Monkey Reaches Out to Young Girl at Zoo

In the latest tragedy involving a zoo animal, Harambe the gorilla was shot dead after a four-year old boy fell into his enclosure at the Cincinnati zoo. While the child sustained no injuries, the 17-year old endangered animal lost his life, despite displaying behavior which has led experts to believe that Harambe was merely trying to protect the child. A mere week prior, two healthy lions were also shot dead when a visitor willingly entered their enclosure and reportedly tried to taunt them into attacking him in a zoo in Chile.

http://tinyurl.com/goqonsm

Study: Dogs May Protect Babies From Some Infections

Babies who spend time around pet dogs have fewer ear infectionsand respiratory ailments than those whose homes are animal-free, said a study released on Monday. The study, published in the US journal Pediatrics, did not say why but suggested that being around a dog that spends at least part of its day outdoors may boost a child's immune system in the first year of life. 

http://tinyurl.com/87rtq2u

Armed Commandos To Protect India's Tigers

Armed commandos are to be deployed in the jungles of southern India to deter poachers from capturing and killing endangered tigers, state government officials announced on Wednesday.  The 54-strong Special Tiger Protection Force will patrol the two main tiger reserves of Bandipur and Nagarhole national parks on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu state border, the Karnataka government in Bangalore said.

http://tinyurl.com/7juyvze

California Shark Fin Ban Signed Into Law

Shark fin soup will disappear from the Golden State's menu in January 2013 under legislation signed into law on Friday by California Governor Jerry Brown. Strongly supported by environmentalists, the bill bans the sale, purchase or possession of the ocean-going predator's fins. But restaurants can continue to serve any existing stock of shark fin until 2013.

http://tinyurl.com/64kczo3

Toronto Bans Sale of Cats and Dogs in Stores

In a victory for dogs and cats everywhere, pet stores in Toronto will no longer be able to sell dogs and cats, as the Toronto city council voted to crack down "puppy mills" that have been supplying the dogs and cats to these stores. The city council in Toronto voted this week to close a loophole that made it possible for the unlawful puppy mill breeders to sell the animals they raise through local pet stores. Good for Toronto! Now if we can only get cities in the United States to follow suit!

http://tinyurl.com/3rmwl5p

Poisonous Rhino's Deter Poachers in South Africa

Last year, radioactive boars frustrated hunters in Germany. This year poisonous rhinoceroses are discouraging poachers in South Africa. Like the boars, the rhinos are not a product of nature, but a result of human actions. In this case though, the toxic treatment was intentional.

http://tinyurl.com/6bo8g28

Sea Shepherds Heading to Faroe Islands To Protect Pilot Whales

Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd said Thursday it will erect a "wall of sound" in the sea to deter the killing of hundreds of pilot whales in shallow coves along the Faroe Islands, a Danish territory.

http://tinyurl.com/6h9sh8k