Daily Archives: 08/09/2013

~ Culture & History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Animals & Extinction ~~ Here are 20


20 Animals You Didn’t Know Are Going Extinct

When it comes to the Endangered Species List, some animals stand out  as celebrities: polar bears, giant pandas, rhinos, snow leopards… But  sadly, the list is so extensive that there are many species you may  never have suspected are endangered. Here are twenty of them.

1. Zebras

An icon of the African plains and a necessity in any wildlife  documentary about lions going a’ huntin’, the zebra is actually in  trouble. Well, really, it’s the Grevy’s zebra. There are two species of zebra in Africa, the Plains zebra and the Grevy’s zebra. While the  Plains zebra is doing alright, the Grevy’s is in dire straights with only about 2,500 individuals left in the wild.

Photo: Mr. Muskrat

2.Peacocks

We wouldn’t think of peacocks as endangered, considering you can find   them in any wildlife park, petting zoo and even random farms across the  country. But there are subspecies of this flamboyant bird that are in  danger of disappearing, including the Bornean Peacock Pheasant pictured above and the Hainan Peacock Pheasant of the island Hainan, China. For both species, habitat loss is a major factor for their decline. Only about 600-1,700 Bornean Peacock Pheasants  and around 350-1,500 Hainan Peacock Pheasants left in the world.

Photo: Silvain de Munck

3. Giraffes

Giraffes are practically part of the landscape of Africa, standing  tree-like in the grasslands. Most giraffe species are of no concern to  conservationists, yet a sub-species (or, as some researchers propose a  separate species), the Rothschild giraffe,   a.k.a. Baringo Giraffe or Ugandan Giraffe, is endangered. Those living   in the wild are found in protected areas in Kenya and Uganda, while  about 450 individuals are found in zoos around the world.

Photo: Lutrus

4. Hummingbirds

Though you may see a flock around that sugar-water feeder you set  out, quite a few hummingbird species are actually listed as endangered  by IUCN. Some of these species include the Oaxaca Hummingbird pictured above, with around 600-1,700 mature individuals left; Mangrove hummingbird, which was only discovered in 2005 and lives along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica; and the Chestnut-billed hummingbird, a species found in Columbia with only about 600-1,700 individuals left.

Photo: campyloterus

5. Horses

Horses?!? Yep, horses are endangered. Specifically, the Przewalski’s Horse.   Closely related to but genetically unique from its domestic cousins,  this wild horse is critically endangered. It was listed as extinct from the wild from the 1960s to 1996 when one surviving individual was found   in the wild and other individuals were reintroduced. Currently, there are about 50 mature horses living in the wild with more individuals in captive breeding programs and zoos. That’s not very many and a major  threat to the species is a loss of genetic diversity and thus disease.

Photo: bobosh_t

6. Howler Monkey

Howler monkeys are so common to Central and South America that it’s  hard to think there is any risk for them. But with habitat loss and  capture or predation by humans, there is indeed a problem for several  species. The Guatemalan Black Howler Monkey is endangered and is expected to decline by up to 60% over the next 30 years. Meanwhile, the Red-handed Howling Monkey is critically endangered with less than 2,500 mature individuals remaining in the wild.

Photo: gr8dnes

7. Fruit Bats

Sure, some bat species are having trouble what with that awful white nose syndrome spreading, but fruit bats? Turns out, a whole slew of species of fruit bat are endangered, some of which include the Golden-capped Fruit Bat (around 10,000 individuals left), the Salim Ali’s Fruit Bat (possibly as few as 250-350 left), the Sao Tomé Collared Fruit Bat (population unknown but naturally rare), and the Small-toothed Fruit Bat (only seven specimens found).

Photo: smccann

8. Ground Squirrel

Rodents are usually a surprise for the Endangered Species list since they tend to be great at adapting and especially skilled at reproducing.  But if they don’t have a place to live, they’re flat out of luck.  Thanks to agriculture and a whole lot of rodenticide, the San Joaquin Antelope Ground Squirrel of California has less than 20% of its former range and an estimated 124,000-413,000 individuals left.

