong ($7,200 to $9,600) per month _ with profits that his cousin, Ngo Duy Tan, earns as a beer keg manufacturer.?? The rusty tiger cages sit on Pacific Beer Company's 7,000 square meter (75,000 square foot) property, across a parking lot from silver brewing tanks and a giant pile of malt.
Farm management hopes to open an ecotourism park to showcase its tigers, but Dan said the farm's future is uncertain because it has only a temporary permit from the prime minister. Dan said he would welcome a government move to legalize the selling of tiger parts for use in traditional medicine.
Close tiger farms now!!!!
Like us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/saveputnamtrailnow
Sign petition to Save the Putnam Trail at
http://www.savetheputnamtrail.com/petition/
Video outlining goals of the Save the Putnam Trail Campaign
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p8jM8htogE
OUR PLAN
1. Saves taxpayers MONEY!
2. Preserves the environment!
3. Still serves ALL users!!
The purpose of this campaign is to get the Putnam Trail resurfaced with a stone dust surface instead of paved asphalt and reduce the proposed width from 15ft down to 8ft. NYC Parks Department plans will double the current width of the Putnam Trail from 8ft to 15ft! The average lane on an interstate highway is 12ft.
NYC Parks current plans will require the destruction of many trees and harm the natural environment and beauty of the Park. A stone dust surface still serve all the users including cyclists, walkers, runners, baby strollers, wheelchairs and more.
We feel that the 8ft wide stone dust trail best meets the needs of all users while having the most minimal impact on the environment and will also have the lowest cost.
We ask you to support the Save the Putnam Trail campaign and ensure that the Putnam Trail stays 8ft wide and is improved with a stone dust surface. Please don’t let the Putnam Trail become “Putnam Road”!
We need your help to ensure that the Putnam Trail is reconstructed properly. If we stay silent on this issue one of the jewels of the Bronx and NYC will be lost forever!
Please take a couple minutes of your time to email Mayor Bloomberg about why you do NOT want to see the Putnam Trail paved!
http://on.nyc.gov/3CDcV6
For more information or if you have any questions please e-mail: savetheputnamtrail@gmail.com.
4. Save Northern Beaches Wildlife
The Northern Beaches Roadkill Prevention Committee aims to reduce roadkill of native animals, especially swamp wallabies, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia, especially on the major arterial roads:
The Wakehurst Parkway
Mona Vale Road
McCarrs Creek Road
The Mill pond is situated in Bromley, Kent BR2 and is in a very sad state. The river Ravensbourne runs into and out of the Mill pond. In May 2010 Bromley Council and the Environment Agency promised to have a public meeting with regard to the future of this historic site.
Unfortunately the Environment Agency cancelled the meeting at the last moment and to date a re-arranged meeting has not happened. It is understood that the Environment Agency have now relinquished any responsibility for this site except for maintenance of the river. Various groups have been in contact with Bromley Council asking if they have any plans for the Mill Pond in the future. In response the Council have stated that because of the current financial situation they have not got sufficient funds to do any work at the site.
If the Council / Environmental Agency had dredged the silt over the past couple of decades the problems we see now would not have hapened. Those concerned are worried that the wildlife found at this site, the pond has been here for hundreds of years, will gradually disappear as the site continues to deteriorate.
If this deterioration continues as it has over past years it will become a total eyesore for all who live nearby and all those who pass it by.
6. STOP HUNTING IN CITY LIMITS - BEMIDJI, MN
We have a large community of hunters in our region and have been bombarded with poachers and Antler hunters right in town. Now they have found a way to try to hunt these animals legally.
We are a neighborhood of four schools, trailer parks, business's, hiking & cross country ski paths and children's parks and albeit we have wooded areas, the dangers of this planned in town hunt are unfathomable. There would never be enough safety precautions. Known facts: Hunting is ineffective for solving human/deer conflicts.
Studies show that car/deer collisions increase during hunting season because hunters frighten the deer out of the woods and onto roads. Contrary to popular belief, hunting does not address Lyme disease because the ticks are usually spread to humans by mice, not deer. And as long as suburban landscaping includes deer-preferred plants such as tulips and rhododendrons, that landscaping will attract hungry deer, no matter how many deer there are. Impotant to know because this is the most frequent excuse used for these hunts; Hunting does not reduce the deer population because removing some individuals from the population results in more food per deer, which leads to the births of more twins and triplets.
