In maybe the most blatant animal abuse industry that still exist today; Shark Fin soup has taken it’s first major blow as both Oregon and California will prohibit the sale of shark fins in the new year (2012).

As you may know this Asian delicacy is just the fin of the shark. To keep up with the demand, the fishers for this product cut off the fins and throw the shark back into water. Sometimes they do this with hundreds or even thousands of sharks at a time.

Hats off for CA and OR for stepping up on this ridiculous Asian ritual.

An underground animal rights group is threatening to spread rat poison in Toronto’s Chinatown and poison food at Mandarin buffet restaurants, the head of the Toronto Chinese Business Association told The Huffington Post Thursday.

Barbara Chiu, the group’s executive director, said she received a letter in the mail Tuesday from an organization calling itself Animal Liberation Canada/USA upset with the group’s decision to fight a city of Toronto ban on the sale of shark fins.

“They see us, the Chinese, having lost the battle in the shark-fin ban … And at the end of the letter it mentions that they are going to spread rat poison in Chinatown and in a particular Chinese restaurant as well,” Chiu said. “They mentioned a Mandarin restaurant, you know the Mandarin Buffet?”

“We are a radical group of “concerned” who protect all wildlife. Warning to y’all. We now have folks in your Chinatowns spreading rat poison on meant, fish, fruit and vegetables. Hopefully some of you will be sick as a dog, which by the way you animal killers eat as well,” the letter states.

Police were notified on Wednesday and the issue was passed along to the hate crimes unit, Chiu said.

The letter begins: “Hey, how’s it going guys? I see you lost the big shark fin ban in Toronto. Thank God, less sharks suffering a painful death in the hands of you barbarians.”

It continues: “You gooks come over here and don’t speak a word of English and don’t teach your kids English. The only English you know is, “you give me free.”

Chiu told HuffPost vicious and insulting letters are nothing new.

“We have been receiving a lot of hatred emails since we have been voicing out for the Chinese businesses but those emails are just hatred emails insulting Chinese, that is totally fine with us but this one is a threatening mail with criminal activities that they intend to do to Chinatown so we just want to make it aware to the businesses in Chinatown,” she said.

The letter ends with: “Our head office in the USA will be supplying us with e coli virus. Let me warn you don’t eat at the Mandarin restaurants.”

Aaron Ma, the dinning room manager for Mandarin’s Yonge Street location told HuffPost he hadn’t heard of any threats but wasn’t particularly worried.

“This is news to me,” he said.

Animal Liberation Canada/USA may be aligned with the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) a leaderless group known of its violent and criminal actions.

“We don’t know who they are…for obvious reasons they remain anonymous,” said Will Hazlitt, of the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, a group that is not directly related to the AFL.

Hazlitt said his group relays messages on behalf of the ALF when they receive anonymous tips about their campaigns. He said he had received nothing relating to Toronto’s Chinatown.

The community is “absolutely worried” about the letter’s threats, said Justin Poy, of the Fair and Responsible Governing Alliance, a group just formed to fight against what they believe are irrational bans such as on the shark fin.

“There will always be people and groups who hate and have prejudice. This kind of ban just incites them and gives them a reason, a purpose to target particular groups,” he said.

“Nobody has come forward to take responsibility for the letter. We hope that it is just a hoax, that it is just an individual who is a little bit off and venting whatever beef they have against the Chinese people but, you know, this kind of letter is quite scary.”

“We don’t want to alarm anybody…We certainly hope that it will not curb anybody’s desire to go to a Chinese restaurant.”

As you celebrate the holidays with family, friends and those adorable companion animals known as pets, you should be thrilled to learn that the distant cousins of your pets have just won a historic victory. West Hollywood, California, recently passed a first-in-the-nation ban on the sale of fur within its city limits, effective in 2013.

West Hollywood City Council member John D’Amico, who spearheaded the ordinance, told me, “We didn’t want to be a city that supported the raising of animals to be killed just for fashion.”

Well put. If you wouldn’t want somebody skinning your dog or cat for their fur, then why would you allow the same horror to befall other equally sentient beings? The raccoons, foxes, beavers, chinchillas, minks, rabbits, and yes, sometimes even dogs and cats that are killed for fur are not very different from your beloved dog or cat. They all have eyes, ears and hearts. They all experience pain when they are physically maimed. They shake with fear when they experience terror.

“I am just so baffled by this. This is pure politics at its worst,” the executive director of the Fur Information Council, Keith Kaplan, said.