Photo: James Marvin Phelps

9. Dolphins

Even the most charismatic of animals isn’t off the chopping block. The South Asian River Dolphin has two subspecies based on the river systems in which they are found, the Ganges River Dolphin and the Indus River Dolphin. Though a strong  effort has been made to research and conserve the species, there is  still relatively little known about them. Of the Ganges River Dolphins, there are about 1,200–1,800 left, while there are an estimated 965 Indus  River Dolphins left.

Photo: Joachim S. Muller

10. Wolf Spider

They’re in every garden, right? Well, turns out there is an  interesting species of wolf spider that’s not in any garden. Called the Kaua’i Cave Wolf Spider or   the No-eyed Big-eyed Wolf Spider (huh??), this species is native to  this island alone, lives in just a handful of caves, and is the only  species of wolf spider known to be eyeless. Discovered in 1971, the  species was placed on the list of endangered species in 2000.

Photo: e_monk

11. Mice

Yep, even mice are on the Endangered Species list. Quite a few have the dubious honor, including the Himalayan Field Mouse, the Nelson’s Spiny Pocket Mouse, and the White-tailed Mouse.

Photo: randomtruth

No! Not parakeets! There are gorgeous species of this popular house pet on the brink of extinction in no small part because of their popularity as house pets. Populations of the Sun Parakeet and the Gray-cheeked Parakeet have declined rapidly because of trapping for the cagebird trade. Habitat loss is also a factor, as with the Soccorro Parakeet ,   a species for which sheep grazing and other habitat degradation has  made the population decline to possibly as few as 250 mature adults.

Photo: awayukin

12. Parakeets

13. Crayfish

Usually we think of crayfish as a common Southern food pulled from  rivers. However a surprising number of crayfish species are on the  decline. Those on the Endangered Species list include the White-clawed Crayfish (pictured above), the Phantom Cave Crayfish, the Slenderclaw crayfish, the Giant Freshwater Crayfish and the aptly named Sweet Home Alabama crayfish of Marshall county, Alabama. If that last one doesn’t have you worried about the future of crayfish cook-offs, we don’t know what will!

Photo: dubh

14. Deer

Many species of tiny musk deer, so diminutive they look like the  prehistoric animals that were the first mammals to arrive on the planet.   The species include the Himalayan Muskdeer, the Black Muskdeer (pictured above), the Kashmir Muskdeer, and Chinese Forest Musk Deer among others.

Photo: limbun

15. Water Buffalo

The water buffalo is a surprise for this list as we think of it as a domesticated animal, but like horses, it’s the wild cousins of the domesticated beasts that are at risk. There are as few as 2,500 mature individuals left and researchers estimate the species has  experienced a population decline of at least 50% over the last three  generations. The major threats include interbreeding with feral and  domestic buffalo, as well as hunting and habitat loss.

Photo: Sum_of_Marc

     16. Vultures

Vultures aren’t usually the most attractive of birds, but the Egyptian Vulture,   is a notable exception. The striking bird is found in Europe, Africa  and India, however rapid and severe declines in the Indian populations  as well as long-term decline in the European populations put the species   at around 13,000-41,000 mature individuals.

Photo: jan.stefka

17. Hippos

No, not the big, mean hippos famed for killing around 2,900 people a year. It’s their mini cousins on the Endangered Species list, the Pygmy hippo.   These round and adorable hippos are nocturnal and not much is known  about them because of their secretive ways. The last population estimate   in 1990 put the species at 3,000 individuals and habitat loss since  then suggests that even this estimate was (and is) too high. Meanwhile, there are about 303 animals in captivity.

Photo: dommylive

18. Sea Lions

Pinnipeds are geniuses in the marine world, but sadly their smarts can’t keep them off the Endangered Species list.