This also means that hunting is unnecessary because the deer will self-regulate and give birth to fewer fawns when food is scarce.
7. Save our woods: Ovideo Florida
Me and some of my neighborhood friends have discovered that a an anonymous company is planning to destroy our woods! They have set up many bulldozers to pave the woods.
I have seen so many wildlife and animals thriving there and I don't want another unoccupied condo on the side of the road. Please help us save the woods!
The Liberal National Party of Qld says they will re-introduce lethal methods of crop protection. The shooting and electrocution of flying-foxes (to prevent crop damage) was outlawed in Queensland as it was proven to be inhumane, and largely ineffective.
Tens of thousands of animals were killed using methods that often left them to die excruciatingly painful deaths. It sometimes takes days for these Australian native animals to die from their injuries.
The bats killed include large numbers of Grey-headed and Spectacled Flying-foxes. Both are listed as threatened species.
All the facts, research and contact details are provided at www.dontshootbats.com.
Allowing these methods sanctions animal cruelty. Please send the LNP of Qld a message that you abhor animal cruelty, and demand that they commit to supporting only humane methods of crop protection.
Wolves are the ancestor of domestic dogs. Many people think that they are dangerous creatures, but they are only dangerous if they are tormented or if they are starving hungry because humans have driven away their prey.
Ranchers often fire the guns in the air to frighten the wolves instead of killing them. Despite this, however, the US government plan on culling wolves. The methods used here would be extremely cruel and would probably involve poisoning and shooting.
Despite what some people may tell you, shooting is not a humane death. If you miss and hit an animal in the wrong place, you can injure it and it will probably die slowly due to blood loss or starvation. Poisoning is also a very cruel death. The animals that are poisoned can, depending on the type of poison, take hours to die, and they will almost certainly be in terrible pain.
Wolves are an endangered species and we don't know how many are left now. This "cull" could bring the species even closer to extinction.
10. Stop The Belo Monte Dam In The Heart Of The Amazon Rainforest
The President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and her Government are pressing ahead with plans to build an enormous dam complex on the Xingu River in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
The aim of the campaign is to stop the dam being built.
Why? The building of the dam would:
• Destroy (flood) 668km² of land of which 400km² is pristine rainforest.
• Force up to 1,000 indigenous Indians off the land they have been on for centuries. Up to 40,000 more people will be displaced.
• Even when complete only run at a maximum of 39% installed capacity. To run nearer to 100% it would require many more dams to be built on the river with further destruction of forest and wildlife. The Barbaquarra Dam if built would flood an area, predominantly rainforest, more than 12 times the size of Greater London!
• Encourage further destruction of neighbouring forest as the dams attract “development” to the region.
• Deny the children of today the chance to see the rainforest. By the time the children of today are my age (36), the wonderful animals and plants, which Sir David Attenborough has spent a lifetime bringing to our television screens, will be gone, gone FOREVER. You will be able to read about them, look at videos of them, look them up on the internet, but you won’t be able to see one alive. Instead you will have soya bean plantations, cattle ranching and such like.
Is it required?
• If Brazil were to invest in energy efficiency instead it could cut its expected demand for electricity by 40%. This is the equivalent of FOURTEEN of these dams!!!
11. Save the Miller Beck County Wildlife Site
The Miller Beck County Wildlife Site is 14.4 hectares of valley fen with a series of marshy pastures and meadows on low-lying and peat soils on the floodplain of the Miller Beck and its tributaries at the foot of England's largest lake, Windemere.
Of the 11 different habitats found, the Tall-herb fens, Rush pasture and Habitat mosaics are BAP priority habitats meaning that they have been identified as a priority for conservation. County Wildlife Sites are not protected by law. Their survival depends on owners and managers being sympathetic to the needs of wildlife.
The Cumbria Local Sites Partnership is responsible for monitoring and protecting the Millerbeck County Wildlife Site. The partnership membership includes Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Cumbria County Council, Lake District National Park Authorities, District Councils, Natural England, Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, and The National Trust.
The National Trust recently sold 11 hectares of the Miller Beck County Wildlife Site, and by selling at auction to the highest bidder, there was no protection on this land.
The new owner has already canalised much of the beck, which is a spawning ground for salmon and crayfish, and has also dug new field drains and spread lime which is in direct contravention of the Wildlife Trust's management recommendations.
