Wildlife Watch

After a young boy was killed by a dog who was running loose, the dog was shot and the dog’s “owner” and abuser was charged with manslaughter.  Amy Soeldner, who is with the Atlanta Police Department, thought of a way to help.  Not by banning or killing dogs, but by stopping cruelty and irresponsible people from having dogs. 

She said, I want to educate officers on using nonlethal methods on animals.  And I also want to educate them and the public about the link between animal cruelty as a precursor to more violent crimes such as domestic violence or school shooting.  If someone abuses an animal and they’re not punished or caught or redirected, it emboldens them to go onto other crimes.

She’ll be investigating any kind of cases of animal cruelty.  Her love for animals started when she found a dog in a box with a broken leg.  She was able to get him veterinary care, and he became her companion animal for 16 years! 

When we emailed Carlos Campos, Director of Public Affairs of the Atlanta Police Department, for permission to use the photographs, not only did he send us other photos, but he added this heartening response:

As an animal lover myself and proud dad to two dogs, I can tell you Amy’s passion, care and love for animals is unmatched. And so is her belief that people who abuse animals will also abuse humans. So this is important work.

Wildlife Watch totally agrees!

Visit: www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/meet-the-atlanta-police-officer-whose-job-is-to-end-animal-cruelty/

Just as we were delighted to hear the news about the animal-friendly, newly elected Prime Minister of New Zealand, and felt a certain glow upon learning that her cat, Paddles, had been adopted, and just as this was to be an upbeat story about the antics of Paddles in the inner circle of the government of NZ, our follow-up revealed some sad news:  Paddles had been killed by a car shortly after she became First Cat.

Is it better to let a cat have freedom to run and roam in spite of the dangers they both face from other animals and pose to other animals?  Does the danger from cars or humans outweigh the freedom I wish for them? Following several heart-stopping near misses, and one fatal side-swipe of our adorable cat rescue “Smudge” with his sloppy milk-mustache on otherwise all black fur, I resolved not to let our cats out again.  That and the little animals they would bring back dead or severely wounded led to this decision.   I’ve committed to caring for my rescues inside.  One thing that helps them to stay occupied is having another cat or two or three around. 

  We were so sorry to hear about Paddles and hope that the NZ PM will think about another adoption after the grief related to losing Paddles fades.

If you wish to stay closer to Atlanta and yet enjoy nature and wildlife, please visit Cascade Springs Nature Preserve Trail at this link:

www.atlantatrails.com/hiking-trails/cascade-springs-nature-preserve

It is described this way: Inside the park’s 120 acres of green space, a wide trail network explores a tumbling waterfall, a wildlife-filled forest, and trickling springs that feed the park’s many streams. The hilly forest is a retreat from the surrounding city, and home to wildlife including deer, birds, and turtles.

Thank you to Julia Parker of SBWCN for filling us in on the nightmare that torched the Santa Barbara area and the mudslides that buried homes, people and wildlife.

We reached out to the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network and asked to know more about the state of the wildlife there.  Julia Parker who returned our call was kind enough to write the following from the frontlines.

During this challenging time within our community, multiple species of wildlife have been directly impacted by the Thomas Fire and subsequent mudslides. SBWCN has received reports from the public about deer that are challenged as grazing areas are now barren. Predator species have also been significantly impacted, losing a large amount of lucrative hunting area as many species are forced to move into alternate territories due to the catastrophic events. The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network has received reports of dead bears found on local beaches as well as mountain lion sightings close to individuals’ homes. To date, the SBWCN has admitted a gull and raccoon for rehabilitation that were both found in the Montecito area post Thomas Fire and mudslide.

The raccoon in care has burn lesions on his paws and tail. He was discovered in Montecito by a fireman after the mudslide. With the vast amount of land now void of vegetation, chaparral, oaks and grasses, surviving wildlife must relocate in search of new habitat, food, and shelter while competing with established wildlife in these areas.

The native Western pond turtle (WPT) has been found on local beaches, after being carried away from their habitats during the mudslide. Five WPT are in care, one with burns on his leg and another healing from a broken leg.

Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network is the only general wildlife rehabilitation center in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, the region affected by the disaster. We are entering our 30th year and have noticed that the need for our work to rescue wildlife increases every year.

 We cannot yet comment on the repercussions to songbird and raptor populations, as surviving species will have to establish new territories on the heels of the breeding season that is quickly upon us. We suspect that this domino effect for wildlife in the loss of habitat, food supply, shelter, and territories will have a significant impact on our local ecosystem for years to come.

National Geographic has titled 2018 to be the “Year of the Bird”, in recognition of the centennial anniversary of the Migratory Bird Act. For the team at the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, this description could not be more fitting. Now more than ever, our attempt to preserve wildlife species in Southern California will be invaluable while our community continues to repair their lives in the wake of this disaster.

