IDA eNews: 5/16/07

IDA ACTION ALERTS
1. Victory: Alaskan Beluga Whales to Be Protected
2. Bison Slaughter Opponents Illegally Arrested in Yellowstone
3. Connecticut Legislature Considers Bill to Ban Bullhooks

NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES
1. IDA Fights Furrier's Frivolous Lawsuit
2. Elephant Mother Rejects Calf at St. Louis Zoo
3. South Pacific Nations Implement Widespread Ban on Fishing Trawlers


IDA ACTION ALERTS

1. Victory: Alaskan Beluga Whales to Be Protected
National Marine Fisheries Service proposes "endangered" status for species in Cook Inlet

In our eNews last month, we reported that beluga whales in Alaska's Cook Inlet were in danger of extinction, and included an Action Alert asking our readers to urge the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list the species as "endangered" under the federal Endangered Species Act. We are pleased to relate that the NMFS responded to the concerns of marine mammal advocates and conservationists by proposing a new rule to designate the Cook Inlet beluga whale as "endangered." Thank you to everyone who contacted the NMFS in response to IDA's request: our voices, together with those of many others from around the world, made a very real difference for these imperiled animals.

The Cook Inlet in Alaska is home to hundreds of beluga whales who have been rapidly disappearing from their habitat in recent years. Decades ago, as many as 1,300 belugas called the region home, but their numbers have dropped to fewer than 300 today as pollution runoff and sewage dumps continue to poison the water. Underwater seismic blasting and spills from petroleum operations, shipping activity, climate change from global warming, and increased development pose additional threats to the species. Even strict regulations on hunting have not been sufficient to keep their numbers from declining dangerously.

Marine biologists studying the problem warn that the belugas desperately need our help to survive. Fortunately, the NMFS took appropriate action to prevent the disappearance of these unique whales. Federal protection under the Endangered Species Act will ensure funding for research of the population and provide critical safeguards for the belugas and their habitat, giving them a chance to recover.

What You Can Do:

Please "Take Action" to thank NMFS officials for proposing to list the Cook Inlet belugas as "endangered" under the federal Endangered Species Act ( %takeaction-belugas2% ). Feel free to also follow up with a polite letter or personal email.

Bill Hogarth, Director
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Email: bill.hogarth [at] noaa.gov

Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional Administrator
Protected Resources Division, Alaska Region, NMFS
P. O Box 21668
Juneau, AK 99802
Email: kaja.brix [at] noaa.gov


2. Bison Slaughter Opponents Illegally Arrested in Yellowstone
Federal and State authorities violate Constitutionally-protected rights of observers on public lands

Yellowstone, the world's first national park, has been a haven for wild bison since it was founded in 1872, during an age of westward expansion when the species was brutally hunted to the brink of extinction by settlers. Unfortunately, a wide range of state and federal agencies today choose to slaughter the bison under provisions of the Interagency Bison Management Plan as they migrate to lower elevations with milder seasonal climes outside of Yellowstone each winter and spring.

Since 2000, government hirelings have killed more than 1,900 free-roaming bison. American taxpayers fund this slaughter to the tune of $3 million a year simply because Montana ranchers grazing their livestock on public lands surrounding Yellowstone claim that bison compete with cattle for grazing resources. They also believe that wild bison will infect their cattle with brucellosis (a bacterial cattle disease), even though there has not been a single instance of this ever occurring.

The Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) ( http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org ) is opposed to the hazing and massacre of bison, and dedicated to documenting the killing done by officers riding horses and flying helicopters. This year, two volunteer observers filming the action on public lands were arrested without cause, having done nothing illegal, simply because the authorities who carry out the killing want to hide their shameful exploits from the public. The charges leveled against the two observers include obstructing a peace officer, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest.

Both of the volunteers' video cameras were confiscated, and one of them sustained head wounds in the arrest that had to be closed shut with surgical staples at Bozeman Deaconness Hospital. Video proof that the volunteers were acting well within their First Amendment rights remains in police custody, and has yet to be released, though both of the individuals charged are no longer in jail. BFC coordinators are working to reclaim their cameras and the film to prove their volunteers' innocence, but fear that authorities will destroy the evidence before it comes to light.