But there’s nothing to be baffled about. Historically, the exploitation of animals is driven by the desire for profit. And throughout history, the most predictable argument against progress toward civility is that change is going to cost us money.

Opponents claim nearly half of the 200 apparel stores in town sell at least some fur items.

But the law doesn’t go into effect for nearly two years. D’Amico says that’s plenty of time for stores to cycle out their fur inventory. They can either sell it off fast or — better yet — donate it to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA in turn gives the furs away to the homeless.

The councilman told me he believed the ban will ultimately bring West Hollywood much more business than it will lose. He is working to develop a “fur-free shopping day,” he said, and a yearly fur-free event, leading up to the time when the ban kicks in.

He also plans to leverage the global attention that the fur ban has garnered to draw sympathetic shoppers to West Hollywood. There are obviously cruelty-free alternatives to fur that are very functional and warm the body even more than fur. Those can be, and are, sold for profit.

Some wonder, well, if you take the anti-fur argument to its logical conclusion, is banning the sale of leather next? D’Amico responds, “Incremental thinking about the way we are in the world is important and has always been important and this is an example of it.”

Unfortunately, fur is still flying off the racks. It’s a billion dollar industry. To those who say, “I love animals, but –” I say, check out the facts. Do you even have the stomach to watch a minute or two of these innocent creatures — who have done nothing to humans — trying to bite off their own legs because they’re stuck in excruciatingly painful leg hold traps? Or how about watching the electrocution of fur-bearing animals on so-called fur farms? I’ve seen both. As an animal rights activist, I’ve supported the documentary “Skin Trade,” which shows it all. The images haunt me, particularly when I see women head to toe in fur.

Irish statesman Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Well, the good people of West Hollywood have actually done something. They’ve gone out of their way to fight for the most voiceless in our world — animals. D’Amico hopes the state of California will one day follow suit and start turning the West Coast fur-free. But even though he knows of no other city that is considering a similar ban, he hopes — as do I — that West Hollywood’s action has sparked a collective re-examination of a practice that many believe has no place in the 21st century.

Prisoners in ice, more than 100 Beluga whales in far eastern Russia risk death unless rescued soon.

The flock of gentle ghost-white whales was trapped in ice floes in the Sinyavinsky Strait off the Bering Sea near the village of Yanrakynnot, said a statement from the Chukotka Autonomous Region.

Fishermen reported that the whales were concentrated in two relatively small ice holes, where, for now, they can breathe freely. But the Belugas’ chance of swimming back to water is slim due to the vast fields of ice over the strait.

The whales have little food, and the ice flow is increasing, the statement said. They are at risk of rapid exhaustion and, ultimately, death by starvation or suffocation. Trapped whales are also susceptible to predators like polar bears and killer whales.

The Chukotka Autonomous Region government has sought help from federal authorities and asked for an icebreaker to help rescue the Belugas. A rescue tug, Ruby, was in the area helping a Korean cargo ship that ran aground on the southern coast of Chukotka but it would take one and a half days for it to reach the whales, the statement said.

Trapped belugas are a frequent phenomenon in the Arctic waters but are not often detected by people. In Chukotka, the last relatively successful case was recorded in 1986, when an ice-breaker helped free trapped beluga whales.

Feld Entertainment Inc., which produces the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, has agreed to pay $270,000 for allegedly violating the Animal Welfare Act on several occasions from June 2007 to August 2011, according to a USDA news release.

The USDA can levy fines of up to $10,000 per violation of the act.

“This settlement sends a direct message to the public and to those who exhibit animals that USDA will take all necessary steps to protect animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release.

Feld Entertainment officials settled in lieu of a hearing and agreed to implement new training protocols for any circus employees who handle animals, the statement said.

“We look forward to working with the USDA in a cooperative and transparent manner that meets our shared goal of ensuring that our animals are healthy and receive the highest quality care,” Kenneth Feld, the company’s CEO, said in a separate statement.

As part of the settlement, the company admits no wrongdoing or violation of USDA policy.

The settlement comes in the wake of a federal appeals court dismissal of a lawsuit against Feld Entertainment filed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Animal Protection Institute.

The lawsuit alleged that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is in violation of the Endangered Species Act and that the circus systematically abuses and exploits elephants by using metal bullhooks to guide and control the animals, as well as chaining their legs while they are not performing.