Please visit the Santa Barbara Wildife Care Network at: https://www.facebook.com/SBWCN/  Not only will you see the extraordinary rescues done by the SBWCN, but you will also see videos of ANIMALS RESCUING OTHER ANIMALS!

On the SBWCN Facebook page you will see the innovative and life-saving work of Dr. Jamie Peyton of the UC Davis Veterinary College. She treated this poor bear and other wild burn victims the way human burn patients are treated, with fish skin mainly from tilapia.  Dr. Peyton said that its use for bears was for the first time.  She and her colleagues stitched tilapia fish skins on the animals’ feet to sooth the burns.  She said the bears soon were up and walking around in their bandages and will be released as soon as they are ready.

Wildlife Watch is happy to report that synthetic skin is now being developed in the US and Australia for treatment of severe burns, but as of now it is not available for use.

 Lightlife Veggie Turkey Slices is my all time favorite!  The slices are super thin, and make a great sandwich.  Best of all, my dog, Chico, LOVES it more than meat!!  I wrap his heart medication in a quarter of a turkey slice and he gobbles it down without a struggle!!

Visit: https://www.livekindly.co/field-roast-meat-company-aquires/ 

In the Arctic, polar bears are dying because they are being forced to travel farther, which results in loss of body fat relative to their caloric intake.  Global warming or climate change caused by CO2 emissions are the problem. 

Polar bears are particularly susceptible to changes in sea ice because of their hunting strategies: the bears eat as much as they can in the spring and early summer, when seals are having their pups, putting on lots of fat that will help them get through pretty much the rest of the year. But if sea ice is missing or is thinner, drifting longer distances, polar bears can’t catch as many seals, using more energy than they take in. That affects their health and their ability to make new pups: the number of polar bears in the Beaufort Sea has already declined by 40 percent from 2004 to 2007, likely because of changes in sea ice. 

Contact GREENPEACE

www.greenpeace.org/archive-international/en/ and become involved in their amazing work.  Here’s one beginning: https://www.greenpeace.org/archive-international/en/campaigns/agriculture/Things-You-Can-Do-To-Start-Eco-Food-Revolution/

Please see the full article Penguin catastrophe leaves thousands of chicks dead with only two survivors by Manisha Ganguly here:

www.cnn.com/2017/10/13/world/antarctica-penguin-chicks-die/index.html

Summarized by M.R.G

Photos from National Geographic:

www.google.com/search?q=adelie+penguins+photos&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=cszjQ_D3sdLRqM%253A%252CurkpAgMuAsSTUM%252C_&usg=__Qhne-gO3FPpQFRg7vx_qoH-tJlo%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg44S28t_YAhVDU98KHeKeBvcQ9QEILTAB#imgrc=jJYpxdeFUgUh0M:

SAD FOLLOW-UP:

PROPOSED MARINE PROTECTED AREA GETS DENIED AT 2017 MEETING OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC MARINE LIVING RESOURCES (CCAMLR)

By M.R.Guercio

Above, we featured a story about a colony of Adélie penguins who tragically lost all but two of their chicks. A hopeful proposition to create a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) around eastern Antarctic waters would lessen anthropomorphic stressors on the areas that the penguins breed and fish in. At last year’s meeting the Ross Sea MPA, which is the largest in the world, was successfully negotiated and CCAMLR was hopeful that this positive momentum would carry the decision to approve another large MPA covering one million square kilometers in eastern Antarctic waters. Not only would this MPA be beneficial for Adélie penguins, but also would protect unique marine ecosystems.  Unfortunately, this proposition was denied during this year’s meeting due to the lack of consent from Russia and China. The meeting of representatives from 24 countries plus the European Union, must all be in agreement in order for the MPA to be approved.

Fishing is a common excuse used by parties who oppose the creation of protected waters, as it can be used to exert power and geopolitical control over this neutral area of the world. It is important to note, that the proposal for the Eastern Antarctic MPA did not explicitly ban all fishing in the protected area, and accommodations for fishing have been made in the past in other protected areas - - in spite of the fact that the ecology will suffer along with the individual sea animals.

However, there were positive strides made in protecting Antarctic waters at this year’s meeting which include protection of exposed waters after the Larsen C ice shelf split (Larsen A collapsed entirely in 1995 and Larsen B did the same in 2002); approval of an MPA around the Arctic Peninsula, and the approval of a research and monitoring plan for the Ross Sea MPA.

If you wish to look into this more, please read the articles below:

Why are talks over an East Antarctic marine park still deadlocked? By Cassandra Brooks

https://theconversation.com/why-are-talks-over-an-east-antarctic-marine-park-still-deadlocked-86681

Plans rejected for East Antarctic Marine Park By April Reese

https://www.nature.com/news/plans-rejected-for-east-antarctic-marine-park-1.22913

Please visit:

http://www.worldpeacediet.com/ 

It can change your life and health, and certainly make the world a better place for the animals.

