Setting-Aside Space For UK Birds

BirdLife International:

The UK government has announced it’s first steps to address the crises faced by farmland birds, following the abolition of the EU set-aside obligation…

North Wales Tops Bird Crimes Table

Daily Post:

North Wales has the Wales’ worst record for crimes against wild birds, latest figures show.

Gwynedd has been dubbed a “hotspot” with 25 recorded incidents – the highest of any county in Wales – ranging from nest disturbance to poisoning and egg theft…

Worst Ever Illegal Killing Spree For Birds Of Prey

BBC News:

A record number of birds of prey were killed in Britain last year, with buzzards, peregrine falcons and golden eagles the worst hit.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds received 262 reports of birds of prey being illegally shot, trapped or killed when their nests were destroyed in 2007, compared with 185 reports the previous year – a rise of 40 per cent…

Rare Seahorses Born At Aquarium

BBC News:

More than 120 endangered baby seahorses have been born at a Hampshire aquarium…

Unexpected Fall In Puffin Numbers

BBC News:

England’s biggest colony of puffins has seen the birds’ numbers fall by a third in just five years, a survey shows.

Experts had expected to see a slight increase in the population on the Farne Islands, owned by the National Trust…

New MP For Glasgow East To Push Constituency As A Centre For Non-Animal Research

BUAV:

The Scottish National Party winner of the Glasgow East by-election, John Mason, has made a commitment to promote his constituency as a centre for non-animal research.

He made the pledge in response to a British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) survey sent to all the candidates before the election.

Mr Mason was asked if he agreed with statements including; that more should be done to reverse the increasing trend of using animals, that it is not justifiable to cause substantial suffering to any animal in the laboratory, that the Freedom of Information Act should be fully implemented regarding animal testing and that Scotland should lead the way in supporting alternative methods of research.

The new MP agreed with all of these statements. In addition, he made three significant commitments. These are to proactively promote Glasgow East as a centre for non-animal research, to make his constituency office ‘cruelty free’ by insisting on cleaning products that have not been tested on animals, and to sign an Early Day Motion calling on the Government to ban animal experiments for household products.

All six of the SNP’s other Westminster MPs have signed EDM 1215, which calls for the UK government to ban the use of animals to test household products, such as floor cleaners or washing up liquid. In total 171 cross-party MPs have signed the EDM.

The licensing of animal experiments is not a devolved matter for Scotland, as all licenses are approved by central Government. However, Mr Mason told the BUAV he agrees that Scotland should have control over issuing licenses.

Scotland carries a disproportionate amount of animal testing in the UK. In 2006, tests north of the border made up 14 per cent of the UK’s three million procedures – even though Scots make up only around eight per cent of the total population (1). The majority of the public want to see their politicians supporting measures to bring these numbers down.

The BUAV Chief Executive, Michelle Thew, says “We welcome these statements of commitment from the new MP for Glasgow East. Politicians need to listen to the majority of the public, who are concerned about animal testing. In Scotland, there is a higher level of animal experiments than south of the border, and the BUAV welcomes the opportunity to work with John Mason on the animal testing issue”.

Press release: here

Heron Shows No Panic In Rescue Attempt

Animal Rescue Blog:

A baby green heron chick who fell out of it’s nest last week quickly went from an easy and routine rescue to a quite complicated one. Over the course of three days myself and Wild Care worked to reunited the hatchling with it’s mother…

2 Years For Rescuing Dog, ALF Rescue More Animals In Retaliation

Indymedia:

As both the US and UK governments (and many others) are cracking down on animal rights and environmental activists, labeling them as terrorists and hitting them with outrageous prison sentences, supporters say it is for a few reasons. First, they say that these activists are national security threats. Second, they say that this boot-on-the-throat approach will deter future illegal activity by underground, “eco-terrorist” groups like the Animal Liberation Front…

EU Seeks To Halt Cruelty To Seals

BBC News:

The European Commission has proposed that the EU ban all trade in seal products from countries that fail to meet high animal welfare standards…

Illegal Imports Of Animal Products Fall 20%

Farmers Guardian: 

The number of illegal imports of animal products into the UK has fallen by 29 per cent over the last year, Defra has revealed…