The lawsuit was dismissed in October on the grounds that the two animal protection organizations did not have the standing to bring the lawsuit against Feld Entertainment because they could not establish legal “injury” to themselves.

McDonald’s and Target dropped an egg supplier this week after an activist group released disturbing video showing what it says shows animal cruelty at three of the company’s barns.

The undercover video, released by Mercy for Animals, was allegedly shot between May and August at facilities run by Sparboe Farms in Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota. It shows hens crammed in crowded cages, workers burning beaks and one, trying to shove a bird inside the pocket of a co-worker, apparently for fun. Another worker presses his thumb against the back of a chick’s neck until it breaks.

“Regarding the undercover videos, the behavior on tape is disturbing and completely unacceptable. McDonald’s wants to assure our customers that we demand humane treatment of animals by our suppliers. We take this responsibility — along with our customers’ trust — very seriously. It’s important to note that the most alarming actions on video did not occur at Sparboe’s Vincent, Iowa, facility that supplies McDonald’s. Nonetheless, our extremely high standards for our suppliers prohibit this conduct,” McDonald’s said in a statement, announcing its decision to cut ties with Sparboe Farms.

Target similarly said it was dropping Sparboe Farms, which describes itself as the fifth-largest shell egg producer and marketer in the United States.

The Minnesota-based egg supplier said it first heard about the abuse allegations from ABC News, which conducted an investigation of the company.

Sparboe Farms launched an internal investigation upon learning about the undercover video, which was shot by an animal activist hired under false pretenses, according to Beth Sparboe Schnell, president and owner of Sparboe Farms. Four employees have been fired and management changes have taken place as a result of that investigation, which is ongoing, she said. An independent auditor from Iowa State University was also hired to conduct a third-party animal welfare audit.

“I was deeply saddened to see the story because this isn’t who Sparboe Farms is. Acts depicted in the footage are totally unacceptable and completely at odds with our values as egg farmers. In fact, they are in direct violation of our animal care code of conduct, which all of our employees read, sign and follow each day,” Sparboe Schnell said in a statement.

The release of the video and the company’s response come in the wake of a warning letter sent to Sparboe Farms from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this week.

The agency said it found “serious violations” after visiting five of the companies’ production facilities, including failure to have and implement a written Salmonella Enteritidis prevention plan and failure to prevent stray poultry, wild birds, cats and other animals from entering poultry houses. The company said it responded to the FDA, which in turn told Sparboe Farms that some of the corrective actions it took were insufficient. Further steps were then taken to remedy the situation, the company said.

The egg industry has been a frequent target of animal rights groups, which accuse suppliers of keeping hens in unusually cruel conditions, and have sometimes used undercover videos to prove their point.

In 2004, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released video showing slaughterhouse workers for a KFC supplier stepping on birds, kicking them and slamming them against walls and floors.

According to PETA, it is common practice for workers to cut a hen’s beak with a hot blade at just a few days old, with no painkillers. Those that survive are then kept in small wire cages, or battery cages, that are so small as to prevent them from lifting their wings, it says.

The Humane Society of the United States advocates for so-called cage-free systems, which allow hens to walk around, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests. However, the simple absence of battery cages is not enough to ensure a facility is “cruelty-free,” the rights group says.

The egg industry has also been buffeted recently by food safety concerns. Regulators recalled about 550 million eggs from the U.S. market in the wake of a salmonella outbreak traced to two Iowa farms in August.

About 1,300 cases of salmonella was linked to eggs from Wright County Eggs and Hillandale Farms of Iowa, forcing a recall of their products in at least 17 states, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control reported. Wright County Egg recalled 380 million eggs, while Hillandale Farms recalled 170 million eggs.

Sometimes the only humane thing to do is to put a dog to sleep. Just three weeks ago, Erica Daniel steeled herself to take that difficult step with Harper, a small puppy in her care.

Daniel, 26, fosters dogs that need serious help, and Harper had come to her in the most desperate of circumstances. On Aug. 31, a woman in Sanford, Fla., first encountered the little dog when she spotted a squirming garbage bag.

“There was a man outside the Save-A-Lot selling pit-bull puppies for $50 a pop,” Daniel explained. “This woman approached him and noticed a noise coming from a garbage bag he was holding. She asked him, ‘What’s in the bag?’ and he said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ ”

The woman pressed the issue and the man opened — and gave her — the contents of the bag. Inside was a puppy so deformed that it couldn’t walk or hold up its head. Shelter workers and veterinarians grimaced when they saw the dog and came to the same conclusion: It really should be euthanized.