12. Save the animals and the people!
Picture a beautiful, relaxing wildife habitat which provides a home for millions of animals and birds. Imagine that the same place hosts hundreds of oxygen-producing trees. Imagine that the place also provides a home and livelihood for at least a few farmers and other workers.
Now imagine bulldozers hurtling in and ripping up the trees, running over innocent animals and maybe even injuring one or two children. This is what almost certainly will happen and the Council want to call the new town "Cranbrook". They say that this for "economical reasons". But the fact is that it will do far more bad than good as the farmers will lose their livelihoods.
If any lower individual wanted to do this, they would be prosecuted by law, but the council are not in trouble for this. Why? Because they talk in posh language, they are high in power and may claim that they are "using resourceful land to build a new community for economical purposes" rather than saying that they are tearing down trees and destroying beautiful fields to build busy highways, shops, houses and leisure centres for their own evil money.
They say that it will provide employment, but this can sometimes be achieved by fixing and reusing old buildings. They also say that it will create more homes and prevent homelessness. The right way to prevent homelessness would be to fix and reuse old homes, lower household costs and fund homeless charities such as Shelter and the Salvation Army.
How would YOU like to lose your home and/or livelihood?
13. Reduce damage to wildlife in Devon
Picture a beautiful scene of nature and fields providing a home to millions of animals and birds. Imagine that this is also a home and livelihood for farmers and provides jobs for many other people too. There is such a place near where I live and now the Council wish to build a town here called Cranbrook.
Unless I get enough signatures here, they will be building to their original plans, and destroying the homes, jobs and livelihoods of both wildlife and people with bulldozers. While it is far too late to stop the building altogether, it is not too late for the Council to reduce their plans to build here. This would also be dangerous since they plan to build homes and other buildings there on the flood plains.
They say that this is necessary to reduce homelessness and to create jobs, but this is untrue because homelessness can be reduced by turning suitable old buildings into houses and work buildings, as well as reducing the housing costs. How would you like to be a wild animal and have your home destroyed for "economic reasons"?
14. Save the rainforest and the people!
Chevron a world company which resulted in an oilspill in the Amazon rainforest, which killed thousands possibly millions of animals and people living in the rainforest.
They also caused sorrow to and orphaned thousands more. Now they have vowed never to clean up their toxic mess. This is their mess and they should clean it up before any more lives are lost.
15. Protect Wildlife from Pesticide Impacts
A new European Directive called the Sustainable Use Directive has been established in Europe. The Directive is currently being implemented in the UK and should promote best practice for the storage, use and disposal of pesticides.
The UK government consulted on its implementation of the Directive just over a year ago and the government’s response to this consultation was published in early 2011. This response was very weak suggesting no, or very small changes to existing pesticide mitigation measures in the UK despite the number of opportunities provided by the Directive to further reduce pesticide impacts. The government is required to implement the Directive by 25th November 2011.
We believe that the government is failing to deliver adequately to protect wildlife from pesticides impacts and that they need to strengthen implementation of the Directive.
Environmental organisations believe that the following needs to be implemented.
Phased reduction of most toxic substance (relates to Article 4)
• Process to allow the identification or flagging of most harmful pesticides to biodiversity
• Phase out/suspension plans for pesticides
• A focus on developing alternatives to those pesticides that will be phased out by the new EU Regulation and those deemed toxic to bees and other pollinators
Awareness raising (relates to Article 7)
• Leaflets which are offered prior to product sale
• Posters near the products and
• Labelling on the product
Water protection (relates to Article 11)
• Targeted voluntary safeguard zones in pesticide vulnerable areas for WFD, EU Habitats directive catchments and other biodiverse areas, backed by the possibility of regulation should a voluntary approach prove unsuccessful
• Voluntary safeguard zones should be well supported by advice, training and assessments
• A ban on blanket spraying on hard surfaces
Integrated pest management (IPM) (relates to Article 14)
• Develop a clear definition of IPM that puts the onus on non-chemical methods and builds on the principles set out in Annex III to deliver real reductions in pesticide use in practice
• Development of crop and sector specific IPM protocols
• Development of extension and outreach services to assist farmers in implementing IPM
• The addition of a new IPM implementation group as a sub-group of the Pesticides Forum
• Mandatory training in IPM for all sectors
• Funding for research into IPM
The NGOs conducting this campaign are: Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, CHEM Trust, PAN UK and RSPB.
Badgers are very cute, innocent animals. They have hardly ever attacked anyone. Despite what people may think, they are not all vegetarian, they sometimes eat mice or even baby rabbits.
