|
"C-paper" Summer 1997 COALITION TO PROTECT ANIMALS IN PARKS & REFUGES Box 26 Swain NY 14884 Tel/Fax 607-545-6213 |
|
Click for Autumn issue YOU CAN HELP THE WHALES AND CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON founder of Sea Shepherd and a cofounder of Greenpeace. He is being held in a Dutch prison on an extradition order from Norway, the country that sees him as an obstacle to their illegal slaughter of minke whales and cashing in on the lucrative Japanese market for whale flesh. Incidentally, a fleet of 37 Norwegian whaling boats has recently set sail to murder minkes in blatant defiance of International Whaling Commission rules which depend upon the voluntary compliance of member countries,which Norway, Japan, and Iceland refuse to honor. It is extremely unlikely that Paul would receive a fair trial in Norway and all too likely that the whaling interests that have been threatening to kill him will succeed in doing so if he is imprisoned there. The Norwegian "justice" system has already found him guilty in absentia as a basis for the extradition order. He was previously arrested in Germany but released when the court dismissed Norway's charges, which accused him of illegal presence in Norwegian waters, ramming one of their naval vessels and sending a false distress signal. The Dutch were more deliberate and held him in jail for two months pending a hearing on May 26 at which Judge van der Pijl dismissed the first two charges but is holding Paul in prison for another week or two before making a decision on the false distress signal charge, a minor offense that usually incurs a moderate fine with no jail time, but anything could happen if he is extradited to Norway. We have only until mid June to influence further decisions. Fortunately there were media people aboard at the time of the ramming incident. They produced unmistakable video evidence that the ramming was done by the Norwegian naval vessel, which also fired four depth charges at the Sea Shepherd ship causing serious, probably near mortal, damage. There was no doubt who the aggressor was. This alone should have exonerated the Sea Shepherd captain and crew, but the Dutch, no doubt under a great deal of pressure from Norway, are being very deliberate. You can help by adding to the counter pressure from the rest of the world. Even if you have called or written before, please do so again right away for the sake of the whales and their strongest defender. The people you need to reach are Excellency W. Sorgdrage, The Minister of Justice and Mr. Ruyters of the Bureau of International Rechtshulp both at: P.O. Box 20301 Phone: 011-31-70-370-7911 2500 EH The Hague The Netherlands Fax: 011-31-70-370-7900 MUST BE DONE NOW Contributions can be sent to Sea Shepherd, PO Box 828, Venice CA 90294 or PO Box 48446, Vancouver BC V7X 1A2 Dolphin-safe tuna is threatened by administration policy to accommodate the desires of Mexico's commercial fishers. President Clinton is ignoring the wishes of most Americans who had no chance to approve or disapprove the North American Free Trade Agreement in the interest of which the president is willing to overthrow desirable American legislation that protects dolphins from harassment and death. On May 21, the House passed HR408, which will permit tuna caught by encircling dolphins to carry the "dolphin safe" label. Ask your Senators to vote AGAINST companion bill S.39. (DC 20510). If you wish, you can make the point that the American tuna industry is likely to suffer from decreased sales as dissatisfied citizens cross tuna off their shopping lists. Your tax dollars are funding a lobby to resume the ivory trade. Yes, the US Agency for International Development is spending $5 million per year in Zimbabwe for a CAMPFIRE program, which is promoting the trophy hunting of elephants and other animals. As proposed by Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, it is also lobbying for a resumption of the ivory trade, which would permit tusks already stockpiled to be sold, thereby providing a.cover and incentive for an increase in poaching. Investigators from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), by no means a radical group, has accused Zimbabwe of shipping ivory to the far east under "personal use" permits, one of which covered over seven tons (!) of tusks. There is more money to be made from safari tourism, using cameras, not guns, and preserving elephants for the benefit of people everywhere instead of permitting a few to kill them for personal gain. The Canadian and American fur industry is still holding out against the European Union's proposed ban against importing fur from countries that still use leghold traps. We got a long spiel of unwanted messages on prime telephone time when we called the office of U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky (202 395-3230). They will probably call back as promised, but we marvel at how often government agency offices seem to close early. Suggest Faxing: (202-395-7226) or writing to 1600 17th St. NW 20506. Point out that the 78% of Americans found by a Yale study to be opposed to leghold traps almost surely support the EU's proposed ban. Why should the majority opinion be ignored to serve a small special interest group? Deer contraception: The New York State Legislature has provided money for biologists from the (state) College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University and the Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University to conduct a deer contraception study in the Town of Irondequoit adjacent to Rochester NY. Also participating in the study is the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), whose expressed purpose is to maintain the highest deer population that non-hunting citizens will tolerate. While admitting that hunting is not feasible in urban and suburban areas, the DEC staunchly maintains that "recreational hunting is still the best way to maintain deer at acceptable levels wherever possible." (They would never condone a "does only" season to restore a normal sex ratio to help to control the excessive population they have fostered.) Deer will be captured, ear-tagged, radio-collared, and injected with a contraceptive in January, a traumatic experience that is likely to interfere with their ability to survive the winter. Most will be pregnant and bear fawns in the spring anyway. During September and October, the treated does will receive the (so far necessary) second shot delivered by dart gun. They will be observed and fawns counted to judge effectiveness. Over all, it is good that this study is being undertaken because it has the potential to replace the offensive "bait and shoot" programs some communities have resorted to. Learn the Facts about Hunting answers to commonly asked questions is the title of an excellent 30-page 8 1/2 x 11 booklet published by the Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street NW, Washington DC 20037..It succinctly answers the 46 questions it poses, giving activists background material for talking to individuals and the media. Ron Baker's The American Hunting Myth is still available ($16 hardcover from C-paper) It provides background and deeper understanding as well documentation and specific examples of the results of "wildlife management." Antarctic penguins have contracted a northern hemisphere chicken virus thought to have been caused by carelessly discarded chicken flesh scavenged by gulls. It especially affects young birds, retarding growth and making them more susceptible to other diseases. Mortality can be high.
She also requests letters to Congress demanding "a debt for nature swap, trading Charles Hurwitz's S & L debt for headwaters forest, the world's largest unprotected virgin redwood stand." Info from EPIC, Box 397, Garberville CA 95542 (Phone707-923-2931) Stag hunts banned from National Trust (NT) lands in UK. The NT, a counterpart of the U.S. Parks Department, has banned hunting with hounds and killing stags on its lands following a report it commissioned from Prof. Patrick Bateson, Provost of King's College. By measuring stress hormones in the blood of hunted deer, researchers concluded that the suffering of a deer chased by hounds is equivalent to losing a leg. Muscle tissue deteriorates and blood cells break down. The animals are chased an average of 12, but as many as 30, miles before they are stopped by exhaustion. One of the hunters then shoots the terrified animal, hopefully before the hounds start tearing at it. Prince Charles hunts with one of the four packs affected by the ban. Sea horses: another victim of Chinese medicine Some sea horses are sold to the aquarium pet trade. Some are dried and sold as novelties, but the vast majority of the 20 million removed from the sea every year are used in Chinese medicine where they fetch $600 a pound. Sea horses mate for life and are reluctant to accept a new mate after losing the existing one. This prevents them from maintaining their numbers British songbirds have suffered a dramatic decline in the last 25 years, by 89% in the case of the tree sparrow. Even the house (English) sparrow population is down by 15%. The main culprit seems to be agricultural chemicals which have drastically reduced the weeds and insects on which the birds depend. Making matters worse is the removal of hedge rows which provide nesting sites as well as food. Frogs, snakes and wild flowers have also been adversely affected. Conservationists are calling for subsidies for farmers (Continued on page 3) |