That’s when Daniel, a regular at the local animal shelter, stepped in. She decided to take the puppy home for one full and final day of unabashed affection. “I had to show her what it was like to be loved,” Daniel said. “I’d planned on taking her home that night, letting her sleep in bed with us, and having her humanely euthanized in the morning.”

What a difference a day can make. Today, Harper is not only alive — she’s thriving. The frisky gray puppy is gaining more and more mobility each day, to the astonishment of onlookers and medical professionals.

Harper’s rapid recovery began on that initial day with Daniel. The puppy had been born with a condition commonly dubbed “swimmer puppy disorder,” and most dogs afflicted with it don’t survive. The formal name of Harper’s disorder, pectus excavatum, causes puppies to lie flat on their chests with their legs perpetually splayed out, as if they were humans — or perhaps frogs — swimming through water.

“The longer she was like that, the more she stayed in that position,” Daniel said. “It felt like rigor mortis — like her legs might break.”

Despite that, Daniel kept massaging Harper’s tight muscles, hoping to alleviate at least some of her stiffness and pain. Within just a few hours, Harper started lifting her head and looking around. Her front legs became more limber as well, so much so that she tried using them to walk and pull herself around.

Daniel’s reaction: “WHOA.”

Convinced that this determined little dog needed a second opinion, she canceled the following morning’s appointment and made a new, hopeful one with a veterinarian at the University of Florida. At first, the vet described the reasons Harper probably would need to be put to sleep. The list included the likelihood of degenerative bone disease, brain abnormalities and a severe heart murmur.

They decided to do a few tests just to be sure. And, as it turned out, the rumors of Harper’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Her organs were functioning just fine, and she had no heart murmur or serious brain abnormalities. The medical conditions she did have required treatment — but nothing that warranted putting her to sleep.

Some nice people at Hip Dog Canine Hydrotherapy & Fitness in Winter Park, Fla., heard about Harper and donated free hydrotherapy and massage therapy to the puppy. Harper responded remarkably well, and before long she actually started walking.

“She started out on grass, then carpet, then concrete,” Daniel said. “She still can’t walk on tile or hardwood floors, but she’s getting there.”

Bev McCartt, a Hip Dog therapist, explained that swimming has helped teach Harper what her natural gait should be.

“Her brain kicked in and by the end of her first session, she was like, ‘Oh, I can do this,’ ” McCartt said. “She’s a walking miracle. She’s a real testament to a dog’s determination to get up and just go.”

Today, Harper is about 11 weeks old, and she’s holding her own playing with the seven other dogs at Daniel’s home. Daniel estimates that Harper should be ready to be adopted in about a month — that is, if she can handle parting with her.

“Right now we’re saying that eventually she’ll be available for adoption because we haven’t made any decisions,” Daniel said. “If I give her up, that will make it possible for me to foster another dog. But she’s like a baby to me. I just don’t know!”

This is not the first time Daniel has taken on an impossibly sad case and witnessed an incredible transformation. In April of last year, she began fostering Dolly, a pit bull that had been used as a bait dog in a dog-fighting ring. Dolly’s injuries were severe; her mouth was so swollen that she couldn’t eat. With careful attention and lots of love, Dolly recovered. Today she’s a happy girl and an American Kennel Club-certified “Canine Good Citizen.” (You can watch a YouTube video about Dolly here.)

Dolly’s saga prompted Daniel to establish Dolly’s Foundation on Jan. 1 of this year. The organization rescues and rehabilitates homeless, neglected and abused American Pit Bull Terriers and other bully breed dogs, and it has plenty of puppies and dogs available for adoption.

“They’re just dogs,” Daniel said of pit bulls, noting the breed’s negative image. “Dogs need love, and they need homes.”

That’s certainly proven true in Harper’s case.

“The whole world was against her, but she’s such a fighter,” Daniel said. “She’s a blessing. She’s awesome.”

Thank for the letter Helen, still to this day I do not forgive Michael Vick. Even worse I can’t believe Sony gave him a contract. This means Sony knows that society is becoming more desensitized from violence and supporting a degenerate appeals to the other degenerates that waste their money on cheesy shoe promos. Michael Vick is a Sad person and Nike is a  Sad company.