The Steller Sea Lion,   the fourth largest pinniped, has a global population of around  105,800-117,800 animals, but troubling declines especially in the Gulf  of Alaska has conservationists concerned. The Australian Sealion is also in trouble with an estimated population of only 13,790 individuals.

Photo: Dan Hershman

19. Gazelle

As with zebras, no documentary about the African savanna is complete without some gazelles being caught by lions or cheetahs. But that  doesn’t mean several species are in more trouble than any number of  feline predators could pose. The Cuvier’s Gazelle of north-west Africa is estimated at just 1,750 – 2,950 individuals. Meanwhile the Slender-horned Gazelle of the Sahara has only around 250 mature individuals left. The Speke’s Gazelle (pictured above) from the Horn of Africa now extinct in Ethiopia and  remaining populations in Somalia are thought to be in the tens of  thousands but they face severe pressure from hunting and habitat loss.

Photo: sandy richard

20. Mockingbirds

They may annoy you by mimicking a car alarm early in the morning, but   mockingbirds are amazing creatures. Unfortunately, at least one  species, the San Cristobal Mockingbird,   endemic to the island of San Cristóbal in the central Galápagos  islands, is endangered. There are only around 5,300 mature individuals  left.

Nothing on Earth exists without a reason, without a purpose.  Mother Nature is excellent at getting rid of things that don’t fill a  function and thus what remains here is actually important — whether or  not humans recognize that importance. Some species are on their way out  through natural selection, but others (possibly even most?) are being  forced out by factors brought on by we humans. Whether or not a species is beautiful, valuable to an economy, important to science or any other   reason, it deserves recognition for its role in an ecosystem and effort  put into conserving it in the wild. It’s not just the species making the  news that need help — it’s also some that would surprise you.

Photo: YamezA

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

When 19 firefighte​rs died in Arizona


Our fallen hero Andrew Ashcraft: get the family Andrew’s benefit package that they were promised
  By Tom Ashcraft
        Change.org       https://www.change.org/petitions/                                Prescott Valley, Arizona

My name is Tom Ashcraft, father of Andrew Ashcraft and fallen Granite Mountain Hot Shot. He was a full time employee working for the City Of Prescott, Az. on June 30th, when the fire overcame him and 18 of his brothers. 19 firefighters were killed in the fire. We are all heartbroken beyond words can say.  Just as all the families are doing we too must press on to help secure the future of Andrew’s wife Juliann and his four children and help them endure the difficult times ahead.

In addition to this tragedy, the city of Prescott has officially denied paying out his benefits claiming he was not full time. This is not accurate at all. He had been working his scheduled 40 hour weeks, he had obtained their goals required of full time status and had been given a raise above that of a seasonal employee.  Because of that,  his employee file had been forwarded onto the city managers‘ office with the endorsement of his supervisors. Unfortunately, they too perished in that fire and cannot confirm this. The delay in the process is the primary reason for their not approving his status.  Nonetheless, he was verbally assured of his status, he was working his required schedule as a full time employee, being paid as a full time employee therefore is due full time benefits.
It is not only our family’s belief, but our community, as well as many around this great nation that the City of Prescott, specifically the Mayor and City Council, should immediately approve Andrew Ashcraft’s benefits that will provide a secure future for his wife Juliann, Ryder (6), Shiloh (4), Tate (3), and Choice (18 mo).
Please stand with us, our family, our community by signing this petition to enforce the prompt processing of his benefits. With your help, together we can make this change.
Mayor and City Council, agreeing with the words on his bracelet that Andrew wore until he perished – you too now have the opportunity to “Be Better”.
Thank you,
Tom Ashcraft
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

His father was dragged off


 Avaazpix
 Dear friends,

 The images of 5-year-old Khaled screaming out for his father as the Israeli security forces dragged him off are hard to look at. This is daily life for Palestinians living in the segregated, military-controlled West Bank. But a nonviolent movement for freedom is growing. And it needs our help. Pledge just $4 now to get them lawyers, cameras, training, and campaigners to take this local resistance movement global:  

Pledge now

It was the hottest week of the year.