Please watch a YouTube video of Dr. Will Tuttle’s and Madeleine Tuttle’s amazing work to spread veganism across the globe!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKreXWObN04&feature=youtu.be

CNN reports that the Swiss government has banned throwing lobsters into boiling water while they are still conscious.  They also have banned keeping lobsters on ice while still alive.

That has been done based on studies that “suggest” lobsters are sentient with advanced nervous systems that “may” feel pain. [Those of us at Wildlife Watch KNOW that lobsters feel pain.] The painful solution? Knock them out first!

These changes in law are based on a series of experiments by Professor Robert Elwood, Emeritus Professor in Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Environmental Economics at Queens University, Belfast.

Wildlife Watch reached out to Prof. Elwood, but has not yet heard back.  We have many questions and will report in the next issue if we do hear from him.

Recently, I was in a supermarket and witnessed a lobster reaching up to the worker who seemed to be playing with him by pulling at him with tongs.  The photo we chose here shows what the lobster looked like.   To me, he looked like a child asking to be helped, not realizing that he was asking for help from someone who regarded him merely as food.

Wildlife Watch believes that the best solution to cruelty is veganism, a plant-based diet.  Veganism alone would relieve much suffering of our wild land, water, and air animals.

Raccoons and opossums that find themselves onto our properties usually move along due to their nomadic nature. However, if you find that these critters are posing a hazard to your property and themselves, a great natural repellent to keep them away is a simple solution of about 1 part cayenne pepper, about 8 parts water, and a drop of dish soap. Spray this on lawns, around vegetable gardens, and around trash cans. The sensitive noses of these animals will be deterred by the spice. This is just one way to live in harmony with our wildlife. From the Facebook page of SBWCN.

By M.R.Guercio

Anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) are poisons that are unfortunately used to kill rodents, such as rats and mice, and are widely available for use by farmers, homeowners, and large agribusiness alike. A paper published in Avian Conservation and Ecology examined the effect of ARs on populations of northern spotted owls and barred owls in remote forest lands of northern California. Many similar studies have focused on the presence of ARs in wildlife that live in urban or agricultural settings, where it was believed rodenticide use would be more prevalent. This study, though, found increasing amounts of ARs present in remote forest settings where it is hurting non-target forest carnivores. The route of exposure for such animals is by consuming a rodent who has been exposed to the poison. The study found that 40% of barred owls and 70% of northern spotted owls that they tested were exposed to at least one of eight ARs. Also, the use of what are called second generation ARs is prohibited in agricultural settings without human dwellings, yet there were owls collected in such areas that tested positive for secondary AR. While most of the ARs detected in the owls were at trace levels and not the cause of death, it is still alarming that this poison is being found in these remote areas and that secondary ARs are being used illegally. Even more alarming is that the northern spotted owl is listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act and listed as threated under the California Endangered Species Act, and is being further negatively impacted. There are plenty of non-lethal effects of ARs which include reduced clutch and brood size, fledgling success, slower blood clotting time, and residual AR transfer to eggs that lead to the suffering of many owls and other birds of prey.

Earlier studies concerning ARs have found extremely high concentrations in fishers, and have linked this exposure to thousands of illegal marijuana cultivation sites on public and tribal lands. Heading into the future as marijuana becomes legalized, this is something to be concerned about and warrants examination for a safer alternative to poisoning animals that are simply living and behaving as they naturally should. A creative alternative to rodent “problems” in agricultural settings is being implemented by California’s Hungry Owl Project, founded and directed by former wildlife rehabber Alex Godbe. In 2013 Godbe had groups of barn owls in 25 vineyards working to naturally reduce the rodent population that had been damaging their crops, without the use of rodenticides. This can be the case for other predators too such as coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons and opossums, to name a few. A good point made by Godbe is that we are killing off nature’s own rodent control by the second-hand poisoning of rodent eating predators (Williams).

While the use of pesticides such as ARs is a large issue that may sometimes seem out of our direct control, there are still things we can do in our daily lives that can either lessen or add to the existing problem. Pesticides have a wide-reaching effect that isn’t always in the forefront of a person’s mind when they decide to use them. Before you use Ars, keep in mind that you are killing not only mice that live in or around your home, but you are potentially poisoning many other animals and their offspring as well.  Friendly options are available that are safer for humans and animals such as catch and release mouse traps.  For more detail, please visit:

Gabriel, Mourad W., et al. “Exposure to Rodenticides in Northern Spotted and Barred Owls on Remote Forest Lands in Northwestern California: Evidence of Food Web Contamination.” Avian Conservation and Ecology, vol. 13, no. 1, 2018, doi:10.5751/ace-01134-130102.

Williams, Ted. “Poisons Used to Kill Rodents Have Safer Alternatives.” 

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Marissa Guercio is a biology graduate from SUNY New Paltz who is interested in conservation and animal behavior.