——————-

Called the “Vicktory Dogs” by many, the 47 pit bulls who survived
Michael Vick’s cruelty have struck a chord with the nation. Not only
did they live through the worst kind of abuse and neglect, they each
have great individual stories and have gone on to lead extraordinary
lives. Some are now certified therapy workers and many are adored
family members, proving that pit bulls, just like any other dog, just
want to be man’s best friend.

In THE LOST DOGS: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and
Redemption (Gotham Books: Paperback, September 6 2011; $16.00) Jim
Gorant tells their inspirational story of survival and presents the
entire account —from the frustrations of the investigation to the
individual rehabilitation of the dogs themselves, to a new afterword
updating us on the happy lives they now have. THE LOST DOGS shows the
world that it’s time to forget what we think we know about pit bulls
and open our eyes and our arms to these loving and loyal pets.

With a new afterword highlighting where the dogs are now and the
impact they’ve had on the lives of others – canine and human –
THE LOST DOGS gives a voice to those who can not speak for themselves.
If you’d like to share their uplifting stories with your readers, I
would be more than happy to send you a review copy and discuss
opportunities for features and giveaways.

All the Best,
Helen

Less famous than its ground-dwelling, boxing relatives, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (pictured above) has jumped onto the list of species facing extinction. It looks similar to a kangaroo or wallaby, but has strong forearms and a long ringed tail. Tree kangaroos also have rubbery soles on shorter, wider feet to make them more adept at climbing than kangaroos on the ground. Though they are slow and clumsy on land, tree kangaroos move expertly through trees, wrapping their forearms around a limb and using the hind legs to propel themselves up. They also leap with ease between trees. The golden-mantled tree kangaroo lives in the forested areas of a mountain range in Papua New Guinea and was discovered in Indonesia in 2006 by a group of scientists. As more of the forest is cleared away to be made into cultivated land, the tree kangaroo’s home is shrinking — bad news when it has been run out of 99% of its historical habitat range. In 2008 there were only 250 of its kind left, and experts expect the number to drop under 200 in the next 10 years or so.

This Gremlin-esque little guy comes, unsurprisingly, from the island of Siau in Indonesia. Tarsiers are nocturnal primates with extremely large eyes, soft fur, and long fingers and feet. Researchers believe the Siau Island tarsier numbers in the low thousands, and local residents have said they’ve seen fewer and fewer of these tarsiers during the past 10 years. Take into account that more than half of the animal’s home is an active volcano and that the island’s human population is rumored to regularly eat five to 10 tarsiers in one sitting, and the future’s not looking good for this species. In fact, it was put on the 2008-2010 list of the 25 most endangered primates, ranking up there with heavyweight names like the Sumatran Orangutan and Cross River Gorilla.

A slightly smaller version of your average sloth found only on one small island off the coast of Panama, the pygmy three-toed sloth is inching its way toward extinction with presumably fewer than 500 of its kind remaining. Though apparently not helping it survive human threats, this sloth’s set of skills includes the ability to turn its head 360 degrees and to grow algae on its fur. The algae is thought to be a sort of camouflage, but it hasn’t been able to protect the sloth from fishermen, who hunt the sloths and can spot them easily in their habitats near open sea. And while sloths have gotten a bad name for being lazy, what with the whole seven deadly sins thing, maybe that reputation will help them in this instance. Hopefully when it comes to extinction, these sloths will go very slowly.

If something’s not done to protect the beluga, the rich and famous may have to do without their caviar dreams permanently. The beluga, or European sturgeon, is one of the few sturgeons whose egg masses are used to make traditional caviar. Because of this notoriety, though, the beluga is frequently overfished and poached. And because it takes about 15 years for a beluga to mature, it is difficult for the fish to recover from being hunted. Not to be confused with the beluga whale, this ugly fish looks like something that could’ve gone extinct with the dinosaurs. A fully grown sturgeon can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh 2500 pounds. The largest one ever recorded was more than 3000 pounds and measured almost 25 feet. But the numbers of this big fish are dwindling, decreasing about 90% during the last 60 years. Most of the beluga in the world today are raised in hatcheries, and it may not be long until this animal is extinct in the wild.