All Fadel Jaber wanted was some water for his family.
But Fadel lives in the occupied West Bank, where the Israeli government has redirected water pipes to provide swimming pools for Jewish settlers and empty faucets for Palestinians like Fadel.
When the Israeli forces dragged Fadel off for taking water, his heartbroken five-year-old son Khaled could be heard screaming “baba, baba!” as his dad was torn away. This is daily life for Palestinians living under the brutal fist of martial law where their land and water has been stolen by settlers and they have no basic human rights. But after years of violence and hopelessness, a movement is growing in Palestine — a nonviolent resistance seeking the same thing that all Israelis already have: freedom, dignity and a state of their own.
For years, the media has focused on Palestinian militants, and to this day, extremists on both sides are pushing peace further out of reach. But what’s lost in all that vitriol are the loving families like Fadel’s that just want a normal life. Now, those families are stepping forward, leading peaceful marches, organizing sit-ins, and working with Israeli activists to seek justice and freedom. In response, the Israeli military has thrown them in jail, beaten up organisers, and ripped children from their beds.
Days ago, I went to the West Bank to meet with these brave, peaceful people. When I proposed that our community could come to their aid, their eyes lit up. They need funds for lawyers when they are jailed on spurious charges, cameras to document abuses, training in media skills and nonviolent tactics, and campaigners to take this local protest global. These families are the real hope.  If enough of us pledge $4 now,  we can boost the peaceful movement over the extremist ones and give Khaled a future worthy of his father’s dreams. Avaaz will only process the pledges if we get enough to make a real difference:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/palestine_rpr_enndl/?biEWLbb&v=27710
This occupation has gone on for too long and for too long the resolution of this conflict has been controlled by extremists on both sides. But today, there are a few things most people agree on: first, both the Israelis and the Palestinians should each be entitled to a state; and second, the treatment of the Palestinians in the occupied territories violates every sense of justice we have, from international law to basic common sense. Even hard-line retired Israeli national security officials agree.
But the current Israeli government is only making things worse. While they pay lip service to peace talks and a two-state solution, they expand more settlements in the West Bank, making a two-state solution permanently impossible. And the Israeli military subjects Palestinians in the occupied territories to a whole different set of laws than the Jewish settlers who occupy those lands, even throwing children into prison for months at a time.
The best hope for ending this injustice and finally reaching peace is this peaceful resistance movement. Here are a few of the ways we can support them:
  • Support life-saving legal aid to help nonviolent leaders defend themselves from trumped up charges and kangaroo military courts;
  • Bring in civil disobedience experts from other movements to share strategies and tactics with communities across the West Bank;
  • Provide media equipment and trainings to leaders so they can both document abuses and get the word out to the world about this hopeful, inspiring movement;
  • Hire top-notch campaigners on the ground to provide ongoing support to this movement, scale actions across the West Bank, and engage our global community to take this movement from local to global;
  •  Livestream their nonviolent actions on our site and organise a global day of action across the world.