Despite their innocence, the UK government and DEFRA are planning to cull them. Although the Welsh badger cull has been stopped, the English one may still take place. It is to do with stopping the spread of TB onto cattle, but this could quite easily be done be researching for a new vaccine against TB for the cattle.
One of the methods used to kill badgers would be gassing them in their setts, and this is very, very cruel. It doesn't even mean aninstant death, and even if it did the cull still wouldn't be justified. Rather, it means a very painful death for the badgers.
17. Save Elizabeth Bradford Holbrooks Stone Panels From Demolition
In 1954 the Canadian noted Canadian sculptor Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook was commissioned by the government to create 8 large relief stone panels for the facade of the Federal Building in downtown Hamilton, Ontario.
These works of art today are regarded as historically significant as they depict the then thriving wildlife and industry in Canada. Images carved by Holbrook include the now endangered species of the Caribou, Grizzly Bear and Beaver as well as threatened industries such as cod fishing, mining and lumbering. All once a vital part of our nations history and still today topics of relevant concern.
Mr. Vranich, President of Burlington-based Vrancor Group, bought the federal building in 2004 for a condo project, but the structure has been vacant since. In 2008 the city took back a $4 million renewal loan after Vranich failed to move on the project. In 2009, he and his company were fined after pleading guilty to breaching fire regulations by using the building to illegally store propane tanks, carpets, mattresses and wooden furniture.
On January 13th Mr. Vranich issued a permit to have the former Federal Building and its sculptures by Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook demolished. Clearly Mr. Vranich does not understand the hisotrical or cultural importance of the stone sculptures created by Dr. Holbrook who received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian art.
City officials say unless Vranich is willing to negotiate removal of the sculptures, there's nothing they can do because the building is not protected by a heritage designation. The only real hurdle stopping the wrecking crew is a requirement he give the city 60 days written notice of its demolition.
We need to strongly request that the City of Hamilton designate the former Federal Building with Heritage Designation to prevent these works of art to be lost forever.
18. Protect Brewster Bay & Glen Bay from Canadian Corporate Real Estate Services
Canadian Corporate Real Estate Services, which has developed North Gimli Estates, as Phase 1 & Phase 2 in the RM of Gimli Manitoba 10 miles north of Gimli.
Since 2007 they have disturbed the ECO System of water, destroyed the natural wildlife inhabitants such as the White Tail Deer, Bald Eagles, and numerous other wildlife that had claim their home in a 100 acre parcel of land located between Brewster Road and Glen Bay Road.
Phase 1 Development Agreement with RM of Gimli in a planning hearing 25th July 2007 was resolved that Council do hereby approve the Development Agreement with Misty Lake Lodge for Subdivision file 4129-04-4447 Phase One.
Phase 1 & Phase 2 have been completed, yet they have not have the land endorsed or inspected by the Provincial Authorities as too proper water drainage and keeping the existing natural habitat with keeping in mind the balance of nature and development.
Twin Pines Trailer Park & Misty Lake Lodge on the 3rd Feb 2010 - RMG-09-10-01C - Application for Conditional Use - Misty Lake Lodge & Twin Pines entered into a Public Hearing to hear the application for Conditional Use, RMG-10-01C -Misty Lake Lodge/Twin Pines Travel Trailer Park.
UNDER THE PLANNING ACT CONDITIONAL USE ORDER BY THE RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF GIMLI COUNCIL. CONDITIONAL USE ORDER. RMG-10-01C WHEREAS;
Misty Lake Lodge - Twin Pines Travel Trailer Park, owner/applicant of property legally described as SW 1/4 33-20-4E (Corner of Glen Bay and PR 222) and located in the Rural Municipality of Gimli, applied to the Rural Municipality of Gimli Council for the approval of a Conditional Use under the Rural Municipality of Gimli Zoning By-Law # 10-95, provided under: Part 7 of Chapter P80 of the Planning Act as it applies to the property in order:
To: permit the continuation and expansion of an existing "Travel Trailer Park" in the SRG (Recreation Resort General) Zone, as per condition of sub-division approval.
And after careful consideration of the application and any representations made for or against the Conditional Use Order sought by the applicant, the Rural Municipality of Gimli Council in meeting duly assembled this February 3rd, 2010 approve the said Conditional Use, subject to entering into an acceptable Development Agreement.