You would think that a mammal that is able to fly would be evolved enough to avoid facing extinction, but that’s not the case with the Namdapha flying squirrel. Being fuzzy and adorable apparently isn’t helping either. This squirrel has only been found in one park in northeastern India so it is in great danger of disappearing. Among the top threats to the squirrel are human and animal predators and the degradation of its habitat. Like other flying squirrels, the Namdapha flying squirrel is able to soar from tree to tree using a parachute-like muscle membrane on the sides of its body. As it’s soaring, the squirrel is able to steer itself by moving its legs, tail and the membrane. The main differences between this squirrel and its cousins, like Rocky the Flying Squirrel, are the coloring and some variations in its features. Maybe this flying squirrel needs some help from Bullwinkle to save the day.

This species of cat is just about out of lives. The near-relative to the common bobcat has earned the title of “world’s most threatened species of cat” and could become the first feral cat to become extinct in about 2000 years. The Iberian lynx lives in Spain and possibly in Portugal, and while this cat’s preferred food is rabbits, it has been forced to hunt other types of prey as the rabbit population has decreased drastically due to disease. The lynx has also increasingly been killed by speeding traffic on Spain’s growing network of roads. In 2000, there were thought to be 400 Iberian lynx remaining. By 2003, that number had been cut to about 160 and then possibly to 100 by 2005. It’s rumored that the Spanish government is releasing rabbits into the wild to replenish the lynx’s hunting grounds and organizations are calling for the closure of the busiest road that runs through the lynx habitat. It’s yet to be seen if these actions could help this cat species land on its feet.

Considered by many to be the world’s most beautiful tortoise species, the radiated tortoise is in a losing race against time. It’s found on the southern coast of Madagascar, and though it once numbered in the millions, it has been hunted to a point that the species may not survive. People use its meat for food, but it is also said to be an aphrodisiac — some people from China will pay $50 to eat one. The bright star pattern on its shell also makes the tortoise a commodity in the illegal pet trade market. Madagascar park authorities and law enforcement are poorly equipped to deal with poachers, and the poachers have even started hunting the radiated tortoise on protected areas, like reserves or World Heritage Sites. Some scientists have predicted that this tortoise could be extinct in 20 years if drastic measures aren’t taken.

Only two kinds of monk seals still exist: the Hawaiian monk seal and the Mediterranean monk seal. And both are close to extinction. To make matters more serious, the third monk seal species, the Caribbean monk seal, went extinct sometime in the last 60 years. (To make matters less serious, native Hawaiians call their monk seal ‘Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua, a name that means “dog that runs in rough water.”) The threats to monk seals include angry fisherman who are afraid they can’t compete with the seals for fish, water pollution and the use of boats and the beaches where seals frequent. There are about 1000 Hawaiian monk seals alive today, but experts predict that number will fall to 200 in the next 20 years. Only 350 to 450 Mediterranean monk seals remain and that number is also falling.

This blue-and-yellow Bolivian bird has quickly decreased in number during the past few generations. Its bright feathers makes it a favorite as a pet, and though it’s illegal to trade macaws, it continues to happen. Parrot-stealing seems like the perfect crime for a pirate. There are also a few instances of the bird being hunted for its feathers to make indigenous headdresses or for its meat to bait fish hooks. This parrot’s habitat is also being threatened because it’s located on cattle farms where trees are being cut down to create pastures and provide fuel. The blue-throated macaw is also facing competition for nesting sites from other birds such as toucans and big woodpeckers, as well as other macaws. There are only about 300 blue-throated macaws in the wild today.

No matter how many bat signals Florida authorities cast into the sky, the bonneted bats aren’t coming out. This bat, Florida’s largest with a wingspan of up to 18 inches, is named for its big ears that stick out over its eyes like a hat and can only be found on the southern tip of the state. It lives in hollowed-out trees, in suburban places like attics or under Spanish roof tiles and sometimes in foliage or under rocks. But because the suitable hiding places are normally older buildings or trees with large cavities, many of the bat’s habitats are being destroyed, by both humans and hurricanes. With only 250 or so bonneted bats left, this species could be on its way out. Holy extinction, Batman!

Dama gazelles used to graze all across northern Africa, presumably showing up in herds to join in a chorus of “The Circle of Life.” But now the animals that once numbered up to 10,000 on just one reserve can only be found in a few isolated areas in Chad, Mali, and Niger. Experts say there are definitely less than 500 of these gazelles left in the wild and they can’t be found in groups of more than 20, which are normally hundreds of miles apart. The main threats to this gazelle are hunting by nomads, military and hunting parties, and a loss of its habitat because of overgrazing of domestic livestock. The dama gazelle is expected to follow the same path out of the circle of life as the Scimitar-horned Oryx, which is now extinct in the wild.