In our history we have seen how nonviolent movements have freed peoples across the world — Gandhi’s movement in India, Dr. King’s movement in the US, and Mandela’s movement in South Africa. We know that it can work, and indeed in this case it’s our only hope. Let’s give this inspiring movement the global solidarity it needs to succeed. Pledge just $4 now and let’s help change history:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/palestine_rpr_enndl/?biEWLbb&v=27710
The Avaaz community has been unwavering in its support for freedom, justice and conflict resolution across the world. Today, one of the most virulent bastions of injustice on the planet is the Israeli government’s occupation of Palestinian lands. But even there, hope springs. And together, we can be a part of the generation that brings freedom and peace to two peoples, betrayed so often by governments, both of whom so desperately need it. Let’s show what our community can do.
With hope and determination,
Alice and the rest of the Avaaz team
MORE INFORMATION
Video / Palestinian boy upset by father’s arrest garners international media attention (Haaretz) http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/video-palestinian-boy-upset-by-father-s-arrest-garners-international-media-attention-1.306155
When Montgomery comes to Nabi Saleh (Foreign Policy) http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/04/26/when_montgomery_comes_to_nabi_saleh
The Rise of Palestinian Non-Violence: A Conversation with Mustafa Barghouti (Daily Beast) http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/07/the-rise-of-palestinian-non-violent-resistance-a-conversation-with-mustafa-barghouti.html
Israel in Peril (New York Review of Books) http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/jun/07/israel-in-peril/
‘Drip, Jordan’: Water supply as a focal point of occupation (Harper’s Magazine) http://harpers.org/archive/2011/12/drip-jordan/
Is this where the third intifada will start? (New York Times) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/magazine/is-this-where-the-third-intifada-will-start.html?ref=magazine&pagewanted=all&_r=0
For West Bank protesters, legal knowledge is power (+972 Magazine) http://972mag.com/for-west-bank-protesters-legal-knowledge-is-power/71412/
The West Bank’s 2012: The Year of the Israeli Settlement (TIME) http://world.time.com/2012/12/31/the-west-banks-2012-the-year-of-the-israeli-settlement/

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress … Bee a Champ!


Greenpeace
A new bill in Congress would ban pesticides responsible for poisoning millions of honeybees.
Save the honeybee!
Tell your representative to support the Save America’s Pollinators Act today!
take action today

Bees are dying by the millions all across America.
According to leading scientists, they’re being poisoned by a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids (also known as “neonics”). If we don’t stop using these chemicals soon, the bee population could be done for – and so could all the fruits and vegetables that rely on bees for pollination.
But there’s hope. A bill was just introduced in Congress that would impose a ban on neonics until a scientific review and field studies prove no harm will come to bee populations from their use. 
Passing this bill won’t be easy. Big Agriculture and chemical companies like Bayer are already lobbying hard to defeat it. Massive public support is the only chance the bees have. Over 100,000 Greenpeace supporters helped raise the profile of this issue last month. Together we now have a chance to save the bees before it is too late.
Write your congressperson today and urge them to support the Save America’s Pollinators Act and save the bees!
The stories are shocking. Some 50,000 bees dropped dead a few weeks ago in Oregon after being exposed to the deadly pesticides. And last winter  alone, 31% of beehives in the United States collapsed. Sobering stuff.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been dragging their feet on this issue for too long. EPA is currently conducting a study on neonics that they don’t expect to finish until sometime in 2018! At this rate, there may not be any bees left by that time.
By allowing toxic chemicals like neonics to weaken and kill bees, we  threaten our food and our environment. Every day these chemicals are allowed to be used is one day closer to disaster.
Now’s the time to act. Tell your congressperson to support the Save America’s Pollinators Act today.
The world is stepping up to take action and it’s time for the US to do the same.
Policymakers in Europe pulled three commonly used neonics off the market earlier this year, citing the growing body science showing their harms to pollinators. Just a few weeks ago, the EU added another bee-harming pesticide to their restricted list.
However, the Industrial Agriculture lobby has no intention of backing down and Congress is going to need all the support it can get. 
Write your Representative now and tell them to support this critical bill and save the bees.
Without immediate action to save bees, many of our favorite fruits, vegetables, and nuts could vanish from our shelves. Avocados, almonds, apples…the  list goes on. A world without bees.
A win for the bees here in the US is possible, but only if we keep the pressure up on Congress to do the right thing.
Thanks,
Mark Floegel Greenpeace Senior Investigator and Beekeeper
P.S. America’s bees are being poisoned. There’s a bill in Congress that would help save them. Write your representative today and tell them to support the Save America’s Pollinators Act today! Then forward this message to your friend and family.