Cultural defense of cruelty to bulls succeeds in South Africa

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
CAPE TOWN–Asked to recognize
bullfighting as a “World Heritage” cultural rite,
the United Nations Educational & Scientific
Organization may look toward South Africa for
precedents–and find sharply contradictory
examples.
On the one hand, UNESCO project officer
for peace, human rights and democracy Ben Boys
in 2003 lauded South Africa for becoming the
first nation in Africa to add humane education to
the national school curriculum.
On the other, the South African National SPCA
has repeatedly been unable to accomplish anything
to reduce the ritual mayhem inflicted on bulls as
part of the Zulu “First Fruits” festival,
revived in 1992 after the end of apartheid.

Melamine hit Africa too

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
CAPE TOWN–At least 30 and possibly as many as 65 dogs died
after eating melamine-contaminated pet food in Cape Town, South
Africa, veterinary pathologist Fred Reyers told Helen Bamford of the
Cape Argus in April 2007.
Little noticed beyond Cape Town, the South African cases
followed much the same trajectory as the high-profile melamine pet
food contamination crisis in the U.S.
“Royal Canin, which makes its own brands as well as Vets
Choice, said in a statement that corn gluten contaminated with
melamine was delivered to South Africa by a third party supplier and
originated from China,” Bamford wrote.

Vier Pfoten buys South African game lodge to turn into sanctuary

May 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:

BETHLEHEM, South Africa––What will become of lions reared
in captivity by South African ranchers to be shot as trophies, who
after June 1, 2007 may no longer be killed before enjoying two years of
a semi-natural life?
Racing to complete a new sanctuary called Lionsrock by
mid-summer, projected as the world s largest, the Vienna-based
international animal charity Vier Pfoten anticipates taking in at least
some of the lions.
Best known for operating mobile dog and cat sterilization
clinics in Bulgaria, Romania, and other former Communist nations of
eastern Europe, Vier Pfoten has gradually expanded into many other
animal welfare activities, including disaster relief and wildlife
rescue.

Kenya wildlife policy policy committee pushes “cropping,” not “hunting”

April 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 2007:

NAIROBI–“The National Steering Committee,” drafting
revisions to Kenyan wildlife policy, “has dropped recommendations
for killing animals for fun,” revealed The Nation environment
correspondent John Mbaria on March 16, 2007. Instead, Mbaria
wrote, “it has adopted cropping wildlife.” Mbaria explained that
the draft policy “defines cropping as ‘harvesting free-ranging
animals for a range of products, including meat and wildlife
trophies.’
“In Kenya,” Mbaria continued, “most animals are
free-ranging. Apart from Saiwa Swamp in Western Kenya, and
Aberdares and Lake Nakuru national parks, which have electric
fences, the rest of the parks and reserves are open.”

South Africa, Zimbabwe claim need to cull elephants

April 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 2007:
ADDO NATIONAL PARK– South African environmental affairs and
tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk on February 28, 2007
announced that culling elephants may resume soon after a 12-year
suspension, under a draft policy open for public comment until May 4.
“If culling is allowed after the process of public comment,
and if it is included in the final draft,” van Schalkwyk said,
speaking cautiously to media at Addo National Park on the Eastern
Cape, “it would really depend on the management plans and
management objectives of each of the parks” where elephants might be
killed.
Addo and Kruger National Park, South Africa’s oldest and
largest, are most often mentioned as sites of alleged elephant
overpopulation.
“We have about 20,000 elephants in South Africa,” van
Schalkwyk said, of whom “more or less 14,000 are in Kruger National
Park. In 1995, when we stopped culling we had around 8,000
elephants. The population growth of elephants is six to seven
percent [per year]. This is the hard reality,” Van Schalkwyk
explained.

South Africa regulates–but does not ban–killing captive lions

April 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 2007:
CAPE TOWN–“We are putting an end, once
and for all, to the reprehensible practice of
canned hunting,” insisted South African
environment minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk at a
February 20, 2007 press conference in Cape Town.
“South Africa has a long standing
reputation as a global leader on conservation
issues. We cannot allow our achievements to be
undermined by rogue practices such as canned lion
hunting,” van Schalkwyk continued.
Effective on June 1, 2007, van Schalwyk
said, the new regulations will prohibit “hunting
large predators and rhinoceros who are ‘put and
take’ animals–in other words, a captive-bred
animal who is released on a property for the
purpose of hunting within twenty-four months.
Hunting should be about fair chase,” van
Schalkwyk said. “Over the years that got eroded
and now we are trying to re-establish that
principal.”

Kenyan reporter flushes out USAid effort to repeal national ban on hunting

March 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2007:
NAIROBI–“Killing wildlife for fun may be re-introduced in
Kenya if the government implements a new wildlife policy believed to
have been influenced by the U.S.,” wrote John Mbaria in the February
24 edition of The Nation, the leading Kenyan newspaper.
“The draft policy calls for lifting the 1977 ban on hunting,
and asks the government to allow game ranchers and communities in
wildlife areas to crop, cull, and sell animals and their products,”
Mbaria said.
“These recommendations are a radical deviation from what
communities in 18 of the 21 wildlife regions in the country proposed
during a nationwide views gathering exercise carried out by the
National Wildlife Steering Committee,” Mbaria continued.
Affirmed Akamba Council of Elders representative Benedict
Mwendwa Muli. “We overwhelmingly said no to sport hunting. We
requested the government to restock wildlife so that we can start
receiving tourists.”

Justice for Animals ires South African National SPCA over Zulu bullfight

January 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:
KLOOF, KwaZulu-Natal–Justice for Animals founder Steve
Smiths sought to support the National SPCA of South Africa in a
December 4, 2006 e-mail to news media, protesting against the
annual mob killing of a bull at the First Fruits Festival, a
traditional Zulu celebration.
National SPCA executive director Marcelle Meredith’s December
5 response took Smits and much of his lengthy cc. list much by
surprise.

Saving one small dog informs the world

January 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2007:
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia– Resembling a
skull buried up to the hollow eye sockets, the
70-year-old Italian fortification called Gido
Washa stood for death from the day it was built.
Long after the last Italian troops left
Ethiopia, after the last wood and metal parts of
Gido Washa were blasted or burned, and only the
concrete shell remained, it became deadlier than
ever.
“For the last 20 or so years local people
threw unwanted dogs into the pits, where they
died of starvation,” Ethiopian/American
physician Anteneh Roba e-mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE
on June 25, 2007. As founder of the Amsale
Gessesse Memorial Foundation, begun to honor his
deceased mother, Roba was in Ethiopia to help
the Homeless Animal Protection Society to expand
their street dog sterilization and vaccination
project.

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