The Conditional Use shall Expire and Cease to have any effect if it is not acted upon within 12 months from the date of decision, unless it is renewed before the expiry date at the discretion of Council for an additional period not exceeding 12 months.
As of September of this year Canadian Corporate Real Estate Services has illegally bull dozed back filled a old existing stream ditch and bush cut close to 40 of the 80 acres of wood land AS NOT FOR THE EXPANDED Trailer park, but has built internal roads and ditches to support a new sub-division for 128 new developed home sites. This has been done without prior approval from the RM of Gimli, nor any ditching permits from the Water Stewardship Board in the RM of Gimli.
As on the 13th Jan 2011 Misty Lake Lodge has made an application to the NEW RM of Gimli Council for Phase 3 of the new advertised sub-division in North Gimli Estates to build internal roads and sub divide for 128 homes.
In the past 12 months Misty Lake Lodge has promoted the NEW Phase 3 in conjunction with CANADIAN CORPORATE REAL ESTATE SERVICES on their WEB sites that Phase 1 & Phase 2 is SOLD OUT and NOW is selling lots in Phase 3.
PHASES 3 has been built under the radar from the RM of Gimli, and now are requesting a planning hearing for their new development as after the FACT of constructing the development prior to approval.
19. Stop The Use Of Cruel Leg-Hold Traps On Wildlife
Gin traps – these are horrible, mechanical devices, designed to grasp an animal by the leg using spring-operated metal jaws. In their desperation to escape the pain and terror of being trapped, the captured animal will sometimes bite off the limb that has been caught. The use of gin traps has been illegal in the UK since 1958 and is banned in 90 other countries around the world.
The Government of South Africa is now proposing new legislation which will permit the use of the mis-named “Soft Traps” to capture animals suspected of attacking livestock. In action and effect, Soft Traps are the same as gin traps. It is a totally misleading name for such a nasty, cruel device.
20. Support Anti-Poaching Efforts For Rhinos: TAKE ACTION!
Unless the current trajectory of rhino poaching is considerably reversed, the current positive growth in the rhino population is going to turn negative by 2013.
The horrors of the assault on South Africa's rhino population reached a new level this week when a rhino grave, containing the carcasses of 17 rhinos, was discovered in the Letaba Ranch provincial park, a reserve run by the Limpopo provincial government (see report). The reserve is alongside South Africa's premier national park, the Kruger Park, and there is no boundary fence, thus allowing the free flow of animals between these two protected areas. It is therefore plausible that rhinos from the Kruger Park have been killed in Letaba.
Notwithstanding an investigation by Limpopo officials, I have today written to the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs asking her to instigate an inquiry as well into who is responsible for these poaching incidents and how it is possible that this rhino grave could have gone unnoticed for so long. The fact that the grave is close to the Kruger, should be of specific concern to the national Minister, as SANParks, which runs Kruger, reports to her Department.
The assault on South Africa's rhino population has been relentless during 2010. In fact, this year has been an annus horribilis' for conservation in South Africa, with approximately 270 rhinos killed thus far. While law enforcement officials have made many high-profile arrests, the demand for rhino horn is insatiable, which means that the emergence of new poachers is a constant threat. Unless the current trajectory of rhino poaching is considerably reversed, the current positive growth in the rhino population is going to turn negative by 2013.
The question does need to be asked whether, in the case of the Letaba, any employees of the state were involved in poaching. How could no one have discovered this grave previously, if it was not for the possibility that staff may have turned a blind eye to goings-on in the park, or at worst, may have been actively involved in these acts of poaching? Alternatively, there has been such a considerable dereliction of duty in this provincial park that staff do not even patrol the park and have lost control of what happens in the park. Either way, employees of the state need to be held accountable.
The lack of security in Letaba Ranch directly threatens the Kruger Park. The Minister, who is new to her job, needs to investigate, hold her provincial counterparts to account, and must send a strong signal that she will take a tougher stance on rhino poaching than her predecessor ever did. Most importantly, she needs to reassure the public that she is going to win the war against rhino poachers.
21. Save Scotts Meadow Torquay
Scotts Meadow is located in Torquay on Riviera Way, next to 'The Willows'. Cavanna homes wants to build 230 homes on this meadow, and we are advocating against it. Saving 'Scotts Meadow' is an issue we feel very strongly about. We believe that many people do not know about the many wonderful benefits of keeping Scotts Meadow as it is. We hope that you will come around to our way of thinking and support our advocacy.
