BY: NADIA ZAIDI We have a lot of opinions when it comes to Afghanistan. War, human rights violations, and global intervention are usually at the forefront of that discussion. But one organization is helping us remember that animals, too, must…
The world’s most remote island is now home to one of the largest protected marine reserves
BY: PHILIPPE DE JOCAS Hundreds of years ago, Dutch explorers from distant shores drew close to a mysterious island – one that would change the way we look at archeology forever. It wasn’t quite the kind of mysterious island that…
New research is rewriting the origins of our relationships with our furry friends
On an average morning, you might wake up to the sound of your dog scratching at the door to go outside and do its business. Or you might wake up after your cat plops its furry ass on your face…
One less whale died on shore thanks to the intervention of hundreds of people
BY BROOKLYN PINHEIRO It seems like there is always news of people putting wildlife in danger for a cool story or photograph. Whether its dolphins, turtles, or a harmful animal spectacle people have shown they do not not always have…
Honeybees are making a comeback from colony collapse disorder
Humans have an odd fascination with bees in a way that we share with few other insects. We’re drawn, in turns, to both love them and fear them. Who hasn’t, for instance, seen a picture of an adorable little bumblebee……
China’s biodiversity efforts involve public participation and employment
China is a land of contrasts. It’s an ancient land, steeped in tradition – but at the same time it’s one of the most densely populated and technologically advanced nations on Earth. It’s a land where smog regularly chokes the…
How cats came to conquer the world
Who doesn’t like cats? They seem to embody everything we like about ourselves in a smaller, cuddlier form. They have personalities of their own; they can be affectionate, standoffish, shy, gregarious, aloof, or just plain absurd – sometimes all in…
Yellowstone grizzlies are coming off the endangered species list
BY BROOKLYN PINHEIRO Following 15 months of investigation and much debate, the Yellowstone grizzly bears are being delisted from the endangered species list this July. The list, which prevented humans from harming bears, will now allow limited hunting of bears…
Targeted conservation could save the earth – if we can make the sacrifices
How much is five percent? It depends what you’re talking about, for one thing. Five percent more ice cream for dessert isn’t likely to add up to very much – but talk about a 5 percent increase on your income…
Puppies Behind Bars lets prison inmates raise service dogs
BY: SYDNEY KEEFE Puppies Behind Bars began in New York in 1997 and its mission is to have prisoners raise and train service dogs for wounded war veterans. After 9/11 Puppies Behind Bars branched out into training explosive detection canines for…
This environmentally friendly pesticide may change farming forever
BY: PHILIPPE DE JOCAS Springtime arrives once more to banish the icy hand of winter from our frosty cities, and again the Earth renews itself in preparation for another long and bountiful summer. For you and I, springtime probably means…
Theresa May wants to bring back Fox hunting
BY: SYDNEY KEEFE Fox hunting is the traditional sport that consists of tracking and chasing the red fox with the use of foxhounds followed by a group of unarmed followers known as “master of foxhounds”. A title that seems to…
Faux fur being sold in UK stores is actually from animals
BY: SHAWNTAE HARRIS Purchasing faux fur is an ethical alternative to looking fashionable and chic without harming any animals. However, some stores in the UK have been selling real fur and passing it off as faux. The fibers of cats,…
Animal conservation just got an upgrade thanks to Vulcan’s new mapping system
BY: PHILIPPE DE JOCAS Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is, in many ways, the archetypical South African safari experience. Dry, flat lands shimmer in the equatorial heat and spindly acacias rise like stately islands of green above a gently waving sea of…
5 Alternatives to Animal Testing
BY RHIANN MOORE With modern science being what it is there’s really no excuse for why big businesses continue to animal test. When companies like Lush Cosmetics, Avalon Organics, Too Faced are able to succeed while advocating for anti-animal testing…
This Canadian author challenges the standard human-centred view we have of city spaces
BY: DUSTIN BATTY Typically, urban areas are considered in opposition to natural areas. Cities have asphalt, concrete, and buildings; nature has soil, marshes, and trees. Cities have chaos and noise; nature has peace and quiet. Cities have humans; nature has…
The moral stresses of animal experimentation and why they’re a good thing
BY: DUSTIN BATTY Most scientists who perform animal experimentation do not write about the emotional impact that such actions have on them. This silence arises from a number of factors: worry that other scientists do not feel similarly, a belief…
6 literal party animals that get higher than you do on a Friday night
BY: GREG GANDZA It’s Friday afternoon around 4 o’clock. Just one more dreadful hour until the weekend begins. You’re unsure of what you’re doing this weekend, but at this point anything beats the tan you’re getting from the computer screen,…
Let this canine show you the pure frozen beauty of the Plitvice lakes
There is a place where you can see cascades of lakes, waterfalls, and rivers, all connected in one. Sixteen lakes are divided into two systems: the Upper and Lower Lakes. There is a place where you can witness the strength…
Poachers finally screwed themselves as elephants are being born tusk-less due to, well, poaching
BY BROOKLYN PINHEIRO Ivory hunting has been a key factor in decreasing the African elephant population from the few million at the turn of the century to the less than half a million that exists now. But with an increasing…