Before the mass-exterminations perpetrated in the 19th century, between 30 and 50 million bison roamed the U.S. The Yellowstone bison are the only continuously wild herd remaining, and today number fewer than 3,600 animals. Sadly, our government is repeating the mistakes of the past merely to serve the whims of a small but powerful special interest group whose livelihood is based on exploiting cattle and depleting public lands. Rather than killing wild bison, the government should be protecting them and ensuring they have safe passage on their migratory journey.

What You Can Do:

Please "Take Action" to politely urge Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer to protect Yellowstone's bison herd ( %takeaction-bfc% ), as well as the civil rights of those who want the hazing and slaughter to end. If you live outside of Montana, let him know that won't spend your tourist dollars in the state as long as the buffalo continue to be killed. You can also contact Governor Schweitzer by postal mail, phone, fax or e-mail.

Governor Brian Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801
Helena, MT 59620-0801
Tel: (406) 444-3111
Fax: (406) 444-5529
E-mail web form: http://governor.mt.gov/contact/comments.asp


3. Connecticut Legislature Considers Bill to Ban Bullhooks
Ringling Bros. Circus threatens to boycott state if elephant-friendly bill passes

Connecticut could be the first state to ban the use of bullhooks in the management of elephants if HB 7019 is approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Rell. The bill, sponsored by Representative Diana Urban ( http://www.dianaurban.com ), has already been passed by the Connecticut House Judiciary Committee, and is similar to other legislation being considered in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Nebraska.

Bullhooks are the equivalent of torture devices used by circus trainers to control elephants' behavior and force them to perform unnatural acts. They are shaped like fireplace pokers with a sharp steel hook at one end which is used by stab, hook, and hit elephants in parts of the body where their skin is sensitive, such as behind the ears, inside the mouth, around the anus, and in tender spots under the chin. In public, keepers will prod the elephants lightly, but in the privacy of training sessions they stab the bullhook into the soft tissue of elephants' bodies forcefully enough to make them scream.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus officials have stated that they will no longer bring their traveling show to Connecticut if HB 7019 becomes law, claiming that this boycott will cost the state $3 million a year in lost revenue. However, as local animal rights activists who are lobbying lawmakers to support the bill point out, no amount of profit can justify the torture of animals for the purpose of "entertainment." Using pain to force animals to perform tricks in the circus sends a disturbing message to impressionable young audiences -- that humanity's role in the world is to conquer other species, including those that are physically mightier than us, and subjugate them for our pleasure.

Fittingly, the famous impresario P.T. Barnum, co-founder of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was born in Connecticut and was laid to rest in a Bridgeport cemetery. Tom Albert, an executive at Feld Entertainment (owner of Ringling), claims it is ironic, given the criticisms of his methods inherent to HB 7019, that Barnum was an early supporter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). What Albert neglects to mention is that ASPCA founder Henry Bergh battled Barnum for years over his mistreatment of the animals used in his circus, and that the ASPCA actively opposes not only bullhooks but also circuses that force animals to perform against their will.

P.T. Barnum died 116 years ago, yet his misguided belief that "entertainment" and corporate profit justify animal abuse lives on in today's circus executives, who routinely use lies and deception to hide the suffering that occurs under the big top. If animal welfare advocates of the 19th century found Barnum's cruelty toward animals unacceptable, then it should be even more strongly opposed today by caring people.

What You Can Do:

- Connecticut residents: Please "Take Action" to urge your Representative in the General Assembly to support HB 7019 when it comes up for a vote ( %takeaction-hb7019% ). Also follow up with a polite phone call or letter. Get your Representative's name and contact information ( http://www.vote-smart.org/mystate_government_resources.php?state_id=CT&go2.x=15&go2.y=12 ).

- If you live in any state besides Connecticut, contact your Representative and ask them to follow Connecticut's example by introducing legislation to prohibit the use of bullhooks in your home state. If you live in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Nebraska, ask your elected officials to support the legislative efforts to ban bullhooks that are already underway. Get your State Representative's name and contact information ( http://www.vote-smart.org/mystate_government_resources.php?state_id=CT&go2.x=15&go2.y=12 ).


NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES

1. IDA Fights Portland Furrier's Lawsuit
SLAPP suit seeks to silence animal advocates' freedom of speech

IDA is currently defending itself against a civil SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) being brought to the federal court by Schumacher Furs in Portland, Ore. IDA is among a long list of defendants -- including other animal groups and individuals, 20 Jane and John Does, and even the city of Portland -- in a suit that was filed shortly after the 112-year old fur store announced they were closing their doors for good ( http://www.furkills.org/feature_070221.shtml ). Seeking millions in alleged damages, store owners Gregg and Linda Schumacher claim the weekly demonstrations for the past 18 months by animal advocates were unlawful and put them out of business. City leaders and the police disagree, and after monitoring the scene week after week, their conclusion was that the activists were exercising lawful, constitutionally protected free speech.

The SLAPP suit -- first used against environmentalists -- is a tactic of corporations and animal abusive industries to try to silence or limit free speech of activists who seek to expose their unethical practices. Schumacher is asking the court to grant an injunction against the protests, which, if provided, could impose restrictions on the time, manner, and location of the weekly outreach events. IDA's attorneys, Greg Kafoury and Mark McDougal, will be defending IDA at the injunction hearing on Thursday, May 17th, and have also filed an anti-SLAPP motion to strike Schumacher's entire complaint on the grounds that their clients are well within the bounds of protected speech, and that Schumacher's allegations lack merit.

The lawsuit came as no surprise to activists who were used to dealing with the Schumachers' bizarre actions. The furriers and their employees have spit at, cursed, threatened, and harassed activists: in at least one case, they even followed an activist all the way home. Once, while a high school student was delivering an assigned speech about fur outside of the store with his teacher present, a Schumacher employee came out and screamed “I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you!” The Schumachers also held weekly "protest sales" at their store, blasted activists with Christmas music at rock concert levels, and held a counter-protest during which Linda Schumacher came out and screamed in the faces of calm activists. They even put a sign in the window stating, "All Protesters Should be Beaten, Strangled, Skinned Alive, and Anally Electrocuted!"

Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard said in a public statement dated March 30, 2006, after the Schumachers rejected his offer to help, "I find the recent actions of the Schumachers very unfortunate, as they only perpetuate the problem with the protesters that they supposedly wanted my help to solve. I have come to the conclusion that they have chosen this path as a method of generating free advertisement for their business, and in fact are not interested in resolving the issue with the protesters."

Perhaps poor judgment runs in the family. Kafoury and McDougal have successfully sued a senior member of the fourth generation fur store, William Schumacher, who was forced to pay $600,000 to their client, a Greenpeace activist, when a political disagreement escalated into Schumacher threatening him with a loaded gun while he was legally canvassing in their neighborhood.

Schumacher continues to play the victim, but throughout our campaign, IDA has reminded media and passersby that the real victims are the animals who are beaten, stomped, and skinned alive for a vanity product. Visit http://www.furkills.org for more information on our anti-fur campaign.


2. Elephant Mother Rejects Calf at St. Louis Zoo
IDA calls for halt to elephant breeding in wake of latest zoo failure

Earlier this month, Rani, a 10-year old mother elephant living at St. Louis Zoo, rejected her newborn calf, prompting IDA to call on the zoo to end its elephant breeding program. The likely reasons Rani has rejected her calf include artificial zoo conditions (including cramped and barren quarters), limited social groupings, and birth protocols that call for isolating and chaining laboring mothers.

"This is not an issue of inexperience. It's an issue of the zoo environment producing dysfunctional elephants," said IDA President Elliot M. Katz, DVM, noting that Rani was raised with her mother, Ellie, in the zoo. "Under normal conditions, Rani would have learned mothering behavior from Ellie, and Ellie would have helped Rani and taught her how to care for her new calf. Something is obviously very wrong."