We think we should all save Scotts Meadow because:
• It is a good place to spend time with your family, or to walk your dogs.
• If we build houses on Scotts Meadow it will be bad for the environment.
• There is not much green space around 'The Willows', so it is vital that we protect what little there is, such as Scotts Meadow.
• Scotts Meadow has been a part of many people's lives for many years, and so if people have enjoyed it before now, they will enjoy it for years to come.
• We need to protect the meadow to enhance its value as a wildlife site.
Building more homes in the willows will put pressure on local facilities as there is already a lack of community facilities.
22. Ban the Commercial Sale of Wild-meat
This petition is about raising awareness and starting the discussion of an issue that is of vital importance for the future of Trinidad and Tobago’s wildlife. Prohibiting the commercial sale of wild-meat is NOT a ban or moratorium on all hunting. It would be the first step of a variety of ways, including shorter seasons and limited permits, to ensuring hunting can continue in a sustainable way. Our goal is for Trinidad and Tobago’s wildlife to be enjoyed by recreational hunters and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
Wild meat (e.g. agouti, tatoo, wild hog, lappe, deer) is valuable in Trinidad and Tobago. At present the cost of some species (e.g. wild hog) is over $100 per pound. These high prices provide an incentive for illegal hunters and commercial hunters to harvest as many of these animals as possible for sale. Such hunting is clearly for financial reward and not for recreation.
This commercialization of wildlife is a death knell to these animals, because as with any commodity, as the animals become scarcer the price of the meat goes up. This increase in price creates a greater incentive for commercial hunters to hunt these animals, and further reduces the size of the game population. This is what biologists call an extinction vortex. Eventually the animals involved in such commercial trade become extinct.
Such a scenario is not hypothetical, but has happened the world over with unrestrained hunting of commercially important wildlife. Classic examples include the Passenger-pigeon and Heath-hen in the United States. Closer to home, in Trinidad and Tobago, this scenario has already been played out with most of the seed-finches (e.g. the bullfinch which now costs between $4,000-$8,000), which are already so rare that they are virtually ecologically extinct.
One way to prevent our game mammals from descending further into this commercially-fuelled extinction vortex, is to remove the financial incentive to hunt them. Such an approach is not novel as such bans on the commercial trade in wild game have been in places like the US since the last century. Hence, we are calling for a ban on the commercial sale of wild-meat in Trinidad and Tobago.
We urgently need your signature and your help in spreading word of this petition. Please leave a comment - it will give even more weight to this petition.
**If you want your name to be anonymous, type in your name, but uncheck 'signature display', and your details will not be made public.
The West Common in Lincoln is under threat. There are plans to turn the West Common into a racecourse. The racecourse would go all around the perimeter of the West Common, accompanied by a tarmac road two cars wide, an 8 feet fence, 100 stables, buildings to support racing, and also parking and viewing facilities.
The impact of a racecourse would have a severely negative impact on the existing wildlife, the availability of green open space in the city of Lincoln, on free access to common land, on the responsible activities the West Common is used for, and on the traffic conditions in and around Lincoln (a major artery into the city – the A57 – would have to closed on racing days).
The West Common community group would like to invite you to sign our petition against a racecourse on common land.
On our previous petition website we had more than 650 signatures. Regrettably we had to take down that website, due to i being no longer accessible. If you see the counter on this website, please add up 657 signatures; this gives you the true number of all people who have signed up.
Please also have a look at our website www.handsoffourcommon.co.uk for more information.
24. No to Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal
Please say NO to Hidden Gems Wilderness! The forest must be managed and maintained in order to be productive and thrive.
Forests must be kept free of severe under- and over-growth, which means controlled burns and minimal logging, and free of invasive species. Invasive organisms are severely destructive to the environment and the wildlife within it.
25. Stop killing the South African Lions
This is to try and save the killing of lions in South Africa and the breeding of them for killing.
Most lions now live in eastern and southern Africa, and their numbers there are rapidly decreasing, with an estimated 30–50 percent decline over the last two decades. Currently, estimates of the African lion population range between 16,500 and 47,000 living in the wild in 2002–2004, down from early 1990s estimates that ranged as high as 100,000 and perhaps 400,000 in 1950. The cause of the decline is not well-understood, and may not be reversible.
Currently, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are considered the most significant threats to the species. The remaining populations are often geographically isolated from each other, which can lead to inbreeding, and consequently, a lack of genetic diversity.