Elephants are highly intelligent and socially complex individuals renowned for developing strong bonds between family members. Raising calves is cited as the most important experience in a female elephant's life. In the wild, where calf rejection is unheard of, a mother and young calf are in almost constant physical contact, with the calf never more than a few feet away. A female elephant will remain with her mother for life, and males stay with the family until their early teens.

Calf-rejection is a captivity-related problem, one of many created by holding elephants in unnatural and inadequate conditions. Dr. Katz stated, "No matter how much care Rani's calf is given by the St. Louis Zoo staff, it can never replace her essential need to bond with her mother."

Breeding elephants in zoos plays no part in conservation, since offspring born in captivity will never be released in the wild. Zoos have had poor success in breeding elephants, with high rates of infertility, infant mortality, and stillbirths. Nationwide, in the last 6 years, at least 14 zoo elephant pregnancies have ended in stillbirth or other complications, including calves dying during labor, euthanasia of premature calves, and subsequent failure to thrive.

At St. Louis Zoo, Sri, an Asian elephant, lost her full-term calf in utero in November 2005; she has yet to expel the fetus. In August 2006, Ellie's baby Maliha had to be force fed shortly after birth. "This is just one more indication that zoos are simply not meeting the complex needs of elephants," states Katz. "Zoos should not hold elephants unless they can provide the space and natural conditions that elephants need to thrive."

In March, the zoo euthanized an Asian elephant named Clara, who was crippled with severe foot and joint disease. Both conditions are linked to intense confinement, lack of exercise, and standing on concrete and other unnatural surfaces at the zoo.

For more information about the plight of elephants in zoos and what you can do to help them, please visit http://www.helpelephants.com .


3. South Pacific Nations Implement Widespread Ban on Fishing Trawlers
New agreement will protect one-quarter of Earth's ocean floor from destructive nets

Come September 30, 2007, the use of heavy bottom-trawling nets to dredge fish from the bottom of the ocean, a practice which devastates fragile marine ecosystems far below the water's surface, will be outlawed throughout much of the South Pacific high seas. Designated sections within the area spanning from the Equator to the Antarctic and between South America's west coast and Australia, home to the planet's only remaining unspoiled deep-sea ecology, will be protected by new regulations designed to preserve irreplaceable natural treasures and rare aquatic species.

Techniques such as bottom-trawling, in which fishing vessels drag large, weighted nets on rollers over large areas of the ocean floor, ravage coral reefs and other delicate marine environments, dredging up silt that clouds the water and suffocates animals living there. Such methods are to the ocean what clear-cutting is to forests, or what strip-mining for minerals is to the earth. Indiscriminate overfishing and dumping pollutants into the oceans are the main reasons that many marine species are declining rapidly, with some even facing imminent extinction.

The decision among South Pacific countries may have been prompted by a study published in November 2006 warning that the oceans will emptied of fish within half a century if current trends continue ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6108414.stm ). With the evidence in that overfishing is endangering the survival of every aquatic species on the planet, environmentalists are calling on the world community to implement similar protections in all ocean regions.


IDA Online - Visit our MySpace and YouTube Pages

The evolution of the Internet has initiated a communications renaissance in recent years, with advancing technology opening up new possibilities for online activism and grassroots networking. IDA is excited to be a part of this self-creating community, and invites our supporters to visit our MySpace ( http://www.myspace.com/idausa ) and YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=InDefenseofAnimals ) pages to learn about our work and get connected with our campaigns.

IDA's MySpace page ( http://www.myspace.com/idausa ) has over 4,600 friends, and we hope you'll become one of them. If you don't already have your own MySpace page, make one for free at http://www.myspace.com . Then visit IDA's MySpace page and click "add to friends."

A MySpace page is a great way to educate your family and friends about animal rights and veganism. It's also a great way to get the word out about a particular issue or campaign with text, photos, artwork, music, video, blogs and a whole lot more. IDA also has animal rights videos available for viewing on our YouTube page ( http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=InDefenseofAnimals ). Be aware that the footage is graphic: viewer discretion is advised.

Thanks for everything you do for animals, and for supporting IDA's work. See you in Cyberspace!