Therefore the lion is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, while the Asiatic subspecies is critically endangered.
On April 20th, 2010, an oil rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded in the waters off of Lousiana, killing 11 people and injuring 17 others. Oil seeped into our oceans, and has yet to come to an end.
Though BP placed a cap on the well, it is not capturing all of the oil that is flowing. 597 birds to date have been found dead due to the oil spill and the numbers are rising. Even dolphins, sharks, fish, and turtles are suffering from this tragic event.
This petition is meant to tell BP that they are held responsible for what has happened and no matter where the fault lies, it happened on their watch.
We are already facing enough of a crisis with global warming and this has added to it. Please BP, take care of the problem, stop the flow of oil, then help our oceans, our marine life, the gulf, and EVERYONE impacted to recover.
27. Support Dawn and Save the Wildlife
28. Save The Wenlock
Our aim is two-fold:
1) (WE'VE WON THIS ONE - WENLOCK RIVER DECLARED WILD BY THE QLD GOVT - 4 JUNE 2010) To have the Wenlock River declared a 'wild' river under the Wild Rivers Act 2005, &
2) To deny mining rights to Cape Alumina Pty Ltd to mine bauxite (or any other resource) in the Wenlock River basin and Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.
Our reasoning is as follows:
The Wenlock River is one of Australia's last few remaining, true wild rivers. It retains its unique and irreplaceable attributes untouched and undamaged by man. It is home to the largest diversity of freshwater fish species of any Australian river. It is home to the largest breeding population of salt water crocodiles on the planet. It is also home to other endangered species such as the Red Goshawk. The Wenlock must be declared 'wild' under the Wild Rivers Act 2005 to ensure it is protected and doesn't become another victim of man's waterway greed, like the Murray Darling River system.
The bauxite plateaus present in the Wenlock River area, and particularly in the Coolibah Springs complex are vital to the overall hydrology and resultant ecology of the area. If the bauxite is removed, the entire system will fail, it is that simple. It can never be replaced, regardless of the amount of 're-vegetation' promised by Cape Alumina Pty Ltd.
The private contractors were willing to carry out the works for a considerable charge, but would sell the fish as part of the process. British Waterways on the other hand are happy to rehome the fish in local waterways, but once rehomed, the fish will be owned by British Waterways and will not be returned to Chasewater.
Once the water levels and the ecology of the reservoir are back to acceptable levels, we could theoretically consider restocking the pools with new fish, but as we only make less than £500 from angling licenses a year, we won’t have available monies to do this. The lake’s SSSI status would also restrict how we could restock the reservoir, and no alien species or trout would be allowed back.
Stowe Pool – it’s an SSSI and Chasewater is considered to have a moderate risk of crayfish plague, so we aren’t allowed to put the fish into Stowe.
The Swag (or Jeffrey’s Pool and Jeffrey’s Swag) - it already holds a healthy population of fish, and when we are doing the works to the causeway we will have to lower the level of the water in this pool. If we put fish into the Swag now we would have to catch them again when we begin the works.
Slurry Pool - LDC doesn’t own it and its water quality is not certain. It does not have a water link with Chasewater so the fish won’t transfer from one to the other.
Anglesey Branch Canal – Many fish will have been washed through the valves to get into the canal so this area will already be heavily populated with fish. But when we close the valves to allow the reservoir to refill there will be no water feeding this part of the canal, and so its water levels are likely to fall.
30. Ban Plastic Bags in FL and U.S.A.
“Data released by the United States Environmental Protection Agency shows that somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.”
-National Geographic News September 2, 2003
“Plastic bags account for over 10 percent of the debris washed up on the U.S. coastline.”
-National Marine Debris Monitoring Program
If just 1 out of 5 people in our country used a Bio bag we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags over our life time.
A study in 1975, showed oceangoing vessels together dumped 8 million pounds of plastic annually. The real reason that the world's landfills weren't overflowing with plastic was because most of it ended up in an ocean-fill.
Ireland took the lead in Europe, taxing plastic bags in 2002 and have now reduced plastic bag consumption by 90%
- BBC News August 20, 2002
China will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban of free plastic bags
- CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008
Reducing plastic bags will decrease foreign oil dependency.
Bangladesh, China, Ireland, Rwanda, Israel, western India, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Taiwan, and Singapore have also banned or are moving toward banning the plastic bag.
- PlanetSave.com February 16, 2008